Chapter 700: Are the Gardenias Blooming? (Combined Chapter) [Sponsored by Xiao Chen’s Generous Support – Legendary Badge Awarded!]
“What the hell? Why are the police on our tail?” Zhao Weixiang’s face turned ashen as he spotted the pursuing helicopters and speedboats.
Hong Jiao stood beside him, her expression eerily calm. “I was the one who leaked the information.”
Zhao Weixiang whipped his head toward her, grabbing her collar with a lunge. His eyes were bloodshot. “Why? Why would you do that?”
Hong Jiao answered with just three words: “I’m exhausted.”
All these years, all these escapes—she’d never seen a shred of hope. She couldn’t hold on any longer.
Zhao Weixiang froze, his rage gradually twisting into a smile steeped in bitter irony. He wasn’t sure if he was mocking her, or himself.
“Fine. Perfect!” He spun on his heel and strode toward the stern.
Hong Jiao thought he was going for a weapon and instinctively took half a step back.
But what Zhao Weixian pulled up wasn’t an arms crate—it was a floor panel disguised as decking. Beneath lay a full set of diving gear and a black waterproof backpack.
“You…” Hong Jiao clearly hadn’t expected this man to be so calculating, to have another plan.
If he dove into the sea with that equipment on a night like this, they’d never find him.
What surprised her, though, was that Zhao Weixiang didn’t take the diving gear and flee alone. Instead, he tossed the waterproof pack and equipment at her feet without a word of explanation. “Two nautical miles ahead, there’s an uninhabited reef island. New identity, cash, satellite phone—all in the bag. When you get there, call the number I’ve saved. Someone will come get you.”
Hong Jiao stared at him, then at the single set of gear before her, struck by the bitter irony of it all.
This man who’d never truly trusted anyone was now giving her the only chance at survival. What did that even mean?
Seeing her stunned, Zhao Weixiang chuckled. “I just don’t want to run anymore.”
Then he shoved the diving gear into her arms. “Put it on!”
“No! I won’t!”
“Put it on!”
“You think surrendering will save you? You’ve got just as much blood on your hands as I do. You’ll get the death penalty or life imprisonment! Hong Jiao, when you get to a new place, remember to live well.”
Hong Jiao clutched the heavy equipment, her body trembling slightly. Only now did she realize he was truly offering her the only way out.
She looked up at Zhao Weixiang again, this man she’d followed for over a decade. For once, his eyes held a rare sincerity.
Maybe… this time he was genuine?
“Hurry! No more wasting time! Put it on and go!” Zhao Weixiang urged. The police boats were closing in.
He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the rail. “When I tell you to go, you go! Remember—swim east, and don’t look back!”
Right then.
Swoosh!
A blinding white light erupted above the speedboat, followed by deafening thunder.
Flashbang!
Zhao Weixiang and Hong Jiao were instantly blinded, ears ringing. They lost their balance and collapsed on deck as the boat rocked violently.
“Drop your weapons! Hands on your heads! You’re surrounded!”
This time, the amplified voice spoke in the language of the Dragon Kingdom.
Zhao Weixiang struggled to raise his head. Through his blurred vision, he could make out three black speedboats forming a triangle around them, each carrying several figures in black, heavily armed. Dark gun barrels were trained on them from every direction.
Above, a helicopter hovered, its searchlight bathing their boat in daylight-bright illumination.
These were all Liu Yutong’s people!
Zhao Weixiang let out a bitter laugh.
He knew this style all too well—direct, ruthless, leaving no room for negotiation.
“Hong Jiao…”
Zhao Weixiang started to speak, but discovered Hong Jiao had already struggled into a sitting position. Her face held a strange, peaceful resignation.
Looking at the men in black, then at Zhao Weixiang, she said simply: “No more running. Can’t run anymore.”
Zhao Weixiang understood her words. His tense body suddenly went slack.
Yeah. All these years of running. Tired. So tired of running.
Zhao Weixiang dropped the pistol he’d just drawn and slowly raised his hands.
“We surrender.”
The men in black didn’t lower their guard. One boat eased closer. Three operatives leaped aboard—one covering while the other two moved in swiftly, efficiently restraining Zhao Weixiang and Hong Jiao, and conducting a thorough search.
“Clear!” one reported.
Soon, Liu Yutong’s boat pulled alongside.
Flanked by Yun Cheng and Chu Yang, she stepped onto the white speedboat’s deck.
Seeing this impossibly young girl again filled Zhao Weixiang with resentment. He’d worked so hard, yet this girl who was decades younger had outplayed him. Why? He couldn’t wrap his head around it.
Liu Yutong first assessed the restrained pair, then addressed Hong Jiao: “Thank you for the coordinates.”
Hong Jiao looked up at the girl who was too young but had utterly defeated the man by her side. A smile suddenly crossed her face. “Miss Liu, you’re truly beautiful.”
Though it sounded like a compliment, it was really envy—envy that Liu Yutong could live openly and gloriously in the light.
“Get them on board and take them back,” Liu Yutong ordered.
The operatives transferred Zhao Weixiang and Hong Jiao to the Wanlong Society’s vessel.
The men in black on the surrounding boats gradually relaxed their vigilance and began returning to base.
Everyone was elated to have captured Zhao Weixiang, the primary target.
Yun Cheng and the others knew exactly how cunning and careful Zhao Weixiang was. Most crucially, capturing him meant they could finally learn who murdered their former boss—and who killed Officer Gao Min’s father. They could avenge the Young Mistress and their previous leader!
But as they were bringing Zhao Weixiang ashore, an unexpected development occurred.
Bang!
A sudden gunshot rang out behind them!
Not from any of the Wanlong Society members, but from the dark sea to their side—from a small motorboat that had somehow slipped near them.
The bullet’s target was clear: Zhao Weixiang!
“Watch out!”
Hong Jiao, closest to Zhao Weixiang, broke free from her captor the instant the shot rang out and lunged at him.
Thud!
Hong Jiao’s body jerked violently as she fell across Zhao Weixiang’s back. They crashed together onto the hard concrete shore.
“Ambush!”
“Motorboat at three o’clock!”
“Protect the Young Mistress!”
“Return fire!”
The Wanlong Society’s response was instantaneous.
The moment the gun fired, both Yun Cheng and Chu Yang were roaring orders to shoot back.
The operatives instantly went into combat mode, barrels swiveling toward the motorboat, opening fire in a furious barrage.
Only a single dark, indistinct figure was visible on the motorboat. Having apparently seen their target go down, they immediately whipped the craft around and fled at high speed.
This motorboat was clearly modified for maximum velocity.
“After them!” Chu Yang started to give chase.
“Don’t pursue. It might be a diversion,” Liu Yutong stopped them, then hurried toward Zhao Weixiang and Hong Jiao.
Fortunate for Zhao Weixiang, he was unharmed. Unfortunate for Hong Jiao, a vast crimson stain spread across her chest.
The bullet had entered from behind, piercing straight through.
“Medic! Get a medic!” Zhao Weixiang roared frantically at the surrounding operatives, his eyes bloodshot.
He tried to staunch the gushing wound with his hands, but the warm blood quickly stained his palms red.
Hong Jiao’s face turned ashen. Looking at Zhao Weixiang’s frantic, twisted expression, she forced out a smile.
“Stop shouting… it’s no use…”
“Why the fuck did you jump in front of me?! Who asked you to?!”
Zhao Weixiang, this perpetually cold-blooded man, was now completely shattered. “You hate me! You hate my guts! So why would you take a bullet for me?!”
“Xiang… do you remember?… Yang City, winter… you bought a filthy little beggar girl…”
“You bought me… a hot pork bun… the best thing… I’ve ever tasted in my life.”
The corners of Hong Jiao’s mouth curved upward slightly, as if tasting that flavor again.
Zhao Weixiang’s body trembled.
“You said… a girl as pretty as me… shouldn’t suffer like this… you said… you could make big money, asked me… if I’d go with you…”
“I said… yes.”
Hong Jiao coughed violently at this point, blood frothing at her lips.
Seeing her like this, Zhao Weixiang tried to stop her. “Don’t talk. Don’t say anything. I’m getting you to a hospital right now! You have to hold on! Do you hear me?!”
But Hong Jiao seemed not to hear, continuing as if speaking to herself.
“Do you know… why I agreed… back then?”
“Because… the way you looked at me that day… was so serious.”
“Later… I realized… you weren’t just serious about me… you were serious about everything… serious when you lied, serious when you killed… serious when you ran for your life…”
“Zhao Weixiang…” Hong Jiao spoke his name one last time, her voice holding no resentment, only exhaustion. “Living like this… aren’t you tired…”
Zhao Weixiang’s vision dissolved completely in tears as he nodded forcefully.
“Tired… so tired…”
“So this time I meant it… I decided, we’d go somewhere no one could find us… buy a house with a courtyard, I’d plant it full of gardenias for you… don’t you love that scent? We could…”
His voice cut off abruptly.
He saw Hong Jiao’s pupils beginning to dilate, her pale lips moving with sounds barely audible.
“The gardenias… are they blooming…”
“They’re blooming! They’re blooming! I’ll take you there right now!”
Zhao Weixiang held Hong Jiao’s gradually cooling body tight, grasping her hand. “We’re not going to South America, we’ll go straight to Cancun, tomorrow, no, right now!”
But this time, Hong Jiao didn’t respond. The hand he held so tightly finally loosened, all strength gone.
“AHHHH!!!”
Zhao Weixiang let out a howl that was barely human. He snapped his head up, bloodshot eyes fixed on where the motorboat had vanished. The hatred and madness in that gaze made even the Wanlong Society members’ hearts clench.
“Jiang Yuan! Wu Kun! I’ll fucking destroy your entire bloodlines!!!”
He struggled to rise but was pinned down by the operatives beside him.
Liu Yutong walked over, knelt down, and checked Hong Jiao’s carotid artery. She shook her head.
However, looking up at Zhao Weixiang, she asked: “You know who sent that assassin?”
Zhao Weixiang turned his head, crimson eyes locking onto Liu Yutong with towering fury.
“I know! Of course I know!”
“It’s that old dog Jiang Yuan! And his frontman Wu Kun! They’re scared, scared I’ll spill all their dirty secrets! Hahaha… want to silence me? In their dreams!”
His laughter was shrill and crazed.
“Liu Yutong!”
“Don’t you want to know how your father died? Take me back, take me back alive! I’ll tell you everything! The evidence I have, the lists I’ve compiled, all of Jiang Yuan’s connections in the Dragon Kingdom and Harbor City, every dirty deed—I’ll give it all to you!”
“I just want them dead! I want Jiang Yuan and Wu Kun dead!!!”
“They have to die!!!”
After venting his rage, Zhao Weixiang looked again at the quiet woman in his arms, sobbing: “Why were you so stupid?! You could have lived!”
Liu Yutong stood up, watching the scene before her, her heart a tumult of emotions.
The unexpected assassin, Hong Jiao taking a bullet for Zhao Weixiang and dying in his arms… it had all happened in a flash, leaving them stunned.
The name Jiang Yuan was now etched in her mind.
“Clean up the scene. Get them out of here.”
“Cover Hong Jiao with something.”
One operative retrieved a jacket from a vehicle and draped it over Hong Jiao’s body.
Zhao Weixiang, his heart completely broken, stopped struggling. He allowed the operatives to pull him up and march him toward the waiting vehicle, though his eyes never left Hong Jiao’s body until he was shoved into the car and the door closed, cutting her from view.
After they drove off.
Even Yun Cheng and Chu Yang remained silent for a long while before finally asking: “Young Mistress, that assassin seemed like a professional.”
Liu Yutong nodded. “Seems some people couldn’t sleep after Zhao Weixiang’s capture.”
“Jiang Yuan… I think I’ve heard that name. Some bigshot from Harbor City,” Yun Cheng said uncertainly.
“Your memory serves you right. That’s him. A rather famous tycoon, supposedly only below the Four Great Families of Harbor City. Quite the influential ‘patriotic’ businessman,” Liu Yutong said, her voice heavy with sarcasm on those last words.
In her past life, she’d heard of this magnate Jiang Yuan. According to that timeline, he wouldn’t fall for another decade or so.
He’d always flown the banner of a patriotic investor, claiming to build projects while actually frantically embezzling funds, swindling investors, even eventually growing bold enough to finance certain insurgent groups.
In the end, his crimes were exposed and he was thrown in prison.
She never thought in this life she’d have the chance to cross paths with him.
Since that was the case, she would simply have to announce his fate ahead of schedule.