Chapter 115: The Escape

The shot rang out, but it missed Fu Yuxing. The barrel swerved, the bullet grazing Meng Changdong’s neck before striking the man standing behind him.

Fu Yuxing was swift. Lin Yao had hesitated for only two seconds, but in the instant before she pulled the trigger, he had seized her hand and turned the muzzle toward Meng Changdong. He had shown restraint, however, choosing not to kill him, but merely inflicting a superficial wound.

Li Ting had lived a long time, and the one thing he could not abide was a woman being used as a human shield. He shoved Lin Yao away, snatched the gun from her hand with his other, and pointed it back at Fu Yuxing.

"Do you really take me for a soft touch?"

Before the words had finished echoing, another bang erupted. This time, however, the bullet did not strike Li Ting; it shattered a bowl on the table.

The precision of that shot was displayed with terrifying clarity.

Immediately after, another shot rang out, shattering the floor-to-ceiling window on the other side of the room. Bullets struck the floor at the feet of several of his men, leaving smoking craters in the wood.

A volley of gunfire followed, and in an instant, every glass window in the villa was shattered.

Faced with such a display, Li Ting’s men began to panic.

Every man fears death; once fear takes root, the backbone of their resolve crumbles. Though they had the numerical advantage, no one knew how many men Fu Yuxing had deployed. It was a psychological war.

Perhaps, he was simply playing a game of "Empty Fort Strategy."

But Fu Yuxing remained unnervingly calm. Even with a dozen guns trained on his head, his expression did not falter; not a flicker of fear could be found in his eyes.

The two men stood in a stalemate.

Fu Yuxing’s lips curled slightly. He reached out, took the gun, and looked up at Li Ting. "To have Brother Li accompany me into the afterlife—what an honor."

Li Ting gritted his teeth. After several seconds, he released his grip and began to laugh. "Good, good! I truly underestimated you."

Fu Yuxing placed the gun on the table. "I’ve eaten, and everything that needed to be said has been said. May I go now?"

Li Ting said nothing.

But his men had already cleared a path. Fu Yuxing stood up. "Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Li. The next time you come to Beicheng, I will be sure to host you properly."

Li Ting pursed his lips, his eyes locked on him.

Fu Yuxing turned slightly and held out his hand to Meng Changdong, asking for his cane.

Meng Changdong, clutching his neck, tilted his head to signal one of his men to bring it. Moments later, someone hurried in, glanced at Meng, and handed the cane to Fu Yuxing.

"My thanks, Assistant Meng."

"You’re too kind."

Fu Yuxing, leaning on the cane, walked slowly toward the exit.

Li Ting’s hands were clenched into fists on the table. Fu Yuxing walked out the villa’s front door; no one tried to stop him. A car pulled up and stopped before him, and he climbed inside.

The car made a sharp, skillful turn and accelerated, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.

Li Ting lashed out, sweeping a wine glass off the table.

"Send men after him! Don't let them leave Aocheng!"

"Yes." Meng Changdong glanced at his hand and turned to leave.

Lin Yao sat on the floor, her face pale, unable to regain her composure. She looked out the window, her voice trembling. "Are... are those people gone?"

Li Ting turned to face the left window, staring into the mountain forest hidden in the night. He kicked a chair violently. "He actually played me with an Empty Fort Strategy!"

Lin Yao, huddled under the table, watched him. "You... you should find somewhere to hide. What if they haven't left? Standing out like this is too dangerous."

Before she finished speaking, Li Ting seemed to sense something and dodged swiftly. A bullet buried itself in the floor where he had just been standing.

He immediately sought cover in a blind spot. Hearing the commotion, Meng Changdong arranged for a dozen men to search the mountain.

They searched thoroughly but found no one, losing two or three men in the process. It was clear that the enemy was few, but because they were hidden in the shadows, they held the advantage despite the disparity in numbers.

Once it was deemed safe, Lin Yao helped Li Ting to the living room to sit down. His wrist was still bleeding, and his clothes were stained. Lin Yao looked at her own blood-soaked hands with surprising calm. Li Ting, deathly pale, watched her, his heart stirred by her actions moments ago. "Are you not afraid?"

Lin Yao turned to look at him. She started to wipe her face, but he grabbed her wrist. "Do you want to smear blood all over yourself?"

Only then did she realize her hands were covered in his blood. She said, "Let's go to the hospital. We need to stop the bleeding."

"I never would have guessed you had such nerves of steel."

She was someone who had already died once; nothing could compare to the terror she had felt on the ship. She said nothing, merely looking up toward the door, where Meng Changdong was giving orders.

She fell silent for a moment before hesitating. "Fu Yuxing probably won't be caught, will it?"

"Do you hope he gets away, or that he doesn't?"

Lin Yao smiled. "I naturally hope he dies."

"He is a blight. I will not let him live. Even if he leaves Aocheng today, I won't let him go."

Lin Yao remained quiet, watching him with a faint smile. She covered his bleeding hand with hers. "Call the doctor, quickly."

...

Fu Yuxing had anticipated that Li Ting would pursue him relentlessly. After all, this was Aocheng, and their forces here were relatively weaker.

"Brother Xing, hold on tight." The man wearing a panda-patterned mask spoke with unconcealed excitement, preparing to show off his driving skills.

Fu Yuxing gripped the handle and asked casually, "And her?"

"Don't worry, Lao Yu is watching her. She's waiting at Pier 6. Lao Qin found a body double to lead some of them toward the airport to draw off their fire."

"Do not lower your guard."

"Understood!"

As they spoke, two cars suddenly swerved out, blocking their path. The driver showed no sign of stopping; instead, he accelerated. With a roar, he slammed into the two vehicles, shoving them aside. He was driving a modified car with a custom-built chassis and five-star durability; the other vehicles were no match.

The people in the other cars were stunned—they hadn't expected such aggression. After ramming them aside, the driver played with the controls, suddenly braking and reversing into an S-curve, leaving the two cars in pieces before speeding away.

The driver cheered happily. "Brother, did my driving get even better?"

Fu Yuxing said nothing, sitting as steady as a mountain, a source of absolute calm.

The driver glanced back and noticed three or four more cars in pursuit. His smile faded. "Brother, get down. I see they have guns."

"Just watch yourself, don't worry about me. Try to shake them before we get there so we don't lead them to Little Bai and cause an accident."

"Right."

He glanced at a road sign and made a quick decision. The car turned at a three-way intersection and headed up a mountain road. The slope was steep with many sharp turns, making it difficult to drive.

But it was precisely because of this difficulty that he chose this path. If those men dared to follow, he could take them all out at once—they would definitely regret chasing them.

...

Lin Wanbai sat in the cabin, staring at Yu Zhi. He had removed his mask, revealing delicate features, though his demeanor was gloomy, his eyes looking as if they could devour someone.

On the table in front of her was a bento box filled with a rich meal, accompanied by a glass of freshly squeezed juice.

After they stared at each other for a while, Yu Zhi said, "Eat."

Lin Wanbai shook her head, silently indicating she wasn't hungry.

But he seemed unable to understand, forcing her to eat. "It’s not poisoned. We are here to save you, not harm you."

Just as they reached a stalemate, a noise came from outside. Yu Zhi immediately put down his chopsticks and went out, telling her to stay put.

With the guard gone, Yu Zhi hid in the cabin and peeked out. There was no one in sight—the emptiness itself was suspicious.

He drew his gun, prepared to rush out, when someone suddenly lunged into the cabin. He leveled his weapon, but upon seeing who it was, his expression changed. He lowered the gun and stepped forward to catch him. "Brother Xing?"

As he spoke, he looked outside and saw Ke Nian running toward them, pursued by a group of vicious-looking men. He was shocked and shouted inside, "Come out and help!"

He then rushed out to assist.

Lin Wanbai heard Yu Zhi, but she remained seated, paralyzed by fear.

However, a moment later, she saw Fu Yuxing stumble inside.

She froze. Seeing the blood on his face and body, she rushed over and caught him. She couldn't make a sound, so she could only move her lips frantically.

He tilted his head to look at her. His face was deathly white, but his eyes glowed with a faint light. His blood-stained hand gripped her shoulder, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

He whispered in her ear, "I missed you so much."

Lin Wanbai’s heart stirred. He was heavy, his weight pressing down on her. Her legs went weak, and she nearly fell. He began to slide, so she had to hold him tightly, using every ounce of her strength to shuffle backward until she collapsed into a chair. Her shoulders shook; she wanted to ask if he was alright.

Footsteps echoed outside, and the yacht’s engines roared to life, pulling away from the pier at top speed.

The man who entered still wore the panda mask, but his eyes were no longer relaxed. He pulled off the mask, panting slightly. "Get Brother Xing inside quickly. I need to treat his wounds."

His brow was furrowed in urgency.

Lin Wanbai could only offer a pained expression, showing she couldn't carry him.

The man lifted Fu Yuxing, carried him to the rear cabin, and placed him on the bed. He told Lin Wanbai to get the medical kit from the drawer. Lin Wanbai looked at him, then at Fu Yuxing. Just as she turned to go, Fu Yuxing grabbed Ke Nian’s hand. "She doesn't know anything. Where do you expect her to find the kit? Go get it yourself!"

"Right, right." He hurried out and returned seconds later with the kit.

Fu Yuxing’s gaze never left Lin Wanbai. Ke Nian worked efficiently; fortunately, the bullet had missed vital organs, striking only the shoulder. Lin Wanbai brought a basin of hot water and stood nearby. When she saw Ke Nian drive the blade into the flesh, she instinctively looked away. Her heart was in her throat; it felt as if the knife were cutting into her own skin, sending a chill down her spine.

Fu Yuxing bit down on a towel, his brow locked in pain, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

Ke Nian extracted the bullet with lightning speed and dropped it into the basin. He glanced at Lin Wanbai. "Why are you standing so far away? Give Brother Xing some support, won't you?"

Seeing she still didn't move, he grabbed her and pressed her against the bedside.

Fu Yuxing immediately grabbed her hand, holding it tight.

Lin Wanbai remained still, letting him hold on.

The application of medicine was another agonizing process. Watching him endure the pain, Lin Wanbai subconsciously squeezed his hand back, tears silently streaming down her face.

Ke Nian focused on treating the wound and feeding him medicine before letting out a long sigh of relief. Recalling the scene just now, he still felt shaken. He had intended to go up the mountain to finish off those idiots, but more and more kept appearing, nearly driving him into a corner. In the end, it was Lao Qin’s arrival that allowed them to break through.

Li Ting was truly a formidable boss, and Fu Yuxing’s mission had been incredibly risky.

Ke Nian washed his hands, rummaged through the kit, and handed a bottle of medicine to Lin Wanbai. "Have her take this. Her vocal cords will recover by tomorrow."

Lin Wanbai took it, nodding gratefully at him.

Ke Nian then headed to the cockpit.

Lin Wanbai swallowed the medicine and sat quietly beside Fu Yuxing. He breathed shallowly, blood still lingering on his face. After a moment, she went to the bathroom, brought back a basin of clean water, and wiped the blood from his skin.

He opened his eyes halfway, took her hand, and placed it against his chest, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

The anxiety that had gripped Lin Wanbai finally began to ease. Though she didn't necessarily like Fu Yuxing and was even a little afraid of him, she had no memory. Of the few people she knew, besides Aunt Rong, Fu Yuxing was the most familiar.

So, facing such a situation, seeing him naturally brought her comfort.

Time passed, and the yacht suddenly stopped. Fu Yuxing opened his eyes, braced himself, and sat up despite the pain.

Lin Wanbai reached out to pull his arm, looking into his eyes to signal he shouldn't move.

At that moment, Ke Nian entered with two sets of clothes. He looked at Fu Yuxing with concern. "Brother Xing, are you sure you can do this?"

"I can."

"But it’s at least an hour’s swim from here..."

"Don't waste words."

Ke Nian had no choice. Before dressing him, he administered two injections—one for pain, one to provide a temporary burst of energy. Fu Yuxing looked slightly better afterward. Ke Nian tightened the bandage, wrapped it in oilcloth to protect it from the water, and then helped him change.

Lin Wanbai went to the bathroom to change as well.

Everything prepared, the three walked to the deck. Yu Zhi was waiting. The sea breeze was cold, and going into the water in this weather was life-threatening.

Yu Zhi said, "Their people should arrive in three hours. We must leave quickly. The bombs on the boat will detonate in twenty minutes."

Fu Yuxing led Lin Wanbai to Yu Zhi. "Protect her. She isn't a strong swimmer."

"Got it." Yu Zhi put a life vest on her.

Lin Wanbai was frightened. Yu Zhi jumped first, followed by Lin Wanbai. She stood at the edge, looked back at Fu Yuxing, and he nodded at her. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. Trust me."

Her heart hammered. At this point, she had no choice but to trust him.

Finally, closing her eyes, she took a breath and jumped.

Yu Zhi caught her quickly, preventing her from swallowing seawater. "Don't be nervous. I'll push you."

He tied a rope around her waist, attached the other end to himself, and began to swim forward. Ke Nian and Fu Yuxing followed closely behind.

After twenty minutes of swimming at top speed, an explosion roared behind them. Fire soared into the sky, illuminating the surrounding sea. Lin Wanbai looked back; it was their yacht.

Yu Zhi accelerated. Lin Wanbai was already frozen by the cold, the howling wind ringing in her ears.

Then, she felt water splashing on her face. Minutes later, a downpour began.

She heard Yu Zhi curse.

The rain intensified, and the waves grew higher. The four floated on the sea, struggling forward.

Under the deluge of the rain, the fire slowly dimmed. A dozen small yachts chased after them, but they found only the wreckage of the boat. They circled the area but found no trace of anyone.

In the vast sea, with a yacht explosion, it was assumed there would be no remains left.

After circling a few more times, seeing the rain worsen, they turned back, fearing the rising waves.

...

Li Ting sat comfortably on his bed, his hand treated. Lin Yao was feeding him porridge.

Meng Changdong entered to report. "Our men reached the middle of the sea. The boat had exploded. They circled the area, but there was no sign of Fu Yuxing."

"Also, we captured one man. Under interrogation, he confessed to being from the Tianhe Society in Beicheng."

Li Ting squinted. "So, who has the man now?"

"He should be in the hands of the Tianhe Society."

"Ha! So they were the ones who ruined my business? I, Li Ting, have always had an 'each stays in his own river' relationship with those people surnamed Zuo. To openly snatch my target like this—they have no respect for me at all!"

He was so annoyed he knocked the porridge from Lin Yao’s hand. It was fresh from the pot and boiling hot; it splashed all over her. She cried out and stood up instantly, her hand scalded. The bowl hit the floor and shattered.

She instinctively stepped back, panicked, and hurried to pick up the pieces, accidentally cutting her finger. The pain was sharp, but she made no sound. She cleaned up and turned to leave, not complaining once.

Li Ting watched her back. After a few seconds of distraction, he didn't even hear what Meng Changdong was saying. "What did you say?"

"Should we continue to track Lin Wanbai?"

"No. But as for Fu Yuxing—even if he is dead, I want to see the body. A yacht explosion isn't enough to blast a man to dust. Even if it did, there would be bits of flesh left. As for Tianhe, I will settle this debt with them. If people don't offend me, I don't offend them. Since they initiated this, they can't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Yes."

Li Ting drank some water and paused. "If that's all, leave. Oh, is there burn ointment in the house?"

Meng Changdong replied, "There should be. I'll go find some."

"Find it and bring it to her."

"Yes."

"No, bring it to me."

"Yes."

Meng Changdong glanced at him and walked out.

In the kitchen, Lin Yao washed the porridge off her clothes and ran cold water over her scalded hand. She stood there for a long time until Meng Changdong’s voice startled her.

She quickly turned off the faucet, her face already masked with a polite smile. "Assistant Meng."

"I am leaving. Please take care of Brother Li."

"Of course."

Meng Changdong nodded and started to walk away.

Lin Yao called out, "Wait..."

He stopped, looking at her questioningly.

Lin Yao pursed her lips. "Fu Yuxing... is he dead?"

"Based on what they saw, he should be." Meng Changdong turned back, stepped toward her, and looked into her slightly dazed eyes. "Shouldn't Miss Lin be happy?"

She hesitated, then smiled. "Of course I am happy. I hope he is truly dead."

"Miss Lin, I hope your heart is as loyal to Brother Li as your actions suggest. Brother Li hates betrayal the most. Those who betray him do not have a good end."

"I know," she smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Assistant Meng."

Lin Yao turned, prepared a new bowl of porridge, and carried it to the room.

Li Ting held a tube of burn ointment. He glanced at her reddened hand. "Put the bowl down first."

She obeyed, placing the porridge on the nightstand.

"Give me your hand."

She reached out, and Li Ting personally applied the ointment. "Next time I lose my temper, stay far away so you don't get hurt."

"I'm fine," she smiled, her voice soft. "It only hurts a little."

He applied the medicine gently, smiling without a word.

Afterward, Li Ting said, "First it was his life, next it will be his company. Are you satisfied with this revenge?"

Lin Yao froze, looking up at him. Then, her lips curled upward. She leaned in, pressed against his chest, and hugged him. "Thank you. I am very satisfied."

She knew in her heart—this certainly wasn't done for her.

...

That night, the sea was turbulent.

Lin Wanbai was tossed around by wave after wave, dizzy and disoriented. She was a poor swimmer, and in such conditions, she quickly reached her limit. She couldn't see Yu Zhi or Fu Yuxing; she didn't know if they had been swept away.

To make matters worse, she couldn't make a sound.

The darkness was absolute. She felt as though she had stopped moving, merely pushed along by the wind and waves.

Finally, she struck her head against something, and her consciousness faded.

In the instant she blacked out, her heart turned cold. Only two words echoed in her mind: *It’s over.*

When Lin Wanbai awoke again, the sun was bright. She opened her eyes to a blinding whiteness and covered her face, her body aching intensely. As her eyes adjusted, she pushed herself up and scanned the surroundings. She saw a figure lying not far away. Gritting her teeth, she crawled over and turned the person over. Hair was plastered to a deathly pale face; the skin was filthy. She brushed the hair away and removed a leaf stuck to the cheek.

It was Fu Yuxing!

"Fu Yuxing!"

The moment she heard her own voice, she froze for a second, then called out again. Confirming her vocal cords had recovered, she felt a brief spark of joy, but looking around, she saw no sign of the other two.

Last night, after she was knocked unconscious, she knew nothing.

She didn't know if Fu Yuxing had saved her, or if they had simply been washed up in the same place by chance.

She had no time to ponder last night’s events. She patted Fu Yuxing’s face and called his name repeatedly, but he showed no sign of waking.

She touched his forehead; it was burning. He had a fever.

She looked around, took off her life vest, and covered him with it. Then, she stood up and started running ahead, hoping to find someone or a place to call for help.

With her strength, she couldn't possibly carry him.

He was unconscious and dead weight; dragging him would only waste time and delay his treatment.

She left the beach and entered the mountains. After walking down a small path for a while, she heard voices. They were speaking a dialect she didn't understand, but she followed the sound. Soon, she saw two figures. She didn't hesitate, rushing out to block their path. Only when she stood before them did panic set in.

She swallowed hard. "Help... please help! Please save me... and... my brother!"

She couldn't bring herself to say "husband."

The two men looked at each other, then at her. Seeing her disheveled state, they gestured with their chins and said in broken Mandarin, "Where? Take us to see."

Lin Wanbai bowed and led them back along the path to the beach.

From afar, she saw the yellow life vest she had placed on Fu Yuxing. She pointed to it. "There. He’s injured."

Seeing the situation, the men’s leisurely pace quickened. They ran ahead of her.

Checking his pulse and finding he was still breathing, they hoisted him up and carried him toward the village.

Beyond the forest lay a village. It was quite large. The men carried Fu Yuxing directly to the home of the village doctor.

After a brief explanation, the old doctor examined Fu Yuxing. He removed his clothes and discovered the wound on his shoulder. He took off the oilcloth, and the bandage was soaked through with blood.

The doctor unwound the bandage and inspected it carefully; the wound was infected.

He looked at Lin Wanbai and went to get medicine. "Young lady, come help me change his wet clothes."

Lin Wanbai hesitated for a moment, but this was no time for shyness. She nodded and followed the doctor’s instructions to help change him.