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墨書 Inktalez
Zhao Mingkun had long prepared for this, driving to the so-called "Red-Light District." Engaging in this line of work was illegal in Italy, but this area was controlled by the Mafia. Although it wasn't large, there were quite a few such "Red-Light Districts," and the one we were visiting was the largest.
It was truly a street dedicated to this trade. Participating in this game could cost you your life, so naturally, one would want to come to the best place. This was human nature and completely understandable. Since the area wasn't spacious, we couldn't drive in and had to park outside on the street. We followed suit and walked down.
Along the way, we saw many women standing on the street, dressed provocatively. Some were smoking, exuding a mature and sexy vibe, while others were sucking on lollipops, appearing innocent and cute. There were also those clad in leather outfits, wielding whips, embodying the Queen persona. In short, rows of them dazzled the eyes like a supermarket full of products; there was everything you could imagine and more.
Despite the various temptations around me, I managed to keep my footing and walked forward steadily. At that moment, Zhao Mingkun took out his phone, seemingly having received a few text messages. Seizing the opportunity, I said, "Since we're participating in this competition, shouldn't I be equipped with a phone? How else will we stay in touch? What if we get separated?"
Zhao Mingkun chuckled and shook his head. "Although we're in this together now, we're still different breeds. There's no need to rush. Don't worry; I'll be by your side until we find the Killer. Speaking of which, we do have some difficulties ahead. We have to deal with internal issues as well as external ones."
"Right, and let's not forget about the legendary police," Zhao Mingkun said, beckoning me as we walked toward a shop.
"Our informants reported that this place is highly suspicious," Zhao Mingkun stated. Within a minute, one of our team members emerged—it was Poplar, who had no particular skills. He approached us quietly and said, "I just spotted some suspicious individuals; they were armed. I noticed them while passing by without them realizing."
It was then that I noticed Poplar's hands—one hand had three fingers while the other had four. Seeing me staring at his fingers, Poplar smiled and said, "I used to be a petty thief until I got caught and had a few fingers chopped off. But even with fewer fingers, I can still steal what I want. Stealing isn't just about hands."
At that moment, I realized Poplar's role; it seemed Zhao Mingkun had planned all along to use him to identify who among the participants were involved. His attention to detail was impressive from the very beginning. Just then, several team members came out.
Zhao Mingkun looked around and said, "There are three armed individuals; while we can't be 100% sure they're participants yet, they are definitely Mafia members. We'll wait outside until they come out—don't hesitate; just shoot when they do. Yang Yang, your marksmanship is good; aim for someone who looks intelligent and refined. If we take out their brains, things will be easier afterward."
As he spoke, Zhao Mingkun pointed at me and added, "As for you—the brains of our team—stay back. None of us have your level of intelligence when it comes to solving cases; if you get hurt, we're finished. Now check your ammunition; don't let anything go wrong at a critical moment."
With that said, everyone began checking their gear while I stood aside as someone who couldn't use a gun—I should avoid going out during a shootout with just a dagger in hand. After all, there's an old saying: no matter how skilled you are in martial arts, one bullet can take you down. I didn't want to become a hero; realizing this made me quickly find a place to hide.
Just then, I noticed two men walking past me without any reaction to the streetwalkers on either side—they seemed completely oblivious to them. This struck me as odd; I noticed their hands were calloused at the palms and their right index fingers bore calluses as well—clearly seasoned gunmen. These two were also Mafia members.
The two men slowly moved forward and began reaching into their coats. My heart sank; this was bad—we had underestimated their intelligence. If we could think of this possibility, then surely they could too. The Mafia wouldn't have grown so powerful without some level of smarts behind them.
The three people were likely bait, while the two who arrived later were the real threat. Realizing this, I shouted, "Be careful, there's an ambush!" I spoke in Chinese, and the two others looked at me in confusion, not understanding what I had said.
However, the group led by Zhao Mingkun reacted immediately, drawing their guns. At that moment, the two newcomers also responded and pulled out their weapons. I heard the sound of gunfire as they exchanged shots. Both groups quickly took cover behind the storefronts, but then shots began to rain down from above—those were the three members of the opposing team who had entered a nearby shop.
The pressure from above kept them from daring to come out, while the two members of the opposing team slowly advanced toward us.
Chaos erupted on the street as women screamed and rushed into the shops. Some were accidentally hit by stray bullets, blood pooling on the ground; it was unclear whose blood it was. The gunfire intensified as I ran backward, dodging bullets.
They had given up on me, clearly thinking that with just me left, I posed no significant threat. This allowed me to escape to the alley outside. Suddenly, an idea struck me. A smile crept onto my lips as I dashed into a shop and logged onto a computer. I quickly opened MSN and started my car.
The street wasn't very wide but was enough to fit a car. If I didn't go save them now, those people wouldn't last long inside. With that thought in mind, I charged back in. The two advancing members heard my car and immediately jumped aside.
But one of them was too slow; before he could leap out of the way, I slammed my car into him. He flew through the air and crashed through a shop's window. It seemed he wouldn't be participating in this game anymore, even if he survived. I parked the car and shouted, "Get in! Get in!"
A few of them opened the doors and jumped inside. Not daring to hesitate, I leaped out as soon as their feet were on board. However, even with this quick movement during our transition from cover to car, Jia Xinyuan—who specialized in traps—was still hit by a bullet.
As I drove away, I glanced through the rearview mirror at the back seat. Jia Xinyuan had been shot twice in the back and was bleeding profusely, staining the seat red. He couldn't utter a word; when he tried to speak, blood poured from his mouth and nose. It seemed his internal organs were damaged. "Where's the nearest hospital? I'm going there now," I said urgently.
But at that moment, Yang Yang interjected, "It's too late to go to a hospital now! If we do go there, we'll definitely face their second wave of attack! By then, we'll all be dead! It's not worth it. The bullets went straight through his lungs; he won't survive more than a few minutes! We don't have time!"
"Damn it!" I couldn't help but curse. "Are we just going to watch him die in the car?"
Zhao Mingkun sighed and said, "I'll tell you how to get there; I'll direct you to the nearest hospital! Just follow my instructions!"
I nodded in surprise at Zhao Mingkun's unexpected sense of loyalty. But before we could reach the hospital, Yang Yang said grimly, "There's no need to go anymore; Jia Xinyuan is already dead. His lungs are shattered; I told you he wouldn't make it to the hospital."
I slammed my hands against the steering wheel in frustration; just moments after things had begun, we had already lost someone. My heart felt chaotic—on one hand, he was merely a member of an evil organization that harmed society; on the other hand, he was indeed my teammate. This duality left me at a loss for what to do next.
But this was a life, a life that had ended right before my eyes.
After a brief silence, Zhao Mingkun sighed and said, "We'll find a good place to bury him later. In this situation, it's impossible to take him back. However, the four hundred thousand will be directly credited to his account. Now, listen to me, we still need to go to the nearest hospital."
At that moment, I understood what Zhao Mingkun meant. The other party also had someone seriously injured and would inevitably come to the hospital. If we could set up an ambush there in advance, we could catch them off guard and wipe them out at the hospital entrance. At that point, victory would surely be ours.
The other two understood Zhao Mingkun's intentions as well and fell silent. Yang Yang muttered to himself, "Brother, it's not wise to be human; don't easily become one in your next life. That's my best wish for you. Goodbye." With that, Yang Yang pressed his head against Jia Xinyuan's.
I continued driving and asked Zhao Mingkun, "I have a serious question for you, and I hope you'll answer honestly. When you told me to drive to the hospital, was it to set up an ambush and eliminate the enemy first, or did you genuinely want to save Jia Xinyuan? Be honest with yourself if you still can."
"Do I look like the kind of cold-blooded person who would sacrifice anyone?" Zhao Mingkun glanced at me and said with self-deprecation. "But I can tell you clearly that I'm not someone who would sacrifice anyone without reason. If I told you I genuinely wanted to save him just now, would you believe me?"
With that, Zhao Mingkun looked at me earnestly, waiting for my response.
"I believe you," I said slowly, keeping my gaze straight ahead.
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