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墨書 Inktalez
On the table, there was a Fruit Plate and a Fruit Platter, brought by the bartender. I hadn't touched them, too busy drowning myself in alcohol.
"Heers!"
I raised my glass and took a big gulp of the drink. My eyes were fixed on the Singer across from me, but my mind was occupied with a troubling thought.
How did Cao Mingzhe get out of The Eternal Gate of the Hakka People?!
This question popped into my head the moment Cao Mingzhe asked me what Captain Zhou had told me.
The information that Captain Zhou and Cao Mingzhe revealed to me about this matter was completely contradictory. I didn't know whom to believe.
If Cao Mingzhe's words were true, everything would make sense, and I had already accepted this law during this time. If the opposite were true, then many of my previous experiences and the information Cao Mingzhe shared would have to be completely disregarded.
There are only two ways to open the Eternal Gate: with that piece of iron or with me. If the piece of iron in Cao Mingzhe's possession is a replica, how did he get out of The Eternal Gate of the Hakka People? If it’s not, what was Captain Zhou's intention in providing me with this false information?
My mind began to spiral again. It felt like an unsolvable riddle or a deadlock.
The phone rang, pulling me out of this mental loop; I felt like I was going crazy.
"Old Cao, how's it going?"
"The money has been approved. Give me your account number; it won't arrive until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."
"Thank you, Old Cao."
"Don't cause me any trouble. Don't contact me until you reach Lop Nur; hearing your voice makes me anxious."
"Take care."
"Take care."
After hanging up the phone, I noticed the bar singer staring at me while holding a slice of watermelon, as if she had been observing me for quite some time.
"You are special," the bar singer said, taking a bite of her watermelon.
"You must mean strange," I replied, pouring myself a drink.
Special? That's too subtle! I thought no one would hide themselves in the darkness of a bar from start to finish. Unless her eyes had built-in lighting, she couldn't possibly see my face.
"It is special. I doubt anyone saw how you came in, and no one has seen your face. You are mysterious."
"Mysterious? Yes, that's a fair assessment." Honestly, I found myself quite mysterious too—like a super lab rat coveted by certain organizations.
At that moment, a man in a suit approached the singer and leaned down to whisper something in her ear.
The singer shook her head stiffly and pointed at me. "You should ask him."
The man in the suit straightened up and looked at me. "I want to take her away."
The singer looked at me nervously, furrowing her brow and subtly shaking her head.
I understood; it wasn't an encounter—it was a trap.
However, true to my nature, even without being drunk or feeling sorrowful and dejected, I wouldn't stand by idly. My approach might be more tempered and humane, but at this moment...
"No!" I replied firmly.
"Do you know who I am? Don't think just because you have some money you can act tough with me. I'm richer than you."
The only ones who dared to call themselves "old man" in front of me were either my father or Fatty. I glanced at his build and lost interest in him entirely.
"Get lost!" I took a sip of my drink and spat out that single word.
"Come out! Do you dare to come out?!"
Listening to the bravado in his voice, my blood surged to my head, fueled by the alcohol. My throat felt dry, but this time it wasn't from nerves; it was excitement. The emotions I had suppressed for too long needed an outlet.
I reached for the bottle and filled my glass again. To my surprise, the second bottle was nearly empty.
I downed the drink in one go. "Fine, let's go outside."
The singer probably didn't expect me to be so bold; perhaps she was worried that things might escalate. She stood up and tugged at my sleeve, saying, "He has a few bodyguards, and they're pretty tough."
I turned to look at her. "I'm about to risk it all for you, and I don't even know your name."
"Qiao Qiao."
"That's a stage name, right?" I muttered as I walked toward the door.
"My last name is Liu, like the willow tree," I heard her say as I passed by her.
I didn't stop or turn back. I wasn't doing this for her; I just wanted to let loose. I thought the alcohol would numb my nerves and relax my body, but it seemed that wasn't happening. So I might as well unleash everything.
As I passed the cashier, I tossed two stacks of cash on the counter to settle the bill.
Stepping out of the bar, I spotted the guy who had been shouting earlier throwing his suit jacket onto the ground while cursing under his breath. Two sturdy men followed him, both tall and built like me.
When he saw me come out, he pointed at me and shouted, "That's him! Get him! Beat him to a pulp!"
Hearing this, the two bodyguards moved in from either side. I cursed under my breath: that's not fair; it's going to be a group fight.
But I wasn't afraid of these two bodyguards; I'd seen plenty of strong men before and had taken down more than a few. At least Liu Squad Leader was built stronger than them, and look what happened to him.
I stepped forward to meet them, feeling my face illuminated by the neon lights outside the bar. It was a bit blinding.
I thought my complexion still looked terrible. The moment my face appeared under the advertising lights, I noticed one of the bodyguards suddenly slow his pace, hesitation flickering across his face.
Another bodyguard, younger and bolder, charged toward me while cursing. "You’re asking for death, daring to act wild in this place! Have you never faced death before? People have died under my watch!"
I coldly replied, "So have I." Then I met him with a punch.
If it weren't for the thousands of dollars worth of drinks I had just consumed, I would have boasted that I had eaten human flesh before. I figured I would be the one to lose it first; I’d probably end up vomiting.
This bodyguard had some skills and was confident in his abilities and speed. He didn’t dodge; instead, he raised his left arm slightly to protect his face and swung his right fist at me.
At that moment, it wasn't just about the speed of the punches; it was also about courage. As I watched his fist approach my forehead, I knew that if either of us flinched even a little—just a blink—we would lose our chance.
I didn’t flinch; not even a blink. At this point, I wouldn’t close my eyes even if facing a bullet.
It was him who flinched. I saw him tilt his head away as my fist neared his forehead, instinctively closing his eyes for protection.
I also tilted my head slightly to avoid his incoming punch, but my eyes remained wide open. I clearly saw his fist brush past the corner of my eye as mine landed squarely on his left brow bone.
My fists and feet didn’t stop; with three consecutive heavy punches, I watched as he swayed in an S-shape before collapsing at my feet.
Stepping over him, I ignored the other bodyguard who stood frozen in shock and walked straight up to the one who had challenged me.
In the cold air, he threw down his outer coat, perhaps shivering from the chill as he stared at me, trembling.
He must have been freezing. As I approached, that clueless fool continued to shout at me. "You wait! I'll call my brother to deal with you! Do you know who my brother is?"
I didn’t wait for him to finish; I slapped him hard across the face. My hand was open, fingers spread wide as it met his cheek. I worried that he wouldn’t withstand a full punch from me.
I didn’t fully understand my own strength; it seemed like there was a delayed impact effect when it came to Liu Squad Leader. If I punched him and he didn’t die on the spot but later succumbed to injuries, that would be embarrassing. Though he was infuriating, I couldn’t just kill him.
However, that slap was enough to make an impression—blood sprayed from both nostrils as his face and clothes were instantly splattered with red.
He plopped down on the ground, wailing like a child throwing a tantrum. "Don't you dare run! I'll have my brother kill you!"
I spat on the ground. "Fine, you tell him to wait for me here. I'll be back next year. Bring some decent people this time; I don't want to see a bunch of them lying around like cockroaches after a single slap."
I took a few steps away, then stopped and turned back to him. "Don't make things difficult for that girl; she's mine. Otherwise..."
I darkened my expression and shook my fist at him.
When I turned again, the shouting had faded behind me, replaced only by his sobbing cries.
I figured my serious look must have scared him; my face was probably even more intimidating than before.
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