Translator: CinderTL
"If they're just ordinary people, why did you entrust the item to them?" the woman countered.
Huai Yi wore a matter-of-fact expression. "Didn't you say it was dangerous to keep it with me?"
"And you have no idea how sinister that Gate is," Huai Yi said, his lips turning pale as if recalling the scene. "Over a dozen of us went in, and only the three of us came out alive."
After a moment's thought, the woman decided Huai Yi likely wouldn't dare lie. Time was of the essence, so she demanded he take them to the Red Blood Covenant immediately.
"Right now?" Huai Yi asked.
"Is that inconvenient?"
"No, no, not at all," Huai Yi waved his hand, maintaining his cooperative demeanor. "It's just that it's getting late. I need to call and confirm their location."
"Fine," the woman said, her gaze fixed on Huai Yi. "But I'm warning you, don't try to play any tricks. You know what will happen if you do."
"Understood, understood."
Huai Yi, shivering, picked up his phone and dialed Jiang Cheng's number. "Hey, Xiao Jiangzi, it's your Brother Huai," he said in a casual, arrogant tone, as if he always spoke to Jiang Cheng this way. "Keep an eye on the goods. I've found a new buyer with a great offer. I'm on my way to pick them up. Where are you?"
Because the woman had forced Huai Yi to put his phone on speaker, they could hear Jiang Cheng's voice clearly. "I'm at the Golden Sail Hotel. I've kept the goods with me the whole time."
"I'll be there soon. Have everything ready."
"Don't worry, Brother Huai."
Hearing the words "Brother Huai" put Huai Yi at ease.
Jiang Cheng was a smart man, quick to understand. He must have realized the problem lay on their side.
Since he had suggested meeting at the Golden Sail Hotel, he must have devised a solution.
Huai Yi had never considered playing both sides. In this matter, he stood firmly with Jiang Cheng, never trusting the woman's sincerity.
Once they successfully obtained the Red Blood Covenant, his only fate would be death.
Huai Yi could tell these people were not to be trifled with.
To pinpoint his location and track him down so quickly, there had to be a connection to the website. Someone inside had leaked his personal information.
Therefore, even if these people weren't Night Watchers themselves, they were certainly connected to them.
If such a matter were exposed, it would be a blow to both the website's credibility and the Night Watchers' reputation.
Regardless of the outcome, they would ultimately silence him.
But Jiang Cheng was different. Though a Crimson, he hadn't shown any clear intent to kill him; otherwise, he would have been dead long ago.
Night Watcher or Crimson—Huai Yi chose the latter.
He would help Jiang Cheng eliminate these people, preferably by uncovering the mastermind behind them. Then, with the Crimson's power, they could wipe them out completely, eliminating any future threats.
After all, the Crimson had a fearsome reputation and wasn't afraid of being targeted. But Huai Yi couldn't afford such risks. He just wanted to live happily ever after with his little sister-in-law.
After being shoved into a car, Huai Yi threw on an overcoat. Their convoy of vehicles sped through the night toward the Golden Sail Hotel.
Upon receiving the call, Jiang Cheng immediately realized someone had come looking for him, likely the group from the website seeking to trade for the red paper.
After analyzing the situation, Jiang Cheng concluded that Huai Yi's position was sound. Otherwise, there would have been no need for the phone call warning.
Jiang Cheng had been planning to ask someone about the red paper, but now someone had come forward on their own.
Perfect. No need to go fishing.
He immediately set off for the Golden Sail Hotel, just a few minutes' drive away. On the way, he texted Pi Ruan, asking him to make arrangements.
Before he even got out of the car, he received Pi Ruan's reply: "All set."
Lin Wan'er had mentioned that Pi Ruan was sick. Jiang Cheng realized he hadn't seen him in a while. Usually, the guy was always popping up to get his attention.
Upon arriving at the room, Jiang Cheng made some simple preparations. Now, all he had to do was wait for the fish to bite.
The Golden Sail Hotel was one of Rong City's most luxurious hotels, strategically located near the police station—the reason Jiang Cheng had chosen it as the meeting point.
He wanted to make the other party wary, preventing them from causing a scene.
As expected, after observing the area around the hotel, the foreign woman leading the group's expression darkened. Making a commotion here could have serious consequences.
But when she remembered that the other party was just an ordinary person, even inferior to Huai Yi, her expression gradually returned to normal.
"Saul, come with me," the woman said to a man in the back row. "And you," she added, glaring at Huai Yi, who was shivering from the cold. "Behave yourself. Don't try any tricks."
"Of course," Huai Yi replied, his gaze fixed on the black leather suitcase in the burly man's hands. "But I insist on keeping the suitcase with me. Once you have the Red Blood Covenant, we'll exchange money for goods."
The woman sneered inwardly, but her face remained formal as she nodded in agreement.
Saul was the first to get out of the car. Among the group, his features were the most Asian-like, suggesting mixed heritage.
The woman pulled Huai Yi out of the car, and the two walked close together toward the hotel.
They appeared intimate, like a couple, but only Huai Yi knew that a handgun hidden beneath her trench coat was pressed against his lower body.
If the gun went off, even if he survived, at least half of his future happiness would be lost.
Taking the elevator to the 17th floor of the Golden Sail Hotel, Huai Yi's room was right there. The woman restrained him, gesturing for the man named Saul to step forward.
Saul gave the door a gentle push, and it opened.
Without pausing to think, he drew the dagger from his pocket the moment he stepped inside. The woman, still holding Huai Yi hostage, followed closely behind.
The room was dim, lit only by the bathroom light a short distance to the right. The sound of flushing water indicated someone was taking a shower.
"Brother Huai," Jiang Cheng's muffled voice called from the bathroom, tinged with the satisfaction of a good shower. "I just ordered some fast food. Don't tell me it wasn't exciting. I'll take a shower first, then order you some later. Hehehe."
Across from the bathroom was a slightly ajar door. Instead of checking the bathroom first, Saul immediately turned his attention to this door.
Clenching his dagger, he cautiously approached.
Just as he focused his attention and pulled the door open, he found nothing inside.
Only a bed, its covers in disarray, and a pillow tossed on the floor, as if a fierce struggle had taken place.
As Saul exhaled in relief and turned to check the bathroom, a figure dropped from above, delivering a brutal elbow strike to the back of his neck.
Simultaneously, Huai Yi, who had been preparing for this moment, seized the woman's wrist and pinned her beneath him.
(End of the Chapter)
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