The sound of the patrolmen's footsteps grew closer, each one thudding like a heartbeat in the chests of the three.
Serizawa Tamao had instinctively clenched his fists, his muscles tensed like a beast about to pounce.
Tokaji Yuji was calmer; he stealthily reached for his waist, where a folding knife for self-defense was hidden.
Ryuzaki Shin thought to himself, 'Trouble.'
These guys, though just some gate-keeping small fries, if they started a fight here, the commotion would be too great and would surely alert the entire warehouse.
Tonight's main objective was to gather intelligence; it was best not to resort to violence if possible.
But if he was truly pushed to that point... Ryuzaki Shin's gaze instantly turned icy.
Then he would just have to silence them permanently in the shortest amount of time.
His center of gravity slightly lowered, his muscles like coiled springs filled with power, ready to erupt in an instant with a thunderous strike.
Just as the security guards were about to reach the cut barbed wire, and the distance between them was less than five meters!
"Meow—ow!!!"
A piercing, incredibly mournful cat's cry, full of a wronged woman's lament, suddenly came from the top of another container not far away!
Immediately following that was a series of "crackle, crackle" sounds, like a fierce fight tearing a house apart!
The security guards, who had been on high alert, instantly froze.
The one in the lead instinctively looked in the direction of the sound, cursing impatiently:
"Damn, what stray cats are fighting again? This place is practically becoming their mating ground."
Another security guard echoed, "You're right. Last time, I even saw a calico cat in Zone B beat a large orange cat black and blue. It was a miserable sight."
"Alright, alright, forget about it." The leader waved his hand. He glanced at the Doberman Pinscher, which was still barking incessantly in the direction of the cat's cries, and kicked it again.
"What are you barking about! Let's go! I thought something was wrong. Looks like it's just some stray cat hitting a container again. I thought the damn barbed wire was messed up. Hurry up and finish this round; I'm waiting to go back and play cards!"
With that, he dragged the Doberman Pinscher, which was still growling unwillingly, cursing and grumbling, and walked off in another direction.
It wasn't until the figures of those few people completely disappeared into the shadows of the containers.
That the three finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Serizawa looked at their retreating backs and couldn't help but curse under his breath:
"Damn, you scared me to death."
Ryuzaki Shin, however, ignored his complaint. He simply stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and then, to Tokaji Yuji, said faintly:
"Continue."
The three no longer hesitated, swiftly passing through the cut opening and infiltrating this cargo yard, which was composed of countless huge containers, like a steel labyrinth.
The environment here was even darker and more oppressive than outside.
Giant steel beasts cast countless deep and menacing shadows under the dim yellow lights.
Every step felt like treading on a knife's edge, full of unknown dangers.
Relying on their rich street experience and their intuition, which far surpassed ordinary people, the three cautiously moved through the narrow passages between the containers.
Just as they were about to pass through a passage and head towards the main warehouse building.
Ryuzaki Shin's footsteps suddenly paused!
He abruptly reached out and pulled Tokaji and Serizawa, who were beside him, into the shadow of a nearby container!
"Shh!"
He made a shushing gesture, his expression becoming unusually solemn!
Although Serizawa and Tokaji were puzzled, they instinctively held their breath, pressing their bodies tightly against the cold container wall.
Immediately after, they saw two people slowly emerge from the corner of the passage ahead.
One of them was wearing a crisp port police uniform, with a police baton and pistol at his waist.
The other was a man in a black suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who looked refined but had an unusually cold gaze.
He looked like a high-ranking member of some organization.
The two walked to a blind spot without surveillance, and the black-suited leader took out a thick, brown paper-wrapped envelope from his embrace, handing it to one of the policemen with an extremely practiced gesture.
The policeman also showed no hesitation. He took the envelope, weighed it casually, and then a strange smile appeared on his face.
He patted the black-suited leader's shoulder and, with a tone that implied, "You're a smart kid," he said with a smile:
"Kageyama, your Red Scorpion's appetite is growing, but your payouts are shrinking."
Kageyama paused for a moment, then also smiled, nodding respectfully.
"Officer Sato, once this shipment is out, our Red Scorpion will surely show our filial respect to you, sir."
Sato smiled with satisfaction, tapping Kageyama's face with the envelope.
"Slap!"
"Slap!"
"Slap!"
Each tap was louder than the last.
Then he said indifferently.
"Don't forget who lets you eat meat. A dog shouldn't forget its master."
Kageyama lowered his head, his fists clenched behind his back, his face under the shadow growing colder and colder.
But he still bowed and said respectfully.
"The great kindness you've shown our Red Scorpion, Red Scorpion dares not forget!"
Sato sneered.
"Heh, don't worry, our people will keep an eye on tonight's goods for you, ensuring everything goes smoothly."
Kageyama continued.
"Then... thank you, Officer Sato."
When Serizawa saw this scene, his eyes instantly widened!
He instinctively cursed under his breath:
"Damn! The cops are in league with them?!"
Ryuzaki Shin, however, pressed him down, signaling him to keep quiet.
His heart, at this moment, was churning with tumultuous waves!
From the tone, these should indeed be Red Scorpion's people.
Making a deal with the port police.
If he wasn't mistaken, it should be—
Smuggling?!
Good heavens, I am utterly shocked!
He finally understood now what the intelligence given by the system truly meant!
What the hell kind of ordinary intelligence was this?
This was clearly a smuggling operation involving official corruption!
Ryuzaki Shin's mind instantly began to race!
He knew better than anyone how enormous the profits from smuggling were!
Weapons, drugs, and even... human trafficking!
Any single transaction in this could involve hundreds of millions in massive profits!
He knew that he, it seemed... had accidentally stumbled upon a truly big fish!
Ryuzaki Shin was already calculating: if he could swallow this entire operation, wouldn't his organization's development speed just take off?!
Just as he was happily envisioning his grand plans in his mind.
An unexpected change occurred!
The police officer who had taken the money, the one named "Sato," suddenly patted Kageyama's shoulder and said:
"You go back first. I'm going to pee and will be right back."
Kageyama also didn't seem to want to stay here long.
He said "Hai" and quickly left.
With that, he unzipped his pants, hummed a tune, and swayed unsteadily towards the container where Ryuzaki Shin and the other two were hiding!
Damn!
All three felt a simultaneous tightening in their hearts!
They were now trapped in a narrow gap, less than half a meter wide, between the container and the wall. In front was the approaching police officer, and behind was a solid wall. They were, in a sense, without a way to escape!
If they were discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Just as the police officer was about to turn the corner and collide with them!
Ryuzaki Shin moved!
Without any warning, his body shot out from the shadows!
The police officer named Sato didn't even have time to react before he felt his mouth being covered tightly by a large hand, like an iron clamp, preventing him from making any sound!
Immediately after, his neck tightened, and an irresistible force dragged him deeper into the darkness!
"Mmm... mmm mmm!"
He struggled wildly, trying to pull out the pistol from his waist!
But Ryuzaki Shin gave him no chance at all!
He tightened the arm around the other man's neck, while his other hand, forming a hand-knife, struck with pinpoint accuracy on the back of the other man's neck!
"Thud!"
A dull thud!
Sato's body instantly went limp, completely losing consciousness.
Serizawa and Tokaji immediately stepped forward; one was responsible for frisking him, confiscating all the pistols and communication devices on him, while the other used the ropes they brought to tie him up securely, like a large zongzi.
Finally, they used tape to seal his mouth tightly and stuffed him into an unnoticed gap at the bottom of a container.
The entire process was smooth and seamless, executed in one go, demonstrating the professionalism of skilled bandits.
Just as they had finished dealing with him!
"Zzzzz—"
The walkie-talkie they had thrown on the ground suddenly let out a piercing static sound!
Immediately after, an impatient voice came from it:
"Hey, Sato, did you fall into the latrine? It's almost time for the shift change, don't you dare slack off!"
The air instantly solidified!
The three exchanged glances, seeing a hint of solemnity in each other's eyes!
The walkie-talkie didn't receive a reply from Sato, and the tone became a few shades more serious.
"Sato, Sato, please respond."
"Please respond!!"
Tokaji Yuji then took a deep breath, picked up the walkie-talkie from the ground, and then, with his finger, lightly pressed his throat, changing his voice.
He lowered his voice, imitating Sato's slightly hoarse voice, and replied in a deep tone:
"It's nothing, just finished patrolling Zone C, everything's normal, heading back now."
On the other end of the walkie-talkie, there was silence for a full five seconds.
Those five seconds felt like an eternity to the three of them.
Especially for Ryuzaki Shin.
If they were exposed, they would only be able to return the way they came.
But this opportunity might not come again.
The next day they would surely discover the cut wire fence and the unconscious police officer.
This place would definitely be under strict lockdown.
Just then, a voice came from the walkie-talkie.
"Got it, hurry up."
The three let out a long sigh of relief.
The three of them silently dragged the completely unconscious police officer, like a dead dog, into the shadows between the containers.
Ryuzaki Shin glanced at the police officer, who was now completely tied up like a zongzi, then looked at the brightly lit warehouse in the distance, a cold arc forming on the corner of his mouth.
He pointed his chin towards the side of the warehouse, addressing Tokaji Yuji beside him.
"Let's go."
The three, like three black specters, silently made their way to the side of the warehouse, hidden by the night and the shadows of the containers.
This was a complete blind spot for surveillance.
Ryuzaki Shin looked up at the towering external maintenance ladder, almost level with the warehouse roof, and a glint flashed in his eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation, he gestured "up" to Tokaji and Serizawa.
Then, he took the lead, like a nimble ape, using both hands and feet, rapidly climbing up the cold iron ladder!
Serizawa and Tokaji exchanged glances and immediately followed.
The movements of all three were exceptionally cautious, making almost no unnecessary noise during the climb.
Soon, like geckos, they silently climbed onto the roof of the warehouse.
The cold night wind, mixed with the salty smell of the sea, howled past, making their clothes flap.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't stop for a moment; he found a damaged ventilation shaft and was the first to crawl inside.
Next were Serizawa and Tokaji.
The three of them thus silently lay hidden on the metal beams at the top of the warehouse... From above, the interior of the warehouse was fully visible.
A dozen high-power searchlights illuminated the entire warehouse as if it were daytime.
A huge container truck was slowly backing into the warehouse, emitting a low "humming" roar.
Around the truck, dozens of burly men in black suits stood solemnly in two rows, as if awaiting the inspection of some important figure.
Their waists were all bulging, clearly hiding weapons.
And at the very front of the crowd was Kageyama, the Red Scorpion executive who had previously engaged in dirty dealings with Police Officer Sato at the port.
He was currently facing the direction of the truck's cab, saying something unknown.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the scene before him, like something out of a gangster movie, curled his lips, and thought to himself:
Well, this setup is quite impressive.
I just wonder, what precious goods are these?
Firearms?
Drugs?
Or something else?
As he was lost in thought, the truck's cargo door slowly opened.
However, the expected boxes full of contraband did not appear immediately.
First, two burly men with bulging muscles, wearing black work vests, jumped out of the cargo compartment.
Next, a slightly overweight, somewhat greasy-looking driver slowly climbed out of the cab.
Kageyama saw that everyone had arrived, then unhurriedly walked forward and said to the driver in a flat tone:
"Have the items all been checked?"
The driver quickly nodded and bowed, squeezing out an extremely fawning smile:
"Checked, Big Brother Kageyama, not a single one is missing!"
Kageyama grunted, then waved his hand at the two burly men.
The two immediately understood, turned around, and went to the containers in the warehouse, beginning to move goods into the truck, box by box.
Ryuzaki Shin narrowed his eyes, carefully examining the boxes.
What are these things?
Just as he was puzzled, he heard Kageyama below speaking to the driver:
"See? This batch of 'European Art Collection Edition' videotapes was personally negotiated by the boss with a big shot. Each one is an original master tape, uncut, not even a mosaic!"
"You drive directly to 'Human Paradise' at Karasumachi number 13, get the final payment, and come back immediately!"
"..."
Ryuzaki Shin heard these words, and his doubts deepened.
Artwork?
Uncut?
Is it a videotape?
But does this kind of thing need to be smuggled?
Or is it dirt on some big shot?
Forget it, I won't think about it.
Since they treat it like this, it must be valuable.
The most important thing is to confirm that the people below are from Red Scorpion.
He's making a name for himself in Karasumachi, which belongs to Red Scorpion, so conflict is inevitable, not to mention Red Scorpion's big boss specifically asked for him.
I'm definitely taking this shipment!
Just as he was hesitating about how to get his hands on this shipment...
In his mind, the system's prompt sounded again, at an inopportune moment.
Ding! Detecting that the host is facing a choice, the God-tier Choice System is activated!
Option One: Courage and strategy are the best policy. Quietly retreat and wait for an opportunity to act. Completion Reward: Obtain one [Truck Return Route Map].
Option Two: A true man acts with integrity! Descend directly from above and use your invincible fists to knock down all these scumbags, letting them know what righteous execution is! Completion Reward: Obtain the skill [Fist of Justice]. Each of your attacks increases the pain felt by evil people tenfold!!
Option Three: Art requires communication. Descend from above and shout "Surprise Motherfucker!" at Kageyama, then use your exquisite dance moves to perform a breakdance to confuse the enemy. Completion Reward: Obtain the title [80s Dance King]. Equipping Effect: Your charm value +50% when dancing.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the three options before him, and the corners of his mouth twitched twice.
Damn, this system is really messed up.
He immediately passed on the third option.
Dancing?
What a joke, I'm here to conquer Tokyo, not to participate in the Red and White Song Battle!
As for the second option, a direct confrontation?
He thought about it and ruled it out.
This is a port, after all, who knows how many hidden sentries are around?
If the commotion is too big and attracts the police, then it would be troublesome.
Not to mention, he doesn't know if these people have guns.
He also brought Serizawa and Tokaji.
He couldn't put his subordinates in danger.
So... Ryuzaki Shin's gaze slowly fell on the first option.
The reward looked weak, but it wasn't.
Looking at the truck's loading speed now, it would take at least another ten minutes.
If he and his men retreated now and ambushed the truck on its return journey, he would have a good chance of taking this shipment.
This was precisely his goal.
Thinking of this, a cold arc curved at the corner of Ryuzaki Shin's mouth.
Without hesitation, he silently thought in his mind.
"I choose one!"
Ding! Choice successful! Reward obtained: one [Truck Return Route Map]!
In an instant, a crystal-clear map, marked with various routes and times, appeared in his mind like a 3D projection!
Ryuzaki Shin nodded with satisfaction, then made a "retreat" gesture to Serizawa and Tokaji beside him.
Although the two were a bit puzzled, they didn't ask further. They just nodded, preparing to return the way they came.
Tokaji was still the first. He was agile, like a nimble cat, and silently climbed out through the ventilation duct.
Next was Serizawa.
However, just as Serizawa's body had just climbed onto the ventilation opening, preparing to exit!
An accident occurred!
The metal crossbeam under his feet, due to years of disrepair, combined with his weight...
A severely rusted bolt on it could no longer withstand the slight tremor!
With an extremely faint "clink," it detached from the crossbeam and began its journey of freefall!
Ryuzaki Shin's heart tightened, and he instinctively reached out to catch it!
But it was too late!
The tiny bolt, tracing a black arc in the air, landed squarely on an empty tin oil drum below!
Clang—!!!
An incredibly loud, incredibly clear metallic clang suddenly exploded in the silent warehouse!
The sound, amplified countless times in the spacious warehouse, was like a death knell ringing in everyone's ears!
Inside the warehouse, silence instantly fell!
Everyone's movements, at this moment, completely froze!
Kageyama's snake-like eyes, hidden behind his gold-rimmed glasses, suddenly lifted, like two sharp swords, shooting with pinpoint accuracy towards the direction of the sound!
His voice was cold and filled with killing intent!
"Who's up there?!"
He didn't even use a flashlight, just sharply waved his hand!
The next second!
The dozen or so high-power spotlights in the warehouse instantly all turned on!
The entire warehouse was illuminated as if it were daytime!
All shadows, at this moment, vanished without a trace!
Ryuzaki Shin and Serizawa's hearts tightened simultaneously!
They instinctively pressed their bodies tightly against the topmost groove of the crossbeam, almost stopping their breathing!
The strong light, like an invisible sharp sword, swept inch by inch beneath them, casting the shadow of the crossbeam with perfect clarity onto the ground!
A burly man in a black suit looked up and observed carefully for a long time, then shook his head at Kageyama and reported:
"Boss, it seems... just a mouse knocked something down."
Kageyama was still uneasy. A wary glint flickered in his snake-like eyes.
He was silent for a moment, then said coldly, in an undeniable tone:
"Two men, climb up and check!"
"Search... inch by inch!"
As soon as he finished speaking!
The two most agile black-suited strongmen immediately rushed towards the maintenance ladder leading to the crossbeam!
Ryuzaki Shin watched the two approaching figures, and then looked at Serizawa beside him, who also had a solemn expression, ready to act at any moment.
There was not a ripple in his heart.
Only, a cold killing intent slowly ignited in his deep eyes.
This is a harbor; destroying bodies and traces is the most convenient.
These people must be ruthless, after all, if a smuggling operation is discovered, eliminating witnesses is the safest solution.
If they are really discovered, then they can only fight their way out.
Ryuzaki Shin knew that this was now a true life-or-death situation...
The cold night wind howled through the broken windows at the top of the warehouse, bringing with it a chilly scent of rust and dust.
Ryuzaki Shin and Serizawa Tamao, like two cheetahs lurking in the darkness, pressed tightly against the cold, slippery metal beam in the groove at the top, unmoving.
Below them, two dazzling flashlight beams were searching upwards, inch by inch.
Serizawa's body was as tense as a stone; sweat, mixed with the cold scent of rust, dripped from his forehead onto the beam, making an almost inaudible "drip" sound.
He could clearly hear the "thudding" of the two security guards' boots on the metal stairs below, each sound like a heavy hammer striking his heart!
His instincts told him that rather than passively waiting for death, it would be better to erupt and attack the moment he was discovered, fighting to the death!
However, just as he was about to lose control of the urge to act!
A hand firmly pressed on his shoulder, forcefully pushing back the power that was about to erupt from him!
Serizawa was startled and subconsciously looked back.
He saw Ryuzaki Shin, still looking calm and composed; his breathing was terrifyingly steady, and there was not the slightest ripple in his deep eyes, only a chilling coldness that made one's heart palpitate.
He slowly shook his head at Serizawa, then silently mouthed:
"Wait!"
… "Hey, is there anything up there?"
A security guard held a flashlight, carefully scanning the intricate metal beams above his head, asking impatiently.
The other guy, holding the Doberman Pinscher that was still barking incessantly at the ceiling, also held a flashlight, observing vigilantly.
"I don't know, that sound just now definitely wasn't made by a mouse."
Just then, the security guard with the dog seemed to discover something.
The beam of light from his flashlight suddenly stopped, locking onto the area where Serizawa had accidentally knocked off a bolt!
The edge of the halo had already touched Serizawa's mud-stained pant leg!
Serizawa's pupils suddenly contracted!
He could even feel the slight warmth brought by that light beam!
At this moment, his heart felt as if it had been fiercely gripped by an invisible large hand, instantly stopping its beating!
Just at this critical moment!
"Zzzzzzz—"
The walkie-talkie on the security guard's waist suddenly let out a piercing static sound!
Immediately after, Kageyama's cold and undeniable voice came through!
"Have you found anything? Search carefully! Don't even let a single mouse escape!"
These words, like a death warrant, made the atmosphere on the beam incredibly tense!
The security guard, hearing his boss's command, dared not show any slack; he acknowledged it and then slowly moved the flashlight beam upwards!
The beam was getting closer and closer!
Serizawa could even clearly see the dust particles dancing in the dazzling halo!
However!
Just when everyone thought everything would be irreversible!
A sudden change occurred!
…Outside the warehouse, Tokaji Yuji had come down first.
After waiting outside the warehouse for a while, he found that Ryuzaki Shin and Serizawa had not followed.
While he was wondering, he vaguely heard shouts from inside.
His heart was also filled with extreme anxiety!
He instantly knew that his boss and Serizawa had been discovered!
What to do?!
Charge in directly?
What a joke, there were dozens of people inside, all armed; charging in would be pure suicide!
But, just watch his boss and the others get discovered like this?
Would that still be called brotherhood?!
Tokaji's heart was in conflict.
Just then, his gaze was suddenly drawn to an inconspicuous grey metal box not far away!
On it was a prominent, dangerous-looking lightning bolt symbol!
Circuit breaker?!
A hint of madness instantly erupted in Tokaji's eyes!
He no longer hesitated!
He knew he had to do something!
He rushed towards that metal box!
He yanked open the rusted box door, looking at the red main circuit breaker inside!
A knowing smile appeared on his face!
Then, he took a deep breath and fiercely pulled the thick circuit breaker down!
… "Bang—!!!"
A loud bang, like a thunderclap, exploded in the silent night!
Inside the warehouse, the dozen high-power searchlights instantly went out!
The entire world, at this moment, plunged into absolute darkness!
"Damn it! What's going on?!"
"Power outage?!"
"Quick! Turn on the emergency lights!"
Below, chaos instantly erupted!
Kageyama's roars, the security guards' exclamations, and the noisy static from the walkie-talkies all merged into a cacophony!
Serizawa was startled by this sudden turn of events; he hadn't yet understood what had happened.
Then he felt Ryuzaki Shin's hand firmly pat his back!
Immediately after, Ryuzaki Shin's voice, clear as day, rang in his ear!
"Jump!"
Serizawa no longer hesitated!
Relying on his powerful physique and his instant assessment of the terrain below, he leaped down from the beam, seven or eight meters high!
When he landed, a textbook roll absorbed all the force, and the sound he made was almost completely covered by the chaos below!
Ryuzaki Shin, on the other hand, was even more direct and efficient!
He seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, silently sliding down a thick load-bearing pillar, merging into the endless darkness like a phantom!
The two successfully escaped from the most dangerous beam!
However, before they could even breathe a sigh of relief.
"Buzz—buzz—"
A low, heart-pounding hum suddenly echoed from various corners of the warehouse!
Immediately after!
Several dim emergency lights flickered on with a "snap"!
Although the light was weak, it was enough for the two to see everything in front of them!
Both their hearts tightened simultaneously!
They could clearly hear more footsteps and dog barks approaching the interior of the warehouse from all directions!
The crisis was not over!
Instead, they had fallen into an even deeper encirclement!
Ryuzaki Shin and Serizawa pressed tightly against the shadow of a shipping container, listening to the increasingly close dog barks and the disorganized footsteps. The atmosphere in the entire warehouse was extremely oppressive.
"Damn it, these guys are really like dogs, their noses are so sharp," Serizawa Tamao cursed in a low voice. The fighting spirit had ignited in his always half-closed eyes.
He had already prepared for the worst.
Rather than being trapped here like a rat, it would be better to charge out directly and have a fierce fight with these bastards!
In his opinion, rather than being chased like a rabbit by dogs, it was better to die fighting like a lion!
Serizawa looked at Ryuzaki Shin; as soon as Ryuzaki Shin nodded, he would charge out and fight them.
But Ryuzaki Shin still shook his head.
How could they get into a conflict in a place like a port? Even if they beat them down, what good would it do him?
Could he really just swagger out with the goods?
His goal was to acquire these goods, not to fight.
Not to mention, attracting the police would be even more troublesome.
Ryuzaki Shin glanced around.
Suddenly, he noticed a diesel forklift parked not far away.
Oh?
Heaven helps him.
He pointed at the forklift towards Serizawa and mouthed, "Feint."
Although Serizawa's mind wasn't quick, he wasn't an idiot.
He instantly understood what he meant.
As expected of the boss, his mind really worked faster than his own.
Just then, two dazzling beams of flashlight light had already swept across the row of containers where they were hiding!
The muscular Doberman Pinscher barked even more ferociously in their direction!
"Woof! Woof woof woof!"
"Damn it, someone's definitely here!"
The security captain, who was in charge, his face darkened. He waved his hand at the people behind him and said in a deep voice, "Flank them! Don't let them escape!"
Just at this critical moment!
Serizawa moved!
Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up a palm-sized piece of iron from the ground, which looked like it had fallen off some machine, and then, with all his might, he threw it fiercely towards another row of containers in the distance!
"Clang—!!!"
An incredibly loud, incredibly crisp metallic impact suddenly exploded in the silent warehouse!
The sound, amplified countless times in the empty warehouse, was like an alarm bell ringing in everyone's ears!
"Over there!"
"Chase them!"
The security personnel, who had been on high alert, instantly had all their attention drawn to this sudden sound!
Without thinking, they instinctively charged towards the direction the sound came from!
And at that very moment!
Ryuzaki Shin moved!
His speed was extreme!
Before the security personnel had a chance to turn around, he had already silently rushed to the side of the diesel forklift!
He leaped up and landed steadily in the driver's seat!
Immediately after, without even looking, he precisely twisted the key that was still in the ignition!
"Vroom—vroom—vroom—!"
The sleeping steel beast awakened instantly at this moment!
The low, powerful roar of the engine echoed through the entire warehouse like the roar of a wild beast!
"Holy crap! Someone's over there!"
The security personnel who had rushed out instantly reacted when they heard this sound!
They turned their heads sharply, and when they saw the forklift that had already started, their faces instantly turned pale!
"Quick! Stop him!"
However, it was too late!
Ryuzaki Shin floored the accelerator!
Then, just as the forklift was about to charge out, he sharply turned the steering wheel, aiming the front of the vehicle in the completely opposite direction from himself and Serizawa!
Immediately after, without even looking, he leaped off the rapidly moving forklift!
A perfect roll absorbed all the force, and then he rolled back into the nearby shadows!
The entire sequence of actions was fluid and seamless!
"Rumble—!!!"
The unmanned forklift, like an out-of-control beast, roared and crashed wildly towards the other end of the warehouse!
Its huge steel forks crushed every obstacle in its path like withered weeds!
The enormous commotion instantly drew all the attention of the security personnel and the Doberman Pinscher!
Kageyama's furious roar of exasperation echoed through the warehouse:
"Over there! Chase him! Don't let him get away, damn it!"
Most of the manpower was completely drawn away by this out-of-control forklift!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the chaotic scene before him, a cold sneer playing on his lips.
He gestured "go" to Serizawa and Tokaji beside him.
The two took advantage of the chaos, and under the cover of night and the shadows of the containers, they silently circled out of the warehouse.
Tokaji was waiting outside, and his expression visibly relaxed when he saw the two of them.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't waste time. He made a gesture, and the two followed Ryuzaki Shin towards the barbed wire fence.
There were no people along the way, and it was surprisingly smooth.
However, just as they were about to reach the cut opening in the barbed wire fence!
Two dazzling beams of flashlight light suddenly swept around the corner!
Immediately after, two figures wearing port police uniforms, with batons and pistols at their waists, appeared before them!
They perfectly blocked their only escape route!
Damn it!
The three of them felt a tightening in their hearts simultaneously!
They could clearly hear the conversation between the two police officers.
"Hey, still haven't found Sato? Could that guy have fallen into the sea?"
"Who knows, maybe he's hiding in some corner, slacking off and sleeping. Damn it, when I find him, I'll really give him a good beating!"
Ryuzaki Shin narrowed his eyes.
These police officers reacted quite quickly, coming to look for Sato so soon.
But there was no time to waste now.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. He held up two fingers to Serizawa, then quickly made a chopping motion with his hand, like a hand-knife!
This was the unspoken understanding between strong individuals!
Serizawa instantly understood Ryuzaki Shin's meaning!
He took a deep breath and nodded.
The two of them quietly crept over, and taking advantage of the moment when the two police officers separated to search, with their backs to each other, they simultaneously burst into action!
"Who?!"
One of the police officers seemed to have heard something and instinctively tried to turn his head!
However, it was already too late!
A large hand suddenly covered his mouth from behind, preventing him from making any sound!
Immediately after, he felt a pain in the back of his neck, and an irresistible immense force came over him!
"Thud!"
A muffled sound!
His vision went black, and he instantly lost all consciousness.
The other police officer didn't even have time to react before he was brutally choked from behind in a fierce headlock!
He struggled frantically, trying to pull out the pistol from his waist!
But a large hand had already moved first, pressing down on his wrist!
Immediately after, a sharp pain shot through his lower abdomen!
"Thump!"
Serizawa delivered a brutal knee strike that made him see stars!
Then, with another clean and decisive hand-knife, he chopped down hard on the back of his neck!
The police officer's body instantly went limp.
The entire process didn't even take more than five seconds!
Clean! Decisive!
Not a single superfluous movement!
Serizawa looked at the two police officers on the ground who had completely lost consciousness, and a wave of lingering fear washed over him.
He was about to ask Ryuzaki Shin what to do next.
But he found that Ryuzaki Shin didn't immediately escape.
Instead, he dragged the two unconscious police officers, as if dragging two dead dogs, silently into the gap between the containers where Sato had been tied earlier.
After a moment of thought, he untied the ropes binding Sato, so it would at least look normal.
After doing all this, he turned his head and looked at Serizawa, who had a puzzled expression, and explained in a low voice:
"Three patrol police officers disappearing together would immediately trigger the highest alert."
"But, if it's three police officers, all hiding here 'slacking off and falling asleep'..."
He paused, a very wicked smile appearing on his face.
"To cover up their subordinates' dereliction of duty, their superiors will only suppress this matter as an internal scandal, quietly."
"And it's possible these three people might lie themselves."
"If they were knocked out and the barbed wire was cut, if they told the truth, they might even be suspended."
"This way, it's more secure."
After listening, a trace of genuine admiration and a hint of lingering fear flashed in Serizawa's eyes.
He knew that the terrifying aspect of the man before him was not only his monstrous strength.
But also, he was calmer than anyone else!
The two no longer hesitated, swiftly passing through the now unobstructed gap in the barbed wire fence and rushing towards the van that had been waiting in the shadows for a long time.
Whoosh—"
Tokaji Yuji yanked the old van door shut, producing a harsh metallic screech that completely sealed off the port's air, which was a mixture of salty sea breeze and clamor.
Inside the car, an oppressive silence instantly fell.
Serizawa Tamao and Tokaji Yuji, as if just pulled from water, were drenched in cold sweat, gasping for breath, their chests heaving violently.
That series of thrilling stealth, assault, and escape, though brief, had consumed their spirits far more terrifyingly than a hundred-man brawl at Suzuran.
Tokaji Yuji leaned against the cold car wall; he felt his heart still pounding "thump, thump, thump," and his mind was blank.
He prided himself on being the Serizawa Army's strategist, believing he had seen all sorts of grand spectacles.
But everything that happened tonight completely overturned his perception.
Whether it was that warehouse, like an iron fortress, or those well-trained, cold-eyed professional security guards, they were in a completely different dimension from the delinquents he used to deal with at school.
Not to mention… he subconsciously glanced out of the corner of his eye at the man who had remained calm the entire time, without even a slight disturbance in his breathing.
Serizawa's mood was even more complex.
He looked at Ryuzaki Shin's profile, which appeared somewhat unevenly lit under the dim car lights.
He had always thought that the gap between him and Ryuzaki Shin was only in fighting ability.
As long as he worked hard enough, one day, he would be able to defeat him honorably.
But now, he finally understood.
The gap between him and him was not about fighting ability at all.
It was… vision!
While he was still complacent about playing a childish game like dominating Suzuran, this man had already begun to lay out plans in the true, cutthroat underground world!
This feeling made him feel a surge of powerlessness, but at the same time, an indescribable excitement and relief.
Fortunately, he was now on his side.
Both of them were incredibly uneasy; after all, their recent experience was something they had never encountered before.
A little excitement was normal; after all, Ryuzaki Shin had also gone through the same.
Just as the two were emotionally stirred and still reliving that thrilling scene.
Ryuzaki Shin ignored the two still gasping guys and unhurriedly pulled out two items from his embrace.
One was the kraft paper envelope, filled with bribe money, which he had "borrowed" from Officer Sato.
The other was… Sato's heavy police service pistol, still glinting with cold metallic luster in the dim light!
"Damn it!"
The moment Serizawa and Tokaji saw the gun, their eyes nearly popped out!
They instinctively pressed their bodies tightly against the car wall, as if that gun were some man-eating monster!
Fighting and brawling were one thing; robbing a police officer's gun was a completely different matter altogether!
This was no longer the realm of delinquents!
This was something only true desperadoes would dare to do!
Even if they didn't understand the law, they knew what would happen if a police gun went missing.
Ryuzaki Shin, however, ignored their unworldly expressions.
He merely weighed the gun casually in his hand, then, with extreme proficiency, removed the magazine, checked the bullets inside, and finally, with a "click," reloaded it.
The entire process was smooth and seamless, performed in one go, full of the qualities of a professional gangster.
After doing all this, he casually tucked the gun into his lower back, as if it wasn't a deadly weapon but an insignificant lighter.
Then, he casually tossed the envelope full of cash to the still-stunned Tokaji Yuji.
His tone was as calm as if he were talking about a trivial matter.
"After the job is done, you and Serizawa can split this money among yourselves and the brothers in the car."
Tokaji Yuji subconsciously took the heavy envelope, felt it, and estimated there were at least a million inside.
Each person would receive at least two hundred thousand.
He couldn't help but sigh, putting everything else aside, Ryuzaki Shin was truly generous to those who worked with him!
He swallowed, looking at Ryuzaki Shin, his voice a little shaky:
"Boss… haven't we already escaped? What… what else do we need to do?"
Ryuzaki Shin did not answer directly.
He simply said faintly to the nervous driver named Nakamura:
"Nakamura, do you know Canghai Road?"
Nakamura was a driver Tokaji had specifically chosen from among his subordinates; he had grown up in this area and knew it very well.
He immediately nodded and said, "Boss, I know. It's about five kilometers from here."
Ryuzaki Shin nodded: "Good, now drive to Canghai Road."
In his mind, this road was part of the freight driver's delivery route.
It was Just right in the middle of his delivery route, several kilometers from both the port and the city.
Moreover, it was late at night, and there were few people on the road, making it a good opportunity for murder and robbery.
"Rumble"
The van started, cutting through the night.
Serizawa, however, was somewhat puzzled. Was there still something to do tonight?
"Ryuzaki, aren't we going back? Why are we going there?"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the rapidly receding night scenery outside the car window, a cold arc curving at the corner of his mouth.
He slowly turned his head, his deep eyes even darker in the gloom.
"Go back? Why would we go back? Tonight's main course hasn't even been served yet!"
Serizawa and Tokaji were completely bewildered.
Wait… wasn't what just happened the main event?
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their foolish expressions, smiled, and then said disdainfully:
"We are going to take back what belongs to us."
He paused, hinting at something.
"Now, the identities of the hunter and the hunted…"
"It's time to swap!"
"Constantly hiding is not my style, Ryuzaki Shin's style…"