Chapter 319

Chapter 319

Showdown

Just as everyone was thinking the same thing, Zheng Jie spoke up, "No, impossible! Liu Jinzhi didn’t even know this place existed!"

He clung to denial, convincing himself that even if Liu Jinzhi had betrayed him, it wouldn’t matter. She barely knew the half of it—he’d kept her in the dark. How could some *woman* wreck his life’s work?

"Enough talk!" He snarled, "Catching them is the priority!" Zheng Jie refused to believe it and was desperate to find out who the real traitor was. Gritting his teeth, he urged everyone forward.

The stalled men lunged forward.

This chase was no place for women or kids. Apart from two skilled female fighters, the rest of Zheng Jie’s followers were strong, able-bodied men. With their speed increased, they closed the distance rapidly.

Lin Nannan’s crew, though, was struggling. They had either been traveling or hauling supplies nonstop, leaving them exhausted. Toting Liu Jinzhi and Xiao Bao just weighed them down.

They passed Xiao Bao like a hot potato, but even a child’s weight, combined with their heavy loads, left them gasping for air. The pursuers were gaining fast.

Lin Nannan, herself breathless, stopped abruptly. "There’s no time. Liu Jinzhi, take Xiao Bao and find Lu Hang. We’ll cover you here..."

Liu Jinzhi hesitated, unwilling to be a burden, but Lin Nannan insisted, "We have ammunition. The shooting’ll bring backup—Lu Hang’s men will investigate. You can deliver the message on the way. Besides, this is safer for you and Xiao Bao. We can’t spare anyone else to send word. Understand?"

Though reluctant, Liu Jinzhi met Lin Nannan’s resolute gaze and finally nodded.

She bolted into the dark, Xiao Bao in her arms, carrying nothing else.

The rest of the group, used to moving as one, scattered to find the best ambush spots.

No way they’d let the bastards through—if they did, Liu Jinzhi and her child would be doomed.

With scouts ahead, Lin Nannan’s group wasted no time assessing the enemy’s numbers. Gunshots ripped through the night, sharp and clear...

Zheng Jie’s men took cover, while Lu Hang’s group, who had been staked out for a full day and night, began doubting their intel—perhaps Zheng Jie hadn’t come this way after all.

Just as they were debating their next move, gunfire exploded—their heads snapped toward it.

"That direction—it’s Zhang Shengguo’s side! Something’s wrong!" Lin Kangnian stood up immediately.

"Back them up, now!" Lu Hang ordered, assuming Zheng Jie was breaking through from that side. The gunfire said it all about the fierce battle underway.

Still, they left half their forces behind as a precaution.

On the way, they encountered Liu Jinzhi, who delivered the news: Lin Nannan’s group had clashed with Zheng Jie. Lu Hang’s stomach dropped—he needed to be there *now*...

In the chaos, upon learning Zheng Jie was present and that the Zheng family’s weapons cache was nearby, Lu Hang arranged an escort for Liu Jinzhi and Xiao Bao, then led the rest of his men to reinforce the fight.

Not just Lu Hang—Zhang Shengguo’s forces mobilized as well.

The Zheng family’s hideout was situated between the two factions, leading both Zhang Shengguo and Lu Hang to believe the other was under attack. Barreling in to help their allies, Lu Hang’s group caught Zheng Jie off guard, while Zhang Shengguo’s men captured the remaining Zheng family members.

Without even needing interrogation, the captives confessed. Upon learning Zheng Jie had gone after the fugitives, they surrounded and captured him.

They were screwed from both sides. Bleeding, Zheng Jie went down.

As the battle ended, torches cut through the dark. Zheng Jie forgotten, Lu Hang grabbed Lin Nannan’s hands. "Are you hurt? Where?"

During the fight, he hadn’t even known where she was hiding. Now, seeing her covered in dust, his chest tightened.

"I’m fine!" Lin Nannan flashed a grimy smile.

Seeing that she was truly unharmed, Lu Hang took a deep breath before finally letting his racing heart calm down.

"I'll settle the score with you later!" Lu Hang threw out this remark before turning to deal with the aftermath.

Lin Nannan noticed his slight anger and stuck out her tongue playfully, making a face, smartly keeping her mouth shut.

The fight had been inexplicable, and its end just as sudden.

Bound and restrained, Zheng Jie glared at Lu Hang, seething with resentment, and said, "Had I known it would come to this, I should have killed you back then!"

Having already figured out what happened, Lu Hang stared at Zheng Jie and replied, "If you hadn’t made a move against me, I would never have suspected you, nor would I have targeted the Zheng family..."

"At this point, feeding me this bullshit—is it even amusing?" Zheng Jie didn’t believe a word of it.

Lu Hang spoke earnestly, "I’m not deceiving you. It was only after my wife arrived here that we analyzed it together. After all, you only targeted me, didn’t you?"

Seeing no deceit in his words, Zheng Jie’s breathing grew rapid.

So, if he hadn’t acted, Lu Hang would never have suspected him, and none of this would have happened.

"His guilt made him act, especially after you recovered and returned to Nanshi. He thought you were coming for him!" Zhang Shengguo stepped out of the shadows, his eyes blazing with anger as he looked at Zheng Jie.

No one hated Zheng Jie more than he did.

This man had caused the deaths of countless brothers.

Zheng Jie met Zhang Shengguo’s piercing eyes, shuddered, and guiltily averted his gaze.

"I want to know—how did you track us here?" He turned his gaze toward Lin Nannan in the distance, sure she was behind it all.

Ever since Lin Nannan arrived in Nanshi, everything went sideways.

Lin Nannan walked over, looking at the disheveled Zheng Jie with a shit-eating grin. "Who else? Liu Jinzhi ratted you out!"

"No, impossible!" He recoiled at this. "She didn’t know about these places. Besides, she would never betray me!"

"For her kid's sake, of course she wouldn’t betray you. But didn’t you lose the child?" Lin Nannan sneered.

At this point, Zheng Jie understood everything.

"You hid the child?" he snarled.

Lin Nannan immediately spat back, "You think everyone is like you, using kids as bargaining chips? Liu Jinzhi never intended to betray you—it was your inaction. You claimed to value her, but what did you do after she was captured? I found Xiao Bao wailing on the doorstep and took him in. If I hadn’t, he could've been halfway to China by then. So, since you failed to keep your promise, don't go blaming Liu Jinzhi now."

"Where is she?" Zheng Jie snapped, roaring, "Where is she? After all I've done for her? Why would she do this to me? How did she know about this place?"