Chapter 173 27

Chapter 27

The small dock looked deceptively close, but it was actually quite a hike.

Ruan Cong led them along a winding downhill path behind the mountain. The path was pretty rough, and Xiao Yuan kept turning back to support Shen Xi.

The usually pampered Boss Shen was trembling by the time they reached the bottom, leaning on his hip, gasping for air.

He found a rock and plopped down on it right away.

Boss Shen’s pale face and weakened state from his injury made Xiao Yuan extremely anxious and also drew a few extra glances from Ruan Cong.

After taking a moment to recover, Shen Xi stood up again, and the two followed Ruan Cong to the small dock.

Ruan Cong nodded to the deckhand on watch and led them closer.

The dock wasn’t the usual ferry dock but just had some piers. In one corner sat a luxurious private yacht, along with a few medium and small cargo ships.

Xiao Yuan spotted right away that several of the ships he had seen at sea before—this was clearly one of Cha Xin’s staging areas.

Shen Xi, meanwhile, was checking out the yacht with great interest and asked Ruan Cong, “Is this your boat?”

Ruan Cong replied, “It’s Boss Cha’s ride, but he said we could use it if the need arose.”

He led the two aboard the yacht. The cabin featured luxury cabins, a sun deck, and a dining area. The cabin door had a code lock, which Ruan Cong entered directly before stepping into the pilot house. He fired up the yacht like a pro, then pulled out a bottle of red and handed it to Shen Xi. “It’ll take about twenty minutes to get there.”

Shen Xi gestured to the wound on his arm, politely declining the offer. After a moment’s thought, Ruan Cong passed the bottle to Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony—he cracked it open and poured himself a glass.

Shen Xi found a seat and smiled at Ruan Cong. “Boss Cha's being pretty cheap, keeping this sweet ride to himself. This is much more fun than driving. Good looking out, Ruan Cong.”

Ruan Cong simply smiled in response. “No need for formalities, Boss Shen. Mr. Cha gave the green light—otherwise, I wouldn’t have dared to bring you two aboard.”

Xiao Yuan had initially wanted to stay on deck with Shen Xi to enjoy the view, but Shen Xi kept complaining that he was getting in the way and insisted he go back inside.

Seeing that pathetic look on his face, Shen Xi couldn’t help but laugh. He reached out and ruffled Xiao Yuan’s messy hair. “Alright, didn’t you say you wanted to learn how to drive a yacht? Once we seal this deal, I’ll buy you one. Get in there and pay attention—if you can’t get it out of the marina later, don’t expect me to help.”

Xiao Yuan obediently went into the cabin.

The yacht wasn’t complicated to operate, and Ruan Cong soon had it moving.

Xiao Yuan sat inside, scrolling through his phone while watching Ruan Cong’s actions. Only Shen Xi remained on the deck, looking like he was in his element.

The sun was setting, casting a golden glow on the sparkling sea—the water glittered, really gorgeous. The sea breeze tousled Shen Xi’s slightly long hair as he squinted slightly behind his sunglasses, gazing at the sun.

The yacht moved quickly, soon cruising along the coast toward the other side of Pearl City.

Once they left the dock, the waves picked up, making for a bumpy ride.

As he steered, Ruan Cong poured himself a glass of wine and opened the porthole to chat with Shen Xi. Mindful of Xiao Yuan’s presence, he kept the conversation light—making small talk about the weather and scenery—and recommended a few good restaurants to Shen Xi.

A sudden gust of wind sent wine splashing from his glass.

Shen Xi grabbed a handrail in the cockpit to steady himself.

Xiao Yuan, despite his size, went pale instantly. He went out and huddled close to Shen Xi. “Boss Shen, you should come inside. The waves are too rough—what if you fall into the water? I can’t swim…”

Shen Xi adjusted his expression and patted the sturdy man beside him. “Where’s your backbone? Ruan Cong will laugh at you.”

Fortunately, the rough waves soon passed, and the yacht picked up speed again.

As day gave way to night, the sky darkened abruptly. The last traces of light vanished from the horizon as if the sun had dropped straight into the ocean, plunging the world into darkness.

Everything grew quiet—the daytime noise faded away, leaving only the sound of waves and the yacht’s engine.

Ruan Cong reached out and flipped on the yacht’s lights.

The boat rose and fell with the waves. He glanced outside—Shen Xi remained on the deck in the same position, not moving at all. He had taken off his sunglasses, and the sea breeze tousled his hair as he gazed into the dark waters.

Shen Xi seemed relaxed now, his usual expression gone, making him seem different. The man sat quietly, his eyes especially deep and bottomless.

Ruan Cong remembered the sense of mystery he’d felt when he first met Shen Xi at the casino—it seemed he still hadn’t fully figured this guy out.

As if sensing Ruan Cong’s gaze, Shen Xi turned to look at him, his usual demeanor returning instantly as if that earlier moment had just been an illusion.

At night, three young men gathered on the foreign sea, surrounded by endless water.

Their paths crossed at that moment before diverging again, each heading toward their own distant paths.

The yacht eventually docked at another, much more formal-looking pier. The trip had taken exactly twenty minutes—indeed much faster than driving.

As they disembarked, the gangway was pretty steep. Shen Xi hesitated for a moment before Xiao Yuan hopped down in one smooth move, then turned and reached out to help him, half-guided, half-carried him down.

By the yacht’s lights, Shen Xi observed the scenery along the shore and recognized it as a tourist motorboat and yacht docking center, already quite close to their hotel.

Ruan Cong asked, “Shall I call a car for you?”

Before Shen Xi could answer, Xiao Yuan wrapped an arm around Shen Xi’s waist from behind and replied, “No need, we know the way. We’ll walk back.”

Shen Xi simply smiled, agreeing with Xiao Yuan’s suggestion. Ruan Cong said nothing more, bid farewell to Shen Xi, and left first.

Shen Xi and Xiao Yuan watched as Ruan Cong sailed away on the yacht before openly walking arm-in-arm back to the hotel.

.

After seeing the two off, Ruan Cong sailed the yacht back.

By the time he docked and returned to the foot of the mountain, a car was already waiting by the roadside to pick him up.

Cha Xin didn’t let him off work—instead, he sent him to handle matters at Paradise.

On the way, Ruan Cong bought some food. By the time he returned to Paradise, the night scene was in full swing—the quiet garden of the daytime had once again become a dazzling entertainment venue.

It seemed some big shots were visiting tonight—Cha Xin and Pan Na had both gone to receive them.

Ruan Cong didn’t enter through the front door but went in through the back. In the workroom lay a corpse covered with a white sheet.

Though he had been prepared, he still fell silent at the sight.

Ruan Cong reached out and lifted the sheet, revealing a familiar face.

It was Datu.

He was already cold and stiff.

They had known each other for years. Datu was a local hired by the hotel. Later, noticing his strong physique, he was transferred to the casino.

He was the only son in his family—his father had died while fishing at sea, and he lived with his elderly mother.

Datu had initially taken the job just to earn a living, but Ruan Cong recognized his potential and brought him into the security team. That was how he gradually became involved in Cha Xin’s core operations. The money was good, and Datu had always been grateful to him.

That's just how many locals live.

They don't carry a strong sense of morality, nor do they see things in black and white.

The casino was always bustling with people, where Datu encountered many faces and heard all sorts of fragmented news. He quite enjoyed that environment and loved chatting with customers, without being overly cautious. Ruan Cong had reminded him about this several times. Datu would always agree with a cheerful laugh, but then promptly forget all about it.

What Datu disliked the most was working overtime, and what he enjoyed the most was accompanying the boss on outings. Each time, Cha Xin would give him some pocket money to distribute, and he never tired of this task.

Ruan Cong's face showed no expression as he gazed at his colleague for a moment, then looked up and asked Kusa, the security guard at the Paradise: "When did this happen?"

Kusa replied, "After dinner, the boss suddenly called him in. He was carried out shortly after." He cautiously inquired, "Ruan-ge, do you know what it was about?"

In the distance, a burst of laughter echoed, seeming somewhat out of place.

Ruan Cong covered the body with the sheet, his brows deeply furrowed, and his tone turned cold: "Don't ask about things you shouldn't know. Also, the boss is in a bad mood today—don’t get in his line of fire. Remember that?"

After receiving Kusa's nod of assurance, Ruan Cong's expression softened. He took one last look at Datu beneath the white sheet, stood up, and instructed: "The same as usual—sink him into the sea with stones after midnight. Remember to collect his share of the money and deliver it to his mother. Tell her he died in an accident at sea."

Kusa nodded and was about to leave to handle it when Ruan Cong called out from behind: "Wait, give me the money you collect. I’ll deliver it to his mother myself."

.

After walking on the street for a while, He Lin followed Rong Qing to the hotel where he was staying.

Having stayed here these days, Rong Qing had already identified all of Cha Xin's surveillance methods and knew where it was safe to talk.

Having passed the previous test, likely to demonstrate sincerity in their cooperation, Cha Xin had recently lightened up on surveillance, pulling back nearly all the covert surveillance.

Rong Qing would also place thin threads at the door and windows, checking each time he came and went for any added listening or surveillance devices in the room.

Even so, he still feared eavesdroppers and used the most discreet methods for their rendezvous, speaking in hushed tones.

After dinner, the two slumped into the soft-cushioned recliners in the center of the room like an ordinary couple.

The room was dimly lit by a few nightlights. He Lin had his arms around Rong Qing from behind in an intimate pose, their heads close together, yet the topics they discussed were all business, as serious as could be.

They had a lot of information to confirm.

He Lin first listened to Rong Qing’s account of his experience at the White Elephant Temple that day, then thoughtfully summarized: "So you suspect that today’s assassination attempt against Cha Xin—or rather, against you—was arranged by Ruan Cong?"

Rong Qing responded with a quiet "Mm" and reiterated his thoughts: "It might not have been him, but he must know something. I know what he's capable of. Given the positions of me, him, and Cha Xin today, if he had wanted to, he could have saved Shen Xi from the assassin with his abilities. But he did nothing."

He Lin lowered his gaze and pondered: "Is it possible that Cha Xin ordered it?"

"It’s not entirely impossible, but I don’t think it’s very likely." Rong Qing recalled everyone’s reactions at the time of the assassination. "Cha Xin’s surprise didn’t seem feigned, so I’m more inclined to believe he was unaware of the attack."

"Then it seems Ruan Cong is the most likely suspect." He Lin trusted Rong Qing’s judgment—after all, his intuition in such matters had always been sharp.

"But why would he do it? What would be his motive... revenge?" He Lin was puzzled.

"To provoke me into action." Rong Qing’s casual remark made He Lin jump.