Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 654 - Chapter 654 Chapter Forty Pretending to be a Fool Without

Chapter 654: Chapter Forty: Pretending to be a Fool Without Going Mad (Part Three) Chapter 654: Chapter Forty: Pretending to be a Fool Without Going Mad (Part Three) Ji Chai’s expression was completely hidden behind his sunglasses. He calmly loaded his gun, flicked off the safety, and aimed at Zhan Guzai, but before he could fire, a pair of hands reached from below to grip the pistol. The barrel lost its aim and the shot hit the ceiling.

It was Du Yanbiao.

Zhan Guzai didn’t hesitate for a second before turning to run.

Although Du Yanbiao was shot in the chest, he still clung to Ji Chai’s arm with all his might, veins bulging on his face.

It took Ji Chai two or three seconds to shake off Du Yanbiao. He then fired another shot into his forehead. By the time he looked up again, Zhan Guzai had rushed out the door. Ji Chai raised his gun and chased after him relentlessly, rushing out as well.

Some people, seeing what happened, hurried to escape while others crouched under tables, trembling in fear, not excluding Lu. He even kept tugging at the unmoving Li Yan’s sleeve, signaling him to crouch down quickly.

Li Yan remained indifferent. He wasn’t concerned about Ji Chai chasing after Zhan Guzai but looked around at the chaos as if searching for someone.

“What a failure,” Wenle muttered from his hiding spot, feigning protection like the others. He watched with interest as Zhan Guzai ran out of Chinatown, his face covered in blood, but didn’t intend to intervene personally.

The Myriad Assembly of Humanity’s Prime had the ability to create magical artifacts with unique powers using the Four Pillars of Destiny and materials with strong spiritual essence, and there were many types of such artifacts. “Sheep Blade Corpse Puppet Needle” was one of them.

It only needed to be stabbed into the corresponding acupoint based on the Life Fiend to make the person obey one’s commands. The downside was that the host would die after eight hours due to exhaustion of their potential. Of course, according to Wenle’s plan, he wouldn’t need that long. As soon as Ji Chai killed Zhan Guzai, he would have Ji Chai swallow his gun and commit suicide, making it look like a gang vendetta and escape in the chaos.

Xue Wenhai had at least a hundred such artifacts made by the Myriad Assembly of Humanity’s Prime. He even had Wenle and Wutou Qing sell half-finished products in secret, using it as a means to collect more Four Pillars of Destiny spirits. Chen Zhengcong’s Six Calamities Ghost was obtained this way.

Suddenly, Wenle felt a bone-chilling coldness and instinctively turned his head to find himself eye-to-eye with Li Yan.

Strictly speaking, the two had never met. When Li Cha teamed up with Qian Wu to break the hegemony, Wenle was also just manipulating feng shui from behind the scenes, and neither had laid eyes on the other.

However, when Li Yan had asked Ji Chai for directions, it was obvious that Wenle and Ji Chai were together. Adding to that, Wenle was conspicuously wearing a mask, so it didn’t take long for Li Yan to lock his gaze onto him.

“…”

After several seconds of eye contact, Wenle’s heart inexplicably tightened, but it was Li Yan who first looked away and stood up from his seat to head toward the second floor private rooms.

Wenle, seeing this, also pretended to panic and quickly left the premises unnoticed.

Li Yan pushed open the door of the private room, and Li, backing away with his gun raised, slowly put it away once he recognized Li Yan’s face.

“Gang vendetta, everyone ran off, no worries,” Li said.

Li stared at Li Yan with some suspicion: “This has nothing to do with you?”

Li Yan shook his head at him, then turned to Judy, “Let’s leave here first. We can talk in the car.”

Seizing the moment, Li urged, “Let’s go back. It’s dangerous here.”

Judy pressed her lips together, taking it as her tacit agreement.

Maggie glanced at Judy, then at Li Yan, unsure where to place her hands, and ended up just smiling awkwardly, “What a coincidence, so you guys know each other.”

——————————–

Li, in the driver’s seat, glanced at the two in the rearview mirror, then twisted the steering wheel and pulled away from the street.

Suddenly, Li Yan opened his eyes wide: “Stop the car.”

The tires screeched against the road.

Li Yan opened the car door: “It should be safe enough now. I have urgent matters to attend to. I’m leaving.”

“If you dare leave like this, I swear I will never see you again for the rest of my life,” Judy finally blurted out after holding it in the whole trip.

Li Yan reached out to touch Judy’s face, but she coldly swatted his hand away: “You say you’ll leave just like that. Have you ever considered me? Ever respected me?”

“I never meant to disrespect you. I’m just worried about your safety, and I don’t regret coming back this time, even now.”

“Oh, should I thank you then? Thank you for your great grace, for coming back to see me one last time. I’m so grateful to you,” Judy said bitterly.

“…”

Li Yan fell silent for a moment before speaking, “I will return to the mainland on the 16th. If you’re willing, I can try to take you with me.”

Li’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Judy narrowed her eyes, “Really?”

Li Yan shrugged noncommittally.

Judy’s eyes darted around, “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

“Good, if you’ve made up your mind, on the 16th at 7 a.m., Victoria Pier. If you don’t come, I’ll take it as a refusal.”

“We’ll see when the time comes.”

Li Yan smiled, then got out of the car. Li floored the accelerator, and the Porsche took off.

A scarlet shadow darted onto Li Yan’s shoulder.

“I’ll need your help these next few days to keep an eye on Judy for me.”

“Lord Governor, do you really plan to…”

“I said I can try to find a way, not that I would definitely come up with one.”

“Huh?”

——————————–

Zhan Guzai panicked and ran recklessly, the car keys were on Du Yanbiao, and he staggered through the bustling streets. The shrill sound of tires suddenly filled his ears; turning his head, he was terrified to see a beige taxi barreling toward him. Ji Chai, behind the wheel wearing sunglasses, looked both cold and eerie.

Of course, two legs couldn’t outrun four wheels. Zhan Guzai was hit by the car and sent flying like a bloodied gourd, scraping against the window and over the roof. Then he fell to the ground, powerless.

Ji Chai slammed on the brakes, stuck his head out of the window to look back, then yanked the gearstick. The taxi emitted a piercing roar as it backed up toward Zhan Guzai.

Zhan Guzai hadn’t managed to stand up before the taxi rolled over him again. Bloodied, he finally lay motionless.

Ji Chai got out of the car, stepping through the bloodstains to stand in front of Zhan Guzai.

The surrounding people had scattered in terror at the horrific scene.

The dying Zhan Guzai clutched at Ji Chai’s trouser leg. Pinkish blood bubbles uncontrollably frothed from the corner of his mouth, his bulging eyes filled with intense resentment and confusion.

A pair of hands removed the sunglasses from behind Ji Chai, revealing his terrifying, white-filled eyes.

Wenle put on the glasses and squatted down in front of Zhan Guzai.

“I don’t like to break my word, so why don’t you say it again?”

Zhan Guzai recognized Wenle’s voice. He struggled to open his mouth, blood streaking between his teeth: “That star is…”

“That’s not the line.”

Ji Chai drew a pistol and aimed it at Zhan Guzai’s head.

“Say it again.”

Zhan Guzai’s lips trembled, a slight, almost imperceptible bitter smile surfaced on his mouth.

“Idiot~”

“Right.”

Bang!

A dark blood hole appeared in Zhan Guzai’s temple.

After executing Zhan Guzai, Ji Chai gazed at the warm gun in his hand, shakily inserting the barrel into his own mouth.

Wenle fished out the keys from Ji Chai’s pocket, then hurried away, another gunshot echoing behind him.