An inconspicuous black sedan drove past the elementary school entrance.

Across an intersection, Ding Chenmo and his apprentice Liu Xinhui sat in the car, holding binoculars. Liu Xinhui was the only person around Ding Chenmo who knew the truth—after all, Ding Chenmo needed help. The other team members had all been arranged by Ding Chenmo to positions further back, waiting for his command.

Liu Xinhui lowered his binoculars: “Master, there’s a hostage! Li Weiyi is also in the car.”

Ding Chenmo’s brow furrowed into a knot again—the situation was becoming increasingly complex. Xu Yi bringing Li Weiyi along must be to threaten Zhang Jingchan. This economic-criminal double-threat high-IQ criminal was indeed not blinded by romance at the crucial moment. Ding Chenmo felt somewhat regretful.

“Let’s wait a bit longer,” Ding Chenmo said.

Xu Yi parked the car on the same dark side road, cut the ropes on Li Weiyi’s feet, leaving only her hands bound, and embraced her as they walked forward. If a passerby saw them from behind, they would think they were a pair of young lovers in an embrace.

When the two approached the cave location, two men in black appeared: “Who’s there?”

Before Xu Yi could answer, someone in the gymnasium said: “Let them in, don’t follow.”

It was “Xu Yi’s” voice.

Xu Yi pulled Li Weiyi inside. An old, dim yellow lamp was lit. Liu Ying stood in front, with Zhang Jingchan holding a dagger pressed against her throat.

No one else was there.

Li Weiyi and Zhang Jingchan’s eyes met. She gently shook her head: Don’t you dare take risks.

Xu Yi: “Where are those two idiots?”

Zhang Jingchan: “The boat has arrived, I sent them to check.”

Xu Yi glanced at his watch—sixteen minutes until midnight. He said: “I never thought that people like us would end up like two desperate fugitives, settling things in such a crude and bloody way. Let’s exchange hostages.”

Zhang Jingchan: “I’ll count one, two, three, and we’ll release them together.”

Xu Yi turned his head to look at Li Weiyi, pulled out a dagger, cut the ropes on her hands, then suddenly pressed her head and placed a kiss on her forehead. Before Li Weiyi could react, he had already pulled away.

“Goodbye, Little Yi.”

“Turn yourself in,” Li Weiyi turned to look at him, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, “after you switch back.”

Xu Yi looked at her with eyes as pure and gentle as when they first met, like a big brother next door: “There’s no turning back. Besides, I won’t necessarily lose.”

Li Weiyi looked deeply at him, then turned to face Zhang Jingchan. Zhang Jingchan’s expression grew even colder: “One… two… three.”

Both men kept their word and released simultaneously. Li Weiyi and Liu Ying walked toward each other.

Liu Ying looked at Li Weiyi with hate-filled eyes, then gazed at her real brother, seeing that he had still come to this dangerous place. Tears slid down her face. Her brother only showed her his warm, unchanged smile.

In the last few steps, Li Weiyi could no longer restrain herself and quickly ran over. Zhang Jingchan caught her fully and said: “Hide behind me.” Li Weiyi obediently hid behind him.

On the other side, as soon as Liu Ying had the towel removed from her mouth by her brother, she shrieked: “Where is everyone! All of you get in here!”

The four subordinates in black were all outside. Hearing her voice, they all rushed in.

Li Weiyi pressed tightly against Zhang Jingchan, saying in a low voice: “I’ll shield you, run quickly, Xu Yi won’t hurt me.” But Zhang Jingchan said: “Don’t be afraid.” He didn’t move even a step.

At the doorway, Zhang Fengming and Cheng Chuan stood two steps apart. They didn’t enter the room, but could see the situation inside clearly.

Zhang Fengming frowned tightly: “Old Cheng, did I miss something, or have they gone mad? How did Zhang Jingchan and Liu Ying end up together, while Xu Yi and Li Weiyi became star-crossed lovers?”

Cheng Chuan pressed his shoulder: “If we can’t understand it, let’s not get involved.”

Zhang Fengming said again: “It’s as if Xu Yi and Zhang Jingchan have switched identities.” He obviously found this impossible himself and scoffed.

Cheng Chuan paused, staring intently at the people inside. He lowered his head and rubbed his temples.

Suddenly, sounds came from nearby—it sounded like several people running over, their footsteps very agile and nimble. Both men were startled. Cheng Chuan pulled Zhang Fengming, and they hid in the darkness.

Inside the gymnasium.

Liu Ying pointed at Zhang Jingchan and shouted: “Beat him to death!” The subordinates were stunned. Liu Ying: “Beat him to death! My brother has betrayed everyone!” Only then did the subordinates surround him.

But Zhang Jingchan shouted: “Come out!”

Three figures, agile as leopards, burst in—it was Zhong Yi and two comrades-in-arms. They had actually infiltrated the elementary school earlier and immediately revealed themselves when they heard something wrong. With the quality of special forces soldiers, even a police officer like Ding Chenmo hadn’t detected them.

However, the four people inside were Liu Ying’s strongest and most elite subordinates, all former bodyguards with considerable skills. For a moment, the two groups were evenly matched.

Xu Yi and Liu Ying turned and ran. Zhang Jingchan released Li Weiyi’s hand: “Stay with Zhong Yi.” He took off in pursuit.

Li Weiyi didn’t listen and followed him out.

Liu Ying was wearing high heels and had been tied up for a long time. After running just a few steps, she fell on the rugged dirt road. In that moment of delay, Zhang Jingchan had already caught up. Xu Yi pulled Liu Ying up and pushed her forward: “Get on the boat! Don’t look back!” Tears burst from Liu Ying’s eyes. She kicked off her high heels and ran barefoot down the dirt path beside them toward the riverside.

By the riverside, a dark motorboat had appeared at some point.

Xu Yi and Zhang Jingchan grappled together.

The terrain rose and fell, rocks were exposed, the mud was slippery. After exchanging several punches, both fell to the ground but still wouldn’t let go of each other, rolling along the dirt slope, gradually rolling toward the cliff edge.

Li Weiyi picked up a wooden stick and kept chasing the two men. Tears blurred her eyes, but they were fighting so intensely she couldn’t find an opening to strike. When she saw the two men approaching the cliff, for an instant it was as if she saw their destiny.

She screamed: “Don’t go there! Don’t go there! Zhang Jingchan, don’t go there!”

Xu Yi, who had originally been pinned down by Zhang Jingchan, suddenly laughed. He pulled a handgun from behind his waist under his suit and fired a shot at Zhang Jingchan’s abdomen. Zhang Jingchan’s body stiffened.

Li Weiyi: “No—”

The moment the gun fired.

Ding Chenmo’s expression changed dramatically. He grabbed the walkie-talkie: “Team One, Team Two, move! Arrest everyone, I repeat, arrest everyone near the gymnasium!”

Several police cars simultaneously sounded their sirens, converging on the elementary school from all directions.

However, one car was faster than Ding Chenmo’s. It rushed out from the intersection, ramming through the elementary school’s parking barrier first and speeding forward.

Ding Chenmo saw Li Yunmo in the driver’s seat and was furious enough to explode. But it wasn’t just Li Yunmo in the car—he could also see Zhang Moyun and Li Jinhong, along with two bodyguards.

“What are they doing!” Ding Chenmo roared. “This isn’t a place they should be! Crazy! This whole family is crazy!”

But it was too late to stop them. Under the fierce command of Zhang Moyun, this old wolf desperate to see his son, Li Yunmo drove the car like it was flying, reaching the gymnasium entrance in moments.

Zhang Moyun’s eyes were red. Since ascending to high positions and acquiring wealth, how many years had it been since he personally held knives and clubs to attack people?