Chapter 044 Tumultuous Escape—And Still Time for Daydreams!

Zhang Gang stormed downstairs in anger. Standing by the garage, he smoked impatiently, waiting. Before long, a battered Mitsubishi SUV drove up, its high beams flashing three times in quick succession. Zhang Gang knew this was the prearranged signal. He flicked his cigarette butt to the ground and strode over, clearly annoyed.

He was beginning to realize that this so-called Big Brother B was unreliable. He'd already transferred the money, yet Song Kai was still alive—and thriving, no less!

Reaching the SUV, Zhang Gang found a burly man with a full beard in the driver’s seat, a dagger clenched between his teeth. It was Mad Bull.

Mad Bull waved Zhang Gang over to the passenger seat. As Zhang Gang opened the door and got in, he grumbled, “What’s wrong with you people? You said it’d be done yesterday…”

But before he could finish, the dagger suddenly plunged straight through Zhang Gang’s chest. An overwhelming weakness flooded him. Zhang Gang tried to turn his head, staring at Mad Bull.

Mad Bull calmly fastened the seatbelt, binding Zhang Gang’s corpse tightly to the seat. Then he drove the car to the hotel entrance and waited patiently.

…

At the dinner table, Song Kai had nearly finished off all the dishes. Xu Ling, unable to watch any longer, quickly called him to leave with her. She was worried that if she didn’t, Song Kai would end up sopping up the last of the sauces with his steamed bun—it was simply too embarrassing.

“There’s still food left. What a waste,” Song Kai muttered as he trailed behind Xu Ling.

Xu Ling turned, lightly smacking Song Kai with her purse. “Shut up! If you’re really the reincarnation of a starving ghost, I’ll treat you to a late-night snack later. But at the dinner table, can’t you show some restraint?”

Song Kai grinned. “Whatever you say, my dear wife. I’ll do exactly as you wish.”

“Shut up! And don’t call me that,” Xu Ling replied, exasperated.

Song Kai didn’t mind. He handed her the documents from the herbal medicine factory. “Let’s find a Peking duck place or a Mongolian roast lamb spot. We can eat as we talk.”

Xu Ling was defeated and could only nod. “Fine. Oh, there’s a taxi over there. Let’s go.”

“No need!” Song Kai flicked his hair with a flourish. “I know you came with your grandfather’s car, so since you asked me to pick you up, of course I drove. Here’s our ride—get on.”

Song Kai gestured to a police motorcycle.

Xu Ling sighed, adjusted her long dress, and climbed on. “Song Kai, what have you been up to lately? First Chief Tang, now Liu Zhishan, and now you’ve got a police vehicle! Tell me, are you skipping your studies just to mess around outside?”

Song Kai just chuckled, starting the motorcycle.

The moment the engine roared to life, the sound of a car revving furiously erupted behind them. Glancing in the rearview mirror, Song Kai saw a Mitsubishi SUV speeding toward them.

“Hold on tight! Quick!” he shouted, gunning the throttle. The motorcycle shot down the steps in front of the hotel.

“Ah!” Xu Ling screamed, clinging desperately to Song Kai as her wallet tumbled to the ground.

“My wallet! What are you doing?” she cried, her arms locking tightly around his waist.

The Mitsubishi had already swung around from the other side. The driver, one hand on the wheel, produced a black pistol with the other.

“Damn!” Song Kai cursed, accelerating hard.

The Mitsubishi gave chase, and with a loud bang, sparks flew as a bullet struck the pavement.

“What’s going on?” Xu Ling gasped, panic-stricken. She forgot about her wallet, holding onto Song Kai for dear life.

Song Kai swerved into a narrow alley, the SUV following recklessly. Stalls and vendors filled the passage, but the SUV plowed through without hesitation.

“These killers are vicious!” Song Kai calculated quickly, soon remembering Tenyun Park, which had a long descending staircase. His motorcycle could make it down—he doubted the SUV could.

Fortunately, the bike was powerful. Wind howled, the engine thundered, and behind them, the screams of startled pedestrians echoed.

Xu Ling was suddenly dazed—where was this? Had she stumbled into a movie? At this moment, the man she clung to no longer seemed like a mere boy, but a hero she could rely on.

“Hold tight,” Song Kai called out.

Xu Ling snapped back to reality. The motorcycle slowed, then began bouncing down the endless staircase, step by jarring step.

Xu Ling thought her backside would be battered to pieces. She could only cling to Song Kai as the motorcycle jolted and bounced its way down.

When would these damn steps end? As she wondered, a rattling noise came from above—the SUV had driven onto the stairs as well. But Mad Bull had clearly underestimated the height. After barely ten meters, the SUV became hopelessly stuck, wheels spinning uselessly in midair.

Mad Bull kicked open the door and fired his pistol at Song Kai’s motorcycle. Song Kai accelerated, black smoke billowing as he reached the bottom. The motorcycle was clearly damaged.

Gunshots rang out, but the distance was too great—all missed.

“Damn!” Mad Bull didn’t dare linger. He turned and fled.

Song Kai, with Xu Ling in tow, sped toward the other entrance of the park.

Xu Ling still had her arms around him when suddenly her hand brushed against something hard. She froze, then quickly understood and let go, sitting upright, no longer daring to press her chest against his back.

This bastard! They’d just escaped death, and yet he still had the mood for such wicked thoughts.

Song Kai was a little embarrassed—it truly wasn’t intentional. But with Xu Ling pressed so tightly against him, and neither of their clothes particularly thick, it was impossible not to react.

They finally reached the entrance to Xu Ling’s apartment complex. Song Kai stopped the motorcycle. “Here, Xu Ling, you take this information about the herbal factory. Have a look.”

“No need,” Xu Ling replied, straightening her dress and hair.

“Huh? Why not? It’s a great project, and if I borrow ten million from you, I’ll definitely pay it back!” Song Kai insisted.

Xu Ling, her skirt fluttering, stood there and shook her head. “No, I can’t trust your character.”

Song Kai was taken aback and quickly explained, “No, it’s not like that—it wasn’t on purpose! It’s not my fault if it… reacts. It has nothing to do with my character.”

“If you can’t control it, then cut it off,” Xu Ling retorted, her face flushing red. She turned and walked toward the complex.

That was such a rogue thing to say—how could she say something like that?

Song Kai was speechless. Xu Ling waved as she walked. “It’s late, I have to go to the police station to deal with this attempted murder. You should get some rest.”

“But you haven’t even looked at the factory proposal,” Song Kai protested.

“No need. Just come to my office when you have time and take the money directly,” Xu Ling said, disappearing through the gates.

Song Kai touched his cheek, a happy smile spreading across his face. He muttered, “Tch, really. The prettier the woman, the better a liar. The ancients never lied.”

He rode the smoking police motorcycle home. Once there, he immediately booked a train ticket to Enshi for the night and called a ride to wait downstairs.

Wu Hongying was already asleep.

Feeling guilty, Song Kai quietly placed the motorcycle keys on the table, grabbed his gear, and slipped out, taking the car straight to the train station.

Not long after, Wu Hongying woke, annoyed, and got dressed. She’d just received a call from the police station—there’d been a malicious hit-and-run with several people seriously injured, and she was needed for the investigation.

Taking the keys, she stepped outside. When she saw her motorcycle reduced to a heap of scrap metal, her anger flared—but by then, Song Kai was already boarding the train.

The train was an ordinary green carriage—there was no high-speed rail between Tenyun and Enshi, and Song Kai couldn’t bring blasting caps on a bullet train. Security on the old trains was lax, so he managed to smuggle them aboard.

Once on, Song Kai leaned against the window, dozing off as he ran through different scenarios in his mind. The yellow ginger root, several centuries old, would surely be guarded by a formidable beast. He’d have to lure it out and kill it with explosives. No matter what, he was determined to get the prime root this time—even if it cost him half his life. The feeling of having no internal energy was unbearable.

He drifted off and woke to find it was already past nine the next morning. The train slowed to a halt at Enshi Station. Song Kai stretched, then walked out into the cool mountain air, hoping for smooth sailing ahead.

Enshi was a mountainous region, home to the Tujia people. Though not industrially advanced, it was famous for tourism and specialty crops, especially Enshi Jade Dew tea.

The station was shabby. As Song Kai walked outside, he heard someone calling out in heavily accented Mandarin, “To Donghu! Anyone for Donghu? Fifteen yuan, leaving now!”

Hearing there was a ride to Donghu, Song Kai didn’t hesitate. He checked the bus and got on.

The vehicle was a rundown coach that reeked of a foul odor, but it went straight to Donghu Town, which was good enough. Most of the passengers were local farmers. Song Kai paid little attention and found a seat in the back.

This was a small county, poorer than most across the country, but its natural environment was well preserved. Song Kai watched the scenery with growing excitement—soon he’d have the prime yellow ginger, and his Nine Thunder Internal Energy would finally reach true entry level.

Before long, the bus filled up. As Song Kai took out his phone, a fresh, delicate fragrance wafted through the stuffy air. He instinctively raised his head, surprised to encounter such a scent in the midst of all this.

Looking up, he saw a girl in jeans and a white T-shirt, carrying a pink backpack, standing beside his seat. She was fair and youthful, completely out of place among the other passengers.

Evidently, she wasn’t used to sitting with strangers and started toward the back. Just as she took a step, a young man with a buzz cut stood up, grinning at her. “Hey, little sister, there’s a seat here. Come sit with me.”