Black Wolf's Death; Fu Yanzhi's Undercover Identity Discovered

Over the next few days, Fu Yanzhi still collected debts with Black Wolf during the day, and in the afternoon Fu Yanzhi would return to the small bungalow and stay with Mianmian. At night, he communicated with Li Ao again.

After a few days of getting along, Mianmian had gradually let down her guard against Fu Yanzhi and could talk to him, and Fu Yanzhi felt that this was a good start.

Today, after Fu Yanzhi returned from collecting debts, he walked into the small courtyard and found that Mianmian was not at home, so Fu Yanzhi called out "Mianmian" twice in the small courtyard, but after a while he did not get a response.

Fu Yanzhi grew somewhat anxious and began shouting in the surrounding area, "Mianmian, Mianmian, don't hide, I'm back." As Fu Yanzhi passed an alley intersection, he saw a group of children gathered together, and Fu Yanzhi wanted to ask them if they had seen Mianmian.

Fu Yanzhi hurried over, pulled back one of the children, and asked, "Little friend, have you seen a little girl named Mianmian?"

The child looked at him with disdain and said, "Saw her. She was just bullied by a few older kids, and probably ran off by now."

Fu Yanzhi's heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked what the older kids looked like. After asking about their general features, he chased off in the direction the children pointed. He hadn't run far when he heard Mianmian's tearful voice coming from ahead.

Fu Yanzhi quickened his pace, rounded a street corner, and saw three children a bit older than Mianmian cornering her. One of the chubby boys reached out to snatch the cloth doll in Mianmian's hands, saying as he did so, "You're a jinx, your whole family was cursed to death by you."

Mianmian only squatted on the ground crying, saying through her tears, "No, I'm not a jinx."

Fu Yanzhi's anger flared, and he rushed over in a few strides, shoved the chubby boy away with a hard push, and shouted sternly, "What are you doing!" Those children were startled by the suddenly appearing Fu Yanzhi, and seeing his fierce expression, they didn't dare stay any longer and bolted.

Fu Yanzhi squatted down, gently patted Mianmian's shoulder, and comforted her, "Mianmian, don't be afraid, I'm here."

When Mianmian saw Fu Yanzhi, she pushed Fu Yanzhi away directly and said, "I don't want you, go away quickly, I won't stay with you anymore, I'm a jinx, you'll die if you stay with me."

Fu Yanzhi was slightly stunned, then pulled Mianmian tightly into his embrace and said softly, "Mianmian, you aren't a jinx. Those people are just talking nonsense."

Mianmian struggled in his embrace, but Fu Yanzhi held her even tighter. "Look, didn't I stay with you these past few days, and aren't I just fine? From now on, I'll always protect you and won't let others bully you again. Once I help you get revenge, we'll go back to Luo City, where there are still six older brothers at home waiting for you."

Mianmian gradually stopped struggling and said with sobs, "Really? But brother died because of me, you're a good person and I don't want you to die."

Fu Yanzhi let go of her, looked seriously into her eyes, and said, "Of course it's true, Mianmian, and your brother wanted to protect Mianmian because he liked Mianmian, so this isn't Mianmian's fault."

Mianmian raised her head to look at Fu Yanzhi and said, "Really? Wasn't Mianmian the one who cursed her brother to death?"

"Of course not, your brother died to protect Mianmian, he is Mianmian's hero, and now the responsibility of protecting Mianmian is handed over to me, I will protect Mianmian well," Fu Yanzhi said while stroking Mianmian's head.

Mianmian nodded and said, "You're going to protect Mianmian, can you be Mianmian's older brother from now on?"

Fu Yanzhi nodded and said, "Yes, from now on I am Mianmian's big brother, and when we go back to big brother's home, Mianmian will have six more older brothers."

Mianmian smiled and said, "That's great, Mianmian has older brothers again, Mianmian will protect older brother well, I want to become older brother's hero."

Fu Yanzhi smiled, nodded, and said, "Good, Mianmian is the best, Mianmian will be big brother's hero in the future and will protect big brother."

Then Fu Yanzhi picked up the little bear from the ground, patted the dust off it, and handed it to Mianmian. Mianmian took the cloth doll and wiped away her tears with her small hands.

Fu Yanzhi took Mianmian's hand and said, "Let's go, we're going home."

Mianmian hesitated for a moment, but still held Fu Yanzhi's hand tightly. Hand in hand, the two of them slowly walked back to the small courtyard.

Ever since this incident, Mianmian had gradually resolved her inner knot, and every day when Fu Yanzhi returned to the small bungalow, Mianmian would call out "Big brother, big brother" endlessly.

Fu Yanzhi did not feel annoyed either, and whenever Mianmian called him, he would reply to her at the very first moment. Sometimes Mianmian would also throw tantrums at Fu Yanzhi. For example, when Fu Yanzhi asked her to eat green peppers that she didn't like, Mianmian would get angry with him.

But after being angry for a little while, Fu Yanzhi would pull out a strawberry-flavored lollipop that Mianmian liked, and Mianmian would make up with Fu Yanzhi as before.

After two more weeks of observing Fu Yanzhi, Jiang Xi felt that Fu Yanzhi was a talent worth molding, and his guard against Fu Yanzhi gradually disappeared.

Today, Black Wolf brought Fu Yanzhi to Jiang Xi's house, and Jiang Xi looked at the arriving Fu Yanzhi and smiled, saying, "Little Six, Big Brother really didn't misjudge you, you're a usable talent, Black Wolf has already told me that your recent performance has been good."

Fu Yanzhi said modestly, "Brother Jiang flatters me, it's entirely thanks to Brother Black Wolf leading me that I was able to successfully complete the mission."

Jiang Xi waved his hand, "Don't belittle yourself either, you have your own ability. I called you here today because there is an important task to hand over to you."

Fu Yanzhi's gaze sharpened, and he said seriously, "Brother Jiang, just give the order."

Jiang Xi smiled and said, "Tomorrow night, you and Black Wolf will come with me to deliver a batch of goods. As long as this batch of goods is safely delivered, I'll reward you with twenty thousand yuan. How's that?"

"Rest assured, Brother Jiang, I will definitely ensure the goods are delivered safely," Fu Yanzhi said.

Jiang Xi smiled and said, "I believe you, Little Six. All right, come here tomorrow to gather, and then we'll set off together."

Fu Yanzhi nodded and said, "Alright Boss, then I'll head back first."

Jiang Xi nodded. Fu Yanzhi returned to the small bungalow, and Mianmian followed behind him like a little tail, lifting her little face to ask, "Big brother, why aren't you happy when you came back today? Is big brother not feeling well?"

Fu Yanzhi stroked her head and said with a smile, "Thank you for Mianmian's concern, big brother isn't unhappy, nor is he feeling unwell. Big brother is going to go make food for Mianmian to eat right now."

Mianmian nodded sensibly at Fu Yanzhi, then sat on a chair, hugging the little bear in her arms and watching big brother cook, occasionally even telling jokes to make Fu Yanzhi happy.

After eating dinner, Fu Yanzhi sat by the bed, his mind constantly pondering tomorrow's delivery mission.

He had a faint feeling that this mission wasn't as simple as it looked on the surface, and he contacted Li Ao to tell him that tomorrow night he would go deliver goods with Jiang Xi, asking him to send people to set up an ambush.

After Li Ao and Fu Yanzhi formulated their plan, Fu Yanzhi looked at Mianmian, who was lying beside him and had already fallen asleep, and revealed a smile, It's almost time, Mianmian, big brother will be able to avenge you very soon, and soon we'll be able to go home.

Time arrived at the next day. The night was like ink, and a black off-road vehicle sped along a desolate highway, the roar of the engine breaking the dead silence.

Fu Yanzhi in the front passenger seat pressed his fingertips against his brow bone, looking nonchalant, but in reality every nerve was taut—Black Wolf beside him was tapping his fingers on his knee with a sinister gaze;

Jiang Xi in the back seat was smoking a cigarette, his muzzle rubbing against his thigh with untamed hostility and arrogance. "Little Six, once these goods get through, your benefits won't be lacking."

Jiang Xi exhaled a smoke ring, his tone full of calculation. Fu Yanzhi twitched the corner of his mouth without answering, lightly pressing the communicator hidden in his sleeve.

Just as the car drove into the fork in the road of the abandoned factory, several flashlight beams suddenly lit up on the slopes on both sides! "An ambush!" Black Wolf roared as he pulled out his gun, but before his words finished, dense gunfire had already pierced the car windows and shattered the windshield of the driver's seat.

Jiang Xi ducked abruptly. Fu Yanzhi reacted even faster, his left arm wrapping tightly around Jiang Xi's shoulder to pin him beneath the seats.

The ambushers rushed out like fierce tigers pouncing on prey. Li Ao raised his gun to aim at Black Wolf, the gunshot breaking the air—just as Black Wolf pushed open the car door, a bullet precisely pierced his temple, fresh blood splashing onto the car door as his body toppled straight to the ground with his eyes wide open.

Amidst the chaos, a thug's muzzle aimed at Jiang Xi. Without the slightest hesitation, Fu Yanzhi turned sideways to block it, and with a "bang," a bullet pierced his left arm, fresh blood instantly staining his black shirt red.

"Go!" Enduring the excruciating pain, Fu Yanzhi yanked the shell-shocked Jiang Xi up, supporting his waist with his right arm as he charged toward the dense woods behind the factory. Jiang Xi stumbled along behind him, looking at the blood continuously seeping from Fu Yanzhi's arm; his Adam's apple bobbed and he wanted to say something, but was interrupted by gunfire.

Fu Yanzhi gritted his teeth, his left hand pressing firmly against the wound as he shuttled through the tree shadows. The sounds of slaughter behind them gradually grew distant, leaving only their hurried breathing and the sound of dripping blood, exceptionally clear in the night.

"Go!" Enduring the tearing pain in his arm, Fu Yanzhi yanked the shell-shocked Jiang Xi up, supporting his waist with his right arm as he charged toward the dense woods behind the factory.

Jiang Xi stumbled along behind him, his gaze fixed dead on Fu Yanzhi's continually bleeding wound. His Adam's apple bobbed, the words he wanted to ask blocked in his throat—was it calculation? Or was there some other hidden reason?

Fu Yanzhi seemed to see through his thoughts; his profile tightened, his tone ruthless, "Brother Jiang, run quickly, I will definitely protect you." Yet the strength with which he gripped Jiang Xi's wrist carried a trace of unquestionable protectiveness.

Inside, however, Fu Yanzhi was calculating rapidly: Black Wolf was dead, Jiang Xi was in hand, and the next game of chess ought to be controlled by him.

Rushing out of the dense woods was an abandoned pier, and the sea breeze swept the salty, fishy smell right toward them. Fu Yanzhi had just helped Jiang Xi lean against a shipping container to catch his breath when two glaring headlights tore through the night—

Jiang Dong jumped out of a car with his subordinates, dressed in a suit and tie yet full of hostility, closely followed by Sun Bei, who was swinging a wire-wrapped whip in his hand, his gaze as sinister as a knife.

"Big brother! Second brother!" Jiang Xi called out hoarsely. Before he had time to say more, Jiang Dong had already rushed forward and shoved Fu Yanzhi down to the ground. "Tie him up!"

At the command, several subordinates immediately wrapped thick hemp rope around Fu Yanzhi's wrists and ankles, binding him tightly to a rusted iron pillar.

Jiang Xi anxiously stood in front of Fu Yanzhi and shouted, "Big brother, second brother, Little Six got hurt precisely to save me, he's one of us!"

Jiang Dong sneered, "One of us? There was only this one newcomer in this transaction, and he's the only one who knew this route. He must be a traitor, an undercover agent—and you're still shielding him now?"

Sun Bei also chimed in with sarcasm, "Third brother, you must have been bewitched by him." Sun Bei directly shoved Jiang Xi aside.

Enduring the severe pain all over his body, Fu Yanzhi shouted, "Brother Jiang, I truly wished you well. I'm not a traitor." Jiang Dong didn't believe him at all and raised his hand to strike Fu Yanzhi.

The gunshot wound on Fu Yanzhi's left arm was already bleeding endlessly, and the struggle tore the wound even worse, fresh blood flowing along his arm to the ground and blooming into a dark red mark on the concrete.

"Speak! Are you a police undercover?" Jiang Dong grabbed his collar, his gaze as fierce as a wolf's. "Why was Black Wolf ambushed? Did you set up this trap long ago?"

Fu Yanzhi twitched the corner of his mouth and sneered, "If I were an undercover, would I have saved Brother Jiang?"

As soon as the words fell, Sun Bei's leather whip lashed through the air with a whistling sound—"Smack!" The barbed wire tore open his skin, a burning pain instantly spreading across his back as his shirt was whipped to shreds and bloody trails streamed down his spine.

"Stiff-necked?" Sun Bei narrowed his eyes and brought his foot down heavily to step right on the gunshot wound on Fu Yanzhi's left arm.

"Ah—" excruciating pain coursed through his entire body like an electrical current, veins bulging on Fu Yanzhi's forehead as cold sweat instantly soaked his bangs, his knuckles turning white, yet he gritted his teeth and didn't let out another plea for mercy.

Feeling that wasn't enough, Sun Bei bent down to press his knee ruthlessly against the wound, grinding it as he twisted. "Are you going to talk or not? If you don't talk, I'll cripple this arm of yours today!"

The whip lashed against his body stroke after stroke, the wounds repeatedly ground down, fresh blood mingling with sweat to soak the ground beneath him.

Fu Yanzhi's face was as pale as paper, his breathing so rapid it felt as though it would burst, yet he still raised his eyes and stared fixedly at Jiang Dong. "No matter what I say now, you won't believe me, I'm not an undercover... Kill me or slice me, do as you please."

Jiang Dong's gaze sank, and he exchanged a glance with Sun Bei. Sun Bei's leather whip raised once more, lashing toward his bleeding wound with even more vicious force.

Sun Bei's arm swung heavier and heavier, the whistling sound of the wire-wrapped whip cutting through the air gradually growing weaker.

The final whip lashed across Fu Yanzhi's shoulder, the barbed wire hooking and tearing the flesh, kicking up a string of blood droplets. He staggered back two steps and leaned against the iron pillar to catch his breath, the sweat at his temples mingling with the hostility as it streamed down. "Damn it... you really can take a beating!"

Fu Yanzhi was bound to the iron pillar, his head hanging limply, his bangs plastered by blood and sweat to his pale face. His back was already a bloody mess, the wounds fused with the shattered shirt, every breath pulling at a tearing pain;

The gunshot wound on his left arm was even more horrific—after being repeatedly ground down, dark red blood continuously welled from the bloody hole, flowing down his arm to the ground and pooling into a small puddle.

Not a single piece of clothing on his entire body was intact, covered in whip marks and bloodstains, with dried blood still hanging at the corner of his mouth. Every breath he took carried a heavy stench of blood.

Jiang Dong walked up, hooked his chin up with the toe of his shoe, and forced him to raise his head.

Fu Yanzhi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze scattered yet still carrying a trace of unruliness, bloodshot veins crawling all over the whites of his eyes. His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, yet every word was distinct. "I said... I'm not an undercover..."

Sun Bei kicked a pebble on the ground and spat. "Boss, this brat has a hard head. Even after a beating, he won't crack!"

Jiang Dong stared at Fu Yanzhi with a sinister gaze, his fingertips rubbing his chin, before suddenly sneering. "A hard head? Since we can't get anything out of him, throw him in the sea."

Just as Jiang Dong's subordinates prepared to drag Fu Yanzhi toward the sea, Jiang Xi suddenly rushed over to block them. "Big brother, second brother, don't act on impulse yet. Little Six saved me, I believe he isn't an undercover."

Jiang Dong frowned, "Third brother, don't be fooled by him."

Jiang Xi was so anxious his entire face turned red, "Boss, let's give Little Six another chance, maybe there's some misunderstanding."

Jiang Dong and Sun Bei exchanged glances, seemingly weighing something.