Better Late Than Never

After hearing the network manager's answer, Fang Linyan's head buzzed. He felt all the blood in his body rush to his head. He didn't have time to think. Glancing around, he spotted his electric scooter lying on its side nearby, hopped on, and took off.

After speeding several hundred meters, Fang Linyan took a few deep breaths and kept telling himself, "Stay calm, stay calm." Gradually, his reason returned, and he eased the scooter down to a normal speed. There was clearly no way he'd arrive on time now. The only thing he could do was salvage the situation—but if he panicked and made another mistake, he might not even get the chance.

Before long, Fang Linyan reached the outskirts of Huichuan Pier No. 5. He'd been there during the day. It was just a collection of abandoned warehouses; only some of the dock facilities showed signs of use, and even those were covered in dust.

But now, under the cover of darkness, the place looked sinister and terrifying, as though it concealed boundless danger. His palms grew slick with cold sweat. Fortunately, there was a wide stretch of marshland nearby, where plenty of frogs were croaking away. Their noise would cover the sounds of his movements, which eased his nerves a little.

Once there, Fang Linyan knew he was late—at least ten minutes late. But since he'd come all this way, how could he leave without taking a look? Even if it meant risking danger, he had to try. He parked his scooter somewhere hidden, then crept toward the pier, relying on what he remembered from the daytime.

His inspection during the day now proved extremely useful. Fang Linyan crept past an abandoned warehouse nearby. He'd quietly opened one of its windows earlier and left it ajar when he departed. It opened with a tug, and he struggled to climb through.

Fang Linyan was terminally ill, and even climbing through a window left him panting, his heart pounding. It felt as if a boulder were pressing down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He forced himself to suppress his gasps, then crept up to the warehouse's second floor and looked out toward the pier.

At the sight, Fang Linyan was stunned. The pier, deserted during the day, now had a yacht moored alongside it, bobbing with the waves. Only a few lights were on aboard, clearly to keep it hidden.

There were also three cars parked on the open ground in front of the pier, all black Lincoln Navigators. Their headlights were on, and one had its high beams blazing, lighting up the entire area.

Yet the place, which should have been bustling, was utterly silent. He could even clearly hear the waves breaking against the shore in the distance.

But none of that compared to what covered the open ground: corpses, everywhere!

They were all dressed in black suits and looked like trained professionals. Quite a few of them had guns in their hands!

Fang Linyan had come prepared. He took a simple pair of binoculars from his pocket and peered through them, only to discover something horrifying: most of the corpses wore expressions of terror, fear, or sheer agony. It looked as if they'd been horribly frightened before they died.

That wasn't all. Their deaths had been brutal. Severed hands and feet were everywhere, and one person had even been cut in half from top to bottom. Fang Linyan also saw a gash more than half a meter long in the door of one Lincoln Navigator, as if it had been struck by a sharp blade. The edges of the metal were peeled back, smooth and razor-sharp.

"The situation looks complicated. Looks like two groups were supposed to make a deal here, then one double-crossed the other?"

Fang Linyan muttered to himself.

Then, in the binoculars, he spotted something that made his heart race!!

It was a case!

A silver-white case with a high-tech look!

The very Silver Case mentioned in the mysterious text message!!!

There was now a gash in the case, and some of its contents had spilled out. A pale hand rested on its handle! The hand had been severed at the wrist. Though it had been cut off, its five fingers still clutched the handle tightly, showing just how desperately its owner had wanted to protect the case.

Fang Linyan was overcome with excitement. A sudden urge seized him: rush down, grab the case, and run!

It looked like he'd arrived late, but not too late. The case was only about twenty meters away in a straight line. He could grab it and vanish into the night in five minutes!!

Fang Linyan was a man of action who never hesitated. Without a second thought, he bent low and hurried along the corridor, panting as he ran, until he reached the first floor. Just then, an engine began to rumble across the distant water. A Speedboat was already racing toward the shore,

its spotlight casting a bright beam ahead as it dragged a long white wake behind it!

The sight filled Fang Linyan with dismay, but months of hardship had hardened his resolve. He made the best choice almost instantly and slipped into the warehouse beside him.

Once inside, he realized that although the warehouse looked spacious from the outside, it was crammed with junk, leaving little room for a person. A foul, rotten stench hung in the air. When Fang Linyan had hidden himself inside and his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he sucked in a sharp breath: he'd discovered something terrifying.

There was another person in the warehouse.

It was a woman wearing a skirt suit. He couldn't see her face, but the skin exposed to view was fair and smooth, and her tailored office outfit showed off her captivating figure. Her waist was especially slender, making her curves all the more striking. But a rusty screwdriver had been plunged into the center of her back, buried up to the handle and piercing a vital spot.

She must have been incredibly tough. Even after being gravely wounded, she'd managed to grit her teeth and crawl in here. Fang Linyan took a deep breath, forcing down his unease. He crept closer and caught a faint, pleasant fragrance from her body. He couldn't tell what perfume she was wearing.

Fang Linyan tested her breath with his hand. Her skin was cold and smooth, and he couldn't feel her breathing at all. She was dead. He let out a breath of relief, then lay down beside a gap and continued watching outside.

But even the most careful plans could have a flaw. Most of Fang Linyan's attention was fixed on the outside, and the rest was on the woman, so he failed to notice the mini syringe lying on the ground beside him!

Once the Speedboat reached shore, two men jumped out. One was very tall and wore a black trench coat. He carried a peculiar silver pistol openly in his hand. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Fang Linyan thought he saw ripples of light shimmering across its surface.

The other man was even stranger. In his right hand, he carried a small round shield! It had two red circles on its surface, with a blue-and-white five-pointed star inside them! It looked like a child's toy.