When Shan Ming saw Ayer and Jobb, he realized that the situation was worse than he had imagined.
The two of them looked extremely disheveled, with various degrees of abrasions on their bodies. Ayer’s wounds had already been treated and seemed to be okay, while Jobb’s military pants had a large tear in them, and he had bandages wrapped around his arms and legs.
Shan Ming frowned and said, “What happened?”
Ayer was smoking, he had a dark and fierce look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about something. He raised his head and looked at Shan Ming, then spoke softly, “Let Jobb say it.”
Jobb seemed very frustrated, he gritted his teeth and said, “We found Mutai’s apartment according to Tiger Shark. The door was unlocked, so we went in. The room was messy, and no one was there. There were signs of a struggle, and then Ayer found a timed bomb triggered by the bedroom door. We jumped out the window and ended up like this, fuck.”
Shan Ming said in a deep voice, “Could someone be waiting for us?”
Ayer said, “It’s hard to say now. Mutai has been doing illegal things in the area and has many enemies. Maybe we were just unlucky, but the C9 bomb in the bedroom was definitely left there to welcome someone.”
Pelle tended to Jobb’s wounds and wiped her hands while saying, “I think it’s just a coincidence and not directed at us. But now that Mutai’s missing, where can we find a ship?”
“A few more days?” Pelle expressed her concern, “With so many of us hiding here, even if it’s in the suburbs, there’s a risk of being discovered at any time. It would be too much trouble if we got into trouble with the police.”
Ayer put out his cigarette and stood up, “Pelle is right, we can’t just wait for Tiger Shark. Shan, you’re the only Asian here, you’re less obvious. Tomorrow, you go to the port and ask if there are any ships that can fulfill our requirements, no matter how much it costs.”
Shan Ming nodded, “No need to wait until tomorrow. I’ll go tonight. I mean, if I don’t get any results tonight and there’s no news from Tiger Shark tomorrow, then tomorrow night, let’s just find a suitable ship and go to sea.”
Shan Ming emphasized the word “suitable,” and everyone understood that this meant that an unlucky ship would have to serve as both their hostage and transportation. Although this plan was desperate and risky, they would be at more risk the longer they delayed.
Shan Ming arrived at the harbor alone in the middle of the night. Many ships were moored at the shore with their lights on, and groups of sailors were drinking and playing cards. Shan Ming had no hope of finding a ship that would take them out to sea for money. They couldn’t understand each other’s language and there was no point in wasting time on communication. Instead, Shan Ming decided to select a suitable ship and force them to sail at gunpoint tomorrow night, which was a more reliable option.
He stayed at the harbor until 4 am, familiarizing himself with the layout of the port, the working and off hours of the ships, as well as the security situation of the port.
He locked onto three ships and marked their docking locations. Then he began to choose the route they’ll be taking to drive over. He walked back and forth on foot three times and finally determined two routes.
As he walked towards the temporary camp, he crossed two streets according to his memory and felt that something wasn’t right.
Without even needing to see for himself, just by relying on years of experience living on the brink of life and death, he could tell that he was being watched ever since he left the port. His intuition told him that he was being followed.
The other party was very cautious, maintaining a safe distance from him, but no matter how many turns Shan Ming took, he still wasn’t able to get rid of them.
Dawn was approaching, and Shan Ming had originally intended to just shake them off. Although he was curious as to why this person was following him and whether it had any connection to the disappearance of Mutai and the ambush bomb, he felt that he should prioritize their safe evacuation. After all, killing someone now could have an impact on their nighttime operation. However, this despicable person persisted in following him, literally seeking death.
He turned into a narrow alley, stomped on the rough stone wall and climbed onto the roof of a house, then drew out his triangular bayonet.
After waiting for about half a minute, a suspicious figure appeared at the entrance of the alley. The figure took out a walkie-talkie and said something in a very low voice, seemingly waiting for instructions.
In the darkness, Shan Ming could barely see that the person was a medium-built man who appeared to be Asian based on his physique.
Shan Ming waited for the man to approach, but the man didn’t move hastily. It wasn’t until he put the walkie-talkie to his ear, presumably receiving instructions, that he pulled out a gun and cautiously walked into the alley.
Shan Ming held his breath and watched as the man slowly passed underneath him.
Shan Ming kept his eyes on the gun in the man’s hand. If he jumped down like this, whether he’ll get shot will entirely depend on that man’s reaction speed. After all, he had nowhere to hide in mid-air. This approach was not only unsafe but would also alarm the residents with the sound of the gunshot.
Piercing the man’s hand with his bayonet would be the best option, but this thing was too heavy to be used as a throwing weapon. If he missed his aim, he would be in a dangerous situation. If the time comes, he’ll have to resort to using his gun to kill the man and then flee immediately.
Might as well take a gamble.