{Chapter: 223 Wanted list! Everyone has the right to punish!}
"Gu Qingshan! You've been reported for drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms!"
"The evidence is conclusive! Surrender immediately! Hands where we can see them!"
A booming voice rang out as dozens of law enforcement officers in full uniform burst from the shadows, surrounding the building in an instant.
But Gu Qingshan acted as though he hadn't heard them. Without breaking stride, he pulled Ye Feng along and moved swiftly toward the exit.
The moment the interior lights blazed on, the trap was sprung—and the police revealed themselves.
Gu Qingshan's heart sank.
He had been outmaneuvered again.
How?
How could this location—one that only he knew about—have been discovered?
This was a place that had been arranged through layers of anonymity. He'd instructed others to rent it under fake names, and there was no official record linking it to him. Even if the authorities found the contraband inside, there should have been no legal trail leading back to him.
Yet now, standing under the blinding lights and surrounded by armed officers, Gu Qingshan realized the bitter truth: all his careful precautions had been unraveled in a single move.
He didn't need to ask who was behind it.
It could only be Lin Yuan.
That damned man again!
All the safeguards Gu Qingshan had set up had collapsed the moment he stepped into the building. And now, every piece of evidence pointed directly at him. All of it—drugs, firearms, the location—could now be tied to his name.
It was no longer possible to deny ownership. The trap had been too perfectly executed.
Realizing the situation had turned against them, Gu Qingshan and Ye Feng made a run for it. But just outside the door, a group of officers was already waiting.
As the two men rushed out, the officers lunged forward to intercept them.
But Ye Feng wasn't known as the Mercenary King for nothing.
Without hesitation, he launched into action. He kicked one officer square in the chest, sending him flying. Another came forward—Ye Feng elbowed him in the jaw, ducked low, and shoved him aside like he weighed nothing.
Gu Qingshan wasn't idle either. Though not on Ye Feng's level, his combat skills were far above average. With a few quick strikes, he cleared a path.
In seconds, they reached the car.
The engine roared to life, and the vehicle screeched away, tires burning rubber as they sped off into the night.
Behind them, the officers scrambled to regroup, but it was too late.
They were gone.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Lin Yuan sat calmly with his phone pressed to his ear.
Uncle Zeng's voice crackled on the other end. "Xiao Yuan, Gu Qingshan got away! I didn't expect those two to be so damn fast! You said he'd come, so I didn't bring too many men—thought it'd be an easy arrest. But their skills… they're not ordinary people!"
Lin Yuan let out a soft laugh. "It's alright, Uncle Zeng. Criminals like them don't get away forever. Sooner or later, justice catches up."
Then his tone turned casual, even cheerful. "By the way, Uncle Zeng… for crimes this severe, I assume an arrest warrant has already been issued?"
"Yes, of course. Gu Qingshan's now listed as an S-grade dangerous individual. There's a hefty bounty on his head—dead or alive."
Lin Yuan's eyes gleamed. "In other words, killing them won't be a crime and is not punishable, but one will also be considered a great hero? The kind where you can get a reward?" Lin Yuan asked with a smile.
"Exactly," Uncle Zeng replied. "As you said, these kinds of criminals are enemies of the people. Anyone who takes them out will be praised."
"Understood," Lin Yuan said with a smile, then after saying a few words, he hung up.
He sat still for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly against the table.
The truth was, Lin Yuan knew Gu Qingshan wouldn't be easily captured.
And that was intentional.
He had deliberately kept critical information from Uncle Zeng—especially regarding Ye Feng's identity as a top-tier mercenary.
If they were arrested, there would be hearings, trials, appeals. With Ye Feng's network and the Chen family's backing, there was always a chance they'd avoid the death penalty or even secure a reduced sentence.
Lin Yuan didn't want to take that risk.
What he wanted was a bounty—a death warrant.
Now, anyone who saw Gu Qingshan or Ye Feng would see targets worth millions.
And that gave Lin Yuan the freedom to strike personally, without legal consequences.
He didn't just want them gone.
He wanted them dead.
The Qingshan Gang had been wiped out, but Lin Yuan wasn't done.
Not until Gu Qingshan and Ye Feng were both erased from existence.
For someone like Ye Feng, there was no middle ground. It was kill or be killed.
And as for Gu Qingshan—his mere existence was a threat.
Lin Yuan didn't plan on waiting.
He would send both of them to the afterlife as soon as the opportunity came.
---
Elsewhere, Gu Qingshan and Ye Feng tore through the dark streets, still reeling from the close call.
Inside the car, Gu Qingshan was panting, sweat clinging to his brow.
His chest heaved as he struggled to calm down from the adrenaline crash.
Ye Feng glanced at him and asked, "Brother Qingshan, where to now? We were seconds away from getting arrested back there."
"The situation's gotten much worse," Gu Qingshan replied between gasps.
As Ye Fang continued. "We can't stay in one place for long—not with this kind of heat on us. But Chen Meng's already reached out. He immediately sent someone to pick us up. As long as we stay with the Chen family, nothing will happen! What we have to do now is to survive in this period of time and not be found and arrested!"
Upon hearing Ye Feng's words, Gu Qingshan, who had always been known for his caution and strategic thinking, slowly shook his head. His usual calm demeanor was now laced with frustration and doubt.
"Brother Ye Feng," he began in a low, troubled voice, "I'm starting to question my own judgment. Lin Yuan... he seems to understand me too well. Every move I make—he's already anticipated it. It's as if he's been watching me from the shadows all this time. How did he know I would go to the Jianbo Building? That place should've been a complete secret... even the people I asked to rent it had no direct connection to me."
He clenched his fists tightly, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he tried to suppress the storm of emotions surging within him. "Every step I've taken, he seems to have calculated perfectly. I feel like I'm no longer in control. Like I'm dancing in a web—his web."
Gu Qingshan looked toward Ye Feng, his eyes filled with something rare—helplessness.
"You decide, Brother Ye Feng. I no longer trust my instincts. You choose where we go next."
For someone like Gu Qingshan, who always took pride in being two steps ahead, this admission felt like a heavy defeat. It was as if the very foundation of his confidence had cracked. Lin Yuan had forced him into a corner, not just physically, but mentally as well.
Ye Feng remained silent for a few moments, thoughtful. Then, after a beat, his expression lightened with a nostalgic smile.
"Let's head to Fanbei District," he said with quiet certainty.
Gu Qingshan looked at him, surprised at first, but then a smile slowly formed on his own face.
Fanbei District.
That name alone carried a thousand memories. It was the place where both of them had grown up. The gritty streets of Fanbei had been the backdrop to their childhood, the very ground where their brotherhood was forged. The slum had raised them, hardened them, and given them each other.
No matter how much had changed over the years—no matter how powerful they had become or how complicated their lives were now—that place remained sacred.
"Alright," Gu Qingshan said solemnly. "Let's go home."
Without hesitation, the two set off, driving toward the long-forgotten district.
Fanbei hadn't changed much. Dilapidated buildings, cracked pavements, and crooked electric poles still defined its skyline. It was a place forgotten by time, but for Ye Feng and Gu Qingshan, it was home.
Ye Feng still had a small house there, tucked away at the edge of the district. He hadn't set foot in it for years. Since arriving in Jiangbei, his focus had been entirely on reconnecting with Gu Qingshan. This was the first time he had returned to his own roots.
When they pulled up outside, they found the house blanketed in dust. Even the doorknob was caked with grime. It was clear no one had been here in a very long time.
That alone gave them a small measure of comfort—Lin Yuan likely hadn't discovered this place. It was never part of their plan to come here. Ye Feng had suggested it on a whim, purely out of instinct and sentiment. There was no reason for Lin Yuan to suspect it.
Ye Feng had already contacted Chen Meng before they arrived. Reinforcements were on the way. Ten minutes—that's all they needed to wait. Just ten more minutes, and Chen Meng's men would pick them up and take them to safety. After that, they would be under the protection of the powerful Chen family, where even Lin Yuan's influence would falter.
Ye Feng carefully parked the car out of sight and opened the door to his old house. He led Gu Qingshan inside.
The building had two floors. Just to be safe, they both went straight to the second level, putting some distance between themselves and the street.
After sitting down for only a moment, Gu Qingshan's vigilance flared once again.
"Brother, I'm going to the rooftop," he said, standing up. "We picked a place without surveillance, but we still can't take any chances. I'll check the surrounding area. If anything happens, I want to know our escape routes."
Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat. A strange, uneasy feeling crept over him.
"I'll go with you," he said immediately. "I don't want you going alone."
Gu Qingshan offered him a tired but genuine smile. "It's just a quick look from the rooftop. Nothing to worry about. But... you're right. After everything that's happened today, I'm more anxious than usual too. Let's go together."
The two men climbed to the rooftop in silence, their bodies tense, ready for anything. They approached the edge of the roof and peered down at the street.
Nothing.
No police cars. No signs of pursuit. The narrow alleyways and cracked roads of Fanbei remained eerily quiet.
They both let out a slow breath, momentarily relieved.
But their relief didn't last.
They had focused all their attention on the street below, never considering the buildings around them.
Then, as they stood up from their crouching positions, Ye Feng's eyes widened in horror.
"Brother…" he whispered.
Across from them, in a building of equal height, sat a man in a rocking chair. The lights were dim, but not enough to hide his presence.
A handsome man, dressed immaculately, was sipping from a delicate porcelain teacup as if he didn't have a care in the world. He looked like he belonged at a high-society banquet—not in the middle of a manhunt.
But what truly froze their blood was what happened next.
The man gently set down his cup on the side table. Then, with unhurried grace, he reached for a pistol resting beside him.
He smiled.
That calm, composed smile—arrogant and chilling.
Then, slowly, he lifted the pistol and aimed it directly at them.
There was no doubt.
This handsome man was Lin Yuan.
The spider had been watching all along.
And now, the web was closing.
*****
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