Chapter 247:Regardless of life or death

The international airport buzzed with activity as the day edged toward dusk. Amidst the lively crowd, a peculiar group stood out in the arrival hall—not by clamoring near the exit like most, but by lingering discreetly in a shadowed corner, their sharp gazes scrutinizing every figure that emerged. Occasionally, they exchanged terse remarks. 

"Boss Mu, who do you think will show up this time?" A youth with fiery red hair, clad in flip-flops, stretched lazily and directed the question to the impeccably dressed and strikingly handsome man beside him. 

"No idea," came the curt yet commanding reply. 

The red-haired youth shrugged and shifted his attention to a tall companion on his other side. "What about you, Old Hei?" 

"As long as it's not that water-loving freak, I don't care," the tall man snapped impatiently, waving a dismissive hand as though banishing an unwelcome memory. 

"Man, you're such a buzzkill," the red-haired youth grumbled, his expression turning mischievous. "You know she's got a thing for you, right? How can you say something so cruel? If she hears—" 

"Shut up!" the tall man cut him off brusquely, his tone brimming with irritation. "If you don't want me to shut you up myself, keep quiet." He turned away with a scowl. 

"Fine, fine," the red-haired youth muttered, clearly piqued but unwilling to let the silence settle. His attention swiveled to their lone female companion. "Hey, Lan, what do you think—" 

"If you value your life, keep talking," she interrupted icily, her voice as sharp as her long ponytail, which cascaded down to her waist. An aura of frost emanated from her, silencing him instantly. 

Feigning exaggerated grievance, the red-haired youth opened his mouth to protest, only to freeze mid-sentence. His gaze locked onto a figure emerging from the exit, his face morphing into one of utter shock and disbelief. He stammered incoherently, "No way... No way..." 

The reactions of his three companions mirrored his astonishment as they, too, recognized the approaching figure. 

"Let's go," said the handsome man, recovering his composure first. He stepped forward decisively, muttering under his breath, "I didn't expect him to come in person. Is that kid really so important?" 

***

Having just finished dinner, Xiang Ri lounged comfortably on the sofa, keeping his disciple and Miss An company as they watched television. If not for the possibility of Chu Chu suddenly emerging from the kitchen where she was washing dishes, he might have indulged in the luxury of embracing both women at once. 

Even so, he found himself quite content. Though physical contact was out of the question, the occasional whiff of the intoxicating scent of youthful femininity was enough to uplift his spirits. 

This tranquility, however, was short-lived. Miss An, who had been engrossed in the program, suddenly spoke without turning her gaze from the screen. "Xiang Kui, did you promise to help Sister Ren play basketball?" 

Caught off guard, Xiang Ri blinked in confusion. Beside him, Shi Qing also wore a puzzled expression. 

"Sister Ren?" he repeated blankly. 

"Don't play dumb with me!" Miss An snapped, her temper flaring as she turned to glare at him. "Ren Jun, the basketball team manager from your school. Don't tell me you don't know her!" 

"Uh... I think there was something like that," Xiang Ri mumbled, recalling a vague memory of the day Miss An had addressed a certain tall, lanky girl in an overly sweet tone. Back then, he'd misinterpreted it as jealousy—especially since the target of her disdain was a curvaceous foreigner with skin fairer than hers. 

"So, you admit it?" Miss An sneered triumphantly. "Tell me—are you interested in her?" 

"Absolutely not!" Xiang Ri denied vehemently. He had no idea how Miss An had discovered his promise to help the basketball manager, but he knew admitting it would be catastrophic—especially with another woman glaring daggers at him nearby. "I swear, there's nothing between us! We're just regular friends. And besides, she's so skinny—I'm not the least bit interested!" 

"Really?" An Xin sneered, her gaze unwavering. "Just ordinary friends? Then why did you agree to help her play basketball? No wonder you refused when I asked you to cheer me on this Sunday—you'd already promised another woman!" 

Xiang Ri felt a headache coming on. "Actually… I agreed to it before… us. And… I already told her today—I won't be playing this Sunday." As he spoke, he stole a cautious glance at his silent disciple nearby. 

"Hmph!" An Xin let out a faint snort, though the sharpness in her eyes had dulled. She seemed to reluctantly accept his explanation. "Fine, since you've promised her, go help. I don't want my boyfriend to be a man without integrity!" 

"Hmm?" Xiang Ri blinked, incredulous as he stared at Miss An. "Did you just say—" 

"I said nothing!" she interrupted, abruptly rising from the sofa. "I'm going to take a shower. Do as you please!" 

Xiang Ri watched her retreat into the bathroom, her figure disappearing behind the door. He couldn't tell if her words were sincere or sarcastic, but a faint sense of anticipation stirred within him. His thoughts drifted involuntarily to the tall, slender figure of a certain girl. If he did help her win the game, would she fulfill her promise to him? 

While Xiang Ri entertained such musings, not far from his residence, in a specific room of a nearby hotel, a different kind of discussion about him was unfolding. 

"I'm aware of the situation you reported," said a man in his thirties. His appearance was unremarkable, save for three faint claw marks etched across his left cheek—evidence of an encounter with a small animal. Rather than detracting from his looks, the scars lent him an unusual charm. 

"Captain, you mean you're going personally?" exclaimed the red-haired youth beside him, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Isn't that overkill? This could cost lives. No matter how strong that kid's physique is, he wouldn't survive a single squeeze from you!" 

"You can rest assured," the captain replied nonchalantly. "When it comes to control over power, I doubt there's anyone in this world who surpasses me." His eyes gleamed with unwavering confidence. 

"Captain, are you really planning to recruit him?" the icy beauty inquired, a flicker of an enigmatic emotion glinting in her eyes. 

The captain nodded. "Indeed. Based on the information you've gathered, he's qualified to join Group Y. Perhaps… he might even directly enter Group D." 

The icy beauty fell silent, retreating to a corner with a pensive frown. Meanwhile, the handsome youth cast her a thoughtful glance before turning to the charismatic captain. "Captain, surely you didn't come all this way just for this?" 

"No," the captain replied, his expression turning uncharacteristically grave. "I have another mission." 

The handsome youth immediately sensed the gravity of the situation. "Has something happened?" 

"The Great White Shark is coming," the captain said evenly, though a faint ripple of unease flickered in his eyes. 

"What!" The others gasped in unison, even the typically aloof handsome youth showing a rare trace of shock. "Wasn't he locked up—" 

The captain nodded before his expression darkened. "We received news three days ago. He killed seven Y Group members and one D Group member who were guarding him. He's now headed for Beihai City—or perhaps… he's already here." 

"How could this happen?" Pain and frustration clouded their faces. The thought of their former comrade being slaughtered left a heavy weight on their hearts. 

"Captain, tell me where that bastard is—I'll kill him right now!" the red-haired youth roared, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, his eyes blazing with fury. 

"Stay where you are!" the captain barked, his tone cold and commanding. "Do you think I don't want to kill him? The issue is whether we have the strength to do so! Red, pull yourself together!" 

"Captain—" The red-haired youth's voice quivered, his fingers trembling from the sheer force of his grip. 

"Enough!" The captain cut him off sharply. "This mission is of utmost importance, and I hope you understand its severity. Besides, the higher-ups have already given the order. The target—dead or alive!" A glint of chilling determination flashed in the captain's eyes as he uttered the final words.