Chapter 378: Bringing News

Wan Ze looked over at Xiao Ya, though his gaze quickly swept past her to Zhang Chong and the three gunmen.

He then got up and walked to the window.

The window was floor-to-ceiling and well soundproofed.

Through the window, he could see the silhouette of the mountain against the night sky, with the scattered lights of the city visible at its distant base. The curtains were half-drawn, however, obscuring most of the view.

Wan Ze pulled a communicator from his pocket.

He answered and raised it to his ear. “It’s me. Go ahead, I’m listening.”

Zhai Jia clearly understood. Realizing Wan Ze had company and needed to be discreet, his tone immediately grew more serious. He chose his words carefully. “The person you asked me to find… I’m on it. He wasn’t found at the scene, but my guess is… he’s still alive.”

Wan Ze was stunned.

‘Old Zhao, Old Zhao…’

‘Are you some kind of cockroach?’

‘An explosion at the docks… more than a dozen bodies, and Zhao Henian wasn’t among them.’

‘How could he survive that?’

This revelation caused a subtle shift in Wan Ze’s thinking.

Xiao Ya had said she’d planted someone on Zhao Henian’s team. She’d said he might not make it off the docks alive. That intel had to be reliable.

‘But her agent… might have failed.’

‘Or they succeeded, but Zhao Henian escaped.’

‘Or they never even got the chance.’

Wan Ze didn’t know which scenario was true, but he knew one thing for certain: if Zhao Henian was still alive, the chips in his negotiation with Xiao Ya would have to be re-evaluated.

“Got it. Keep in touch. I’ll message you later, so keep an eye out for it…” Wan Ze had other plans, but it wasn’t convenient to voice them.

After ending the call, he stood at the window, his back to the five people in the living room.

His mind raced.

Zhao Henian’s survival meant Wan Ze now held another card.

It wasn’t that he wanted to help Zhao Henian; rather, Zhao Henian’s very existence was leverage he could use against Xiao Ya.

‘Whatever Xiao Ya can give me, Zhao Henian can give me, too.’

‘And what Xiao Ya can’t give, Zhao Henian just might have.’

‘This is how the market works.’

‘A market fosters fiercer competition.’

At the same time, however, Zhao Henian’s survival added another layer of complexity to the relationships Wan Ze had to manage.

He was working with Zhao Henian, and he could potentially work with Xiao Ya.

Could he play both sides? Would their interests conflict? What if Zhao Henian and Xiao Ya both demanded he choose a side? He needed to think through all of this beforehand.

‘Of course, he could just kill Xiao Ya.’

‘But that wouldn’t serve his interests.’

Wan Ze stood at the window for about ten seconds.

After ten seconds, he finished sending his message, slid the communicator back into his pocket, turned, and walked back to the sofa, where he sat down again.

Wan Ze looked up at Xiao Ya. “Miss Xiao,” he began, “now… we can discuss our collaboration openly.”

Xiao Ya watched him, blinked once, fast, and then smiled.

“Alright, then.”

Xiao Ya looked at the mask Wan Ze wore and suddenly added, “Mr. Tan, more than collaborating, I’d like you to pass a message to Wan Ze for me. It’s very important.”

“Go on,” Wan Ze said calmly.

Xiao Ya lowered her voice, speaking just loudly enough for the two of them to hear. “Whatever Zhao Henian can offer, I can offer double. And what he can’t offer, I can… Money, old relics, Martial Skills, even Secret Martial Arts. My background may not be as deep as his, but my current strength is far beyond what an old tortoise like Zhao Henian can match.”

Wan Ze looked at her without a word.

Xiao Ya smiled at him. “Just deliver that message for me.”

“Fine, I will. As for our collaboration, you can give me the basic outline. I’ll relay it for you,” Wan Ze nodded.

Xiao Ya suddenly found the man before her fascinating. He was so ruthlessly efficient when he fought, yet in person, he seemed surprisingly straightforward. She was intensely curious about the face hidden beneath that mask.

‘He couldn’t be just some kid, could he?’

The two of them discussed the terms of their collaboration for a long time.

BZZZT! BZZZT!

The communicator suddenly vibrated.

Seeing a message from Zhai Jia, Wan Ze knew everything was in place.

He gripped the communicator and dismissed the notification.

Just then, a siren sounded in the distance.

It wasn’t loud. Filtered through several walls and glass, it was just a faint, muffled sound by the time it reached the living room.

But in the silence of the room—a quiet so deep you could hear breathing—it sounded exceptionally clear.

Xiao Ya’s men snapped their eyes open.

Their bodies tensed as their eyes swept every corner of the room before fixing on the door, ready to spring into action.

Zhang Chong staggered as he tried to get to his feet.

His left leg had been injured on the Hengjiang Bridge, and the area below his knee was badly swollen. He had to brace himself against the wall, straighten his right leg first, and then use its strength to push himself up, his left foot barely touching the floor, unable to bear any weight.

The process took about two seconds, much slower than usual, but his eyes were sharp, like a vicious dog fiercely loyal to its master.

But Wan Ze raised a hand. “Don’t worry, it’s my people. You all stay here. I’ll go down and talk to them.”

After speaking, he rose from the sofa. The eyes beneath his mask swept over Zhang Chong, over the three gunmen, and finally settled on Xiao Ya’s face.

Xiao Ya remained on the sofa, unmoving.

She hadn’t moved since the siren had first sounded.

Her captivating eyes were fixed on Wan Ze.

Wan Ze stood in the center of the living room, facing Xiao Ya. “I’ll have to ask you to stay here tonight,” he said. “The utilities are on. I’ll bring you all food in the morning.”

He paused, his gaze lingering on Xiao Ya’s face for a second.

“But it’s not safe for you to be seen outside right now. And don’t try to contact anyone. Don’t do anything that puts me in a difficult position… or I won’t be able to protect you.”