Chapter 2owenty2wo
Xiao Li asked himself how many times had he experienced these kinds of situations and how he must have appeared in front of others, but when he saw Ms. Zhuang Juan Juan, he was nevertheless a bit startled.
Ms. Zhang Juan Juan was wearing a dull work outfit. Her hair was slick back and tied into a beautiful bun that sat perfectly at the back of her head. She flipped through the files of data on the table with a calm and dignified expression. Then she pushed the gold gla.s.ses that braced the corners of her ear up the bridge of her nose before looking at Xiao Li.
“No.”
“Can you explain it?” asked Xiao Li.
“Look at this,” Zhang Juan Juan pushed a photograph out with her index finger, “Breaking or slitting someone’s neck until the person dies is a technique that a professional killer loves to employ because it’s quick and silent. So, why would they give a target who’s in the washroom the time or opportunity to pull out a gun?”
She flipped through the files again, “This driver,” she pointed out as she pulled out the forensic report, “He was cut rather deeply twice but didn’t die. Tsk, even high school students can be more efficient than this killer. What’s surprising is that the wound on his neck is actually created from a stab. If it was me,” the corners of her lips curved into a devious smile as she slid her finger horizontally across her neck in a swift yet graceful manner, “Just like that and it’ll be a guarantee that the target won’t be able to utter a sound anymore as his life slowly slips away, and even better, the blood would flow out a bit more beautiful as well.”
Xiao Li maintained a frown as his brows knitted together.
“Look at this van, it’s an old model, the door was not closed tightly and the truck is already deformed. This kind of vehicle is better off used to kill someone with laughter than used to poison someone with carbon monoxide, let alone parked on the roadside.”
Zhang Juan Juan let out a long sigh and picked up some files, “Also, using these kind of bar drugs to kidnap a target? How f.u.c.king hilarious is that? When I haven’t retired yet, with just one stab of a poisoned needle, the target wouldn’t even be able to move anymore, so how would you be able to jump out of the window and run off for several meters with such ease like that? Moreover, an independent killer has their own distinguishing characteristic. There are those who use knives and those that use poison and honestly, they mutually despise each other, let alone operating together at the same time?”
She tidied up the files again and shook her head in vain, “Low grade equipment and meager skills, what kind of professional killer is this? Mr. Xiao, there’s no need for you to worry. Base on my experience, the opposing party is definitely from an underworld organization like you are. Someone probably saw you as an eyesore and wanted to take you out. However, they were probably afraid that the people you were a.s.sociated……well afraid your ‘colleagues’, would be able to track them down. That’s why they tried to feign this crime as though it was done by an independent killer so that you guys won’t be able to find out who they actually are.”
After she finished talking, she picked up those files and placed them in an envelope. A second later she pushed it back toward Xiao Li with her delicate fingers while saying, “How regrettable…..”
Xiao Li asked, “Why?”
“Are you thinking that a professional killer is eying you so you want to hire me as your bodyguard? You’re also thinking you can take an advantage of me huh?” Zhang Juan Juan crossed her arms and used one of her hand to support her chin. She raised one of her brows in arrogance and turned to the side to look at Xiao Li, “Don’t worry, if it was really a professional killer who has failed this time, then they’ll definitely keep coming back to take you out until they succeed. If it was another underworld organization’s trick, they’ll be afraid you’ll recognized them. Since they failed, I’d reckon they would wait and see for a while so for now you can feel a sense of relieve right?” said Zhang Juan Juan before she narrowed her eyes at him.
Xiao Li had a smile on his face as he took a glance at her, “Your consultant fee will be justly given. It’s rare for Ms. Zhang to have so much knowledge about the underworld and killer organizations’ activities, but I don’t like your type. Sorry for the trouble, please leave.”
“Oh? You don’t like the killer or bodyguard type but you like the underworld type,” Zhang Juan Juan undoes the first two b.u.t.tons on her blouse. She got out of her seat, untie her hair bun and took off her gla.s.ses, before she crossed over the desk and leaned in closer to Xiao Li while teasingly licking the corner of her lips, “So, there’s no harm in trying……”
Xiao Li raised his head and captured her chin. His eyes swept over her face in one full circle before he slowly spat out, “Okay, we’ll see how much you know about the underworld……”
Zhang Juan Juan slowly turned her face to the side and licked his ear, “Hehe, the underworld and I have quite a close relationship……”
Xiao Li’s hand reached into her blouse as he narrowed his eyes, “Oh?”
——
The moment Qi Xiu Yuan walked out of the school front gate, he immediately saw Xiao Li standing under a tree on the other side of the road. Different from how he normally dressed, he actually had on jeans and a shirt while his hand was tucked in the pockets. He was standing rather straight as he looked toward the school gate.
Qi Xiu Yuan immediately burst into a spell of surprises. Instead of going to his car, he quickly ran across the street.
“Why didn’t you give me a phone call?” he asked with a smile drawn on his face.
However, Xiao Li did not smile or say anything, instead he turned and walked away.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Puzzled, Qi Xiu Yuan followed after him, “Are you in a bad mood?”
“Yeah,” answered Xiao Li.
“What happened?”
“A woman came to look for me today,” Xiao Li’s voice was a bit strange as it did not fluctuate at all, “She said something that I really didn’t like.”
“What is it?”
Xiao Li became silent again as he continued to walk ahead even quicker.
Seeing him like that, Qi Xiu Yuan no longer asked him anything else; he just simply followed behind him.
It was in silence that they walked for nearly half an hour. The further they walked, the more desolate the area became and the path became even more narrow.
Qi Xiu Yuan followed Xiao Li into a narrow alley but finally, he was no longer able to bear, “Xiao Li, what exactly are you —“
Xiao Li suddenly swung his head around and punched Qi Xiu Yuan in the chin.
The strength in his fist was so strong, Qi Xiu Yuan’s body leaned to the side and knocked against the wall; unable to maintain a steady footing, he staggered a step back and fell onto the ground. He could taste the iron welling in his mouth as blood crawled out from the corners and slid down his chin.
Qi Xiu Yuan had fallen down so hard and in such an abrupt manner, his vision darkened.
Muttering up enough strength, he attempted to lean his elbow against the wall to prop himself up. But, he didn’t even have the time to respond yet when Xiao Li crouched down in front of him.
A cold breeze rushed by them.
As Qi Xiu Yuan shook his head, willing his blurry darkness away, he was met with the muzzle of a pistol pointing directly in between his eyebrows.
“Qi Xiu Yuan, I hate it the most when people lie to me.”
Xiao Li slowly switched the pistol’s safely off in front of Qi Xiu Yuan’s eyes.
The murderous intent that painted deeply Xiao Li’s eyes was something that Qi Xiu Yuan had never experienced before. And his cold voice……seemed as though he could easily freeze someone to death.
“Tell me again, who is your grandfather?”