Strongest Counterattack

Prior to returning to the city of Shanghai, Qin Sheng was traveling the world. Little did he expect to be involved in the Han Family’s trouble. He had always kept himself out of any form of trouble, although he was a capable man. If there were people within the Han Family who were able to shoulder the family’s responsibility and resolve the issues, he would not have to get involved.

Unfortunately, Han Bing was left alone to face all problems, both externally and internally. More so when Old Wu and Chen Beiming went missing and they did not know if the two were alive or dead. At this time, what other choices did Qin Sheng have other than to rise to the occasion, to stand firmly at the front to counter all the storms that come his way.

In the days that followed, Han Bing was indeed very busy. She had to lay aside the work in her own design company and concentrate fully on Guoping Group’s bankruptcy announcement and restructuring. It was fortunate that Zheng Ping did not take advantage of the company to benefit himself, like Zhao Dongsheng, neither was he like Liu Hejun who was a coward that simply tried to escape the situation. In fact, he complimented Han Bing’s efforts in restructuring the company selflessly, otherwise, Qin Sheng would have even more troubles to handle.

Within a few days, Qin Sheng and the rest had gotten a clear idea of Zhao Dongsheng and Zhou Wenwu’s daily routines. However, they were hesitant as to who among Zhao Dongsheng and Zhou Wenwu should they eliminate first.

To take down Zhao Dongsheng was less of a risk since he was just a traitor. As for Zhou Wenwu, they could risk offending the big guy behind him if they were to be careless. If this happened, they would have to flee.

In the Sijiu City, someone else was watching Qin Sheng’s situation closely. These people were bystanders who just wanted to watch and not be involved in any way.

In one of the back alleys west of Light Market, there sat a house with three entrances and exits. Living in there were the very rich lords and the gates of this house were always tightly shut. With policemen and police cars patrolling its streets frequently, the place mostly enjoyed much peace and quiet.

Early in the morning, a middle-aged man was doing his morning exercise in the yard of that house. With a square face and thick brows, he looked like a commanding figure. His face was expressionless being engrossed his own world. From his punches, it looked like he was doing the Chen’s Taichi punches. He stood firmly without moving his lower body and every of his move was powerful but controlled. He was certainly a cultured martial practitioner.

“Master, it looked like there is trouble in Shanghai. Are we not going to do something?” A heavyset man standing next to him waited for him to finish his exercise and started speaking and frowning at the same time.

The middle-aged man wearing a pair of sports shoes took a towel and wiped his perspiration from his head. He shook his head and said, “What help can we render? If they can’t even settle a small matter like this, what great things can they accomplish in the future?”

“I’m just worried that his life would be at risk. After all, he is only 25. It wouldn’t be a good thing for his hands to be tainted with blood.” The heavyset man sighed. He sounded uncertain, which was not his usual self.

“It wouldn’t even worth my effort in the matter regarding Third Master Wu, what’s more, it is only regarding Zhou Wenwu. Let him play with it. Didn’t he engage two other helpers from Xi’an? That Chang Baji is not an easy man. You may not even be his match. I suppose there wouldn’t be any problem with him around. Do you think he’s an innocent young lad who had wasted the two whole years traveling around? Someone had even pursued him all the way to the old man’s grave. Sigh, how embarrassing.” The middle-aged man tossed his towel away, picked up the birdcage and returned to the restaurant. The servants there had already prepared his breakfast of buns and congee.

The heavyset man followed closely behind him as he entered the restaurant. By now, he was flustered and he said, “I’m not going to meddle with this anymore. He is not my son after all.”

“What are you saying? When I was 25 years old, I was already very accomplished. My old man had let go of my hand when I was very young, that’s why I’m also doing this to him,” the middle-aged man said thoughtfully. Every household would have their own challenges that outsiders were not aware of. Had it been easy for him to have accomplished so much and risen to what he was today?

After he gathered his thoughts, he continued, “Don’t let Qin Ran know that we have found him, otherwise she would blow the matter out of proportion.”

“I get it.” The burly man thought of the bad temper of his master’s eldest daughter and shuddered. He indeed had to keep this from her. Sighing, he sat down to eat breakfast.

In one of the towers in the financial center, a lady had just waked up from her sleep and was still lying on the bed. Although her features were exquisite, her mannerism was somewhat slothful, which somehow added to her charm. She was staring at the screen of her mobile phone. It was an old photograph of a girl with blushing cheeks holding onto the hands of a gleeful boy. From their apparel, one could guess that this was at least a 10-year-old photograph and the background was at the Gugong Museum Square.

She was not aware how long she had been staring at the photograph, but her eyes were welling up with tears. She rubbed them as she put her mobile phone down by the bed, and then walked slowly to the window to draw back the curtains. The light rays from the sun immediately flooded the room and it revitalized her. This was a brand new day and the weather looked clear. She could see the traffic and people below, moving along the streets, busy themselves with their own lives.

She sighed and muttered, “My little brother, how have you been after so many years. I miss you so much, but where are you?”

Standing by the full window, the women still cladded in her pyjamas had an alluring figure. It was just too bad no one had won her heart. She stood dazed by the window for a long time before she finally came to her sense and muttered again, “I will definitely find you and not allow other people to bully you.”

In the busy City of Shanghai, there was a population of almost 20 million people. If anyone were to go missing, it would be like a rock that had sunk to the bottom of the sea without any traces. Qin Sheng and Chang Baji finally decided to make their first move.

Another day had passed. When Han Bing finished her work for the day, Qin Sheng sent her back to Huarun Nine Mile Bund and immediately afterwards, he and Chang Baji set out in a hurry, only leaving Hao Lei behind with Han Bing. They had decided to deal with Zhou Wenwu tonight.

They came to a high-end district within the Xuhui area. After a few days of work, Chang Baji had already familiarized himself with the area. He found that Zhou Wenwu would frequent this place to visit his lover every Saturday. His lover was none other than the lady celebrity who frequently appeared on the screen, who had scandalously storied with a number of male celebrities. Nobody really knew when she was taken in by Zhou Wenwu and it was precisely because of his resources that she became popular.

Due to his fear of bumping into paparazzi, Zhou Wenwu always had his driver and bodyguards stationed outside the community while he would go in alone to meet the lady. He usually came in the night and left by early morning. Once in a while, he would stay another night depending on his level of discipline.

By the time Qin Sheng and Chang Baji arrived at the district after changing routes to avoid being discovered by Zhou Wenwu, he had already arrived earlier than they expected. They spotted the Zhou Wenwu’s Mercedes just outside the gates. They knew that he only used this car when he came here, other days, he would be going around in his Rolls Royce of Bently.

Qing Sheng and Chang Baji looked at each other, satisfied that they had found him. Earlier on, they were rather worried that Zhou Wenwu would not turn up, and then they would have to push back their plans. They walked further down from the gates and jumped over the low walls they had spotted earlier on when surveying the area. This was a corner where the security camera would not be able to capture.

The two men hid themselves by the small lake where there were low bushes so that they would not be discovered. This was also a location opposite the lady’s apartment where they could have a good view of it. It was very likely that Zhou Wenwu would take this short cut.

They waited from 9 p.m. all the way to 1 a.m. All this while, they were very careful to avoid the security guard patrolling around. After finishing an entire packet of cigarette between the two of them, by the time their legs were quite tired, Zhou Wenwu finally emerged.

“He’s here,” Chang Baji said, spitting.

The two men moved towards Zhou Wenwu in a flash and as expected, he had taken the short cut. Chang Baji was staying in ambush by the lake while Qin Sheng was waiting to give him the signals not far from him, lest they were discovered by people and all their efforts would go to waste. Fortunately, it was already in the dead of night and there would not be people around.

Smiling, Zhou Wenwu was still thinking about how skillful his lover was on the bed, of how she satisfied him in various ways. What he loved most was her innocent portrayal on screen and the contrast when she was on the bed with him.

After all, didn’t all men love the feeling of being able to conquer the goddess?

Just when he was engrossed in his thoughts, Chang Baji sprung up from his back and attacked him. Zhou Wenwu was usually a cautious and vigilant man, however, he was exhausted from his rendezvous with his lover. He had also let down his guard so much so that he was totally unprepared for danger and a surprise attack.

When he realized what happened, Chang Baji instantly struck the back of Zhou Wenwu’s head with the hilt of his knife. Chang Baji had given it his all in this strike. Zhou Wenwu lost his consciousness and fell over immediately.

Chang Baji took out all the equipment which he prepared from inside the bushes. He wound the rope around Zhou Wenwu and secured it with a knot, stuffed him into the sack as signaled to Qin Sheng, indicating that he was done.

Thereafter, then two men carried the sack and left…

Qin Sheng and Chang Baji were driving a stolen car, heading towards Chongming Island. When they finally arrived at a deserted spot, they took out the bundled up clothes stuffed into Zhou Wenwu earlier on.

“Who are you? Who do you think I am?” With his eye’s covered, Zhou Wenwu could not make out who it was that attacked him. He started cursing once the cloth in his mouth was removed.

Qin Sheng shook his head and laughed bitterly. “Of course we know who you are. You are the evil Zhou Wenwu who did not care about law and order. You are the notorious Zhou Wenwu of Shanghai. Unfortunately, you don’t’ know who we are.”

Somehow, Zhou Wenwu was calmed when he heard those words. He quickly softened his tone and said, “What do you want from me? Money, beautiful women, or status, I can give you all these. Just let me go.”

“Let you go? Do you think that’s possible? We know you very well. If we were to let you go, we would die without knowing how we die.” Qin Sheng thought his offer was ridiculous. Everyone was afraid to die, especially Zhou Wenwu who was doing well in his life.

“What exactly do you want then?” Zhou Wenwu asked, gritting his teeth.

Qin Sheng answered simply, “We want to kill you.”

“Why?” Zhou Wenwu thought he had to know the reason if he were to die.

Qin Sheng snorted and said, “Why? Let me tell you. You have taken what you deserved since Han Guoping died. Why are you threatening a helpless woman relentlessly? Look at how petty you are! More importantly, you have provoked me to anger. I will not let you off regardless of how powerful you are. I will take my revenge.”

“Qin Sheng, stop your useless blabberings. Just do it.” Chang Baji yawned as he was starting to feel sleepy.

Qin Sheng nodded and said, “Alright, it’s getting late anyway. We will send you on the last leg of your journey and don’t be an evil man in your next life but live a decent life next time.”

After he spoke those words, Qin Sheng put the scrunched up cloth back into Zhou Wenwu’s mouth. Following that, Chang Baji hit him unconscious, and the two men lifted the body up and were about to put him into an oil barrel which they brought along. Qin Sheng took out a dagger and was about to stick it into Zhou Wenwu.

Chang Baji took over the dagger and said thoughtfully, “For this kind of things, let me do it.”

Qin Sheng hesitated for a moment but finally handed the dagger to Chang Baji. Holding Zhou Wenwu by his collar and pausing for just a second, Chang Baji stabbed the dagger into Zhou Wenwu’s heart a few times. As he stabbed him, Chang Baji could almost feel the surge of adrenaline in him. The satisfied expression on his face could send chills up anyone’s spine. To him, killing a person was like slaughtering chicken or cattle.

Qin Sheng, who was standing by, was taken aback. Apparently, this was not the first time Chang Baji had killed someone.