Hong Kong variety show: Hung Hing, are you contributing to society?

Li Zhusong took a deep breath and suppressed those distracting thoughts.

"This is what I think."

He speaks slowly and clearly.

"Huagulong will use the money to distract the assassin. The assassin will want the money and will definitely let him get closer. While he's handing over the money, I'll flank him from the side, find an opportunity to subdue him, and rescue the hostage."

He paused after he finished speaking.

"I don't want to shoot unless absolutely necessary. It would be best to capture them alive."

Lin Yaodong listened.

He turned to look at Li Zhusong, without commenting on whether the plan was good or bad.

"What if the sneak attack fails?"

Lin Yaodong's voice was flat, but with a hint of coldness, like murderous intent, "The assassin has a gun."

Hua Gu Long suddenly sat up straight in the back row.

"Yeah!" His voice shrilly rang out, "That heartless bastard, Brother Yishan and the others, they were all shot one by one by the assassin!!"

"What are your thoughts, Mr. Lin?"

Li Zhusong interrupted him.

He knew that Lin Yaodong was the only person who could help him now.

Lin Yaodong wasn't a member of the police force, so solving the case wouldn't be his achievement, and no one would try to take credit for it. Precisely because of this, he was willing to accept Lin Yaodong's help.

Lin Yaodong looked at him.

Then he laughed.

It was the kind of smile that looked very kind and gentle.

"Easy! One shot and that bastard's dead."

Li Zhusong opened his mouth.

He wanted to argue, to explain why capturing someone alive was better, to talk about procedure, about justice, and about how a human life shouldn't be decided so lightly.

But in the end he didn't say anything.

He thought of the list his wife had made, of his retirement in two years, and of his daughter's tuition fees for studying abroad...

"...I want to give it a try."

He heard his own voice.

"If that doesn't work, then you can try."

Lin Yaodong did not answer.

He just smiled and turned his face back to the car window.

Li Zhusong did not ask any further questions.

The car quieted down, with only the faint hum of the air conditioning vents remaining.

The car stopped in front of the construction company.

Xiao Fu was already waiting at the door.

He stood very straight, his back like a ruler nailed to the ground.

He was carrying a canvas bag, the opening of which was sealed, so it was impossible to tell what was inside.

He was also carrying a long, narrow object on his back, which was wrapped tightly in black cloth.

That size.

That outline.

Is it... a sniper rifle?

Li Zhusong glanced at it as he got out of the car, but didn't ask any questions.

He didn't even look at it much, his gaze merely swept across the edge of the black cloth before looking away, as if he hadn't seen anything.

Lin Yaodong didn't say anything either.

He took the canvas bag from Xiao Fu, weighed it in his hand, and opened the car door.

Xiao Fu didn't get on the bus.

He turned and walked toward another car, the long strip of black cloth wrapped around his back remaining motionless.

Li Zhusong watched the car start, turn around, and disappear at the intersection.

He didn't ask Xiao Fu where he was going.

He didn't ask what the black cloth was.

He didn't ask anything.

The air at the abandoned dock was filled with a fishy stench.

The smell of dead fish, rotten wood, and silt, steaming up after being exposed to the sun, was so thick it felt like you could touch it.

The Bone-Melting Dragon stopped at the intersection.

He turned his head and looked at Lin Yaodong.

"Brother Dong, I'm a little scared..."

The voice was huddled, like a child who was afraid to walk alone at night.

Lin Yaodong looked at him, his tone calm, neither questioning nor blaming, but simply stating a fact: "So, do you still want your mother?"

The Bone-Melting Dragon was stunned for a moment.

Then he took a deep breath: "Of course I want to."

His voice was still trembling, but it was a little more steady than before.

He took another breath and looked at Lin Yaodong.

"Brother Dong...you absolutely have to protect me!"

"rest assured."

Just two words.

Hua Gulong looked into Lin Yaodong's eyes but didn't see any earth-shattering promises. For some reason, he nodded.

He took two steps into the dock, then stopped and looked around.

He turned back and asked again, "Where is Brother Fu?"

Lin Yaodong did not answer.

"Let's go."

Li Zhusong walked up from behind and grabbed Huagulong's arm.

He dragged the Bone Dragon inside, his steps faltering, but he didn't turn back.

The dock is deeper than it appears.

Li Zhusong shoved his phone into the hand of the Bone Dragon at the crossroads.

"Keep moving forward, and remember what we agreed on..."

He lowered his voice, "Delay as much time as possible."

Hua Gulong gripped his phone tightly, nodded, and walked inside alone.

The wooden planks underfoot creaked, and through the gaps, one could see the dark, murky seawater below.

The stranded, wrecked ship was tilted to one side, its planks blackened, and its rusty anchor half-buried in the mud.

He dialed the phone.

"Feed? I'm here."

"Go straight in from the dock, onto the largest ship."

Where is my mom?

"son...."

My mother's cries came through the receiver, but before I could say anything more, the voice of the killer suddenly came through.

"Did you hear me? Come here right now! If you dare to try anything funny, I'll send your mother to be reincarnated right now!"

The phone hangs up.

Hua Gulong put down his phone and looked up.

The ship was larger than the surrounding dilapidated ships, but it was just as old.

The deck was on the second floor, supported by a few rusty iron pillars. The gangway had been removed, and only a rope hung down from the deck.

He went inside.

There was no space beneath your feet; there was a large hole in the bottom of the ship through which you could see the seawater below. Go around that hole and walk to the area directly below the deck.

"Dragon Boy! Dragon Boy! Watch out..."

My mother's shouts came from behind me and above me.

"Be careful here!"

The Bone-Melting Dragon suddenly raised its head.

My mother was hanging from the second-floor beam, her hands tied behind her back, the rope digging into her wrists.

There was a dried bloodstain on his forehead, running from his hairline down to his brow bone.

The assassin stood beside her.

He was holding a gun.

"Hey! Did you bring the money?!"

The gun was pointed at the Bone-Melting Dragon.

"Little Dragon, be careful..."

The killer kicked the wooden board, interrupting the mother's voice.

"Shut up!"

The Bone-Melting Dragon gritted its teeth.

"Mom, how are you?"

"Mom's fine, just a little scrape..."

"Shut up!!"

The assassin roared.

He bent down and picked up the plastic bucket at his feet. The lid wasn't tightened properly, and a few drops of clear liquid splashed out when he shook it.

That's gasoline.

He tilted the bucket, pouring the liquid onto his mother's shoulders, chest, and hair.

"Ah—this is…gasoline? Don't pour it out!!"

Mom's screams were like a dull knife cutting the throat of an emaciated dragon.

"I asked you where the money is!!"

The assassin's gun was pointed at him again.

"Here it is!"

Hua Gu Long raised the canvas bag in his hand.

"Let my mother go, and I'll give you the money right away!"

The assassin sneered.

"What right do you have to talk to me?"

He put the bucket down and pressed the gun barrel down slightly.

"Open the bag and take a look."

Hua Gulong put the bag on the ground and unzipped it.

Stacks of US dollars were neatly arranged.

The assassin narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"Alright. You don't need to come up. Just stand down here and throw the money up to me."

Huagulong zipped up the zipper.

He picked up the bag and threw it forcefully onto the second deck.

The bag flew into the air, but lacked momentum, and fell back down, hitting the wooden planks beside the boat.

"Didn't you eat?!" the assassin roared. "You fucking use some force!!"

"I haven't eaten..." Huagulong was really hungry all day, and continued to walk over to pick up the bag.