Moth Chasing the Sun 26

Compared with the panic elsewhere, Dingyang City remained remarkably calm. After all, it sat close to the capital, and its residents carried an unspoken confidence: even if Azbeto's rebels had nerve, they wouldn't dare stir trouble near the seat of power.

Travel to the capital required identity checks, and those operating in the gray areas preferred to steer clear. So the surrounding cities became safe havens, and Dingyang was one of them.

These newcomers naturally had to pay respects to local powers and seek protectors. The Black Tiger Gang seized this opportunity to swell its ranks.

But Qian Hu was no fool. On the contrary, he was extremely cautious, possessing the professional instincts of a successful petty man. Despite the gang's growth, the Black Tiger Gang showed no arrogance. Instead, they kept a low profile, behaving far more discreetly than before.

Qian Hu ordered his men to wipe the smug looks off their faces and behave themselves, not to act like lords as they once had.

A few who disobeyed and insisted on doing things their own way were publicly executed on the spot as a warning to others.

Only with their lives on the line did these men truly fall in line. They grumbled behind his back but dared not show any dissent or odd behavior openly.

The Splendid Nightless City, that money-burning den, wasn't suffering from a downturn. On the contrary, it was booming.

Perhaps the chaos of war made people realize life was short, so they should enjoy themselves while they could. Money—you can't take it with you, so why not spend it while you're alive?

When Xu Zhen stepped into this pleasure palace, it felt like another world. Inside, it was bustling and extravagant; outside, war raged and everyone feared for their lives.

She was scouting the place, a pinhole camera hidden on her person. The frantic gamblers and the debauched revelry dripping with human depravity—it was almost too vile to look at. But she wasn't concerned with that. Xu Zhen's main focus was on the bodyguards and enforcers.

The security presence was much heavier than before, no doubt to maintain order.

But the building's structure hadn't changed much.

Xu Zhen wore a mask. Many people there didn't want their identities known, so they covered their faces, and she didn't stand out.

Thinking about the plan ahead, her heart beat faster, and a surge of impatience swelled within her. Xu Zhen clenched her fist, forcing herself to calm down.

Don't rush. The closer to the critical moment, the calmer you must be.

This was the best, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She couldn't waste it.

She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and glanced sideways at the fifth floor. Her gaze flicked over the two bodyguards at the stairwell without lingering, pretending to look around casually before leaving from the fourth floor.

Once outside the Nightless City, she said through the internal comm: "I'm certain those two are Qian Hu's personal bodyguards. He's definitely in the Nightless City right now."

Qian Hu had ten personal bodyguards who stayed with him at all times. Wherever he went, they followed, protecting him around the clock.

Even during his intimate moments, the bodyguards were present.

Qian Hu had used underhanded means to betray his former boss and father-in-law. He had poor character and had made many enemies, so he naturally worried about others plotting against him. He was undoubtedly a man who valued his life above all else, and compared to staying alive, privacy meant nothing. Being watched wouldn't cost him a pound of flesh.

This wasn't exactly a secret—anyone with any standing had heard of it. They just never called it out to his face.

The women connected to Qian Hu were either abducted by him or willingly attached themselves to his coattails, so they had no choice but to obey his wishes.

Xu Zhen had seen these people before during her previous work, and she was familiar with their faces.

The Splendid Nightless City was an enterprise Qian Hu had built up himself, and he spent most of his time there.

Sometimes he rested there, sometimes he went elsewhere. As for his true residence, Xu Zhen and her people didn't know.

The Black Tiger Gang had more members than anticipated. The commander didn't hesitate and immediately requested reinforcements.

They didn't want a narrow victory; they wanted to overwhelm and crush these people swiftly. They needed numerical superiority.

Soon, another eight thousand troops were dispatched. In the meantime, the initial five thousand melted into the city, infiltrating underground. Using their trained reconnaissance skills, they mapped out the personnel distribution across the major districts, waiting only for reinforcements to arrive before making their move.

The night before the operation was confirmed, Tan Yiyuan tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

His mind flashed between memories of his former warm life with his wife and daughter, and their bodies lying in pools of blood, finally settling on Qian Hu's self-righteous, 'benevolent' face.

He had hypocritically invited Tan Yiyuan to join the Black Tiger Gang, claiming it was because he valued his abilities—helping him eliminate his weaknesses so he could achieve great things without burdens.

That arrogance, upon reflection, was so vile, so nauseating.

He had to kill Qian Hu, to avenge his wife and daughter.

He wasn't the only one. The other three also couldn't sleep, knowing their revenge was imminent. Who could rest peacefully? Xu Zhen cleaned her gun over and over. Feng Tao snuck into the cemetery to visit his adoptive father and sister, not bringing flowers for fear of attracting Qian Hu's attention. Skinny Monkey sat by the window, muttering to himself, tears streaming down his face.

They were raring to go, poised and ready, waiting only for the moment to strike.

Finally, the commander gave the order, and the operation began. None of them had slept all night, yet they showed no fatigue. In fact, they were energized, their eyes blazing with fire-like intensity.

It was the raging flame of vengeance.

Xu Zhen tucked her gun into the small of her back, looked up at the dazzling sign of the Splendid Nightless City, and smiled coldly. Listening to the commands in her earpiece, she said in a low voice, "Let's go."

About a hundred people entered in batches, posing as customers coming to gamble. Xu Zhen and her four companions went straight up to the fourth floor. They waited for over ten minutes, hearing the faint commotion from below and the commander's unceasing orders in their earpieces.

The group exchanged glances, realizing the outside forces had begun their assault.

The patrons at the Nightless City were scared out of their wits. In moments like this, the only thought was to flee. They abandoned their chips, knowing nothing was more important than their lives.

It was like a hornet's nest had been stirred. Everyone surged toward the exits, jostling and shoving, with no regard for manners or courtesy, terrified of being left behind.

These disturbances couldn't escape Qian Hu's notice. The Black Tiger Gang had too many members. Even without checking everyone's background, simply capturing and executing these thugs and underground businessmen would likely hit a large portion of Qian Hu's men.

They could only blame Qian Hu for being too greedy. He gave other small gangs no way to survive, absorbing every last one into his territory.

Once the chaos erupted, everyone knew it was Azbeto's insurgents.

They had done this sort of thing many times recently. Even if most were eventually captured by the army, the dead wouldn't come back. They didn't have a second life. Killing the insurgents wouldn't change anything.

Qian Hu's heart tightened. He was the boss of the Black Tiger Gang; he must have been targeted long ago. But he was used to planning ahead and had a contingency ready.

"How long until the helicopter arrives?"

"Fifteen minutes," his confidant replied grimly.

Fifteen minutes—too long. He couldn't even wait five.

Qian Hu's perpetually smiling face darkened, finally revealing the bloodthirsty ruthlessness befitting a gang boss.

"We can't stay here. Cover my escape."

The Nightless City was too conspicuous, a sitting duck. A little asking around would reveal he frequented this place. He had to leave. The insurgents stopped at nothing when they went on a killing spree. If a missile hit, even a god couldn't survive.

Qian Hu was determined and immediately made to move. His ten bodyguards stayed glued to his side, each clutching a gun, eyes sharp, scanning their surroundings.

Tan Yiyuan and the others hid behind a door. When they saw the group coming down the stairs, their eyes flickered.

Xu Zhen pulled a grenade from her belt, removed the pin, and counted two seconds in her head before leaping out like a hare, her arm swinging as she hurled it.

The black, apple-shaped bomb arced through the air. One of the rear bodyguards, quick-eyed and faster-handed, shouted "Take cover!"

Then he lunged forward, trying to push Qian Hu out of the blast radius. In a flash, several others, seeing the danger, piled on top of Qian Hu, shielding him with their bodies. The thunderous explosion sent a wave of heat and debris, mixed with flying flesh and blood, brushing past Qian Hu's ears.

The blast was too close. His ears rang, and he briefly went deaf.

Three of the ten bodyguards died on the spot. The rest were no pushovers. They scrambled to their feet, raised their guns, and returned fire, coordinating without a word.

Meanwhile, others helped Qian Hu up and continued to drag him forward.

Bullets rained down like dense droplets. Xu Zhen crouched behind a pillar, feeling the vibrations as stone was chipped away, afraid to even poke her head out.

At this rate, he'd get away!

Xu Zhen was frantic but couldn't think of a way out. She hadn't expected these bodyguards to be so loyal, willing to take bullets for Qian Hu.

She gritted her teeth and blind-fired behind her. She'd gotten off two shots when the barrel protruding was blown apart.

"I'll charge out and draw their fire—you cover me!" Feng Tao yelled as the gunfire continued unabated.

He couldn't stand the thought of his enemy escaping right before his eyes.

Feng Tao quickly scanned the room, grabbed a round table in three steps, and hoisted it in front of him like a shield. Like a reckless fool, he charged forward without a second thought.

Skinny Monkey reached out to stop him, saying urgently, "That table won't stop bullets!"

"Qian Hu has to die," Feng Tao said, his voice filled with grim finality.

Skinny Monkey tightened his grip on his gun and gritted his teeth. "Alright!"

Tan Yiyuan's eyes were mournful, and he said solemnly, "We must seize this opportunity."

Seize the chance their comrade had created with his life.

Feng Tao held the tabletop and charged out the door. In an instant, a hail of bullets slammed into the table. The immense force made it nearly impossible to advance, so he set the table down and braced himself against it.

The barrage was so thick that within a few breaths, visible dents formed in the table. Barely two seconds later, a burst of blood suddenly bloomed on his body.

As the fire was momentarily drawn away, Tan Yiyuan hurled another grenade with all his might. Then, rolling on the ground, he raised his gun and opened fire.

The streak of blood was too vivid. Xu Zhen let out a low cry, ground her teeth fiercely, and, disregarding her own safety, leaned out from behind the pillar, aimed at Qian Hu, who was being protected by the crowd, and squeezed the trigger.