Zimo and Lingling waited in line at a cold beverage store. Customers entered and exited regularly.
"Are you sure you don't want anything warm?" Zimo asked.
"Hm", Lingling nodded. "We can go to another shop if you want something else."
"When you're done, let's go to a coffee shop."
"Okay."
A few minutes later, they walked into the coffee shop and Zimo asked for a Mocha.
"One second", the barista said, and Zimo and Lingling went to sit down.
Zimo reached for his pocket to take his phone out, but his eyes froze seeing the reflection of a man in it. He turned his head sharply and looked into the eyes of a stranger. He immediately stood up.
"Who are you?" He asked.
Lingling got up sensing something was wrong.
"Are you Su Zimo?" The man asked in a rough voice.
A familiar logo on the man's blazer caught Zimo's eye, and he slowly stepped back. "Why?"
The man was tall and hugely muscular. Zimo had to practically raise his head to look at him. "Come with me", the man said, but Zimo kept moving back, and then, when he was finally far enough, he grabbed Lingling's arm and they started running as fast as they could out of the shop.
They kept running until they'd passed several blocks and were already out of breath. Glancing back, Zimo couldn't see anyone, so he finally stopped.
"What's going on?" Lingling asked out of breath. "Zimo, tell me now! Why…wh–?"
"Sorry", Zimo said. "Did I hurt you?"
Lingling's heart pounded loudly against her chest but she nervously shook her head.
Zimo kept looking around to see if no one followed them. "Let's go back", he said, swallowing hard. Then just as they turned, thinking they'd outrun the man, a white car with dark windows stopped in front of them.
"Lingling", Zimo said softly, recognising the car in an instant. "You have to run. Now!"
Lingling turned but a man appeared from behind.
"I can't", she said with trembling hands. "Why are they chasing us? I don't…"
Zimo pulled her closer, awaiting their next move.
The window of the car slowly rolled down and a knot formed in Zimo's throat as he saw Wang Lihong's face. He took a deep breath feeling his legs go numb beneath him.
Wang Lihong stared coldly with his pale, soulless eyes. His rough, sagging skin pulled the corners of his mouth into a look of disgust.
Within seconds, with no time to react, the man behind them knocked Lingling hard on the back. She went unconscious, falling into Zimo's timely opened arms.
"Take them both", Wang Lihong said from inside the car.
Zimo tried waking Lingling up by touching her face but she was completely out. His eyes twitched and his stomach dropped. He slowly lowered her to the ground. Cold sweat rolled down his back. "Why are you doing this?" He muttered, looking directly at Wang Lihong.
But he didn't answer. Instead the man came rushing towards them and Zimo sprang to his feet, fist raised to the man's face.
He hit him once… twice… but then his hand got grabbed from behind by another man. Jerking his head aside just in time to dodge a fist, but then got punched in the stomach instead by the person he was still holding on to.
He let out a strained groan and weakly swung his fist forward. Trying to shake free from the two men's grip.
They threw him on the ground and his body went weak against the pain. He rolled to his stomach, trying to stand up but got kicked hard against his ribs. And fell flat.
Looking up at Wang Lihong's ugly smirk, Zimo clenched his fist into a hard ball and took all his strength to get up.
He kicked one man and dodged another's swinging arm, but then a kick to his back sent him stumbling forward, with one more man showing up.
The third man grabbed his neck, squeezing it until Zimo's veins bulged and the air began to drain. He tried hitting the man's hand off but he was too weak. His body muscles gave out and his vision dimmed…
But a foot slammed into the attacker's face and he stumbled sideways over his own feet.
Zimo fell to the ground, grasping for air as he held onto his neck, still feeling the hand folded around his throat. When he looked up, he saw Meng Xian tirelessly fighting with the three men.
But within minutes, two more men showed up, turning the situation hopeless.
"Take… Lingling back", Zimo forced the words out of his sore throat.
Meng Xian heard him but was unable to respond, having five men continuously slamming into him. He finally caught one guy in a grapple. Holding him in front of him, he asked breathlessly, "What about you?".
"Just go."
Meng Xian pushed the man away into another and ran to pick Lingling up. "I'll inform Mr Gu."
Zimo watched with watery eyes as Meng Xian escaped with Lingling in his arms and then he glanced over to Wang Lihong. Knowing he made them get away on purpose because his men just stood watching.
"Foolish boy", Wang Lihong said as he rolled up the window.
"Wang Lihong, I won't let you get away with this." Zimo thought as black soon overtook his vision and a sharp pain struck his head. Drifting into an overwhelming darkness.
[GU CORPORATION]
"Wang Lihong, 63. The most dangerous of them all. It seems more like the others are working for him, rather than them being partners."
In the boardroom, Gu Yuxuan and the investors sat at the table. This time the picture of Wang Lihong was on the projector.
"Mr Gu, d-dealing with him w-will be difficult." One of the investors stuttered.
"Even after years of investigation, we couldn't find any dirt on him. He's really an expert. Taking back the twenty-one properties seems rather impossible."
"Let's focus on one target at a time. Going against them all at once is draining our funds."
"If we go against them one at a time, the others will only get stronger. We can't afford to let them."
After hearing everyone's opinions, Gu Yuxuan stood up and walked around the table. Everyone's eyes followed him closely.
"You're right", Gu Yuxuan said. "He's really good at covering up his tracks. We might not stand a chance."
Everyone waited patiently for Gu Yuxuan's good words after the bad ones.
"So, if we can't beat him business-wise, we'll go personal."
"Do you mean, prying into his personal life?" One man asked.
"Everything can be covered up except who you really are. It always shines through the cracks", Gu Yuxuan said.
"That makes sense."
"He must be hiding a lot of secrets. Let's expose those, and turn the tide." Another one followed
"Mr Gu always knows better. We can rest assured."
A loud bang at the door made everyone's head turn.
The assistant opened it and a flustered Meng Xian stood outside. Gu Yuxuan knew something was wrong. "Excuse me", he said and went out immediately.
The investors continued their business and Gu Yuxuan and Meng Xian went to his office.
"What happened?" Gu Yuxuan asked, seeing Lingling still unconscious on the chair.
"Speak!" Gu Yuxuan said in a rough tone, feeling Lingling's forehead.
"She was unconscious when I found them."
"Them?"
"Zimo was beaten and taken away by Wang Lihong. I arrived too late."
Gu Yuxuan's eyes widened and every muscle in his body tightened. Grinding his teeth, he looked at Meng Xian.
"Where is he?"