Blank Charge

On arriving at the port, Jin Zhou found a hidden spot in the open parking lot.

Not far from there, a medium-sized luxury cruise ship was docked, and crew members and waiters were boarding the ship one after another.

The sunset sank below the sea level, and the night sky covered the entire area. The dock and the cruise ship lit up with dazzling lights, adorning the seaside night scene with the serene crescent moon in the sky.

Before long, luxury cars started arriving one after another. Guests dressed in fine attire stepped out of the cars, walking on the red carpet that had been laid out, heading towards the steps that led to the cruise ship.

Jin Zhou observed for a while and noticed that the security check on the cruise ship wasn’t strict. One person checked the invitation cards, while another used a security scanner to check the guests’ bodies. As long as there were no flammable or explosive items, the guests were not extensively questioned.

As the departure time approached, the luxury cars arriving at the dock began to congest. Many guests didn’t want to wait for more than ten minutes for a distance of just one or two hundred meters, so they got out of their cars and walked towards the cruise ship.

Jin Zhou seized the opportunity to blend in with the crowd, closing the distance suddenly. This caused a woman in a classy evening gown next to him to subconsciously turn her gaze towards him. He nodded slightly and calmly greeted, “Good evening.”

The woman nodded and replied politely, “Good evening.”

Shifting his gaze away from her, Jin Zhou straightened his posture, looking straight ahead without a trace of his usual rogue demeanor. With his upright figure and proper attire, he appeared more like a well-bred rich kid.

“Are you here alone?” the woman glanced at Jin Zhou, realizing that he didn’t have any companions.

“No,” Jin Zhou shook his head and casually glanced ahead, “My companions are up ahead.”

After saying that, Jin Zhou quickened his pace, overtaking four or five guests and reaching the front of the queue.

Another guest beside him instinctively looked at Jin Zhou, but having had the previous experience, Jin Zhou didn’t want to engage in another conversation. He raised his hand and pushed his black-framed glasses up on his nose, avoiding the person’s gaze.

The security check process went smoothly. Jin Zhou followed the other guests on board without drawing any attention.

He discreetly observed his surroundings and although he didn’t spot Yang Shi Yu, he noticed that the guests attending the New Year’s Eve cruise were all quite well-known.

For example, the person walking in front of him on the right was the secretary of their old district leader. Jin Zhou had seen that person before at community events. And the person walking behind him on the left was a well-known restaurant owner in the city.

Since there was still some time before the event started, after boarding the ship, the guests went to their respective rooms to rest.

Following the instructions on his invitation card, Jin Zhou arrived at a single room in the guest area. The room’s window faced the walk area inside the cruise ship. Although he couldn’t see the beautiful night view of the sea, he could observe the interior structure of the cruise ship.

One end of the view was a water park, where several brave young people were playing in the water, unaffected by the cold. On the opposite end was an outdoor theater, where many staff members were busy preparing for that night’s New Year’s Eve performance.

Above the theater were suspended VIP boxes, and above the boxes was the best-viewed guest area on the cruise ship. Just by looking at the breathtaking floor-to-ceiling windows, one could feel the difference between the lower-level rooms and those above.

After waiting for about ten minutes, the ship’s broadcast sounded, and Jin Zhou felt a slight acceleration under his feet as the cruise ship gradually left the dock.

Only then did Jin Zhou dare to take out his phone and contact Yang Shi Yu because at that point, no matter what happened, Yang Shi Yu couldn’t throw him off the cruise ship.

The sound of the call ended after three beeps, unsurprisingly.

Leaning against the window frame in his room, Jin Zhou sent a message to Yang Shi Yu.

[Jin Zhou: I’m on the ship.]

Within ten seconds, a familiar figure appeared behind a floor-to-ceiling window in the top-level guest area above the theater.

[Jin Zhou: Wow, a tuxedo!]

Although where Yang Shi Yu stood allowed him to overlook all the entertainment facilities inside the cruise ship, it was understandable that he couldn’t see Jin Zhou hidden behind the small windows of the room.

The person behind the floor-to-ceiling window frowned, and their fingers quickly danced across the screen.

[Yang Shi Yu: Where are you?]

[Jin Zhou: At twelve o’clock.]

Yang Shi Yu quickly looked in the direction where Jin Zhou was, but perhaps due to the numerous identical windows, he didn’t immediately spot him.

Jin Zhou thought for a moment, pushed the window open, closed it again, and then pushed it open once more. This time, Yang Shi Yu immediately noticed him. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Jin Zhou for a while, then lowered his head to send a message.

[Yang Shi Yu: Give me the room number.]

After the outdoor theater performance began, all the guests left their rooms and went downstairs.

Some were dining in the restaurant, some were drinking at the bar. Regardless of the area, they could all see the New Year’s Eve show being performed in the theater.

WangTai and many elegantly dressed guests sat in the front row, chatting and applauding from time to time, creating a harmonious and joyful scene.

Yang Shi Yu was seated behind WangTai, occasionally turning his head to chat with him. His relaxed appearance gave no indication that he had just escaped from the hands of the police.

Time quickly approached eleven o’clock, and the performance on stage gradually reached its climax.

Yang Shi Yu leaned over and excused himself to WangTai, then left his seat and disappeared at the entrance of the theater.

A few minutes later, someone knocked on Jin Zhou’s door. He went to the door, opened it, and saw Yang Shi Yu looking left and right, paying attention to other people’s gazes, as he entered the room.

“You didn’t reveal anything, did you?”

“Why are you here?”

Both of them asked at the same time. Without waiting for Jin Zhou to answer, Yang Shi Yu seemed to suddenly realize that he had asked a meaningless question. He sighed and said helplessly, “You never learn do you?.”

“I was worried about you.” During the two-hour show, Jin Zhou hadn’t paid attention to the performances at all, his gaze fixed on WangTai and Yang Shi Yu, afraid that something unexpected might happen. “Did WangTai do anything to you?”

“No,” Yang Shi Yu said, “Just stay put, we’ll leave together tomorrow.”

After saying that, Yang Shi Yu was about to leave. He had been in Jin Zhou’s room for less than a minute, as if he had come to comfort a puppy, and now he was about to go back to finish his own business.

“Yang Shi Yu.” Jin Zhou grabbed Yang Shi Yu’s wrist, frowned, and looked at him. “Is WangTai really just inviting you to celebrate the New Year?”

Yang Shi Yu didn’t immediately answer, and he slightly pursed his lips with a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

Jin Zhou had long figured out Yang Shi Yu’s nature and immediately sensed that there was something he was keeping from him. He tightened his grip on Yang Shi Yu’s wrist, his expression serious. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll go downstairs  and keep an eye on WangTai through this whole damn thing.”

“No need,” Yang Shi Yu sighed helplessly and retrieved his wrist from Jin Zhou’s grip. “It’s not as dangerous as you think. Tonight, I’m just going to tease him.”

“Tease him?” Jin Zhou asked.

“After the New Year’s Eve ends, WangTai will discuss Zhao Qing’s matter with me. It’s highly likely that Zhao Qing will be sentenced to life imprisonment but after a dozen years, he’ll be released, so Zhao Qing has no intention of speaking out.”

“Isn’t that advantageous for WangTai?” Jin Zhou asked, “Why would he still want to discuss it with you?”

“Because he’s not sure if Zhao Qing will snitch.” Yang Shi Yu said, “I will inform him of the current progress and let him know that both Zhao Qing and the TV station director intend to speak out, which will be very unfavorable for him. And according to how he operates, he might find someone to silence them, so the police may find a breakthrough afterall.

 Jin Zhou furrowed his brow and pondered, “What if Zhao Qing and the TV station director really die at the hands of WangTai?”

“It’s a risk we’ll just have to take.” Yang Shi Yu said, “WangTai won’t personally get involved in eliminating them. Now that Wei Jie and Zhao Qing are gone from his side, if he tries to kill and silence someone, it will be somewhat difficult. This may expose a vulnerability.”

Both loyal dogs by WangTai’s side had been captured, and if he approached someone less reliable to do the dirty work for him, it would give the police an opportunity to finally catch him.

“So tonight, you’re just going to chat with WangTai?” Jin Zhou asked.

“Yes,” Yang Shi Yu said, “The TV station director already planned to speak out. I suppose WangTai will ask me to find a way to silence the director.”

“What if he asks you to kill someone?” Jin Zhou was stunned, “That seems unlikely.”

“They won’t directly ask me to do it, but they might use my connections to arrange a hitman.” Yang Shi Yu said.

“That way, you can get evidence of their intention to commit murder.” Jin Zhou rubbed his chin, “This plan is not bad.”

It felt like everything was going too smoothly.

“Don’t worry about me,” Yang Shi Yu ruffled Jin Zhou’s hair. “Based on the current situation, WangTai hasn’t completely suspected me. He’s probably waiting to see if I’ll help him or not. That’s the key.”

Jin Zhou nodded, feeling relieved for the moment, and asked, “When will you talk to WangTai about this?”

“After midnight,” Yang Shi Yu raised his wrist to check the time. “I’ve been away at the restroom for quite a while now. It’s time to go back.”

Just as Yang Shi Yu finished speaking, Jin Zhou noticed WangTai in the theater turning his head to look at the seats behind him, seemingly curious why Yang Shi Yu hadn’t returned yet.

“Take care of yourself,” Jin Zhou said. “Let me know you’re safe after you finish talking to WangTai please.”

“Okay,” Yang Shi Yu turned to leave. But at that moment, he suddenly turned back and embraced Jin Zhou, planting a kiss on his lips. “Wait for me and don’t wander around.”

Soon, the room was once again empty, with only Jin Zhou inside.

The theater below started an acrobatic performance, pushing the atmosphere to a new climax.

For some reason, as soon as Yang Shi Yu left, Jin Zhou’s heart became restless again, like an insecure puppy. No matter how the owner tried to reassure it, once the owner left its side, it would become anxious and uneasy.

Perhaps it was because of the unfamiliar environment, but Jin Zhou couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling inside him. He reassured himself that if he waited a little longer, this situation would soon pass. However, not long after, WangTai suddenly stood up and called Yang Shi Yu to leave the theater.

On stage, a grand illusionist act was performing, and it was the climax where a sword was about to be thrust into a box.

Jin Zhou suddenly felt something was wrong. There were still about ten minutes until midnight, so why did they leave the theater at that moment?