Chapter 45: Please, Kill Me

“Mr. He!” Young Master Hai answered the phone with a smile, saying, “Have you given it some thought?”

“Young Master Hai, I agree to cooperate with you!” He Tian paused for a moment, then added, “But I need to change the terms.”

“Oh? Is Mr. He dissatisfied with the conditions I offered?” Young Master Hai asked with a laugh.

“Young Master Hai, let’s not beat around the bush. You’re clearly putting a lot of emphasis—and capital—into this race. It’s obviously going to be very risky. I might even make a lot of enemies in the process.” He Tian chuckled. “Given that, I’d like to take a bit more. That’s reasonable, isn’t it?”

“That’s certainly fair! But, Mr. He, you must understand, I’m already offering a great deal.” Though Young Master Hai believed he could pay more, he would not concede so easily.

“Twenty percent of the winnings, and I’ll forgo the sports car. But within the boundaries of Tianhai City, I can choose any villa I like.” He Tian stated his terms, then added, “If I don’t win the championship, I won’t take anything.”

At first, Young Master Hai frowned at He Tian’s words. Twenty percent was no small sum. Yet, hearing He Tian’s confident—almost domineering—tone, Young Master Hai’s mood shifted to delight.

If He Tian could truly take the championship, then this price would be more than worth it for Young Master Hai.

“It’s a deal!” Young Master Hai replied with a laugh. “I’ll have the contract drafted. All you’ll need to do is sign.”

“No problem! But I must know everything about the track, information on the opponents, and any other factors you believe could affect the race,” He Tian said solemnly, sounding as if he had already devoted himself entirely to this event.

“Hahaha! That’s all my responsibility! Mr. He, I believe this cooperation will be a win-win for us both.” Young Master Hai laughed, but then his tone shifted. “But let me say this—if you don’t win the championship, you won’t get any of these rewards. If you place in the top three, I won’t let your efforts go unrewarded. But if you’re not even in the top three… well, Mr. He, that would be quite embarrassing for me.”

“Young Master Hai… that scenario simply won’t happen,” He Tian replied gravely.

“Hahaha, good! Mr. He, I admire your confidence! I’ll make arrangements at once, and the car will be ready soon. You’ll need to start acclimating immediately. The race will be held at the end of the year!” Young Master Hai laughed heartily.

He Tian hung up the phone, a faint smile on his lips.

This race clearly meant a great deal to Young Master Hai. He Tian had already come to that conclusion. And whenever Young Master Hai valued something so highly, He Tian’s involvement would surely allow him to learn more about him—an invaluable advantage for He Tian’s investigation and assessment.

As for everything else… He Tian gave it little thought. The bargaining was merely a way to gain Young Master Hai’s trust.

Of course, if he could make a little more money in the process, He Tian would be more than happy—especially with the chance to choose any villa he pleased. That was particularly satisfying.

So, He Tian immediately went online to search for the most luxurious villas in Tianhai City.

Soon, the information was right in front of him.

He hadn’t paid much attention to this before, but now, seeing the prices, he realized some of these villas were astronomical in cost.

He quickly found one for sale—a property that could more aptly be called an estate. It was located by the sea, with its own private beach, covering nearly thirty acres. The villa itself was three stories tall, with almost three thousand square meters of living space, and included a pool, basketball court, lawn, and a host of other amenities. All in all, it was the very definition of a top-tier villa. The asking price was a staggering eight hundred and eighty-eight million.

A price that could make anyone’s heart stop. Perhaps the land itself wasn’t worth so much, but the extras made it suitable for people of status and influence.

This villa complex held more than thirty such residences, all occupied by true titans of commerce. He Tian thought that if Wang Xinmeng could join this circle, it would be nothing but beneficial for Mengrou Fashion Group’s future.

Furthermore, because the residents were all so influential, security throughout the complex was exceptionally strict, with even the nearby waters marked off by warning lines. The property management was no doubt expensive, but for those who could afford it, that was a trivial concern. Living here would mean a new level of safety for the household.

The only drawback was the slight distance from the city center. But with convenient transportation, that hardly mattered.

“You’ll do! Young Master Hai… I wonder what your reaction will be when I choose such a villa?” He Tian’s lips curled into a cold smile.

Young Master Hai had said he could choose any villa within Tianhai City—he hadn’t set a price limit. How could He Tian pass up the opportunity to select the very best?

In He Tian’s mind, this was what he deserved, and he was not about to be polite about it.

“Wu Hao?” Just as he was feeling pleased, He Tian noticed a new email. Opening it, he was startled.

He hadn’t killed Wu Hao before, hoping to give him a chance to redeem himself—after all, Wu Hao’s crimes weren’t unforgivable. But he should never have reappeared in Tianhai, or even in the country.

Yet now the email reported that Wu Hao had returned to work at the Huitong Grand Hotel. This struck He Tian as highly suspicious.

“Clearly, there’s something at play here. Wu Hao must have new information. He’s obviously being used as bait—a trap!” He Tian muttered to himself.

Sitting in his chair, He Tian thought carefully. “Hmph… The trap is probably just a decoy. Young Master Hai, it seems you really do have deep ties to that assassin organization—but your cooperation is going poorly. You want to use me to deal with them, to make me your weapon? Well, I do want that information.”

If his guess was correct, Wu Hao would be under heavy guard—but not for He Tian’s sake, rather to protect against the assassins, to prevent them from silencing Wu Hao.

He Tian shut down his computer with a cold laugh, then sat cross-legged on his bed to cultivate. He continued until past 2 a.m., feeling energized and wide awake.

After changing his clothes and donning a hood, he quietly left the Wang family villa.

The intelligence indicated Wu Hao was at home, so He Tian went straight to Wu Hao’s residential complex. He trusted the information from the National Security Bureau—they would surely keep an eye on anything involving him. As for Wu Hao, he was probably making no effort to hide.

In short, He Tian judged that Young Master Hai was offering Wu Hao to him on a silver platter.

He Tian silently surveyed the surroundings, confirming his suspicions: the security was tight, but not enough to pose any real threat to him.

With a few tricks, He Tian slipped past the guards undetected and entered Wu Hao’s apartment—a spacious, upscale residence, befitting a former hotel manager. But He Tian immediately sensed that Wu Hao was alone; there was no sign of family.

He didn’t care what had happened to Wu Hao—only what information he held.

“Don’t move! Try anything and you’re dead,” He Tian said sternly, clamping a hand over Wu Hao’s mouth.

“You finally came,” Wu Hao replied calmly, to He Tian’s surprise—almost as if he were relieved.

“Was this arranged by Young Master Hai?” He Tian asked in a low voice.

“I don’t know. I only know the name of an island,” Wu Hao answered with a bitter smile.

“Tell me,” He Tian demanded.

“White Shark,” Wu Hao said.

“A notorious island. Good luck to you.” Having gotten what he wanted, He Tian turned to leave.

“Kill me!” Wu Hao suddenly begged.

“Why?” He Tian paused.

“They’ll never let me live after they know you’ve been here. My wife and child are safe—but only if I die will they truly be out of harm’s way.” Wu Hao’s face was full of anguish.

He had only made a small, greedy mistake, but one misstep was enough to drag him into the mire, leaving no chance for redemption.

“If you tell me whether this was Young Master Hai’s doing, or anything else, maybe I’ll help you—help you die,” He Tian said.

“If I don’t die, my wife and child will. Don’t ask me anymore—I know nothing. I’m just a small fry. You won’t get anything from me,” Wu Hao shook his head.

“So you’ve resigned yourself to fate?” He Tian stared at him.

“What other choice do I have? Please, kill me! At least then my body will remain whole,” Wu Hao pleaded.

He Tian fell silent. He could help Wu Hao, but he had no way to protect his wife and child, and doing so risked exposing his own identity.

So…

“Rest in peace. Let’s hope Young Master Hai keeps his word and doesn’t target your family,” He Tian said, snapping Wu Hao’s neck.

On Wu Hao’s face, He Tian saw a look of relief, prompting a slight sigh.

People are so often at the mercy of their circumstances—especially the powerless. How many others like Wu Hao are trapped in such hopeless situations?

It wasn’t exactly sympathy He Tian felt, but the incident did leave him thoughtful.

He left as quietly as he had come.

At dawn, when the guards realized Wu Hao had not emerged, they broke in—only to find him dead.