Chapter 52: Devotion

It took a long time for the call to Xiaohua to be answered.

Xiaohua's hesitant voice came through the phone: "Brother, what's wrong?"

Zhong Yuan stared at the taillights of those cars in the distance and asked, "Where are you right now?"

As soon as these words were spoken, some other faint and indistinct sounds echoed from the other end. After a moment, Xiaohua's voice came through again: "Brother, I'm not coming home tonight. You go back first, don't worry about me!"

"Xiaohua..." Zhong Yuan deliberately shouted in an urgent tone. Just as his voice rose, the call was abruptly disconnected with a beep.

Zhong Yuan put away his phone and chuckled. "Xiaohua, this brat, his acting skills are not bad at all!"

In the front seat, Zhong Da chimed in: "His dream used to be an actor. He even worked as an extra at the film studios!"

Hearing this, Zhong Yuan was momentarily stunned.

Zhong Yuan was unaware of Xiaohua's past. Now, hearing Zhong Da mention this, besides being surprised, a complicated emotion welled up inside him. He casually replied, "Is that so? Then why didn't he pursue it later?"

Zhong Da shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuan did not press further.

Ten minutes or so later, the car had left the city and was heading toward a hillside villa in the suburbs.

After glancing at the map, Zhong Yuan told Zhong Da he didn't need to follow anymore.

The car continued past the fork leading to the hillside villa, drove around the next bend, and only stopped after confirming there were no tails behind them.

"Brother, when do we make our move?" Zhong Da glanced at the time, a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

He was worried about Xiaohua.

The horrific state of the corpse in Aikun's bedroom was still fresh in his mind, and now that Xiaohua was taking such a risk, he couldn't quite set his mind at ease. In fact, on the way here, he had wanted to take Xiaohua's place, but Zhong Yuan had not agreed.

And Zhong Yuan's reason for refusing was that while Zhong Da could act, he might not possess Xiaohua's capacity for endurance.

This job required endurance!

Moreover, Xiaohua was younger, which better matched Lin Zhonghai's "taste" and made it easier to hook Lin Zhonghai!

Zhong Yuan looked at the time and said, "Let's wait a little longer!" Naturally, he wasn't entirely unconcerned about Xiaohua either, but since this matter had already begun, they had to stick to the plan as much as possible. If they changed the plan now out of such worries and ruined everything, Xiaohua's "sacrifice" today would be completely meaningless!

Furthermore, although Xiaohua was carefree, his mind actually worked quite fast. He would be able to handle it!

By this time, it was already past ten in the evening.

The sky, which hadn't rained for two days, was now covered with heavy, thick clouds, looking as though it might pour at any moment.

Zhong Yuan counted the minutes. Twenty minutes later, he reached out and patted Zhong Da on the shoulder, saying, "Let's move!"

Hearing this, Zhong Da immediately started the car and turned back.

The hillside villa wasn't actually halfway up the mountain, but rather situated on a slope. There was a lake at the bottom of the slope, surrounded by woods, offering excellent seclusion. Looking up toward the villa from below, only the roof could be vaguely seen.

Zhong Yuan and Zhong Da parked the car in the woods by the lake, then got out, skirted the lake, passed through the woods, and climbed the slope. It wasn't long before they hit the perimeter wall.

Unlike Aikun's courtyard, Lin Zhonghai's perimeter wall had very few surveillance cameras. It would be effortless for Zhong Yuan and Zhong Da to slip inside silently.

Meanwhile, Xiaohua was being led into the basement by Lin Zhonghai.

The basement was dimly lit. Coming down the stairs, one could roughly see that the entire basement was divided into four sections by three corridors. Both sides of each corridor seemed to have numerous rooms. However, the doors to every room were tightly shut, making it impossible to see what lay inside.

Lin Zhonghai walked ahead, holding a wine glass in one hand and a cigarette pinched in the other. Leisurely leading the way, he walked straight into the front corridor and pushed open the door at the very end.

Inside the door turned out to be a media room of a fair size.

A large massage chair sat on the sunken floor, and a full-wall projection screen opposite it tilted slightly downward.

There was a small door on the left side upon entering, though what lay behind it was unknown.

Against the wall on the right were a beverage cabinet and a refrigerator, alongside an object covered by a black cloth that stood over two meters tall.

Watching Lin Zhonghai walk inside, Xiaohua hesitated at the threshold for reasons unknown.

Lin Zhonghai turned back to look at him. His face, with slightly sagging skin, wore a hypocritical smile as he spoke to him, "What's the matter? Scared?"

Xiaohua gave an awkward laugh, shook his head, and then nodded again.

Seeing this, Lin Zhonghai let out a scoff, his eyes narrowing slightly as he said, "Weren't you quite bold earlier? How come you're scared now?"

Xiaohua looked at him, feeling for some reason that those narrowed eyes now held something extra!

Yet, without waiting for a reply, Lin Zhonghai turned and continued walking inside on his own. As he walked, he said, "If you're scared, get lost. Go upstairs, find someone named Hongwei, and have him send you back to the KTV!"

Hearing this, Xiaohua was somewhat surprised.

Now that he was already here, Lin Zhonghai was actually willing to let him go back? This hardly seemed like something the animals of the Buddha Hand Gang would do!

Little did he know, the only reason Lin Zhonghai was willing to let him go was because he was ethnically Chinese.

Ethnic Chinese made up nearly forty percent of the total population in the territory of Don Ri. The fact that Lin Zhonghai could attain his current position was partly related to his Chinese heritage. Although the locals here disliked the Buddha Hand Gang, for these Chinese people, dealing with a fellow Chinese person was always better than dealing with a Southern Thai.

Therefore, for the sake of appearances, Lin Zhonghai would always show a bit of courtesy to the Chinese, lest things turn ugly and the local Chinese population kick up a fuss, which would do him no good!

Xiaohua didn't understand any of this. He only knew that he had to step through this door.

So, gritting his teeth slightly, he lifted his foot and crossed the threshold.

"Since you're in, close the door behind you." Lin Zhonghai's voice followed immediately. After a brief hesitation, Xiaohua resolutely turned and shut the door.

Unexpectedly, the moment the door closed, it clicked and locked with several sharp turns.

Xiaohua's heart skipped a beat in tandem with the sound of the lock.

Immediately following that, music began to play.

Before Xiaohua could turn around, sounds belonging strictly to "adult films" filled the air. Xiaohua's heart gave a violent jolt, and he instinctively turned his head, only for his eyes to collide with two completely naked bodies intertwined, kissing passionately and inextricably. Crucially, both of these people were men.

Xiaohua froze for a moment before hastily lowering his gaze. But while he could avoid looking at the visuals, the audio was inescapable. Moreover, the media room possessed surround sound, making the noises feel as though they were echoing directly inside his brain—with "shocking" intensity!

Xiaohua felt as though even his brain had been tainted!

He took several deep breaths in succession to barely force himself to calm down. By this time, Lin Zhonghai had already seated himself in the massage chair.

"Come here!" Lin Zhonghai suddenly spoke in an authoritative tone, his voice turning low and hoarse.

Xiaohua was genuinely starting to panic now.

Brother Yuan, Brother Da, when are you guys going to get here? You surely don't expect me to actually sacrifice myself, do you?