Chapter 53: The Buddha

Lin Chunghai's villa had only a single ground floor.

At this moment, the interior of the first floor was brightly lit. In the spacious living room, the television—occupying almost an entire wall—was broadcasting the currently trending TV drama, *Love and Betrayal*.

Brother Hong and his gang were seated on the sofa, clustered together in twos and threes. Some were smoking, some were drinking, and others had their arms around women, leaning back in the corners with their eyes closed, though it was impossible to tell whether they were truly asleep or just pretending.

Suddenly, someone glanced at something on his phone, his brow furrowing deeply. He turned, nudged the person next to him, handed over the screen, and said, "Take a look at this photo. Doesn't the guy on the left look a little familiar?"

Hearing this, the other man looked down at the phone screen, but after studying it for a long time, he still shook his head. "Not ringing a bell. What's wrong? Do you know this guy?"

Seeing that his companion didn't recognize him, the man felt his own uncertain guess waver even more. He hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't know him. Just thought he looked somewhat familiar." With that, he made to take his phone back.

However, at that very moment, the other man abruptly grabbed the phone, looked at the photo more closely, and frowned. "Where did you get this picture? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before!"

"The boss sent it out a few months ago. Remember Tanwei from Krabi? He went missing, and rumor has it that it has something to do with these two!" the first man said.

Hearing this, the other man was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Well, if that's the case, these two did a good deed. Brother Ma in Krabi must be smiling in his sleep!"

Just as the two were talking, Brother Hong, who had been resting with his eyes closed on the sofa opposite them, suddenly opened his eyes. "What are you two chatting about?"

The man who was still laughing took up the conversation. "We were talking about that Tanwei!"

Upon hearing this, Brother Hong sneered as well. "That guy was nothing but a troublemaker! I remember he went missing a few months ago, right? What? Did they find him?"

The man shook his head. "No. Even if they found him by now, there's probably nothing left of him but bones!"

Brother Hong chuckled again, and just as he was about to reply, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang. The harsh, piercing ringtone instantly drowned out the sound of the television, drawing everyone's gaze toward him.

Brother Hong pulled out his phone and took a look; the faint smile on his face vanished in an instant. Without a second thought, he switched the phone to silent and tossed it aside.

"Brother Hong, whose call is that?" someone asked, noticing his thoroughly displeased expression.

Brother Hong let out a cold hum. "It's that fellow surnamed Li! Probably wants to ask me where his little lackey is."

Hearing this, one of the men laughed. "Then you should answer! Tell him his little lackey is currently lying under our Brother Hai, enjoying himself to the fullest!" At those words, the entire room burst into raucous laughter.

Brother Hong laughed along as well. He pointed at the man who had spoken and scolded with a smile, "You've always got a sharp tongue! Why don't you take the call then?"

"Sure!" the man readily agreed.

Seeing this, Brother Hong picked up the phone and tossed it across the coffee table.

The man caught it and immediately pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

...

"Hello?"

...

"Why is there no sound?"

The call had connected, but the other end was dead silent, without a shred of noise. The smile on the man's face gradually faded, replaced by mounting anger.

"Damn it!" Cursing under his breath with a heavy frown, the man hung up, but refusing to let the matter drop, he immediately redialed the number.

The next second.

The phone's ringtone echoed directly from right outside the front door.

Because of the noise from the television, no one had noticed at first. But a moment later, someone picked up on the anomaly. He reached out, grabbed the remote control, and muted the TV, instantly making the phone's ringing sound startlingly clear.

In an instant, everyone froze in utter confusion.

After exchanging bewildered glances for a moment, they all turned to look at Brother Hong.

"Brother Hong, what's going on?" the man holding the phone asked in a low voice.

Brother Hong made a gesture for silence, then rose to his feet. He pointed at two other men, signaling for them to follow.

The rest of the men stood up as well. Some reached for their guns, others grabbed knives, and one person even snatched up the heavy ashtray from the coffee table.

Brother Hong and the two men crossed the foyer and reached the front door. Outside the ajar door, the lighting was dim and patchy, casting shadows that looked like people lurking everywhere. Brother Hong stepped behind the door and signaled the other two to go out first.

The two men held their firearms, exchanged a glance, and then one of them violently yanked the door open while the other rushed outside.

Yet there was not a soul to be seen.

"Brother Hong, nobody's here!"

Brother Hong stepped out from the threshold, walked into the yard with a frown, swept his gaze around, and demanded, "Where's the phone?"

"Right here!"

One of the men found the phone, its screen still glowing, hidden behind the potted shrubbery next to the front steps.

Just at that moment, the people still inside the living room heard another sound. It came from the kitchen at the back of the house, resembling the sharp crash of shattering glass.

The remaining men wore tense expressions. After a brief hesitation, three of them crept off toward the kitchen.

Outside the front door, Brother Hong took the phone handed over by his subordinate, glanced at it, and then raised his head to survey the surroundings. In the gloomy night, the tall, dense bushes in the garden suddenly seemed like predatory monsters capable of striking terror into one's heart.

At that moment, from behind a cluster of bushes not far away to the east, a rustling noise suddenly broke out!

And it was not a quiet sound.

All three men noticed it, their bodies instantly tensing up.

"Damn it!" Brother Hong muttered a curse under his breath, raised his gun, and aimed it at the clump of foliage. Taking two steps forward, he shouted, "Uncle Li, I know it's you! Get out here right now, or I'll open fire!"

With that, the surroundings plunged into absolute silence.

Brother Hong waited for two full seconds. When no movement followed, his expression grew even uglier. Hesitating slightly, he took another couple of steps forward and barked once more, "Uncle Li, if you don't show yourself this instant, I really am going to shoot! Don't come crying to me whether you end up dead or alive!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the bushes rustled again, giving Brother Hong a start. But instead of anyone appearing, a dull thud suddenly resounded from directly behind him.

Brother Hong's heart skipped a beat. He spun around, gun in hand, but before he could even register the scene behind him, a dark shadow closed the distance instantly. The hand holding the gun was slashed violently across the inner wrist by a blade, hot blood spraying forth in the wake of the cold steel. A wave of blinding pain followed immediately, but before he could cry out, a hand struck fiercely, the web of the thumb and forefinger slamming straight into his larynx.

He staggered backward, his hands instinctively clutching at his throat. Only then did he clearly see that the person standing before him was none other than that 'Uncle Li,' the man he had looked down upon the entire time. And this man, who had always appeared so submissive and utterly harmless, now had eyes that were deep, piercing, and utterly devoid of emotion—a chilling indifference that made one feel as though they were facing a deity holding absolute power over life and death.

Brother Hong was struck with sheer terror.

He tried to cry for help, but when he opened his mouth, only a weak, gasping wheeze escaped.

He tried to flee, but the moment he turned around, a foot slammed savagely into his back. Propelled forward, he lunged headfirst through the air and crashed heavily into the thick bushes, falling completely still.