Chapter 122: Exposure

Sitting in a jeep by the roadside at the foot of the mountain, Du Jianwu and Gao Qinghua were deeply astonished by the tolling of the bell from the Zen monastery. They both knew the bell at Ganlu Temple only rang three times a year; to hear it on such an ordinary day was utterly inexplicable to them.

Even more unexpected to Du, Gao, and even Kang Ning himself was that the moment Kang Ning had stepped out of the temple gates, Abbot Jueming had already gathered over two hundred disciples in the main hall, praying for Kang Ning amidst the flickering candlelight and fragrant incense.

Seeing the jeep parked under the trees, Kang Ning silently climbed in and sat in the back seat. Before he could speak, Gao Qinghua, in the driver’s seat, turned around: "Xiaohua, this car of yours is modified brilliantly. It looks like a wreck on the outside, but the performance and horsepower are outstanding—it handles even better than the Mitsubishi off-roader at my office. How about giving it to me once you leave Leijiang?"

Before Kang Ning could reply, Du Jianwu, in the passenger seat, chimed in with a sarcastic tone: "Don't dream, Big Brother. I don't think he's that generous. You don't need a brain to figure out this was clearly modified for criminal activity. I checked this license plate at 4:30 this afternoon—damn! The owner is the Chongqing Meat Processing Plant, and the plate originally belonged to a diesel truck that was scrapped after an accident. Heh! And look at the driver's license in the visor; it’s now registered to the Fifth Office of the Chongqing Municipal Government. Clever! Even if a traffic cop stopped you, seeing the sign for the Fifth Office, they’d let you go with respect. Amazing!"

After hearing this, Gao Qinghua pulled down the sun visor, took out the registration from the clip to examine it closely, then shoved it back and turned to stare sternly at Kang Ning.

Kang Ning cursed inwardly. Fortunately, the Armed Police plates and military uniforms were still locked in his garage; otherwise, his beloved car, which Du had already inspected, would have exposed even more of his secrets. Seeing Gao Qinghua’s intense gaze, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain: "This car was just scrap from the factory. I salvaged parts from other junkers and assembled it myself just to have a way to get to work. To avoid trouble, I had someone whip up some fake plates and documents. I didn't realize you had such a vivid imagination, Brother Du."

Du Jianwu laughed. "You call that 'whipping up' some fakes? Anyone in the know understands the backing of the Fifth Office. You've got guts to use that as a cover. Tsk tsk, Xiaohua... actually, I'll keep calling you Wu Xiaohua for now. Tomorrow, as soon as I’m at the office, I’ll contact some friends where your ID is registered. Maybe I'll find another 'Wu Xiaohua,' right, Brother Gao? Haha!"

Kang Ning was completely cornered.

Just as he was deciding how to handle the situation, Gao Qinghua looked at him with profound concern. After a long silence, he asked anxiously: "Brother, if you trust me, tell me the truth. I’ll be honest with you: Brother Du and I have a bond of life and death. I can personally guarantee that he won't make things difficult for you. But you must tell us the truth."

Kang Ning shook his head helplessly. He looked up at the silhouette of Ganlu Temple as night fell, the faint sound of chanting tugging at his heart. He hardened his resolve and, at the foot of that compassionate and serene mountain, gave a brief account of his path of vengeance.

Watching the expressionless Kang Ning describe his killings in such a calm tone, Gao Qinghua and Du Jianwu were left speechless, stunned to their cores. Though his words were simple and brief, both men could sense the meticulous planning and ruthless resolve behind them. They could hardly believe that the refined and handsome young man before them was capable of such cold-blooded justice.

Seeing their reaction, Kang Ning smiled and said to Du Jianwu: "Brother Du, I know you’ve always treated me well, and I hold that in my heart. I also admire your professionalism and persistence. You guessed right—my real name isn't Wu Xiaohua. Rather than letting you contact the Guangxi police and uncover my background, I’d rather confess the truth to you and Brother Gao today. Consider it a repayment of your kindness. If you want to arrest me after I’m done, feel free, but I’ll tell you this: you won't be able to catch me today, no matter what. Even if Brother Gao helps you, he’d only hold me for a few extra seconds."

As he finished speaking, his left hand, which had been resting at his waist, moved slightly. The familiar sound of a pistol slide being racked echoed in the quiet car, startling Du and Gao.

However, both men knew that, facing a prepared Kang Ning, they were powerless. Moreover, they were deeply impressed by Kang Ning’s martial arts prowess and had no original intention of causing him harm. They were mostly terrified that Kang Ning would kill them to save himself.

Du Jianwu looked at Kang Ning helplessly. Under Kang’s piercing gaze, he slowly raised his hands from his waist, crossed them over his chest, and said in a grave, low voice: "Brother, don't do anything foolish! Neither I nor Brother Gao have any ill will. We just wanted the truth. Besides, those people you killed or crippled deserved it! Listen to your brother, stay calm. We’ve known you for a while, and we believe in your character. We know that even if you have your reasons, you wouldn't betray your conscience. Tell us your troubles. Not only will we not make things difficult for you, but if we can, we might even be able to help. Trust me, brother!"

Du Jianwu’s sincere words moved Kang Ning, but he would not lower his guard. His growing distrust of the police kept him on edge. Furthermore, Du Jianwu’s recent behavior made Kang Ning increasingly suspicious of his true motives.

After a long, silent standoff, Kang Ning looked at them with sorrow and spoke in as calm a voice as possible: "Brother Du’s intuition is correct. If you remember the scene of Uncle Wang’s tragic death that morning, you might understand my motive. My name is Kang Ning. If you have time, search your internal network; you might find my file in the Guangxi branch. By the end of this month, I expect to be on a nationwide wanted list. I’ve heard there’s a bounty of two million on my head from Nanning. Some say if they don't catch me by the end of the year, that figure—the highest in Guangxi’s criminal history since the founding of the country—might jump to five million."

As he watched the stunned expressions of the two men, Kang Ning recounted his background and the case in detail. Finally, he said coldly to his waking-up brothers: "I’m sorry, but you two need to get out now. You can flag down a car or call someone to pick you up. It’s only twenty-two kilometers to the city; it won't take you long."

"Brother, listen to me..." Gao Qinghua stuttered, sweat breaking out on his forehead as he watched the muzzle of the Type 54 pistol rise. Du Jianwu sighed and remained seated.

Kang Ning interrupted him, expressionless: "I’m sorry, brothers. Get out! I owe you both, and in the future, I will avoid you at all costs so as not to put you in a difficult position."

Seeing the resolve in Kang Ning’s eyes, they knew they couldn't sway him. They stepped out of the car, walked to a boundary marker five meters ahead, and stopped as instructed.

Seeing Kang Ning put the car in reverse, Du Jianwu, ignoring the risk of being misunderstood, rushed toward the moving jeep. Only when Kang Ning stopped and stared coldly at him did Du open his arms, standing four or five meters away, and shout: "Kid, you cannot touch Ni San within the next three months!"

Kang Ning replied calmly: "Stop me if you can!"

Du Jianwu was frantic. Seeing Kang Ning start the engine again, he shouted: "Damn you! Do you even know who is behind Ni San? Do you think you’re the only one tracking you? Do you think you’re so damn clever? Go ahead and get yourself killed then! Damn it..."

Kang Ning was shocked. Amidst Du Jianwu’s continuous cursing, he involuntarily stepped on the brake pedal.