Chapter 136: Dashing Through the Door

Leaving Xiaoyao Pavilion and returning to his residence, Kang Ning immediately contacted his sworn brother, Zhang Jianhan. After exchanging updates, Kang Ning hesitated for a moment before summoning the courage to beg Zhang Jianhan to persuade their father by any means necessary to bring Lu Jing and her son home.

Zhang Jianhan had already learned during the call that his younger brother had gotten himself into another romantic entanglement in Sichuan. Though he scolded Kang Ning mercilessly for his recklessness, he eventually sighed and agreed, promising to handle the matter as soon as possible.

After hanging up, Kang Ning sat in melancholy for a while before steadying his mind. He drew a floor plan of Xiaoyao Pavilion based on his memory. He meticulously labeled every room, corridor, and hallway of the third-floor sauna, repeatedly refining his plan, determining the methods and timing of his actions, making precise predictions about potential contingencies and their countermeasures, and confirming his escape routes. He did not go to bed until the following dawn.

The next evening, Kang Ning cleaned his rental apartment from top to bottom. Once he had removed any traces of his presence, he unplugged the refrigerator and tightened the gas valve. Standing at the door, he took a lingering look back before locking up and heading downstairs.

After moving the necessary items into his vehicle in the garage, Kang Ning drove out, locked the garage door, and returned to the Mitsubishi SUV marked with military police plates. He drove to Xiaoyao Pavilion and circled it at a leisurely pace.

Spotting the Mercedes-Benz 600 parked at the main entrance with a dedicated guard, Kang Ning drove to a street near the downtown area, parked, and found an inconspicuous restaurant to enjoy a slow meal.

At 8:45 PM, Kang Ning returned to observe Xiaoyao Pavilion. Seeing the Mercedes-Benz 600 and the Audi A6 with Sichuan provincial government plates still parked there, he pulled his car into the courtyard of a supply company next door and checked his appearance in the sun visor mirror.

Kang Ning stepped out, locked the car, and walked toward the lobby of the Xiaoyao Pavilion Hotel with a relaxed, composed air.

On his way to the lobby, Kang Ning noticed that Ni San had indeed tightened security significantly. Every exit was patrolled by one or two burly men. Two men standing outside the elevator gave Kang Ning a vigilant look, but upon seeing the tall, elegant young man wearing thick-rimmed glasses and sporting a hideous set of buckteeth, they immediately turned away in disgust, wanting nothing more to do with him.

Kang Ning reached the third floor, changed, showered, and spent a moment in the steam room before drying off and putting on a sauna robe. He sat in the lounge area, sipped some tea, and asked the waiter to summon the masseuse from the previous night, Number 19.

The girl from the night before arrived excitedly, but she looked shocked when she saw Kang Ning with his mouth hanging open, revealing a set of buckteeth. Kang Ning grabbed her and whispered, "I'm wearing dentures because I'm worried about being recognized by acquaintances. Just know that, and don't make a scene."

The girl sat on Kang Ning’s lap and playfully punched him, complaining, "You scared me to death! These dentures are truly hideous. I almost didn't recognize you. If you really looked like this, I wouldn't go to bed with you even for ten thousand yuan."

After saying this, she smilingly took the teacup from Kang Ning's hand and placed it on the coffee table. She linked her arm with his and led him down the corridor toward the massage room from the night before.

Once the door was closed, she insisted on stripping Kang Ning bare, wrapped a towel around his waist, and had him lie down on the massage bed. She then playfully draped herself over him, demanding that Kang Ning take out those disgusting dentures.

Kang Ning smiled and reached toward his mouth. Just as he was about to remove the dental appliance, a "click" echoed in the room, startling both the girl and Kang Ning.

Kang Ning looked up. The door had been rudely pushed open, and two men with cold expressions were staring intently at him.

Kang Ning recognized both men at the door: one was the man called "Monkey" he had seen at the dog market the day before, and the other was Ni San’s new personal bodyguard. Du Jianwu had warned Kang Ning that this man’s martial arts skills were likely on par with, if not superior to, his own.

Monkey ordered the masseuse, "Third Brother has reserved this room. You and this guest move to a standard room."

The masseuse was reluctant, pouting as she pleaded, "Manager, the guest booked this room a long time ago. The standard rooms are all shared by two people. I don't want to go there."

Monkey thought for a moment and compromised, "Fine, move to Room 11 just across the hall. This is the only VIP room left tonight. Hurry up, Brother Hai is waiting."

Kang Ning pretended to be flustered, adjusted his glasses, gripped his towel tightly, and followed the masseuse out of the room with his head bowed in feigned terror.

As he passed the silent bodyguard, Kang Ning noticed that the man called "Brother Hai" had hands covered in calluses. His right index finger was habitually hooked slightly, and the markings and deformation on the finger instantly triggered a memory of Gao Qinghua’s description: a sniper!

Once inside VIP Room 11, the masseuse locked the door and complained, "It must be another group of big shots. This is the third time this month. Third Brother never used to ask us to vacate rooms; that stupid Monkey just loves to suck up to people."

"Do you know that man called Brother Hai? I think he looks quite imposing," Kang Ning asked nonchalantly after lying down.

The masseuse thought for a moment and replied, "I don’t know him well. The other girls say he’s Third Brother’s new bodyguard. Oh, right, Xiao Juan slept with him. She said he’s very powerful, lasting almost an hour without stopping. He wrecked Xiao Juan last time; she could barely walk the next day, hehe..."

As she spoke, the masseuse began massaging Kang Ning’s chest. "Hurry up and take those dentures out, they're disgusting!"

Kang Ning smiled, removed his glasses and dentures, placed them in a paper cup on the bedside table, and lay back, watching the blushing masseuse. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"My name is Wang Hua, 'Hua' as in China. Just call me Xiao Hua."

The masseuse gently stroked Kang Ning’s chest while her other hand slid down toward his waist. Feeling a handful of muscle, she gasped in surprise, "What is your... oh my god, why are you so big?"

Kang Ning replied with feigned embarrassment, "You can call me Xiao Tian, 'Tian' as in the Son of Heaven. If you don't mind, you can just call me 'Son of Heaven.' Haha, think about it: the Son of Heaven is the sky, a dragon—how could it be anything else but large?"

Xiao Hua blushed, slowly lifted the towel around Kang Ning's waist, and was left speechless at the sight.

Kang Ning’s manhood stood tall and proud, pointing toward the ceiling, swaying its head triumphantly as if challenging the world.

Feeling quite awkward, Kang Ning covered himself back up with the towel.

Xiao Hua, clutching her small mouth in shock, finally snapped out of it, turned, and hurried toward the door, as if she were about to flee the room.