Chapter 912 — Coincidence or Premeditation?

"Heh..." Wei Zhao took the diamond ring from the little box and looked at Tang Yun. "You really are willing to come to me?"

"I... I am!" Tang Yun nodded shyly, and in that moment she was like a bride about to walk down the aisle.

Wei Zhao slipped the ring onto Tang Yun's finger, and a lightness came over his heart.

His strength might be gone, but he was bringing home a wife all the same. He wondered how the old man would take it.

There was a note of sorrow in that meal, yet the mood between them was warm.

Wei Zhao was leaving, but Tang Yun was not downcast — for before long, she would follow him.

When the meal was over, before leaving the private room, Tang Yun put the ring back into its box.

"Why aren't you wearing it? Changed your mind?" Wei Zhao teased.

"Only a fool would change her mind! I'm afraid it'd be snatched right off my hand. You've no strength now, so I mean to keep as low a profile as I can, and not drag any needless trouble down on you." Tang Yun shot him a glare and tucked the ring carefully away against her body.

"Heh..." Wei Zhao said to himself that here was a girl of rare understanding. A girl like this, brought home as a wife — that would be no bad thing at all.

Wei Zhao settled the bill, and he and Tang Yun left the private room together. What he did not know was that in the parking lot of the Starlight Splendor Hotel, Li Cihua's men had already made their arrangements...

"Manager Yang, thank you for your help!" Li Cihua nodded to the manager of the Starlight Splendor.

"Heh heh — when Young Master Bing arranges a thing, how could I not do my utmost?" Manager Yang said with a smile. "And it's no great matter, after all. A mere lifting of the hand!"

Li Cihua nodded. "All right, Manager Yang, go about your business. There's nothing more for you here, and it doesn't look good for you to be seen around."

"Very well, I'll be off then. I only hope Brother Cihua won't raise too great a ruckus and hurt the shop's business!" Manager Yang cautioned.

"Don't worry. I know my limits," Li Cihua said with a nod.

After Manager Yang had gone, Li Cihua climbed into a Buick business van parked on the right side of the lot. Its windows were covered all around with opaque black film, so that from outside one could make out nothing within.

In the lot, a white Nissan microbus had likewise been made ready — a battered old Nissan van of an early model. Look closely and you would see it was in fact a patchwork vehicle pieced together from parts, the very kind favored by street ruffians!

Such vans cost little and could carry men; for brawls and hackings, there was no better car to drive. If anything went wrong, they would simply abandon the van and run — one cost no more than a few thousand yuan.

Wei Zhao and Tang Yun came to the parking lot, and he got into the car with her. He was just about to start the engine when the jade pendant sent out a faint warning signal!

There was danger, but not great danger — such was the conclusion Wei Zhao drew from the pendant's signal.

Wei Zhao was about to look further into the situation when a white Nissan van, without the slightest warning, pulled up behind his car and sealed off his reversing path completely! His car stood in a marked space with cars in front and on either side; the only way out was to back up.

Wei Zhao frowned. Why would anyone park in that spot? Was it deliberate?

Wei Zhao honked twice to signal that he meant to leave, but the Nissan van behind paid him no heed at all, as if it had never heard the horn.

With no other way, Wei Zhao got out and walked to the driver's side of the white Nissan van. He glanced in: a bald man in sunglasses sat smoking at his leisure, not the least bit concerned with Wei Zhao — even as he came up to the window, the man did not deign to give him a direct look.

The pendant's alarm had already put Wei Zhao instinctively on his guard. Why should things be so coincidental? Something about it struck him as wrong. By rights, those who came here to dine were all people of standing; however overbearing these thugs might be, they would hardly stir up trouble for no reason.

Was there some scheme behind these men?

But Wei Zhao had no strength now, and he did not wish to expose his weakness; he could only hold down his anger and knock on the window of the white Nissan van.

"What the hell do you want?" The bald man rolled down the window and blew a mouthful of smoke into Wei Zhao's face, asking with open annoyance.

"I want to get out. Would you move your car?" Wei Zhao had the feeling of a tiger fallen to the flatlands, set upon by dogs. In truth, even stripped of his strength, he had any number of ways to finish off ordinary men like these!

A killer killed not by strength but by technique, in most cases. Yet in full public view, he could hardly kill a few thugs over a matter so small; that would leave him hard-pressed to make his own escape as well.

"Out? Out where? I'm waiting for someone here!" The bald man paid not the slightest heed to Wei Zhao's courtesy and refused him outright.

"You're waiting for someone, but I need to leave!" Wei Zhao had not expected that, while seeking to avoid trouble, trouble would come knocking at his door.

"I'm waiting too, aren't I? Can't you wait a while as well?" The bald man waved impatiently. "What the hell are you dawdling for? Get lost, and be quick about it!"

"..." Wei Zhao frowned, a cold glint passing through his eyes. "That's hardly right of you. I don't want trouble, but don't force my hand."

Wei Zhao was no coward by nature. If he gave way now, and someone with sharp eyes happened to see the scene, what would they think? Their first suspicion would be that he had lost his strength — for why else would he shrink back?

So Wei Zhao could not give ground; he had to stand firm, weak as he was, and keep up the act! In that moment, Wei Zhao suddenly found how agonizing it was for a man without strength to put on a bold front.

"What did you say? My boys and I aren't leaving, then!" At his words the bald man turned vicious; he yanked the keys from the ignition and got out, and behind him four or five thuglike men clambered down from the van.

"I'll say it once more. I don't want trouble today. Don't force my hand," Wei Zhao said coolly.

"And what if I do? What are you going to do about it?" The bald man seemed utterly unconcerned by Wei Zhao's threat; he locked the van and turned to lead his men away.

Wei Zhao moved, striking like lightning — his hand shooting out for the back of the bald man's neck. With fighting technique alone, he could bring these men down.

Yet in the next instant, Wei Zhao discovered to his surprise that the bald man's reactions were keen beyond the ordinary. The very instant his hand was about to seize him, the bald man moved as well, twisting aside to evade the strike. Then he turned and looked coldly at Wei Zhao. "You dare lay a hand on me? Tired of living?"

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