abcnovels
Chapter 242 - 242: Don’t Be soft-hearted
Chapter 242 - 242: Don’t Be soft-hearted
Chapter 242: Don’t Be soft-hearted
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“This is all speculation from you and Lu Zhiyuan,” Jiang Junlin calmly looked at Ji Chi, his hand caressing the gemstone ring Ji Chi had given him. “Where’s the evidence?”
“We don’t have any concrete evidence, just speculation,” Ji Chi chuckled lightly. “You can be ruthless toward your enemies, but surprisingly soft toward your own people. If that day’s confrontation between MSS and the Triad had resulted in one or two deaths, maybe Third Master wouldn’t have suspected you. But in such a large-scale naval battle, where everyone came out unscathed, it’s quite puzzling. Unless you two are from different factions who don’t recognize each other as allies.”
“That’s a nice story you’ve spun!” Jiang Junlin gazed at him indifferently, a coldness in his eyes.
Ji Chi looked at Jiang Junlin playfully and said, “The Triad’s financial system has been providing cover for the intelligence organization behind them, infiltrating various local industries. To gain a foothold quickly, their methods must be unsavory. Jiang Junlin, if this gets exposed, it will be a major scandal.” “I’ve said it before, your story sounds good, but where’s the evidence?” Jiang Junlin, even in his current predicament, displayed unwavering confidence. “If what you’re saying is true, we would have had contingency measures from the beginning. No one would acknowledge my identity. From start to finish, I’m just Jiang Junlin, the CEO of Hualan Bank.”
Ji Chi looked at Jiang Junlin with a cold smile. Despite his righteous appearance due to his position, Jiang Junlin, a young man raised in luxury, had blood on his hands.
The blend of good and evil was perfect in him.
Ji Chi asked softly, “Brother, all these years, have you ever felt pain? Regret?”
Jiang Junlin looked at him in silence, continuously toying with the ring.
Ji Chi continued, “A knife unrecognized by the nation, rushing to the front lines, doing all the dirty work, the hard work. Covered in blood, have you ever looked back at those sitting in the bright halls, people who never faced the wind and snow? They say, Jiang Junlin, you don’t deserve to be one of us. We lead honorable lives, while you’re just a rat in the gutter. Who would acknowledge you? And when you look at those brothers who have fought alongside you, have they ever asked, who are we really? Are we soldiers or thieves? Whose pawns are we? Will there ever be a day when we can retire? Strangers all around, not accepted by society. Have you ever felt pain? Regret?” Jiang Junlin seemed to have been touched in the deepest part of his heart. His eyes reddened slightly, but his gaze remained calm as he looked at Ji Chi. “My great-grandfather, before he passed away, my father asked him, ‘Grandpa, do you have any regrets?'”
As a young child, Jiang Junlin had heard a story from his father, Jiang Minghua, about his great-grandfather. Jiang Junlin continued, “My great-grandfather said, ‘In this life, if one’s existence doesn’t contribute to the world and his death doesn’t reduce its goodness, that’s a tragedy.’ So, he chose to die for his country, even if he would be forgotten forever. My heart remains the same. I’ve never regretted my choices.”
He smiled and looked at Ji Chi, “But, Ji Chi, regardless of the story you’ve told, without evidence, it’s just a tale.”
Ji Chi leaned in closer, one hand resting beside Jiang Junlin. His young eyes had a hint of dark red. “Whether this is true or false, I have no interest. The grudge between the Triad and Black Hawk over these years needs closure. And you… can only watch as the Triad crumbles.”
“Are you going to keep me locked up forever?” Jiang Junlin chuckled in frustration. He was pondering how crazy Ji Chi had become. At most, Ji Chi would keep him locked up while Pei Qiuying and Chen Rushi would engage in internal strife, weakening the Triad significantly.
“What’s wrong with that!” Ji Chi’s eyes darkened. “I’ve lost patience a long time ago. I might break your legs, clip your wings, and keep you here. Let’s see who can rescue you. Without you, 1 want to see what cards the Triad has left!” “Ji Chi, you’ve certainly grown some backbone!” Jiang Junlin, infuriated, chuckled. He suddenly grabbed Ji Chi’s throat and executed a perfect throat lock. Ji Chi was taken aback, and within moments, the chain on the ground made a crisp sound as Ji Chi was dragged and pinned onto the bed. “How dare you actually imprison me!”
This was a specialized move, trained through the system, a unique throat-locking technique.
“Unlock the chain!” Jiang Junlin held Ji Chi’s throat with one hand and his knee against Ji Chi’s chest with the other. With a little more force, he could snap Ji Chi’s neck, and even if Ji Chi managed to avoid the throat lock, he couldn’t escape the threat to his chest.
Ji Chi’s collar was wide open, revealing a large expanse of tanned skin. He smiled with a delicate and charming dimple, and his eyes were exceptionally seductive due to the redness. A bit masochistic, a bit crazy. “If you kill me, you’ll be free.”
“Brother, my life or your freedom, you can only choose one!”
Jiang Junlin increased the pressure, and Ji Chi began to suffocate, his face turning pale. He had been suffocating for nearly ten seconds, his mind blank, with some fleeting memories flashing before his eyes as death approached. “Indeed, it felt like my life flashing before my eyes,” he thought to himself.
He couldn’t believe that Jiang Junlin would really kill him. After the prolonged suffocation, Ji Chi’s vision turned hazy, and even in the face of death, Jiang Junlin had a crazed smile on his face.
“Fuck!” He released Ji Chi, who immediately flipped over, coughing violently and greedily inhaling the air. It took him a while to recover from the brink of death, and he was drenched in cold sweat.
Ji Chi licked his dry lips provocatively, his body relaxed beneath Jiang Junlin. “Brother, don’t hesitate, go ahead.”
Jiang Junlin slapped him across the face, causing Ji Chi’s cheek to swell instantly. “You bastard!”
Ji Chi licked the blood that had been drawn by the slap, seemingly unfazed and not feeling any pain. “Don’t want to kill me? Then you’ll be imprisoned here. The day I die, you’ll be free.”
“Is this your idea, or Lu Zhiyuan’s?” Jiang Junlin asked.
“It’s mine!” Ji Chi raised an eyebrow. “Third Master isn’t interested in our grudges. The process doesn’t matter to him, and neither does your identity.” “Ji Chi, release me, and we can still find a way to resolve this,” Jiang Junlin calmly said. “This is my final warning to you. Don’t play with fire and burn yourself.”
“I won’t release you!” Ji Chi shouted angrily, rising to his feet. “You’ll never leave this dark room, and I’ll kill all your men. No one will find you!”
Jiang Junlin removed the ring that had been on his middle finger and threw it onto Ji Chi. He spoke coldly, “Here’s your stuff, now get out!”
Ji Chi chuckled as he received the ring, feeling Jiang Junlin’s body warmth on it. He placed the ring on the bedside table and then turned and left the dark room. Jiang Junlin watched him go, furrowing his brow and muttering curses under his breath.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the panic within him. This son of a bitch really dared to imprison him..