Chapter 182: Murderous Intent on the Return Journey

The military green truck rattled on the dirt road as if its frame might fall apart; Li Ping'an clutched the rail with one hand and shielded his sister with the other. Yellow dust slammed into his face, and he squinted, scanning the wasteland beside the road, where every tuft of grass could hide a killing intent.

"Brother, why did those people chase us all the way to our hometown?" Li Pingle's voice trembled, her small face turning deathly pale.

"They came for brother." Li Ping'an tightened his sister's collar, saying that returning to Beijing would settle things.

The truck halted at Zhengzhou Station, and the clamor of the crowd slammed into him. Li Ping'an leapt from the carriage, and from the corner of his eye he spotted several suspicious figures weaving through the crowd.

"Stay close to me." He guarded his sister as they walked toward the ticket hall.

Just as they were about to step through the gate, a man in a baseball cap lunged from the side, his cold blade flashing straight toward his chest!

"Dodge!" Li Ping'an pushed his sister aside and slipped to the side. The dagger brushed his coat edge, the attacker missed, and turned to melt back into the crowd.

"Brother! Are you okay?" Li Pingle asked, her voice trembling with tears.

"I'm fine." Li Ping'an stared at the direction where the man vanished, realizing they didn't want us to return to the capital.

He changed plans on the fly, taking his sister to stay at the Railway Bureau Guesthouse. After settling her, he went straight to the duty room and dialed the Security Department hotline.

Wang Dahu answered the phone and shouted, "Chief! You finally called! Something's happened at the factory!"

"Take your time."

"It's only been three days since you left; the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Zhou was inspecting the workshop when the rolling mill broke down, almost causing a fatal accident!" Wang Dahu's voice tightened. "I investigated; someone tampered with it!"

Li Ping'an's gaze hardened: Deputy Factory Director Zhou? The one who brought Liu Su back?

"Right! We need to think of a way..."

"Keep an eye on him first." Li Ping'an lowered his voice, "I'm in trouble here and can't return for now. You investigate his background covertly."

He hung up, and Li Ping'an felt a weight in his heart. That shadow warrior is truly cunning, fighting on two fronts.

Back in the room, he saw his sister embroidering, her fingers trembling violently.

"Brother, I'm not scared." Li Pingle lifted her head, her eyes rimmed with red, "I just... miss Mom and Dad."

Li Ping'an felt a pang, and gently embraced his sister: "When I finish dealing with the villains, I'll take you to erect a memorial for Mom and Dad."

In the dead of night, a faint rustle echoed down the corridor. Li Ping'an slipped behind a door and, through the crack, saw two dark figures prying open the neighboring room's door.

He flung the door open! The two froze in place. Li Ping'an seized the moment, unleashing a fierce punch.

Bang! Bang!

Two muffled thuds sounded as the two collapsed. A search revealed daggers bearing the Night Owl mark.

"Where is the shadow warrior?" He clutched one man's throat.

The man sneered, "Be... jing..." and then bit a poison, killing himself.

The next morning, Li Ping'an brought his sister to the Railway Public Security Bureau. Section Chief Wang grasped his hand and said, "Li Chief, Beijing has sent a joint investigation notice; we will dispatch people to escort you back to the capital."

"No need." Li Ping'an shook his head. "With so many people, just arrange the nearest train for us."

At ten in the morning, the siblings boarded the train. Li Ping'an had his sister sit by the window, pretended to close his eyes and rest, but remained alert to any movement in the carriage.

Sure enough, as soon as the train left Zhengzhou Station, he noticed the man opposite reading a newspaper oddly—he was holding it upside down.

"Pingle, I'm going to get water."

He rose and walked toward the carriage junction; the man indeed followed. As they passed the connection between two carriages, Li Ping'an suddenly turned around!

"Friend, haven't you gotten tired following me all this way?"

The man's complexion changed abruptly, and he reached into his pocket. Li Ping'an moved even faster, delivering a hand slash to his wrist!

Snap! The sound of a bone cracking was clearly audible.

The man screamed as his handgun fell to the floor. Li Ping'an kicked the gun away and pinned him against the carriage wall:

"Where is the shadow warrior?"

"You... will never..." the man sneered, biting his collar.

By the time the onboard police arrived, the agent had already died of a heart attack.

Back at their seats, Li Pingle asked anxiously, "Brother, did something happen again?"

"It's taken care of." Li Ping'an patted her head. "Get some sleep; we'll be in Beijing tomorrow."

The train sped through the night. When it made an unscheduled stop at a small station deep into the night, Li Ping'an jolted awake—there was movement on the roof!

He shook his sister awake: "Come with me."

He led his sister to the junction and whispered, "Wait here; don't come out."

After speaking, he climbed onto the roof. In the moonlight, three dark figures were installing explosive devices!

"Stop!" Li Ping'an barked sharply.

The three froze for a heartbeat, and Li Ping'an lunged forward! The rooftop fight was extremely perilous; soon two agents were subdued, and the third, seeing the tide turn, leapt off the train.

"Want to run?" Li Ping'an pulled a dart from his pocket and threw it!

A distant scream rang out.

Back in the carriage, Li Pingle rushed forward: "Brother! You're injured!"

Li Ping'an only then noticed his arm was cut: a minor wound, nothing serious.

At noon the next day, the train pulled into Beijing Station. Wang Dahu had already arrived with his men waiting on the platform:

"Chief! You finally returned! The factory situation is dire!"

He said this on the train. Li Ping'an's expression was solemn.

In the jeep, Wang Dahu reported urgently: Deputy Factory Director Zhou, under the pretext of a safety inspection, transferred all veteran workers from Workshop No. 3 and replaced them with a batch of fresh faces. I checked, and the resumes of these newcomers all have issues!

Also, he always roams the factory alone at night, especially around the substation.

Li Ping'an's gaze turned cold: "So it was him."

Back at the Steel Rolling Mill, Li Ping'an first inspected the key departments, making a point to visit Workshop No. 3.

"Li Chief is back? Deputy Factory Director Zhou smiled and greeted him, 'Did the matters back home go smoothly?'"

"Thanks to you, I almost couldn't return." Li Ping'an said meaningfully.

Deputy Factory Director Zhou's smile froze: Li Chief really knows how to joke.

The two walked side by side through the factory area, chatting and laughing on the surface while probing each other in secret.

I heard Deputy Factory Director Zhou studied mechanical engineering in the Soviet Union?

Yes, five years at Moscow University.

Your Russian must be excellent then? Li Ping'an suddenly asked, "What do you think of Moscow's Red Square?"

Deputy Factory Director Zhou stammered: "Well... Red Square is huge..."

Li Ping'an snorted inwardly. Someone who had actually stayed in Moscow wouldn't answer like that.

That night, he personally led people to set up surveillance at the substation. Late at night, a black figure indeed crept in.

Just as that person was about to install the explosive device, the surroundings suddenly flooded with light!

"Deputy Factory Director Zhou, working late again?" Li Ping'an stepped out of the shadows.

Deputy Factory Director Zhou—or rather, the shadow warrior—slowly turned, the gentleness draining from his face, leaving only ferocity:

"Li Ping'an, you're indeed tough to handle."

"It's time to end this act." Li Ping'an said coldly, "Mr. Shadow Warrior."

"You think you've won?" the shadow warrior laughed wildly, "Explosives are planted throughout the factory! All I have to do is press—"

He raised the detonator, but froze— the detonator had somehow ended up in Li Ping'an's hand!

"You... the shadow warrior gaped."

"Too slow." Li Ping'an crushed the detonator, "Any last words?"

The shadow warrior tore open his shirt to reveal the explosives: "Then let's die together!"

Li Ping'an's eyes flashed, and in a lightning motion he removed the explosives while subduing him:

"Take him down!"

Wang Dahu rushed forward with his men.

"Li Ping'an! Zhu Jiguān won't let you go!" the shadow warrior struggled madly.

Li Ping'an leaned in and whispered: "Tell your master, I'll root you out completely."

The next day the Steel Rolling Mill returned to order. Li Ping'an stood by the office window, watching the busy workers. Although we won this battle, he knew the threat of Zhu Jiguān was far from over.

"Chief, the interrogation is clear." Wang Dahu pushed the door open, "The shadow warrior's real name is Shanben Ichiro, an ace of Zhu Jiguān."

Li Ping'an was about to speak when the telephone rang. A processed voice came through the earpiece:

The telephone hung up. Li Ping'an set down the receiver, his eyes sharp as a blade.

The telephone hung up. Li Ping'an set down the receiver, his eyes sharp as a blade.

A new contest had already quietly arrived.