Chapter 139: Let's cross over, brothers!

In the hospital that was spotless everywhere, a strong smell of disinfectant lingered.

Li Hengbo lay alone on the hospital bed.

He couldn't sleep at night.

This human‑dog battle brought him disability‑level pain.

It also gave him a profound, transformative insight.

He remembered Lin Dongfan's sneaky trick last year of feigning illness to avoid the embarrassing toilet‑cleaning job.

Lin Dongfan's damnably timed rhythm kept him in the hospital until Chu JingSong returned.

Leaving aside his deep hatred for Lin Dongfan,

He had to admit, Lin Dongfan's slick move was a textbook‑perfect demonstration!

Now facing the same predicament, he must find a way to call off the assassin mission.

Right now, he can simply copy Lin Dongfan's slick trick.

What's wrong with copying homework?

I'll copy your homework today—come bite me if you dare!

Thinking this through…

Li Hengbo seemed to forget his pain, a sly smile spreading across his face like that of a survivor who's just escaped disaster.

He picked up his phone and called Bai Wentao: "Hey, Secretary Bai, I'm crippled."

"What do you mean, crippled?"

A surprised voice came from the phone.

Li Hengbo adopted a mournful tone: "Wasn't it you who told me to take him out? I went, and now I'm lying in the hospital; the doctor says I may need a cane for the rest of my life—does that count as an occupational injury?"

"Did he break your leg?"

The voice on the phone was still astonished.

Li Hengbo could almost picture Secretary Bai staring wide‑eyed, and he continued in a mournful tone: "I carried out the superior's order as best I could! My leg is broken! I endured the pain! I swallowed the grievance! When it's time to shut up, I'll do so willingly! Now I just want to know if I can be allowed to live a few more days."

"Don't be so melodramatic."

"This isn't melodrama, it's anger. I also want to finish the mission, but man proposes, heaven disposes—as Shen Gongbao said, my sworn brother Shen never lies to friends."

"I've read the original Investiture of the Gods; there's no such line in it."

"If I told you I'm a time traveler, this is a movie line from years later—you probably wouldn't believe me either; when I just woke up from the operating table, I was dazed too."

"You… you're sure it's your leg that's hurt, not your head?"

"Look, I knew you wouldn't believe me and would suspect I've got a screw loose. Anyway, my mission failed; I just want to know if you'll come after my life. Be bold—let's have a frank talk."

"Stop talking nonsense; just heal your wounds and don't worry about anything else."

"Then does this count as an occupational injury?"

"Yes."

"How long can I take off?"

"Until you're discharged."

"Thanks."

After hanging up, Li Hengbo's smile grew ever more enigmatic; he hardly gave the leg injury a second thought.

He thought of those lewd power‑up tropes from novels.

Li Hengbo then messaged Lin Dongfan: "I've quit the Executive Gang—stop messing with me. You've got your father‑in‑law, I've got my old buddy. We're evenly matched; there's no need for us to fight to mutual destruction."

At this very moment, Lin Dongfan had already fallen asleep holding Chu Lingxi.

The phone resting on the bedside table chimed.

But it couldn't wake the dreamer.

The next morning, Lin Dongfan woke up, saw Li Hengbo's text, smirked, and deleted it as spam.

Lin Dongfan didn't believe Li Hengbo was sincerely seeking peace.

He was more inclined to think it was a stalling tactic.

But no matter what scheme he uses, in Lin Dongfan's view it's useless! He'd already said they'd settle it with death by a thousand cuts—either you kill me or I kill you; one of us will end up down for good.

Time waits for no one, and the April election day draws ever nearer.

To prod the Executive Gang into digging up the treasure quickly,

on the seventh day of the first lunar month.

Lin Dongfan deliberately contacted a renovation company and made a big show of the remodeling.

The purpose was to notify the Executive Gang: if you don't dig up the treasure soon, it won't stay hidden—once the renovation starts, the truth might be torn out!

This tactic really worked.

That night, on the eighth of the first lunar month, three men posing as renovation workers boldly slipped into Courtyard No. 37 of Straw Hat Alley—they didn't climb over the wall; they picked the lock to get in.

They seemed to be pros—indeed, they had a specialist lock‑picker.

As usual, Lin Dongfan, together with Xie Xiaofeng, monitored the indoor and outdoor surroundings from the hotel's makeshift command center via laptop.

Xie Xiaofeng asked, "Brother Fan, should we wait until they dig up the treasure before moving in?"

"Hmm."

Lin Dongfan didn't elaborate.

After all, that's pointless—though he'd bought Courtyard No. 37, he still had no idea where Boss Xiao's stash was actually hidden.

Letting these three night‑raiders lead the way saved him the trouble of digging three feet deep.

These three guys obviously hadn't noticed the covert surveillance inside the house, nor the ten bodyguards and retired war dog lying in wait in the shadows.

The leader of these night‑raiders was called Wu Daimai, a burly foreman‑type.

He wore a red safety helmet on his head.

He held the building blueprint in one hand and a tin flashlight in the other, shining it on the circled red dot on the blueprint.

After confirming the position, he again shone the flashlight to look at the surroundings.

He felt something was off.

With a doubtful look, he said, "Did we grab the wrong door?"

"Dai Ge, that's right, this is Straw Hat Alley, Courtyard No. 37." The night wanderer who replied was called Hei Pi, and the somewhat simple-minded fatty beside him was called Pang Zi; the two were old partners, previously specialized in unlocking others' bicycles on the street, later upgraded to unlocking others' home safes.

They had been in the trade for six years, never missing a job.

Because whenever they failed, police comrades would handcuff them and pull them out of the depths of depravity.

Wu Dai Mei had never doubted Hei Pi's observational skills; after all, this guy was very professional at scouting.

But the position of the red dot circled in this diagram.

I really couldn't understand it.

The circled position was in an annex room, but beside it was also marked the two words 'well opening'. How could there be a well in an annex? Inside there was only a large water tank and a pile of rotten firewood.

This was clearly a storage room.

Wu Dai Mei handed the blueprint to Hei Pi and Pang Zi: "You take a look—is the place marked by this red dot where we are standing now?"

Hei Pi shook his head: "No."

Wu Dai Mei angrily jabbed the red dot on the blueprint with her index finger, firmly correcting: "Is it my eyes that are blind or yours? Is this the West Wing Annex? Speak clearly after you look!"

"Dai Ge, you've held the blueprint upside down."

Pang Zi was honest, saying as he turned the blueprint over and handed it back to Wu Dai Mei.

Wu Dai Mei took a close look, angrily questioning Pang Zi: "Do you think I can't read? Even if I really can't read! Where's the main gate—I can't not understand?"

"Dai Mei, I didn't mean that." Pang Zi wore a sullen face.

Wu Dai Mei on the spot angrily tore the blueprint: "The person who drew this is so unprofessional! They drew the front and back doors the same size—who can tell which is which?"

"Right, right, Dai Ge, please this way." Hei Pi quickly made a guiding gesture.

Wu Dai Mei shone the flashlight on Pang Zi and Hei Pi's faces, solemnly instructing the two: "You two prick up your ears and listen to me—this isn't petty theft. The boss has considerable background; you must bring out your professional skills! If you're as unprofessional as the person who drew this blueprint, I'll rip you apart!"