Chapter 645: Soul Sank into the Sea

An armed helicopter hovered in the pitch‑black night sky, the roar of its rotors intertwining with the sound of the waves below, making this midnight far from peaceful.

The helicopter's searchlight swept back and forth across the deck, lighting each person's face alternately bright and dim.

Xu Jijun, holding Huang Duoduo hostage, retreated to the edge of the deck.

The sea wind flapped his shirt loudly, yet he felt no chill; shouting with full vigor, he yelled: "Land the helicopter immediately! And send Jinling up to the deck!"

Lin Dongfan slightly raised his right hand, signaling the armed police behind him not to fire.

He stepped forward two paces and earnestly urged Xu Jijun: "Jijun, give it up. Hijacking a helicopter feels good for a moment, but boarding it will leave you cold. Really, as your brother I wouldn't lie to you."

"Cut the nonsense!" Xu Jijun snarled, pressing the gun hard against Huang Duoduo's temple: "Three seconds! If you don't comply, I'll shoot!"

Undoubtedly, the one who wanted to cry but had no tears was classmate Huang Duoduo.

He couldn't figure it out—had he dug up someone else's ancestral grave in a past life, or torn down someone else's ancestral home? In this life he'd actually become a 250‑jin hostage.

Digging up graves, tearing down houses—that wasn't the sort of sordid thing Lin Dongfan would do, was it?

It's his own doing!

Why should I be the one to take a bullet? It's unjust, damn it, totally unjust!

Huang Duoduo grew more and more depressed the more he thought.

Unable to hold back, he suggested to Xu Jijun: "Respected Mr. G, my life isn't even worth five mao—why not consider swapping hostages? For instance, exchange me for Lin Dongfan; his life is truly valuable…"

"Traitor, shut up!"

Xu Jijun shoved the gun hard against Huang Duoduo's head, and Huang Duoduo immediately obeyed and shut his mouth.

Lin Dongfan stood calmly in place: "Even if you kill him, what then? Are you going to flee with Jinling, making her live a life of constant fear with you? You…"

"Shut up!"

When the painful subject was brought up, Xu Jijun angrily fired.

"Bang!"

The gunshot echoed through the night sky.

The bullet struck Lin Dongfan's chest with precision, knocking him back two or three steps. He clutched his chest and dropped to one knee, his ribs throbbing painfully beneath the bulletproof vest.

Given the situation, this scene, and this shock, even using his ass to think, Lin Dongfan could see that Xu Jijun surely knew he was wearing a bulletproof vest, which is why he fired this shot.

The purpose was to warn and intimidate him, not to kill him.

If Xu Jijun truly wanted to kill him, that shot would have hit his head! With Xu Jijun's elite marksmanship, a point‑blank headshot would pose no difficulty at all.

Damn, this guy is still pretty level‑headed!

He even retains a shred of humanity!

Lin Dongfan forced himself up despite the pain and on the spot issued two orders. First, order the armed helicopter hovering above to land. Second, order someone to bring Han Jinling over.

Upon hearing these two orders, Xu Jijun's originally angry eyes welled up with tears.

But this kind of tearful light.

It carried a touch of the tragic grandeur of a hero at his end.

Xu Jijun seemed to have something he wanted to say to Lin Dongfan, but in the end he uttered not a word, all sound locked inside his gut.

The helicopter slowly lowered onto the center of the deck, its rotor‑kicked wind so fierce that nobody could keep their eyes open.

Soon after, Chen Xiaoyu pushed the wheelchair‑bound Han Jinling over; Han Jinling, already wan, had tears streaming down her face.

"Jijun!"

Han Jinling's voice trembled in the wind: "Don't keep making mistakes! Why don't we surrender…"

"Don't talk nonsense, come with me." Xu Jijun still held Huang Duoduo hostage at the deck's edge, gazing deeply at Han Jinling: "As long as we get on the plane, the vast world will surely have a place for us to hide."

"How much fuel is in this plane, do you know? How far can it still fly? Maybe it can't even get out of Hundred Yue Province—where could you escape to?"

This series of tear‑filled questions left Xu Jijun bewildered; he really hadn't considered the aircraft's range.

"If you insist on taking a hostage, then take me instead!"

The emotionally agitated Han Jinling gripped the wheelchair's armrests and, straining her body, managed to stand up.

Her two disabled legs, though carefully tended by Xu Jijun over the years and somewhat improved, still could not bear weight.

She took a single step forward and collapsed to the ground.

"Jinling!"

Seeing his beloved woman fall onto the deck, Xu Jijun's face drained of color; instinctively he shoved Huang Duoduo aside and lunged to help Han Jinling up.

And just as he pushed Huang Duoduo aside—

"Bang!"

A gunshot suddenly rang out on the deck.

The bullet struck Xu Jijun's chest pocket!

This bullet's power was far greater than that of an ordinary handgun; its tremendous impact flung Xu Jijun backward several zhang against his will.

Finally, with a plop, he fell into the vast sea.

"Who gave you guys permission to fire?! Who the hell fired?! Get out here, you bastards!!!" Lin Dongfan roared in anger; the armed police behind him stayed silent as snow, nobody stepping forward to claim credit.

Lin Dongfan ran to the deck's edge and looked out to sea, his heart turning cold.

Under the pitch‑black night, nothing could be seen; only the rising and falling waves echoed endlessly in the darkness, like a death god's chant.

Frustrated, his face red and neck thick, Lin Dongfan bellowed again: "Damn! What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and think of a way to go out and salvage!"

This was destined to be a completely sleepless night.

Everyone aboard inevitably had to steel themselves to face Lin Dongfan's wrath; the two coast‑guard vessels summoned by radio soon arrived.

Although this sea area isn't a deep‑sea zone, salvage is still no easy task.

They kept at it until dawn.

Lin Dongfan still leaned on the railing at the deck's edge, heartbroken as he scanned the nearby waters.

Chen Xiaoyu walked over with heavy steps to report: "After Xu Jijun was shot and fell into the sea, Han Jinling washed her face with tears, from last night until now she hasn't spoken a single word; the whole person seems to have lost her soul......"

"!!!"

Lin Dongfan closed his eyes, endless regret lay on his face.

He thought hard for a moment before issuing the instruction: "Take good care of her, be sure to prevent her from committing suicide."

"Understood."

Chen Xiaoyu nodded in reply.

Not long after, Political Commissar Liu Minghui of the Municipal Public Security Bureau came over again and regretfully reported the search-and-rescue results to Director Lin: "We searched for seven hours but didn't find Xu Jijun. Even if we pulled him out now, the chance of survival would be zero. Director Lin, please accept my condolences; nobody wants to see such a result......"

"Nobody wants to see such a result? I doubt that!"

Lin Dongfan turned around angrily, glaring at Liu Minghui: "Who fired the gun last night? Who exactly gave the order to shoot? Political Commissar Liu, please give me an explanation!"

"!!!"

Faced with Lin Dongfan's questioning, Liu Minghui lowered his head in shame.

He gave a buck-passing answer: "Last night, no one at the scene gave the order to fire; it was a sniper who chose to shoot on his own. This can't be blamed on the sniper either, because before the operation the Municipal Party Committee had instructed that in critical moments one could kill the target."