Chapter 352: The Pledge of Allegiance

The woman did not move; she tugged at the corners of her mouth and smiled.

The burly man beside her did not move either, merely keeping a secret guard. Zhao Xiuneng moved even less, but his eyelids could not stop twitching.

Inside the command vehicle, however, it was like a pot had exploded—

Seeing the woman did not speak, Lin Sicheng cupped his hands: "It seems the boss is not available? Then I won't disturb you, farewell!"

"

The woman finally responded: "Boss Lin, how can you just come as you please and leave as you please?"

"I can't leave?"

"It's not that you can't leave, but it's not easy to make a trip here, so it wouldn't be right to let Boss Lin leave empty-handed!"

Lin Sicheng pointed at the glass cabinet: "What, you want to gift me one?"

The woman shook her head: "The items are not mine, I cannot make the decision!"

"Then stop grinding your teeth and invite the one who can make the decision to come out!"

The two went back and forth, tit for tat, ignoring everyone else; the more Ren Danhua watched, the more she felt something was wrong.

One said she was stupid, with a tone and expression that carried no concealment, and even leaked an unexpected disappointment.

The other acted on her own authority, overstepping her bounds, treating her like air?

The former was fine, as she didn't know the situation, but what was going on with Wang Cuiqin?

You need to get this straight, everyone outside is my person, and I am in charge here—

She stared fixedly at the woman, and suddenly, the woman's mouth curled, a "pfft" sound. Her eyes revealed an indescribable sarcasm and disdain.

What does that mean?

In an instant, Ren Danhua's face turned pale with a "whoosh."

Lin Sicheng sighed inwardly: Finally realized it?

General Manager Ren, take a good look at what is in front of you: Crown, King's Seal, Golden Tally, Dragon Robe; no matter which one it is, once it appears in the world, it will absolutely shock the whole country.

To be able to put such precious things here, would Wang Chun only send two people to guard them? If there were a dozen people and seven or eight guns missing here, Lin Sicheng would dare to cut his own head off.

Taking a step back, even if Wang Chun were truly arrested, does this Cuiqin not know how valuable these things are, or does she not know how to spend money?

Why didn't she sell them herself instead of waiting for you to come and sell them?

"Impossible!" As if unable to believe it, Ren Danhua shook her head vigorously, "I saw her being taken away with my own eyes?"

"General Manager Ren, what the eyes see is not necessarily the truth!"

Cuiqin replied, took out her phone, dialed a number, and placed it on the table. It rang twice, the call connected, and a dark shadow appeared on the screen.

The light was somewhat dim, barely enough to see the outline of a person. Wearing a knit hat and a scarf, the face could not be seen clearly.

"Ahem," the figure coughed.

As if thrown into an ice cellar, Ren Danhua shivered.

Even if she turned to ash, she would never forget this voice.

Immediately, the figure leaned forward, revealing two eyes: "Danhua!"

Ren Danhua looked as if she had been scared silly, motionless. Her lips parted as if to speak, but she did not know what to say.

Only now did she finally turn the corner.

"Those people weren't Police—they were your people—you were acting—"

Acting, acting for whom to see?

You?

Stupid beyond redemption.

Wang Chun shook her head and sighed leisurely: "Boss Lin, General Manager Zhao, my surname is Song, Song Chun!"

Zhao Xiuneng squinted his eyes and cupped his hands.

Lin Sicheng did not speak; he dodged the camera and stared at the phone.

In 2008, could the country already do video calls?

It seemed they really could: in order to host the Olympic Games, Beijing covered the TD-SCDMA trial network, designed by the ZTE company, which produced the first batch of domestic video-calling mobile phones.

The phones were terribly expensive, ten thousand yuan each.

The rates were even more expensive, twelve yuan per minute.

That was not the point; the point was: Wang was definitely not here, otherwise she would have no need to go through the extra trouble of making a video call.

Looking carefully and listening, Wang Chun's face brightened and dimmed by turns. Vaguely, one could even hear the sound of car horns.

She was in a car, and the car was driving on the road—

Looking at the surveillance cameras in the corners of the walls, Lin Sicheng's heart stirred: It seems she still doesn't know who he is?

Just as he was pondering, the woman's voice came from the phone again: "Boss Lin, I've long heard of your great name!"

Lin Sicheng still did not move, avoiding the phone's camera: "Greetings, Boss Song!"

"I wouldn't call myself a boss, just scraping by for a living!" Wang Chun's tone was very relaxed, "First time visiting my humble abode, meeting you feels like reuniting with an old friend; I must fulfill the duties of a host. There is a small gift, please accept it with a smile!"

Lin Sicheng had a playful expression as he looked at Ren Danhua, "What are you gifting, General Manager Ren?"

"Boss Lin is young and wealthy, how could you be short of women?" The woman smiled, "Besides those four Supreme items, you may pick anything else from this Treasury!"

Isn't any one of the items in here worth several million?

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

Lin Sicheng squinted his eyes: "I cannot accept a reward without merit; Boss Song, if you give a gift, does that mean I have to do something?"

"Boss Lin is quick-witted and speaks his mind; no wonder Danhua speaks so highly of you!" The woman praised, "It is impolite not to reciprocate; there is a matter that requires Boss Lin's help!"

Lin Sicheng sighed: He knew this place wasn't so easy to enter, and these treasures weren't so easy to look at.

Those who should have fallen have already fallen, including Qi Song, Qi Hao, Yu Jichuan, and Yu Jizhen. Now, the one most familiar with and most understanding of Wang Chun is Ren Danhua alone.

Therefore, she deliberately let Ren Danhua find this place and see the piles of treasures.

It was a case of drawing the bow and setting the net to catch everyone at once. But unexpectedly, Ren Danhua did not have a shred of patience: she didn't look for accomplices, nor did she look for trusted aides, but instead sought out Lin Sicheng, whom she had barely met.

These were not ordinary fellow travelers of the underworld; Wang Chun dared not kill them, at least not for the moment, otherwise this place would be exposed in a matter of minutes.

But he dared not let them go either, so what was to be done?

Only to make him submit a pledge of allegiance—

He sighed despondently: "Song, let's strike a bargain?"

"Fine, speak!"

"How about this: let's pretend nothing ever happened. I haven't been here, haven't seen these treasures, and you haven't seen me—you let me go, and I guarantee I won't say a word—"

"Boss Lin, do you think that's possible?"

"It does seem a bit impossible, doesn't it?" Lin Sicheng nodded, "But I'm afraid you'll regret it!"

"Boss Lin, I've weathered storms, capsized boats, sat in prison, and seen blood! But I've never known what regret is—" A cold sneer came from the phone, "Cuiqin!"

The woman nodded, lifted her hem, and produced a handgun. With a "click," a bullet was chambered, and then she held it out: "Boss Lin!"

Zhao Xiuneng's pupils constricted, and the two members of the Special Duty Team reached their hands into their jackets.

Lin Sicheng shook his head and gestured forward with his chin.

Zhao Xiuneng didn't understand, but the two Special Duty Team members gave a start: behind the glass cabinet, in a corner that couldn't be seen, a red light was flashing on and off.

They had only seen it that afternoon when they arrested Qi Song; they had nearly been blown to the sky with Lin Sicheng, so how could they not know what this was?

The two exchanged a look and obediently lowered their hands.

Lin Sicheng sighed again: "Boss Song, why go to such trouble? You must have arranged quite a few men here, and you keep so many dogs; with my build, I wouldn't be enough for each of them to have a bite!"

"Boss Lin is joking. It's not that I don't dare to kill you, but that it's inconvenient to do it here: perhaps the moment I make a move, your people outside will call the police. In these extraordinary times, it's better not to stir up trouble!"

Wang Chun laughed: "So, there are two paths, Boss Lin, you choose for yourself!"

As soon as she finished speaking, with a "swish," Ren Danhua's face turned deathly pale.

She finally realized: either Lin Sicheng got blood on his hands, or she would die along with him.

So, the big sister wanted to kill her—wanted to make Lin Sicheng kill her—

Her body trembled violently, and she lunged to grab the gun, but just as her hand reached the table, the burly man slapped her aside.

"Smack," Ren Danhua fell to the ground like a post, then she struggled to crawl up and turned to run outside.

But neither the burly man, nor Cuiqin, nor Wang Chun on the other end of the phone, reacted at all.

She fumbled to press the button, and the electric door slid open with a "whoosh." Just as she stepped out with both feet, Ren Danhua stiffened: standing outside the door were seven or eight men, each holding a gun.

Several others were lying on the ground, all of them her subordinates: their hands bound and mouths taped, not moving at all, just like the dead.

One man dragged each of them in like dead pigs, and Ren Danhua was also forced back inside.

"Leave two, the rest watch the upper level!"

"Alright!" The leading burly man replied, left two behind, and took the rest of the men outside.

"Clang," the electric door closed again.

Ren Danhua trembled like chaff: "Manager Lin, don't believe her, if you pull the trigger, your life will be over—Big Sister—I... —I will definitely change—"

Cuiqin looked on with disdain: Idiot.

Why was it that even with a loaded gun placed right at his side, this Boss Lin didn't even glance at it?

Because he was calm enough, his eyes were sharp enough, and his brain was quick enough: outside were all gunmen, and inside was all explosive.

Never mind that there were only four of them including him, even if there were forty, he wouldn't be able to escape.

Therefore, there was no other choice—

"Boss Lin, please!" Wang Chun laughed: "Eight people in total, just right: you and General Manager Zhao, plus those two friends, two each. Once the matter is finished, you are free to stay or go—"

"If you stay, whatever is in the Treasury, name your price for whatever catches your eye, and we'll talk it over slowly! If you leave, then as I said before, you pick one item, and consider it my apology to you. From now on, the great road faces the sky, and we each walk our own side—"

Isn't this just nonsense?

Today, the pledge of allegiance must be submitted, and their lives must be left here. The reason Wang Chun went to such lengths was merely because she feared he had left some contingency plan before arriving, and was playing a stalling tactic.

For example, that he had arranged people outside, or that if he didn't contact them or come out after a certain amount of time, they would call the police—

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "Boss Wang, I'm timid. Let alone guns, I've never even held a knife!"

"It doesn't matter, everything has a first time, and it's not that difficult, is it? Pick up the gun, aim at the forehead, and pull the trigger—if you're afraid, just close your eyes and pull—"

Lin Sicheng paused: "Is there a third path?"

"Boss Lin, you have no choice. If you want to blame someone, blame Danhua: blame her for being greedy and stupid. Even an outsider like you can see that she can't get these things, let alone keep them, yet she rushed toward them, unable to wait."

"Don't think about turning the tables either: you saw those brothers with guns just now, there are a dozen more upstairs. The four of you can't stir up any waves. Then go a bit further and look at what is flashing red under the cabinet."

A strange smile hung on Wang Chun's face, "Look closely, look very carefully!"

Lin Sicheng didn't move: "What is it?"

"Guess!"

Wang Chun made a "poof" sound and gestured again, "If I press this lightly, all of you will be sent to the sky!"

"You don't want these national treasures?" Lin Sicheng pointed at the burly man and the woman, "You don't want these two trusted aides either?"

"

"Of course I want them! I just want you to understand: if you can comply, then everything is negotiable. If you are unwilling, then we will fight it out based on our own abilities. I don't care if you left any contingency plans before coming here, or if you have people in ambush outside, I have only one goal today: partnership. If we can partner, then everything is negotiable. If we can't, then we will perish together—"

Wang Chun sighed, "Danhua said you are an old hand of the underworld, and Qi Song also said you are an old hand. Including Ji Chuan and Ji Yao, they all say you are an old hand. Then I can only treat you according to the standards for an old hand—"

Lin Sicheng chuckled: "I am flattered by the high regard of so many fellow travelers of the underworld!"

"No, it has nothing to do with that, it's because you are worthy of it!" Wang Chun shook her head, "Otherwise, ask General Manager Zhao; he is an old hand among old hands, see if he is panicking right now!"

Zhao Xiuneng froze for a moment, cursing inwardly: I'm not panicking? The hell I'm not!

It was true that he was a local powerhouse, but even in those years when he was most unbridled and wild, he had never been as arrogant as this woman:

Guns can be produced just by saying so, and bombs can be had just by mentioning them?

He slowly turned his face, staring at the blinking red light: Is this still Beijing?

Ren Danhua's face grew increasingly pale.

Only now did she understand: when they went down to the basement, why did Lin Sicheng insist that the strong man and Cuiqin come down as well?

He had discovered back then that this couple was not right.

But even if they were made to follow down, what use would it be?

Use them as hostages, or pick up that pistol and put a bullet in each of them?

If Lin Sicheng dared to kill, killing two people was the same as killing eight. Killing the strong man and Cuiqin was no different from killing her, Ren Danhua.

Suddenly, Ren Danhua's body felt as if it had been electrocuted; she shook incessantly, her lips trembling, wanting to beg for mercy but not knowing whom to beg.

Suddenly, Lin Sicheng turned around and walked toward the glass cabinet where the Dragon Robe was kept.

The thing with the blinking red light was behind it, blocked by the oxygen absorber. It wasn't very clear, so Lin Sicheng changed his angle and squatted down again.

As thick as an egg, about thirty centimeters each, bundled in a group of four. At first glance, they looked like thick sausages, or perhaps some kind of filter element for purification equipment.

But those who know, know: this is Emulsified Explosive. Grave-robbing types like to use this kind: it's safe, it won't explode even if burned with fire, and the key is that it has high energy, is easy to carry, and is easy to hide.

But the point is not this, but the Detonator at both ends, the several wires connected to the Detonator, and the Nokia mobile phone blinking with a red light.

No need to doubt: just one phone call, or one text message, the phone's little light stops, and then, "Boom"—

This entire floor, and even this building, could be blown down—

Fearing that Wang Chun was playing a "strategy of the empty city," Lin Sicheng poked it with his finger. Just this one poke startled the whole group into shivering in unison.

Including Zhao Xiuneng, Ren Danhua, the strong man and the woman, and the two from the Special Duty Team.

The phone was on the table; Wang Chun could not see Lin Sicheng, but she could see Zhao Xiuneng give a violent jolt, his eyes widening.

She was startled: "What's wrong?"

Cuiqin's face was full of disbelief: "He—he touched it!"

"Who, touched what?"

"Boss Lin, he's touching the explosives!"

Wang Chun was stunned, not knowing how to evaluate it: was he bold enough to defy the heavens, or was he just so skilled that he was fearless?

Having spent half a lifetime in the underworld, she had never seen this type—

She raised her voice: "Boss Lin, don't worry, I've relied on this for half a lifetime, it can't be fake!"

"I know, I'm just curious!" Lin Sicheng nodded, cupping his chin, "Someone once told me: this is a Remote Sensing Bomb; it changes resistance values by receiving remote signals, and triggers the explosion of the electric Detonator after meeting the set voltage change conditions."

"And then?" Wang Chun's eyelid twitched, "Don't tell me you know how to dismantle it?"

"Of course I don't, I'm just looking!"

He replied loudly, and Lin Sicheng peered even more carefully. Squatting on the spot, one hand supporting his chin, his palm pressing against his earpiece, he lowered his voice to a whisper: "Emulsified Explosive, about 100 grams per stick, four sticks to a group, six wires in total, two red and four green, connected to two AA batteries—hmm, it's using a Nokia 128, the light blinking seems to be the money-checking light (built into the phone)—"

"I remember Zheng Hui saying: the optimal remote control distance for this thing is five kilometers; if it's in a basement, it can't exceed three kilometers, otherwise it might malfunction."

"But it seems a Signal Amplifier must be installed here, otherwise video calls wouldn't be possible—but the phone used on the bomb is just the most common, cheapest kind; it shouldn't be on the same network as the video phone. Of course, a call definitely can't get through, otherwise she would have picked up the phone immediately—"

"Also, Wang Chun is in a car, and the car is moving. Judging by the speed and frequency of the lights moving in the opposite lane, she should be in the city. Even if not in the city, she should be on a city road—"

"Take action as soon as possible, otherwise I'll have to kill—no—you guys give me a sign: I've been talking nonsense with her for so long here, and you still can't track the signal?"

Playing dead, are you? Fine, don't blame me for using my ultimate move: help me ask Zheng Hui, if I pull the battery, will this thing explode—

"Buzz buzz~" The microphone hidden in his palm vibrated imperceptibly twice.

Lin Sicheng muttered to himself; he was a bit far away, so others basically couldn't hear what he was saying. The strong man and his wife were confused, and Ren Danhua had long since been scared out of her wits and couldn't care less.

Only Zhao Xiuneng and the two from the Special Duty Team were suspicious and uneasy: no need to guess, Lin Sicheng was definitely transmitting a signal to the command vehicle.

Wang Chun was not here, but her intuition was sharp. Seeing that the sound had suddenly disappeared from the phone, she asked loudly: "What is he doing again?"

"Just squatting there looking, looking very carefully, as if he is doing Artifact Research on the bomb!"

Wang Chun was baffled: at a time like this, you still have time to research this?

This thing cannot be dismantled unless the signal is blocked. Besides, there is more than this one group in this Treasury; there are six whole groups, how are you going to dismantle them?

"Boss Lin, don't waste time!"

"Alright!" With a reply, Lin Sicheng stood up and walked over again.

He stopped when he reached Ren Danhua.

She looked slightly haggard, but still beautiful.

Lin Sicheng stared at her face, his voice loud: "Boss Song, can I ask one last question?"

"Speak!"

"She has followed you for so many years, why do you want to kill her?"

"What, want to show pity for the fair sex?" Wang Chun laughed, "There aren't that many 'whys'!"

"Understood, it seems she must be killed?" Lin Sicheng sighed, "What a pity!"

Ren Danhua shuddered in fear.

"Don't be afraid, I'll ask you a question!" Lin Sicheng squatted down, "Do you want to live?"

Nonsense, as long as one can keep living, who would want to die?

Ren Danhua nodded vigorously.

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

Ren Danhua shook her head vigorously again.

Looking at Yu Jiyao now, one could guess her past days: Wang Chun only kept her as a vase to be used as a gift.

In these past few years, as she aged and lost her looks, Wang Chun started grooming her as a scapegoat—

"It's good that you haven't killed anyone. Then, if I save you, will you agree to anything?"

Save me, how will you save me?

Knowing it was impossible, yet as if having grabbed a lifeline after falling into the water, with a "clatter," Ren Danhua's eyes seemed to have lightbulbs installed in them: "As long as I don't die, this life of mine is yours!"

"Good!" Lin Sicheng smiled, "What if I make you go to jail?"

Ren Danhua was stunned for a moment, then gritted her teeth: "I'll go, I'll go for a hundred years if I have to—"

"Fine, you said it!"

This time, being closer, Wang Chun could basically hear clearly, but the more she listened, the more she felt something was wrong.

The burly man and Cuiqin felt it was even more wrong.

Just as they were shocked and suspicious, Lin Sicheng stood up, first smiled at Zhao Xiuneng, then lowered his voice: "Senior Brother, this place is all bulletproof glass, it's all quite sturdy."

No—why do you care if it's sturdy or not?

Zhao Xiuneng's face turned pale: Lin Sicheng was hinting for him to find a good place to dodge bullets.

It's coming, the main force outside is definitely coming—

Lin Sicheng picked up that gun on the table again.

The two Special Duty Team members' faces turned pale, and just as they were about to say something, with a "click," Lin Sicheng disengaged the safety, and with another "clack," he chambered a round again.

"Pretty simple, right?" Lin Sicheng handed it forward, "Senior Brother, have you ever played with one?"

Zhao Xiuneng didn't dare to take it, and didn't even know what to say.

He couldn't figure it out; in this place, in this situation, in this scene, how was Lin Sicheng able to be so relaxed?

It was just like playing a game—

"Boss Lin, don't play any tricks!" Wang Chun's face turned cold, "What, you aren't thinking of smashing the glass to grab things, are you?"

"Rest assured, I won't smash it, and I can't smash it either!" Lin Sicheng shook his head, "On the contrary, Boss Wang, I'm afraid you're the one in trouble!"

"What do you mean?" Just after asking this, Wang Chun's heart skipped a beat, "No, my surname is Song!"

"Whether your surname is Wang or Song, it's actually the same—"

Before he could finish speaking, suddenly: "Bzzzzzzzz—"

Zhao Xiuneng's hair and Lin Sicheng's collar vibrated in unison.

Yu Guang's voice came from inside: "I'll count to three, you all get down—Teacher Lin, don't be impulsive—"

Team Leader Yu, you really think highly of me: in this situation, how could I be impulsive?

Just as he was secretly grumbling, the countdown came through the earpiece: "3, 2, 1—"

Just as it reached "2," with a "whoosh," Zhao Xiuneng hid behind a pillar.

When he left, he didn't forget to pull Lin Sicheng, but he couldn't budge him.

Lin Sicheng lunged like a tiger and slid behind the glass cabinet holding the Dragon Robe.

This was the sturdiest glass here, and also where the biggest bomb was.

Opposite them, the burly man and his wife and the two big men were still stunned: No—how could they just run away like that?

But even if they were running, shouldn't they be running outward? Why were they running inward?

The place was only so big, with several sets of bombs, where could you possibly run to?

But immediately, the four people's expressions changed in unison: the two Special Duty Team members had already drawn their guns and disengaged the safeties.

Just one look showed the gap: the two Special Duty Team members' guns were hidden in their clothes, while the two big men's guns were held in their hands, but the former could fire immediately, while the big men hadn't even raised their hands yet.

The situation was on the verge of breaking out; in a flash of lightning, Lin Sicheng poked his head out: "Don't move, nobody move—I'm pulling the battery now—"

The two big men froze, and the burly man and Cuiqin also froze.

The two Special Duty Team members hesitated slightly.

Branch Leader Yu's order was: once the count of three is finished, open fire immediately, kill without distinction. But looking at this situation, it seemed there was no need to fire for now?

In a split second, the two of them leaped backward, shielding Lin Sicheng behind them.

Lin Sicheng's voice was extremely loud, everyone could hear it, including Wang Chun. She shouted anxiously: "What is he doing? Cuiqin, what is he doing—"

Cuiqin trembled in fear and raised her phone.

Being a bit far away, Lin Sicheng hiding behind the cabinet, it wasn't very clear. But Wang Chun could at least see:

There were two hands, one holding the phone on the bomb, and one tugging at the two wires connected to the battery device—

Wang Chun's face turned pale: "Boss Lin, I don't believe you dare to dismantle it?"

"I know, it will explode the moment I dismantle it, otherwise why would I be dismantling it?!" Lin Sicheng smiled, "Anyway, we're all going to die, so we might as well die together—"

Wang Chun froze, her teeth gritted, making a "creaking" sound.

No, the situation was perfectly fine, why did it turn out like this?

Those bombs were originally meant to threaten the other side, but in the end, they were being used by him to threaten her instead?

Could he really detonate the bomb?

Every single item here was worth a fortune; for these treasures, how much of her heart's blood had she spent, and how many people had she been forced to kill?

Until the very last moment, who the hell could bear to let go?

Wang Chun suddenly went silent; the four people—the two big men and the burly couple—held their four guns, but were at a loss for what to do.

Ren Danhua seemed to wake from a dream, crawling over stumbling; just as she crawled halfway, Lin Sicheng shook his head: "General Manager Ren, don't come over, find a cabinet and hide behind it!"

"Lin—Manager Lin, you said you would save me—"

"I am saving you right now—" Lin Sicheng sighed, "They don't dare to shoot at me, but do they not dare to shoot at you?"

Ren Danhua woke from her dream and scrambled away.

Zhao Xiuneng crawled over and joined up with Lin Sicheng.

He stretched his neck: "If you dismantle the battery, will it really explode?"

"Of course!"

In the afternoon, out of curiosity, he asked for some advice. It was the technical investigator who had dismantled that bomb of Qi Song's, the one named Zheng Hui, who had said it himself.

Zhao Xiuneng's eyes bulged wildly: "Junior brother, take it easy!"

"Don't worry!"

Zhao Xiuneng peeked outside again: "How come this woman has gone quiet?"

"She must be contacting her subordinates outside, preparing for a forced assault—"

Before the words had even faded, suddenly: "Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta—ta-ta-ta-ta-ta."

Two members of the Special Duty Team moved like lightning, pressing Lin Sicheng down.

Zhao Xiuneng's heart tightened, and he flattened himself against the ground.

The two big men and the strong couple all shivered in unison: it was the sound of gunfire.

But it wasn't here; it was above.

Just as they were filled with suspicion and uncertainty, "thump-thump-thump-thump-thump," a burst of hurried footsteps arrived.

Then, with a "whoosh," the electric door was opened from the outside.

A big man said in a panic: "Sister Cui, so many people—so many guns—they're long guns—"

The woman's face turned pale: no wonder the gunfire was so dense?

But they were only underworld figures, where would they get long guns?