Chapter 55: Choi Ji-yoon
Half of the small yellow flower on the yacht remained. He was reluctant to part with it, but if he were to place it in the mysterious space, any living blossom would wither in an instant.
Thus, he decided that after investigating the broadcast, he would take both the flower and the boat with him.
According to the computer’s satellite map, the evacuation point was not far from the western port. Li Changsheng resolved to travel a stretch by water.
Yet, he did not know how to pilot a yacht. He hurried to the helm and pored over the manual, struggling for a long while before he finally managed to start the vessel.
The yacht wobbled across the water for twenty or thirty miles, at last reaching the harbor, where he moored at a dock.
He was in no hurry to disembark. First, he showered aboard the yacht and changed into clean clothes. Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, he found something otherworldly and refined about his appearance.
He set a table on the deck and enjoyed a drink or two. Only then did he begin to act.
He dawdled for a moment, having just finished mooring the boat, when he heard footsteps approaching from afar.
A woman in business attire hurried over, carrying a silver briefcase. She was in her twenties, strikingly beautiful, yet wore an aloof expression. Her long hair was swept up, accentuating delicate features framed by black-rimmed glasses. She wore a white shirt beneath a slate-blue blazer, a fitted skirt, sheer black stockings, and high heels—a look of mature sophistication.
Before the calamity, many would have been unable to resist approaching her.
Li Changsheng glanced at her inadvertently and froze. The woman's face was hauntingly familiar.
He looked more closely. Her blouse was open, revealing a hint of cleavage, and a butterfly tattoo adorned her left breast.
Such a distinctive style...
It could only be Cui Zhiyun from CSOL...
Their eyes met. Cui Zhiyun’s gaze lingered on Li Changsheng, her clear, glassy eyes flickering with doubt. She surveyed her surroundings, and when she saw the "Rex" insignia on the yacht behind him, her pupils contracted sharply.
“One of Rex’s people?” Cui Zhiyun’s voice was cool and crisp.
With that, she suddenly raised a silver pistol, aiming it squarely at Li Changsheng. “Off the boat,” she ordered icily.
Feeling the hostility radiating from her, Li Changsheng was briefly taken aback, then quickly regained his composure.
It seemed the woman was on the run.
His adversary was Rex...
But wasn’t the Rex Institute providing the evacuation point?
Why had this led to conflict with her...?
He shook his head, refusing to dwell on unknowns—he hated uncertainty.
What he hated even more, though, was having a gun pointed at him.
“I’m not getting off,” Li Changsheng replied without so much as looking up.
He did not strike first—not because she was a mature, alluring woman, but because in the game, Cui Zhiyun had joined the special forces at sixteen, part of the CT faction, and was dedicated to investigating various disasters.
Bang!
Cui Zhiyun turned and fired. With a shattering crash, the liquor bottle on the deck table burst into shards, alcohol spraying through the air. Before Cui Zhiyun could act again, a figure darted out from the rain of liquor.
Whoosh!
Cui Zhiyun saw only a blur, cold wind rushing at her face. Her wrist trembled violently, and with a clang, the pistol flew from her grasp, striking the ship’s rail. She was startled, but her years as an agent had honed her reflexes far beyond ordinary men.
Whip!
Her long right leg lashed out, aiming straight for Li Changsheng’s face.
He caught her ankle with his left hand. Cui Zhiyun tried to withdraw her leg, struggling several times, but found she could not break free no matter how hard she tried.
“Black lace as well, I see,” Li Changsheng glanced inside with a teasing smile, then looked back at her, amused.
At his banter, a cold gleam flashed in Cui Zhiyun’s eyes. She swung the silver case at him.
Li Changsheng pulled her forcibly toward him, and they collided.
To her, it was like crashing into a mountain—though her chest cushioned the impact. Even so, she staggered backward, struggling to keep her balance, retreating seven steps before steadying herself. Shock blazed in her eyes; she had not expected such formidable skill from this young man before her.
Clang.
The silver briefcase slipped from her hand and fell to the deck.
Cui Zhiyun stared at the case, her heart sinking.
She, after all, was a core member of the special forces, trained in a multitude of combat techniques. Even so, she could think of no way to defeat Li Changsheng.
He stepped to the rail, picked up the fallen pistol, and walked toward her.
Cui Zhiyun’s expression remained cool, but she was secretly on guard.
Li Changsheng held out the silver pistol to her. “Believe it or not, I’m not one of Rex’s people.”
Cui Zhiyun seemed to know Rex well. Li Changsheng’s purpose in coming here was to investigate the mysterious broadcast from Rex, so he hoped to ease the tension and perhaps glean some useful information from her.
“You think I’ll trust you?” she asked coldly, refusing to take the weapon.
Li Changsheng smiled, tossed the gun to her, and turned to the table, cleaning up the shards and pouring himself another drink.
Cui Zhiyun tucked the pistol into her thigh holster, a hint of doubt flickering across her delicate features.
If he were with Rex, he would have shown interest in the case containing the “Sunflower.” Could this truly be a misunderstanding?
Recalling the recent events, her expression shifted. She sat opposite Li Changsheng, her cool gaze fixed on him without blinking.
Li Changsheng poured another glass, pushing it toward Cui Zhiyun. “If you want to watch me so closely, you might as well sit beside me—you’ll get a better look that way.”
Cui Zhiyun stared at him icily, saying nothing.
After a stretch of silence, she abruptly asked, “What exactly are you here for?”
Li Changsheng smiled, downed his drink, and was about to reply.
At that moment, the sound of car engines came from the shore. Two vehicles sped toward the dock, stopping in front of the yacht.
Four men emerged, all dressed as soldiers and heavily armed.
Seeing them, Cui Zhiyun let out a breath of relief—they were the military team sent to meet her.
Their leader spotted Cui Zhiyun, hurried over with his men, and saluted. “Captain!”
Cui Zhiyun cast a sidelong, silent glance at Li Changsheng, noting the utter calm on his face, then stood and leapt onto the dock to confer with the soldiers.
Li Changsheng had little interest in the squad, but when he heard them mention the “evacuation point,” he was stirred and could not help but ask, “About Rex’s evacuation point—my friend is there. Do you know what’s happening?”
Clearly, these men were organized. Not wanting to reveal his true purpose or anything about the City of Civilization, Li Changsheng spoke as if inquiring for a friend.
Cui Zhiyun shot him a suspicious look. Seeing that he truly seemed unaware of the evacuation point’s situation, she hesitated, then said heavily, “If you really have a friend at the evacuation point, I’m sorry. It was all a Rex ruse—they’re using it to capture survivors for virus experiments. I’m afraid your friend may already be...”
So there really was a conspiracy...
Li Changsheng’s heart sank. He was about to speak when—
Suddenly.
A barrage of gunfire erupted from the shore, accompanied by the thunderous roar of engines. Over a dozen fierce mercenaries stormed into the harbor like wolves.
The motorcycles were ridden by tattooed mercenaries, each armed to the teeth, exuding a savage air.
“They’re with Rex! Find cover and prepare for battle!” As the mercenaries surrounded them, Cui Zhiyun’s expression grew grave, her voice cold as she issued a steady command to the soldiers.