Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: The Transfer

As soon as Chu Feng entered, he cut straight to the chase and asked Zi Yan without any preamble. Time was running short for him to think things through.

“I don’t know much about this matter. Usually, when assassins enter the country, they have intermediaries who smuggle them in. People like me, or the likes of Molong and Molang, have legal identities and can come here directly by plane.”

Though Zi Yan disliked Chu Feng, she still answered his question because she understood the gravity of the situation. She could see the anxiety etched clearly on his face—it was genuine, not an act.

“Do you know who the middleman is, the one who brings those assassins into Huaxia territory?” Chu Feng wondered if capturing this intermediary might temporarily block the entry of the Sunfire group’s operatives.

“I don’t know. That’s always been handled by a guy named Jess. He’s Molong’s assistant. Didn’t you guys capture Molong as well? You can ask him.”

Zi Yan held a fairly high rank within the Sunfire group, second only to Jack. Although Molong was the deputy leader of the mercenary corps, Zi Yan didn’t really respect him.

“Thank you,” Chu Feng said before leaving the hospital room. He couldn’t look for Molong now—Molong was already dead. He had to find Jess instead.

Jess was currently imprisoned in the capital’s jail. Though not handed over to the international court, he would rot in a Huaxia prison for life.

Chu Feng immediately called Li Zeming, ordering the prison to transfer Jess to the hospital. He dared not leave the hospital grounds himself; if he did, another might slip in and attempt to assassinate Old Chen.

Chu Feng needed to buy time against the Sunfire operatives by severing the assassins’ entry routes before they crossed the border.

Half an hour later, Jess was brought to the hospital by prison guards.

“Mr. Jess, I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Tell me, which route do your Sunfire assassins use to enter Huaxia? Who is your middleman?”

Seeing Jess’s defeated expression, Chu Feng knew life in prison was rough for him.

“I’m already serving a life sentence thanks to you. Even if you give me this chance, what good will it do?”

Jess knew he would never get out of prison in Huaxia and had no intention of helping Chu Feng.

“If you help me, I can speak to the prison staff to make sure no one bullies you. As for a sentence reduction, that depends on your behavior—it’s not up to me.”

Chu Feng had no intention of helping Jess reduce his sentence but could ensure the guards treated him better.

“Bring me some paper. I’ll write down the contact details and location of that person, but I hope you keep your word.”

At Chu Feng’s words, a flicker of hope appeared in Jess’s weary eyes. Life in prison was brutal—heavy labor, constant bullying, sometimes barely enough food. The prison was all men, and over time, some took out their frustrations in unspeakable ways. As a pale-faced, delicate man, Jess was especially vulnerable.

Chu Feng handed him a notebook and pen. Jess quickly wrote down the middleman’s address and contact.

Chu Feng also instructed the accompanying guards to look after Jess in prison, promising to keep his word.

“Wu San, living in Yuntong City,” Chu Feng read quietly from the notebook.

He handed the list to Old Wang, telling him to pass it to national security. Once Wu San was captured, the Sunfire group would lose their only entry point.

By afternoon, Old Wang received word that Wu San had been killed—his death occurred between 2 and 4 a.m. the previous night.

Upon hearing this, Chu Feng immediately arranged for Old Chen to be transferred to the military district. With Wu San dead, it meant the Sunfire operatives would likely go all-in on this mission and wouldn’t return to Huaxia for a while after.

General Gao personally arranged for military personnel to escort Old Chen, deploying two full companies as protection.

Chu Feng also contacted Liu Shuiqing to continue preparing hospital rooms and equipment, intending to create the impression that Old Chen would undergo surgery in the hospital.

By 6 p.m., Old Chen had safely arrived at the military district. General Gao, leveraging his connections, borrowed equipment and instruments from another hospital.

Chu Feng remained at the hospital, unwilling to leave. He suspected the Sunfire group or the mysterious “Master” had spies there.

He stayed to let the Sunfire operatives know Old Chen was still in the hospital and scheduled for surgery tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in a mountain villa in the capital, the Master received four unexpected guests.

“We have confirmation that the old man will be in a special operating room on the third floor of the emergency building at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Your mission is to kill him on the operating table—don’t let him get off it alive.”

As the Master spoke, a murderous aura radiated from him. He had failed several times before and was determined not to fail again.

“What about that Chu Feng? Should we kill him after we succeed, or leave him for now?” one of the Sunfire assassins asked.

“Kill the old man first. As for Chu Feng, kill him if you get the chance; if not, withdraw. Don’t risk your lives here.”

The Master decided to prioritize killing Old Chen, dealing with Chu Feng only if the opportunity arose.

Back at the hospital, Chu Feng leisurely sipped tea in Old Chen’s room, while Han Xuefang and Zi Yan chatted beside him.

Zi Yan had come at Han Xuefang’s prompting; Chu Feng hadn’t asked for her help.

“You’re very brave. If it were me, I’d leave the hospital immediately. I can sense you’re very anxious right now,” Zi Yan said, addressing Chu Feng even though she sat beside Han Xuefang. She still felt grateful to him for saving her life.

Chu Feng said nothing, his mind occupied with when the assassins might strike—during the surgery or before it began.

Old Chen was now safely relocated to the military district. Chu Feng’s task was to trap all the Sunfire operatives.

“From tomorrow on, you must protect my girlfriend’s safety. I’m afraid the Sunfire group will try to use her as leverage again,” he told Zi Yan.

This was Chu Feng’s first request to her. With few options left, he had no choice but to ask for help.

“Chu Feng, what about you? Should we all leave and lay low for a while?” Han Xuefang suggested.