Chapter Thirty-One: Pursued by a Group of Unknown Assailants

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Chapter Thirty-One: Chased by a Group of Mysterious People

What is the true value of a mysterious stone sold for eighty million? Who was the enigmatic buyer? A Western woman, driving a Mercedes and paying eighty million for a stone without a single word of bargaining—such a woman’s identity could not be simple.

I listened as Tan continued his story.

Tan and Tang Xin, intrigued by the buyer, hurried out of the antique shop and hailed a taxi to follow the two Mercedes cars.

Guangzhou’s traffic was dreadful—even a Mercedes could not escape gridlock. Within minutes, their taxi caught up, but their curiosity alerted those in the Mercedes.

A foreigner, expressionless, stepped out and politely invited Tan and Tang Xin to join them in their car.

Driven by curiosity, the two students didn’t consider the consequences and accepted the invitation, entering the lead Mercedes, where the inviter was the foreign lady herself.

She was exceedingly beautiful—save for her blue eyes and prominent nose, one would hardly guess she wasn’t Chinese. When Tan spoke of this woman, his cheeks flushed; her allure was such that even an honest man like Tan found himself daydreaming. The setting only heightened her charm.

The Mercedes was an extended model, its rear compartment spacious. On the business table at the center lay the stone they had purchased. Once inside, the three exchanged glances and sat silently.

This lady was not only beautiful but eloquent, her voice soft and melodious. As she conversed with them, her emotions were genuine, and according to her introduction, she was a Sino-American, her Chinese name Yue Yue. Without realizing it, Tan and Tang Xin grew fond of her, thinking they had found a kindred spirit. During their chat, Yue Yue casually inquired about their identities.

Tan and Tang Xin were students with no social experience, utterly unprepared for her subtle probing. They had followed her, but she had already noticed them; she politely informed them their presence had been detected, hinting they should leave, but their innocence led them to believe they were truly invited.

Their naive behavior piqued Yue Yue’s curiosity, so she probed further. When she discovered they were university students, her guard dropped.

After confirming their backgrounds, Yue Yue became less wary. Curious, Tang Xin asked about the stone—what mystery made it worth eighty million?

Yue Yue generously invited them to examine it closely.

The Mercedes was luxurious, its sound system superb. English songs played one after another, chosen by the driver. The ride was smooth, and outside noises didn’t intrude—the soundproofing was excellent.

Tan and Tang Xin scrutinized the stone. The more they saw nothing special, the more curious they became. No one would spend eighty million yuan on an ordinary stone; even a fool would prefer a lollipop to a rock.

Moreover, both studied psychology. From their conversation, they realized Yue Yue was no fool—she was sharp, extracting information from them before they noticed.

Tan recalled their examination of the stone with tension, pouring himself hot water and gulping it down without feeling the heat.

I didn’t interrupt, eager for him to continue.

The stone was ordinary beyond measure. The two stared intently, their eyes almost pressed to it—after all, it was worth eighty million, and they dared not touch it. Eventually, their eyes tired, and they sat back.

Tang Xin shrugged helplessly. Their conclusion: it was merely a common stone. Both felt disappointed.

Yue Yue poured them coffee, smiling as she said, “If you could see anything special, it wouldn’t be worth eighty million.”

Her words left Tang Xin and Tan speechless. Did she imply there was more to it?

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They glanced at each other and resumed examining the stone. Finally, Yue Yue encouraged them to pick it up and look closely.

Tan, without hesitation, picked it up first.

As he recalled, his forehead beaded with sweat; he spoke as if it were a struggle, breathing heavily.

Curious, I asked, “Did you notice anything strange when you picked up the stone?”

Tan gulped water, mumbling, “Nothing strange, nothing at all.” If there was nothing odd, why was he so affected?

When Tan held the stone, he inspected it all around and realized it hadn’t been exposed to sunlight for long—otherwise, the texture wouldn’t be so tight. Dirt had hardened, and there was a hint of verdigris, suggesting the stone had been next to some ancient artifact.

Yue Yue nodded in agreement. Yet, if that was all, it was unremarkable. Such stones were common among archaeologists and antique shops.

But then, something happened to Tang Xin.

When Tang Xin took the stone from Tan to inspect it, four cars suddenly surrounded the two Mercedes. The rear Mercedes resisted, but an SUV crashed into it, shoving it against the guardrail and deforming the vehicle. The bodyguards inside drew their guns, firing out, but the attackers in another sedan dealt with them using a shotgun.

In Tang Xin and Tan’s car, the driver and a bodyguard reacted swiftly, accelerating as soon as trouble began. After gunshots rang out, three cars chased after Yue Yue’s group. Yue Yue called someone, instructing the driver to head toward Haiyin Bridge and shake off their pursuers.

The Mercedes was powerful, but the attackers were relentless, all armed and attempting to shoot up the car.

Yue Yue, Tang Xin, and Tan all lay flat in the compartment, afraid to move. At first, only silenced pistols fired, the sound muffled—“puff, puff!” Gradually, the attackers escalated, bringing out submachine guns and shotguns.

I didn’t know how intense the scene was, but Tan’s right hand trembled as he spoke. To use submachine guns and shotguns in broad daylight—these men had no regard for Chinese law.

A single car against three armed vehicles—it was like a shooting gallery. The carnage was unimaginable.

Bullets flew everywhere. The driver was hit, cried out, and slammed the accelerator, sending the car racing forward like a runaway horse.

The three in the back dared not move, fearing any motion would make them bullet fodder.

With the car speeding up, the driver’s vision blurred. The bodyguard, firing back and supporting the driver, cursed under his breath.

Apparently, the bodyguard’s counterattack wounded one of their drivers; one car lost control and crashed into the guardrail, caving in. Another followed. Only one managed to avoid the crash, its occupants firing shotguns at the Mercedes.

To witness comrades fall and still pursue so relentlessly—these attackers were disciplined. I blurted, “Could you tell anything about them?”

Tan shook his head, recalling how he dared not look closely at the time. Suddenly, he remembered, “Yes, they were speaking Japanese—that’s right.”

Japanese? I considered—it must be connected to the Yamaguchi-gumi if they dared such bold action.

“What happened next?” I pressed Tan anxiously. Who was Yue Yue? Why would the Yamaguchi-gumi hunt her? Was it for the stone?

Tang Xin, crouched low, still held the stone. The driver, shot in the shoulder, was barely conscious; the bodyguard dragged him aside and took the wheel himself.

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The trailing car caught up and, without hesitation, fired a shot into the driver’s compartment. The bodyguard screamed, and the car swerved sharply, crashing against the guardrail. The three inside were thrown about; distant police sirens were heard.

In that moment, as the car turned, the three felt as though they were on a pirate ship. Then a deafening noise filled their ears, and Tan lost consciousness.

“How did you get back?” Tan’s account stopped at the crash, sweat pouring from his brow.

For a student, encountering such bizarre events—an eighty-million stone, bought by a mysterious woman, followed by a chase from unknown assailants—such an experience could only be seen on television. The excitement, tension, fear, and terror were beyond ordinary comprehension.

After the crash, Tan fainted, but recalled, just before losing consciousness, the attackers murmuring and shouting, then several powerful gusts swept past him. Though unconscious, he could still think—those gusts were bullets.

When he came to, Tan and Tang Xin found themselves lying on the grass behind the library. They stared at each other, incredulous. Checking the time, only half an hour had passed since they were at the antique shop.

Tang Xin cried aloud, startling a few pairs of mandarin ducks nearby, earning strange and disdainful looks.

They gasped for breath, as though their necks had been squeezed, their minds blank. Lying on the grass, they tried to recall the events.

Returning from the antique shop, even in half an hour, it was impossible to come back on time. But they had clearly been at the antique shop—how did they end up here? If it was a dream, could two people dream together?

They bit their tongues and pinched their thighs, confirming it wasn’t a dream. Once certain, they stared at each other, dumbfounded.

Such bizarre events were utterly baffling. As Tan recalled the chase, his right hand pressed against something; turning, he cried out, “The stone! The stone!”

The stone bought for eighty million was beside them. What shocked them was not its value, but the proof that it wasn’t a dream.

Tang Xin looked around in confusion—where was Yue Yue? Where was the car?

He grabbed the stone from Tan’s hand, utterly bewildered. He couldn’t understand how they ended up here. The two found a quiet place to discuss their thoughts; as psychology students, they remained calmer than most.

Calm minds allow for analysis.

From Yue Yue’s invitation to the chase, the crash, and everything that followed—it felt like starring in a Hollywood blockbuster, only they were the protagonists.

After the crash, bullets flying, sirens nearing, then unconsciousness—yet upon waking, they weren’t in a hospital, police station, or imagined prison, but behind their school library.

Who brought them here? Even if someone had the means, what was their purpose? To extract them from both their pursuers and the police was no small feat; if someone truly helped them, their abilities were extraordinary.

That seemed the only explanation—someone helped them. Yet the thought was unsettling; what were their intentions?

At this point, Tan’s expression grew even tenser. I knew what was coming was the reason for Tang Xin’s trouble. His broad forehead and chin were now twisted with anxiety.

After returning, Tan and Tang Xin said little, their minds preoccupied with the earlier events. Yet the stone in their hands left them speechless.