The Safest House Is the Least Safe

The Ning Family.

Just the surname "Ning" alone gives the impression of a prominent family straight out of a novel.

However, Lin Mo had no intention of getting involved.

For Yan Huang Jue Xing to deploy such a large-scale operation to protect this family, the backing behind them must be formidable.

Considering that Southeast Asian mercenaries were behind the earlier attack, the situation had escalated to an international level, making it an even murkier mess.

He had his own plans, but now wasn’t the time to reveal his strength. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Though Lin Mo had his sights set on dealing with places like Japan and Korea, he wasn’t in a hurry.

There was no need to recklessly expose himself.

Before long, the French toast and ice cream arrived.

The golden, crispy French toast was essentially a peanut butter sandwich drenched in egg batter and deep-fried—terrifyingly high in calories.

This way of eating tasted great, but it was a calorie bomb.

Lin Mo leisurely placed a scoop of cold ice cream atop the freshly made French toast.

"If the calories are going to explode, might as well cool it down with something icy."

He cut into the toast with a knife and fork, the melting ice cream blending with its creamy sweetness as it seeped into the golden pores of the bread.

"What kind of eating style is this?" Director Huang asked, intrigued.

"Nine Layers of Ice and Fire," Lin Mo replied without hesitation.

He cut a piece and naturally placed it on Director Huang’s plate. "Try it, Director Huang. It’s not bad."

"Alright, my meal hasn’t arrived yet anyway."

Director Huang took a bite of the ice cream-dipped French toast.

The initial chill was quickly balanced by the warmth of the toast—crispy on the outside, soft inside, with the salty richness of peanut butter intertwining with the sweet creaminess of the ice cream, creating a rich, layered texture.

"Hey, not bad at all!" Director Huang’s eyes lit up. "Though it’s too sweet. If my kid had this, he’d lick the plate clean."

The two sipped on strong Hong Kong-style lemon tea, chatting idly.

Soon enough, Director Huang’s instant noodles finally arrived.

Staring at the familiar wavy noodles in the bowl, he couldn’t help but complain:

"Seriously? Instant noodles? And they charge over twenty bucks for this?"

"Director, the noodles are just the vessel. The real stars are those pieces of curry beef brisket on top," Lin Mo explained with a smile.

"Hong Kong-style diners prioritize speed. High turnover is the name of the game."

Director Huang poked at the brisket with his chopsticks and muttered, "So I’m paying for the soul, and they threw in a pack of instant noodles for free."

As the two ate, a voice sounded behind them again—this time, a phone ringtone.

"What? I’m not some combat specialist! Can’t I enjoy an afternoon tea in peace? Got a problem with that?"

"Fine, fine. The Ning Family’s so high and mighty, making us run errands. Whatever, at least they’re staying put in the safehouse."

After hanging up, the punk girl rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Let’s go, Zhai Xun. We’re heading to the Ning Family’s estate to retrieve something."

Zhai Xun barely reacted, just grunted in acknowledgment before getting up to pay the bill.

As they left, the punk girl clutched an unfinished club sandwich, munching on it while walking.

Only after the two had completely disappeared did Director Huang withdraw his gaze, though his brows furrowed.

"One of those two just now… I think he’s military."

"Huh? How’d you know that?"

Lin Mo was surprised Director Huang could tell.

Director Huang chuckled, patting his generously proportioned belly.

"Don’t let my current appearance fool you. Back in the day, I was a soldier too.

That guy’s posture was textbook—never leaned against the chair, back straight as a steel rod.

And his eyes? Seemed like he was zoning out, but his peripheral vision was constantly scanning the entrance and windows.

That kind of habit is ingrained in the bones. Even years in the military might not drill it into you. A guy like that? Definitely elite."

Director Huang gave a thumbs-up but didn’t elaborate further, keeping it brief.

The two left the diner and headed to a nearby supermarket to stock up on sugary drinks.

After all, a competition like this drained mental energy, and sugar was the best replenishment.

Nothing beat a cold cola or lemon-lime soda.

With milk tea shops not yet ubiquitous, they simply bought two large bags from the supermarket.

By the time they reached the school gates, it was competition time.

--System: As everyone knows, safehouses are anything but safe--

BOOM!

The violent tremor sent dust cascading from the ceiling. The metal walls reverberated from the shockwave, the air thick with the stench of gunpowder and scorched concrete.

"Damn it! Where’d they get an RPG?!" A teammate rolled aside, dodging shrapnel as he blindly returned fire.

"Who cares where?!" Xia Zhi barked back, gripping her gun one-handed while dragging the Ning Family’s middle-aged man deeper into the passage with the other.

"The barrier’s about to break! Move if you don’t wanna die!"

BOOM!

Another deafening explosion erupted behind them, the heatwave scorching their backs.

"Who leaked our location?!" The middle-aged man staggered, clutching an unconscious little girl to his chest, his face twisted with grief and fury.

A few agile figures provided covering fire with pistols while ushering the group toward the emergency exit.

"Now’s not the time for blame!" A burly, bearded man roared, bracing his back against a loosened steel plate to buy the others a precious two seconds.

"Xia Zhi, get them to the speedboat! I’ll hold them off!"

Beneath the emergency passage, a speedboat waited, ready to whisk them away from this dockyard-turned-safehouse.

At the end of the tunnel, the briny sea wind rushed in. A black speedboat bobbed gently on the waves.

Xia Zhi shoved the Ning Family members aboard before leaping on herself.

She turned back, locking eyes with her partner.

"Don’t die. Good partners are hard to come by."

"Who do you take me for? I was the king of soldiers, remember?"

Standing alone at the passage entrance, he cut a figure of unyielding defiance.

Without hesitation, Xia Zhi gunned the engine and sped away.

The bearded man glanced at the retreating speedboat and shook his head with a wry smile.

"Could’ve at least said something touching before leaving."

By the time the boat reached open water, the dockyard behind them erupted in a massive explosion.

Xia Zhi’s eyes burned as she stared at the inferno.

She turned to the trembling middle-aged man, her gaze fierce—but before she could relax, blinding high beams pierced the darkness.

Gunfire followed instantly.

"How?! Where’s the coast guard?!"

Her heart sank. Their entire operation had been compromised.

How else could the safehouse, coast guard, and military guards all fail simultaneously?

Who was behind it?

A figure flashed through Xia Zhi’s mind, but before she could dwell on it, the pursuing boat closed in.

The middle-aged man took a deep breath and handed the unconscious girl to Xia Zhi.

"Miss Xia Zhi, you must protect Qing Cheng at all costs. She is the hope of the Ning Family and the key to the Yanhuang Awakening Project. Her parents have already sacrificed their lives for the nation. No matter what happens, you must keep her safe."

As he spoke, the middle-aged man tore off his tie, his entire body erupting in a blinding white light.

Bullets struck him, yet they had no effect whatsoever.

Gaia!