Snail's Pace to a Wolf's Heart - Chapter 31

“Xiao Liu?! Who?” Chaos immediately engulfed the scene as everyone panicked from the sudden attack, even Xing Ning tightly gripped her gun in anticipation of further danger.

“Xiao San, Ma Qiang, quickly take some men outside and check if there’s anyone…” The middle-aged man anxiously commanded, “Everyone else, stay alert or we’ll all die here today.”

“Boss, what about that woman?” The middle-aged man’s gaze flickered coldly towards Xing Ning’s direction, “Kill her.”

“Yes.” The burly man raised his gun, but before he could pull the trigger, a haze obscured his vision, “Boss, it’s disorienting smoke.” Without warning, a sense of weakness invaded his body, leading him into an unconscious daze moments later.

Biting her lip, holding her breath, Xing Ning stumbled forward while hunched over, yet the intense dizziness made her steps falter. Her body involuntarily collapsed towards the ground, only to be caught by a warm embrace carrying a familiar scent just before impact. However, within her blurred vision, she saw an ugly dust mask: “You…” Before completing her question, darkness consumed her.

As the smoke dispersed, Dao Yi removed her heavy mask and first examined the unconscious person in her arms. Upon seeing the bloodied crack at the corner of Xing Ning’s mouth, a hint of darkness flashed across her eyes. She then glanced at the chaos surrounding them, her lips curving slightly upwards.

“Listen, can you stop changing our battle plans last minute? It puts us in difficult situations…” Ding Wei complained, shooting a sideways glare at someone specific. Thankfully, they had everything needed in their supply box; otherwise, what would they have done? This woman always defied conventional strategies, making it inevitable for anyone following her to meet an untimely demise sooner or later.

“Hah… Of course I knew you guys could handle anything, that’s why I did it. Otherwise, who’d dare?” Dao Yi tossed the item in her hand to Ding Wei, then cradled Xing Ning securely before walking away.

“Hey, Dao, don’t leave! What about these people? Weren’t we supposed to force them into jumping off the ship…?” Ding Wei yelled helplessly after the retreating figure. Surely, she wouldn’t abandon this mess for them to clean up, right?

After years apart, how had this person become so foolish?

Dao Yi deliberately ignored Ding Wei’s shouts from behind, “Xiao Xinxin, please tell someone to weld shut all doors and windows except for one small sea-facing window…”

The infuriating tone made Ding Wei tremble with anger. Clearly, Dao Yi was indirectly calling her stupid, tempting Ding Wei to put a bullet through her.

“Oh right.” Pausing, her gaze shifted between the two unconscious men at the warehouse entrance and the group inside. “I almost forgot, please bring out that corpulent man lying on the ground who resembles a pig, along with this short fellow whose voice always sounds like a chicken squawk. I have some matters to discuss with them privately.” (Join our Discord server for updates: https://discord.gg/6K5ZfYr)

Her smile bloomed brightly, yet it sent shivers down Ding Wei and Chu Fengxin’s spines, quickly followed by excitement.

“Heh heh… We’ve been law-abiding for too long; it’s time to let loose and release those pent-up violent instincts. Even if we don’t get hands-on, watching should be satisfying enough…”

After carefully placing the unconscious Xing Ning in bed, Dao Yi gazed quietly at her cold demeanor, which softened only in sleep. A mix of helplessness and heartache filled her expression as she whispered, “Why must you be so stubborn? If I hadn’t assigned someone to follow you, would I even know when you’d die?”

Leaning forward, she gently touched the wound near Xing Ning’s lips. Sensing its tremble despite being unconscious, Dao Yi tightened her grip, softly licking away the dried blood. “Sleep well, I’ll be back soon.” Finally, she placed a tender kiss on Xing Ning’s smooth forehead before reluctantly leaving.

“Aiya, Xiao Xinxin, your medical skills are truly becoming more impressive. To neutralize such potent hallucinogenic smoke in such a short time.” Smiling, Dao Yi entered the dimly lit room, her gaze fixed on the two men tied to chairs gradually regaining consciousness. Unconsciously, a hint of wickedness and malice crept into her eyes.

“Who are you? Where are we?” The shorter man regained his senses first, scanning the surroundings. As he attempted to move, he realized his limbs were bound, panic flickering across his face. Glancing sideways, he saw his partner in the same predicament, “Big Tong, Big Tong, wake up.”

Unhindered by their shouts, Dao Yi, Ding Wei, and Chu Fengxin sipped leisurely at freshly brewed Pu’er tea, as if enjoying a vacation in an ancient town.

“Everything settled?” Chu Fengxin gently asked the person pouring their tea.

“Hmm,” she nodded, “Even after administering the ginseng infusion, they won’t wake up quickly, so we have ample time for a proper chat with them.”

Smirking, the reason these men woke up so swiftly was entirely due to Chu Fengxin’s special injection. Whether it had any side effects upon entering the body remained unknown. Nonetheless, she wouldn’t risk letting Xing Ning be the guinea pig for that experiment.

“Which bastard tied me up?” The first words out of the fat man’s mouth made Dao Yi frown; she dug her fingers into her ears, nearly deafened by his loud voice. “Stupid b❤tch, untie me right now!”

She couldn’t comprehend it—was there something wrong with this guy’s brain? How could he still be so aggressive when clearly a prisoner in someone else’s hands?

Dao Yi stood up, smoothing out the slight wrinkles on her clothes. Picking up an insulated bottle nearby, she walked towards the insolent man. Her innocent doll-like face broke into a lazy smile, momentarily stunning him. However, as icy coldness suddenly drenched him, the man erupted in curses once more, “You stinking—” Before he could finish, a shoe was stuffed into his mouth, muffled sounds escaping instead.

“I despise foul language.” Watching white steam rise from the man’s body, she feigned surprise. “Oh dear, I intended to offer you tea, but accidentally spilled ice water on you instead. How terribly apologetic, especially in this freezing weather. Let’s try again.” She picked up another bottle, opened its cap, tilted her hand, and poured scalding hot water over the man, soaking him completely from head to toe.

“Ummmm…” With his mouth gagged, all he could manage were muffled groans, shaking his head pitifully.

“Is this not enough for you? Alright, here’s some more; no need to thank me…” With a grin, she poured another round of boiling water over his head.

“That’s enough! Stop pouring…” Seeing his companion’s reddened face, the shorter man finally yelled in disbelief. He couldn’t fathom how this doll-faced woman could carry out such cruel acts without batting an eyelid—no, with a cheerful smile, treating them like pigs being scalded alive.

“Really enough? Then, would you care for some…?” Her light-hearted tone made it sound as if she were asking about breakfast.

“No, no thanks.” He frantically shook his head, glancing at his tortured friend beside him, too afraid to even consider accepting her offer.

“What a pity…” Disappointment flashed across her face before quickly turning into a nonchalant grin. “Since both of you are awake now, let’s skip the small talk and get straight to the point.”

“Would you like to know why only the two of you ended up here?” She smiled, her eyes narrowing menacingly, exerting immense pressure on the pair, akin to an emissary from hell.

They shook their heads, fearfully staring at the woman before them, unable to comprehend why their terror felt heavier than ever before.

“Because… you just happened to touch my sore spot…” The gentle words sounded like a lover’s whisper, yet they carried an unmistakable chilling undertone.

“We haven’t done anything; we’ve never even met you before. How could we have touched your sore spot?” The shorter man hastily defended, perplexed as they were unaware of her sudden appearance, let alone knowing their supposed transgression.

“Shouldn’t you at least recognize this person?” Dao Yi placed a photograph in front of them, observing their faces turn pale with fear, eliciting a triumphant grin akin to a hunter capturing its prey.

“You…” In the photo, unmistakably stood Xing Ning, whom they had desperately tried to shoot earlier.

“Oh dear… how forgetful of me, I didn’t tell you she is my wife.” Dao Yi lightly tapped her forehead, feigning remembrance.

Ding Wei and Chu Fengxin nearly choked on their tea. After being away for so long, how did this woman become increasingly sleazy and heartless? Moreover, her matter-of-fact demeanor made it seem as if Xing Ning was destined to be her wife from birth.

However, using the term “wife” was something she dared only here; upon encountering those three women, she’d behave like a mouse meeting a cat, obediently docile without a hint of arrogance.

As if sensing the silent criticism from behind her, Dao Yi internally rolled her eyes; no need to guess that those two were once again mentally mocking her. With a slight curl of her lips, she refocused on the scum before her. “Tell me, how should I entertain you both?”

The portly man vigorously shook his head, finally managing to spit out the shoe from his mouth after several attempts. “You disgusting queers! Thank God I didn’t touch that woman, or who knows what diseases I might’ve contracted.”

Xiao San couldn’t help but feel anxious for his hefty companion. Couldn’t he see this woman was not someone to be trifled with? Hadn’t the earlier incident with the boiling water been enough of a lesson?

Upon hearing such insults, Dao Yi’s bright black eyes instantly darkened. Staring at the scornful man before her, she suddenly smiled. “Well said.”

Clapping lightly, she turned to pick up a teacup and took a sip. “Xiao Xinxin, Xiao Weiwei, don’t you think this guy has potential as an escort? Despite being a bit overweight, if he loses some pounds, he might even become quite sought-after.”

“You’re right, there is something intriguing about him.” Setting aside his weight, just those single-fold eyelids held considerable allure. After all, small-eyed men were currently in vogue.

Ding Wei lifted her chin, scrutinizing him carefully before reaching a conclusion.

“But wouldn’t that harm countless women, allowing him to indulge in a harem-like fantasy?” Chu Fengxin furrowed her brow, feigning concern.

“Xiao Xinxin, you truly break my heart. Have I ever suggested turning him into a g*golofor women?” The corners of Dao Yi’s lips curved upwards more audaciously, carrying a hint of intense malice.

“You don’t mean to castrate him and make him serve male clients, do you?” Ding Wei’s words were filled with sarcasm; if that was indeed the plan, it would be better for him to just end it all—especially considering his notorious fondness for women.

“Why not?” Dao Yi innocently blinked while refilling her teacup, maintaining an expression of pure naivety.

“b❤tch…ah…uh…” A muffled groan followed shortly after.

“I’ve mentioned before, I dislike foul language. Why can’t you remember that?” Releasing the thermos bottle she had just used to strike someone, Dao Yi shook her wrist gently—a close call without injury, lest future s❤xual happiness be jeopardized.