Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Brother, Let’s Eat Hotpot Together for the
Chapter 305: Brother, Let’s Eat Hotpot Together for the
New Year
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Unfortunately, Ji Chi insisted on dragging him into the abyss, but he refused, and Ji Chi went mad.
Ji Chi had been pressuring him to make a decision all along, but why did he insist on a promise when we had both agreed not to have a future?
“Brother, what do you want to say?”
“Nothing, I’m taking care of your wounds!” Jiang Junlin sat coldly by the window, the curtains remained tightly closed. He listened to the sound of the wind and snow outside, feeling uneasy.
He had always been a very rational person.
Jiang Junlin’s great-grandfather was fortunate to have a peaceful end, living to the age of 76. Even though he died in service to the country, he had been loyal and unwavering throughout his life. Jiang Junlin was just born in the year of his great-grandfather’s passing, but he first heard his great-grandfather’s story when he was seven years old, unintentionally eavesdropping outside the study one day. On that day, an important figure came to their house, and they locked themselves in the study to discuss matters.
They wanted Old Mr. Jiang to take over as the head of the secretive Dark Web underworld because the foundation laid by their ancestors ran deep, and they had attempted to hand it over to others, but the results were unsatisfactory.
The Dark Web underworld had many factions, but they only recognized the Jiang family.
Unfortunately, when Old Mr. Jiang passed away, he fought to prevent his son and grandson from taking on the responsibility of leading the Dark Web underworld. When the higher-ups sent someone to manage the Dark Web underworld, they found it difficult to control, but they couldn’t abandon it either. This had been Old Mr. Jiang’s life’s work and a financial channel he had painstakingly built.
When Jiang Junlin came home from school, the house was eerily quiet. His family had always been strict, especially when it came to manners, as a scholarly family valued discipline above all else. Even at a young age, he wasn’t allowed to run, jump, or shout in the house, so no one heard his footsteps. As he passed by the study, he heard his grandfather’s rare scolding, as if he was cursing someone. Driven by curiosity, he listened from a corner.
From that moment on, he knew about the existence of the Dark Web underworld.
As a teenager, when the Dark Web underworld experienced a rebellion, the minister came to the Jiang family, still hoping that the old master and Jiang Minghua could take over as leaders of the Dark Web underworld. He naturally accepted the heavy responsibility.
In the first year of taking on that burden, he understood what the Dark Web underworld did, what he would do in the future, and why his great-grandfather had fought to keep his descendants out of it.
He also understood that as a man who had dedicated himself to the nation, it would be difficult for him to dedicate himself to a single person. Even if he married and had children, his life would never be peaceful. He had to remain focused and unburdened by personal ties. Perhaps his marriage would be a transaction, and one day, his wife and children would face a disaster.
No one could predict the future, but what he could do was tread carefully, avoiding entanglements with the world. He had grown accustomed to restraining his desires.
He once loved the violin. The Jiang family, a generation of scholars, cultivated their children to be artistic and cultured. He was raised by his aunt, and as a child, he saw her standing in the living room in a long dress, playing the violin. It sparked his longing, and he diligently practiced his skills, winning first place in a children’s violin competition. He had once dreamed of becoming a musician.
Later, he cut the violin strings, sealed the case completely, and never mentioned it again. Very few people knew that the eldest son of the Jiang family had once been an exceptionally gifted musician.
The hands that used to play the violin flawlessly were now stained with blood.
He had to remain acutely aware of what he could and couldn’t do.
Ji Chi was the first and last time he indulged himself after taking over the Dark Web underworld. He knew it was wrong, but he stubbornly persisted, and it was a kind of tragedy.
“Brother, what are you thinking?” Ji Chi’s words interrupted Jiang Junlin’s train of thought.
Jiang Junlin glanced at him indifferently, avoiding his intense gaze. The doorbell rang, and Jiang Junlin’s nerves tightened. Ji Chi also became alert, reaching for the gun at his side.
They exchanged a glance. The ringing sounded like an alarm. After they entered the safe house, it rang for the first time. Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi both went to check the surveillance. In the neighboring house, a little girl stood at the door holding a tray. She had chestnut-colored long hair, with two braids, and looked to be about five or six years old. Her features were exquisite, her skin fair, and she looked like a mix of Chinese and French heritage, very beautiful.
Jiang Junlin approached the door, opened it, and the little girl held out a small cake, her voice childish, “Brother, this is a little cake my mom made. Thank you.”
The cake was beautifully made. Her mother ran a restaurant, and her culinary skills were excellent. The cream cake was rich and fragrant. Jiang Junlin bent down and took the cake, saying, “Thank you.”
The little girl ran back to her house, shyly.
Both Ji Chi and Jiang Junlin had no desire for interaction with their neighbors, but in recent days, their options had been limited, and they had been eating rough meals. They looked at the cake, not because they were craving sweets, but because after several days of meager living, this cake seemed like a rare delicacy that had appeared before them.
“It’s almost Chinese New Year!” Jiang Junlin looked at the cake and suddenly said, “This is the first time 1 won’t be home for the New Year. Grandpa and Dad must be really worried.”
Surprisingly, Ji Chi felt a twinge of guilt. If it weren’t for him imprisoning Jiang Junlin, this series of tragedies and chaos wouldn’t have happened. Yet, he also felt a sense of happiness. This was the first time he was celebrating the New Year with Jiang Junlin.
“Brother, on New Year’s Eve, let’s have hot pot together!”
Jiang Junlin glanced at him but didn’t reply. The light in Ji Chi’s eyes gradually dimmed in the darkness. New Year is a time for reunion, but what kind of reunion was this for them?
In City A, Gu Ziyu had finally finished his exams and was officially on holiday. Chen Liangdong handed him a pile of cases and seemed to want him to work every day. Gu Ziyu complained, “Old man, this is not 996; this is like you want to exploit me 24/7. Do you know it’s child abuse? I dream that I’ll grow to be 1.9 meters tall by the time I’m eighteen. If 1 don’t reach that height, it’s definitely your fault!”
Chen Liangdong thought he had a lot of quirks but laughed and said, “Lately, there’s been infighting between Black Hawk and the Dark Web, and we’re reaping the benefits. Our department has a lot more work, and those informants of ours need your guidance. They’ve been complaining for the past two weeks when you were taking exams. We need you to oversee them.”
Gu Ziyu thought to himself, when parents fight, it’s usually the children who suffer. But here, it seemed like the children were getting a free ride. This was really absurd.
Chen Liangdong said, “Recently, the intelligence department in Paris captured a photo. Take a look.”
Gu Ziyu took the photo and glanced at it. It was a picture of Dr. North. She was wearing a red coat, cinched at the waist, with her long hair pinned up. She had an English-style hat on her head and was holding a short gun, seemingly on a mission.
Chen Liangdong said, “If I remember correctly, she’s a professor at A University, right? 1 had a chance encounter with her at the hospital.”
“The medical school,” Gu Ziyu replied. The fact that this photo had been taken wasn’t surprising at all. Lately, Chen Liangdong had been using overseas intelligence networks to search for Jiang Junlin’s whereabouts, leaving no stone unturned. He had also helped local law enforcement agencies solve several cases quickly..