166: Chapter 166 The Beach

"Kevin Muller, 42 years old, Farniian nationality, General Manager of the Central Street Mall at the Oronia branch of the Hualefu Group. Has a happy family, a wife he grew up with, and two children. Resides at No. 16 Saint Rowanta Street, Building 8, Apartment 1602, Ormania..."

"Stop, stop, stop! How do you know all this? Who on earth are you..."

"Not only that, you also have five mistresses, three illegitimate sons, and one illegitimate daughter. You seem to be very fond of that girl..."

"No, no, no, please stop reading... I beg you! Sir! I admit I shouldn't have come here, please just let them go, okay? At least spare Annie..."

"Hoh, the first person you think of is actually your illegitimate daughter?" Li Ming said expressionlessly while scrolling through his phone. "Oh right, over the past ten years, you've been extensively recruiting women in the name of the Hualefu Group, primarily xia people, but including other ethnicities as well. These women disappeared after being recruited. While I can't be certain exactly why, there's no doubt you are heavily involved."

Li Ming put down his phone and looked at Zhou Hong.

He had to admit, the man's younger sister was indeed very cute.

"Therefore, I hope you can truthfully tell me exactly what you've done. In exchange, I won't have anyone touch your precious Annie. How about it?"

—This was a lie, of course. No matter what, Li Ming wouldn't do such a thing, but the blond-haired Kevin didn't know that.

"You... you must swear."

"On what grounds?" Li Ming smiled, shaking the pistol in his hand. "You have no choice. Time is running out. My gunman has already set off."

"No, please!... I'll tell you everything... please, don't..."

The final result was as expected: an underground club.

Undoubtedly, their lives were anything but good.

"Very well, you've earned a way out for your children, mistresses, and family." Li Ming looked around. This place was some distance from Longchuan Workshop and was already in the salt-alkali flats. Naturally, there were no traces of civilization, only a small, likely illegally built fishing village far in the distance... that was probably the real refugee camp. "Now, you may go."

"You... you're willing to let me go?"

Kevin was in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm letting you go."

Kevin bit his lip, struggling to support his limp legs as he ran toward the city.

Watching him run five or six meters, Li Ming then slowly raised his gun.

*Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!*

Kevin's body froze in place, and then he slowly collapsed.

"Safe travels, I won't see you out." In the shadows, Li Ming's face was obscured. "May your Lord forgive your sins. As for me..."

He looked toward the half-dead Scarface on the other side.

"Ahhh! Please don't kill me! No, I'm just a dog, I'm willing... I'm willing to tell you everything! Please, I beg you!"

Li Ming looked at him and pointed the gun. "That depends on whether what you say has value. Then I'll consider whether or not to kill you."

"I—I'll talk!"

Scarface's body was now half-charred from the burns, but his will to survive still supported him.

He blurted out all the dirty dealings he had collected to avoid being purged while acting as a 'dog,' and Logic faithfully recorded his words.

In the end, Li Ming spared his life—but Li Ming knew that even if he managed to survive by luck, he would still be liquidated.

As expected, after staggering forward for a short distance, he collapsed on his own and made no more sound.

Li Ming looked at Zhou Hong.

Under the night sky, Li Ming also couldn't see Zhou Hong's face clearly, but he had deliberately had Jiu Hai take Zhou Hong's younger siblings further away.

"Li Ming, are you... alright?"

"Me? I'm fine," Li Ming replied, putting his gun away.

Then Li Ming came to Zhou Hong. "If all goes as expected, Instructor Lauren will arrange for your family to live in the academy. Prepare to move; the academy will be the best safe harbor until you graduate."

"I understand, but..." Zhou Hong touched his sleeve, which had torn from a fall while running; the skin beneath was already bruised.

"No 'buts'. How old are you?"

"Uh, twenty-one."

"Twenty-one, you're a man now." Li Ming hooked an arm around his shoulder. "You did well today, but you should do even better."

He let go of Zhou Hong, stood before him, drew two revolvers, and with a flourish, flipped them to hold them by the barrels, handing the two guns to Zhou Hong. "For your family, Old Zhou."

These two guns belonged to the bodyguards, and Li Ming had already taken all the bullets.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Hong accepted the guns.

"That's the spirit." Li Ming nodded and looked to the side. A6 appeared once again from the direction of Longchuan Workshop, trotting to his side.

"Reporting."

"How is it?" Li Ming picked her up.

"The other thugs were caught red-handed by the Xia People's Patrol Team and are likely being dealt with now. Those two bodies... Uncle Wang has already cleared them. However, the Military Police have arrived. Commander Zhou Hong's home has been cordoned off, and the patrol team is currently in a standoff with the Military Police."

*Snap!*

Bright lights shone from the sea, and over a dozen Ship Girls came ashore one after another to protect them.

"Commander Li Ming, are you alright?" Kano had come ashore at full speed in her rigging state, skidding a long trail into the sand.

"Li Ming, Zhou Hong." Lauren walked up normally, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw they were unharmed.

Jiu Hai brought the younger siblings back. "Instructor Lauren."

"Good work." Lauren nodded and looked at Kano.

Kano checked Li Ming up and down to confirm he wasn't injured before finally relaxing. She waved her hand, "Clean up the scene!"

The Ship Girls had various expressions, but they began to clear the area regardless.

"They got what they deserved," Kano said, looking at Scarface and Kevin lying on the ground.

Li Ming shook his head and set A6 down.

"Zhou Hong, your siblings and Jiu Hai will follow the team back to the academy first. We'll go with you to get the things your family needs to take," Lauren said as she watched the bodies being put into bags to be dumped at sea.

"Isn't that a bit..." Zhou Hong wanted to refuse, but Lauren stopped him from continuing. "I know xia families have heirlooms and such. Go get them; if there are any problems, I'll handle them."

"...Alright."

"Li Ming, please come along. If we run into anyone, you don't need to show yourselves, just leave it to me."

"Understood, Instructor."

"I'm coming too!" Kano retracted her rigging. "Many hands make light work."

Li Ming shrugged, having no objection.

A6 tilted her head and followed at the back of the group.

...

...