98: Chapter 98 Sounding the Alarm

Zhao Yang walked back with Jiang Nan, editing a message as he went: "Guo Mingkai is currently in the buffet area of Platinum Night."

Putting his phone away, he leaned into Jiang Nan's ear and whispered, "Done. Let's go back to the room first."

Out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Nan glanced behind them and noticed a waiter in a black suit following them.

The man was walking hurriedly, eyes fixed ahead, clearly coming for her and Zhao Yang.

She lowered her voice, "Something's up. Let's get back to the room."

The thick, dark red carpet in the corridor swallowed the sound of all footsteps.

Zhao Yang and Jiang Nan hurried back to Room 012 and locked the door behind them.

Zhao Yang leaned against the door to catch his breath, his gaze sweeping across the room.

The jacket on the television was still in place, covering the camera.

"What do they want?" Jiang Nan whispered, her bathrobe collar slightly open, revealing her delicate collarbone.

Zhao Yang shook his head and then nodded, "They might not have recognized us, but Guo Mingkai definitely isn't up to any good."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a knock sounded at the door.

Knock, knock, knock...

Zhao Yang and Jiang Nan exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and opened the door halfway.

Standing outside was a waiter in a black suit, in his early thirties, with a faint, ambiguous smirk on his lips.

Behind him, the corridor was empty, still dim and silent.

"Something you need?" Zhao Yang asked in a flat tone.

The waiter's gaze drifted over Zhao Yang's shoulder, landing directly on Jiang Nan inside the room.

He looked her up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised amusement.

"Our General Manager Guo has something he'd like to discuss with this young lady."

The word "young lady" tumbled out of his mouth, light and airy, yet laced with thorns.

Zhao Yang frowned slightly. In this day and age, "young lady" had long since become a euphemism for sex workers.

Jiang Nan stood by the bed, her expression darkening.

Zhao Yang placed his hand on the door frame, his tone calm but unquestionable: "Please tell General Manager Guo that this lady is my girlfriend, and there is nothing to discuss."

He pushed against the door, preparing to close it.

Bang! The door was kicked open, the door panel slamming hard into Zhao Yang's shoulder and sending him stumbling back two steps.

The waiter strode across the threshold, followed by two burly men: one bald with a green totem tattoo on his neck, the other with a buzz cut and eyes as fierce as a wolf's.

Both wore tight black T-shirts, their muscles straining against the fabric.

The waiter tilted his head toward Zhao Yang, the smirk on his lips turning into a sneer: "Kid, did I give you too much face?"

He stepped forward, pointing at Jiang Nan: "General Manager Guo taking an interest in your girlfriend is doing you a favor. Be good, let this beauty come with us for a cup of tea and a chat. We'll bring her back in one piece."

They never cared much for the second-generation officials who came to the Platinum member area.

The fathers of these second-generation officials were all under General Manager Guo's control; there was no need to show any respect to these pampered brats.

Sometimes they were even worse, seeking a sense of psychological balance by tormenting these incompetent second-generation officials.

He paused, his smile growing more malicious: "If you don't know what's good for you, then we'll be 'carrying' her back instead!"

Zhao Yang stood behind the door, refusing to give an inch. His gaze swept slowly over the three men, his voice low but enunciated clearly: "I'm warning you, if you dare to step foot into this room, don't blame me for what happens."

"Oh, really?" The bald thug laughed, revealing teeth stained yellow by tobacco.

He twisted his neck, causing it to crackle: "Kid, you think being in the Platinum member area makes you special? Isn't it all just relying on your old man's power?"

At Platinum Night, if General Manager Guo wants a woman, he doesn't have to give anyone face.

He stepped forward, almost pressing against Zhao Yang, looking down at him from above: "Which leader is your dad? Let's hear it."

Zhao Yang didn't move or speak. The waiter grew impatient and jerked his head back: "Stop wasting time, go in and get her."

The bald thug rushed forward first, his massive, fan-like hand reaching for Zhao Yang's shoulder.

Zhao Yang dodged to the side, grabbing the man's wrist with his left hand and slamming his right elbow into the man's face.

He was athletic and had practiced grappling and combat training while at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, so he could hold his own.

Bang! Caught off guard, the bald man's nose took the hit, blood splattering as he staggered backward.

"Damn it!" the buzz-cut thug cursed and swung a fist at him.

Zhao Yang ducked to avoid it and took the opportunity to land an uppercut to the man's ribs.

The buzz-cut man grunted but took the hit, swinging back with a punch that landed on Zhao Yang's cheek.

Zhao Yang's vision went dark, and he swayed.

The bald man wiped his nosebleed, his eyes filled with malice, and lunged forward with another punch.

Zhao Yang managed to block it, but the buzz-cut man kicked him in the knee from the side, forcing him to one knee.

Fists rained down on him. Bang! Bang!

Zhao Yang covered his head and face, taking hit after hit to his back and ribs.

His nose felt hot, and blood dripped down over his lips, staining a small dark patch on the dark red carpet.

"Zhao Yang!" Jiang Nan's voice was filled with anger.

She stepped forward quickly, a blur of motion. A fierce whip kick struck the bald man in the temple.

The bald man's massive frame swayed, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

The buzz-cut thug was startled and instinctively took a half-step back, but then he realized what happened, his eyes flaring with ferocity.

He reached for his lower back and pulled out a black telescopic baton. Snap! The baton snapped open, glinting coldly in the dim light.

One hit from this thing would break an arm instantly, and if it hit the head, it would be fatal or cause severe injury.

The buzz-cut man gripped the baton and sneered as he closed in on Jiang Nan.

Zhao Yang scrambled up from the floor, nose still bleeding, his vision somewhat blurred. He caught sight of a solid wood chair nearby, grabbed it, and blocked Jiang Nan with it.

"Get behind me," he croaked. Jiang Nan didn't move, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him instead.

The man swung the baton; Zhao Yang raised the chair to block it. Bang! Wood splinters flew.

A second blow followed; Zhao Yang blocked again, and the chair fell apart.

His hand was numb from the impact, but he gripped the chair leg tightly, refusing to let go.

Just as the man was about to swing a third time, he caught a glimpse of the waiter, who had retreated into the corridor and was shouting at the top of his lungs: "Come here! Get over here, all of you!"

Rapid footsteps surged from both ends of the corridor. In the blink of an eye, six burly men in black blocked the doorway completely.

Each one was hulking and wolf-eyed, surrounding the narrow doorway like an iron barrel.

The waiter stood behind the crowd, clutching his sore chest, and sneered: "Kid, today, without a proper explanation, you aren't walking out of this door."

Zhao Yang wiped his nosebleed, blood smearing half his face, making his eyes look exceptionally cold.

He didn't speak, just turned his head to look at Jiang Nan: "Trigger the alarm!"

Jiang Nan's hand had already reached inside her bathrobe, triggering the alarm while drawing her service pistol.

Bang! The gunshot exploded in the confined space, making everyone's eardrums ring.

A hole was blasted into the plasterboard on the ceiling, and white dust rained down, sprinkling onto Jiang Nan's shoulders.

She held the gun with both hands, the barrel sweeping slowly across the group at the door before settling on the waiter's face.

Her voice was low but sharp as a knife: "If anyone here isn't afraid of dying, feel free to come in and try!"