Chapter 74: Okinawa Island

Du Bin settled her in the hospital, and after completing the admission procedures, he noticed Li Ning’s phone ringing. Picking it up, he saw it was a call from Li Ping, and felt a wave of relief wash over him.

“Ning Ning, I just returned to Guangzhou and heard you’re back. Where are you now?”

Hearing the anxious tone, Du Bin replied, “Ping, it’s Du Bin. Your sister is in Shaoguan Hospital. She’s just a bit injured, nothing serious.”

“Thank you, Du Bin. As long as she’s fine, I’ll come right over.” Hearing that Li Ning was safe, Li Ping’s worries instantly eased and he drove straight to the hospital.

Li Ping gazed at Li Ning, fast asleep on the hospital bed with bandages and an IV drip, careful not to disturb her. Du Bin poured a glass of water and patted his shoulder. Li Ping reached out to take it, but with a slight force, the glass shattered with a crack. Du Bin looked at him in surprise.

“Really? Maybe the glass was defective,” Li Ping joked to ease the awkward atmosphere.

Du Bin chuckled, not thinking much of it, then remembered their ordeal. “By the way, your captain is dead. Did you know?”

“I found out when I got back to the unit,” Li Ping replied, his eyes moist. “It’s hard, but the captain sacrificed himself for the mission.”

“Mission?”

“Maybe you weren’t there, but our task was to protect Miss Ye. Unfortunately, she’s disappeared again. Du Bin, you know her well—do you know where she is?”

Du Bin shook his head helplessly. “I don’t know either. The Hunting Family village was just massacred for reasons unknown.”

“What? Who did it?” Li Ping was taken aback.

“No idea. When I arrived, it was already a ruin.”

The two chatted for a long time before Du Bin received a call from an unknown number. He hesitated, almost ignoring it, but eventually answered, “Hello?”

“Old Du, it’s me.”

“Fatty? You’re alive? Are Aunt Lan and the others with you? What about Ye Tang?” Du Bin was overjoyed to hear Hu Guozheng’s voice. If he was alive, he’d surely know about Aunt Lan and Ye Tang. Li Ping, caring for the newly awakened Li Ning, was equally delighted.

Hu Guozheng, slightly disgruntled from nearly falling out with Du Bin over Fang Yilin before, retorted, “You still care about her? Aren’t you obsessed with Fang Yilin? I’m not cleaning up your romantic messes.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll handle it. Where are you now?”

“We’re in Okinawa, everything’s fine, Xiao Tang is back to normal, and those psychics can’t find her now. When are you coming?”

“I’ll be there right away.”

“Don’t you need to spend a night discussing things with her?”

“I’ll contact you when I arrive.” Du Bin hung up, packed his things, and feeling reassured that Li Ning was with her brother, said a few words and caught a flight to Okinawa.

Li Ning had wanted to go too, but now she needed to confirm one thing: “Brother, was the captain’s death related to you?”

“Ning Ning, what are you saying? We were all scattered by the psychics at the time,” Li Ping replied, surprised, quickly masking his emotions.

“Is that so? If you don’t want to say, there’s nothing I can do.” Li Ning turned her back on him, lying on the bed. Seeing her stubbornness, Li Ping could only sigh, clenching his phone so tightly it warped.

In Guangzhou, in a luxurious suite, Zeng Yilong played chess with himself, while Wu Qiwei savored a glass of red wine on the sofa. Several bodyguards and Tao Wenjie stood by the door.

“Impressive, fragrant and mellow. Truly the king of wines. To possess genuine Romanée-Conti, Mr. Zeng, your connections grow ever wider.”

“Hah, my domain is the economic zone. And Wu Qiwei, don’t you already own the Southern Hunting Family? Even in decline, it’s the voice of the South. With your disciple’s abilities, within a few years, psychics worldwide will bow to your master-disciple duo.” Zeng Yilong inhaled his cigar, eyes on the chessboard where the white side was under relentless attack from black.

“Hahaha, I seek more than empty glory.”

“I heard someone report the Hunting Family base was destroyed. What happened?” Zeng Yilong swiftly reversed the white side’s disadvantage, taking command of the board.

“Oh, just as expected. Don’t you get bored playing chess with yourself?”

“Bored, but what can I do? No one’s a match for me. Invincibility is lonely indeed.”

“I feel the same.” Both laughed heartily.

Just then, YOYO entered, “Master, reliable sources have pinpointed her location.”

“Where?” Wu Qiwei set his glass down.

“Okinawa, Japan,” YOYO replied with a smile.

“Spread the news. Take the Psychic Alliance there, I’ll follow soon.”

“Yes.” YOYO bowed and left.

“It seems she has re-imprinted the seal on herself—no wonder her vampire powers disappeared and we couldn’t track her,” Wu Qiwei said, clinking glasses with Zeng Yilong.

With passport in hand, Du Bin left Naha Airport and saw Hu Guozheng, that lovable fatso. The two embraced in a warm reunion. Du Bin barely knew any Japanese, but thankfully Hu Guozheng did; otherwise, he’d be lost and unable to communicate.

Soon, they arrived at the residence—a small villa owned by Nakajima Le’er, an online friend. Here, such a house was called an “ikkodate.” Knowing he was about to see Ye Tang, Du Bin’s heart pounded.

Inside, he saw Aunt Lan and Nakajima Le’er discussing psychic matters. Du Bin greeted them, but Aunt Lan coldly ignored him, still upset he hadn’t come earlier.

Du Bin couldn’t explain, so he scampered upstairs into a room. As he opened the door, Hu Guozheng tried to say something, but a shrill scream erupted from inside: “Pervert!”

Du Bin stumbled out, bewildered, glaring at Hu Guozheng’s false grin. “Damn it, didn’t you say first room upstairs? You tricked me!”

“I didn’t lie, it’s the first room. But I meant the lady of the house—you misunderstood.” Hu Guozheng doubled over, laughing at Du Bin.

Du Bin clenched his teeth, pointing accusingly, “You set me up!”

The lady of the house, Haruhi Mineko, around thirty-six, stormed out in her kimono, eyes blazing. “Be honest, how much did you see? I promise not to beat you to death.”

Fatty chimed in, “He said he saw everything.”

Du Bin, clueless, realized from her darkening face things were getting worse, so he quickly apologized in English, “Miss, I’m very sorry, please forgive me.”

It took Du Bin quite some time to apologize, only stopping when Ye Tang emerged. When their eyes met, affection filled both gazes.

“Long time no see.”

“Yes,” Du Bin replied. Before coming, Hu Guozheng had told him she remembered nothing of her time as a vampire, and Aunt Lan had specifically instructed not to tell her. Du Bin agreed—it was better this way; at least now she was truly herself.

Saying nothing more, he wrapped her tightly in his arms. Ye Tang did not resist. Hu Guozheng, unable to stomach their sentimental embrace, wisely pulled Mineko downstairs, leaving the two alone.