Free Web NovelBo Xilai, who arrived belatedly, took me to a safe house.
“This place will be secure.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
At my formal response, Bo Xilai lowered his head deeply.
“No. I asked you to attend under the guarantee of your safety, and yet this happened. I sincerely apologize. I will do everything in my power to uncover those responsible.”
“Can I trust you?”
I had ruled him out as a suspect—but trusting him was another matter.
Right now, I couldn’t trust anyone.
This wasn’t just anywhere—it was a sniper attack in the heart of Shanghai.
Even within China, Shanghai was considered one of the safest cities.
As the number of foreign visitors increased each year, the local government had only tightened security further.
And yet, someone had pierced through all that surveillance and targeted a luxury hotel suite where foreigners stayed.
Without at least the tacit approval of someone within public security or the armed police, this wouldn’t have been easy.
If this incident became public, the backlash against the Shanghai government would be immense.
Meeting my gaze, Bo Xilai swallowed hard.
“Please trust me. I will catch them and make them face the law—”
I cut him off.
“There’s no need for the law. Just find out who it is. After that, I’ll handle it myself. I’ll also investigate through my own channels.”
This hadn’t happened when I was alone.
Cheon Jiyoung had been with me.
If even a stray bullet had hit her—
My jaw clenched without me realizing it.
Bo Xilai inhaled sharply.
“I will do everything I can.”
“I heard there are survivors.”
“Yes. They’ve been taken to the hospital and are undergoing emergency surgery.”
“Make sure they live. No—they must live.”
Fortunately, some of the assassins had survived.
If they could be kept alive, uncovering the mastermind wouldn’t be difficult.
“Judging by the weapon used and the shooting skill, they weren’t amateurs.”
No amateur could land shots from several hundred meters away.
“These were professionals.”
“Identify all the dead as well and share the information with me.”
At my cold tone, Bo Xilai nodded.
“Understood. Then please rest. I’ll return and handle the situation.”
After he left, I opened the door to the room where Cheon Jiyoung was resting.
She lay still under the blanket, pulled up over her head like a corpse.
“Asleep?”
At my voice, she peeked her head out.
Her face was still pale with fear.
“...No. I can’t sleep.”
After a brief hesitation, I stepped inside.
I pulled a chair from the desk and sat beside the bed.
“Still, try to sleep. You’ll be flying back tomorrow morning.”
“What about you? Aren’t you going?”
She didn’t say don’t go, but the worry was obvious.
I chuckled softly and adjusted her blanket.
“I need to catch whoever did this.”
“You can leave that to someone else. Come back with me... please?”
She looked deeply anxious.
That was only natural.
I gently stroked her hair.
“Don’t worry. When you get back, go see your doctor and talk it through, okay?”
“...Okay.”
“Good. This place is safe, so don’t think about anything. Just sleep.”
Seeing her nod, I stood up.
“I should get some rest too. You’ll leave in the morning—take my private jet.”
Leaving her with a quiet reply, I stepped out.
The safe house, with all the lights off, was so dark I could barely see a thing.
* * *
Wei Zhengcheng, who had been staying at the hideout of the organization introduced by Ye Xiaotong, received shocking news.
“What? It failed?”
He asked in disbelief.
The man before him, his face covered in scars, nodded.
“Ha. That woman Ye Xiaotong said they were reliable—and this is the result?”
Wei Zhengcheng lashed out, but the man showed no reaction.
For a moment, Wei Zhengcheng was reminded of Manager Ma’s eyes.
If his involvement were discovered, that man would come for him.
Fear instantly flooded his body.
“Th-they don’t know I’m involved, right? You made sure your men kept their mouths shut? Can I trust that?”
At his stammering question, the man nodded again.
“Answer me properly! Do you know how much money I gave you people?!”
Wei Zhengcheng had paid one million dollars upfront.
He had promised an equal amount upon success.
He had trusted them based on their credentials—
But what he received in return was bitter failure.
“You should’ve succeeded if you took the money. Now I can’t trust anything. You said there are survivors?”
Again, the man only nodded.
Wei Zhengcheng raised his voice.
“Did your tongue get cut out? Why can’t you speak?”
“...No one knows you are behind this, Chairman. I’m the only one who does. Yes, there are survivors—but even if they wake up, your name will never come up.”
At that moment, the man’s phone rang.
He ignored it.
“Answer it. It’s annoying.”
Wei Zhengcheng lifted his glass as he spoke.
The man turned and picked up the call.
“...Yes. Understood.”
He ended it quickly and turned back.
“What was that?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Really? Then tell me what we’re doing next. We’re not ending this here, are we?”
Instead of answering, the man stared at him.
Then slowly approached.
“Let me pour you a drink.”
He picked up the whiskey bottle and offered it.
“Hm.”
Wei Zhengcheng held out his glass with satisfaction.
The man poured.
The glass filled—
But he didn’t stop.
Even after it overflowed, he kept pouring until the entire bottle was empty.
Only then did he smile faintly.
“W-what is this?”
Startled by the cold gaze and eerie smile, Wei Zhengcheng dropped the glass.
“It’s a shame to waste your last drink.”
“...!”
Panic froze his face.
The man tossed the empty bottle aside and pulled out a rope.
“Please take responsibility—and die here.” freeweɓnøvel.com
“Y-you lunatic! Do you know who I am?!”
Wei Zhengcheng staggered backward—
Until he hit the wall.
There was nowhere left to run.
“D-don’t!!”
The man subdued him effortlessly, slipped the rope around his neck, and pulled tight.
“Ghk—!”
Wei Zhengcheng clawed at the rope—
But he couldn’t overpower him.
Time passed.
Eventually, his hands dropped limp.
Even after confirming he was dead, the man didn’t release the rope immediately.
Only after a long moment did he let go and support the body.
Soon, others entered the hideout.
“Take him to the hotel and clean it up.”
“Yes.”
They carried the body away.
Left alone, the man lit a cigarette.
Then he grabbed a container of fuel and began pouring it throughout the hideout.
Once it was empty, he casually tossed the lit cigarette inside as he walked out.
Flames spread instantly.
The hideout was soon engulfed.
Watching the fire briefly, he took out his phone.
“The hideout has been destroyed. I’ll go into hiding for now.”
After reporting, he got into a waiting car and left.
* * *
After escorting Cheon Jiyoung to the airport, I got into the car.
“Boss. Wei Zhengcheng has been found dead.”
Manager Ma’s report left me speechless for a moment.
“...Is that confirmed?”
“He was found hanged in a hotel room.”
“...Suicide? That man?”
“Not confirmed yet. That’s all our source has.”
China was a closed environment.
Information wasn’t easy to obtain.
Still—
This felt wrong.
“Was he in Shanghai?”
“No. He was found in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province.”
“...Strange.”
His company and home were in Beijing.
There was no reason for him to be in Fujian.
“Find out who he met and who he was with.”
“Yes.”
“It looks like he was involved in the assassination attempt. And that wasn’t suicide—it was murder.”
The Wei Zhengcheng I knew would never take his own life.
Manager Ma nodded silently.
At that moment, my phone rang.
— President! Was that your doing?!
Bo Xilai’s voice came at me, heated.
“...Are you asking if I killed Wei Zhengcheng?”
— ...So it was you. This crosses the line. He was part of the Princelings. His death won’t be quietly buried. Many people ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) saw you two arguing.
He had already decided I was guilty.
Without evidence.
“Bo Xilai, you should fix that habit of accusing people. Do you have any proof?”
— ......
“I just heard the news myself. He was found hanged in a hotel, right?”
— The fact that you know that means you’re involved. Only a handful of people know—
“Bo Xilai.”
I cut him off coldly.
“I said it wasn’t me. If I had killed him, you wouldn’t have even found the body.”
— ...Is that true? Can I trust you?
“I dislike repeating myself. This is your last warning.”
He fell silent, then spoke again after a cough.
— Understood. I’ll trust you. But Beijing may not. Too many people saw your conflict. It might be better if you leave China for now.
He was telling me to leave.
For my sake—or his own.
But it wasn’t the right move.
“If I leave now, it’ll only make me look guilty. This is something I need to face head-on.”
— Understood. We’ll confirm whether it was suicide or murder and contact you again.
The call ended.
I let out a dry laugh.
“Bo Xilai suspects me. Feels like I’ve been set up.”
The pattern was clear.
Assassinate me—
And if that failed, kill Wei Zhengcheng and pin it on me.
‘Who set this up?’
Only a few factions in China could orchestrate something like this.
The Princelings could be ruled out.
That left the Shanghai faction and the Communist Youth League as primary suspects.
“Boss, perhaps we should return to Korea for now,” Manager Ma suggested.
“If I leave now, it’s the same as admitting guilt.”
My private jet was already on its way back—with Cheon Jiyoung on board.
Forcing an escape now would only give them leverage.
“Let’s monitor the situation and decide.”
“...Then at least leave Shanghai. There’s a Black Bear safe house in Nanjing.”
He insisted more than usual.
I nodded.
“No point making my people worry unnecessarily. Let’s move there. Turn off the phones and observe.”
Relief flashed across his face.
* * *
Wei Zhengcheng’s death was an opportunity—for someone.
Jiang Zemin moved quickly to use it against Kim Muhyuk.
After meeting with party elders, he went to see Hu Jintao.
“Hu. You know Wei Zhengcheng is dead?”
“I do.”
“Then you also know he argued with Kim Muhyuk at Bo Xilai’s inauguration.”
“...What are you getting at?”
“We should detain him and investigate. The elders are in agreement.”
“Without evidence, we cannot arrest him.”
Hu Jintao firmly refused.
“Evidence can be found during investigation. Will you ignore the elders?”
“...There is no proof of his involvement. I will not arrest him.”
Jiang Zemin smiled coldly.
“You may regret that decision. I’ve already placed an exit ban on him.”
Hu Jintao closed his eyes.
“I believe he is the culprit. And even if he isn’t...”
Jiang Zemin’s smile deepened.
“I will make him one.”
