Special Forces Medic

Even though it’s unclear why the other party suddenly changed the deal, the choice to conduct the transaction in broad daylight made Dan Ning defensive. Despite the fact that the other party, apart from Nicholas, was a figure neither black nor white with whom they had a certain level of credibility during their cooperation period, it was still...

Despite having doubts inside, Dan Ning arrived at a rather inconspicuous coffee shop at the scheduled time. There wasn’t a heavy crowd but neither was the place particularly sparse. In short, the geographical environment didn’t seem conducive for such a deal.

In the spacious glass hall, sunlight appeared to lay a layer of golden light. It was eleven in the morning, approaching lunchtime, so guests trickled in, eager not to crowd during noon, each taking a seat to order food.

Dan Ning arrived an hour earlier than scheduled, but he waited all along in a restaurant diagonally opposite the coffee shop. As always, his subordinate furrowed his brows. "Boss, I still think there’s no need for you to show up personally. James has already rejected us. For him to proactively propose purchasing this batch of arms is very suspicious; we have to be careful!"

"Hmm!" Dan Ning nodded. His confidant had a point, but he was never the kind to shy away from danger. Knowing that the other party had a scheme, he felt uneasy not finding out what it was.

"That’s why you should let me go and check first, then we can have a backup plan. After all, boss, you can’t take risks now; the Clan Leader wouldn’t want to see you in danger."

"You brat, now you’re using the Clan Leader’s position to pressure me!" Dan Ning jokingly threatened to hit him upon hearing his confidant mention Dan Qing. The latter merely laughed out loud and didn’t evade. "James rarely operates in Palermo. He’s here because he heard about this batch of unique arms. He’s generally uninterested in arms of unknown origin; someone must be instigating him this time. If I don’t go, I’ll never expose his mastermind. If we fail now, there’ll be another chance; they won’t stop."

"Boss, do you already have a suspect in mind?"

"Not certain, but I’m close. This person is really persistent."

At this moment, a short and a tall man hurried into the coffee shop opposite. Led by the server, they sat at an empty window table. Pointing at the short, chubby man, Dan Ning said he was from the American Gang and was associated with James, making things more interesting. As he spoke, Dan Ning squinted his eyes, feeling his gut twisting with anticipation. "Do me a favor, go to Black Street to see Xiao Lin. Don’t say much—just mention that Gangster Scorpion is in Palermo."

"No can do, I can’t leave you here alone." Clearly, his confidant strongly opposed Dan Ning’s approach.

"No matter what, I’m the ’Vaganet’ boss, Palermo’s biggest arms dealer. They won’t do anything to me, especially in a populated area like this; they wouldn’t dare. Hurry and come back." Saying so, Dan Ning tidied up his clothes and headed toward the coffee shop across the street.

It’s rare for someone to visit a coffee shop without ordering coffee, yet the chubby man only ordered a cup of hot milk while the tall man opted for freshly squeezed juice, without ordering any pastries. They might be the most frugal people this noon. Without hesitation, Dan Ning ordered an iced American coffee from the counter and sat opposite the two men.

The rim of the icy American coffee cup was covered in mist, forming water droplets that rolled down the cup wall, leaving a water ring on the table. James didn’t rush to introduce the person beside him to Dan Ning but fixed his green eyes on Dan Ning’s carefree expression. Neither showed signs of breaking the silence first.

As time passed slowly, the occasional glance at the wristwatch caught the chubby man’s attention. He broke the silence as his raspy voice pierced through the chatters like a clear stream. "Mr. Dong San Sheng, are you in a hurry?"

"Ah? Ah!" Dan Ning lowered his left hand, laughing awkwardly. "Not really in a hurry. I just wonder what the purpose is for you two seeking me out. My time isn’t currently in short supply, but it’s quite precious for you two."

"In that case, let’s get straight to the point. We’re old friends; no need for beating around the bush. Mr. Pete is quite interested in this batch of goods; I wonder if Mr. Dong San Sheng still has this hospital available for sale?" James always wore a smile when interacting with people, but those in the underworld knew well: smiling people are often sinister, like the proverbial ’smile-faced tiger’—a grin concealing a blade. Being fooled by that benevolent facade, one’s death would remain a mystery even to oneself.

"James, I clearly remember you rejected me last time."

"Ah, hahaha!" James laughed heartily, caressing his head. "Mr. Dong San Sheng is indeed vengeful. I had no choice. We in this business don’t escape from having weaknesses. A stronger point is also the best target for attack; I’m sure you understand. To make up for my apologies, I introduced Pete to you."

"Pete?" Dan Ning glanced at the chubby man, suddenly pointing at him in surprise, his mouth agape. "Could it be that you are..."

Pete nodded with little expression. "As far as I know, the original owner of this batch of goods was a gentleman from China. After several turnovers, it ended up with you. Of course, I won’t bother with its origins or its price."

"Shipment price!" Dan Ning pondered for a moment. "If James had come to me a week earlier, I might have been interested in selling it. But now I have a personal intention to keep this batch; they’re unique items. You know, after dealing in arms for so many years, I know which are valuable and which are subpar, thanks to James for giving me the time to study these things."

"So, Mr. Eastern Three Provinces isn’t planning to sell?" Pete was not as skilled as James in concealing his feelings, and his directness made the atmosphere awkward.

Dan Ning nodded. "Actually, not selling is for your own good. You must know these goods have a dubious origin; whoever gets them will only invite trouble. Moreover, the stability of these weapons is highly dangerous; injuring others or oneself would ruin my reputation as an arms dealer. In the long term, it’s better to keep them for my collection."

Pete glanced at James, who laughed heartily as if to lighten the mood. "Eastern Three Provinces, I think you should reconsider. Pete came from far away; we can’t let him come for nothing. First, take a look at the goods and decide afterwards?"

"I’m sorry! I have no intention of selling. If Pete wants to bring in other advanced weapons, I can help. But forget about this batch." Dan Ning’s straightforward refusal left James with no face at all. "If there’s nothing else, I won’t disturb your precious time."

Green eyes followed Dan Ning as he got into his car, then slowly withdrew, releasing a cold snort. "This person is quite arrogant!"

"Old buddy, the young people nowadays aren’t afraid to die," James said with a deep meaning. "Mr. Shao will arrive in a moment, let’s have some iced drinks to cool off first."

Ten minutes later, Shao Qinyi appeared on time at the café. Amidst the many people, he didn’t stand out much, lacking Hua Qingyi’s stunningly beautiful features or Xiao Lin’s blend of delicate and rugged handsomeness, looking only clean like a scholar. This was Pete’s first impression upon seeing Shao Qinyi, always the kind of clean look that makes one forget, and gives an impression of underestimation.

However, elsewhere in the café, a pair of dark eyes were locked on the three people by the glass window, with Dan Ning, who had left in his car, sitting beside him.

"The goods are with me, Shao Qinyi has approached me." Dan Ning gestured toward the people in the café with his mouth. "What trouble has Yeh-Lü offended? Someone wants to take his head."

"You agreed?" Xiao Lin felt there was nothing worth watching, so he turned his head to look at Dan Ning.

"Still considering it. After all, the underground lines are suppressed by this guy, and I don’t know what methods he used. Isn’t Shao Qinyi’s power all in China?"

"It’s not that Yeh-Lü offended someone, but eliminating this line of sight is like cutting off one of my arms. The power of darkness lies not in whether they can fight, but in their information sources. Without Yeh-Lü, it’s like blinding one of my eyes."

"So the most likely person is Quan Xianglin, Shao Qinyi is his man, wanting Yeh-Lü’s life wouldn’t be unusual."

Xiao Lin shook his head, disagreeing. "If Shao Qinyi wants Yeh-Lü’s life, he wouldn’t need your people to deal with Yeh-Lü. There must be someone else involved."

"You’ve seen that batch; the seventh figure of the American Gang appearing in Palermo is undoubtedly tied to Shao Qinyi." Leaving the café, he walked back to the restaurant after the car turned halfway around the street, Shao Qinyi’s appearance as anticipated, without suspense.

"Shao Qinyi will still come to you, agree on the third visit; opening the underground passage requires another key figure."

"Nicholas!"

"Indeed, watching the tigers fight until there’s almost a conclusion." Xiao Lin laughed it over. "The target of the Assassin Group is only me, and I want to use this matter to eliminate these two people; that would be the perfect result."

"So, the exclusive rights to the follow-up support for that batch also belong to me?" (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)