When he heard that I wasn't bluffing, Xiao Tianci's expression instantly changed.
However, before he could recover, I had already started counting.
"Three, two..."
Before I could utter the crucial "one," I noticed Xiao Tianci first lower his head to look at the steel plate in his hand, and then his eyes flickered with a series of changes.
I knew very well that Xiao Tianci wasn't afraid to make a move, but rather was considering the consequences he would face after doing so.
As I had said earlier, when those in power decide to do something, their primary consideration is never success or failure, but rather the impact that action will have on themselves.
To put it bluntly, it's a weighing of pros and cons.
Only when the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks will they execute it resolutely and without hesitation.
Having navigated the world for many years, it was inevitable that Xiao Tianci would have blood on his hands. However...
At least, for a big shot like him who made his fortune running underground casinos, he certainly wouldn't have to personally get involved in the dirty work of fighting and killing.
Therefore, I gambled that he wouldn't dare to lay a hand on me!
The brief moment of a second had already passed.
"Time's up, come on! Make your move!"
As I said this, besides spreading my hands wide open, I deliberately brought my neck closer to the tip of the steel plate.
My posture suggested that I was truly prepared to meet my end at any moment.
As soon as I adopted this reckless stance, Xiao Tianci's freshly regained confidence instantly crumbled and dissipated.
His facial expression continued to shift, revealing fear, awkwardness, trepidation, and apprehension...
"Didn't you say that if I didn't kill you, you would kill me? Come on! Make your move!!!"
"Boss Xiao, this is a golden opportunity right before you, don't miss it!" Seeing that he was still hesitant to act, I retorted mockingly.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tianci remained frozen in place, his right hand gripping the steel plate trembling uncontrollably.
After waiting for about another minute.
Suddenly opening my eyes, I snatched the steel plate from the dazed Xiao Tianci and, with a cold voice, pressed the tip against his throat, saying, "I gave you a chance, but you couldn't seize it! Boss Xiao, since you can't grasp this opportunity yourself, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Now, our roles are reversed, and it's the same life-or-death game!"
"Before we start this game, please think carefully about the question I asked you just now. What is its correct answer."
"Three seconds. You only have three seconds to think it through!"
"When the three seconds are up, if you're still stubborn or try to argue, I'll send you down to join your brother!"
"Come on, listen carefully!"
"Three, two, one!"
During the three-second countdown, with each number I called out, I pressed the tip of the plate a little deeper into Xiao Tianci's throat.
With every inch the plate advanced, the fear on Xiao Tianci's face intensified!
As a faint scent of blood subtly rose and permeated the air, Xiao Tianci truly realized that the tip of the plate in my hand had already broken through the outermost layer of skin on his throat.
"Time's up!"
"Since you've chosen to be a mute, I'll oblige you!"
The moment my words fell, without any hesitation or mercy, I tightened my grip on the steel plate and prepared to exert force to cut through Xiao Tianci's throat.
"Wait!!!"
"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
At the critical juncture of life and death, spurred by the body's innate survival mechanism, Xiao Tianci finally chose to yield.
Hearing this, I appropriately withdrew the steel plate from Xiao Tianci's throat. I saw a blinding flash of blood on the incredibly sharp tip.
After tucking the steel plate back into my pocket, I stared at the somewhat pale Xiao Tianci and said indifferently, "Then speak!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tianci immediately blurted out, "Those gunmen weren't hired by me, but... I know who it was!"
"Who?" I asked, frowning.
"Han Qingmei! It was Han Qingmei!!!"
After exposing the mastermind behind the hiring of the gunmen, to clear his own name, Xiao Tianci spilled everything he knew.
"Han Qingmei hired the gunmen to kill you. She contacted me some time ago when you were in hiding."
"We reached a deal between us!"
"The subject of the deal... was you!"
"I would do the work of finding you, and she would pay to have you killed!"
"Honestly, I didn't want you to die so quickly, at least not before the Gambling King competition!"
"That's why I secretly came to Macau this time, thinking of finding an opportunity to leak some information about Han Qingmei to you, as a favor."
"After you accept my favor, then you can figure out how to sit down and talk with me in person."
"As for the content, you can probably guess!"
After Xiao Tianci laid bare the entire cause and effect, I immediately understood his scheme.
Merchants pursue profit, as is natural!
No honest merchant, no merchant is not cunning!
Xiao Tianci was collaborating with Han Qingmei while simultaneously trying to use the Gambling King competition to reach a temporary consensus with me. This guy had executed a brilliant move of playing both sides!
He first played the role of a good person, selling the information about Han Qingmei wanting to hire someone to kill me, thus doing me a favor. Then, at an appropriate and opportune moment, he would step forward to prove his innocence in the assassination attempt.
Once he presented irrefutable evidence to convince me, he would then propose an intention to cooperate, using the guise of helping me escape the real culprit to have me represent his Tianci Tower in the Gambling King competition, to fight for his reputation.
No matter how far I progressed in the Gambling King competition, he would sell me out afterward.
He would leave with his reputation and profits intact!
This was also the real reason why he traveled by plane through the proper channels this time and only brought two bodyguards with him.
If I hadn't come to find him tonight, at most by noon tomorrow, he would have been unable to resist coming to find me.
Because the registration deadline for the Gambling King competition was 3 PM tomorrow afternoon!
...
After leaving Xiao Tianci's hotel and returning to the hospital, I washed up and lay in bed. Even though it was late at night, and my eyes were bloodshot from staying up, I still had no hint of sleepiness.
If there was anyone in the entire martial world who wanted to kill me, yet I couldn't retaliate, it would undoubtedly be Han Qingmei.
Since Han Jinlun died for me, as his sister, it was understandable that Han Qingmei would hold me accountable for this debt.
Therefore, I couldn't fight back or even retort.
Not only that, but I also had to remain constantly vigilant.
Just as I was feeling annoyed and frustrated, the phone on my bedside table suddenly vibrated repeatedly.
I took it out to check, and the caller ID displayed Han Qingmei.
As the saying goes, speak of the devil!
The moment I answered the call, I heard Han Qingmei say in an extremely indifferent tone, "Chen Xiang, your life is truly resilient! You just won't die no matter what!"
"Since I can't kill you, I'll change my approach and start with those close to you!"
"That Xu Shiyu, she's a confidante with whom you have a relationship, right?"
"If you want to save her, meet me tomorrow morning at eight o'clock at the Old Fishing Village in the western district of Macau..."