The two of them had been fooling around at the shooting range for half a day, and the table used to place the guns was in a mess, with various types of guns scattered all over the floor.

Mo Xin sat on the table, resting his head against the partition, quietly watching Liang Qiuchi tidy up the scene.

This man had looked so sexy and domineering on him just now, but now he looked comical and awkward as he bent down to pick up the guns.

Mo Xin couldn’t help but laugh.

Liang Qiuchi stacked the guns on the table next to him, then walked over to him and massaged his waist, “Shall I carry you back?”

Mo Xin was a bit embarrassed after the intense and crazy behavior just now. He calmly pushed away Liang Qiuchi’s hand, “I’m not that weak.”

He jumped off the table and walked out, forcing himself to walk straight despite the pain in his waist. After taking a few steps, he turned back to look at Liang Qiuchi.

Liang Qiuchi followed behind him with his arms open as if ready to catch him, but just as he was about to hug him, he saw Mo Xin’s blushing cheeks, which hadn’t subsided yet, and asked him softly, “What about that gun?”

Liang Qiuchi smiled brightly, lifted his vest, and revealed the slightly damp gun hanging at his waist, “Here it is, don’t worry, I won’t leave it behind.”

Mo Xin snorted lightly and turned away.

From behind, his ears were bright red.

Liang Qiuchi chuckled and quickly caught up, not teasing him anymore.

When the two returned to the small building, there were only Wu Yahui and Vincent sitting side by side on the sofa in the lobby playing video games.

Liang Qiuchi asked, “Where are they?”

Wu Yahui pointed upstairs, “They’ve been chatting in the study for a while.”

Liang Qiuchi nodded, “You guys keep playing.”

He took Mo Xin through the lobby on the first floor, went out through the back door to the backyard, and Mo Xin only then realized that there was another sizable flat on the premises.

“I live here alone,” Liang Qiuchi said as he led him in, “The bathroom is inside.”

Mo Xin nodded and didn’t rush to take a shower.

He first wandered around the several rooms inside and out. Although the facilities here were complete, there were not many traces of life.

Liang Qiuchi took off his vest, put the gun on the table, and said as he took off his pants, “I only stay here for one or two months a year. The rest of the time, I’m floating around outside.”

Mo Xin nodded, seeing that he was already naked, he couldn’t help but feel a little restless.

Liang Qiuchi hooked his hand around Mo Xin’s waist, without saying anything, he lifted him onto his shoulders and walked into the bathroom, taking a shower together.

Mo Xin was almost exhausted by his antics, and after showering, he felt sleepy. He sat at the head of the bed while Liang Qiuchi blow-dried his hair for him, then he leaned back and rolled into the soft blankets, closing his eyes.

Liang Qiuchi finished packing up, lifted the covers, and nestled in, embracing Mo Xin from behind.

After Mo Xin fell asleep, Liang Qiuchi held him for a while before quietly getting up, putting on his clothes, and leaving the room.

Pei Ji was smoking on the second-floor balcony. Seeing the door open on Liang Qiuchi’s side, he called out to him with a “Yo.”

Liang Qiuchi looked up and saw Pei Ji holding a cigarette butt, effortlessly crossing the balcony railing with one hand and grabbing onto the eaves outside the balcony with his other arm, swinging lightly and landing steadily on the backyard lawn after a few moves.

Liang Qiuchi kindly reminded him, “Watch out for your waist.”

Pei Ji chuckled, “It’s been over half a year, and you’ve become quite humorous.”

Liang Qiuchi asked, “Finished chatting?”

“Yeah, he’s quite the talker, jabbering on and on without stopping,” Pei Ji blew out a smoke ring, looking at Liang Qiuchi with some suspicion. “Is he really your brother?”

Liang Qiuchi smiled gently, “Qi ge indeed has a good way with words.”

Pei Ji raised an eyebrow at him, “Do you know what he told me?”

Liang Qiuchi answered truthfully, “I don’t know, but I can guess.”

Pei Ji focused his gaze on him, “So, what do you think we should do about this?”

Liang Qiuchi smiled at him, “You’re the head of Lugo, my opinion doesn’t matter much.” He paused for a moment, his eyes becoming deeper. “Besides, you’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?”

Pei Ji stubbed out his cigarette and threw it underfoot, grinding it out. “While Lugo and Danga are adjacent, they’ve been peaceful for these years. Even under pressure from the Federation, Mo Zhenghong had insisted on neutrality and hadn’t caused me any trouble. I appreciate that.”

He looked at Liang Qiuchi again, his eyes showing a hint of inquiry. “But Mo Zhenghong is Mo Zhenghong. Can his son be trusted? I’m not sure.”

Liang Qiuchi didn’t respond, just earnestly advised him, “I hope you’ll think carefully before making any decision. Once you cooperate with the Danga state government, there’s no turning back.”

“I’ve had no way out for a long time,” Pei Ji scoffed. “Reinis has been getting more and more outrageous these years, not only demanding exorbitant prices but also trying to kill me several times, damn him. I’ve tolerated him for a long time. Now that he’s become president, do you think he’ll let me live in peace?”

Liang Qiuchi pursed his lips in silence, his jaw tense.

Pei Ji sighed, “I know you insist on peaceful negotiations. Do you think I want to go to war? But without resorting to force, how many more years will it take for Lugo to truly be free? Ten years? Twenty years? I’m getting old. If I don’t fight now, I won’t be able to do it anymore.”

With the conversation reaching this point, Liang Qiuchi knew there was no need to persuade further.

Pei Ji reached out and grabbed his shoulder, his tone extremely solemn, “Liang, you’re a smart person. I trust you can see the situation clearly. I hope you can stay and help me. Lugo has been getting better these past few years, all thanks to you.”

Liang Qiuchi looked up at him, “Did Qi ge mention this to you?”

“He mentioned it briefly,” Pei Ji looked at him disapprovingly, “Why take risks? Isn’t it better to join me in conquering? Don’t be naive. If you still harbor any illusions about the federal government, you’re being foolish.”

“It’s not naivety,” Liang Qiuchi smiled self-deprecatingly, “I just want to see results from my eight years of perseverance.”

Pei Ji looked into his dark, resolute eyes and swallowed back all the words he had. There was no need to persuade further.

The two walked silently in the backyard for a while. Pei Ji finally asked, “When are you leaving?”

“Early tomorrow morning,” Liang Qiuchi said.

“Okay,” Pei Ji lit another cigarette and held it in his mouth, “If you fall in San Lorenzo, I’ll arrange for ten banquet tables for you.”

Liang Qiuchi smirked, “Just ten tables? That’s a bit stingy.”

Pei Ji chuckled and tilted his head at him, “Let’s go, come inside and have a drink with me. It’ll be hard to find another chance to drink together in the future.”

The two drank until late into the night, reminiscing about the past and envisioning the future, chatting for a long time.

Pei Ji got drunk and kept urging Liang Qiuchi to stay when Liang Qiuchi dragged him back to his room. He started pointing at Liang Qiuchi’s nose and cursing Reinis as a son of a bitch, his voice so loud that even Wu Yahui at the end of the corridor was startled.

“What’s going on?” Wu Yahui entered the room, her eyebrows furrowed from the smell of alcohol. “How much did he drink?”

Liang Qiuchi took off Pei Ji’s shoes. “He’s not in a good mood and drank a bit too much.”

Wu Yahui leaned against the door frame, looking at Liang Qiuchi with a complicated gaze.

Liang Qiuchi finished his busyness on Pei Ji’s side, as soon as he looked up, he saw Wu Yahui with a teary expression, which softened his heart involuntarily. “Don’t be like this, jie.”

Wu Yahui sniffled and choked out, “Are you really leaving?”

“Yeah, it’s all planned out. Time is of the essence, and we can’t delay any longer,” Liang Qiuchi walked up to her, reaching out to wipe away the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “Don’t cry, it’s not like we won’t see each other again.”

“Are you sure this isn’t a suicide mission? Reinis is the president now!” Wu Yahui gritted her teeth. “Are you really confident that Mo Xin can protect you?”

“The focus isn’t on my life or death. The focus is on those witnesses we’ve been in contact with who are willing to come forward and accuse Reinis of wrongdoing. We can’t afford to make mistakes at this critical juncture,” Liang Qiuchi said.

Wu Yahui lowered her head, then quickly wiped her face and regained her composure before speaking again, “You can rest assured about this. These people have been in contact with us all along, and I guarantee there won’t be any mistakes.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, jie,” Liang Qiuchi looked at her gently. “And thank you for your tolerance and accommodation over the years.”

“Don’t talk about these things with me,” Wu Yahui punched him heavily. “It sounds like your last words, so ominous!”

“Okay, I won’t mention it anymore,” Liang Qiuchi smiled. “Rest assured, the plans are well-organized and thorough. Nothing will happen.”

Wu Yahui didn’t say anything more. She opened her arms and hugged him tightly. Feeling his embrace, she closed her eyes for two seconds, then pushed him away.

“You should go back to bed quickly. I won’t get up tomorrow morning to see you off. It’s late, and all this drinking and noise is affecting my beauty sleep.”

“Alright.”

Liang Qiuchi hugged her, rubbed her head, then turned and left.

Early the next morning, Liang Qiuchi and Mo Xin spent nearly an hour in Mo Qi’s room, thoroughly reviewing all the action plans and contingency plans. After confirming everything, the two of them left by car.

Vincent stayed behind for now. He would escort Mo Qi back to Danga first and then fly back to San Lorenzo to meet them.

As the car drove out of the forest and onto the interstate, preparing to head north, Mo Xin suddenly said, “Let’s make a detour to Fengming. I have something to take care of.”

“Hmm?” Liang Qiuchi turned the steering wheel and glanced at him. “What’s the matter?”

“…Don’t ask for now,” Mo Xin said softly with lowered eyelids. “You’ll know when we get there.”

Liang Qiuchi smiled and pinched his cheek teasingly. “You’re being so mysterious. Now I’m even more curious. Tell me now.”

Mo Xin pushed his hand away and said seriously, “Focus on driving.”