It cautiously stepped back a little, then re-examined us.
“Princess, please go up quickly.” I frowned and said in a deep voice, “Step on my shoulders to get up, it might be easier that way.”
The princess's voice trembled violently: "You...and you?"
"Me?" I smiled coldly. "What else can I do but sit here and wait to die?"
After being startled by my mud ball, the crocodile approached again. This time, I repeated the trick, throwing another mud ball at it. But after two or three attempts to scare it, the creature probably realized that its prey didn't seem to pose much of a threat; the mud balls thrown at it hadn't caused it any harm. So, it abandoned its worries and confidently crawled over.
Six meters... four meters, three meters...
I knew the distance was about right. I pulled something out of my pocket—the paper cutter I'd taken from old Thorin's study last night. I weighed it in my hand for a moment, then shot it at the crocodile's head…
flutter!
The paper cutter bounced off, and such a thing would not harm the crocodile at all, not even damaging its thick, keratinous skin! But the fact that it was launched forced the creature to take a few steps back.
I remember reading in National Geographic that crocodiles usually don't venture too far ashore to hunt! Their hunting habits typically involve getting very close to the shore, snapping their prey in one go, and then dragging it into the water!
The reason this crocodile was so cautious and hesitant to get too close is probably because we were a little far from the shore.
"If you don't go up now, you'll have to come and feed the crocodiles with me." I frowned and looked at the princess: "Step on my shoulders to get up."
The princess was covered in sweat and tears were streaming down her face. She was so frightened that she seemed unable to speak and could only shake her head frantically.
The crocodile closed in again, but unfortunately, I had nothing left to hold. Without my wheelchair, I could only sit helplessly on the ground, watching this cold-blooded killer approach step by step...
Despite trying to appear calm on the surface, I could feel a chill run down my spine, my hands were starting to feel weak, my breathing became rapid, my throat was incredibly dry, and my face was beginning to stiffen...
I tried to move backward, supporting myself with my hands on the ground, but my back was already pressed against the wall. Where could I go from there?
Just then, the crocodile suddenly took a half step back, and then suddenly accelerated and crawled towards us!
The princess let out a sharp scream...
Bang!!
With a loud bang, I immediately recognized it as the sound of a large-caliber sniper rifle bullet!
Then, the crocodile in front of them suddenly jolted, and the force of the impact sent it staggering several steps backward! Then, immediately afterward, several more sounds...
Bang bang bang...
Countless bullets rained down simultaneously, riddling the nearly three-meter-long crocodile with holes from the powerful impact of the bullets! Even its tough hide couldn't protect it. A barrage of bullets struck its body, causing it to tumble and roll! At the same time, several bodyguards leaped down from the wall, quickly closing in beside us and opening fire on the crocodile…
The poor crocodile was eventually beaten until its intestines were torn apart. As for the princess and me, we were carried up.
As soon as she was out of danger, the princess sat on the ground and couldn't help but cry loudly.
Old Thorin stood there, his face grim, followed by a large group of bodyguards. I remained calm as I was helped into a wheelchair. Then I lifted my eyelids and glanced at Old Thorin…
Under my gaze, old Thorin suddenly took two steps forward, grabbed his daughter, and without saying a word, slapped the princess across the face!
*Smack!*
That slap was really hard! A clear handprint appeared on the princess's delicate face, and half of her face was red and swollen.
"You! Do you know how dangerous that was?!" Old Thorin roared, his anger reaching its peak. "Do you know you almost fed the crocodiles?! Do you know you almost killed my most important guest and friend?! You... I've tolerated your antics all the time, but today..."
I coughed at the opportune moment, then interrupted him with a smile: "Mr. Thorin, may I say something first?"
Old Thorin looked at me: "Chen Yang... I'm so sorry... If I hadn't come in time, I'm afraid I would have harmed you..."
"No, no, no..." I smiled calmly, but my eyes seemed to be filled with needles as I stared at old Thorin: "Alright, Her Highness the Princess has also been quite frightened. Send someone to take her to rest."
The princess looked up at me, her face a mixture of tears and mud, her cheeks swollen and red. She opened her mouth as if to say something.
"Alright." I waved my hand, then deliberately sniffed my own body and laughed, "My God, this smell is absolutely awful... Mr. Thorin, I bet there's crocodile droppings on this mud! I need to go back and take a good shower right away! This smell is giving me nightmares."
Old Thorin opened his mouth, seemingly surprised by my calm demeanor. However, he quickly recovered: "Okay! Quickly, get Mr. Chen back to his room! Then get me a doctor! And have someone take good care of him..."
"No need." I pouted. "I don't need a doctor. I'm not injured... But I really want to take a shower... Hmm, I'll have those girls from this morning take care of me."
Old Thorin's expression froze for a moment, then he immediately said loudly, "Alright! Just tell me what you need."
"No, no, no..." I refused the attempt by someone behind me to push my wheelchair, and instead propelled it forward slowly by myself. However, I deliberately stopped when I passed by old Thorin.
"My dear friend... so early in the morning, you're out for a stroll with such a large group of men and so many guns, and you even ended up at the crocodile pond... what a coincidence." I deliberately sighed. "And... testing me like this... you just wanted to confirm whether I'm really paralyzed. Now... you must have a satisfactory answer, right? It's just a pity for our princess. This self-inflicted injury, the slap she received, the swelling on her face will probably take two days to subside... Hmm, I don't need a doctor, but she definitely does."
After saying that, I smiled gently, then left in my wheelchair without looking back.
Old Thorin's body stiffened! A shadow of gloom flashed across his eyes, and then he shouted to stop me: "Chen! You...you think I'm testing you?"
"What?" I stopped my wheelchair and turned to look at him. "My friend... I know what's going on between us. Oh, right, you asked me what I needed earlier, and I do have two small requests that I'm sure you won't refuse."
Thorin was indeed a shrewd and cunning man. Although I saw through his intentions on the spot, he quickly regained his composure, laughed heartily, and said, "Alright! Go ahead and say it!"
“Well, firstly… I sincerely suggest you increase the salary of Her Highness’s acting teacher… because her performance today was absolutely brilliant.” I smiled. “As for the second… oh, that dead crocodile… well, I was just thinking of buying a new pair of leather shoes… how about we use its leather to make me a pair of shoes?”
After I finished speaking, I smiled and left, and this time, old Thorin's mouth was agape in an "O" shape.
Even though I didn't turn around, I could almost feel a cold gaze fixed on me from behind... I didn't need to turn around to know that it must be the princess.
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Ninety-Eight: A Tremendous Change!
After soaking in hot water for a full half hour, I dressed myself properly and returned to the bedroom. Tu was already standing there waiting. I waved my hand, sending away the girls Thorin had sent to serve me.
“Boss…” Tu was actually frowning, which surprised me, because this guy usually has no expression on his face at all.
"Oh, you know?" I smiled, pushed the wheelchair to the window, and then picked up a towel to gently dry my hair. I glanced back at Tu, then pointed to the room.
Tu naturally understood what I meant, and he gestured to me, indicating that it had been cleaned up.
I nodded and smiled, "What were you trying to say?"
“Boss, that’s too risky.” Tu looked at me seriously. “Although I’m not a professional bodyguard, my job right now is to ensure your safety. But you always seem to like doing things that are out of control. You’re gambling with your life.”
“I know.” I nodded, then sneered, “Old Sorin still doesn’t trust me. Although he seems determined to cooperate with me, for these old hands, they don’t choose ‘trust’; they only choose to stand with the victor. So he wants to test me, to find out if I still have any powerful trump cards, and to find out if I can really defeat the Big Circle. If his final conclusion is that I will lose to the Big Circle… then Tu, I can tell you very clearly, what Old Sorin sent just now wasn’t four young girls to serve me, but a bunch of burly men with guns!” Then I rubbed my temples. He chuckled, "Look, those four pretty young girls sent this morning, they're all professionally trained, I guarantee it. They must have reported back to Old Thorin by now. Especially... a man being bathed naked by four beautiful women, any normal man would inevitably experience some physiological changes. As for what happened at the crocodile pool this morning, at first, I didn't expect Old Thorin to be so ruthless! He actually dared to use his precious daughter to play with me! But that test almost fooled me. I've never been so close to such a big lizard in my entire life, hahahaha..."
“I still don’t understand.” Tu shook his head: “Why did Mr. Thorin insist on testing whether the boss was truly paralyzed? What was the point for him?”
I smiled and said, "No, Tu, you don't understand these things, and even if I explained them to you, you might not understand."
Tu lowered his head and thought for a moment, then looked up at me: "Hmm. I really don't understand. However, I have a question..."
“You’re finally acting like a human being.” I laughed. “Tu, I like you the way you are now. You ask questions and have your own ideas, which is great. Not the Tu who only said ‘Yes, boss, okay, boss.’” I paused, then said, “What question? Go ahead.”
"Boss... what exactly are you doing...?"
My expression changed abruptly, my previous cheerful demeanor vanishing instantly. I interrupted Tu Di, "Are you trying to ask me, 'Is it worth it?'"
“You’re gambling with your life.” Tu remained unfazed. “While risking your life isn’t unusual for me, you’re not a soldier, you’re the boss. You don’t need to take such a huge risk. Besides, the drug that German doctor provided you is experimental and could potentially cause permanent damage… Boss, you…”
"Is it worth it?" A strange smile appeared on my face. "Tu, do you know? Someone once asked me the same question. That person... was the dead fat man. So, regarding your question, whether it's worth it, I don't know myself. I only know one thing: I must defeat my enemy! Because I don't want to see any more of my family and friends die in front of me!"
After saying all that, I patted Tu on the shoulder and said softly, "If one day you die, I will still do everything in my power to avenge you. There is never a question of whether something is 'worth it' or 'not worth it'."
Seeing a hint of warmth appear on Tu's cold face, I didn't say anything, I just smiled.
"Alright, pack your bags, we're getting ready to leave." I laughed. "Old Thorin's probing is over, the business is done... and besides, you just removed all the listening devices in this room, he must be feeling quite embarrassed now. It's not a good guest to embarrass their host. Let's get ready to go home."
My departure did not surprise old Thorin. I simply said that I had many things to take care of, and old Thorin said nothing more.
Anyway, my purpose in coming to see him was simply to put the old man, who was anxious and restless due to the pressure of the past few days, at ease for a while, and to promise him some benefits to appease him. That's all. Now that I've achieved my goal, there's no point in staying any longer—I have no interest in watching a show, even though Her Highness the Princess's acting skills are indeed superb.
At old Thorin's insistence, he insisted on personally taking me to the airport. He even insisted on using his private plane to fly us to Vancouver. Naturally, I wouldn't refuse such hospitality, as flying on old Thorin's private plane was indeed much safer than taking a commercial flight.
The princess did not show herself, probably because her face was still red and swollen, and she was too embarrassed to come out and see people.
Old Thorin's car was a black Rolls-Royce. Without a doubt, everything inside was top-of-the-line. The spacious interior had rear seats that could be easily folded down, creating enough space to fit me and my wheelchair inside.
“This Rolls-Royce, the same model, there are fewer than two hundred in the whole world,” Old Thorin chuckled. “The tires are run-flat, and the body and windows are all bulletproof. Its safety features are top-notch. Several European royal families use this model as their official car. Chen Yang… I suggest you buy one too. At least from a safety perspective, this car is perfect for you. Because you always attract danger. With a car like this, at least you won't have to worry about being shot in the back when you go out.”
I chuckled. "Oh, not a bad suggestion. I always seem to get into trouble." Then I looked at old Thorin with a smile. "Since we're friends, why don't you give it to me?"
Old Thorin glanced at me: "My friend, I don't know if it's just my imagination, but it seems like you've been joking around more since you got injured."
Along the way, a black sedan led the way, and we soon arrived at Toronto Airport.
"Alright, it's time to say goodbye." Old Thorin sighed, his expression suddenly turning serious. The old man stared into my eyes: "Chen Yang, I hope you won't forget our cooperation!"
"Um."
“Remember, I chose to help you not because of any Asian drugs, nor because of your Huaxing Company’s smuggling profits of more than ten percent!” Old Sorin’s tone suddenly became very serious: “What I hope is that… you can keep your promise and help my daughter properly in the future.”
I glanced at him: "My friend, it seems you've been the one playing extra 'games' ever since we made our pact. I've never done anything to break the pact."
Old Thorin laughed, his eyes crinkling with deep wrinkles. Then, this Canadian underworld boss suddenly turned to me and said very seriously, "I'm sorry, my friend. I deeply apologize for those 'little games' and 'tests' before. My apology is sincere, and I hope you accept it."
This time it was my turn to be surprised. I didn't expect old Thorin to suddenly bow down to me at this time and in this place.
We looked at each other for a moment, and I saw seriousness in his eyes. Then I took a deep breath and said, "Okay! I will remember what you said today, my friend."
After we finished speaking, we hugged and said goodbye.
Sorin's men lifted my wheelchair out of the car, and then left two people to accompany me into the airport to complete the formalities. Sorin's private jet was already waiting at the airport.
As I watched Thorin get into the car, a strange feeling suddenly arose in my heart...
Tu pushed me into the airport, but the strange feeling in my heart grew stronger! After walking about a few dozen steps, I couldn't help but look back. The Rolls-Royce was still parked there, and old Thorin was smiling and waving at me from inside the car. Then the car window slowly rolled up.
The car started briefly... and then...
Boom!! Boom boom!!
Several loud explosions rang out in succession! Several enormous fireballs shot into the sky! The Rolls-Royce that Old Thorin was riding in, which was said to have run-flat tires and a bulletproof body, was blown into the air by the flames!
The violent explosion shattered the glass doors of the nearby airport! We were also affected by the aftershocks! Tu lunged at me, knocking me from my wheelchair to the ground!
I yelled loudly, forcefully pushed Tu away, and looked back to see that the Rolls-Royce had been blown to smithereens!
At the same time, two cars carrying old Thorin's bodyguards also exploded!
Three cars exploded simultaneously, flames shooting into the sky and thick smoke billowing out! The surrounding area was filled with screams and exclamations, and other vehicles on the road outside were also affected. It's impossible to know how many car windows were shattered, and how many pedestrians were injured and fell to the ground...
Chaos erupted all around!
But I was completely stunned!
Old Thorin... Old Thorin...
Old Thorin was blown up right under my nose?!