Li Qiao leaned half against Shang Yu’s chest, calmly tugging her lips, "I’ll make a call."
"No need." The man lightly patted her shoulder to soothe her, his voice steady and magnetic, "Keep shopping."
He Chen glanced at them sideways, slowly starting to roll up his sleeves, "Whose enemy are you two dealing with?"
With those words, Li Qiao and Shang Yu looked into each other’s eyes, a hint of amusement in both their gazes.
Li Qiao knew it was unlikely to be targeting Shang Yu.
This time he concealed all his whereabouts and rarely operates in Dian City.
She thought of Xiao Yehui, but based on Li Qiao’s understanding of him, Xiao Yehui wouldn’t waste his efforts , and Xiao Hongdao was even less likely to.
So, most likely, it was her enemy.
Li Qiao brushed aside the stray hair by her ear, feeling a bit irritable.
She couldn’t help but dial Bai Yan’s number, not for help, but to bluntly ask: "Who did I offend before?"
Bai Yan stayed silent for a while, then spoke softly, "You should ask me who you haven’t offended."
"Oh." Li Qiao frowned and looked down at her own toes, "Who haven’t I offended?"
Bai Yan enunciated slowly, "Flame Alliance, that’s it."
Li Qiao looked up at the sky, speechless for a long time: "..."
Does it mean... besides her own organization or the Seven Sons, she’s entangled with other forces?
Li Qiao truly didn’t remember well, considering the reckless days of her youth, the level of recklessness is better left unmentioned.
At this moment, Bai Yan gleefully asked: "Are you being avenged? Need a hand from your father to handle it?"
Li Qiao cut off the call, looking helplessly at Shang Yu, "It should be mine."
The man curled his thin lips, a faint smile emerging in his deep eyes, "Stick close to me, alright?"
"Alright." Li Qiao moved closer to him, theatrically clutching her abdomen, "Protect both of us."
Unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t make a move.
And this reliance from Li Qiao made the smile in Shang Yu’s eyes deepen, "No fighting."
Li Qiao nodded in agreement, eyeing the man, feeling slightly odd.
He seemed not surprised at all, still calm and composed.
In less than ten minutes, quite a few guests in the Gambling Stone North District had dispersed.
The area around Li Qiao and Shang Yu gradually became surrounded by a group of burly men from all directions.
Their opponents seemed to be waiting for the right moment to act.
Li Qiao glanced around and impatiently pursed her lips, "They’re moving so slowly."
As soon as she spoke, the large North District suddenly echoed with the sound of vehicle engines.
The Gambling Stone District prohibited cars.
But the newcomers boldly drove a Jeep inside, even the stone-selling vendors nearby quietly retreated to a distance.
The car stopped, and the Floral Shirt-clad driver jumped out first, respectfully opening the back seat door.
Three seconds later, a short, fat, greasy middle-aged man stepped down the board.
He tugged at his belt, the hair wax on top glistening with oil, a thick cigar at the corner of his mouth, swaggering over with his belly.
Simultaneously, the nearby disguised tourists who were actually thugs also closed in on them.
Li Qiao raised her eyes to study the visitor, perhaps because of the slight Burmese features of his dark face, she felt a vague familiarity, though the impression was faint.
"Ha, it’s been too long."
The greasy man tossed out a greeting in fluent Burmese.
Li Qiao lightly tugged her lips, "Who might you be?"
Shang Yu held Li Qiao, one hand in his pocket, his deep voice responding in Burmese, "Mr. Na, what brings you to me?"
Li Qiao’s eyelid twitched, not seeking her?
"Shang Shaoyan, I said three years ago, if you came to Dian City again, it wouldn’t be so easy for you to escape back." Mr. Na removed the cigarette from his mouth, a wicked smile on his lips, "This time, you won’t be returning."
The opponent made bold claims, seemingly quite familiar with Shang Yu.
And his wording implied escaping back.
Li Qiao narrowed her eyes, her gaze slowly falling until she suddenly saw his left pinky adorned with a gold ring.
Though the distance made the ring’s pattern unclear, the style remained familiar.
Confronted with the provocation, Shang Yu pressed his thin lips indifferently, leading Li Qiao to a stall, pulling out a chair, and ruffling her hair, "Wait for me."
Li Qiao made a sound, turning her head to glance not far away, "What’s his name?"
Li Qiao said got it, folded her legs in the chair, and took out her phone, preparing to search for Na Ji’s information.
Meanwhile, Liuyun returned holding open raw gemstones, visibly excited, "Madam, both of these are Purple Jade."
Li Qiao looked at the raw gemstones in his hand, lifted her chin slightly upward, "They’re yours, help me with something."
Liuyun suddenly felt the stones were a bit hot to the touch.
The main concern was that Madam deliberately gave him a challenge.
The scene of settling accounts a few days ago was still fresh.
Liuyun bowed slightly, "Madam...please tell."
Li Qiao pointed with her mouth toward Na Ji’s direction, "I want the ring on his hand."
Liuyun glanced back, silently pocketed the stones, "No problem."
He seemed...unconcerned about Na Ji’s arrival as well.
Li Qiao leaned against the chair back, lost in thought.
On the other side, Shang Yu elegantly rolled up his sleeves, raised an eyebrow at He Chen, "How many people?"
"I take three, you take seven?" He Chen remained calm even with thugs surrounding them, still serenely chatting.
Shang Yu smiled profoundly, raising his eyelids to glance at the opposite Na Ji, "Keep him."
"Trouble." He Chen sized up Na Ji, "This guy again from three years ago?"
"Yes." The man’s expression was heavy, "He’s still useful."
Li Qiao sat some distance from them, able to hear their conversation clearly.
The entanglement seemed to stem from three years ago, what happened back then?
Zuo Tang informed her they encountered Ming Dailan and a injured Xiao Yehui on Dian City Expressway.
Thus... meaning that on Xiao Yehui’s injury day, she and Shang Yu were both at the border.
And the route of Xiao Yehui’s injury was indeed close to Dian City.
Li Qiao gazed at Shang Yu, suddenly curious about the events from three years ago.
Just as she was pondering, Na Ji said something unknown, the surrounding thugs surged forward, encircling Shang Yu and He Chen.
Meanwhile, the Floral Shirt-clad subordinate pulled out a submachine gun from the trunk.
Li Qiao’s cheeks turned mildly cold; some things were obvious without saying.
Someone leaked Shang Yu’s trip to Dian City.
Li Qiao eyed the submachine gun in Na Ji’s hand, one glance was enough to comprehend.
Myanmar Military weapons.
Li Qiao didn’t linger further, sent several messages on her phone, then logged into the system, quickly finding Na Ji’s information.
Active for years as a jade merchant in Myanmar and at the border, he made a living selling raw gemstones and was involved in numerous gray market activities.