The Shanzhong acupuncture point was for treatment of heart palpitations, respiratory stress, chest and abdomen pains, asthma and so on to do with the heart; it was fairly important. Xia Lei pierced the Japanese woman’s Shanzhong point with a needle not to cure her, but to make her ill. As he inserted the needle, he sent internal energy down through the needle and the energy charged into her Shanzhong point like a wild beast, shaking and drawing chaos, creating sickness.

The reactions of the Japanese woman’s body could be seen in an instant. Her heart rate quickened, then slowed; the beating of her heart became irregular. Her breaths came in short bursts and there was no blockage in her nose or respiratory passages but she felt like she could not breathe due to the disturbances in her muscles and nerves. She opened her mouth wide and tried to use her nose and mouth but it was no use no matter how much air she took in. She was like a carp which had been pulled ashore, flopping and about to die at any time.

However, this was not what hurt her most. The worst was the pain in her chest and abdomen. These parts felt like they were being stirred with a knife or like there were insects feasting upon her, breaking her down, and rotting. Every second felt like a struggle with death and was unbearable.

Xia Lei gently twirled the needle and increased the pressure on the Shanzhong point gradually.

The woman was covered in sweat in under two minutes. The earlier arrogance and viciousness in her eyes were replaced by pain and fear. She had received training to withstand pain and was far better than the average person when it came to tolerating pain but Xia Lei’s method was not something she could take. It was difficult to describe the pain of coming close to death at every second and her psychological strength was crumbling fast.

“This is just the beginning.” Xia Lei continued twirling the needle, increasing the pain for the Japanese woman and saying, “You’ve seen it. I have a whole lot of needles. I’ve only used one on you - can you imagine what it would feel like if I used all the needles on you? You’ll be better off dead.”

The woman already felt like she’d be better off dead. Her lips trembled, “You… Stop.”

Xia Lei relaxed his hand. “What’s your name?”

This was a very simple question and it was also the beginning of the interrogation.

“Sawada Mei.” The Japanese woman said a name. The young man before her frightened her and she did not even want to recall the pain she had experienced earlier, much less repeat it.

“Sawada Mei, is it? Listen up, this is your only chance. You should thank your lucky stars that Tian-Yin and myself aren’t injured - your prison sentence would be a few years at most. You can start your life anew after a few years. If you don’t cooperate, however, I’ll make you wish you were dead.” He pointed at Shentu Tian-Yin. “And she can make you rot in a Chinese prison for your entire life.”

Shentu Tian-Yin supported him on the side, adding to the psychological attack, “Work with us and you can get the money Shentu Tian-Feng has not paid yet. I can give you another amount so that you won’t have to worry about retirement when you’re out of prison. It is not worth it to sell your soul for a person like Shentu Tian-Feng.”

Freedom and wealth for the next half of her life awaited on one hand and losing everything awaited on the other. It was an easy decision to make, no matter who it was making it.

“You…” Sawada Mei was utterly broken. “What do you want me to do?”

“Tell us how Shentu Tian-Feng hired you to kill us and the details of your transactions,” said Xia Lei.

Shentu Tian-Yin thought quickly and took out her mobile phone to switch on the recording function before Sawada Mei spilled the beans. There were cameras recording in the room but some things were not suitable to hand over to the police. It was enough to record the most important bits.

Sawada Mei did not answer Xia Lei right away but said, “Shentu Tian-Feng has not paid me the final payment. He needs to pay five million for killing you two but he’s only paid two million so far. I’ll give you an account number. Give me the money and I’ll work with you.”

Xia Lei looked at Shentu Tian-Yin.

Shentu Tian-Yin did not hesitate. “He owes three million. I’ll give you five million. Give me your account details and I’ll transfer the money right away.”

“You said you’d pay me five times as much,” said Sawada Mei, “But I’m not greedy. Give me ten million and I’ll do anything you want me to.”

Five times the amount was not realistic; Sawada Mei was no fool. Asking for too much would result in having nothing.

“Give me the account number.” Problems which could be solved with money were not problems to Shentu Tian-Yin. It was just ten million - pocket change.

Sawada Mei gave her the details of a Swiss bank account.

“Tian-Yin, transfer only five million to her first. Give her the other five million when things are settled,” said Xia Lei.

Sawada Mei made no sound to object.

Shentu Tian-Yin took just a few minutes to complete the transfer and held the message notification of the successful transfer on her phone up to Sawada Mei’s face to let her have a look at it.

Sawada Mei relaxed when she saw the successful transfer notification. “Shentu Tian-Feng came to Japan two years ago. He was generous and got to know several members of the underworld. His aim was to find someone who would do things for him. He got to know me through a middleman and I accepted a large deposit from him. The person he wanted killed was you. He told me to wait for him to contact me and kill you off when there’s a chance. I placed a bomb at Far East Heavy Industries but that failed. Afterwards, he instructed me to stay in China to keep waiting for the next opportunity, till…”

Sawada Mei slowly recounted her story while Shentu Tian-Yin recorded it all down.

Sawada Mei finished her story and said, “This is all between him and me. I thought I’d succeed this time. I didn’t expect that…” She looked at Xia Lei. She would have succeeded if it were not for him.

“Shentu Tian-Feng told you to make your move here. What will you do after the deed was done?” asked Xia Lei.

“He gave me a mobile phone - it’s in my trousers. He told me to give him a call after I’m done and he’ll come to this island to take care of things,” said Sawada Mei.

“Call him,” said Xia Lei.

“How can I call him when you’ve trussed me up like this?”

Xia Lei undid the ropes around her body. When Sawada Mei took hold of her phone, Xia Lei said, “Put it on speaker-mode. Tell him you’ve done the deed and that he should come over. If he asks how you’ve taken care of the bodies you can tell him that they’re still in the hotel room. You fought with Shentu Tian-Yin’s bodyguards during the operation and was discovered. You’ve already escaped on a boat.”

“Won’t he be suspicious?”

“He’s full of suspicion and will be suspicious no matter what the result - but he will definitely come to this island. He won’t leave corpses behind; he must have some plan to get rid of them,” said Xia Lei.

Sawada Mei nodded. She dialled the only number in the phone. That number was, unquestionably, from a burnable phone that would be thrown away after use so that the identity of the owner could not be traced.

Shentu Tian-Feng’s voice came quickly from the phone. “How is it?”

“Shentu Tian-Yin is dead. Xia Lei too.” Sawada Mei looked at Xia Lei and Shentu Tian-Yin as she said, “But we encountered some problems. We exchanged fire with Shentu Tian-Yin’s bodyguards and alerted the security on the island. We were unable to retrieve Shentu Tian-Yin and Xia Lei’s corpses and they are still in the hotel room. We’ve escaped by boat.”

“How can this happen?” Shentu Tian-Feng grew anxious, “Didn’t I tell you that you must get rid of the corpses? This will draw trouble!”

“My apologies. You’ll have to find some way to deal with it on your own,” said Sawada Mei, “I’ve killed the people - give me my money as soon as possible.”

“Bastard! You dare ask for money when things are like this?” Shentu Tian-Feng was mad, “I don’t care. Go back right now and take the bodies away!”

Sawada Mei was silent for a bit. “The security men on the island have guns. How about this - you think of a way to get the corpses off the island. You’re Shentu Tian Yin’s Big Brother - it’s totally within your rights to take her body with you. We can pretend to attack your boat when it’s out at sea and get rid of the body.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there.” Shentu Tian-Feng hung up.

Sawada Mei put down the phone. “Will he really come? I know him, he’s very wiley.”

Xia Lei suddenly thought of something. He picked up the submachine gun from the floor and removed the silencer, then let out a burst of gunfire at the window. Gunfire and the shattering of glass broke the silence on the island and alarms sounded in the hotel. The sleeping guests were also startled awake and the entire hotel was in chaos.

Xia Lei took off the bulletproof vest, laid his suit and shirt against it, and fired a few times at the clothing.

Shentu Tian-Yin was still frozen in place, clueless as to why Xia Lei was doing such strange things.

“Take your clothes off, and your bulletproof vest too. Hurry,” said Xia Lei.

Shentu Tian-Yin did not understand why Xia Lei wanted her to do that but she still obeyed.

Xia Lei fired at her clothing as well and said, “Put them on - just the clothes, not the bulletproof vest.”

Shentu Tian-YIn did as told and hurriedly put her clothes on.

Xia Lei put his clothes on too and tuned in to the listening devices. Sure enough, there came the voice of Wang Fang talking to someone.

“Dead? Good! It’ll all clear with those deaths… Gunshots? Yes, I just heard some gunshots and alarms… What? The bodies haven’t been taken care of? Damn it, those people are useless… All right, I’ll take a look at the situation then I’ll call you,” came Wang Fang’s voice.

Xia Lei threw the empty clip in his hand to the floor and strode to the bed.

Sawada Mei grew nervous. “I’ve done as your told. What do you want…”

Xia Lei punched her in her Taiyang acupressure point and she fainted with a grunt.

“What did you knock her out for?” Shentu Tian-Yin looked at Xia Lei uncomprehendingly.

“Wang Fang will be here soon. Our time is short - Sawada Mei and her colleague cannot be seen. I’ll get Jin Da-Hu to take her and her colleague somewhere secret and we’ll pretend to be dead here,” said Xia Lei.

Shentu Tian-Yin then understood why Xia Lei had done all those strange things.

Jin Da-Hu had already entered the room without Xia Lei’s instruction. He and his brother knew what was going on in the room too and the entire villa was under their surveillance.

“Hide them well - they cannot be discovered,” cautioned Xia Lei.

“Rest assured, I know what to do.” He hefted Sawada Mei over his shoulder and left the room. He’d also taken the bulletproof vests which Xia Lei and Shentu Tian-Yin removed.

Just Xia Lei and Shentu Tian-Yin were left in the room.

Shentu Tian-Yin took the initiative and lay on the bed, her legs tense and her hands pressed lightly against her lower abdomen. “Will this do?” she asked Xia Lei.

Xia Lei laughed. “Can you die any more elegantly?”

“How should I die then?” Shentu Tian-Yin was totally inexperienced and she did not want Xia Lei to see her make a fool of herself.

Xia Lei picked up the combat knife Sawada Mei dropped and cut himself on his lower arm. He then dripped his blood over Shentu Tian-Yin’s face and body.

“You…” Shentu Tian-Yin grew nervous.

Xia Lei lay next to her and smeared some blood on his own face and body, then pulled Shentu Tian-Yin’s legs and hands apart to make her death look more realistic.

While he was arranging her death-posture however, Shentu Tian-Yin suddenly lifted a leg and draped it over his thigh.

“What are you doing?” asked Xia Lei curiously, his face covered with fresh blood.

“You’re my fiancé. We have to be holding each other even in death for this to be more realistic.” Shentu Tian-Yin spoke like an experienced person, then stuck herself close in Xia Lei’s embrace, putting her arms around his waist.

Did she have to make a fake-death so romantic?

Xia Lei did not know what he should say anymore.