Chapter 83: A Dawn Carved Through Blood

I’m sure everyone has seen Rice’s notice about the plot changes. Due to certain scenes involving prohibited content that triggered warnings and censorship, unfortunately, some elements can’t be continued. Rice will do everything in my power to rework the storyline as seamlessly as possible. Trust me—please support Rice and keep this going!

Night had gradually swallowed the entire city.

Yet the gunfire shattered the silence that the night should have held, bullets tracing arcs through the darkness like tongues of flame.

Shadows darted swiftly from the shelter of buildings.

“Ah!”

“Sisi, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Dad, hurry!”

Their voices were hushed, both faces drawn with exhaustion, but neither dared to let down their guard. They were painfully aware of their situation.

There was no choice but to press forward.

War is always cruel.

But to be trapped inside a war was even crueler for them.

After slipping through several streets, the two in front finally stopped by a riverbank, scanning their surroundings carefully for a long time before motioning for the others to come over. Even from ten meters away, Wu Sisi could smell the foul stench rising from the water.

“This is the only way out of the city now. You have to leave through here.”

Turning around, the one addressing Wu Sisi and Wu Delong turned out to be Eliza, who had been separated from Li Changjiang. Behind her stood none other than the Russian, Nicholas, who had stormed the prison.

“Thank you! But I want to know, where exactly is this escape route you’re talking about?”

Wu Sisi was, without question, a strikingly beautiful woman—but beauty does not always mean wisdom.

“Sisi, don’t ask. The way out they mean is the river itself.”

Wu Delong, the seasoned old fox, saw through it at a glance.

“That’s right! You need to find a way to get out, now!” Eliza finished, clearly ready to leave.

The Russian seemed preoccupied, head bent over a satellite phone, apparently trying to reach someone. From the anger on his face, it was clear things weren’t going well.

As for these two Chinese—

Eliza had no curiosity about their identities, and Nicholas even less. But Wu Delong and Wu Sisi thought differently.

In this world, there is no love or hate without reason. Though they didn’t know why, they were certain these foreigners hadn’t risked so much to extract them from prison on a whim.

Especially not in a damned place like Misurata.

“Hey!”

Wu Sisi caught the look in her father’s eyes and stepped in front of the Libyan woman.

“What do you want?” Eliza was wary, gun quickly leveled at Wu Sisi.

“No! No! I’m sorry, truly, I mean no harm. I just wanted to thank you for getting us out of that hellhole.”

Already pale, Wu Sisi was visibly shaken by the dark muzzle of Eliza’s gun. Wu Delong, too, watched the weapon with lingering fear.

Suddenly, a curse burst out nearby.

That idiot Nicholas had finally finished his call.

He slammed the satellite phone furiously into the river and strode toward Eliza.

“What are you doing?”

“Ask her!” Eliza, a bit scatterbrained, gestured at Wu Sisi with her gun. Nicholas glanced over and immediately understood.

“Okay, okay! Calm down. Chinese friends, I don’t know who you are, but we got you out of that damned place because of another Chinese—understand?”

At Nicholas’s words, Eliza quickly lowered her weapon and melted into the shadows.

Her interest in these two Chinese was far less than her desire to find Li Changjiang. When the fighting began, she had immediately realized Li must have entered the city and was likely trapped. She’d fought her way out of the prison and ran into Nicholas sneaking in.

“Damn! Damn Libyan woman!” Nicholas was furious to see Eliza rush back.

“Chinese? Sir, could you tell me who asked you to rescue us?”

“No, no, he didn’t ask me. But I believe the ones he’s looking for are you two. I just happened to get you out. If you want to thank someone, thank him.”

Li Changjiang, of course, had no idea Nicholas had just earned him a favor.

“Chinese?” Wu Sisi and Wu Delong exchanged puzzled glances.

They couldn’t imagine any Chinese person in Libya—especially in Misurata—who could arrange their rescue. If such a person existed, his resources must be extraordinary.

The burly Russian was clearly no ordinary man, and the Libyan woman who’d left was also remarkable. Curiosity gnawed at them: who was this Chinese person who could enlist such help?

“If you swim out along this river and head north, you’ll find a tunnel. From there, you can escape this cursed place. Good luck.”

Nicholas clearly had no intention of leaving with them, which surprised Wu Delong and Wu Sisi. At a time like this, who wouldn’t want to flee Misurata? Yet these two foreigners wanted to stay—truly bizarre.

“Who is it? Who is this Chinese?” Wu Sisi asked again.

Nicholas turned, eyes flickering uncertainly as he looked at the pair.

He wasn’t sure why Li wanted to find them, but experience told him these two weren’t Li’s targets—or enemies. But they weren’t close acquaintances either. He hesitated to reveal Li’s identity.

In truth, beyond knowing Li Changjiang’s name and nationality, he knew no more than Wu Sisi and Wu Delong.

“Li. His name is Li.”

With that, Nicholas vanished into the darkness, leaving the father and daughter stunned.

Li?

“Dad, someone with the surname Li? Think—who would have such means? That man just now must be an international mercenary.”

The middle-aged man nodded, but couldn’t recall anyone fitting the description.

Not far away—

In the faintest light, after leaving that building, Li Changjiang was already sprinting northward through the city.

By now, the clock’s hands crept toward five. On the horizon in the distance, a faint glimmer of dawn was appearing.

The Libyans had blocked both the west and east. Li Changjiang had no wish to be drawn further into this war that was not his own. As for the payment for that mission—though it would be a pity to miss out, even if he got it, he probably wouldn’t live long enough to spend it.

All he wanted now was to rendezvous with Nicholas at their agreed spot.

And then, at the break of dawn, fight his way out and end this damned journey in Libya.