Chapter 1600: Escape Plan IV

Everyone on board could feel a subtle shift beneath their feet. The realization that the ship had stopped and they had reached the location where the trafficker had taken them made their blood run cold, and in an instant, every nerve tensed.

Everyone immediately turned off the flashlights on their phones, then a second later, the container was pitch black again. The children and women were ushered to the rear, trembling hands guiding them back, while the men stepped forward, forming a fragile line of defense. Hearts pounded as their breath slowed; they braced themselves for what was about to come.

Suddenly, the harsh scrape of metal echoed through the confined space. They heard the lock disengage, followed by the heavy slide of a bar being pulled free. A moment later, the door groaned open, inch by inch, until a blinding flood of sunlight poured in, cutting through the darkness like a blade.

Then several figures filled the doorway, broad-shouldered and heavily armed, their massive weapons resting casually in their hands as if they weighed no more than toys.

Their faces were rugged, their eyes cold and utterly devoid of compassion. Only a cruel hint of amusement remained as they took in the terrified faces of their victims.

"Ooh, you’re all awake. Good, saves us the trouble of waking you," one of them drawled.

"They look livelier than the ones in the other container," another remarked with a smirk.

A chill ran through the hostages’ bodies as they realized they weren’t the only victims. How many more containers were there, how many more victims? How long had they been doing this?

"Yeah," the first man sneered, lifting his rifle. "But that won’t last long."

The barrel pointed straight at them. "Move. All of you—out. Now."

They raised their hands in surrender, exchanging anxious glances. Unbeknownst to the traffickers, a shadow clung silently to the dim wall, moving slowly, quietly.

In the next instant, a shadow moved, swift as lightning, too fast for any eye to follow, and struck the man at the front without warning, leaving him no chance to react. His rifle was wrenched from his grip, and a sharp crack split the air as it slammed across his face, sending him hurtling backward like a rag doll.

Only then did the others realize the shadow was a woman with fiery red hair. She turned her head toward them, idly spinning the rifle in her hand with effortless ease. A cold smile curved her lips. "This is going to hurt~."

The other trafficker froze for a moment before shock flashed across his face. Then instinct kicked in, he immediately raised his gun at her, and the others also followed suit as they prepared to fire.

However, from another direction, a second shadow surged forward at blinding speed. A single movement came precisely, fluidly, and unstoppable. The shadow flowed into the next, and then the next. Strikes landed in rapid succession, clean and merciless.

For a heartbeat, they could only remain standing, helpless. Then, one by one, they dropped like flies.

Zhao Li Xin stood amidst them, utterly at ease, as if the brief storm had never existed. He calmly wiped his hands with a wet tissue while the traffickers lay sprawled across the cold metal floor, unconscious and helpless.

"Nice work, honey!" Lory’s cheerful voice rang out, utterly out of place against the aftermath.

She gave a playful wink, then clapped her hands lightly. "Alright, everyone, take their weapons, and some of you throw them back into the container and lock the door, and all of you stay here untill we give you a sign, okay!"

For a few seconds, no one moved. They were still shocked by what they had seen just seconds earlier. Their eyes followed Lory and Zhao Li Xin, trying to comprehend what they had seen.

Even though they had heard of the King’s Men’s reputation, seeing it firsthand was something else entirely. No wonder people said a single King’s Man was worth fifty ordinary soldiers; they truly were that strong.

At that moment, a glimmer of hope rekindled in their hearts once more, this time even stronger, brighter, and more resolute. The doubts that had been lingering in their hearts finally vanished and were replaced by an unshakable conviction.

Maybe... they really could make it home alive!

As the thought settled, they snapped out of their daze and hurried into action.

Lory tossed the rifle toward Ross without looking. "Show the others how to use it," she said lightly. "Don’t let them shoot themselves," she jokingly said.

Lory tied her hair, then said in a firmer but calm tone, "I’ll deal with the rest of the traffickers. You focus on finding and destroying the jamming device and call King’s men right away when you can."

Ross caught the weapon on instinct, the weight of it settling uneasily in his hands. "Alright..." He glanced around, then back at Lory and Zhao Li Xin, concern tightening his expression. "Hey—are you sure about this? Are you going to take them down just with the two of you? There could be dozens of them, not to mention outside the ship... There might be even more waiting in this small island." He hesitated, then worriedly asked. "Do you even have weapons with you?"

"Aww, are you worried?" Lory teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

Ross rolled his eyes, though his grip on the rifle tightened. "I just don’t want to get stuck with a flock of sheep," he muttered. "Unfortunately, if I want to survive this, I can only rely on you, both of you," he emphasized.

Lory’s grin widened. Hooking her thumb over her shoulder, she pointed at Zhao Li Xin. "Don’t worry," she said lightly, "I’ve got my weapon right here~."

Zhao Li Xin’s lips curved into an unreadable smile, something faintly dangerous flickering in his gaze.

Ross looked between the two of them, momentarily at a loss for words. He still had his doubted but he had no better option."...Fine," he said at last. "See you on the other side."He gave a quick salute before turning away.

Lory and Zhao Li Xin carry on; they moved along the deck in a low, silent crouch, her steps light despite the vast openness of the ship. The salty wind brushed against her face, but her focus never wavered.

Later on, their movement halted, and Lory was dumbfounded seeing almost a dozen containers stacked neatly like cargo, their dull metal surfaces glinting under the daylight.

Lory took a deep breath to control her emotions, then watch the traffickers opened the container one by one. Lory could see figures being herded out like a cattle, by the armed traffickers. Zhao Li Xin’s gaze swept across the scene, calm and unhurried.

He observed the men with quiet indifference. Though there were many, and though they carried weapons, they were nothing more than common thugs in his eyes.

They didn’t matter.

What mattered... were the people they held.

He didn’t care about them, but unfortunately, he couldn’t say the same about Lory. Therefore, he had no choice but to think of a way to save all the victims. "Lory," he said softly, his tone steady. "Five guards above. You take them."

His gaze shifted, already calculating. "I’ll handle the rest, ugly thugs below."

Lory quickly realized there were far more traffickers below than above. So that was it, Zhao Li Xin had deliberately given her the easier task, leaving the harder one to himself.

A faint smile curled at the corner of her lips. As expected of him... always trying to keep me safe. With a subtle flick of her wrist, a bow materialized in her hand, summoned from her spatial ring. She reached for a set of arrows, and in that instant, her expression sharpened, lightheartedness fading into quiet focus.

"Alright, let’s end this fast and easy," she replied, her voice quiet but firm. Then, after a brief pause—"Be careful, honey."

The corner of Zhao Li Xin’s lips lifted faintly; they both knew it was unnecessary but still.

"You too, wife, see you in a minute" He stepped forward he stomp the ground then his figure dissapeared in hasted.

Lory slipped into position beside one of the containers, pressing her back against the cold metal as she steadied her breathing. The noise below, the shuffle of boots, the low murmur of voices, faded into the background.

She rose just enough to peer over the edge, drawing the bowstring back in a slow, controlled motion. Her eyes narrowed, locking onto one of the traffickers. Lory took a steady breath, then she released the arrow, and the arrow sliced through the air without a sound.

It was a clean strike.

The first trafficker dropped before he even understood what had happened. Lory didn’t pause. She loosed another arrow in one smooth motion, then another, and another. Each shaft flew swift and silent through the dim air, and one by one the guards above fell, their bodies crumpling soundlessly onto the deck.

Every shot struck right in their head, a perfect headshot.

Meanwhile, below, Zhao Li Xin moved with lethal speed. His dagger flashed as he slashed across an enemy’s throat, the artery bursting in a spray of blood. ℓ.

They didn’t even have time to scream before they dropped. Bodies fell in rapid succession, each motion effortless, as if he were merely brushing aside obstacles rather than men.

The last man finally realized what had happened, and in an instant, panic consumed him. With a strangled gasp, he fired wildly into the air, again and again, the gun jerking in his trembling hands. His eyes were wide, frantic, unseeing, spraying bullets into nothing.

What a futile resistance

Zhao Li Xin appeared before him in the next instant, just like a ghost. In a single, fluid motion, he seized the barrel of the rifle and wrenched it aside, then drove his dagger into the man’s throat. The man made a choking sound before collapsing, his weapon clattering uselessly to the ground.

Zhao Li Xin cast his gaze toward Lory, searching for her. Only when he saw her raise a thumb in reassurance did a faint smile touch his lips. Assured that she was unharmed, he calmly wiped the blood from his dagger with a strip of white cloth. When he finished, he discarded the now-stained fabric with casual indifference.

Suddenly, a soft whimper reached his ears. Zhao Li Xin frowned, his gaze lowering to the huddled figures below. They crouched close to the ground, shoulders trembling violently, as their hands clamped over their heads, like frightened kittens bracing for the next blow.

Zhao Li Xin narrowed his eyes in faint irritation. Their pitiful state stirred neither compassion nor sympathy within him. If anything, it only puzzled him; he could not understand what they were so afraid of when the enemy had already been dealt with and none of them had been harmed.

"Stand up, what are you afraid of?!" he said, his tone cold and flat.

If they could speak, they would all say: YOU! We’re afraid of you!

Zhao Li Xin didn’t care what they thought of him. Especially now that he heard hurried footsteps approaching him. He tilted his head, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.

"Get back into the container if you want to live," he warned, without a hint of concern for whether they obeyed or not.