The sharp sting of the smoke still lingered in the air. Inside the train carriage, everything was a mess. Li Chuan pressed his sleeve tight against his nose and mouth, his gaze falling on Cheng Mo's collapsed body. His heart tightened.
Quickly, he crouched down and checked Cheng Mo's pulse—still there, but weak. His breathing was uneven, a clear sign of poisoning.
"Faster get out from here!" Su Man's voice came through the earpiece, urgent and sharp.
Li Chuan never hesitate. He carried Cheng Mo on his back, rushing toward the train door. Outside, Su Man and Shen Qiu already waited, hands holding medical spray. The moment Li Chuan stepped out, Su Man sprayed the antidote close to Cheng Mo's mouth and nose, hoping to lessen the poison's effect.
Shen Qiu's eyes were scanning every corner, expression dark. "Li Feng use modified nerve gas. It spread fast, but disappear fast too. He purposely release small amount—just to cover his escape, not to kill us."
Li Chuan narrowed his eyes. "That means, he hold the upper hand now."
"So what we gonna do now?" Su Man's voice was steady, but her grip on the gun tighten.
Li Chuan glance at Cheng Mo, whose face had some color back but was still too weak to fight. He exhaled, forcing himself to think calmly.
"Li Feng already escape from the MRT station. Now, he sure gonna use that black metal box for trade." Li Chuan's tone was low but firm. "We must find where he go, before the intel inside the box fall into enemy's hands."
Su Man nodded. "Shen Qiu, can track him or not?"
Shen Qiu let out a small bitter laugh. "He too careful already. Before run away, he cut off all digital signals. And the CCTV here—long time ago kena tampered already. We only can guess his escape route."
Li Chuan fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. If I were him, what would be the safest way to leave?
"He sure won't take the main road," Su Man suddenly said, like she could read his mind.
Shen Qiu quickly pull up a map of the surrounding area. He pointed at a hidden passage. "Here! North side of the MRT station got one old sewer tunnel. Abandoned for years, but can still lead to an old dock in the north."
Li Chuan's gaze sharpened. "Old dock?"
Shen Qiu nodded. "Yes, that place already no more in official use, but got underground dealings happening sometimes. If Li Feng wanna trade, he most likely will go there."
"Then what we waiting for?" Su Man already checked her ammo, ready to move.
"Wait." Li Chuan suddenly raised his hand, stopping her. His eyes flickered as he turned to Shen Qiu. "Just now, you say got people still doing business there?"
Shen Qiu nodded. "Yes, some groups use it as secret exchange point."
Li Chuan slowly nodded, as if thinking of something deeper. "That means… we can use this against him."
Li Feng must be thinking they were busy chasing him, never expecting they would turn the tables instead.
"We're not going after him." Li Chuan suddenly said.
Su Man frowned. "What you mean?"
"We won't chase directly. Instead, we get ahead of him." Li Chuan's voice was calm, calculated. "If Li Feng really planning to trade at the old dock, then he sure must meet the buyer. And these black market people… they hate anything that might go wrong during business. If we can make them doubt Li Feng's identity, or make them think the deal got problem…"
Su Man's eyes brightened. "They might turn on him themselves?"
Shen Qiu quickly caught on, grinning. "We can leak rumors in the black market—say this transaction already kena watched by authorities. Make the buyer feel uneasy."
Li Chuan nodded. "Exactly. No need direct confrontation. Just make Li Feng's allies start suspecting him."
"How to do it?" Su Man asked.
Shen Qiu's fingers already moving fast on keyboard. "Give me fifteen minutes. After that, the whole black market will believe this deal got big trouble."
Li Chuan took a deep breath, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Li Feng… this time, you're the one walking into a dead-end."
At the same time, inside a run-down warehouse at the old dock, Li Feng stood before a metal table, his expression calm. Across from him, a man in a dark grey trench coat eyed him coldly.
"You bring the thing?" The man's voice was low and rough.
Li Feng didn't answer. He simply placed the black metal box on the table and opened it.
Inside was a single document, the paper edges slightly yellowed, but the writing clear and sharp.
The trench coat man picked it up, scanning the contents. A slow smirk formed on his lips. "Good. This exactly what we looking for."
Li Feng's voice remained unmoved. "As per our deal, you must guarantee my safety after this."
The trench coat man chuckled. "Of course. We always keep our word."
But before he could say more—
A sudden commotion erupted outside.
A black-clad subordinate rushed in, whispering urgently into the trench coat man's ear.
His expression darkened immediately. He slowly turned to Li Feng, eyes filled with suspicion. "You bring trouble here?"
Li Feng's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
The trench coat man coldly threw a phone onto the table. On the screen was a message:
[Authorities have locked onto the old dock. Possible raid incoming.]
The air in the room grew tense.
Li Feng's face barely changed, but inside, his mind was racing.
I've been set up!
The trench coat man's voice was icy. "Li Feng… I hope you have a good explanation."
All around the warehouse, guns were raised, aimed directly at Li Feng.
For the first time, Li Feng felt a rare chill creep into his spine.
Outside, in the shadows of the dock, Li Chuan slowly lowered his binoculars, watching the warehouse with a small, victorious smirk.
"Li Feng… this time, you have nowhere to run."