Following Ding Qing was not because Johnny wanted to see what he was going to do, but rather to observe this guy, as he never fought unprepared battles.
After this observation, Luca left completely. He knew this guy was clearing people off the list one by one. As for what the list was, he didn't care. He was now going to create some small surprises for Johnny.
Meanwhile, Johnny continued his clearing operation. Overnight, he had already cleared all 7 people on the list.
As for the consequences, they had nothing to do with him.
Once everything settled, Johnny returned to the safe house, but as soon as he reached the door, he realized something was wrong.
Although this safe house was prepared by Ding Qing, Johnny had made some arrangements on the periphery.
His potted plant was still outside, and this was wrong.
Because during his time at the safe house, he often moved the potted plant in and out, and even told Ajin to make sure to bring the potted plant back inside at night, as it would help with Ding Qing's recovery.
But now, this potted plant was still outside, which was very wrong.
You see, for several days in a row, this potted plant was initially moved by Johnny, then by Ajin, and now?
Johnny directly pulled out his glock 34 from under his armpit, then slowly and cautiously observed.
His gaze shifted down, landing on the doorknob. Extremely subtle, fresh scratches, unlike everyday wear, were almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
The dust at the bottom of the doorframe showed traces of being very carefully brushed.
He didn't immediately touch the doorknob. Instead, he turned sideways, pressed his ear against the door, and held his breath, listening.
Silence.
Not the emptiness of an uninhabited space, but a deliberately maintained, tense, deadly silence.
There were no faint groans from Ding Qing occasionally due to pain, no soft sounds of Ajin moving or operating equipment, not even the low hum of the air conditioning.
He slowly retreated two steps, the anti-slip texture of the glock 34's grip digging deep into his palm. The muzzle was slightly lowered, in a ready state to raise his arm and shoot at any moment.
He didn't try to open the door with a key or code.
Since the other party could get in, they might have tampered with it. Forcing the door open was the worst option; it would immediately expose him and make him a target for a hidden sight.
His gaze went to the fire exit door at the end of the corridor. A retreat route.
But he needed to confirm.
Not to save anyone. If Ding Qing and Ajin were already gone, going in would be walking into a trap. He needed to know what level of "welcome ceremony" was inside.
He lightly bent his finger and knocked three times on the door panel with his knuckle. The rhythm mimicked Ajin's usual habit when delivering meals.
There was no response from inside the door.
Not even a breath or the rustle of footsteps moving.
It was too clean, unnaturally clean, like a trap with its mouth open, waiting for the prey to step in.
Johnny no longer hesitated.
His body recoiled like a taut spring, his steps light and swift, yet exceptionally stable, always maintaining a cautious sideways stance towards the door, quickly retreating towards the fire exit.
Just as he pushed open the fireproof door of the fire exit and his figure was about to disappear into the stairwell.
The safe house door silently opened a crack inwards.
A pair of calm, almost indifferent eyes, in the shadows behind the door, caught the last glimpse of his coattail disappearing at the stairwell.
"Tsk."
A barely audible click came from the door crack, carrying a hint of unexpected appreciation, "...His instincts are truly wild."
The door crack closed again, perfectly sealed.
Inside the house, in the living room.
Ding Qing slumped on the sofa, the previously bandaged wound on his abdomen seemingly roughly treated, new blood seeping out.
His face was pale, his lips cracked, and his eyes were filled with an undisguised despair and a hint of terror.
He tried to struggle, but his limbs were professionally bound and secured to the armrests of the sofa, and even his mouth was sealed with tape, allowing only muffled "woo woo" sounds.
In the corner, Ajin lay slumped on the floor, unconscious, his hands cuffed behind his back, with a clear bruise on his temple.
By the window, a man in a well-tailored white suit stood with his hands behind his back. His silver-white hair was meticulously combed. It was White Lion Luca.
Ding Qing hadn't even noticed how this guy had approached the place, let alone Ding Qing's several subordinates. In fact, those men not only found no trace of an intruder, but they themselves had disappeared.
As for where they went, Ding Qing knew perfectly well. This guy in front of him was too terrifying. Ajin's skills were subdued in an instant, not to mention his own injured body, which was no match for the opponent.
One of the reasons he was still alive was that this guy seemed to want to catch them all in one go, including the assassin he hired, and his interest in Johnny seemed to be greater.
Luca tilted his head slightly, listening to the faint echo of the fire door closing outside, a faint, almost ethereal curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Not bad," he muttered to himself, as if evaluating a piece of art, "Much more perceptive than expected... Night Owl, interesting."
His gaze swept over the desperate Ding Qing, his eyes devoid of any emotion, like looking at a piece of scrap metal about to be dismantled.
"It seems this assassin you hired... values his life more than you do yours."
His tone was flat, yet it was like an ice pick, piercing into Ding Qing's already cold heart.
Although he knew Johnny was not his confidant, and he was merely one of his fans, a faint sense of loss still swept through his heart.
Ding Qing's pupils suddenly constricted, his despair deepening.
He had thought Johnny would stage another extreme rescue, but now it seemed it wasn't that simple. This guy had seen through Johnny's every move.
Luca stopped speaking, just standing quietly by the window, looking downstairs.
He was waiting.
Waiting for that perceptive prey, whether he would choose to escape completely, or return in another, more cautious, more dangerous way.
The height of the sixth floor isolated the sound of traffic below; only the wind outside the window, blowing through the glass, made a faint wailing sound.
Oppressive dead silence once again enveloped this safe house. The rhythm of the hunt temporarily slowed, but became even more perilous.
Johnny had retreated outside the safe house. He was now 100% certain that the safe house had been taken over by an unknown party. As for Ding Qing's situation, he didn't know.
But the other party seemed to understand very well and was able to find the safe house's location in a short time, which was not something an ordinary assassin could do.
Now, Johnny had only two choices: not to get involved in this muddy water, or to rush in and save him.
He knew very well that Ding Qing was inside, but whether to go in now had become a dilemma.
Saving him would mean he had to risk danger to rescue him.
Not saving him would mean all his efforts during this time would be in vain.
For a moment, Johnny also felt a bit conflicted.
"Damn it!"
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