Chapter 45: Sacrificing Oneself for Protection

The crowd below the stage buzzed with excitement. The front rows were filled with wealthy magnates, while ordinary citizens packed the back. For many, simply attending today’s grand opening, or even being able to see the event in person, was a stroke of good fortune. Though most couldn't afford to buy a property, they could at least enjoy the spectacle. Given the chaos below, Ye Chen stepped forward, shortening the distance between himself and Li Ruo.

The appearance of the beautiful woman naturally set off a wave of excitement. The citizens in the back pushed eagerly forward, each hoping to get a clear look at Li Ruo’s face. The scene grew slightly chaotic, but not to the point of real disorder.

“Director Zeng, the scene is getting a bit out of control!” Zhang Yantong spoke into her walkie-talkie.

“It’s fine, this bit of chaos is nothing!” Zeng Kaiqiang replied from his position in a police car parked beside the golf course. He was an old acquaintance of Li Tianya, so when Tianya Group requested his help, he had immediately dispatched two police squads to assist with the opening event. With a laugh, he said, “Even for a pop star’s concert, this is nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Yes, sir!” Zhang Yantong nodded.

On stage, Li Ruo was like a delicate blossom, attracting swarms of admirers. The crowd below cheered for her, with some even wishing they could rush the stage for a photo. Unfortunately for them, the security staff quickly intervened.

“I am truly grateful to see everyone’s enthusiasm!” Li Ruo gave a gentle smile, instantly winning the crowd’s favor. Despite her high position and stunning beauty, she was approachable and courteous. Glancing around the venue, she said, “Tianya Group’s entry into real estate will always be guided by conscience. We adhere to fairness, transparency, and justice. We will not earn a single cent through dishonest means, nor build a single shoddy construction…”

Applause rippled through the crowd. Ultimately, people bought homes for peace of mind. Affordable prices mattered, but comfort and safety mattered more. Li Ruo’s words calmed the audience’s hearts somewhat—after all, these prices were reasonable for the entire province, especially considering the quality of the development, which inspired admiration from anyone who entered.

Ye Chen stood behind Li Ruo, deeply impressed by her delicate yet resilient figure. This young woman bore the weight of the entire Tianya Group on her slender shoulders. Sometimes, Ye Chen couldn’t help but give her a mental thumbs-up; to carry the flag for Tianya Group was no task for the faint-hearted. Watching the thousand-strong, raucous crowd, Ye Chen silently prayed for her—this girl was anything but ordinary.

Suddenly, a flash of white light flickered in Ye Chen’s eyes. He was instantly on alert, scanning a building two hundred meters away—the source of the glint, a clear reflection of sunlight. The residential building was still under construction, uninhabited, and work had halted for the time being. No one should have been inside.

A terrible thought struck Ye Chen—damn it, a sniper! A chilling sweat broke out on his forehead. He wanted to whisk Li Ruo away immediately, but any sudden movement at this crucial moment might alert the sniper and prompt him to act.

“Mole, enemy spotted—twelve o’clock, two hundred meters out!” Ye Chen relayed the information quickly through his low-frequency communicator. The situation was too delicate to spread the news further; even a hint of suspicion or a sudden increase in alertness among the bodyguards could trigger the sniper’s hand.

Ye Chen shifted his steps, almost imperceptibly, inching closer to Li Ruo. Time was dangerously tight—no one knew when the enemy would strike. Ye Chen’s heart pounded with such force that the pressure almost felt physical.

A faint, sharp pop sounded. The enemy had fitted a silencer to his weapon; the sound was so soft it would escape notice. But Ye Chen’s hearing was preternaturally sharp—across hundreds of meters, the faint crack rang in his ears like an explosion. Without thinking, Ye Chen lunged at Li Ruo.

A spatter of blood burst from Ye Chen’s back. The crowd was stunned into silence. Li Ruo was struck dumb as well. Just moments earlier, she’d been confidently promising the buyers every assurance, never imagining Ye Chen would suddenly leap at her. She might have thought he was being foolish, had the gunshot not rung out.

Li Ruo’s mind raced. This assassin must be the same one who’d attacked at the factory last time. Despite her previous brush with gunfire, Li Ruo was still a young woman—war, guns, and blood were alien terrors. Knocked to the ground by Ye Chen, her eyes stared wide in shock.

“A sniper!” Ye Chen cried out. The bullet had nearly passed through his right lung, blood spurting from his chest. Seeing this, Big Prawn immediately darted forward, half-crouching behind Ye Chen with his back to the crowd.

A scream finally erupted from the audience. In an instant, the scene turned to chaos.

“Director Zeng, we have an incident!” Zhang Yantong had been watching Ye Chen and saw the bullet pierce his chest, blood spraying across his back, shockingly red in the sunlight. She drew her pistol and rushed forward, shouting, “Everyone, evacuate this way!”

Her voice had the desired effect. The crowd surged in the direction she indicated. The scene was utter bedlam as the police, led by Fang Qin, charged toward the source of the gunfire.

Ye Chen coughed up blood, his vision blurring. Blood splattered onto Li Ruo’s chest, staining her pale skin crimson. All she felt was heat. Hastily supporting Ye Chen, she stammered, “Ye… Ye Chen, are you all right?”

“I…” Ye Chen tried to speak but collapsed to the ground. The bullet had pierced his lung, and blood poured from his mouth. Big Prawn cried out, “Damn, the bullet went through his lung! This is bad!”

Without another word, Big Prawn hoisted Ye Chen onto his back and ran.

“Over here, quick, get in!” Zhang Yantong pulled up in the police car. Seeing it was the police, Big Prawn wasted no time and rushed over. Zhang Yantong floored the accelerator and sped away. What began as a perfect day had ended in tragedy—shoes and hats lay scattered across the chaotic venue, overturned tables and chairs littering the front rows.

“How could this happen?!” Li Ruo’s eyes were vacant, unable to believe what had just unfolded.

“President Li, stay safe!” Deputy Captain Jin rushed over with more than a dozen bodyguards. Lin Ziwen, teetering in high heels, struggled to walk. Her legs were weak, and after the gunshot, she was trembling uncontrollably. Cursing, she kicked off her heels and rushed onto the stage.

“President Li, are you all right?” Lin Ziwen asked anxiously, tossing her shoes aside and supporting Li Ruo. “The police have secured the area and are searching for the assailant.”

“Quick, to the hospital! Take me to the hospital!” Li Ruo was in a panic, ignoring the bloodstain on her chest. She hurried down the steps and into the Lincoln, Lin Ziwen at her side. Deputy Captain Jin drove, with the other bodyguards following, weapons drawn, as Deputy Director Zeng led the way.

The police car wailed as Zhang Yantong kept glancing at Ye Chen in the back seat. Blood was pouring from his mouth, his face pale as death. She asked anxiously, “Was his lung pierced?”

“Yes, the bullet went through his lung—otherwise he wouldn’t be coughing up blood like this!” Big Prawn replied, tense. “Please, drive faster! Time means life now. If we’re delayed, the chance of saving him drops to almost nothing!”

“I know!” Zhang Yantong nearly pushed the car to 120 km per hour, already sideswiping two roadside stalls. Her heart was on fire. Though she had no personal ties to Ye Chen, she deeply admired his character. He worked closely with the police, and now, risking his life to protect his employer—men like him were rare in this world. No matter what, she was determined to save him.

Meanwhile, Mole slipped into the building at a run. The exterior was finished, but the interior was still bare. The wiring was in place, but the corridors still needed painting and the floors needed laying. The building was empty and the elevators were out of service. The only way out was the emergency stairwell. Clutching his pistol, Mole approached with utmost caution.

“Damn it, you hurt the boss—I'm going to take you down if it’s the last thing I do!” Mole had already learned via radio that Ye Chen had been shot.

Footsteps echoed briskly from the emergency stairwell. Mole’s eyes lit up. He holstered his gun, pulled a five-inch combat knife from his jacket and clenched it between his teeth, then melted into a shadowy corner. Ambush was Mole’s specialty—he excelled at it far more than Big Prawn, who preferred a direct confrontation and would’ve stood at the stairwell, sword drawn, waiting for the enemy.

Soon, a man in black athletic gear descended from above, head covered by a knit mask, only his dark eyes visible. He carried a black case on his back, descending quickly…

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