EIP 71

Zhou Jun pretended not to catch on. “We are indeed on the same path,” he said lightly.

Xiao Ren’s eyes lit up, but before he could respond, Zhou Jun added with a calm smile, “I’ll be relying on you for guidance during this journey, Brother Xiao.”

His words threw Xiao Ren off, and Zhou Jun continued smoothly, “Even though I can’t meet my fiancée for now, he’s always with me in spirit.”

As he spoke, Zhou Jun patted the spot over his chest. Xiao Ren noticed the pocket watch was still there, pressed close to Zhou Jun’s body even while he slept. His mood soured further, and doubt crept into his mind. Had his instincts failed him? It shouldn’t be. People like them could usually tell at a glance, picking up on the brief glances, the faint smiles, the little shifts in tone that marked someone of the same persuasion.

Xiao Ren had thought a fleeting fling on this long journey wouldn’t hurt. He liked Zhou Jun. He was polite, refined, but grounded enough to fit in. Initially, the group had been worried he might act like a pampered young master, but he’d quickly won them over with his easygoing nature.

And then there were his eyes.

During the card game earlier, Zhou Jun’s long fingers had held his cards with effortless grace. The dim light of the oil lamp illuminated the slight curve of his lips and the glow in his eyes. Xiao Ren had been so distracted by that single look that he lost several hands in a row.

To him, Zhou Jun’s eyes were like smoky gemstones locked away in a cabinet, subtly extravagant, with a faint golden glow beneath the polished surface. They were eyes that made his heart itch. That’s why, emboldened by the alcohol, he’d sat by Zhou Jun’s bedside, hoping to make a move.

He wouldn’t have minded being rejected. He wasn’t bad-looking himself and knew how to take no for an answer. And with the long days ahead, perhaps Zhou Jun might indulge him for some fun along the way.

But the way Zhou Jun spoke of his fiancée was too genuine, his expression too sincere to ignore. The look of someone deeply in love, whether real or a masterful act, was enough to unsettle Xiao Ren’s confidence.

Deciding not to push further, Xiao Ren let out an awkward laugh and glanced at the pocket watch. “I must’ve drunk too much,” he said, backing down. “I’ll head to bed now.”

The ship rocked gently with the waves as Xiao Ren returned to his bed. The narrow round window framed the endless dark sky outside. Before long, the sound of Xiao Ren’s steady breathing filled the room.

Zhou Jun, however, couldn’t fall back asleep. He lay there listening to the relentless crashing of waves, his mind unsettled.

He figured that using Yong Jin in this way wasn’t overstepping. Besides, Yong Jin wasn’t here in person to hear the fabricated tales. As long as the man himself remained unaware, it was fine, and to him, rather entertaining.

The pocket watch on his chest ticked steadily. Zhou Jun listened to the rhythmic sound, and gradually, his thoughts settled, his heartbeat syncing with the ticking. It was as if the two sounds were intertwined, pulsing together in harmony.

He extinguished the oil lamp and drifted into a quiet sleep.

The next day, their luck turned sour as they encountered a violent storm. The winds howled, and rain lashed against the ship, rocking it so violently that even standing upright was a challenge. Items in the cabin tumbled to the floor, and chaos ensued.

Boss Xu was particularly worried about the stored medicine. He fretted that the storm might damage or spoil the goods, which would spell disaster for their trip. Worse, it could force them to turn back, incurring heavy losses.

Despite his anxiety, the cargo hold was off-limits to passengers. No amount of pleading or bribing the crew would change their minds.

Zhou Jun patted Boss Xu on the shoulder and said calmly, “I might have a way.” With that, he headed toward the third deck.

Boss Xu waited anxiously. Before long, Zhou Jun returned with a first mate in tow. The man ordered the crew to unlock the cargo hold and granted them access.

Relief washed over Boss Xu as he repeatedly expressed his gratitude. Together, they inspected the cargo. Fortunately, the medicine remained intact, and the boxes were secure.

Boss Xu sighed in relief and asked Zhou Jun quietly, “Where did you find that guy? He barely said a word, and we were let in right away.”

Zhou Jun helped secure the cargo, sealing the boxes and fastening the lids. His response was nonchalant, “I’ve crossed paths with him before. Did him a favor once.”

Of course, he couldn’t reveal the truth: the gray-clad man who had been tailing him day and night had now infiltrated the crew as a first mate. Zhou Jun couldn’t help marveling at Yong Jin’s choice of personnel, as this guy was almost too capable.

When Zhou Jun had initially approached him, the man’s instinct had been to avoid confrontation. But in the narrow corridor, Zhou Jun made the first move, forcing an exchange.

The man had hesitated, clearly unwilling to injure Zhou Jun. Yet after a few probing strikes, he realized Zhou Jun was no pushover. Forced to get serious, he landed a sharp kick to Zhou Jun’s side, sending him crashing into the wall with a muffled groan.

The man’s expression faltered with guilt, but before he could retreat, Zhou Jun barked angrily, “Didn’t your boss send you to protect me?!”

As soon as those words were spoken, the man realized he’d been tricked. Zhou Jun didn’t say much more, simply making a request for him to lead them into the warehouse. Zhou Jun never inquired about the gray-clad man’s real name; the people on the ship all called him Ming Qi.

Ming Qi was a man of few words, almost never speaking to Zhou Jun. Zhou Jun, in turn, refrained from starting any conversation. He understood that Yong Jin had sought out capable individuals to accompany him, but whether they were genuinely willing to follow orders was another matter.

After making that request, Zhou Jun never approached Ming Qi again. However, he did notice, more or less, that Ming Qi had a companion, a sailor named Zhong Qing. The three of them didn’t interact much.

Boss Xu made an effort to win Ming Qi over, only to return dejected each time. Zhou Jun was playing cards with Bigfoot and Lao Mao when he saw Boss Xu return in defeat. He laughed and called out, “Brother Xu, come over and join the game.”

Life on the ship was long and monotonous. During his free time, Zhou Jun would often take his sketchbook to the deck to draw. His leisurely pastime often attracted many female passengers, and on occasion, Zhou Jun would joke and flirt with a few of them. On this particular day, as usual, he was drawing and chatting with others. Unexpectedly, when he turned his head, he noticed Zhong Qing not far away, chatting with other sailors. Zhou Jun froze. One of the ladies, curious about the ending of the story he had been telling, urged him to continue, even nudging him with her lace-gloved hand.

Zhou Jun snapped out of it and hastily wrapped up the story in just a few sentences. The rushed conclusion was unsatisfying, leaving the young lady pouting in discontent. She quietly asked if he wanted to join her for tea on the fourth floor, mentioning that while the pastries on the ship were mediocre, the tea was decent. Zhou Jun shook his head, pointing to his sketchbook, saying he hadn’t finished his drawing yet. The wind on the deck blew fiercely, making the ladies’ skirts flutter like morning glories of various colors. Their veils and hair became disheveled.

Though reluctant, the ladies eventually dispersed to fix their appearances. Zhou Jun felt uneasy, as if he were a dog with a collar, obedient to a fault. He added the final strokes to his drawing, then packed up his tools and folded his chair to leave. Feeling stifled, he drank more than usual that evening. Over the past few days, Xiao Ren had keenly observed Zhou Jun’s skill at charming others. Deep down, he regretted his impulsive actions that one night. When the two were alone in the room, there was often an awkward silence.

Zhou Jun pretended not to notice Xiao Ren’s discomfort and carried on as usual. Over time, Xiao Ren gradually relaxed as well.

When the day of disembarkation finally arrived, everyone was in high spirits. The endless journey was finally over, and they could step on solid ground instead of the constantly swaying deck. Unfortunately, their joy was short-lived, as Boss Xu immediately ordered them to hit the road again.

He rented a truck, and the group took turns driving. The journey was relatively smooth, perhaps even too smooth. When they reached the checkpoint, disaster struck so suddenly that Zhou Jun didn’t even have time to react. Soldiers stationed at the checkpoint were gunned down right in front of him, blood blooming like crimson flowers and splattering against the windshield. Boss Xu, clutching the documents for passage, scrambled and crawled back toward the truck in panic, while Bigfoot pulled out his gun and fired several shots in the direction of their attackers.

Zhou Jun kicked open the truck door, his ears ringing with the sound of Boss Xu’s screams. He had been shot in the thigh and lay sprawled on the ground, wailing in agony.

Zhou Jun couldn’t afford to hesitate. If Boss Xu died, their money would be gone, and his older brother still needed treatment. Bullets pounded the ground, carving pits into the dirt and sending clouds of dust flying, the air thick with grit. Zhou Jun quickly assessed the direction of the gunfire, pinpointing the attackers to a few small mounds nearby.

Using the truck as cover, he fired a few shots in that direction. By some stroke of luck, one of his shots hit its mark. The rain of bullets paused for a moment, giving Zhou Jun the opportunity to rush forward and drag Boss Xu back to the truck. A bullet whizzed past his face, close enough to graze his skin. In that life-or-death moment, Zhou Jun erupted with a burst of strength, dragging Boss Xu and heaving him into the truck.

“Drive!” he roared.

The next instant, a deafening explosion erupted not far away, and the entire truck was blown into the air.