Chapter 24: Escaping Unscathed (Please Continue Reading)

Ao Xi suddenly chuckled. “Since you want to place a bet, why not be more generous? Drinks cost next to nothing.”

“And what do you suggest?” Frank spread his hands.

“I’m saying, if you want to pull me in but think I’m just a lowly patrol officer not worth much, that’s not going to work, Mr. Frank. There’s a saying in China: if you’re not willing to sacrifice your daughter, you’ll never catch the bandit.”

“Yes, yes, comping a few drinks isn’t quite generous enough. But there’s always tomorrow, isn’t there?” Frank gave a false smile.

Zong Yiqiang leaned in and whispered, “What are you talking about? I don’t get it.”

Ao Xi glanced at him and replied casually, “Nothing much. This Mr. Frank is with the Italian Mafia. He’s trying to use money to corrupt a little cop like me, hoping I’ll work for him in the future. But he’s offering too little; I’m not interested. That’s all.”

“Italian Mafia?!” Zong Yiqiang and the girls exchanged glances, all seeing the shock in each other’s eyes. They’d been to this bar several times before—why had they never noticed?

“Exactly. That one, that one, and him, him—those are all probably Mr. Frank’s men.” Ao Xi pointed them out idly. With each person he indicated, Frank’s smile faded just a bit more, until only coldness remained on his face.

“How did you figure it out? The papers said you’ve only been a cop for a few days.”

Ao Xi didn’t answer. Was he supposed to say it was because all of them had glaring red marks of guilt floating above their heads? Impossible to ignore.

Frank said coldly, “Do you know that refusing the Mafia’s overtures can have very serious consequences?”

Ao Xi stood up and faced Frank. “I don’t know. I’d like to see just how serious those consequences could be.”

As Ao Xi stood, the men he’d pointed out began to surround them, slowly reaching inside their jackets or toward their waists.

“You’ll get your chance, Mr. Ao Xi.”

The sudden tension in the air made Zong Yiqiang and the girls nervous, afraid a gunfight might break out at any moment.

Ao Xi turned and gestured for them to relax. He flipped open his coat, slid his hand inside, ready to pull out a gun from his storage space at any moment, his eyes cold as blades. “I’m ready.”

Frank sneered. “Quit pretending. You don’t have a gun.”

Ao Xi smiled back. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

The standoff lasted a moment, then Frank suddenly grinned. “Please leave now, and don’t come back.”

“I’ll leave for now, but I’ll definitely be back—to arrest you, Frank.”

Ao Xi motioned for the others to follow. Under the Mafia’s watchful eyes, they safely exited the bar.

“My stuff?” Ao Xi extended a hand toward the burly bouncer at the door.

The bouncer slapped the tactical belt heavily into Ao Xi’s hand, making it sting.

“No manners,” Ao Xi muttered, shooting the bouncer a look.

Once they’d walked a bit farther, Zhuo Ning finally exclaimed, “Ao Xi, you were amazing just now! How did you know for sure they wouldn’t really start shooting?”

“I wasn’t sure at all. I just knew that even if bullets started flying, I wouldn’t die.”

“Wow, you must be really strong!” Kong Ling looked at Ao Xi with admiration.

Zong Yiqiang frowned, spotting the flaw. “Wait—if you wouldn’t die, what about us?”

Ao Xi glanced at him. “That depends on your luck. If you’re unlucky, there’s nothing I can do.”

“How can you say that!” Zong Yiqiang was furious.

They bantered for a moment before Feng Wei asked, “Why did you turn him down so strongly? Why not play along, see what he wants, and then figure things out once you’re safe?”

“Yeah, turning him down outright seems too risky.”

“You could’ve just agreed verbally and then changed your mind later, right?”

Ao Xi thought for a moment and explained, “There are lots of reasons. First, I’m confident in my abilities—even if guns were drawn, I’d probably get away.

Second, Los Angeles isn’t Mafia stronghold territory. It used to belong to the Delana family, but after years of relentless crackdowns by the FBI and the LAPD, now it’s more of a shared zone. Mafia families generally don’t send too many people into shared zones—it’d make the others nervous.

So, while I don’t know which family Frank’s actually from, and he seems tough, the truth is he’s not that powerful. At most, he’s a mid-level boss. His invitation isn’t worth playing along with—I’d gain nothing and only get myself into trouble.

Third, we live in a modern society, my friends. Phones have recording and video functions—words aren’t just words anymore. Who knows if someone’s filming? As a Chinese officer in the department, I have to be especially careful, keep my record spotless.”

Was this reasonable? Sure, but Ao Xi had made it all up on the spot. The real reason was the system he had—why bother negotiating with a bunch of targets? Would you make friends with chickens, ducks, or geese?

Even if Frank flipped the table right there, Ao Xi wasn’t afraid. His greatest advantage was that each target he killed would level him up. Take down a few mafia thugs, level up a couple of skills, and he could clear out the Moulin Rouge if needed. Why waste time playing games with Frank? There was really no need.

As for whether Zong Yiqiang and the others would get caught in the crossfire, Ao Xi could only apologize. He’d do his best to protect them, but whether there were casualties would depend on their own luck.

After all, Ao Xi wasn’t a god, and he’d only known them for a day. If something happened, he wouldn’t feel too guilty.

Of course, the others didn’t know what was in his mind; all they saw was his quick wit and caution, which only made his charisma shine brighter.

Zong Yiqiang suddenly noticed something was wrong. It was one thing for Kong Ling and the others to be starry-eyed, but why was his own girlfriend looking at Ao Xi the same way?

He quickly wrapped his arms around Tan Ying. “I don’t think anyone’s in the mood to drink anymore. For safety’s sake, let’s head back to campus. We’ll go out again another time.”

Time to leave and get away from this dangerous guy—my girlfriend is mine to protect!

“Yes, you all should get back to campus soon. Nights can be dangerous. I hope this won’t affect our friendship,” Ao Xi agreed that going their separate ways was best. Clearly, nobody felt like partying anymore.

Zong Yiqiang hurried to fetch the car, and the girls said their goodbyes to Ao Xi.

As Ao Xi turned toward his own car, Zhuo Ning suddenly ran over. “Do you have any alcohol at home? How about inviting me for a drink?”

“Of course.”

Ao Xi drove off with Zhuo Ning, leaving under the varied gazes of the others.

Back at the apartment, Zhuo Ning looked around. “Where’s your liquor cabinet?”

But Ao Xi embraced her from behind. Who needs liquor? I am the wine.

They kissed, tumbled onto the bed, and spent a sleepless night together.

When morning light filled the room, Zhuo Ning awoke, bleary-eyed and staring at the ceiling. Her whole body ached, and her skin was dotted with red marks—Ao Xi had been a bit too rough last night, having held back for too long.

Thinking back on the night, her cheeks grew hot. She liked to have fun but wasn’t loose; it was Ao Xi’s charisma that had drawn her in, and once she was moved, she took action—who knew who might snatch him up otherwise? The thought made her a little resentful. Ao Xi was tall, handsome, and skilled—definitely a playboy.

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. She reached under the covers, wanting to pinch Ao Xi, but her hand found nothing but empty sheets—she was alone.

No way. Had that scoundrel slipped out? But wasn’t this his place?

Ignoring her soreness, Zhuo Ning got up, took a shirt from the closet, and walked out.

Hearing footsteps, Ao Xi said without looking up, “You’re awake. Breakfast is ready—come eat.”

She realized she was a bit hungry and walked over. On the table were porridge, eggs, pickles, buns, and steamed dumplings, all smelling great. “Did you make this yourself? You’re quite the chef.”

He gave her a strange look. “What are you thinking? I don’t cook. It’s takeout.”

“Can’t you at least lie to make me happy?”

Ao Xi blinked, ignoring her. He hadn’t decided how to handle their relationship yet, so better to say less.

Fuming, but knowing she couldn’t win against him, Zhuo Ning grabbed a bun and bit into it fiercely.

Only then did Ao Xi notice she had little canine teeth—no wonder he’d felt her bite last night.

Zhuo Ning caught him looking and thought, Oh no, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet—what if I have morning breath?

Not knowing her thoughts, Ao Xi just assumed she wasn’t used to being watched while eating.

He quickly finished his porridge, got up, and put a set of car keys on the table. “Your car’s probably still at the Moulin Rouge, and that’s far from your campus. Take my car back; I’ll pick it up when I have time.”

Seeing the keys, Zhuo Ning cheered up a little. “Can’t you drive me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell your car?”

“Are you stupid? I’m a cop. I have to work. I can’t drive you. I’m off.” Ao Xi left for work.

Zhuo Ning, still chewing on a bun, muttered, Scumbag!