Two hours later, Xia Lei and Jiang Ruyi climbed up to the peak. Xia Lei searched for his ideal sniping spot along the way but he only found it when he reached the top. It was a large rock which jutted out from the peak. It was the highest point to the left of the peak and was very big, over a thousand tons, and there was a metre of higher rock on that rock which could act as a shield for bullets coming from the left.

The distance between the peak in the middle of the island and the mountaintop on the left was about 2,200 metres, and with Hyena’s capabilities, this was not a safe distance. This extra outcropping of rock, however, was what made Xia Lei not worry about an assassination from the left if Hyena climbed the mountain there.

However, there was another problem, and that was that this rock was dozens of metres high. Xia Lei could climb up easily but it was impossible for Jiang Ruyi. He could not just leave her below either - it was too dangerous.

Pushing her up the surface of the rock by her bum was not going to work. Xia Lei thought and thought and came up with a solution. He removed all his equipment and squatted in front of Jiang Ruyi. “Ruyi, climb on my back. I’ll carry you up.”

“Huh?” Jiang Ruyi shook her head hard. “No, no. We’ll fall.”

“We have to go up. Staying down here is dangerous.” Xia Lei said sternly, “You heard the helicopter just now. Ahn Suhyeong will bring dozens of gunmen here to kill us. I have to get to a good sniping spot to guarantee our safety.”

“Dozens of gunmen? Oh my god… we’re going to die!” Jiang Ruyi was so panicky she paced about on the spot, and tears filled her eyes. “I, I just made up with you, and not even a night has passed and I’m going to die. I don’t want to die like this!”

She was childhood friends with Xia Lei for over 20 years, and this meant she had waited for him for over 20 years. Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin were married but she was not willing to let go; she was even willing to be his mistress. This was how deep her love for Xia Lei ran. Her wish had come true with great difficulty and Xia Lei and her could be considered to be together because of her various methods, but she was not willing to go down like this when her love of over 20 years was going to end right when it had only come to the beginning.

Xia Lei glared at her. “Stop blabbering. I told you to get on. Hurry up, we’ll lose this chance if they catch up to us.”

Jiang Ruyi looked at the rock which was over five metres tall again and hesitated. “It’s so high up. What if we fall? Our bottoms will split open. If we get hurt in the fall we could die on this island before those people come to kill us.”

“I’ll count to three and you get on my back, or I’ll hit you,” said Xia Lei fiercely.

“You…” Jiang Ruyi’s mouth moved, about to say something but she didn’t.

Xia Lei counted. “One, two, three.”

Jiang Ruyi had not climbed onto his back but she said what had been on her mind. She had a hurt look on her face as she said, “Would you dare to hit Shentu Tianyin? If you’ll hit her, then I won’t object to you hitting me. But you won’t dare to hit her, and you’re so fierce to me… I’m even willing to be your woman on the side but you don’t care for me. I’m sad.”

Xia Lei stood and made to hit her.

“You’re really going to hit me?” Jiang Ruyi said, humiliated.

Xia Lei swung his hand and he put a bit of strength into it. A red slap-mark appeared on white skin.

“Don’t hit me. I, I’ll listen to you, okay?” Jiang Ruyi hurt from the slap, and it was not just her butt which turned red - her face was red too. She actually liked it deep down, Xia Lei hitting her like this.

Xia Lei let go of Jiang Ruyi and rolled his eyes at her. “You’re always like this. You try to step all over me unless I show you who’s boss. I won’t hit Shentu Tianyin, but is she as meddlesome as you? You’re you and she’s herself. I won’t hit her but I’ll hit you.”

Jiang Ruyi had been hit twice, and scolded on top of that but she was not angry. She giggled and climbed obediently onto Xia Lei’s back. She held him tightly around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist so that he could climb up the rock with her.

Jiang Ruyi was still in good spirits after being hit and scolded because this was how she and Xia Lei had always been - fighting, crying, laughing. Xia Lei hitting her and scolding her now was like she had gone back to the familiar old feeling, and she felt like Xia Lei had truly accepted her now.

“Hey, what will you do if Shentu Tianyin knows that we’ve made up?” said Jiang Ruyi in Xia Lei’s ear as he climbed.

Xia Lei was struck by nervousness and almost fell off the rock. His slip scared Jiang Ruyi and she was so scared she quickly tightened her hold around his waist and said, “Forget it, take it as I haven’t said anything. I swear to you that I’ll never reveal our relationship. I won’t even tell Ma and Da, okay?”

Xia Lei laughed dryly. “I know you want an answer so I’ll tell you honestly, I… I don’t know either. I, I still feel ashamed of it.”

“You’re not allowed to feel ashamed. We’ve been together for 20 years and she’s only known you for two. It’s just a fraction of how long we’ve known each other. I’ve already let her be the first wife, so what else does she want? Does she want me to die?” Jiang Ruyi wanted to punch her own mouth. Why was she bringing up Shentu Tianyin for no reason?

Xia Lei sighed, and was gloomy as he continued his climb.

What would he do if Shentu Tianyin discovered Jiang Ruyi’s existence?

This was a simple question but there was never going to be an answer or a solution to it.

Nothing in this world was permanent or perfect. Even diamond had impurities and the dazzling light had dark spots. How could the love between him and Shentu Tianyin be forever perfect?

‘A lifespan is just a short time of some decades. What meaning would there be in life if we lived all according to the rules? I am already married to Shentu Tianyin, and I should be loyal to our love and our marriage, that’s correct, but… Jiang Ruyi has waited for me for over 20 years. If I let her down, it’ll weigh on my conscience. It’s cruel to her too. Never mind, I’ll just leave it be. I’ll leave it all up to the Heavens to decide,’ thought Xia Lei.

Xia Lei relaxed after thinking it through like this.

The top of the rock was like a 凹 with the left side chopped off. There was an indentation on the bottom too, which allowed for him and Jiang Ruyi to hide inside. It was a natural fort.

Up on the rock, Xia Lei set Jiang Ruyi down.

Jiang Ruyi looked nervously at Xia Lei, worried that he was still mulling over the careless words she’d said earlier.

Xia Lei patted her lightly on her shoulder and said with a smile, “Here’s what I think: let it be. It’s good as long as we’re happy. What do you think?”

Jiang Ruyi felt like a rock had been lifted off her and a small smile appeared in the corners of her mouth. “Mm, I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

“Lie down. Don’t poke your head out. I’ll go down and get the equipment,” said Xia Lei.

Jiang Ruyi lay down in the indentation in the rock and looked up at Xia Lei. “Be careful. Come back up quickly.”

Xia Lei couldn’t help looking at her ass. He’d lent her his underwear but her buttocks were too plump and the triangle of cloth was not enough to cover all of her buttocks. It looked like she was wearing a T-back. Full, round, pale buttocks, firm and bouncy. Add the shape of the ‘T-back’ and it was a nosebleed-inducing sight indeed.

Jiang Ruyi looked back at her own buttocks and her face turned red. “Didn’t you say we were tight on time?”

Xia Lei looked away and climbed down. He brought all the equipment to the top of the rock. He made the trip in three minutes this time, without the weight of Jiang Ruyi, and his quick and nimble climb down and up was like he was a monkey. Jiang Ruyi was astounded.

Xia Lei handed Jiang Ruyi a bulletproof vest he had taken from a corpse. “Put it on.”

Jiang Ruyi quickly put it on obediently but her breasts were too big and they spilled out of the vest.

Xia Lei was at a loss for words. “What did you eat growing up? They’re so big.”

“I gave you a portion of whatever nice food I had. You know well what I ate, don’t you? Making fun of me? Humph.” Jiang Ruyi said discontented words but she was happy inside.

Xia Lei did not want to squabble with her. He put on a bulletproof vest too, then took his sniper rifle and lay on the side of the indentation in the rock to survey the situation below.

There was still time till daybreak, and this was the darkest time of night. The stars in the sky had disappeared and clouds had covered the sky. Without the starlight, the island was shrouded in darkness and visibility was low. Xia Lei’s left eye could see only dozens of metres in conditions like these and the gunmen were only dozens of metres away. This was a very advantageous situation for him because his left eye gave him a huge advantage.

Jiang Ruyi held an M16A2 assault rifle with a grenade attachment in her hands and crawled to Xia Lei’s side. She poked the muzzle of the gun over the edge of the rock.

The top of the rock was quite a cramped space and the two of them were pressed together like patties sandwiched in hamburgers - very tightly and snugly.

“When are those gunmen coming here?” Jiang Ruyi was a little anxious. “It’s so dark below. I can’t see them.”

“They have a lot of people so they’ll definitely keep chasing us. This is China so they won’t dare to stay for long. I’m guessing that they will be here soon and exchanging fire with us.”

“Lei, will you help me take care of my Ma and Da if I die? I know they’ve always wanted you to be their son-in-law and seen you as one.” Jiang Ruyi’s voice carried a tinge of hurt.

“You’re not allowed to say things like that. You won’t die,” said Xia Lei.

“I’m saying ‘what if’.”

“There is no ‘what if’,” said Xia Lei.

He’d known that this was a trap to kill him but he had come anyway because his motive was to kill Ahn Suhyeong and Ahn Geungan!

“I’m just saying it in case.” Jiang Ruyi wanted very much to know if Xia Lei would take care of her parents.

Xia Lei swung his hand, and slapped Jiang Ruyi with a bit of strength behind his swing.

Pah! A smack rang out from the peak.

Jiang Ruyi shut her mouth.

Just then, the sound of dogs barking came from below.