Chapter 61: Using the Heart as Bait (Part I)

In August 2146, on the eve of the civil war, Wen Mingwei disassembled and reassembled his gun more than a dozen times, saying something similar to Jian Qingzheng: "I want to settle things with them once and for all."

Years later, the scene repeated itself, and the person uttering those words was Tan Zhao.

Tan Zhao did not project overwhelming self-confidence in exchange for Wen Mingwei's support, but one could sense that he possessed genuine composure and inner strength.

Wen Mingwei steadied his focus for a few seconds and asked, "How do you plan to do it? Will he believe you?"

"Absolute trust isn't necessary," Tan Zhao replied. "As I said before, whether someone is willing to do something depends on whether the ratio of risk to reward meets their psychological expectations."

"And so?"

Wen Mingwei listened attentively, and Tan Zhao detailed his plan step by step.

The date was set for December 7th, and the location was a stretch of international waters just outside the southeastern border of the Alliance.

——Most of Wen Mingwei's cargo traveled by sea. Delivering in international waters was safer than on land, and shipping costs were lower, yielding higher profits.

What Tan Zhao wanted was the maritime route map. Using the route map as bait, he would lure Wen Mingwei's brother, Wen Mingzhe, into coming to kill and plunder.

Wen Mingwei could easily fabricate such a route map on the spot, embedding countless false yet convincing hidden coordinates.

However, Wen Mingzhe was also an expert in arms smuggling. Out of caution, Wen Mingwei listened to Tan Zhao while simultaneously modifying a genuine electronic nautical chart, skillfully plotting several old routes the Wen family had used years ago to influence Wen Mingzhe's judgment.

According to the plan, Tan Zhao would play his cards completely open, telling Wen Mingzhe that this was intelligence Wen Mingwei had "accidentally" leaked to him. He would claim he wasn't sure if the route map was a trap, though it was most likely bait designed to lure Wen Mingzhe out. Tan Zhao would advise him to be cautious and not to go rashly.

——This was the first step in gaining Wen Mingzhe's trust.

Next, Tan Zhao would use Wu An, instructing him to report false information to Wen Mingzhe, claiming he had intercepted a communication from Tan Zhao: Tan Zhao's leak of the route map was deliberate, and his true mission was actually to induce Wen Mingzhe to stay away from that sea area—because with the New Year approaching and customs enforcement being severe, Wen Mingwei was in a rush to ship goods, found it inconvenient to arrange too many escorts, and needed to clear the southeastern obstacles to ensure smooth sailing.

In other words, this was a disguised empty-city stratagem. The purpose was not to lure Wen Mingzhe out, but precisely the opposite: to scare him away and ensure the arms shipment went off without a hitch.

This would make Wen Mingzhe suspect that playing it safe and avoiding the area was exactly what Wen Mingwei wanted him to do.

——This was the second step in guiding Wen Mingzhe.

Finally, just as Wen Mingzhe was filled with suspicions and unable to tell the truth from falsehood, Tan Zhao would leak word through someone of appropriate identity, revealing internal political secrets to Wen Mingzhe: the People's Party had temporarily won the power struggle between the two parties, and on December 8th, the General Administration of Customs would likely issue a new decree enforcing strict martial law across all borders.

Therefore, December 7th was Wen Mingwei's last shipping opportunity. And Wen Mingwei had likely set up this convoluted scheme out of fear that Wen Mingzhe had also caught wind of the news in advance and would come to the border to intercept the shipment.

Given Wen Mingzhe's understanding of his younger brother, the more convoluted the trick, the more it fit Wen Mingwei's usual style.

What Tan Zhao needed to do was not lecture Wen Mingzhe—with a megalomaniacal narcissist like him, the more you try to guide him, the more he suspects you have ulterior motives.

Tan Zhao only needed to provide sufficient information and let him analyze it independently. By the end of his analysis, Wen Mingzhe would conclude that he alone stood highest and saw furthest, and that he had now waited for a heaven-sent opportunity for revenge that no one could stop.

Tan Zhao finished explaining the entire plan, his tone calm and composed from beginning to end.

Wen Mingwei was silent for a long time, looking at him with a complex gaze, thinking: Should I praise him for his talent, or for how quickly his scheming mind had matured?

Yet, in the end, Wen Mingwei said nothing, agreed to Tan Zhao's plan, and acted according to his arrangements.

Long ago, Wen Mingwei had told Tan Zhao that life is composed of many points and the lines connecting them. These points mean that every time we reach one, we finish a phase of our journey, and there is no turning back.

At the time, Tan Zhao didn't fully understand. But on the night they finished discussing the plan, Tan Zhao leaned on Wen Mingwei's shoulder and suddenly said, "Mingwei, I think I've reached that point."

"..."

His tone was indescribable, his emotions hard to fathom, as if he were feeling proud or grieving for himself. Then, without waiting for Wen Mingwei to reply, he kissed him, sealing his lips.

Tan Zhao's plan was a secret. Aside from Wen Mingwei, only Gu Jing and Jian Xinning knew the full details.

Wen Mingwei accepted Tan Zhao's arrangements, but neither Gu Jing nor Jian Xinning trusted him. After staring at each other in dismay for a while, Jian Xinning couldn't help but advise: "Brother, all the information we have right now comes from Tan Zhao. What if he conspired with Wen Mingzhe to trick us together?"

Wen Mingwei remained silent.

She continued, "Only Tan Zhao knows what his exact arrangements are. The high seas are different from the mainland; emergency support is very difficult. If something major really happens, who is going to guarantee your safety?"

Wen Mingwei smiled and said, "Am I really incapable of guaranteeing my own safety?"

Deeply worried, Jian Xinning said, "Better safe than sorry. I still think it's too risky..."

Gu Jing chimed in agreement, and Jian Xinning added, "Why not send someone else? Surely you don't need to be there in person?"

"Would it make sense for me not to show up to a transaction this important?" Wen Mingwei said. "If Wen Mingzhe doesn't see me in person, he won't board the ship."

A final settlement between brothers naturally had to be done in person.

Everything unfolded smoothly according to plan.

Wen Mingwei deployed his personnel in advance, and after making all the proper arrangements, he set sail in the early hours of December 7th, taking Tan Zhao with him.

His vessel was a massive ocean-going freighter loaded with tens of thousands of containers. If the entire ship were filled with weaponry, it would be worth a fortune.

To prevent the ship's draft depth from testing as abnormal, the vessel was loaded with dirt, sand, and stones weighing the same as weapons and ammunition, disguised as cargo to pass through customs.

This customs clearance also served as a preliminary scout. Outwardly, Wen Mingwei's ship appeared to be an ordinary transport vessel bearing the logo of a certain resource company, and customs inspected it symbolically before letting it pass.

Sailing from the border toward the deep southeast, the temperature rose steadily.

At one o'clock in the afternoon, Eastern Time, Wen Mingwei and Tan Zhao left the cabin for the wheelhouse to observe sea conditions.

The control console featured a curved panoramic screen displaying a 360-degree blind-spot-free view of the surroundings. However, weather at sea was unpredictable; wind, rain, thunder, and lightning were common, and long-distance transport almost never enjoyed clear skies the entire way.

Fortunately, they weren't hoping for clear skies either.

Around one-forty, the ship entered a dangerous area riddled with hidden reefs. Overhead, dark clouds gathered, and fog began to close in all around.

The screen in the wheelhouse turned completely white, and visibility along the route steadily decreased.

At that moment, the radar detected a vessel approaching nearby, and a signal came through the communication channel from the other party.

It was a large passenger liner reporting engine trouble and requesting emergency assistance.

The captain turned to ask for instructions, and Wen Mingwei said, "Ignore it. Wait a little longer."

His long hair was tied back tightly today, and he wore a leather trench coat. His leather boots had thick heels, and he carried a gun. His aura was far sharper and more piercing than usual.

Tan Zhao was dressed similarly and also carried a gun. Since boarding the ship, he had spoken very little, exchanging only a few words with Wen Mingwei regarding the approximate coordinates where Wen Mingzhe might appear, and then simply waiting—waiting for the final step of the plan to occur.

Only then did Wen Mingwei sense Tan Zhao's tension.

He didn't seem quite as confident as he let on; he could miscalculate, and accidents could happen. If, despite all calculations, the final step of the plan fell through, what would he do?

Wen Mingwei looked away from the console and cast a deep look at Tan Zhao. Meeting his gaze, the latter paused slightly and said, "Wen Mingzhe didn't tell me his detailed plan, but since he dared to come, he must have prepared thoroughly, prioritizing his own safety above all else."

Just as his voice fell, a flurry of new messages came through the channel. Using the excuse of seeking help, the passenger ship approached repeatedly, on the verge of colliding with the cargo ship.

Before the captain could respond, with a deafening roar, the passenger ship on the front right slammed into them like an out-of-control beast. The sea violently heaved, the hull shook heavily, harsh alarm sirens wailed in the wheelhouse, and the ship came to a halt—

Then, in the blink of an eye, a dense burst of gunfire echoed across the deck!

Without a doubt, the people on the passenger ship were Wen Mingzhe's men. To lower his guard, Wen Mingwei had deployed most of his personnel inside the ship's hold, leaving the deck thinly guarded.

Taking advantage of the touching hulls as if walking on flat ground, Wen Mingzhe's first wave of subordinates boarded the cargo ship, sweeping through with heavy firepower, meeting no fierce resistance.

This was the first probe.

Immediately following, a second wave boarded the ship. Bullets pierced through the containers, and men stepped forward to inspect the cargo, opening the outermost container doors to confirm they contained brand-new, unassembled military equipment. Speaking into their headsets, they reported: "We've got cargo!"

When the third wave boarded, Wen Mingwei finally made a tardy appearance. Shielded by a team of subordinates led by Gu Jing, with Tan Zhao close by his side, he stepped out.

The moment he appeared, from somewhere on the top deck of the opposite passenger ship, a sniper spotted Wen Mingwei. His pale face, whipped by the sea breeze, appeared in the crosshairs—

"Bang!"

A flash of red light pierced the air, the hull shuddered, and thanks to a subordinate pulling him aside just in time, a bullet exploded a mere meter away from Wen Mingwei!

That near-miss finally enticed Wen Mingzhe. He saw that the resistance on the opposite side was weaker than expected; the rumors of customs martial law must be true. Wen Mingwei couldn't afford to bring many men. As long as he poured all his firepower onto the deck, surrounded the ship, and trapped Wen Mingwei in the middle of the boundless sea, his rival would have no choice but to surrender!

How familiar this scene was. Nine years ago, he had trapped that man in an inescapable dead end, and his survival back then had merely been a stroke of sheer luck, dodging the most crucial bullet by a twist of fate.

Yet the goddess of fortune would not protect the same person forever. Wen Mingwei had stolen his wealth, his future, and his dignity—it was time for him to pay it all back!

Wen Mingzhe could no longer remain calm. He could carefully plan for the future under Tan Zhao's persuasion, but Wen Mingwei was like an addictive drug to him; the moment he appeared, Wen Mingzhe was consumed by a burning hatred that made him wish he could flay him and eat his flesh raw.

The fourth and fifth waves of men rapidly boarded the ship, pressing forward with overwhelming firepower.

Through his binoculars, Wen Mingzhe observed the battle. Seeing that Wen Mingwei had actually stepped into the fray himself, emptying his gun and reloading another magazine, it was clear he was at a disadvantage and had run out of options.

Carried by the wind, Wen Mingzhe shouted from afar: "Wen Mingwei!"

He ordered his men to pour gasoline and start a fire, looking utterly unhinged and determined to blow up the ship.

The thick sea fog gathered and dispersed in the sky. Wen Mingzhe moved forward along the long, wide deck of the giant freighter.

Wen Mingwei on the opposite side appeared to be wounded; blood slowly dripped from his right hand holding the gun, staining the back of his white hand a vivid red. From afar, their eyes locked.

"Look at you today!"

Wen Mingzhe savored his younger brother's face, ordering all his men to tighten the encirclement. "—Catch him!"