Chapter Six: The Church

  The sky is drizzling with fine rain, the air is exceptionally fresh, and there are sparse pedestrians on the road, but they all hurry by with umbrellas. The paulownia trees by the street, after being washed by the rain, appear even more lush. Between the branches and leaves, tiny sparkling raindrops fall from time to time, falling into the grass and disappearing without a trace.

  Zhao Zhi sat in the attic, wiping his handgun. The smell of gun oil filled the entire room. On the table were two sharp knives with a few dark patterns on the handle and a narrow, sharp blade. These were custom-made by Zhao Zhi's bodyguard, Ah-Dai. Compared to these knives, Zhao Zhi still preferred the coarse, brutal knife he had collected in his previous life - the tiger-tooth dagger. However, today's action was more suitable for this type of narrow, sharp knife.

  Zhao Zhi now lives in a 2-story small building, which was rented by Han Te. The corner of the small building is not far from a Western-style building that people who believe in religion know - the church. Zhao Zhi lives here just for the church across the street.

  This is the life introduced by Hunter. The five priests in this church are all from the UK, and the church is just a cover for their true identities. In fact, the priests in the church are all of the same kind as Hunter, they're all coffee bean buyers. Hunter promised that he would provide Zhao Zhi with free weapons and ammunition later on, the price being that Zhao Zhi helps Hunter clean up these coffee merchants because they robbed Hunter's business.

  Zhao Zhi is a mercenary, and mercenaries believe in the principle of being hired and hiring others to get things done for money. He symbolically accepted one dollar from Hante and agreed to help him clean up the church, and anything related to coffee beans found in the church would be shared between Hante and Zhao Zhi. Although he is a mercenary, Zhao Zhi also has his own principles. He sat in the attic all day, observing the church across the street. In fact, it was true what Hante said, the priest in the church was indeed smuggling arms. Zhao Zhi had seen it at least twice, the church secretly transporting things out at night, and judging from the shape of the wooden boxes, they should be guns.

  After exercising his limbs, Zhao Zhi put on the night-traveling clothes that Han Te had specially prepared for him. In fact, it was a set of US military uniforms dyed black, with some modifications made according to Zhao Zhi's intentions. Having observed for 5 days and combining the intelligence provided by Han Te for analysis, Zhao Zhi had already grasped the situation at the church. He decided to take action tonight.

  Zhao Zhi carefully inspected the gun and bullets. This was Zhao Zhi's first time out since arriving, and he didn't want to make any mistakes that would lead to regret. Silently sitting in his chair, the sharp knife in Zhao Zhi's hand gleamed with a dazzling light under the lamp's illumination. These two knives would be Zhao Zhi's main weapons for tonight, and the handgun he carried was just in case of an emergency. Zhao Zhi was still waiting for someone - Hant's bodyguard, Ah Dai. Hant needed one of his own people on the scene. After all, Zhao Zhi's current role was just that of a hitman, and it was up to him to take down the five fake priests in the church. The rest would be left to Ah Dai, the cleaner.

  The sky gradually darkened, the streetlights had come on, and the rain outside continued to fall. Zhao Zhi gazed through the blinds at a puddle of water on the road, where raindrops falling into it sparkled like pearls under the streetlight's illumination. He withdrew his gaze, relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and began to meditate - a technique he had learned from an Indian yogi in his past life, which helped him relax perfectly. This was the first operation, with others watching, Zhao Zhi didn't want to mess it up.

  It's been 10 days since Zhao Zhi arrived in this era, and he still doesn't know what he wants to do. He had already planned to make the best of it, but a single sentence from Han Te completely crushed him. The current China emphasizes background and power, neither of which Zhao Zhi possesses. Moreover, Zhao Zhi was never someone with grand ambitions, so there's no need for him to go all out for those empty and elusive things.

  This is an era of survival of the fittest, and Zhao Zhi understands this principle. With his unclear background and impressive fighting skills, he has to either be used by others or be killed, which is the rule of survival in Shanghai. It was because of Hunter's words that Zhao Zhi agreed to temporarily help him deal with some business enemies, in exchange for Hunter helping him obtain a legitimate foreign identity.

  Having eliminated all distractions, Zhao Zhi gradually calmed down and entered that vague and ethereal meditation. Just as Zhao Zhi was indulging in empty fantasies with a mind free of distractions, the sound of knocking on the door rang out, someone had arrived.

  Zhao Zhi's hand moved, and a 1911 suddenly appeared in his hand. The leg holster he designed himself was still very useful. He violently opened the door and rushed into the room, Ah-Dai was stunned, with the muzzle of a black gun pressed against his forehead.

  Zhao Zhitou glanced at the door, made sure there was no one else, and then turned back to close the door. He immediately put away his gun and said in a low voice, "Didn't I tell you the password for knocking on the door? If you do this again next time, I'll shoot."

  Ah-Dai awkwardly accompanied a smile, "I'll definitely pay attention, it won't happen again next time." Ah-Dai saw that Zhao Zhi had already turned around and didn't say anything else, secretly letting out a sigh of relief. Ah-Dai often boasted that he was also making a living on the edge of a knife, but didn't know why every time he saw this person in front of him, his heart would wildly thump non-stop, and his two legs would inexplicably tremble.

  Outside the venetian blinds, two car lights suddenly flashed by. Zhao Zhi walked to the front of the venetian blinds and looked outside with binoculars. It was a Dodge truck, heading to the church on an odd-numbered day. Every time it's an odd-numbered day, there would be a truck going to the church, and Zhao Zhi had already grasped their transportation pattern.

  "How many people did you bring?"

  "What was that?" Zhao Zhi's sudden question, Ah Duan hadn't heard clearly.

  "I asked you, how many people did you bring with you when you came?"

  "Ah, and there's also a driver downstairs."

  "Not enough, now go find Han Te and tell him it's a big deal, have him send 10 more people over, and also a truck." Zhao Zhi used the streetlight to carefully observe the truck with binoculars until it turned the corner, then put down the binoculars. "You're not going to find someone? Let's meet at the church later." Seeing Ah Dai still standing there without going to find Han Te, Zhao Zhi couldn't help but laugh, what kind of bodyguard was this Han Te looking for, really a fool.

  Ah-Dai and the driver left, Zhao Zhi lit another cigarette before going downstairs. Putting on the long raincoat sent by Han Te, Zhao Zhi trudged through the rainwater towards the church. This church, Zhao Zhi had also carefully observed, knowing that behind it there was a small door that led directly to where the pastors rested every day. Zhao Zhi lowered his hat brim and raised the collar of his raincoat, rushing straight for the back door.