Chapter 2492: Chapter 2493: Escape

“Understood, I’ll make the arrangements.”

Morimoto Chunyi quickly issued another command, his mood visibly lifting.

Although the process had been bumpy, the outcome wasn’t bad.

That person held an extraordinary position in China. Using him as leverage could yield unexpected results.

Their boat sped forward at maximum speed, reaching the area where the fishing boat was located in under an hour.

At this moment, two small naval ships could be seen successfully intercepting the fishing boat, leaving it adrift in the sea, completely immobilized.

“Mr. Morimoto!”

Upon seeing Morimoto Chunyi approach, the person in charge saluted and greeted him.

“No issues, I presume?”

“After intercepting the fishing boat, the suspect has been holed up inside and hasn’t come out. We’re ready for capture at any time.”

“Have everyone prepared–let’s proceed with the capture now!”

“Yes, sir!”

The three naval vessels gradually closed in on the fishing boat. Morimoto Chunyi’s men led the charge, armed and ready, boarding the boat first. Morimoto and Gerard followed close behind, stepping aboard.

Gerard smoked his pipe, a triumphant expression on his face.

“That madman who’s bold enough to gamble with me–I genuinely look forward to seeing him appear.”

“He’s certainly insane. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine he’d use such audacious tactics to make us stop. Truly reckless.”

“But that’s all history now,” Gerard said with a grin.

“With such tight security, there’s no way he stands a chance. Just like now–he thinks he can escape, but in reality, everything is within our control.”

“That’s precisely correct, Mr. Gerard.”

By this time, Morimoto Chunyi’s men had surrounded the cabin. In the pitch-black night, everything was eerily quiet, with nothing but the sound of tense heartbeats reverberating.

“Once ready, proceed,” Morimoto said flatly.

“He’s just one man–he doesn’t stand a chance against us. Surrender is his only option.”

“Yes, sir!”

At his command, the leader kicked the cabin door open while others surged in like a tide!

But what they saw inside shocked them to their core.

Inside were six men, passed out cold. Judging by their attire, they seemed to be fishermen!

“What’s going on here? Why are there fishermen here?!” Gerard bellowed, enraged.

“Mr. Gerard, let’s not lose our temper,” Morimoto Chunyi soothed him.

“Let’s carefully check these people–perhaps the suspect is hiding among them.”

Gerard said nothing more, begrudgingly agreeing to the course of action.

Soon, the six unconscious fishermen were all awakened.

As they looked at the uniformed men before them, the six fishermen froze, having no idea what was going on.

“Who are you?! Show your identification!”

In Japan, where national ID cards don’t exist, people usually rely on items like driver’s licenses, insurance cards, or student IDs to prove their identity.

Faced with firearms aimed directly at them, the fishermen rushed to produce their driver’s licenses to verify their identities.

The leader collected the licenses, gave them a brief glance, and passed them over to Morimoto Chunyi.

Morimoto meticulously examined them and found no anomalies.

“What happened? How did all of you end up unconscious inside?”

An older man rubbed his head and recounted what had happened by the shore earlier to Morimoto Chunyi.

Upon hearing this, Morimoto and Gerard instantly grasped the situation, their rage boiling over.

“Damn it, he tricked us again! He used this opportunity to escape!”

Morimoto’s expression twisted in fury, his brow furrowing deeply.

He had fully expected to capture Lin Yi this time with ease and use him as leverage to demand ancient texts from China.

He never imagined this had all been an intricately designed trap!

“Mr. Morimoto, I refuse to wait any longer,” Gerard stated.

“I’m certain he’s fled into the city, likely in search of Caie Mitsui. I want to act now to control Caie Mitsui–otherwise, it will be too late!”

Morimoto did not respond immediately.

If possible, he too wished to detain Caie Mitsui.

But he also understood how special Caie Mitsui’s identity was.

Actually detaining her would have ramifications far worse than anticipated.

“Rest assured–I’ll handle it promptly,” Morimoto finally said.

…

With news of Lin Yi’s escape spreading, the coastal defenses began to relax.

Three days went by, and these men, who had already given up hope of capturing Lin Yi, grew increasingly lax after hearing the intel.

They decided that maintaining strict vigilance had lost its purpose entirely.

Ironically, this very attitude was what provided Lin Yi with his slim opportunity.

At this moment, none of them could imagine that Lin Yi had used his pre-prepared diving equipment and extraordinary physical endurance to hide underwater for three days and nights, waiting patiently for a chance.

And now, he was capitalizing on just such an opportunity.

Lin Yi had already made his way ashore. Wearing a mask that concealed most of his face, he wandered the city streets.

Though wanted posters for Lin Yi were everywhere, the average citizen didn’t pay much attention to each passing pedestrian.

Because of this, Lin Yi was relatively safe.

That said, Lin Yi’s condition was far from good.

Three days of fasting and enduring the icy seawater had been punishing for anyone.

Even for Lin Yi, he felt utterly exhausted, alternating between chills and feverish heat. He knew he might be catching a cold.

Such an experience was rare in his lifetime.

It was near dawn, yet Asia’s largest metropolis remained bustling with activity.

Relying on his mental map, Lin Yi headed for Caie Mitsui’s villa.

After more than two hours of walking, the villa finally came into view.

Around the premises, at least twenty guards patrolled, ensuring Caie Mitsui’s safety.

Lin Yi avoided alarming them. It was a sensitive time, and the fewer people aware of his movements, the safer he would be.

Dragging his weary body, Lin Yi slipped behind the villa and dialed Caie Mitsui’s phone.

The phone rang several times before Caie Mitsui finally answered.

“Hello?”

Recognizing the unfamiliar number, Caie Mitsui had no idea it was Lin Yi calling–it was clear she was slightly groggy.

“It’s Lin Yi.”

“Mr. Lin Yi!”

Caie Mitsui suddenly perked up, her voice tinged with joy.

She had been waiting days for Lin Yi’s call.

“Open the third window from the left on the ground floor. Don’t turn on the lights–I’ll be over shortly.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll go now.”