Although Lee Joong-ku had never heard the name Luca, he had vaguely heard the codename "White Lion" in some very old rumors about top international assassins!
It was a name almost deified, then suddenly vanished.
If the person in front of him really was the legendary "White Lion"... Lee Joong-ku's heart pounded, and a mix of fear and extreme excitement surged within him.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself: "Alright... even if you are White Lion. What do you want? Money? Or..."
Luca shook his head slightly: "Money is secondary. My main objective is Night Owl. Ding Qing's life can be considered an extra bonus. As for my sincerity..."
His gaze swept over Lee Joong-ku's hand hidden at his waist: "You can pay a deposit first. Then, I will show you the first result, for example, helping you eliminate one or two internal traitors who have been restless lately. How about it?"
A deal with the devil was quietly struck in this smoke-filled private room.
Lee Joong-ku did not know that he was not just bringing in an assassin, but a terrifying force capable of pushing the already chaotic situation into the abyss of destruction.
And White Lion Luca's goal was clearly far more complex than the conditions he offered.
Far away in the seaside safe house, Johnny did not know that an "old friend" from the distant past, with whom he had complex ties, had already set his sights on him.
Inside the seaside safe house, the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant, the salty tang of the sea breeze, and a subtle, almost imperceptible tension.
Ding Qing's abdominal wound was recovering faster than expected, but his face was still pale. He was currently using an encrypted tablet, coldly watching news about "his" near-death state and reports of various factions stirring, a cold sneer on his lips.
Johnny stood to the side, meticulously wiping his glock 34. His expression was as calm as ever, but a subtle, imperceptible gravity was deeper in his eyes than usual.
"It's almost time," Johnny suddenly spoke, his voice breaking the silence in the room.
Ding Qing looked up at him: "Almost time for what?"
"To make this act more real." Johnny put down his gun and took out a sealed test tube from a small, portable cryogenic cooler. Inside were dark red blood and several strands of hair with follicles.
"Your blood and hair, I kept them when I treated your wounds earlier."
Ding Qing immediately understood his intention, a flash of surprise and approval in his eyes: "You're going to... switch them?"
"The police and the Di Ri Faction are both trying to get DNA samples from the person in the clinic for comparison. The more suspicious Lee Joong-ku is, the more he will verify at all costs."
Johnny's tone was as calm as if he were discussing an ordinary matter, "Give them the conclusive evidence they want, and they will truly believe."
This was an extremely risky plan requiring precise execution. The police would surely guard important evidence tightly, and the Di Ri Faction would also use various means to try and steal samples.
But Johnny seemed to have it all planned out.
"Ah Jin," he looked at his confidant nearby, "Have you clarified the information about the police evidence identification department's person responsible for initial sample storage and submission? Their weaknesses?"
Ah Jin immediately handed over a thin file: "It's clear. There's an assistant examiner named Jin who is addicted to gambling. He recently owed a large sum of money to loan sharks in an underground casino and is being pressed for repayment."
Johnny glanced at the photo and information in the file, then nodded: "That's enough. Let him 'accidentally' discover a loophole in sample storage, or let him 'accidentally' break the sample test tube, requiring a new sample. The Di Ri Faction will seize this opportunity like sharks smelling blood. We just need to ensure that what is ultimately replaced is the sample we've prepared."
His plan was not to force a breakthrough, but to exploit human weaknesses and the desires of all parties, guiding them to "complete" the switch themselves.
The Di Ri Faction was eager for verification, and there might be other forces within the police, besides Jiang Chenghao, who wanted to muddy the waters. A small, vulnerable examiner was the best entry point.
The operation quietly unfolded.
The process was even smoother than expected.
Under Johnny's precise intelligence and covert guidance, the Di Ri Faction indeed bribed the gambling examiner.
After an "accidental" sample contamination incident, a "fresh" blood and hair sample, re-collected from the "severely injured Ding Qing," was urgently sent for examination.
No one knew that this sample, before being sent for examination, had been cleverly replaced with the test tube containing real Ding Qing's blood that Johnny held.
24 hours later, the Identification results were released.
High-ranking police officials and all parties closely monitoring the matter almost simultaneously received a DNA comparison report from an authoritative institution.
The conclusion was highly consistent: the DNA of the critically ill, unidentifiable man in the clinic perfectly matched the Ding Qing sample on file with the police.
This report, like a heavy hammer, struck the hearts of all doubters.
Jiang Chenghao looked at the report, his brows furrowed. Although his final doubts were not entirely dispelled, with scientific evidence before him, he had to temporarily accept the fact that "Ding Qing was indeed severely injured and near death." His investigation focus and resource deployment had to be adjusted.
And when Lee Joong-ku obtained a copy of this report through secret channels, he slammed it onto the table!
"Shit! How is this possible?! Is it really him?!"
He roared, his face filled with disbelief and a furious rage at being played.
The irrefutable scientific evidence forced him to believe that his hated archenemy was truly about to die!
Yet, that uneasy feeling in his heart grew stronger, making him so agitated he wanted to kill.
Soon, an official announcement was released.
Given that "main criminal suspect Ding Qing" was critically ill and not in a condition for interrogation or detention, but the case was significant, the police legally imposed "residential surveillance and treatment" as a coercive measure.
In reality, this meant the fake "Ding Qing" was completely controlled within the military hospital's intensive care unit, heavily guarded inside and out. Ostensibly for rescue, it was actually house arrest and waiting—waiting for him to die, or to awaken and face trial.
During this period, Li Zicheng, as a group director and "friend," visited the hospital once under strict police surveillance.
Through the ICU glass, he looked at the "Ding Qing" inside, covered in tubes, his face swollen and bandaged, kept alive only by machines. His emotions were extremely complex.
He knew this was very likely fake, but the sight before him was too real, making him involuntarily feel a chill and fear.
Johnny and Ding Qing's plan was so ruthless and meticulous it was horrifying. He left in a hurry, his awe and apprehension towards Ding Qing deepening.
Inside the seaside safe house.
"The bait has been cast, and the fish are going wild."
Ding Qing looked at the various reactions and the escalating internal chaos and struggle within the group reported on the tablet, a satisfied smile on his face.
The plan was proceeding perfectly.
However, Johnny, standing by the window, frowned slightly.
His instinctive intuition for deadly danger was triggered again.
A subtle, yet persistent feeling, like a thorn in his back, lingered.
Something was wrong!
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