CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER 143: "YOU’RE INJURED, BUT YOU STILL WANT TO DO IT?

Bang, another cluster of fireworks exploded in the sky, and the drone light show turned into a bouquet of red roses.

Renee Winslow saw vibrant flowers blossom in Jack Yates’s eyes, like thousands of peach blossoms blooming brightly, illuminating his pitch-black, silent gaze.

"Say ’I love you’." Jack Yates caressed her face, his deep eyes gazing at her. "Renee, say it to me."

Renee Winslow nodded blankly, about to agree, when Jack Yates’s expression suddenly darkened, and he swiftly turned her around.

A sound of flesh tearing came from beside her ear, followed by Jack Yates’s low, hoarse groan.

Renee Winslow hadn’t yet recovered from the shock, but the smell of blood hit her first.

"Jack Yates!" Frightened, her heart twisted tightly as she nervously grabbed his arm. "Did, did you get shot?"

Jack Yates held her with his uninjured arm, his voice subdued: "I’m fine."

Renee Winslow dared not ask further, stiffly following him as they left the observation deck.

As soon as they stepped out of the private room, Harvey Lancaster rushed over with his men.

Harvey Lancaster saw the blood stains on Jack Yates’s shoulder, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He was surprised that Jack Yates had actually been shot?

He shouldn’t have been; after all, Jack Yates was the leader of their special forces, the war god of The Northwestern Theater. When stationed at the border, he fought so bravely that foreign armies feared him. In the rain of bullets, he had single-handedly sent those vicious drug gangs fleeing in terror.

In such perilous situations, Jack Yates had only ever taken a shot to the shoulder.

Tonight’s sneak attack was something that shouldn’t have resulted in a gunshot injury.

Jack Yates noticed Harvey Lancaster’s confusion and shot him a warning glance, cautioning him to keep quiet.

Harvey Lancaster instantly understood; the third brother had done it deliberately. This might just be the infamous "Bitter Meat" strategy.

Averting Jack Yates’s sharp gaze, Harvey Lancaster said solemnly: "Third brother, the sniper just now was sent by Mason."

Jack Yates: "Mm."

Harvey Lancaster was slightly taken aback: "Third brother, you knew it was him all along?"

Jack Yates’s voice was icy: "He was raised by Ethan Wyatt. To reach his current position, he relied entirely on Ethan Wyatt to pave the way for him. If Ethan Wyatt dies, his path as a general is over."

"Then tonight you still..." Catching himself mid-sentence, Harvey Lancaster hurriedly stopped.

A hero’s hardship is a beauty’s barrier. Even a tough guy like Jack Yates isn’t exempt. Knowing the risks, he still brought Renee Winslow out for a meal, and spent a fortune orchestrating such a grand drone firework show just to win a smile from the beauty.

Thinking about it now, The ancient King Moros’s act of using beacon fires to toy with the lords wasn’t exaggerated at all.

Harvey Lancaster lowered his eyes and said no more.

Once seated in the car, Renee Winslow turned her head towards Jack Yates, asking worriedly: "How are you, is it serious?"

Jack Yates wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close in his embrace, and kissed the top of her head: "Don’t worry, it’s just a bullet, it won’t kill me."

Renee Winslow asked again: "Aren’t we going to the hospital?"

Jack Yates: "No."

Renee Winslow pursed her lips, softly saying: "Jack Yates, let’s go back. It’s dangerous here."

Jack Yates gently patted her shoulder, whispering to comfort her: "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine." He added, "Danger and opportunity coexist. There’s no sweet cane at both ends. If you choose A, you can’t choose B. Besides, dangerous things always need someone to do them."

Renee Winslow buried herself in his arms, embracing his waist tightly, speaking muffledly: "But I still hope you can be safe, I don’t want you to have an accident."

Jack Yates gently patted her back, repeating: "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."

Renee Winslow raised her head from his embrace, frowning: "By the way, the Mason you’re talking about, is he Caleb Yates’s uncle-in-law?"

She had heard from Caleb Yates that Mason was his uncle-in-law, a government military leader here.

If Caleb Yates’s uncle-in-law is colluding with the major drug lord Ethan Wyatt, then where does Caleb Yates stand? Is he involved with drugs?

Jack Yates noticed her thoughts, his lips curled coldly, and a fierce gleam flashed in his eyes: "He doesn’t dare. If he dares to touch that stuff, I’ll ruin him."

Renee Winslow asked again: "Does Caleb Yates know his uncle-in-law is working with the drug lord?"

Jack Yates: "He should know."

Renee Winslow was surprised: "Ah? He knows? Then why, why would he still come here to rely on his uncle-in-law?"

Jack Yates sneered: "That’s why the rascal deliberately provoked me."

Renee Winslow suddenly understood: "So, he knew his uncle-in-law and the drug lord were together, and knowing you came by, he intentionally angered you so you would take him away, equivalent to rescuing him from Mason."

Jack Yates: "Can’t call it rescuing, Mason didn’t restrict his freedom. He just doesn’t want to offend Mason, so he deliberately used my hand to leave Mason. If he needs something from Mason in the future, he can always return."

Renee Winslow: "..."

So yesterday in the car, when Caleb Yates went crazy saying those things, it was to intentionally provoke Jack Yates into taking him away.

These uncle and nephew are indeed filled with cunning plans, one more than the other.

Renee Winslow: "Were it not for your small age difference, I would suspect Caleb Yates is your son."

Jack Yates squinted: "Are you insulting me?"

Renee Winslow turned her face away, whispering: "No, I just think Caleb Yates is a lot like you."

Jack Yates: "Am I as foolish as him?"

Renee Winslow stopped talking, fearing that explaining further might make things worse.

Because of the unexpected gunshot incident, Renee Winslow ultimately didn’t say the words "I love you."

Without that atmosphere, she also didn’t have the heart to say it anymore.

Back at the villa hotel, Jack Yates’s private doctor Vincent Carrington was already waiting inside.

Renee Winslow returned to the bedroom, Jack Yates went to the neighboring room to remove the bullet.

Vincent Carrington, after finishing with the bullet extraction and bandaging the wound, asked the same question of doubt that Harvey Lancaster had: "How could you get shot?"

Jack Yates: "Getting older, slower reactions."

Vincent Carrington: "Getting older means you can’t dodge bullets, but can go eight times in a night."

Kyle Sheffield, standing to the side, burst into laughter.

Jack Yates’s eyes sharpened: "Feeling itchy?"

It wasn’t a threat to dock his wages, but a bodily threat.

Kyle Sheffield hurriedly left, running as if chased by a dog, moving swiftly.

Vincent Carrington wiped his hands, casually asked: "Wasn’t this ’Bitter Meat’ strategy?"

Jack Yates didn’t speak, but his proud and arrogant look made it clear it was.

Vincent Carrington cleaned his hands and forcefully pressed the shoulder where the bullet had hit: "Don’t play too wild, be careful it doesn’t backfire."

After bathing, Renee Winslow donned her home wear, ready to go see Jack Yates. Just as she reached the door, Jack Yates walked in.

"How are you, is the gunshot wound taken care of?"

Jack Yates pulled her by the waist to the bed, pressed her down with his body, supported by one arm beside her, and leaned in close to her face: "Those three words, you still haven’t said them to me."

Renee Winslow: "..."

How come he still remembers that?

Jack Yates kissed her lips lightly: "Hurry up and say it."

Renee Winslow pushed at his chest: "You’re hurt, you should rest early."

Jack Yates bit hard on her lips: "Either say it or do it, choose one."

Renee Winslow was shocked: "You’re wounded, yet still able to do it?"

Jack Yates: "It’s just an injured arm, the rest isn’t hurt."

Renee Winslow blinked: "I meant the arm, how can you support yourself with one arm injured..."

Jack Yates’s mouth curled sideways, smiling slyly and wantonly: "You move."

Renee Winslow: "..."