Song Heping immediately realized that his intuition had once again saved his life.
But he couldn't figure out how these assassins had arrived at the Jade Hotel even earlier than him.
Had his escape route been monitored?
Thinking this, he immediately made a judgement—these people might look like assassins, but there was someone significant behind them.
Song Heping appeared at the stairwell corner like a phantom, throwing the assassins lying in wait near the fourth floor off their plans.
There were two near the elevator, one pretending to smoke next to a trash can, and another hidden behind the fire door.
There was another in the opposite hallway.
The design of the Jade Hotel was "courtyard-style," with the entrance to every room on each floor being open, in a gallery-like structure.
Two more assassins had rented a room directly opposite room 4112 and were waiting inside with weapons ready.
The final assassin was monitoring from the lobby downstairs.
According to the original plan, the one smoking by the elevator was responsible for surveillance, and upon Jimado and Song Heping going upstairs, he would signal an alert, then the assassin behind the fire door and the smoking assassin would move to the door side, while the two assassins in the opposite room would open their door and aim their automatic weapons at room 4112's door.
The two assassins lying in wait by the door would knock, and the moment someone from room 4112 opened the door, they would fire.
All weapons were equipped with silencers, so as not to create too much disturbance.
And even if only a crack was opened in the door, the automatic rifles could shoot through and kill the target.
As soon as the person opening the door fell, the assassins on either side of the door would kick it open and throw in several hand grenades.
Throwing grenades in a cramped room, even if they didn't kill, would at least stun people, and in the short seconds after the grenade explosion, the assassins would break in, then the clean-up process would begin.
After all, these assassins were first-rate in North Africa's killer circles, with many actually having served before, so they were also very tactical when it came to devising strategy.
But what they didn't account for was that their opponent was no ordinary person.
Song Heping was extremely cautious in his actions.
Even after a successful early escape, he remained vigilant.
Not to mention being targeted, he didn't even fully trust connectors like Jimado.
It was his caution that saved his life.
Because only Jimado went up earlier, it caused much confusion among the assassins.
The wireless communication channels were in disarray.
"Boss, only saw one person going upstairs."
"One person? Are you sure?"
"Positive, and it's not our main target for assassination."
"First confirm whether the one who went up entered 4112."
"Confirmed, he entered 4112. What now?"
When the assassin leader heard this, he felt like he'd been struck by lightning out of a clear sky.
He came from an old soldier background, having served in South Africa's Special Forces before, retiring to North Africa originally to become a mercenary, but then realizing that being an assassin was more profitable and switched professions.
On the battlefield, the most fearful thing is when an unexpected situation arises.
He needed to immediately adjust the plan and make a judgement.
"Wait. Continue to wait!"
The assassin leader was still very experienced.
Without the main target appearing, killing the connector was just a minor issue.
The one they had chased earlier in the hotel was the most valuable and the one the employer most wanted to see dead.
So they could only wait.
"Boss, could they have finished their meetup and gotten off midway? We didn't see the target enter the lobby either."
The assassin in the lobby raised his doubts.
The assassin leader was seething with rage.
Although he knew his subordinate was telling the truth, he still found it hard to accept.
The operation tonight had been problematic from the start.
Even before a face-to-face gunfight, one of their own had died.
Whoever could take down a fit assassin with just two knife-hands was undoubtedly no ordinary person.
The assassin leader knew he had encountered a high-level opponent today.
But with the situation as it was, whether due to professional ethics or other considerations, he had to carry on, otherwise he wouldn't be able to continue in the circle, not to mention the employer would never forgive him.
"Wait a bit longer!"
The assassin leader was hiding in the room across at that moment, having left the door to enter the room, he took out his phone to dial Remondo.
Now, he needed intelligence.