The vast hall was strangely quiet. What stunned everyone most was not the sheer scale of the destruction from the battle, which, aside from the divine beasts, surpassed anything seen in gatherings of elite fighters, but Qin Fen himself. The power he erupted with was far beyond what someone his age should possess. Even accounting for his initial burst of strength, the speed was too rapid, too unnatural for his apparent youth.
Genius? Qin Fen read the word in the eyes observing him. He smiled faintly. In recent days, he had indeed encountered many figures blessed with extraordinary talent: the nonchalant Xue Tian, Chen Feiyu with his Sun Bronze Bones, Li Qiang who had never made a move, Denzarota, the Great Emperor Caesar, the Little Dragon King Yang Lie, and the legendary Shangguan, whom many claimed never to have truly met, as well as the Little Underworld King. All were worthy of the title ‘genius.’
Compared to the innate gifts of these individuals, Qin Fen felt slightly inferior. His current strength, which even surpassed some who were already branded as prodigies, was due to one thing: obsession.
Qin Fen had become deeply fascinated by the martial arts, which he had initially treated merely as a tool for making money. His body and spirit were constantly immersed in contemplating the Dao of the Martial Arts. Even while eating, he would fully exercise control within the process.
Eating. Walking. Fighting. Sleeping…
Qin Fen thought of training every moment, researching how to advance his martial power almost every second. This was one of the key factors that allowed him to truly surpass his peers so rapidly.
The other factor was comprehension. On this point, Qin Fen was immensely proud. Many of those crowned as geniuses lagged far behind him in comprehension speed. Any martial technique could be digested and absorbed at the fastest possible rate.
Qin Fen picked up his heavy lead suit and nodded slightly to everyone present, then swiftly headed toward the exit of the hall.
In this era, no one wished to be stared at like a spectacle, and Qin Fen disliked this prolonged, quiet attention just as much.
Manager Hua sighed, shaking his head as he hurried after Qin Fen. This young master was someone the big boss had specifically instructed him to look after; he absolutely could not be neglected.
Li Yongjun watched Qin Fen’s retreating back until his tension gradually eased. A surge of resentment erupted from the depths of his heart once more. After such a shocking battle, people felt little inclination to practice martial arts; the fight had severely dampened everyone’s enthusiasm for cultivation. Seeing a young Lieutenant Colonel capable of contending with a Planetary-level master made many feel inferior. To compare oneself to others was truly infuriating.
In the quiet VIP changing room, Qin Fen quickly donned his heavy lead suit again, feeling an indescribable sense of fulfillment under its weight of several hundred pounds.
He adjusted his collar and trouser legs in the mirror; the uniform was severely damaged. Military discipline in Shengjing was strictly enforced. Clothes could be tattered, but bearing had to be impeccable; being caught violating this could lead to serious trouble.
In this world, some rules could be wantonly broken, conducting all sorts of clandestine dealings, but there were other rules that absolutely could not be violated—even a Lieutenant General or a full General could not transgress them.
Military bearing and discipline—these rules, seemingly minor, were capable of restraining even high-ranking officers. Qin Fen was acutely aware that as a Lieutenant Colonel, he certainly had no capital to break rules that even Generals had to obey.
Leaving the VIP changing room again, the corridor was empty. Manager Hua had returned to his office to handle the aftermath of the martial arts hall floor collapse—the repairs, comforting the members of the equipment hall—a massive amount of work awaited him.
Qin Fen let out a deep breath. The feeling of having no one following him was wonderful. He glanced up at the surveillance cameras in the stairwell, then quickly turned into the stairwell, heading directly for his destination.
The parking lot of the Tianma Fitness Club was located in the deepest basement of the entire facility, housing the fine vehicles of members and coaches. As martial arts instructors, they generally held a relatively high status, a reality that held true even in an establishment like the Tianma Club, granting them exclusive parking spots.
“Huh? Why have all the parking lot monitors suddenly gone out?”
Security personnel at the Tianma Club stared in astonishment at the display screens, which had simultaneously dissolved into static snow, showing no image whatsoever.
After a brief moment of surprise and silence, these specially trained personnel swiftly armed themselves with high-grade batons and moved with rapid, steady strides toward the parking lot, leaving one person behind in the office to continue monitoring. A series of fast but orderly footsteps echoed down the stairs toward the garage.
The remaining technician’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. The monitors showing static had simultaneously resumed transmitting images. He then saw the club security guards rushing into the parking lot, each carrying various models of high-grade batons.
The dozen or so guards exchanged knowing glances and quickly dispersed to sweep the area, searching for any potential trouble.
After a thorough search and careful inspection, the security team regrouped, looking at each other with eyes full of confusion. Could it have truly been a system glitch just now? Not an act of deliberate sabotage?
The elevator doors to the parking level slid open. Li Yongjun looked rather surprised to see the gathered security guards. He frowned slightly, paying little heed to the numerous guards, and walked directly toward his magnetic sports car.
The dozen security personnel were also momentarily taken aback to see Li Yongjun leaving at this hour. They curled their lips but asked nothing further. They all knew this new Taekwondo instructor carried a certain arrogance, looking down on everyone and never offering a chance for an equal conversation.
The sound of a car engine starting echoed in the parking lot. The guards watched Li Yongjun’s expensive magnetic sports car with envy, feeling a twinge of jealousy. Young, rich, powerful in martial arts—a life of boundless possibilities! It seemed reincarnation was truly a skill one needed to master. Look at the reincarnation this man had achieved—absolutely perfect!
Li Yongjun sat inside his vehicle, savoring the envious gazes reflected in his rearview mirror, a smug smile playing on his lips. You gatekeepers will never have a chance to live a life at my level.
Feeling pleased, Li Yongjun deliberately revved the accelerator twice. The magnetic flying car roared, trailing a yellow shadow through the air.
The turn leading out of the parking lot…
The guards sighed inwardly once more. A life like that truly was…
BOOM!
A massive, deafening explosion shattered their reverie. Red fire erupted from the turning point near the parking exit, spraying out like a volcano, accompanied by a cascade of shrapnel.
In the soundproof, highly reverberant confines of the parking garage, the blast was tremendous. Two security guards’ ears began to bleed faintly from the shockwave, and others instinctively covered their ears to dampen the impact.
Clang… clang…
A warped piece of car chassis landed on the garage floor. It spun a few times before making a final, crisp sound as it met the concrete.
The security guards stood dumbfounded for a few seconds, then a sudden clarity dawned in their eyes. The earlier monitoring failure was likely not a system issue but deliberate destruction!
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the dozen men looked at each other, then rapidly scattered. Some rushed upstairs, others toward different vehicles, some toward the spot where Li Yongjun’s magnetic flying car had exploded, and others quickly dialed for police assistance.
The electronic induction doors at the front of the Tianma Fitness Club slowly slid open. Qin Fen walked out of the hall with impeccable military posture. That viper, I must kill it before anyone else does! Qin Fen looked calmly at the fire and the massive sound erupting from the parking lot. Let the terrorists take the blame for this incident; he was sure many organizations would gladly claim responsibility.
Stretching his arms, Qin Fen relaxed his shoulders. Today had been fulfilling, and now it was time to buy a small gift for Song Jia. Coming to Shengjing, he certainly needed to purchase something.
He looked up at the sky, curious. How was the military council progressing? The rookie period was ending soon; where would he be assigned?
The generals of the East Asian Military Region, after lunch and a period of rest and private discussion, began gathering before the door of the supreme conference room for the second round of discussions in the afternoon.
Li Mingzheng strode forward confidently at the head of the group from Hanzhou. Today’s excellent opportunity must not be missed. He was determined to use this session to drive Snake King from power! As for Qin Fen’s fate? A faint smile touched Li Mingzheng’s lips. This Lieutenant Colonel was insignificant; he was merely the fuse meant to ignite this reshuffling of the upper echelon power structure.
The moment he pushed open the conference door, Li Mingzheng felt his phone suddenly ring. He paused, allowing the other generals to enter first, and answered the ill-timed call with a look of slight annoyance.
“Hello, this is Li. What… Say that again…” Li Mingzheng’s annoyance was instantly replaced by sorrow, shock, and rage.
Li Yongjun… is dead!
Listening to the news relayed through the phone, Li Mingzheng felt the world spin around him. His world seemed to collapse in an instant. His nephew, the sole heir of the Li family, Cheng Jun’s favorite disciple, the future glory of the Li family, who was slated to enter the military academy next year and pursue a career as a professional soldier—becoming his successor—Li Yongjun was dead…
Dead? How? Impossible! Li Mingzheng couldn't hear the voice on the other end; his mind frantically replayed every moment of Li Yongjun’s life over the years. Though a nephew, he was closer to him than a son.
Li Yongjun’s parents had died in a car accident shortly after his birth. Since then, his entire upbringing had been under Li Mingzheng’s care. Li Yongjun’s first steps, his first fall, his first run, the first time he came home bruised after a fight, the excitement of his first martial arts breakthrough, the first…
Li Mingzheng had no children; this nephew was his everything. He had witnessed almost every single ‘first’ in the boy’s life. He had wanted to witness his nephew’s first enlistment, his top marks at the military academy, and every future ‘first’ to come.
In that instant, Li Mingzheng appeared twenty years older in the eyes of others.
“The young Lieutenant Colonel surnamed Qin…”
A single description broke Li Mingzheng from his stupor.
“The young Lieutenant Colonel surnamed Qin! Looks around nineteen or twenty! Strong physique, martial power fierce and domineering…”
Qin Fen’s image flashed into Li Mingzheng’s mind. The vacant look in his eyes gradually began to flash with savage intent.
Crack… crack…
Li Mingzheng’s knuckles cracked under the pressure of his clenched fists. A soldier’s instinct told him that this sudden death must be connected to Qin Fen.
Connected! It must be! Li Mingzheng raised his chin, a fierce glare in his eyes, staring toward Snake King at the conference table, trying to glean something from that usually expressionless face.
Soon, he was disappointed. Snake King seemed utterly oblivious to the venomous gaze, leisurely sipping his fragrant green tea, never deigning to look up.
After a brief silence, Li Mingzheng forcibly suppressed the surging hatred. He stabilized his footing and approached Snake King, bowing slightly as he spoke, “General Du, a very serious private matter has arisen in my family. Please allow me to be excused from the remainder of this meeting.”
Du Hen raised an eyelid, his expression placid as he stated, “Someone died? Very well. Go ahead.”
Li Mingzheng didn't ask how Du Hen knew. Perhaps he had anticipated this news all along, using Li Yongjun’s death as a warning. Or perhaps he had discerned the meaning from the weight of Li Mingzheng’s tone.
“Thank you.”
Li Mingzheng slowly straightened his back. The decision that had long been suppressed in his heart was finally solidified at this moment. His nephew was dead, so there was nothing left to hesitate over! Every step Li Mingzheng took away from the conference room was firmer than usual.
The meeting did not halt because of Li Mingzheng’s absence. The world keeps turning regardless of who is missing, and the conference would not stop because one general left. The generals from various provinces resumed the discussion they had left unfinished.
Snake King had stated his position that morning and subsequently lapsed into silence, allowing generals from other provinces to take the lead in the debate.
Li Mingzheng’s absence? Du Yu sipped his fragrant green tea with indifference. What else could the radical faction, the power-grabbers, be doing? Naturally, they were laying the groundwork for a coup. As for Qin Fen’s safety, Du Yu wasn't overly concerned; few in the East Asian Military Region dared to take extreme measures after Snake King Du Hen had declared his stance.
Kill Qin Fen? Du Yu actually looked forward to seeing if Li Mingzheng was foolish enough to attempt such a thing. That might reveal what trump cards Du Hen, the Snake King, kept behind him.
Li Mingzheng kills Qin Fen? Du Yu chuckled. If he were capable of such a deed, he would never have become a general in the first place. He wondered what Li Mingzheng would actually do today. What was he up to?
An unremarkable taxi slowly pulled up in front of a secluded villa in Shengjing.
Li Mingzheng raised a hand, wiping away two tear tracks from his face, and exited the cab he had hailed randomly from the street. The driver took the money and shook his head dismissively. A General crying?
The villa door was unlocked. Li Mingzheng walked straight in.
In the living room, Cao Rong sat on the expensive carpet like a bereaved wife, her eyes still red and flowing with tears. The surrounding area was littered with tissues soaked from weeping.
“Do not call me Madam Liang. Please address me as Mrs. Cao Rong, or Colonel Cao if you prefer.” In the elegantly decorated villa, Cao Rong’s voice was laced with hysterical madness; her sharp soprano made the very glass seem to vibrate.
“My apologies, my choice of address was incorrect.” Li Mingzheng sat down unceremoniously on the sofa. “I have already heard about your son’s situation, but this claim about terrorists…” Li Mingzheng let out a couple of cold laughs, merely shaking his head softly.
A dull thud of a cane hitting the floor echoed from the second floor. The true master behind the Cao family, Old Madam Diao, descended slowly, carrying a glittering golden cane she rarely used.
“General Li, speak plainly,” Old Madam Diao commanded. Her eyes were also bloodshot, but her composure was much firmer than Cao Rong’s. “Our Cao family does not have a habit of being used as a pawn.”
Li Mingzheng stared at the descending old woman in astonishment. Rumor had it she doted on her youngest daughter and, by extension, her deceased grandson. Yet, in this situation, she hadn't lost her sanity like Cao Rong.
As Li Mingzheng finished speaking, savage hostility flared in his distorted eyes. Having rushed over here and heard the full account of everything that happened before Li Yongjun’s death, he was even more certain that Qin Fen was responsible.
As an uncle, Li Mingzheng understood his nephew better than anyone. Even though he witnessed the battle, he could still surmise that after his defeat, Li Yongjun must have shown murderous intent and desire toward Qin Fen. This Qin Fen, who had walked through gunfire since his debut, had taken more than a few lives. Judging by his personality, this young Lieutenant Colonel, fresh from the Liang Tao incident, would certainly not make the same mistake twice. Therefore, Li Yongjun, showing killing intent, would naturally become the first target in Qin Fen’s self-preservation response.
It must have been Qin Fen who killed him! Li Mingzheng believed that a young man who dared to single-handedly infiltrate the Golden Triangle to snipe a drug lord surely possessed the courage to kill in Shengjing.
“I want him dead!”
Cao Rong’s sharp, furious cry nearly caused Li Mingzheng to experience tinnitus. “I want him dead too!” Li Mingzheng ignored Cao Rong, fixing his gaze on Old Madam Diao, who held the real authority. “My nephew was just murdered by him. He was the sole heir of my Li family, the successor to my future power! He manufactured a fatal accident for him!”
Li Mingzheng could not control the grief of losing his son; his voice escalated from a low narration to a furious roar, veins bulging on his neck, as he smashed his palm onto the coffee table before him, shattering it into pieces.
Li Mingzheng’s hands trembled—the involuntary twitching and shaking that occurs when a person’s rage reaches its absolute peak.
“But…” Li Mingzheng stared intensely at Old Madam Diao. “Killing that brat outright is too easy for him! I want to strip away everything he has, then watch him walk step by step into death!”
Old Madam Diao smiled. A look of joy appeared on her wrinkled face. Within mere seconds, a loud, cheerful laugh erupted from her throat.
“You are in Shengjing and lack sufficient local influence, so you came to us?” Old Madam Diao’s eyes glittered. “What is our Cao family’s standing in this?”
“The Cao family’s position in the East Asian Military Region is not insignificant, but perhaps not significant enough?” Li Mingzheng clenched his fists. “Even if we cannot become the leading figures in the East Asian Military Region, we should at least become the dominant power among central region soldiers!”
Li Mingzheng paused, then continued, “Old Madam, you know that Snake King has come out to protect Qin Fen this time. Your son did not side with you during the military council. You need reinforcements, and I am your reinforcement!”
“Very good.” Satisfaction finally showed on Old Madam Diao’s face. “You came to me, so you must have devised a way to strip him of everything?”
“Of course.” A look of pride surfaced on Li Mingzheng’s grief-stricken face. “The more complicated the method in this world, the more likely it is to go wrong. Take your grandson, for example. If he hadn't wanted the pleasure of watching himself beat Qin Fen and instead brought a squad of gunmen to open fire immediately, even a Nine-Star Martial Artist would have been riddled with bullets and killed.”
Old Madam Diao nodded. “And your method?”
“It’s simple!” Li Mingzheng’s smile was utterly confident. “This action must be swift. It must all be completed before the military council meeting adjourns this afternoon…”
The sorrow in Old Madam Diao’s old face gradually turned into a happy smile. That was right! As long as Qin Fen remained in the military, Snake King would protect him. If they could expel him from the army and strip him of his shield, he would become soft dough, capable of being kneaded however they wished.
The quiet villa was enveloped in the dark cloud of conspiracy.
Qin Fen walked the bustling streets of Shengjing. His last visit to the city had been one event after another, leaving no time to buy small gifts. Without a guide, Qin Fen simply drifted along, seeking out more densely populated areas, hoping to spot something tasteful he could purchase.
He exited an unremarkable jewelry store just as a piercing shriek echoed from afar, instantly drawing the attention of passersby.
“Stop!”
Another rough shout followed. People realized the initial scream had come from a woman. She was disheveled, running forward unsteadily, several bruises already visible on her exposed arm. She was running frantically, with no clear direction.
The rough shout came from a man. His hair was also a mess, his muscular body showing off solid pectorals, with two vibrantly colored tattooed dragons coiled around him. He carried an iron rod as thick as an infant’s torso and was rapidly chasing her.
“Help! Help me!”
The woman flailed her arms toward the sky, her screams cutting through the noisy city. People instinctively scattered to the sides, giving the woman no space to take cover. The tattooed man carrying the iron rod was frightening enough just by appearance, and he possessed the strength of a Five-Star Meteor level master, far superior to the woman’s Four-Star level.
Bang!
Another strike from the iron rod landed on the woman’s back. The brutal force made her stumble even more precariously. The pedestrians recoiled further to the side, terrified of being entangled in the incident or attracting the attention of a man who clearly looked like trouble.
Qin Fen frowned slightly. That last blow had nearly broken the woman’s rib. Had she not desperately dodged, the rod striking her spine would have left her permanently disabled and confined to a wheelchair, if not outright killed.
Under the threat of the iron rod, the woman's desperate flight ignited every reserve of her strength. At that moment, few Four-Star martial artists could match the speed of her escape.
Seeing Qin Fen standing immobile in the middle of the road, a glimmer of survival sparked in the woman's eyes. The Federation's long-standing propaganda had always portrayed police and soldiers as the saviors of the people.
At that instant, a soldier materialized in the center of the street, refusing to yield the way—a soldier wearing the insignia of a Lieutenant Colonel. The woman seemed to have encountered a savior; her speed actually increased marginally.
She lunged toward Qin Fen, hastily diving behind him, murmuring rapid pleas for help: "Save me... save me..."
The man with the two coiled dragons tattooed on his body also showed a flash of surprise. How dare someone stand in his way? He gripped the iron rod fiercely, shouting in a roar, "Get out of the way!"
He reached Qin Fen and brought the iron rod down directly toward his head.
Thud...
Qin Fen didn't budge. He swung a leg out, connecting squarely with the man's chest. Though he didn't exert full force, a foot capable of shattering floorboards was not something a mere Five-Star Meteor-level martial artist could withstand.
With just one kick, the bones in the man's chest didn't even have time to audibly crack. His feet were already high off the ground, and the iron rod, clutched tightly, slipped from his grasp due to the sudden, overwhelming pain. He threw his head back, spitting out a hundred cubic centimeters of blood as he flew backward a distance of fifteen meters, rolling another dozen meters across the ground before finally stopping.
The sound of his broken ribs finally registered in the ears of the shocked onlookers.
Everyone froze. Where had such a formidable Lieutenant Colonel appeared from? One kick sent a man flying that far!
"That's enough..."
The word was still forming in Qin Fen's throat when a sharp scream erupted from the woman behind him. The piercing, high-pitched sound made Qin Fen subtly frown, slightly confused as he looked back at the screaming woman. How had her fear vanished in an instant, replaced by blazing anger? And that fury was not directed at the man lying on the ground, but toward...
The disheveled woman rushed toward the downed man, tears streaming from her eyes, and immediately knelt before him. She swiftly embraced him, checking his condition, and constantly murmuring, "Are you alright? Are you alright? Honey, you scared me to death..."
Qin Fen was stunned... and everyone around him was too... This viciously striking man was this woman's husband?
"Ah~~~"
The woman let out another wretched cry toward the sky. She looked up, glaring fiercely at Qin Fen, crying out, "What did you do? Are you trying to beat my man to death? You... I... I'll fight you to the death!" In an instant, the scene was completely reversed.
The woman who had just been begging for rescue ran two steps forward, snatched the iron rod from the ground, and lunged it toward Qin Fen's body!
Thrust! The tip of the iron rod was sharply pointed, not a blunt, non-lethal weapon. Smack!
Qin Fen swiftly seized the woman's wrist and applied slight pressure to the back of her hand. The stinging pain forced her to drop the sharp rod.
Click... click... click... Among the crowd, the flashes from several cameras erupted.
A trap? Qin Fen paused, then immediately dismissed the thought.
The woman’s previous timidity, her panicked flight, the fury when the man was hurt, and her current expression—none of it was feigned!
In this world, even if someone could win an Academy Award, Qin Fen was confident that, having inherited Squad Leader Hao’s psychological training, he could never be fooled by such a performance.
Then what about the people taking pictures? Qin Fen looked up. Those who had photographed the scene immediately boarded magnetic levitation vehicles and sped off in different directions.
These people were clearly prepared, waiting here with a plan. Otherwise, they wouldn't have scattered simultaneously right after taking the pictures.
Groans drifted from the man lying on the ground in the distance, once again drawing everyone's attention.
Qin Fen's eyebrows lifted. He had been played! That one kick should have rendered the man completely unconscious. But he was awake! The instant the kick landed, Qin Fen had sensed a strange feeling. The man was wearing peculiar protective gear; though its defensive capability wasn't high, it was enough to save his life and stabilize the injury to a degree.
In an instant, Qin Fen understood everything.
The woman before him truly wasn't acting; she was completely unaware that this was a setup! The man lying on the ground, however, knew the setup very well! The man had utilized this woman, without her knowledge, to complete his scheme.
It was precisely because this woman wasn't privy to the plot that everything about her was genuine!
A siren wailed high above. An official, standardized voice boomed from the loudspeaker: "Attention people below! Immediately drop any offensive weapons you possess..."
Qin Fen glanced at the iron rod in his hand with a wry smile. This must be the "offensive weapon" they were referring to? The police arrived quickly—much faster than any previous response he had witnessed. Even in a crowded area, this speed was excessive. Qin Fen casually tossed the rod aside, a faint self-mockery playing on his lips. He had truly been tricked this time!
A magnetic levitation police car slowly settled onto the sidewalk. Qin Fen calmly raised both hands, looking at the two officers armed with .38 caliber weapons and possessing Six-Star Meteor power. "May I make a call now? You should be able to tell, right? If I truly intended to resist, those two guns in your hands—even with sniper rifles aimed at me from four hundred meters up in the sky—would pose no threat."
The two officers were momentarily stunned. They had never encountered a suspect so confidently addressing them during an arrest.
"Lieutenant... Lieutenant Colonel sir..."
Passersby saw a comical sight: two police officers holding .38 pistols appeared more nervous than the person being arrested, their speech stuttering as if the objects in their hands were toy models rather than weapons capable of piercing flesh.
"Y-you had better not move... my... my gun might accidentally discharge..."
Qin Fen sighed. "Then if you put the handcuffs on me, will you allow me to make the call?"
The two officers were baffled again. Resistance? Truly no resistance? This individual, described as extremely dangerous, was genuinely not fighting back?
"Good! Good!" The two officers smiled as they began approaching Qin Fen.
"Wait a moment." As Qin Fen lowered his arms, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. "You are lying to me! But it doesn't matter. If you honor my request, I still don't believe a pair of handcuffs can restrain me. Even electromagnetic cuffs would be useless."
The smiles on the officers' faces froze. None of them expected their casual falsehood to be instantly exposed, and the arrestee was issuing a threat. That flicker of fierce intent sent a wave of cold sweat down the backs of both officers.
The two officers exchanged glances. If they could be the ones to personally apprehend him, it would be a huge credit! They couldn't let this opportunity slip away. It was just one phone call—at worst, a stern reprimand from their superiors, but the credit would still be theirs. One call couldn't hurt that much.
Several more sirens sounded, and four police vehicles suddenly appeared in the sky. The standardized official announcement repeated:
"Fine! We agree!" The two officers hurried toward Qin Fen, afraid that his arriving colleagues might snatch the arrest away from them.
The other officers watched with envy as these two moved to secure the arrest of Qin Fen. The higher-ups had explicitly stated this was a monumental achievement.
Once inside the magnetic levitation police car, Qin Fen sat calmly in the back, lightly tapping his phone and switching it to speaker mode to minimize the number of people knowing he had made a call.
"Instructor, I've been apprehended..."
"General Zhao, by the time you hear this message, I will likely be in a police station somewhere in Shengjing. This is because..."
He completed two calls, recounting the entire sequence of events and laying out his suspicions. Qin Fen sat quietly in the car, internally reviewing his mistakes. Liang Tao was dead, but his mother was alive. According to previous intelligence, the reason Liang Tao was so arrogant was because his mother catered to his every whim.
"I shouldn't have..." Qin Fen shook his head gently. The day had been too smooth, and he had trusted the deterrent effect of the Snake King too much, completely overlooking that a person who has lost a son can easily lose all reason, disregarding the Snake King's warnings. Furthermore, their method this time was not a direct assault; it didn't violate the Snake King's terms.
Qin Fen sighed again, his brows unconsciously furrowing. "Is it really Liang Tao's mother?"
Qin Fen slowly shook his head again. The style didn't match the tactics used by Liang Tao or his mother. Their previous moves relied on brute force, utilizing overwhelming power with the most direct approach. This time? Qin Fen glanced at the two officers beside him, then out the window at the man and woman being taken away by an ambulance. This method was purely conspiratorial, following a route dictated by procedure—completely unlike their previous crude, forceful tactics.
"Could it be... not the Liang family? Someone else?" Qin Fen mused aloud.
The two officers swallowed in unison, glancing at Qin Fen with apprehension, silently wondering about this young man's background. Even after being arrested, he remained perfectly composed, showing no panic, and was already deducing the mastermind!
Inside a villa shrouded in secrecy, sounds of joyous celebration erupted.
Li Ming punched the air forcefully. "Excellent! The first step is complete!"