The Mastermind

"Oh?" Zhang Wu feigned curiosity, his tone mocking. "You've really scared me now. I'm starting to feel nervous."

As he spoke, his fingers tightened slightly. Black Jackal's fingertip erupted in agony, and he let out a sharp cry, thrashing against his bonds—but his limbs were securely tied, leaving him helpless.

Zhang Wu continued to apply pressure, his voice calm. "Answer my question."

"Go to hell!" Black Jackal spat.

CRACK!

Zhang Wu crushed the man's fingerbone with a single squeeze. Blood oozed out as Black Jackal howled like a wounded beast, his screams so piercing that the other three captives fell silent in terror.

Green-Scalp Li, his leg already broken by Huo Xuan, couldn't endure the pain any longer. "I'll talk!" he shrieked. "It was Young Master Lin! He paid me a million to torment Huo Xuan's family and lure him out to be killed!"

Scarface Yang, the third captive, didn't even wait to be interrogated. "Y-yes! Young Master Lin—he gave me a million too, for the same job!"

Huo Xuan's brow furrowed. "Which 'Young Master Lin'? Who is he?"

"Lin Jian!" Green-Scalp Li gasped through the pain. "He's from the Lin family of Yundong—big shots in the jewelry trade!"

Huo Xuan's eyelid twitched. The Lin family? Could this be connected to Lin Yue?

After pressing for more details—even Black Jackal eventually confessed Lin Jian's involvement—Huo Xuan stepped aside and dialed Lin Yue's number.

"Yue-jie," he said coldly, "do you know Lin Jian?"

Lin Yue paused. "He's my cousin—my uncle's son. Why do you ask?" Then, realizing, she gasped. "Did he cause trouble for you?"

Huo Xuan's voice turned icy. "He sent men to attack my family. I won't let this slide."

"That bastard!" Lin Yue seethed. "I'll deal with him myself—"

"Yue-jie." Huo Xuan cut her off. "This is my fight. Pretend you know nothing—and don't breathe a word to anyone."

Lin Yue hesitated. "Little brother, what are you planning to do?"

"Heh. Don't worry, I won't kill anyone," Huo Xuan replied flatly.

She sighed, recognizing the cold fury in his voice. "Then... be careful."

Though she disliked Lin Jian, he was still her cousin—she didn't wish him harm. Yet this involved Huo Xuan, making it impossible for her to intervene. Moreover, she suspected Huo Xuan had been dragged into this because of her.

"Huo Xuan, I hope you stay safe," she whispered, sleep now impossible.

Hanging up, Huo Xuan turned to Green-Scalp Li. "Call Lin Jian. Tell him you've captured me."

Too terrified to refuse, Green-Scalp dialed immediately.

On the other end, Lin Jian was at a Yundong nightclub, arms around two women, music blaring. Seeing Green-Scalp's number, he slipped into a bathroom stall. "Got news?"

Green-Scalp proved a decent actor. "Young Master Lin!" he "exclaimed." "We caught the bastard! Should we finish him now?"

Lin Jian grinned. "Excellent! You'll get the extra two million as promised. Don't touch him yet—I want to handle this personally."

"Of course, Young Master!"

Minutes later, Scarface Yang's phone rang—Lin Jian calling to verify.

Scarface played along: "Young Master, Green-Scalp got to him first. I was a step behind."

"Good work regardless," Lin Jian chuckled. "Drinks on me when I get to Nangang."

With confirmation in hand, Lin Jian cheerfully updated Xu Bo.

Xu Bo was surprised—and privately pleased. "You're sure you have Huo Xuan?"

"No doubt. Every local thug in Nangang is on my payroll. That country bumpkin had no chance." Lin Jian preened. "So, Xu Bo—how's that for efficiency?"

Xu Bo remained uneasy. "It feels... too easy. I failed to kill him twice."

Lin Jian snorted. "Seems you've lost your nerve. Whatever—I'll handle this myself. You can buy me drinks when it's done." He hung up with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Xu Bo muttered to himself, "Lin Jian, you'd better finish Huo Xuan in one go. If this backfires, don't blame me for cutting ties."

At dawn the next day, Lin Jian boarded a flight from Yundong to Dongling City with two bodyguards in tow. By noon, their car was speeding toward Nangang County.

Simultaneously, Zhuang Wen had arrived in Yuyang City to meet Feng Yulong, who was occupied with inspections until afternoon. After booking a hotel, he called Huo Xuan.

The phone rang as Huo Xuan stood in the Hunyuan Stance, practicing the Green Emperor Heart Method. His mountain training had finally unlocked the ability to direct qi and blood—the foundation for this advanced technique.

Having identified Lin Jian as the mastermind last night, he'd stationed men to guard the four captives.

By morning, jubilant whispers spread across Nangang: The county's most notorious gangsters had been stripped naked, their right hands severed, and dumped in the frozen wilderness.

In the dead of winter, the maimed thugs writhed in agony. Those near town stumbled back half-dead; others, abandoned farther out, nearly froze to death before clueless villagers rescued them.

The incident sent shockwaves through Nangang—soon reaching Yuyang's Municipal Party Committee. Outraged, Political and Legal Affairs Secretary Hou Weihong slammed his desk, ordering Nangang to investigate immediately and "satisfy the masses."

The timing couldn't be worse: Provincial inspectors were visiting that very day. This scandal was a slap to the city's face.

Du Rulong's Nightmare

Chief Du Rulong paled when reports flooded in—every major gangster in Nangang had been mutilated overnight.

This has Huo Xuan's fingerprints all over it.

But before he could mobilize, the County Party Committee bombarded his phone.

"Du Rulong!" The Party Secretary's roar nearly ruptured his eardrum. "Resign now if you can't do your job!"

Du Rulong's heart sank like a stone. He could only respond meekly, "Yes, yes, of course..."

"Damn it! When I get my hands on those two bastards, I'll skin them alive!" Du Rulong's eyes burned crimson with rage as he spat out the words through clenched teeth.

Huo Xuan and Zhang Wu were just heading out for lunch when a swarm of police officers stormed in, cuffing them without a word. Zhang Wu flashed Huo Xuan a grin. "They work fast," he remarked.

Sirens wailed as they were hauled to the station and thrown into detention. Barely an hour later, Chief Du Rulong himself came to interrogate them.

In the harshly lit interrogation room, the two men squinted against the glare but remained utterly unfazed.

SLAM!

Du Rulong's palm crashed onto the table. "You've got some nerve, assaulting dozens in broad daylight! Who the hell do you think you are?"

Huo Xuan casually chewed his gum. "Hey, you can eat whatever you want, but don't go spouting nonsense. Which eye of yours saw me hurt anyone? Show me the evidence."

"Don't you get cocky with me!" Du Rulong roared. "Confess now, and you might get off easy. Otherwise... you'll learn exactly what Nangang's police are capable of."

Zhang Wu burst out laughing. "Well, what are you waiting for? We're dying to see it."

Du Rulong, no stranger to dealing with underworld figures, wasn't intimidated. With a wave of his hand, he growled, "Show them what we've got."

Two officers immediately stepped forward, placing stacks of rough paper against Zhang Wu's chest. Another swung his baton with full force—THUD! THUD!—the impacts reverberating through the room. This method left no visible marks but could inflict serious internal damage.

Yet Zhang Wu's smirk never wavered. "That all you got? Didn't even tickle."

The officers, frustrated, doubled their efforts. But no matter how hard they struck, Zhang Wu remained completely unfazed, still grinning like this was all a joke.

Baffled, they turned to Huo Xuan—only to find the same infuriating result.

Zhang Wu was practically impervious—police batons couldn't touch him, let alone hammers. As for Huo Xuan, his months of grueling mountain training had forged an ironclad body. With just a slight circulation of qi, the blows felt like tickles, even pleasurable. In wuxia terms: profound internal strength.

The two officers, utterly defeated, turned to Du Rulong for help. The chief glared at Huo Xuan with viperous eyes.

"String them up."

A subordinate whispered, "Boss, that'll leave marks. Could cause trouble..."

"No choice." Du Rulong's voice was ice. "The County Committee wants answers—now."

"Stringing up" (shang da gua) was a prison punishment reserved for the worst offenders. The victim's wrists were cuffed to walls above their head, ankles shackled low, forming a spreadeagle human shape. A ten-jin iron collar was then hung around their neck.

The body's own weight became the tormentor—an agony so unbearable most prisoners would rather die than endure it twice.

Soon, Huo Xuan and Zhang Wu were dragged to a pitch-black, damp isolation cell—retrofitted with thick chains bolted into the walls and ceiling.

They cooperatively let themselves be suspended mid-air in that excruciating "大" position, the iron collar added for "comfort."

"Enjoy," sneered an officer before slamming the door shut.

Defying Gravity

Zhang Wu chuckled in the darkness. "How's it feel, brother?"

Huo Xuan actually sounded refreshed. "Honestly? Great. Perfect chance to train."

Then—impossibly—he assumed the Hunyuan Stance mid-air, his body humming with unified force (zheng jin).