Li Yunfei

"You've now grasped the fundamentals. What remains is combat experience—something no one can teach; you must learn it yourself," Situ Xing said.

That afternoon, Huo Xuan left White Dragon Temple. Before departing, he gave the young monk 500 yuan, instructing him to buy extra grain to feed the sparrows. The monk, assuming Huo Xuan had a bodhisattva's compassion, happily agreed.

Little did he know, Huo Xuan's gesture was gratitude toward those noisy sparrows. Without them, he might have lingered on the mountain for days.

After descending, Huo Xuan returned to the hotel, only to find Hua Buyi had already left. A note remained, stating Hua had gone south to handle affairs and would return before the jewelry store's opening. Left behind was the Shuangfeng sword.

With little pressing business, Huo Xuan decided to visit Elder Li. He called ahead, then brought two bottles of premium liquor as gifts.

Elder Li, eager to host, sent his aide Xiao Zhao to fetch Huo Xuan from the hotel, sparing him the trouble of navigating the area.

The neighborhood housed numerous high-ranking officials, guarded with checkpoints every few steps. Thanks to Xiao Zhao's escort, they passed through unimpeded.

At Elder Li's residence, the elderly man greeted him warmly. After chatting, they set up a chessboard. Back in Jiangzhou, Huo Xuan had often played against Elder Li—their matches were fierce, each knowing the other's tactics.

Three games later, Huo Xuan had one win and two losses. He praised, "Elder Li, your masterful chess skills humble me. Even in defeat, I'm honored."

Elder Li chuckled. "I'm no match for you youngsters now. A decade ago, you wouldn't have won a single game."

Huo Xuan nodded deferentially, showering the old man with flattery—a surefire way to delight him.

As they spoke, a middle-aged man entered carrying a basket of fruit. "Dad, you have a guest?"

Huo Xuan rose promptly, nodding in greeting.

Elder Li said, "Yunfei, this is Huo Xuan, the young man I mentioned. He came specifically to visit this old relic."

The man was Li Yunfei, Elder Li's son and commander of a covert operations team under Bureau 8 of the Ministry of State. Li Yunfei bore a faint resemblance to his father—tall at 180 cm, with a lean face and sharp, penetrating eyes.

"Ah, so it's Brother Huo! Please, have a seat," Li Yunfei said courteously, offering him a cigarette. The two soon fell into conversation.

Li Yunfei clearly harbored deep gratitude for Huo Xuan's life-saving act toward Elder Li and insisted he stay a few days, promising to show him around the city's highlights. With nothing urgent on his agenda, Huo Xuan agreed.

While Huo Xuan remained at Elder Li's residence, a vehicle bearing Ministry of Public Security plates pulled into the courtyard of the Criminal Investigation Division in Yiyang District, Beijing. Four men stepped out.

Among them was Yang Hao—nicknamed Haozi—the same man Huo Xuan had pinned to the ground days prior. They were agents from the Ministry's Office of Police Supervision, with one middle-aged man holding the rank of deputy division chief.

The group marched straight into the division building and confronted the division captain.

The captain, a middle-aged man in his forties with two bars and three stars on his epaulets marking him as a First-Class Police Supervisor, frowned as the four barged in unannounced. "Who are you?"

Yang Hao flashed his credentials. "Does your division's Major Crimes Unit have an officer named Shen Rong?"

The captain, sensing trouble, replied cautiously, "She's on leave. You'll need to return in a few days."

The deputy division chief slammed the desk. "You have ten minutes to get her here. Or face the consequences."

The captain sneered, "This is the Criminal Investigation Division, not your Supervision Office." He then shouted, "Someone! Escort these guests out."

Fuming, the four stormed off to regroup outside.

The captain, Wei Rongguang, grimaced and called Qin Huo from the Major Crimes Unit: "Bring Shen Rong to my office immediately."

Hanging up, he dialed a higher authority. When the line connected, he forced a smile. "Old Chief, I need to report something."

On the other end was Shen Wansong, Beijing's Director of Public Security. "Xiao Wei? What is it? Is Rongrong performing well? If she's slacking, discipline her harshly."

Wei Rongguang said, "Old Chief, a bunch of bastards from the Police Supervision Office came today demanding to take Rongrong. I blocked them."

"Hm?" Shen Wansong frowned. "What did Rongrong do to provoke them?"

"Still unclear. I've summoned her for questioning."

"Good. Stay out of this—I'll handle it," Shen Wansong replied coolly.

Soon, Major Crimes Unit Captain Qin Ming and Officer Shen Rong arrived.

After recounting the incident, Wei Rongguang asked, "Shen Rong, care to explain?"

Shen Rong paled upon hearing it involved the Supervision Office. "That bastard actually dared to come after me!"

Wei Rongguang and Qin Ming exchanged glances. "What happened?"

Shen Rong recounted the events of that night. Wei Rongguang slammed the table. "Bastards! Bullying our division? Shen Rong, stand down—I'll skin that bastard alive!"

Shen Rong added, "Captain Wei, if Huo Xuan hadn't stepped in that night, I… I can't imagine what would've happened."

Qin Ming nodded. "That guy's a beast. During the jewelry store heist, he took down five suspects in seconds—three critically injured, two minor."

Wei Rongguang stroked his chin. "Talented indeed. Shen Rong, find out his background. If he's in law enforcement, recruit him."

Shen Rong smiled wryly. "He might've already left Beijing."

After confirming details, Wei Rongguang ordered, "Shen Rong, take a few days off. Return when this blows over."

"Understood. Thank you, Captain."

"Dismissed. Qin Ming and I need to discuss the case."

Leaving the compound, Shen Rong hesitated before dialing Huo Xuan. "Huo Xuan, are you still in Beijing?"

Huo Xuan, seeing an unknown number, recognized her voice and chuckled. "Shen Rong? Still here."

Shen Rong was talking on the phone as she walked toward her car. "Those guys you beat up came to our precinct. I'm worried they might come after you. Lay low for a while and avoid public appearances."

Huo Xuan chuckled. "Thanks, but I'm fine."

As Shen Rong tried to say more, a hand suddenly clamped over her mouth from behind while another snatched her phone. During her struggle, she saw the man called "Haozi" approaching with a sinister grin.

"Miss Officer, we meet again," he said into Shen Rong's phone. "So you're Huo Xuan, huh? Remember who your granddaddy is? Listen well - Shen Rong's with me now. If you want her unharmed, get to the location I'll name within an hour."

After rattling off an address, he hung up.

Huo Xuan stared at his phone, cursing "Bastard!" when he recognized Haozi's voice. Li Yunfei urgently asked, "What's wrong, brother?"

After Huo Xuan briefed him, Li nodded calmly. "Easy fix. I'll gather some men to rescue her. You stay put."

Huo Xuan shook his head. "I have to go. This started because of me. I couldn't live with myself if she gets hurt."

"Fine," Li conceded. "We'll bring backup. Whoever they are, we'll take them down and teach them a lesson." He immediately made calls.

Within five minutes, two vehicles with State Security license plates pulled into the courtyard. Among the six men disembarking was Song Shiping, who greeted Huo Xuan with a smile.

"Turns out you really are Bureau 8," Huo Xuan remarked.

Song wryly responded, "Was my word that unreliable?"

Cutting to business, Huo Xuan said, "We'll need your help tonight. After this is over, I'll treat everyone to a meal."

The team members - all battle-tested comrades of Li Yunfei - simply nodded. When Li gave orders, they followed without question.

The eight men piled into vehicles and sped toward Yang Hao's specified location - a car wash named "Baojie" nestled in the southern suburban hills. The two State Security cars screeched to a halt outside the establishment within half an hour, tires smoking.

Inside, over a dozen thugs clustered around Shen Rong handcuffed to a door handle. Yang Hao's eyes widened when he saw the government license plates through the window. A crew-cut henchman behind him muttered, "Those are State Security vehicles. You sure this guy's a nobody?"

"Fuck that! We've got numbers!" Yang Hao snarled, though his jaw tightened.

Li Yunfei took point, boots thundering across the concrete before he exploded through the door with a flying kick that sent the entrance slamming against the wall. The sudden violence froze the room momentarily.

"Who the hell are you?!" Yang Hao barked, recovering first.

Ignoring him, Li waited until Huo Xuan entered before jerking his chin at Shen Rong. "That her?"

At Huo Xuan's nod, Shen Rong's worried face lit up. "You came! Be careful - he brought two experts from the Armed Police Corps."

Li smirked. "Experts? Let's see these legendary warriors then."

Two broad-shouldered men with military haircuts stepped forward, their calloused fists telegraphing years of combat training. The first challenger growled, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"You've got one minute to release her," Li stated calmly, "or I'll beat the shit out of every last one of you."

The second fighter sneered, "Want us to serve it to you on a platter?"

CRACK!

Before the echo of the insult faded, concrete dust swirled as an invisible force blasted through the room. The mocking thug suddenly catapulted backward, crashing against the wall with ribs cracking audibly. He crumpled, face contorted in agony while his companion gaped at Li Yunfei - who stood exactly where he'd been, as if teleported back after the strike.

"Fifty seconds remaining." Li's voice dropped to subzero temperatures, eyes glinting like unsheathed blades.

Yang Hao grew panicked. The expert he'd brought had collapsed in an instant, infuriating him even as dread crept in—today might end in humiliating surrender.

The remaining men, cowed by Li Yunfei's ferocity, froze. They exchanged uneasy glances before turning to Yang Hao for direction.

"Fuck this!" Yang Hao's eyes burned crimson as he drew a pistol from his waist, aiming it at Li Yunfei. "Think you're tough? I'll blow your fucking head off!"

Li Yunfei narrowed his eyes, his tone glacial. "Boy, guns are dangerous toys. Put it down. Or the consequences will be… irreversible."

His men knew: when Li Yunfei narrowed his eyes, death usually followed. They tensed, poised to strike.

Yang Hao's face twisted. Backing down now would destroy his reputation. He'd rather burn it all.

Li Yunfei sighed. "Fool. You're torching yourself with that flame."