X Unit

"What kind of military unit is this? And what exactly is this mission?" Huo Xuan knew nothing about the organization he was about to join and needed clarity.

Blood Fox showed no intention of hiding the truth. "We're part of the National Security X Unit. I'm the deputy leader of the Violent Squad, responsible for eliminating threats to social stability and national security."

"National Security X Unit? I've never heard of it," Huo Xuan said. He was familiar with the National Security apparatus—Li Yunfei was part of it—and knew no such division existed.

Blood Fox replied, "The X Unit reports directly to the highest leadership of National Security. It's a classified agency, so of course you haven't heard of it. As for this mission, we're targeting six American special agents."

"What do you mean by 'special agents'?"

"To put it plainly, they're genetically modified operatives. Animal or plant genes have been implanted into their bodies, granting them extraordinary abilities," Blood Fox explained. "Their combat capabilities are terrifying."

Huo Xuan was stunned. Genetically modified humans? The stuff of sci-fi novels—did they really exist?

Blood Fox continued, "The U.S. categorizes these agents into five tiers: C, B, A, S, and SS. The ones we're dealing with are C-minus level."

Huo Xuan thought for a moment. "C-minus is the lowest tier, so their combat skills shouldn't be too formidable, right?"

Blood Fox's voice turned icy. "A C-minus agent is equivalent to a martial artist at the early Ming Jin stage."

Early Ming Jin—just grasping the rudiments of internal force—was far below Huo Xuan's current level. After a month of sparring with thirty-six masters, his combat prowess far surpassed that of an average Ming Jin practitioner.

He exhaled slightly. If the enemies were at the Ming Jin level, he could handle them.

The car soon pulled into a hotel—none other than Zhang Wu's Golden Dragon Hotel. Huo Xuan was shocked. "They're here?"

Blood Fox nodded. "They've been staying here for three days. We only discovered them today."

"What's their objective?"

"Assassinating our scientists. Three key researchers have already died at their hands," Blood Fox said. "But these agents are meticulous—every death is staged to look like an accident, fooling even the police. Once we regroup with our team, stick close to me and focus on eliminating the targets. Remember, hesitate, and you're dead."

Huo Xuan: "Understood!"

Upon entering the Golden Dragon Hotel, Huo Xuan obtained Blood Fox's permission to call Zhang Wu, requesting temporary administrative control of the hotel. Though Zhang Wu wasn't present, he immediately agreed and instructed the manager to provide full cooperation.

In a hotel suite, Huo Xuan met the other six members of the Violent Squad—three men and one woman. Including Blood Fox, there were only five operatives present. Yet Huo Xuan could tell at a glance that each was exceptionally powerful, at least at the peak of Ming Jin level.

The three men were relatively young. One, in his thirties, sported a thin mustache. The other two appeared to be in their early twenties, both exuding a roguish air—one with a long face, the other round-faced.

The sole woman looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, but her sharp, luminous eyes betrayed her mastery.

When they saw Blood Fox bring Huo Xuan in, the round-faced youth grinned. "Boss, is this the guy you said was here for training?"

Blood Fox snapped, "Shut your mouth unless asked."

Undeterred, the youth sauntered over and clapped Huo Xuan on the shoulder. "So, brother, where you from?"

The moment his hand landed, Huo Xuan's shoulder sank as if electrocuted, half his body instantly paralyzed. His heart lurched—this guy had just struck a covert blow!

Though Huo Xuan understood Jin (force), he hadn't yet reached the stage of reflexive counteraction, a skill only achievable at Hua Jin level.

Blood Fox noticed Huo Xuan's slight grimace and roared, "Jiang Du, you fucking asking for death?" He strode over and pressed two fingers into Huo Xuan's shoulder.

A second current surged through Huo Xuan's muscles, restoring sensation—though lingering numbness hampered his movement. Calmly, he asked, "So this is An Jin (hidden force)?"

Blood Fox frowned. "An Jin inflicts lasting damage. You're benched for today's op." He shot Jiang Du a venomous glare.

Jiang Du smirked. "And here I thought he'd be some hotshot. Just a rookie."

Huo Xuan chuckled, unfazed. "An Jin's just refined force application. Give me a month, and I'll return the favor tenfold."

"Oho! Big talk!" Jiang Du's playful eyes glinted coldly. "Anytime, kid. Don't come crying when it hurts."

The long-faced young man also chuckled, his tone laced with sarcasm. "How amusing—thinking you can reach the An Jin level in just a month. Are you some kind of martial arts prodigy?"

Huo Xuan found it strange. These two seemed to harbor inexplicable hostility toward him, yet he had never crossed them before. What's their problem?

Blood Fox let out a heavy snort. "Enough. Shut your mouths and save your energy for the mission."

Huo Xuan spoke up. "Blood Fox, I'm still joining the operation."

Blood Fox frowned. "You're injured and still want in?"

True, he had taken a covert hit earlier, but thanks to the constant tempering of the Buddha Eye's golden light, his physique was far more resilient than most. The injury had been minor to begin with, and the golden energy had already neutralized it completely. He was fully recovered.

"I'm fine," he said. "Besides, my master made it clear—you don't need to coddle me. Just let me fight."

Blood Fox studied him for a moment, then nodded coldly. "Fine. You're in." He immediately began outlining the operation.

The six American agents were each staying in separate rooms, none adjacent to one another. The six operatives present would simultaneously breach all six locations and eliminate their targets.

Huo Xuan could tell—from Blood Fox down to the others—they all radiated absolute confidence in the mission's success.

Once the briefing concluded, Blood Fox turned to Huo Xuan. "One of the six is a woman. She's yours."

Huo Xuan glanced at the rough floor plan on the table and nodded. "Understood."

As the team dispersed to their positions, the round-faced youth smirked. "Hey kid, don't die out there. I'm still waiting for you to 'humiliate' me."

Huo Xuan didn't bother with words. Instead, he flashed a contemptuous middle finger. The youth's face instantly darkened.