Crushing the Enemy

Ruan Ming sneered, "One-on-one? I have a gun—why would I fight fair? Shut up and cut off your hand!"

Just then, one of the wiry young men behind him spoke up: "Boss, this punk's got attitude. Let me teach him a lesson."

Ruan Ming studied the speaker—Nguyen Yang, a subordinate of his elder brother, whose combat skills surpassed even his own. Memories surfaced of his last encounter with Huo Xuan: the gap between them had been narrow, but the darkness had cost him dearly, leading to his defeat.

The thought ignited a vicious satisfaction. What could be more delightful than humiliating Huo Xuan with fists? He barked, "Nguyen Yang, Nguyen Hung—both of you! Beat him to pulp!"

Nguyen Hung, equally formidable as Nguyen Yang, let out a guttural laugh. The two flanked Huo Xuan like jackals.

Huo Xuan frowned. "Two against one? Where's the honor?"

Ruan Ming roared with laughter. "Winning is honor! Attack!"

The duo lunged—ferocious, lightning-fast, their strikes carrying terrifying force. Through his Buddha's Eye, Huo Xuan discerned their level: peak Manifest Force (Ming Jin), yet to master Hidden Force (An Jin). They were no match for him.

Yet he feigned weakness. Sidestepping Nguyen Yang, he crossed his arms to block Nguyen Hung's elbow strike.

BAM!

The impact sent him reeling, his face contorted in apparent agony. The elbow strike's brutal force left his arms throbbing as if bones had cracked.

Nguyen Hung pressed his advantage, leaping into a knee strike. Huo Xuan pivoted, slipping behind both attackers.

The pair fought with Muay Thai's ruthless efficiency—knees, elbows, and unorthodox footwork weaving a storm that seemingly left Huo Xuan purely defensive. Ten exchanges later, he'd taken three punches and two elbows, blood gushing from his nose and mouth, a gash splitting his brow.

Shen Rong watched, terror and heartache twisting her face. "Huo Xuan!" she sobbed. "Forget me—run!"

Yet he seemed deaf to her pleas, doggedly enduring the onslaught. Wounds multiplied; his face became a mask of crimson, a grotesque sight.

With each strike he endured, Huo Xuan deliberately retreated—step by step, edging closer to Ruan Ming's position. Seeing Huo Xuan's apparent incompetence, Ruan Ming's fingers itched with anticipation. Seizing the moment, he lunged from behind, aiming a vicious punch at Huo Xuan's skull.

But just as the three attackers converged, a glacial glint flashed in Huo Xuan's eyes. His speed multiplied instantaneously. In a blur, he materialized behind Ruan Ming and unleashed a Tai Chi Axe Strike—a devastating chop to the cervical spine.

CRACK!

Ruan Ming's face drained of color as he crumpled like a marionette with severed strings. A shattered vertebra rendered him immobile, his threat neutralized. Terror flooded his gaze. How did he become this strong?

During their last mountain duel, they'd been evenly matched. Now, he couldn't even withstand a single move. How could someone progress so inhumanly fast?

Before regret could fully take root, Huo Xuan pivoted toward Nguyen Hung. Another Tai Chi Axe Strike descended like a executioner's blade. Nguyen Hung roared, crossing his elbows to block.

SNAP!

The sound resembled a giant bowstring snapping. Nguyen Hung's fortified forearm bones shattered instantly. His body hurled backward as if caught in a typhoon, landing in a broken heap.

Nguyen Yang, witnessing his comrades' instantaneous defeat, refused to believe reality. With a bellow, he launched a desperate flurry of punches.

Huo Xuan stood unwavering. A single straight punch—imbued with Hidden Force—erupted forward. The difference between Manifest Force and Hidden Force manifested brutally: his internal energy dispersed Nguyen Yang's strength like smoke, then surged inward like a collapsing dam.

Nguyen Yang fared worse than Nguyen Hung. The bones in his entire arm exploded, jagged splinters piercing through flesh in a grotesque, bloody spectacle.

Within seconds, all three lay defeated. Huo Xuan methodically kicked the unconscious Nguyen brothers to ensure they stayed down. Only then did he exhale, turning to Shen Rong with a blood-streaked grin.

"You bastard!" Shen Rong choked out between tears and laughter. "You scared me to death!"

The truth unfolded: Huo Xuan had feigned weakness to lull them into complacency, ensuring a swift victory without endangering Shen Rong. His staged retreats covertly closed the distance to Ruan Ming.

And Ruan Ming, unable to resist joining the fray, had handed him the perfect opportunity—allowing Huo Xuan to dismantle all three threats in one explosive counteroffensive.

Huo Xuan untied Shen Rong, and the woman immediately threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. She clung to his waist with such force that he nearly gasped for air.

"It's alright, you're safe now," Huo Xuan murmured, gently patting her back.

It took a while for Shen Rong to calm down. When she finally looked up, her voice trembled. "How did you find me?"

Huo Xuan grinned. "Don't forget—I'm also a detective." He then led her to where Ruan Ming lay limp on the ground. "Ruan Ming, sorry to say, but you'll be spending the rest of your life behind bars."

Ruan Ming let out a furious roar. "You damn bastard! My brother will make you pay!"

Huo Xuan chuckled. "Good. I'll send him to join you."

After a string of curses, Ruan Ming suddenly changed tactics. "Huo Xuan, let me go, and I'll give you money! I've hidden a fortune in the capital—enough for you to live lavishly forever!"

Huo Xuan feigned interest. "How much are we talking?"

"One hundred million!" Ruan Ming spat. "Let me go, and it's yours!"

Huo Xuan sighed. "If it were euros, I might've considered it."

Ruan Ming erupted into another tirade. Irritated, Huo Xuan silenced him with a swift kick to the head, knocking him unconscious. The room fell quiet.

Shen Rong rummaged through her bag for tissues, carefully dabbing the blood from Huo Xuan's face, her voice laced with concern. "Does this hurt? What about here?"

Before long, Qin Huo arrived with reinforcements—dozens of officers, prepared for armed resistance. But upon entering, the entire team froze. The three assailants lay defeated, while Shen Rong sat unharmed, chatting casually with Huo Xuan.

Only Huo Xuan bore the marks of battle—his clothes bloodied, his face bruised and swollen.

Qin Huo strode over, eyes wide. "You handled this?"

Huo Xuan nodded. "Yeah."

"Are you hurt?"

"Just scratches. Nothing serious."

"Damn, you're something else!" Qin Huo clasped his shoulder in awe.

The three criminals were hauled away, and Huo Xuan and Shen Rong returned to headquarters. After a quick medical check, he found himself at the center of a celebration hosted by Captain Wei Rongguang himself.

Midway through the festivities, however, Wei Rongguang pulled Huo Xuan aside into his office. Inside waited a stranger—a composed man in his forties, smiling faintly.

Wei Rongguang introduced, "Huo Xuan, this is a senior official from State Security. He'd like a word." With that, he exited, leaving Huo Xuan alone with the enigmatic visitor.