Chapter 48

Mr. Huang, the homeroom teacher, couldn't keep Ding Hao, Chen Fang couldn't keep Ding Hao, and Gu Wen couldn't keep Ding Hao either. So, after a brief farewell to everyone, Ding Hao prepared to head to Qianjiang. From then on, his flamboyant life turned a new page...

The next day, Ding Hao arrived at the bus station early, but he only managed to buy a ticket for the 9:00 AM bus. What made Ding Hao even more depressed was that the bus circled around the county several times, waiting until all the seats were filled before the driver finally started the journey. The passengers were already used to this; most of the buses were privately contracted, making only one or two trips a day. The fare was fixed, but the income could be maximized.

It seemed that the initial setbacks continued. Once on the highway, there was a traffic jam. After five hours of driving, they were still about ten kilometers away from the southern station of Qianjiang. Finally, the bus broke down, and everyone on the bus was at their wits' end. Ding Hao didn't plan to wait any longer because he knew these drivers weren't very reliable. He wasn't sure if the bus had really broken down or if they were just stalling to pick up more passengers or switch drivers.

In the past, Ding Hao would have had no choice but to be at the mercy of the unscrupulous driver. After all, on the highway, it was unlikely that any car would pick up a stranded passenger, and taking a taxi was too expensive. But today, Ding Hao didn't want to wait any longer. He didn't know when the next bus would arrive, and waiting around would be a waste of time.

So, Ding Hao casually walked off the highway and onto an open field, ignoring the driver's shouts. Ding Hao wasn't being foolish; he estimated that the distance was about the same whether he walked or took a bus, and he could go directly to Qianjiang while enjoying the scenery along the way.

When there were people around, Ding Hao tried to run to appear normal. In secluded areas, he used all his strength to test his speed. Soon, Ding Hao was close to Qianjiang and slowed down to a normal pace. He strolled into the city like an unemployed youth.

Qianjiang was still bustling, but Ding Hao had been away for eleven years, and he left when he was only seven, so his memory wasn't very clear. The city had changed dramatically, and he couldn't tell which direction was which. He was basically lost as soon as he reached the outskirts!

There were many people everywhere. As Ding Hao passed a small shop, he saw four or five people gathered outside, playing a card game called "Zajinhua." They were shouting and laughing. Ding Hao glanced at them, and immediately one of them stood up and yelled, "Kid, what are you looking at? If you keep staring, I'll gouge out your eyes!"

Ding Hao ignored him and continued walking. He knew that he could take them all down in one move, but they hadn't really offended him. It wasn't worth it to get into a fight. Times had changed, and he wanted to be sophisticated and dignified.

Gradually, Ding Hao realized how big Qianjiang really was. He didn't know how long he had been walking, but it seemed he had crossed the entire city and was approaching the high-tech district in the east. The number of pedestrians and vehicles on the road was decreasing. Ding Hao stopped and prepared to turn back.

"Hmm?" Ding Hao's ears twitched. There were quite a few people nearby. After his body had been enhanced in the magical space, his senses had become exceptionally sharp. Ding Hao stood still and looked around. Not far away, there was an unfinished building, and it seemed the basement was a parking lot.

Ding Hao, now full of strength, was not afraid, but he was very cautious. He held his breath and slowly approached, careful not to draw attention.

"Come out!" A middle-aged man shouted into the air.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Suddenly, applause broke out, and then the lights in the garage turned on, illuminating the 200-square-meter parking lot.

Ding Hao quickly found cover and peeked through a gap. In the center of the lot stood a middle-aged man in black, who looked to be around the same age as Mr. Huang, the homeroom teacher, but much more muscular. If he were seen in school, people would likely think he was a university professor.

He stood next to a black Audi, apparently waiting for someone. It was unclear why he chose such a place for a meeting. If he could afford an Audi, his status wasn't low. Why not meet in a coffee shop or office building in the city?

Looking closer, Ding Hao saw a young man in a black windbreaker standing a short distance from the car. The young man had a prominent nose, yellow hair, and blue eyes, clearly a foreigner, a Caucasian. Wearing a windbreaker in this season was quite unusual.

He was undeniably handsome, with a slightly arrogant smile. If he went out on the street to flirt with Chinese girls, he would be successful every time. He seemed to be doing something important.

The handsome man snapped his fingers, and a dagger appeared in his hand.

"Come out! It's time to harvest." The man spun the dagger on his finger, as if it were a toy he had played with for years.

At the same time, several tall figures emerged from nowhere, blocking all the exits of the garage. Including the handsome man, there were five people in total, clearly surrounding the middle-aged man.

Ding Hao cautiously moved closer to see the other men. One was in black, wearing a black T-shirt and black pants, at least 1.9 meters tall, with very developed muscles. Another man was in a short-sleeved white shirt and tie, as if he had just left work.

Facing the middle-aged man was a thin man in a green shirt, and next to him was a man in a white T-shirt, who seemed even weaker.

"Qinglong, Baihu, why are you here? Have you forgotten the basic etiquette when you see an officer? When did you start working with the CIA?"

Qinglong, Baihu, and people with such names? Ding Hao thought for a moment. They must be nicknames. But the middle-aged man called them "officers." Were they part of the same group? But they didn't look like it. The CIA was involved? Was this a movie? Where were the cameras and director?

"No, no, no..." The handsome foreigner shook his head and smiled. "You're very smart. I'm not from the CIA, but they did offer us a high reward, so you must die today!"

"Is that so? Is that what he said?" The middle-aged man ignored the foreigner and looked at the thin man in green and the man in white. They seemed to be Qinglong and Baihu, and they were the ones the middle-aged man feared the most.

Their attire was quite fitting. Qinglong in green, Baihu in white. What about in winter? Would Phoenix wear fire-red, and Xuanwu wear earth-gray?

What puzzled Ding Hao most was the foreigner. Although he denied it, the middle-aged man immediately recognized his identity. Were CIA agents as common as ants these days? Could you run into them doing business on the streets of China? When did Americans become so arrogant?

"I'm sorry, Mr. Liu, we are acting on behalf of someone. Please commit suicide." The man in white, who looked weak, spoke with a strong and confident tone, yet politely. It sounded like something from a martial arts novel.

This young man was so arrogant, demanding that someone commit suicide. Ding Hao couldn't help but feel tense. Where there are people, there is a martial world! This wasn't a movie; it was likely a martial conflict!

This couldn't be so cliché. If he had stayed on the bus, he would still be at the bus station. He had wanted to walk to get familiar with Qianjiang, but he never expected to encounter such a scene. Ding Hao's interest was piqued. His intuition told him that this wouldn't be an ordinary fight; it would be spectacular. So, he decided to stay and observe.

"White Tiger, stop talking and attack!" The foreigner said in English. The two men next to him seemed impatient as well. They had been hiding in the garage for nearly two hours, waiting for the middle-aged man.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man moved. The people surrounding him were clearly experienced warriors, with countless lives on their hands. The middle-aged man's slight movement was detected by all of them, and of course, by Ding Hao as well.

The foreigner, like a wolf, sprinted and lunged at the middle-aged man, his dagger aimed at the man's neck. He was clearly the most eager and perhaps the most arrogant among the ambushers.

A master! Ding Hao's intuition told him that this foreigner was no ordinary man. The dagger, which had been a toy a moment ago, had become a deadly weapon in an instant. His speed was impressive even to Ding Hao.

The middle-aged man slightly lowered his head and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the attack.

However, the foreigner's dagger still grazed the middle-aged man's arm.

It was clear that this man was a trained killer, with immense wrist strength. The sound of the wind indicated that even a minor hit could sever a shoulder and arm from a normal person.

But strangely, the middle-aged man didn't seem to care. He swung his hand back.

A hidden force was released!

The foreigner's face contorted in pain, as if he had been struck by lightning. He stood there, frozen. The middle-aged man didn't stop and struck the foreigner's chest with two palm strikes.

The man, weighing nearly 200 pounds, was launched like a cannonball! His body hung on the wall for two seconds before falling to the ground. His eyes were wide, and he gasped for air like a fish out of water.

Clearly, this man had lost his ability to fight. Before the fight, he probably never imagined who he was up against. The cost of underestimating his opponent was severe. When the foreigner hit the ground, the others finally reacted, moving cautiously forward, but no one dared to attack recklessly.

Twenty steps, fifteen steps... getting closer and closer.