Chapter 001 【Sudden Incident】

"Gu Feng, you're not seriously going out with me dressed like that, are you?" In a two-bedroom apartment, a fashionably dressed young woman, carrying the latest LV handbag, said, annoyed, to the young man in front of her.

Gu Feng sported a crew cut, his resolute face slightly tanned. He wore a camouflage print t-shirt on top, green military pants on the bottom, and a pair of Liberation Brand sneakers on his feet.

"What's the problem?" Gu Feng looked at the fashionably dressed young woman before him, his expression calm.

"Of course there's a problem!" The young woman's beautiful face twisted in near-frenzy. "I know you're in the military, but you don't have to wear military clothes all the time, do you? Hong Kong is a fashion-forward city. If you go out with me dressed in these dorky clothes, people will think you're an alien."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with these clothes," Gu Feng said, frowning.

Hearing Gu Feng's words, Lin Jiaying felt like crying but had no tears left. She couldn't understand how someone as tacky as Gu Feng could appear in 21st-century Hong Kong.

What frustrated her even more was that this guy, who seemed to have come from a refugee camp, was her fiancé.

Despite using all the tricks in a woman's playbook to reject such arrangements—crying, making a scene, and even threatening suicide—she had to accept, due to some irresistible factors, that this unsophisticated man, seven years her senior, was her future husband.

"You country bumpkin, we have nothing in common!" Lin Jiaying trembled as she spat out these words, then stomped her foot in frustration and stomped out ahead of him.

World Trade Square was one of Hong Kong's famous shopping malls, a building dozens of floors high. The first to fourth floors were stores, while the floors above housed offices and hotels.

Since it was the weekend, the mall was crowded.

Just as Lin Jiaying had predicted, Gu Feng's dorky getup attracted a lot of stares in the mall. However, Gu Feng's stern expression remained completely unchanged despite the slightly disdainful looks from others. He walked tall, chest out, his steps steady and powerful, each stride exactly the same length.

To distance herself from Gu Feng's tacky appearance, Lin Jiaying kept a distance of two or three meters from him the entire time and didn't speak a word to him. It seemed that, in her view, letting people know she was with Gu Feng in such a setting would be utterly embarrassing.

After wandering the food section on the first floor, the two took the elevator to the fourth-floor furniture area.

Compared to the first floor, the fourth floor was less crowded, and most of the people there were wealthy. After all, the furniture in a famous mall like Century Plaza was quite expensive.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Gu Feng's sharp senses detected a faint smell of blood in the air. Though it was subtle, for someone like Gu Feng, who could once identify dozens of liquors by scent alone, it was already quite strong.

Detecting the smell of blood, Gu Feng frowned slightly, his dark eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings, trying to detect something.

"Sir, are you buying anything? If not, please move aside. Don't block the way," a nearby sales clerk said. She curled her lip in disdain and rolled her eyes as she watched Gu Feng looking around like an idiot.

"Rat-a-tat..."

Just as the sales clerk finished speaking, a burst of sharp gunfire rang out.

A burly man in a black ski mask brandished a submachine gun in one hand, its muzzle aimed at the ceiling. Bullets struck the ceiling, sending up a shower of sparks. Behind him were two similarly dressed men, each also holding a submachine gun, their gazes fierce.

Recognizing the guns in the men's hands as German-made MP5 submachine guns, Gu Feng immediately rushed to Lin Jiaying's side, clamped a hand over her mouth, and crouched down behind a large crystal bed.

"Country bumpkin, they're filming a movie! What are you doing?" Lin Jiaying mumbled against his hand. Before she could finish, her eyes widened in shock.

A body, drenched in blood, slumped to the floor beside Gu Feng and Lin Jiaying. It was none other than the sales clerk who had tried to shoo Gu Feng off earlier.

At the same time, the shoppers in the mall let out piercing screams. Some crouched down, covering their heads, while others, losing their senses, ran toward the elevators. The entire fourth floor of the mall descended into chaos.

"Rat-a-tat..." Another burst of sharp gunfire echoed, and those who tried to escape were gunned down, collapsing in pools of blood.

Hearing the gunfire and seeing the people lying in blood across from her, Lin Jiaying's face turned pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

"Round these people up. Kill anyone who moves!" the lead robber said coldly.

With that, he turned on the radio by his ear and said in a low voice, "Boss, the fourth floor is under control."

While the lead robber was reporting, the two robbers holding MP5 submachine guns began herding the people toward the corner where the elevators were.

The lead robber's brutal methods made everyone too afraid to act rashly. A few people, paralyzed by fear, moved too slowly and were mercilessly killed by the other two robbers.

The crowd screamed again, but the two robbers quickly quelled them.

Earlier, when the lead robber was firing, he had caught a glimpse of a green figure out of the corner of his eye. But since he didn't see anyone in green among the crowd, he suspected someone might have been left behind. Seeing that the people in the mall had been herded to the corner by his subordinates, the lead robber frowned and walked toward where Gu Feng was, his black combat boots clicking crisply on the floor.

Hearing the clear footsteps, Lin Jiaying trembled even more violently, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes. Gu Feng's pupils narrowed to slits. He chopped with the edge of his right hand, gently striking Lin Jiaying's neck, then carefully laid the unconscious young woman on the ground.

After doing this, Gu Feng held his breath, his entire body tense as he crouched low, like a lion ready to strike.

The sound of Gu Feng knocking out Lin Jiaying was very faint, almost inaudible unless one listened carefully. But the lead robber was no ordinary person; the moment Gu Feng moved, he stopped in his tracks.

"Kid, you're dead!" the lead robber said hoarsely, trying to intimidate Gu Feng.

The lead robber's words didn't change Gu Feng's expression at all. He remained motionless, crouched in place, his eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the nearby crystal bed.

The surface of the crystal bed was very smooth, and through its reflection, Gu Feng could clearly see the lead robber's appearance from several meters away.

The lead robber wore a black tank top on top, his well-developed muscles straining against the fabric. Below, he wore camouflage pants and a pair of combat boots typically used by special forces.

A black mask covered his face, making it impossible for Gu Feng to see his expression. His eyes were narrow and sharp, their cold gaze fixed on Gu Feng like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey, gleaming with a dark light.

While Gu Feng observed the lead robber through the reflection in the crystal bed, the robber raised his MP5 submachine gun and pulled the trigger.

"Rat-a-tat..." The sharp gunfire rang out, especially clear in the quiet mall hall. Bullets struck the bed shielding Gu Feng and Lin Jiaying, tearing through its surface. Shredded cotton floated in the air like dancing spirits.

The gunfire didn't affect Gu Feng in the slightest. His gaze remained fixed on the edge of the crystal bed in front of him, where he clearly saw the lead robber pull a magazine from his waist and reload with practiced ease.

The lead robber was over five meters away from Gu Feng, making Gu Feng abandon any thought of charging out.

After reloading, the lead robber began moving again, but his steps were slow. Each foot hovered in the air for about half a second before landing, and the sound of his footsteps was much softer.

Seeing this through the reflection in the bed's edge, Gu Feng realized the lead robber was an experienced expert.

One step, two steps, three steps...

The lead robber was getting closer and closer to Gu Feng.

Just as he was about two meters away from Gu Feng's hiding spot, his steps suddenly stopped, and he raised his submachine gun.

At the same moment, Gu Feng sprang into action. He rolled on the ground, his right leg tensed and swiftly kicking out.

Gu Feng's sudden appearance caused the lead robber's nerves to falter for a split second. But in that instant, Gu Feng's fierce sweep kick landed squarely on the robber's ankle.

The ankle is a vulnerable joint in the human body; a heavy blow can instantly throw someone off balance.

"Thud!" The lead robber, struck by Gu Feng's powerful kick, stumbled forward.

As he fell, the lead robber used his incredible core strength to twist his body, simultaneously raising his submachine gun and aiming it at Gu Feng, trying to pull the trigger.

Gu Feng didn't pause after his kick. Still crouched low, he spun and delivered a fierce roundhouse kick, accurately striking the lead robber's wrist. Before the robber could fire, his submachine gun was knocked away.

The lead robber's facial muscles tightened, his dark eyes flashing with intense killing intent. After flexing his right wrist slightly, he quickly drew a 9-inch military knife from his waist and charged at Gu Feng with a fierce momentum.

Gu Feng kept his eyes locked on the lead robber, not moving a muscle. Just as the robber was about to reach him, Gu Feng suddenly sidestepped and delivered a side kick. The lead robber seemed to have anticipated Gu Feng's move. He quickly jumped up, swinging his military knife toward Gu Feng's heart.

The blade of the gray-black 9-inch military knife carried a chilling aura. Even before the knife reached him, a bone-piercing coldness assaulted Gu Feng.

Gu Feng leaped up from the ground, his body soaring as he thrust his legs out, clamping them around the lead robber's neck and twisting forcefully.

"Crunch!" Gu Feng gave the leader's neck a forceful twist, producing a crisp sound.

"Thud!" Their bodies hit the floor simultaneously, and the leader's 9mm combat knife slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground. His once icy black eyes grew dim and wide open, as if he couldn't believe he had been dispatched by Gu Feng just like that.

With a cold expression, Gu Feng dragged the leader's body next to Lin Jiaying, swiftly stripping off the man's clothes and black mask. Once the garments and mask were removed, Gu Feng immediately put them on himself, then picked up the German-made MP5 submachine gun, the walkie-talkie, and the 9mm combat knife before heading toward the area where the other bandits were located.

"Third Brother, those reckless cops are about to enter the mall. Kill a few hostages and toss them out—tell those sons of bitches to get lost!" Before Gu Feng had taken more than a few steps, a low voice came through the walkie-talkie, carrying an undeniable authority.

Hearing the voice on the walkie-talkie, Gu Feng's stern expression shifted slightly. He quickly recalled the sound of the leader's voice earlier and replied, "Got it, Boss."

The silence on the other end made Gu Feng somewhat nervous. Based on the earlier performance and conversations of the bandits, he understood they were a group of combat-hardened mercenaries. Although he had tried his best to mimic the accent of the one called Third Brother, he wasn't certain his mimicry was convincing.

After a second of silence, the other party cut off the communication.

Once the line went dead, Gu Feng exhaled softly in relief.