EM 68. Involved

The fact that they had sent a beauty assassin meant they were already under Dian’s surveillance.

Song Feng thought for a moment, then grabbed the communicator and tucked it into his ear. He got into the driver’s seat without a word. Xiao Mingxuan had been following him the whole time and immediately opened the passenger side door and climbed in.

They had brought two off-road vehicles. Wei Xiaoyan naturally headed toward the second one. Bai Xuyao’s eyes lit up as he slung his submachine gun over his shoulder and rushed over, wanting to sit beside his senior and unleash hell together. But Duan Qing, quick as ever, yanked him back by the collar and tossed him onto the ground, then calmly opened the door and got in.

Bai Xuyao: “…”

“Duan Qing, you evil bastard!” Bai Xuyao shouted from the ground. “That’s my seat! Mine! Do you hear me, you son of a bitch? Even if you sit there, my senior still won’t fall for you. You’re wasting your time. With your level, you’d be better off slipping him something now and then!”

Duan Qing: “…”

Wei Xiaoyan: “…”

Song Feng cast Bai Xuyao a helpless glance, started the engine, and drove off.

Duan Qing said calmly, “Drive.”

Wei Xiaoyan turned the key. The engine rumbled to life with a low growl. Bai Xuyao scrambled to his feet, climbed in without delay, and immediately switched on the comms, syncing the channel across the whole team.

It was already past midnight. The roads were nearly empty. If anyone was tailing them, it would be obvious. They passed through four intersections and turned once more. In the rearview mirror, Song Feng noticed that three sedans that had been following them began to slow down. He raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, then turned off his communicator. He picked up his phone and called Fu Shanming.

“Hey. Is it chaotic over there?”

Fu Shanming’s mood was clearly good. “Chaos. I’m about to send people in to take over.”

All the core members had been killed in one night. The ranks had collapsed. It was the perfect time to seize control. Song Feng understood that perfectly well. He also knew that the only reason this man was helping was for profit.

“How bad is it?” he asked. “How soon after the killings did things start to fall apart?”

“What’s this about?” Fu Shanming was sharp. He instantly sensed something was off. After thinking for a moment, he added, “They started falling apart almost immediately. Total panic. You think something’s fishy?”

“If things were really that chaotic, how do they still have the manpower to tail me?” Song Feng narrowed his eyes. “Something feels wrong. Dian had a stand-in out here. So these so-called core members… were they really core?”

“Even if they were, think about it. I already hit them once before. If they’re coming after me now, would they seriously not have any kind of precaution in place? Or maybe they assumed I’d act alone again, pick them off one by one, and never imagined I’d wipe out all of them in one go.”

“Hmm. I’ll dig deeper. Where are you now?”

“I’m heading to see Dian. We were followed on the road. But once they saw where we were headed, they eased off. I think…”

Fu Shanming picked up with a chuckle. “Dian probably figured you’d be coming, so he’s waiting for you.”

Song Feng responded, then turned to signal Xiao Mingxuan to open the laptop. Wang Yizhong’s intel was far more detailed than Fu Shanming’s. In addition to listing the organization’s core members, he had also highlighted a few names worth keeping an eye on. Song Feng skimmed through the information and spoke into the mic. “Look into whether any of this is fake. I’ll give you a few names. If you run into them while digging, take them out. Once they’re dead, things might finally spiral out of control for real.”

Fu Shanming agreed. He had no curiosity about the source of Song Feng’s intel and hung up quickly.

Song Feng glanced behind him and saw that the three cars were still following them at a steady distance. He frowned slightly, kept his eyes on the road ahead, and picked up his gun. “You drive,” he said to Xiao Mingxuan. “Turn left up ahead, then slow down. The rest of you keep going. I’m jumping out.”

Xiao Mingxuan closed the laptop, glanced back, then gestured for someone else to take the wheel. He picked up his own gun too. He was going with him.

He knew Dian wouldn’t be unprepared if he was already expecting them. Going now would be dangerous. If Song Feng simply wanted to get rid of the cars behind them, that was one thing. But if he meant to lure the tail while the rest of the group slipped past to confront Dian directly, Xiao Mingxuan wasn’t going to allow it.

Song Feng turned to look at him. The car was dim inside, the glow of streetlights slicing through the windows and brushing across the side of Xiao Mingxuan’s face. His eyes were steady in the flickering light, unwavering and firm. There was no room for compromise.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Song Feng finally gave in. He turned his communicator back on and gave the order. “Make the turn, then double back immediately.”

Wei Xiaoyan responded immediately. He understood exactly what the boss meant and knew they had to take out the cars behind them so the enemy would lose track of their movement. He stepped on the gas, turned left, and twisted the wheel hard. The tires screeched as the vehicle spun around and surged back in the opposite direction.

The cars behind them didn’t expect the sudden U-turn. As they rushed to catch up at the intersection, they nearly collided head-on. Just as the two sides were about to pass, Wei Xiaoyan rolled down the window. Bai Xuyao lifted his submachine gun and fired without even aiming. Several bullets punched through the front and rear tires of one of the cars. The tires burst, and the vehicle flipped on the spot. The car beside it couldn’t swerve in time and crashed straight into it. The impact tore through both frames in an explosion of metal and smoke.

The last car swerved just in time, but before the driver could catch his breath, it met Song Feng’s vehicle. The people inside rushed to draw their weapons. But Song Feng had already moved. As they passed each other, he took the shot, putting a bullet straight through the driver’s skull. The car veered out of control and smashed into the roadside guardrail.

Song Feng turned the vehicle again and looped back. Xiao Mingxuan pulled the pin on a grenade and hurled it out the window. A second later, an explosion ripped through the road behind them, flames rising into the air.

They sped away from the scene. Song Feng figured that if Dian had really anticipated their arrival, they would need to rethink their next steps. He pulled over at a remote location.

Wei Xiaoyan followed close behind. Bai Xuyao jumped out of the car and rushed over to Song Feng, staring at him eagerly. “Bro~”

Song Feng glanced at him. “What?”

Bai Xuyao said nothing. He just kept looking at him, wagging his figurative tail and waiting for praise.

Song Feng rubbed his chin. “Why does this feel familiar?”

Xiao Mingxuan said calmly, “You did the same thing in front of the main task force. Xiao Bai’s just following in your footsteps.”

Song Feng: “…”

Bai Xuyao leaned over and draped his arms on the car window. “Bro~”

Wei Xiaoyan walked over and said, “You should be thanking me. If it weren’t for my amazing driving, you wouldn’t have gotten to show off.”

“You’re right,” Bai Xuyao said, sidling up to his senior and massaging his shoulders, then lighting him a cigarette for good measure.

Song Feng lost it and jumped out of the car, kicking both of them in turn. “Enough! You think this is some damn field trip? Knock it off!”

The two of them crouched on the ground and finally shut up. Wei Xiaoyan looked up. “Boss, where are we going now?”

Song Feng was just about to answer when the SUV buzzed with an incoming call. He checked the screen. It was Fu Shanming.

He picked up immediately. “So? Is it real or not?”

“Half and half. They really didn’t expect you to take them all out in one night, so it did catch them off guard,” Fu Shanming said. “But their key areas are still locked down with contingency plans. I’m having my people swallow up one of the smaller sectors. The names you gave me haven’t shown up yet. Honestly, I don’t think it matters, baby. As long as you kill the boss, the rest will fall apart.”

Song Feng smiled. “That works. I only care about killing the ones involved in what happened. The rest has nothing to do with me.”

Fu Shanming gave a knowing laugh. “You’re still going to see Dian? From what I’ve heard, neither his residence nor his guards have changed. He’s probably waiting for you.”

“Of course I’m going.”

“Knew it. Good luck, baby.”

Song Feng set the phone down and pulled the map back in front of him. Bai Xuyao looked up. “Bro, you’ve already looked over all this. What are you thinking? If it were just you, what would you do?”

“I’d go in and kill him.”

“Then that’s it. What are we waiting for?” Bai Xuyao jumped up. “Let’s charge in! Hooah!”

Song Feng kicked him back down then kept studying the map. Bai Xuyao sat on the ground sulking. “We’re not that weak, you know.”

The others looked at Song Feng. After the mission, Xiao Mingxuan had explained the full backstory to them. They understood why Song Feng was hesitating now. He clearly didn’t want to drag his comrades into danger again, which was why he was being so cautious.

Xiao Mingxuan reached over and ruffled his hair. “Song Feng, everyone here can take care of themselves.”

Song Feng was quiet for a moment, then lifted his head and looked at them. One by one, they met his eyes. Under the streetlight, there was a quiet confidence behind every glance. Calm, sure, and capable of handling anything on their own. Bai Xuyao had already gotten up and was looking at him. “Bro, we’re all damn strong, you know.”

Song Feng stayed quiet again, but after a while, finally nodded. “Let’s go.”

The team’s morale shot up. They headed for the vehicles at once. Just then, another vibration buzzed through the SUV. Song Feng tapped to answer. “What is it?”

“Nothing much,” Fu Shanming said. “Just wanted to give you a little surprise.”

A bad feeling flashed through Song Feng’s chest. Both the SUV and the phone had come from Fu Shanming. Who knew what tricks that man might have pulled. “You didn’t—”

He stopped mid-sentence. The sound of engines was growing louder, fast approaching from the distance. Two Humvees pulled up a moment later.

Fu Shanming’s voice came through, bright with satisfaction. “I’ve been circling this city for a while. The moment you made a call, I started tracking. And I found you. Oh, and by the way, Shao Xiujie didn’t trust you to go alone either. He came too.”

Song Feng hung up and stared ahead with a twitching mouth. Xiao Mingxuan stood beside him. “Is it them?”

Song Feng gave a weary nod. “Why are they even here?”

“I’d say Fu Shanming just wants to join the chaos. As for Shao Xiujie… you already know why,” Xiao Mingxuan said, watching as the Humvees came to a stop. Fu Shanming leaned out the window. “Baby, I’m going with you to pay Dian a visit.”

Song Feng sighed. “Aren’t you supposed to be busy expanding your territory?”

“I don’t need to show up in person for things like that. My people can handle it,” Fu Shanming said, licking his lips. “Besides, I can’t take much territory anyway. I still think it’s more fun being with you. Don’t you agree?”

Song Feng ignored him. Fu Shanming didn’t mind. He reached out. “Give me a communicator. We’re all on the same team now.”

Shao Xiujie, sitting in the other Humvee, also asked for one. Then he finally spoke. “We’d better get moving. No idea how long the people behind us can hold out.”

“Behind us?” Song Feng immediately asked. “Don’t tell me you brought a tail with you.”

Fu Shanming nodded with a sigh. “And a pretty big one, too.”

Song Feng was furious. “I knew nothing good ever comes from having you around!”

Everyone rushed into the vehicles and turned off onto the main road. Up ahead, blinding lights flashed, and the distant crack of gunfire could be heard. Clearly, a fight was already underway. Hearing the sounds grow closer, Song Feng made a split-second decision. “Take them out.”

Their cars sped forward. Both Song Feng and Wei Xiaoyan were expert drivers. They tore into the battlefield, bullets rattling against the vehicles and sparking in the night. Song Feng drove with one hand and held a gun with the other. Two quick shots rang out, and one of the cars exploded and flipped over.

Fu Shanming laughed. “Baby, that was hot. Beautiful shooting.”

Song Feng kept his eyes on the road. “Two o’clock.”

The moment he spoke, Xiao Mingxuan had already pulled the trigger, taking down another car. The Xingtian members moved with perfect coordination, and every shot they fired landed exactly where it needed to.

The channel buzzed with crisp, short commands, occasionally interrupted by Fu Shanming’s voice.

“That one’s mine. Don’t shoot.”

“This is way better than a movie. What do you think, baby?”

“You should all quit and become full-time mercenaries. I’ll pay you well. Or just you, baby. Come with me, how about it?”

The fight was quickly brought under control. Fu Shanming’s voice came through again, now laced with heavy breathing. “Baby, I can’t take it anymore. I want you. Right now. Let’s do it.”

A strange silence fell across the channel for one second.

Then Xiao Mingxuan finally lost his patience. “Xiao Bai. Mute him.”

“Yes.”

Fu Shanming’s tone immediately turned dangerous. “I dare you. I paid for all this equipment.”

“I’ll… I’ll really do it…” Bai Xuyao stammered, then shut it off.

Fu Shanming’s face twisted. He slammed the communicator down into the seat and barked at his driver, “Ram them.”

The man whimpered but obeyed. The Humvee shot forward. Wei Xiaoyan kept a firm grip on the wheel, foot on the gas, face calm as he hummed a tune. “Come catch me then. Come on, chase me.”

Duan Qing: “…”

Bai Xuyao: “…”

Song Feng accelerated as well, leaving the rest to Fu Shanming’s people. They headed straight for Dian’s residence. Watching the scenery slide past in reverse through the window, Song Feng’s eyes deepened. Xiao Mingxuan glanced at him and gave his head a gentle pat. “It’s all right.”

Song Feng gave a quiet hum of agreement. As long as the ones who survived weren’t scum, he didn’t care who they were.

Dian’s residence was in a relatively remote area. The house wasn’t luxurious, but lush greenery surrounded it, thick with plants. When they arrived, Dian was already waiting by the gate. He smiled politely, looking refined and calm, just like the rumors said.

He had only two people with him, but showed no signs of being on guard. In fact, he looked completely at ease. As they got out of the car, he smiled and greeted them one by one. “Mr. Fu. Mr. Shao. Welcome to my humble home. Please, come in.”

He looked as if nothing at all had happened tonight, as if it wasn’t his territory that had just been taken apart. Song Feng narrowed his eyes. More precisely, this man didn’t seem to care what happened to his power base.

Dian noticed his gaze and turned to him. “So we finally meet, Song Feng.”

Song Feng leaned against the car door. They were on Dian’s turf, and the safest thing to do would be to subdue him immediately. But they had just gotten out of the car, and now wasn’t the right moment to make a move. He smiled lazily. “I didn’t like the gift you sent me last time.”

“Oh? Is that so? What a pity,” Dian said with a smile. “To make up for it, I’ve brought a gift tonight that I’m sure you’ll like.”

“Such as?”

“I’ve arranged for you to meet someone. That’s why you came to find me, isn’t it? He’s been waiting for you a long time,” Dian said, still smiling as he gestured forward. “Come inside.”

He turned and walked into the house. Song Feng immediately followed, picking up speed as he prepared to restrain him. But the two men behind Dian caught on at once, drawing their guns to shield their boss. Dian turned his head. “Mr. Song, please be patient.”

A flash of sharpness passed through Song Feng’s eyes. He smiled, but in his mind, he was already thinking about the best moment to kill those two.

They walked forward slowly, staying alert and scanning the surroundings. They were all veterans at moving through enemy territory. One glance told them that no one was hiding in the bushes along either side of the path. Song Feng never took his eyes off Dian. When they reached a corner up ahead, he was just about to make his move when Dian suddenly said, “Mr. Song, you brought too many people. He only wants to see you.”

A bad feeling rushed through Song Feng’s chest. Before he could respond, the sound of engines suddenly roared to life nearby. It was clear a car was pulling up. The Xingtian members instantly moved into position, ready for combat. Song Feng looked toward Dian, but the man had already turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

Song Feng froze. If he didn’t go after him now, there was no telling what kind of trick the man would pull. But if he did chase him, who would handle the ambush behind them?

Xiao Mingxuan read the situation clearly and spoke in a low voice. “Song Feng. Go get him.”

Song Feng hesitated for a second. “But you—”

“We’ll be fine. There aren’t many of them.” Xiao Mingxuan paused, knowing what Song Feng was worried about. “I’ll stay here and handle the defense. Go. Stay sharp.”

Song Feng swept the area with one quick glance. Their intel had been correct. The guards here were few. Xiao Mingxuan could definitely manage. Song Feng gritted his teeth and bolted forward.

But Dian had already turned again. All Song Feng caught was the hem of his coat and a flash of the two guards. He pulled the trigger without hesitation, killing one of them on the spot, and kept going. Fu Shanming and Shao Xiujie had no interest in the fight behind them and followed with their men.

Song Feng moved like a panther, leaping through the turn. This time, Dian had stopped. He stood in the distance, watching him. Song Feng narrowed his eyes and was about to speak when, from the side, someone suddenly lunged out.

He raised his gun instinctively. But when he saw who it was, his entire body went rigid. His pupils contracted, and his voice was barely a whisper. “…Mentor?”

The words had barely left his lips when he stiffened again. A dull grunt escaped his throat. A cold pain shot through his abdomen, and all the strength drained from his body.

In that moment, even Shao Xiujie and Fu Shanming turned pale. The man had stabbed Song Feng at point-blank range. The knife buried deep into his gut, and blood began pouring out at once.

The communicator crackled with broken voices.

“…Song Feng?”

“…Boss?”

“Bro, what happened?”

Song Feng didn’t answer. He clutched the man’s wrist with one hand, his expression full of disbelief. “You… you’re not…”

The man didn’t say a word. He pulled the blade out and stepped back, quickly returning to Dian’s side.

Song Feng gave another muffled groan as the blood surged out with the withdrawal of the knife. His legs buckled, and Shao Xiujie caught him in time. “Xiao Feng!”

Dian watched silently. “Looks just like him, doesn’t he? It took several surgeries to get that face right. I knew you would never lay a hand on your mentor.”

“He’s not… and he doesn’t deserve to be…” Song Feng muttered. A chilling thought crept through his mind. From the child last time to this imposter now, only one person could have orchestrated something this vicious.

This time, he had been far too careless.

“The gunfire out there is annoying,” Dian said as he looked down at him. “Do you know why I don’t keep many guards around? Because no matter how many there are, they’re just cannon fodder.”

Song Feng’s head snapped up. His face changed.

Dian pulled out a remote and slammed his thumb down on the button.

An earth-shaking explosion erupted behind them, the ground trembling violently beneath their feet. Song Feng turned around in shock. His face went completely pale.

Dian’s voice rang out sharp and cold. “Kill them!”

Song Feng’s heart clenched. Just as he turned back, he saw Shao Xiujie spin around and pull him tightly into his arms.

A gunshot cracked through the air.

Someone shouted, “Boss!”

A figure collapsed.

Both Song Feng and Shao Xiujie turned to look. For a moment, they were stunned. The man who had stood in front of them, shielding them from the bullet, was Fu Shanming.