Chapter Forty-Two: Captured Alive

Just as Chu Feng locked Han Xuefang in the restroom, he heard faint footsteps in the corridor. Though the steps were evenly paced, Chu Feng could tell there were many people, not just one. He quickly concealed himself behind the sofa, lying flat on the ground. This maneuver undoubtedly placed him in the most perilous position, but if he wanted to capture all these Sakura Path members in one sweep and uncover the mastermind behind them, he had no choice. Only by apprehending every single one could he hope to find out who was pulling the strings.

After about two minutes, the door to the ward opened again, and two men dressed in black entered from outside. Chu Feng, hidden behind the sofa, already gripped four scalpels in his hands. Having put himself at such risk, he would not idly wait for rescue from the outside. In times like these, self-preservation was the only option. If Chu Feng had intended to rely on outside assistance, he would never have stayed behind as bait.

The two men headed directly for Old Chen’s bed and, without hesitation, plunged their daggers into the blanket. Yet, they felt no resistance of flesh beneath the blade. Pulling back the covers, they found the bed empty, save for a wig resting on the pillow.

One of the men, a dark-skinned figure, pointed toward the restroom, noting the light was on. They assumed their target had gone to the bathroom. The pair slowly approached the restroom door. One of them opened it from the outside, and as soon as the door swung open, a piercing scream erupted.

Swish! The two assassins were startled by the scream. As they recovered and prepared to rush in, they felt the cold bite of scalpels at their throats. Both men collapsed limply to the floor. Han Xuefang, witnessing this from inside, fainted from fright.

Outside, ten Sakura Path members were startled by the scream as well. According to their information, the patient in this ward should have been an old man—how could there be a young woman’s scream?

“Wolf, what do we do now? Withdraw or charge in?” one of them asked the man with the sling on his arm.

“Do we have a choice? Before we left, the master said if we fail this mission, there’s no going back. Most likely that old man is a lecher, hiding a young nurse in his room,” Wolf speculated, assuming the target, Old Chen, was a lustful old man who had concealed a nurse.

“Charge in! No matter who’s inside, kill them all!” Wolf declared, leading the charge toward the ward.

After only two steps, Wolf and his men saw a young man standing at the door, holding several knives that gleamed coldly under the light.

“Kill him!” Wolf commanded, recognizing the young man’s face in the dim light. As soon as he realized who it was, he ordered his men to attack.

Wolf’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Chu Feng, knowing the mission was doomed. He had tangled with Chu Feng before, understood his skills, and was aware of his uncanny mastery of hidden weapons.

As the ten Sakura Blade assassins rushed toward Chu Feng, his hands moved with astonishing speed, flinging six scalpels. Instantly, six men fell, struck down.

The remaining four froze, unwilling to advance. They never expected their comrades to be slain by hidden weapons halfway through their charge.

If there were a global ranking of hidden weapon masters, the ninja of the Sun Nation would claim the top three spots, for their expertise with such weapons. Yet, the Sakura Path had never practiced with hidden weapons; their ritual upon completing a mission was to carve a plum blossom into the victim as a mark.

“Seems you’re a bunch of cowards—so much for your bravery, coming to assassinate in a hospital. I truly wonder how you have the nerve to call yourselves killers,” Chu Feng mocked, standing at the door and twirling a scalpel in his hand.

Wolf’s face turned livid at Chu Feng’s words. Since joining Sakura Path, he had never suffered such humiliation.

“All together! I don’t believe he has any more scalpels!” Unable to endure it, Wolf charged at Chu Feng with his companions.

Chu Feng remained unruffled, his hands flipping as he flung four scalpels. After throwing those, he quickly sent another flying, aiming straight for Wolf’s injured arm.

This time, the Sakura Path members were wary. As the scalpels flew toward them, they raised their blades to block. Only two were struck, one scalpel embedding itself in Wolf’s arm, another piercing a killer’s groin.

The one struck in the groin fell to the ground clutching his injury, letting out a scream like a slaughtered pig. The killer beside him was nearly scared out of his wits, clamping his legs together, desperate not to meet the same fate.

Wolf, hit in the arm, halted his advance. Any further, and all his men—including himself—would die here.

As Wolf debated whether to retreat or press forward, the sound of running feet echoed down the corridor. The rhythm was perfectly synchronized.

Turning, Wolf saw a group of soldiers in special operations uniforms pouring in, each armed, with two snipers aiming from behind.

“Drop your weapons, or we’ll open fire!” Old Jin called out from the rear, using a loudspeaker.

“I’ll say it one last time—drop your weapons, you’re surrounded!” As Old Jun spoke, the soldiers’ guns were already cocked. One sniper fired, the bullet striking Wolf’s left leg.

Wolf did not cry out, but dropped to his knees, unable to stand from the pain.

The killers glanced at one another, then dropped their knives and crouched with their hands over their heads.

Chu Feng walked behind Wolf and delivered a swift chop to the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.