Chapter 69: I Don’t Hold Grudges, Because I Settle Scores on the Spot

As soon as Gu Changqing entered Gao Wenxin’s office, he saw someone standing opposite her with a back that seemed oddly familiar. The moment he caught sight of the side of the man’s face, recognition struck—it was Zeng Shiqian.

Gu Changqing burst out laughing and slung his arm around the man’s shoulders. “You’re here too! You’ve awakened?”

Given his presence, Gu Changqing could think of no other reason but awakening.

“Yeah! I never expected a blessing to come from disaster!” Zeng Shiqian turned with a grin. In truth, he had harbored some resentment toward Gu Changqing before—after all, it was because of Gu Changqing that he’d been skinned alive by that awakened from the Earth League. But thinking about it, Gu Changqing hadn’t truly wronged him; he’d just been caught up in the mess.

Last night, upon seeing the video of Gu Changqing’s battle with the Guards, Zeng Shiqian decided to let go of his bitterness.

“I never thought you’d have a friend!” said Gao Wenxin, looking at Gu Changqing with amused interest. To her, it was extraordinary that someone like him could have friends.

“We’ve shared whores and split spoils together!” Gu Changqing laughed boisterously, completely unabashed, which left Zeng Shiqian a little embarrassed. He instinctively glanced at Gao Wenxin, but her expression remained unchanged.

“He’ll be joining your team. Though he hasn’t been awakened for long, he’s already part of the security system and professionally trained. Combined with his awakened ability, he should make a decent addition to your force,” Gao Wenxin said. “Also, of those Earth League people you’re looking for, one has turned up! But you don’t need to worry now; they wouldn’t dare cause you trouble at your current strength.”

“They might not come after me, but I’ll be the one causing them trouble! There’s no need for so many destabilizing factors here in Angang!” Gu Changqing bared his teeth in a grin, his eyes flashing with menace.

There was no way he’d let the Earth League’s people off lightly. Even if the issue of the ‘ingredients’ was ignored, he’d still go after them just for the sake of it—especially since they’d already made trouble for him.

“I’ll give you the address. Don’t make too big a scene!” Gao Wenxin tossed him a slip of paper.

Those people weren’t as notorious as the Linghuo group, but they were hardly innocent, having committed their share of crimes. As their former captain in the Security Bureau, Zeng Shiqian and Gu Changqing were well aware of their deeds. Their crimes weren’t major, but they were elusive and ordinary officers couldn’t catch them, so they’d been left alone until now.

Since Gu Changqing was insistent on dealing with them, Gao Wenxin had no objection.

“Minister, you can always count on me!” Gu Changqing replied with a laugh, taking the paper.

A glance at the address made his brows rise—it was right here in Angang, in the eastern port district. Clearly, they had no fear of death.

Zou Zhanfeng, male, twenty-nine, former teacher, Level Four Awakened. His ability was a form of physical enhancement: Blood Battle. The more blood he lost, the stronger and more frenzied he became. Those with this ability often died from excessive blood loss during prolonged battles. The only reason he’d survived so long was luck and a bit more rationality than the others.

“His luck runs out today!” Gu Changqing stuffed the paper into his pocket, threw an arm around Zeng Shiqian, and headed out.

He couldn’t claim to be close friends with Zeng Shiqian, but after so many years in the security system, the man was at least competent—certainly more so than some others in the squad. And they’d split loot together.

“What’s your ability?”

“Metallization!” Zeng Shiqian lifted his hand, his right palm now gleaming with a metallic sheen.

Perhaps it was because the awakened one from before had stripped the flesh from both his legs. At the time, he’d wished he could turn to stone to avoid the pain. When he awoke in the hospital after days in a coma, he hadn’t become stone, but he’d gained the power to turn himself into metal.

“Not bad!” Gu Changqing clapped him on the shoulder.

“Let’s get to work before he escapes!” Gu Changqing said, then suddenly remembered something. “By the way, the awakened one who attacked you and Xu Hu—I killed him. Died in quite a unique manner!”

Zeng Shiqian was stunned; that matter had weighed on his mind.

“Thank you!”

“He brought it on himself!” Gu Changqing grinned, a mocking edge to his smile.

“Port District, Lihai Apartments!” Gu Changqing slid into the back seat and tossed the keys to Zeng Shiqian.

…

Zou Zhanfeng, Gu Changqing’s target, stood by the window gazing out gloomily at the harbor. He wasn’t here to cause Gu Changqing trouble. After losing the goods and seeing three companions die in Angang, he knew there would be no easy end to this. The client for that batch was powerful, and Gu Changqing was a man of Chongming. Though Chongming was no match for the Guards in strength, they had the Security Bureau backing them.

He couldn’t afford to offend either side. After laying low for a while, he disguised himself and returned to Angang, intending to take a ship to Qichao. But he hadn’t expected his return—even with a new identity and disguise—would still be discovered.

As he watched the ships come and go at the port, a thunderous crash sounded from his door. The door flew inward.

Turning, Zou Zhanfeng saw a tall youth stride in, menace written across his face.

“Gu Changqing?” Zou Zhanfeng recognized him instantly, heart pounding. His hands moved together, fingers pressing on the bracelet around his wrist. All he had to do was press down and the bracelet would start draining his blood.

“I’m not here to cause you trouble!” Zou Zhanfeng blurted out.

“But I want to cause you trouble!” Gu Changqing’s expression twisted into a cold sneer. His muscles swelled, making his too-large clothes stretch taut as veins stood out across his body, exuding a wild, murderous aura.

“Wait, let’s talk!” Realizing how dire the situation was, Zou Zhanfeng pressed down—blood was drawn from his wrist by the bracelet.

He hurled himself backward, crashing through the window!

“Fight when you want, talk when you want—did you ever ask me?” Gu Changqing’s sneer deepened. With a kick, he shot out like an arrow, even faster than Zou Zhanfeng.

He caught up midair, his fist roaring down at Zou Zhanfeng’s head.

Zou Zhanfeng’s focus was locked by that punch, his heart hammering. He couldn’t take it—too fierce, it would kill him. That murderous intent made him believe he would die from this blow.

But he couldn’t dodge; with a roar, his muscles bulged, his body swelling and skin turning blood red, nearly seeping blood. He raised both arms to shield his face, but in the next instant, agony twisted his features.

Crack!

Though not the weakest among Level Fours, Zou Zhanfeng wasn’t the strongest either. Even the Ou brothers had been felled by a single blow from Gu Changqing—how could he fare any better? His arm snapped, and he was sent hurtling from five stories high.

Boom!

It wasn’t exactly a remote area; there were people below.

Hearing the glass shatter above, passersby instinctively looked up and saw a man crash through the window.

Before they could even cry out, another figure caught up and, with a single punch, drove the man to the ground as if he were a meteorite, shattering the cement beneath.

Gu Changqing landed, grabbed Zou Zhanfeng, and slammed him against the ground again. Bones snapped—how many, no one could tell—and Zou Zhanfeng lost consciousness.

Gu Changqing turned and glared at the onlookers. “What are you staring at? Never seen this before?”

None dared meet his gaze—his presence was like a tiger’s or a lion’s. Cold sweat broke out as they hurriedly turned away.

Only then did Gu Changqing drag Zou Zhanfeng to the car, stuff him in the trunk, and climb into the driver’s seat.

“Find somewhere secluded.”

A short while later, Zeng Shiqian drove them to a cargo lot.

Gu Changqing got out, hauled Zou Zhanfeng from the trunk, and immediately cursed. The trunk was soaked in blood—he’d have to wash the car!

He tossed Zou Zhanfeng aside and stomped on his shin in a fit of rage. “Damn it, my car! And it’s brand new!”

Zou Zhanfeng’s leg twisted grotesquely under the force, the pain jolting him awake.

“Spare me… I’ll tell you whatever you want to know!” Zou Zhanfeng gasped, sweat pouring down his face.

He’d lost enough blood, but with so many broken bones, he could barely move.

“Whose were those things? What are they for?” Gu Changqing asked bluntly.

He suspected those things had more uses; even if they only produced a hatchling-level anomaly when implanted in a living creature, there might be other potential. What if injected into other anomalies? Or taken to that other world—there might be demons and beasts there. Or what if injected into a cultivator?

“Zhang Zewu, it was Zhang Zewu who wanted them!” Zou Zhanfeng answered urgently.

“And who’s that?” Gu Changqing was surprised.

“From the Zhang family in Liuzhou, son of the chairman of Standard Group…”

“Damn, I even bought one of his cars! Is he an awakened one?” Gu Changqing exclaimed. Their cars were fine—except for not being sturdy enough.

“Yes…”

“He’s with the Earth League too?” Gu Changqing pressed. The Earth League was an alliance of minor awakened organizations—he suspected Zhang was one as well.

“Yes, his faction is the most powerful in the League… He has over a dozen awakened subordinates!” Zou Zhanfeng blurted out everything he knew.

“He’s very strong. We couldn’t afford to cross him after losing the goods—we had to find them or else…”

“So you can’t cross him, but you can cross me, is that it?” Gu Changqing sneered, stomping on Zou Zhanfeng’s other leg.

“He’s a Level Five awakened one!” Zou Zhanfeng was on the verge of passing out.

“Oh? Tell me, what else do you know?”

“The Zhang family is powerful. He’s extremely vengeful—if you take his things, even as a man of Chongming, he’ll come after you for sure…”

“Well, isn’t that convenient!” Gu Changqing flashed a grin, white teeth gleaming. “I never hold grudges—because I settle them on the spot!”

(End of chapter)