Chapter One Hundred and Twenty

"Let me go first," Xiao Zhi said from the side.

Liu Haishan was momentarily stunned, offering no reply.

About a minute later, a voice from inside shouted, "Begin!"

Xiao Zhi took two running steps and scaled directly toward the second floor, using the wall twice to propel himself upward.

Zhou Yu stepped toward Liu Haishan and whispered, "It seems the old man wants to be your father-in-law, so let me give you a few more pointers."

"Don't go for the kill, but you must be fast, fierce, and precise. Your momentum must be overwhelming. Take them down in one move, charge forward, and don't let them create distance. And make sure to apply the techniques from the obstacle run we just did."

"At the same time, be careful. Xiao Long’s layout will definitely include a finishing blow at the very last moment."

"Also, he won't see himself as a hostage; he’ll see himself as the kidnapper, positioning himself exactly where he would place a hostage."

"Lastly, the final secret is that Xiao Long told me he will appear in the very center."

"That’s all I can tell you. Anything more would be cheating."

Liu Haishan glanced at Zhou Yu, thinking to himself, *And this isn't cheating?*

***

When Xiao Zhi entered the second floor, it was deathly silent. It was so quiet that he could hear the sound of his own breathing.

Xiao Zhi didn't think too much of it; after all, these were his own soldiers, and he was intimately familiar with their standard tactics. Therefore, he didn't pay it much mind and ran straight toward the stairs leading to the third floor.

Just as he reached the landing, he suddenly stumbled, nearly crashing to the ground.

Xiao Zhi looked back and cursed under his breath, "Dammit, they actually used transparent tape."

As it turned out, Liu Long had instructed two of the soldiers to use clear packing tape to create a barrier just above knee height across the final doorway leading to the third floor. Had Xiao Zhi not happened to be lifting his foot at that exact moment, this obstacle would have surely sent him face-planting into the floor.

After his muttered curse, Xiao Zhi continued toward the third floor, though he was significantly more cautious now.

Before he even reached the landing between the third floor and the mezzanine, a dark shadow dove down from above.

Fortunately, Xiao Zhi was sharp; he leaped backward, retreating to the second floor.

As soon as Xiao Zhi steadied himself, he saw a soldier land firmly on the ground one or two steps above where he had been standing. Another soldier was stationed on the landing above.

***

Xiao Zhi cursed, "You little brats, since when did you learn to pull off sneak attacks like this?"

The two soldiers laughed helplessly. "Don't blame us; this is what Instructor Long just told us to do."

As they spoke, the two soldiers didn't waste any time, charging aggressively toward Xiao Zhi.

The soldier on the stairs reached Xiao Zhi first, launching a side kick toward him. The soldier from the landing, positioned in the middle of the staircase, launched himself into a flying kick aimed at a spot about three steps behind Xiao Zhi.

Seeing the situation, Xiao Zhi could only leap backward, crossing his arms over his chest to block the incoming foot.

The moment the soldier's foot connected with his arms, Xiao Zhi shoved forward with both arms, throwing them wide.

Xiao Zhi used the force of the kick to propel himself backward a short distance, while the soldier, pushed by Xiao Zhi’s counter-shove, stumbled back three paces.

No longer underestimating his opponents, Xiao Zhi launched his own offensive. He lunged at the soldier in front, thrusting his right hand upward to strike the man's jaw, then pressed his left hand against the soldier's chest and delivered a sharp, vibrating strike that sent the man flying backward.