The dimly lit room was heavy with silence.
A man dressed in a suit, wearing pristine white gloves, had just set down his knife and fork.
“Hmm… I can sense the fatigue in the texture of the flesh, and there’s a faint hint of disinfectant,” he mused, his voice laced with an unsettling satisfaction.
“A truly selfless angel in white.”
“Your noble spirit moves me deeply.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone almost respectful.
“In honor of this emotion—”
Beep-beep-beep!
The sound of a phone ringing interrupted his lyrical speech. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face.
Lowering his head, he glanced at the incomplete corpse on the dining table and sighed, “My apologies. Some rude individuals seem to delight in disrupting our meal.”
“This is life, full of interruptions and inevitabilities.”
He picked up the phone, and a small line of text appeared on the screen.
After reading it, the man chuckled knowingly.
“Me? Take action personally? Fine. After all, I’ve just received news that my deputy has been killed.”
“Losing three assassins in succession—it seems the target is no ordinary middle schooler.”
“I’ll handle this myself.”
“So, what are you offering in exchange for my involvement?”
Another line of text appeared on the screen:
“A girl. Her photo will be sent to you shortly.”
A girl…
The man laughed again, this time with an almost whimsical air.
“Sisters holding each other in their hearts, while you put yours on the internet—”
“Tsk-tsk. Some girls dream of defying their station, unaware they’ve already been served up on my plate.”
“Still, I must clarify—I’m not a scavenger. Surely, you’re aware of my standards—”
The photo of Zhao Yibing appeared on the screen.
The words he was about to say caught in his throat.
He held his breath.
For a long moment, he stared at the photo. Slowly, he raised the phone high, holding it as if in devotion, allowing the light from the screen to illuminate his face.
“What a beautiful and pure lamb,” he murmured, his voice filled with genuine emotion, tinged with a hint of a sob.
“Believe me, just looking at you, I can already smell the tender, untainted aroma of your being.”
“What an exquisite encounter.”
“This moves me greatly. I will personally take action against that boy… When will she arrive?”
Another line of text appeared on the phone.
The man glanced at it, then placed the phone aside. Setting his plate down, he delicately dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
Suddenly, he stepped on the corpse beneath the table, disdain evident in his voice.
“Remember, I won’t be eating you anymore—”
“My heart, my soul, my taste buds must now be reserved for that girl. Even my stomach must make space for her.”
“Our relationship has officially ended.”
He stood, walking into the bathroom. From his travel bag, he took out a toothbrush, razor, towel, and cologne, arranging them meticulously on the counter.
Picking up his phone, he placed an order for a bouquet of white roses. After a brief consideration, he added a bottle of red wine and a sprinkle of cumin powder to the order.
Then he hesitated, canceling the cumin powder. Instead, he ordered two large bottles of high-quality mineral water, dried orange peel, red dates, and goji berries.
Everything else was already in place.
He checked the delivery time.
Perfect.
Everything was falling into place.
Satisfied, he picked up the toothbrush, squeezed out some toothpaste, and began to clean his teeth with careful precision.
He needed to groom himself, arrange the setting, and prepare to charm the girl with witty and humorous words.
Happiness—the kind that radiates from within—always enhanced the natural flavor of the meat.
Flesh steeped in fear and despair turned sour.
Sourness…
The man frowned slightly, though his eyes gleamed with anticipation, already alight with excitement.
A chance encounter with a pure, shy, and beautiful girl during a mission.
He wouldn’t rush things.
But—
Only at the final moment, when everything concluded, would he know how well he had performed.
This was the ultimate romantic challenge.
He inhaled deeply, as if catching a whiff of the girl’s fragrance.
It brought an involuntary smile to his lips.
A thrill of youthful excitement coursed through him, making him hum softly. His entire being seemed more spirited, exuding charm.
Lowering his head, he carefully spread the toothpaste evenly across the toothbrush, his motions gentle and deliberate as he cleaned his teeth.
For a expert, teeth were crucial; every trace of lingering meat needed to be meticulously removed.
It was essential—for both kissing and tasting.
He rinsed his mouth and tilted his head, checking in the mirror for any stray stubble.
Picking up the razor, he began to plan the jokes he would tell and the gossip about celebrities he might share.
If necessary, he could even pay a price.
Spending money elevated the value of a meal.
It also ensured he took the meal seriously, leaving no room for waste.
Everything was worth it.
In the grueling journey of life, an unexpected meeting with a beautiful girl was an unforgettable romance.
It was priceless.
Meanwhile, at the Martial Arts Group Headquarters.
On the top floor.
Qian Rushan puffed on a cigar, seated behind a massive desk.
In the open space of the room sat a spherical object, occasionally emitting a faint glow.
“What is this?”
In the dimly lit room, Shen Ye asked, “What’s this?”
Qian Rushan replied, “It’s a package sent by the World United Government’s Military Merits and Ranks Management Department. For safety reasons, we checked it thoroughly before delivering it to you.”
Shen Ye finally understood.
Last time, during the incident at the police station, Qian Rushan had received a military merit reward. As for him, being someone who summoned Kunlun but hadn’t officially joined yet, Kunlun had decided to send him something as a reward.
He remembered receiving a message back then, saying, “You made a significant contribution in this battle.”
This must be it.
“Thanks, but what is it?” Shen Ye asked.
Instead of directly answering, Qian Rushan said, “Press your fingerprint on it first to bind your identity and activate it. Then you’ll know.”
Mysterious…
Feeling skeptical, Shen Ye walked over, crouched down, and placed his finger on the surface of the spherical object.
Ding!
A light sound came from the sphere, followed by an electronic voice:
“Fingerprint matched, brainwave matched, facial recognition matched.”
“Identity verification complete.”
“Please say a phrase. This phrase will be your unique activation command to summon me.”
Shen Ye, preoccupied with Xiao Mengyu’s upcoming confrontation with the assassin, casually said:
“To kill within ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles.”
The sphere instantly unfolded, assembling itself into a steel structure about two meters long.
Shen Ye was stunned.
It was a streamlined, black motorcycle with bright green patterns streaked across the body, giving the impression of ghostly flames dancing in the night as it sped along.
“When I was your age, if I had a bike like this, who knows how many girls I could’ve impressed,” Qian Rushan remarked.
“I know how to ride, but I don’t know what this bike is capable of,” Shen Ye admitted honestly.
Qian Rushan, crossing his legs, casually explained:
“A water-cooled, four-stroke parallel twin engine with a variable horizontal suspension system, the iconic Angel Wings flight mode, lightweight aerospace alloy frame, dual tear-shaped headlights, retro stainless-steel exhaust, wireless overdrive motor, and fully AI-integrated architecture. It supports both manual and automatic driving, with a flight duration of up to 30 minutes.”
“It can fly?” Shen Ye asked, astonished.
“Of course. But since you’ve never learned to fly, you’d better let the AI handle that part,” Qian Rushan advised.
“What about refueling? Or charging?” Shen Ye asked.
“It’s wireless charging. Just tell the AI, and it’ll find a place to charge itself. The cost is automatically deducted from your ID,” Qian Rushan explained.
“As for refueling—it’s mostly unnecessary unless you want to hear the roar of the engine for fun.”
Shen Ye circled the bike, remarking, “If these green lines were red, it’d look even more striking, like blazing flames.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the green patterns turned red.
“It can change colors?” Shen Ye exclaimed in surprise.
A voice from the bike replied, “Featuring a brand-new chameleon material, the paint adapts intelligently—just as you wish.”
Well then…
“Stuff like this is for kids,” Shen Ye muttered.
“You are a kid,” Qian Rushan retorted, folding his arms.
“Why would they send me something like this? I was hoping for a martial arts manual or something.” Shen Ye stroked the bike’s body, grumbling even as he admired it.
“I thought the same at first,” Qian Rushan shrugged, “but it seems Kunlun thinks your situation is dangerous enough to warrant a state-of-the-art escape vehicle.”
“This thing’s fast?”
“In pure electric jet mode, it’s like a missile—faster than you can imagine.”
Shen Ye’s mind stirred as he asked, “If Kunlun thinks my situation is dangerous, then it must know who’s trying to kill me.”
Qian Rushan shook his head. “Even if it knows, it won’t intervene in such minor matters. Kunlun’s focus is on the survival of human civilization.”
“Unless you demonstrate sufficient value, it might give you an exchange code—or provide a suitable reward from your perspective.”
Shen Ye thought of Luo Feichuan, then immediately of Xiao Mengyu.
He wondered if she had encountered the assassin yet.
