Chapter 9: Meeting

Wu Xiaode gently landed on the ground.

Suddenly, a voice erupted from the crowd, "He's the one who set the fire!"

"Yes, we saw it; it was him who started the blaze!"

Another person shouted towards Wu Xiaode from a distance.

By now, the firefighters and patrol police had arrived. Hearing the accusations, several officers started walking towards Wu Xiaode.

Wu Xiaode swiftly scanned the crowd.

The speakers were those thugs.

They had come back to see what had become of their boss.

The police were approaching.

This was not good—armed and having just come down from the building.

It was troubling.

He had never imagined; not only was Huilan in trouble, but he was as well.

Ding-ding-ding——

The phone in his pocket rang again.

Wu Xiaode took out his phone, only to find it had already taken the call automatically.

Zhao Junyu's voice came through the earpiece once more:

"When you survive, you enter the next phase."

"Tonight you will become a suspect for murder and arson; a warrant is being issued, and SWAT is on standby, ready to shoot or arrest you."

"Really?" Wu Xiaode exclaimed in surprise.

"Never mention my name—at any time. Now, count to five in your mind, then immediately jump over the fence on your left. This is the only help I can offer," Zhao Junyu said.

Wu Xiaode looked across the street and saw the police marching towards him.

"I live here! Upstairs is my home, the ones shouting nonsense are the bad guys!" Wu Xiaode shouted loudly.

Five, four, three.

"Stay where you are!" a policeman yelled.

Two.

"What's your name?" Another officer took out handcuffs from behind and asked as he approached.

One.

Wu Xiaode pushed off the ground, as light as a feather climbed the wall, and jumped over a fence over three meters tall.

Having physical abilities five times that of an average person, jumping over a wall was really nothing!

A large truck happened to pass by, and the driver poked his head out, waving at Wu Xiaode.

Wu Xiaode looked, recognizing the person.

It was the man in black who stood beside Zhao Junyu on the university sports field.

The other party was meticulous, having specially sent someone he had met before to come for him.

Wu Xiaode hesitated no longer and with a leap, jumped onto the truck.

The truck immediately burst into a roar, floored the accelerator, and sped away like a bolt of lightning.

After it, eight identical trucks passed by on the same road and then quickly dispersed in different directions, disappearing into the unknown.

Ten minutes later.

The suburbs.

The night market.

A street-food stall.

Wu Xiaode looked at the refined young man across from him and laughed:

"I stole your flower and interrupted your proposal ceremony, yet you seem to hold no grudge at all?"

"Not at all, not at all," Zhao Junyu adjusted his black-framed glasses and laughed, "I only knew when Sun Mingyue arrived at the scene that she already had a boyfriend."

"Oh? You didn't know before, so you proposed?" Wu Xiaode asked, surprised.

"Ever since I've known her, she has never rejected me, so I was blinded by love. It was lucky you intervened; otherwise, things with Li Zheng might not have ended peacefully," Zhao Junyu said, still pondering the situation from that time.

He was not particularly tall but was excessively thin, like a bamboo pole, giving an impression that a gust of wind could blow him away; yet his demeanor exuded a sense of steady reliability.

The barbecue stall owner came over and asked, "What would you two like to eat?"

"My friend doesn't eat offal, and I don't eat chicken, just bring us everything else," Zhao Junyu said.

The owner nodded and hurried off.

"How did you know I don't eat offal?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"In the era of big data, it's quite simple to buy some information," Zhao Junyu admitted frankly.

Wu Xiaode looked at him, gradually understanding.

This guy's identity was definitely not ordinary.

Civilians couldn't casually access someone else's information; these details were protected by privacy agreements adhered to by the entire society.

The events of that evening were not simple.

It even seemed like some people had intricately planned it.

Otherwise, why would Zhao Junyu's life be in danger?

Zhao Junyu opened a beer, poured a cup for Wu Xiaode, and said earnestly, "Brother, thanks for helping me once. I won't make such impulsive decisions anymore."

"You don't have to be polite; you just helped me out as well." Wu Xiaode clinked glasses with him.

The two men finished their drinks in one gulp.

Zhao Junyu put down his glass and continued explaining his previous behavior, "My family used to have quite a few businesses, but they've declined significantly now. We just barely maintain some dignity. My family has strict control over me, so I was under a lot of pressure and decided to escape the attendants my family assigned to me, leading to that crazy act."

"I think it's quite brave, at least I wouldn't dare to do that," Wu Xiaode said.

"But you dared to give flowers to a man."

"I bet you would dare too."

The two laughed together, feeling their distance had significantly closed.

Zhao Junyu thought for a moment and asked, "Do you need any help from me?"

"Well... I do have something I want to ask you about," Wu Xiaode said.

"Feel free to ask," Zhao Junyu replied.

"About the fire tonight, how much do you know?" Wu Xiaode asked.

Zhao Junyu's smile gradually faded, and he looked into his eyes and said, "This matter is related to Xia Huilan, I am still investigating, but the specifics are not yet clear."

"I really don't understand, what good does it do to kill a poor student like me?" Wu Xiaode said.

"To crush Xia Huilan's psychological defenses, to force her to comply," Zhao Junyu said indifferently.

"Just for the technology in Sister Lan's hands?" Wu Xiaode found it hard to believe.

"That's quite normal."

"Normal?"

"Some people don't reach high positions by relying on benevolence and morality; they like to handle things cleanly—that's their style," Zhao Junyu explained.

—Everyone dead, then it's clean.

Wu Xiaode sighed, feeling somewhat stifled.

"Do you know where she is?" he asked.

"Since you've been involved, it proves that she hasn't been found yet," Zhao Junyu said.

"Makes sense," Wu Xiaode said.

Zhao Junyu probed, "Do you like her?"

"We grew up together," Wu Xiaode replied.

"It's probably not that simple."

"Some years I had no food to eat, she gave me food."

Zhao Junyu thought for a moment, filled up Wu Xiaode's glass and said warmly, "A brother who acknowledges kindness and dares to stand up in a crisis, that's very good, indeed very good."

The two shared a drink.

Slowly, the barbecue arrived, and the two ate and chatted.

"You don't often eat barbecue?" Wu Xiaode asked, observing his manner.

"Yes, my family is quite strict; I rarely eat such unhealthy food," Zhao Junyu replied.

"Then what do you normally eat?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"Things that nourish the body, because I was born weak and can't practice martial arts, I tire easily, needing some things to sustain my energy."

Wu Xiaode thought for a while and said, "You could come and learn Iron Wire Fist with me."

This boxing was taught by the other's ancestors, who had instructed him to look after him before leaving; since it was so, helping him wasn't asking too much.

Zhao Junyu's face brightened with a smile when he heard this.

He stood up, assumed a stance next to the barbecue stand, and executed a set of moves like flowing clouds and water.

"So, you know the complete Iron Wire Fist," Wu Xiaode remarked with a nod.

"The art of boxing is easy to acquire, but no matter how proficient one becomes, it's still all show; to truly master it, you must be able to sense Innate Power and harness it—for the skills you displayed on the playground, millions out there couldn't achieve that," Zhao Junyu stated.

Wu Xiaode understood.

Innate Power—

That must be Soul Power.

With Soul Power, the power of the boxing technique instantly multiplied by dozens times.

The moment he acquired Soul Power, his physical qualities tripled, and then, using Soul Power to perform Iron Wire Fist, his body's channels opened and his bones resonated, boosting his physical strength to five times as much!

Soul Power is the foundation of all powers!

Suddenly.

Both their phones vibrated.

A message appeared: "Attention, citywide search for arsonist and murder suspect Wu Xiaode, details as follows…"

Zhao Junyu glanced at it, said indifferently, "Brother, I could have intervened to settle this matter for you, but the situation lately is not good, and I too am in danger, can you understand?"

"I understand," Wu Xiaode replied.

Zhao Junyu placed a purple card and a clown mask on the table.

"The black market is in Wei Zun Bar on Rainbow Street; the bar is featuring a masquerade this month, accommodating all sorts of people—you can enter through the back door and buy goods from the underground world with this card."

"Go there, change your identity, and when Xia Huilan is found, the heat will blow over and you will be safe."

Wu Xiaode glanced at Zhao Junyu and asked in surprise, "Someone like you, why would you make a public declaration of love?"

Zhao Junyu turned his face away and said, "Ashamed, ashamed, let's not mention it."

Wu Xiaode pocketed the card and looked at the clown mask.

"It seems like the powerful characters all wear masks; won't I stand out too much?" he muttered to himself.

"Not really, it's a masquerade you know, the more extravagant the better," Zhao Junyu explained.

Wu Xiaode then put on the clown mask and suddenly said, "Zhao Junyu, you really didn't have to do all this for me."

"Making a friend—let's hang out and drink sometime, shall we?" Zhao Junyu said with a smile.

"My surname is Wu, friends call me Little Wu; you can too," Wu Xiaode stood and said.

Zhao Junyu also got up and raised his glass, "The round trip will take about an hour; I'll wait here for you."

"No need to wait, I have things to do," Wu Xiaode replied.

"Alright, I'll have someone send you off," Zhao Junyu said.

A figure in black already had the car started.

Zhao Junyu stood in the stall watching.

The car sped away.

A few breaths later, Zhao Junyu sat down again, refilled his beer, picked up a disposable plastic cup, raised it to the moon in the sky and said:

"As a martial artist, to have such resolve, it's quite rare, quite rare, such a pity."

"Young master, what are you talking about? I don't understand," the barbecue stall owner asked.

"He won't come back," Zhao Junyu replied.

"Young master waited here for him, and he didn't return?"

"Don't be angry, he's going to save a friend—I completely don't know how he plans to manage that."

"That is indeed a pity... Shall we pack up and leave now?"

"Let's wait an hour, as I said, we must do as said," Zhao Junyu instructed.

Zhao Junyu raised his glass and drank it down.