Cao Heping’s desperation grew as he attempted to negotiate with Li Chen in a final, futile attempt. "Listen, you are very good at this. How about you become my man? I’ll pay you tons of money, and I’ll forget all of this."

Li Chen’s expression remained unyielding, and he refused to entertain Cao Heping’s offer. He steadily closed the gap between them without a word, a silent promise of retribution emanating from his unwavering determination.

As Cao Heping continued to plead, Li Chen’s response was swift and merciless. In an instant, he unleashed a ruthless punch aimed directly at Cao Heping’s chest. The impact was a sickening crunch of breaking bones and shattered ribs. A surge of agonizing pain coursed through Cao Heping’s body as he felt an unknown energy penetrate his chest, wreaking havoc on his internal organs.

Gasping for air and writhing in excruciating pain, Cao Heping clutched his chest in a futile attempt to alleviate the torment. His attempts to speak were rendered futile as the relentless pain overwhelmed him. Struggling for his last breaths, he lost his battle against the unrelenting force that was consuming him from within.

With a final, hollow thud, Cao Heping collapsed to the floor, his life extinguished. His last vision was of Li Chen’s cold, unyielding eyes, which had been the instrument of his downfall.

Li Chen stood over his fallen adversary, the stern resolve etched on his face. Cao Heping’s reign of terror had come to a deadly end, and justice had been served.

Cao Heping’s right-hand man could only watch in helpless despair as his boss met his demise right before his eyes. The sight of Cao Heping’s life slipping away, along with his own powerlessness to prevent it, left an indelible mark of shock and horror.

Li Chen emerged from the room where the showdown had occurred, his features revealing the unwavering determination that had propelled him through the intense battle. He swiftly made his way to the room where Zhang Mei was held captive, her relief palpable upon seeing him.

Zhang Mei, her emotions a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty, stammered, "Li Chen, you’re back. I thought... I thought..."

Li Chen reassured her with a firm and gentle tone, "Don’t worry." His eyes scanned the room and soon located the handcuff keys. Without hesitation, he began to unshackle Zhang Mei, her expression softening with gratitude and relief. She couldn’t help but feel a flutter of shyness as Li Chen, strong and unwavering, carried her in a bridal style.

Despite her fear, the chivalry of his actions and the protectiveness he exuded had a soothing effect on her. Li Chen paid no mind to her blush, his focus entirely on ensuring her safety. With Zhang Mei in his arms, he exited the building and headed directly to his waiting car parked outside.

When they reached the car, Xu Zhonhao was already waiting in the car, his worry was evident. He expressed, "I almost called the police." Li Chen, clearly worn from the ordeal, replied curtly, "Take us home."

Xu Zhonhao started the engine and drove them back to their place at a steady pace, the approaching darkness casting a shroud over the city. As they reached home, the three of them stepped out of the car, Li Chen carrying Zhang Mei in his arms once more.

Xu Zhonhao couldn’t resist a playful jab, saying, "Hey, show some respect to me, please." Zhang Mei blushed even deeper as she urged, "Li Chen, I can walk. You can put me down."

Li Chen remained silent, taking the lead as he pushed open the front door with his foot. Inside, Tang Ziyi was already waiting, and he looked up, momentarily startled when he saw Li Chen carrying Zhang Mei, thinking that she might have been injured. Tang Ziyi hurried to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water, while Zhang Mei assured him, "I’m okay. Don’t worry."

Tang Ziyi returned with a glass of water, concern etched on his face as he asked, "Are you sure you’re okay? Did they hurt you?"

Zhang Mei smiled faintly and replied, "I’m fine, don’t worry."

The atmosphere in the room remained somber as they all sat in silence, not knowing how to ease Zhang Mei’s distress. Li Chen took out his phone and ordered dinner, a simple act to break the silence. None of them wanted to disturb Zhang Mei during this time.

Zhang Mei, feeling the need to freshen up, stood up and said, "I need a bath. Call me when dinner arrives."

Li Chen nodded and replied, "Sure, take your time."

As Zhang Mei left the room, Tang Ziyi, who was a young man, decided to ask Li Chen about what had been weighing on his mind. He inquired, "So, what happened? Did you call the police to help?"

Li Chen, hesitant to reveal the full truth, replied, "I negotiated with him."

Tang Ziyi was left puzzled by his response. He probed further, "Negotiated? What did he want?"

Li Chen offered a vague answer, saying, "Something I could give, and I did." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Xu Zhonhao, on the other hand, decided it was time to leave. He said to Li Chen, "I have to go."

Li Chen, considering the circumstances, urged him to stay, saying, "I’ve already ordered dinner for all of us. Stay and have dinner before leaving."

Xu Zhonhao contemplated the offer for a moment, then agreed to stay for dinner.

The three men sat in the living room, each immersed in their own thoughts. Tang Ziyi couldn’t shake the feeling that Li Chen was hiding something from him, but he decided not to pry too much into his friend’s business. Xu Zhonhao, however, had witnessed the entire ordeal and was struggling to come to terms with what he had seen. He knew he had a duty to report this incident to his superior.

Inside Li Chen’s mind, an internal struggle was taking place. He voiced his concerns to God of War, saying, "You shouldn’t have killed him."

God of War, unapologetic, responded, "Have you considered that this wasn’t his first offense?"

Li Chen, still reeling from the shock of the situation, argued, "We could have just called the police."

God of War, resolute, explained, "Like I said, you’re too soft. This was your first kill, and with what’s coming, there will be more. You should also start teaching that woman self-defense."

Li Chen was uncertain, but he reluctantly accepted, "Fine."

God of War continued, "Good. Get used to it because there are enemies you’ll have to eliminate to ensure your freedom. Do you understand?"

Li Chen reluctantly replied, "Sure."

Their discussion weighed heavily on Li Chen’s mind, as the events of the day had taken an unexpected turn, leaving him with much to contemplate.

The food delivery arrived promptly, and as they gathered around the dining table, a sense of normalcy settled in. Tang Ziyi knocked on Zhang Mei’s door, inviting her to join them for dinner, and she obliged. They shared their meal peacefully, careful not to bring up the traumatic events of the day, wanting to allow Zhang Mei some respite.

After dinner, Li Chen gently suggested that Zhang Mei see a doctor the following day, but she insisted she was fine. He didn’t press the issue, respecting her decision. Xu Zhonhao then offered to drop Tang Ziyi off at his place using Li Chen’s car, which Li Chen approved.

Once they reached the 6th district and Tang Ziyi got out of the car, Xu Zhonhao swiftly took out his phone and made a discreet call. The person on the other end inquired, "What is it?"

Xu Zhonhao explained in detail what had transpired at the warehouse and what he had witnessed. The person on the line listened intently, absorbing every detail. After Xu Zhonhao finished recounting the events, they both hung up.

The person Xu Zhonhao had called immediately contacted their superior and relayed the information, saying, "Ma’am, Li Chen killed someone today."

The woman on the other end of the line responded, "Oh my. Things have changed now. Thank you for letting me know."

Unbeknownst to Li Chen, the consequences of the day’s events were beginning to unfurl, setting in motion a chain of events that would have a lasting impact.