Crouching down, Li Nianlong picked up a beef bun from the tray and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously, washing it down with sips of the cold egg soup whenever he felt like choking. Neither the buns nor the soup tasted particularly good due to their cooled state, but to Li Nianlong, this was the most delicious meal he had ever had.
Six beef buns and a bowl of egg soup later, all were consumed by Li Nianlong. While a full stomach often leads to amorous thoughts, for Li Nianlong, it stirred feelings of tenderness. He gazed at the girl beside him, her delicate features tinged with faint sorrow, the chill of the night causing her body to curl up tightly.
"Silly girl." He gently caressed Nalan Ruyue's cheek, finding it a bit chilly. His heart swelled with even more affection. Carefully, he lifted her curled-up form and carried her as gently as possible to the second floor, taking her into her bedroom.
Using his night vision ability, he laid her on the bed, removed her slippers, and instinctively reached to undo her clothing, but halfway through, he stopped, shook his head lightly, and instead pulled a blanket over her. Looking at the sleeping beauty, her exquisite face marred by slightly furrowed brows, as if worrying about someone.
Li Nianlong's heart warmed further with emotion. He raised his hand to smooth out her worried brows, smiling when they relaxed. He gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Goodnight, Ruyue."
Perhaps sensing something, a smile gradually formed on Nalan Ruyue's lips, erasing her earlier worries.
...
In the early morning, Li Nianlong donned his night attire and embarked on his hunt for the first time in three days.
The police department had dispatched over a hundred officers to capture Kung Fu Panda, spending two days in vain, feeding mosquitoes, only for Kung Fu Panda to vanish without a trace. With a day of rain on the third day, Liu Bucun decided against continuing the operation that night, fearing discontent among the officers. However, at four in the morning, while cuddling with his wife, Liu Bucun received a call from one of his officers: "Chief Liu, bad news. The Tiger Gang has been massacred by Kung Fu Panda."
"What!?" Liu Bucun suddenly sat up. "Are you sure it was Kung Fu Panda?"
"Well... According to survivors, the murderer wore a tiger mask, but the modus operandi clearly points to Kung Fu Panda."
"For heaven's sake! Kung Fu Panda, are you toying with me?!" Liu Bucun was furious. "Secure the scene, I'm on my way."
"Yes, sir."
Liu Bucun hastily got dressed. His wife, with bleary eyes, yawned, "Old Liu, it's still dark outside! Where are you going?"
Liu Bucun's wife was an old, ugly, and fat woman, but her identity was not simple; she was a direct third-generation blood relative of Old Patriarch Liu. Liu Bucun's climb to his current position was inseparable from her secret assistance. In short, Liu Bucun had risen to power by his wife's influence, which also made him somewhat insecure at home, especially in front of her.
"There's an urgent case, I need to handle it. Go back to sleep!" He answered hurriedly despite his urgency.
His wife grumbled, "Another case? Hurry along then! Don't disturb my sleep."
Liu Bucun left without a word, dressing quickly and rushing out of the house.
Shortly afterward, Liu Bucun arrived at the crime scene, where a police officer promptly greeted him, "Chief Liu."
"How's the situation?" Liu Bucun asked with a grim expression.
"Twenty-six dead, thirty-five injured, eighteen crippled, and two had their... well, you know," the officer said, lowering his voice afterward, "All the deceased were notorious for their evil deeds, and those injured or crippled have committed crimes of varying severity. The ones who suffered that particular injury had multiple rape cases under their belts. It seems Kung Fu Panda has an uncanny grasp of these individuals' crimes, Chief Liu, what do you think..."
"Are you suggesting Kung Fu Panda has an intelligence source?" Liu Bucun asked, his face serious.
"I can't confirm it, but the possibility is high," the officer continued in a whisper, "Chief Liu, since Kung Fu Panda appeared, they've only punished the worst criminals, ones our police force couldn't deal with swiftly. From a societal stability perspective, Kung Fu Panda's existence has a very positive impact."
These words furrowed Liu Bucun's brow, and he stated sternly, "I maintain my stance: apprehending criminals is our duty as police. Kung Fu Panda, thinking they're acting heroically, is actually trampling on our Chinese law. This trend cannot be allowed to grow, and such crimes must not go unpunished!"
"Yes, sir!" The officer acquiesced outwardly but remained unconvinced inwardly.
To be honest, apart from Liu Bucun, almost all the other police officers harbored favorable sentiments towards Kung Fu Panda. They secretly wished for more such righteous vigilantes, believing that their presence would reduce crime rates and promote social harmony.
It was a situation that should have pleased everyone, yet Liu Bucun was like a stubborn stone in a cesspit—both foul and unyielding. While adhering to principles was commendable, inflexibility was a flaw in a leader.
During the past two days, the plainclothes officers had held considerable resentment towards Kung Fu Panda, but deep down, they were actually glad the vigilante hadn't shown up. Today, they were off duty due to the rain, and Kung Fu Panda made an appearance, almost as if in perfect coordination. They admired the skillful maneuvers of Kung Fu Panda, nearly idolizing them: Oh great Panda deity, accept our… ahem, knees!
At four in the morning, Li Nianlong returned to the villa and continued honing his skills for another two hours on the third floor before showering, changing clothes, and heading downstairs for breakfast.
After yesterday's prolonged training session, the practice at the training ground, and the midnight raid on the Tiger Gang, although Li Nianlong's attributes remained unchanged, his skills and other aspects had undergone significant improvements.
**Li Nianlong**: Level 25 (Experience: 33090/65000)
Strength: 158
Speed: 138
True Qi: 359
Intelligence: 163
Remaining Points: 0
Talent: Auspicious Avoidance: Innately possesses the power to sense fortune and misfortune, easily avoiding danger.
Skills:
- **Random Strikes** (Advanced 6%): A styleless attack that confounds masters, increasing Strength by 30% and Speed by 30% for 30 seconds. No cooldown, each use consumes 20 True Qi.
- **Stealth** (Advanced 48%): Renders user invisible, reducing speed by 30%. 20% chance of remaining undetected upon disturbance. Cooldown: 8 minutes, lasts 3 minutes, costs 80 True Qi per use.
- **Heavenly Guardian** (Intermediate 52%): Surrounds the body with a layer of aura, boosting defense by 200% for 2 minutes. No cooldown, costs 100 True Qi per use.
Money: 7,763,255
Equipment: (Omitted…)
Special Items:
- *Golden Bell Cover* (7th Level)
- *Iron Sand Palm* (9th Level)
- *Traceless Tread* (9th Level)
- *Tiger-Crane Double Form* (9th Level)
- *Diamond Fist* (8th Level)
Life Professions:
- Architect (Grandmaster 78%): Master of building structures up to a hundred floors.
- Pressure Point Specialist (Novice 0%): Relaxes the mind and body or alleviates illnesses through acupressure, akin to a top-tier masseuse.
Permissions: Level 2 – Access to Shop and Training Ground.
The changes in the past day were substantial. Both Random Strikes and Stealth had progressed at different rates within their advanced stages, and Heavenly Guardian had jumped from primary to Intermediate, doubling its effectiveness with a 200% defense boost and a 2-minute duration. Without wearing his Fish Scale Soft Armor, Li Nianlong could now be virtually impervious to blades and bullets.
However, the cost of 100 True Qi per use was exorbitant. With his current True Qi pool, using it thrice would exhaust him completely, making Li Nianlong appreciate the value of True Qi even more and leaving no room for doubt about how to allocate his remaining points.
The rapid skill upgrades were all thanks to the… use of potions, evident from the decrease of over a hundred thousand in his finances. Li Nianlong had spent that much in a single day, highlighting the aggressive spending habits of a cash player.
This morning's operation also yielded two special items: *Tiger-Crane Double Form* (9th Level) and *Diamond Fist* (8th Level).
Judging from the special items Li Nianlong had obtained so far, aside from the *Golden Bell Cover* and *Traceless Tread*, the rest such as *Iron Sand Palm*, *Tiger-Crane Double Form*, and *Diamond Fist* were not exceedingly profound martial arts. Yet, the fact that these techniques were obtained from the bosses or guest elders of gangs indicated that, while not highly advanced, mastering them to a high level could still command respect and fear.
Unfortunately, Li Nianlong had not used any of these manuals despite acquiring them.
This was perhaps the downside of being a lone warrior. If Li Nianlong had ambitions to establish a gang, he could have assembled a powerful group filled with 'boss-level' members in no time. But with his primary focus on enhancing his strength for revenge, he lacked the interest in forming a gang. He didn't even consider the mighty Liu Clan a threat, let alone a mere gang.
Following the rain, Tianfu City was shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland.
On the first floor of the villa, Li Nianlong encountered Nalan Ruyue. Their eyes met, and in that fleeting moment, they understood each other's unspoken thoughts.
Brother, are you alright now?
I'm fine now, thank you, Ruyue.
The events of yesterday had dissipated like smoke.