On the fourth floor, James froze momentarily upon hearing the thunderous explosion. At first, he thought one of his subordinates had fired without orders, but reports from his men revealed that even they were unsure of what had occurred. Unwilling to take chances, he immediately commanded an attack.
Although the master had instructed them to capture the targets alive if possible, such considerations were now irrelevant. If they couldn't take them alive, they were to ensure their total elimination—those were the master's exact words.
"Boom!" "Boom!" Two brilliant flashes of fire erupted in the distance, hitting the third-floor hallway. One shell even penetrated the window, landing inside the room.
A deafening roar followed as the hallway on the third floor was engulfed in flames. The walls collapsed, and the upper floors came crashing down.
"Retreat!" James, glancing at the room now reduced to rubble, decided to flee before the police, drawn by the immense explosion, could arrive.
Just then, the sound of police sirens echoed in the distance.
"We almost died!" Tie Wan exclaimed, her face pale as she stared at the collapsed building behind them. If not for Xiang Ri smashing through the wall at the critical moment, leading them through the adjacent room and crawling along the corridor's waist-high concrete railing, their remains would now be buried in the rubble.
"Barely scraped by with our lives," Xiang Ri said through gritted teeth. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't felt the pain, but now, with the danger passed and his body relaxing, waves of searing pain radiated from his fractured fingers.
"What… what happened to you?" Tie Wan noticed his bloodied wounds and rushed to his side in panic.
"Just a few broken fingers. A hospital visit will fix it," Xiang Ri said lightly, but his nonchalant tone didn't ease Tie Wan's worry. Lifting his arm gently, she saw his hand, mangled and bloody, with white bone starkly visible beneath. Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"Why are you crying? It's not like I'm crippled. Don't worry, I'll be fine in a few days." Xiang Ri pulled his hand away and used his other to wipe the tears from her face.
"No! We need to get to a hospital immediately!" Tie Wan's voice was firm, as if she had forgotten the dangers still lurking outside.
"Can we even make it out? Those people might still be out there. Listen… what's that sound?" Xiang Ri suddenly tensed and cursed under his breath, "Finally, the police have arrived."
The wailing sirens around them brought visible relief to the women nearby. Tie Wan, however, grabbed Xiang Ri in a rush. "We need to go now!"
"Wait. Those bastards might not have left yet," Xiang Ri said, holding her in place, his caution overriding the fleeting joy.
"I think they're gone," a blonde woman interjected suddenly.
"Hm?" Xiang Ri looked at her, puzzled.
"After all, going against a nation is sheer folly. And James and his men likely believe we're already dead," she said, her gaze growing intense. "Who would imagine someone could punch through a wall that thick and lead us to safety?"
Her words reminded the group of Xiang Ri's astonishing feat. Their initial numbness, born of fear and adrenaline, gave way to incredulous stares as they regarded him as if he were a mythical beast. His frail-looking body had concealed a monstrous strength that defied all logic. He had broken through a solid wall with just three punches.
The Black female bodyguard, her thoughts the most conflicted of all, glanced at the intact wall nearby. It was identical to the one Xiang Ri had destroyed—a solid structure made of dense red bricks, encased in thick cement, and reinforced with steel bars. Such a wall was supposed to be impervious to human force, yet this seemingly ordinary man had shattered it barehanded.
Was he even human? The thought of the three mutilated corpses in the room sent a shiver down her spine. She recalled how she had once threatened him with a gun. If a conflict had broken out and he'd turned out to be a cold-blooded killer, none of them would have survived. Even Her Majesty might not have… The bodyguard couldn't finish the thought, instinctively moving farther away from the "monster" she now feared.
Xiang Ri smiled wryly, rubbing his nose. He was well aware of their changed perceptions. His earlier display had been excessive, and their reactions were understandable.
Tie Wan, however, was unbothered. After a moment of astonishment, she returned her focus to his injured hand. Her tone, though, lacked its previous tenderness. "Go to the hospital. Now!"
"Alright…"
The injuries were not limited to one person; several female bodyguards were also hurt. Although their wounds had been temporarily treated, significant blood loss left them in a precarious state. Without immediate medical attention, their lives could genuinely be in jeopardy.
The police arrived in force, with over twenty vehicles, including two white ambulances. Even heavy weaponry, rarely deployed, was issued to every officer. However, by the time they reached the scene, the battle was already over.
Wan Biao felt the world spinning around him as his gaze landed on the collapsed building. His heart pounded so violently that he nearly fainted. Fortunately, Xiang Ri emerged with the others in time to dispel his thoughts of swallowing a bullet in despair.
Seeing that two highly significant "figures" were unharmed, Wan Biao heaved a sigh of relief. His initial nervousness evaporated, replaced by a newfound vigor. He began loudly commanding the officers to pursue the "terrorists," who had already vanished without a trace, while instructing a few female officers to attend to the injured.
Yet, his flattering initiative thoroughly irked a certain female officer. Casting a sharp glare at the young, attractive policewomen, she said nothing but dragged Xiang Ri into one of the ambulances.
Wan Biao instantly realized his blunder and wished he could slap himself. Assigning female officers to care for the female bodyguards was reasonable—having male officers do so would have been awkward. However, he had overlooked one critical injured party—a man who happened to be the fiancé of his superior.
What he had initially thought would be a career-defining moment—rescuing two high-profile hostages from "terrorists"—suddenly turned into a potential disaster. Offending one of the key "figures" at such a crucial juncture likely dashed any hopes of a promotion. The middle-aged officer, already in his forties, felt the white hairs on his head multiply.
After careful and meticulous treatment, Xiang Ri's right hand was wrapped in thick layers of gauze, resembling an oversized white bear paw—both imposing and oddly fitting.
The doctors recommended that he remain in the hospital for observation to address any complications promptly. However, the mere scent of disinfectant in the hospital made Xiang Ri nauseous, and he adamantly refused to stay, citing other matters on his mind.
Unable to sway him, Tie Wan reluctantly agreed to his suggestion and took him home.
At the moment, Xiang Ri was seated in a black Audi, requisitioned by the female officer from who-knows-where. Taking advantage of the proximity, he frequently used his "injured hand" as an excuse to exploit her sympathy, occasionally placing his uninjured hand on her under the pretense of "pain relief."
Tie Wan felt both exasperated and amused. This man, even in his current state, couldn't resist taking liberties. His incorrigible behavior left her shaking her head. She refrained from scolding him for now, as she was driving, and his excuses, annoyingly, had managed to soften her heart.
Still, Tie Wan knew she couldn't let him get too bold, or he might push his luck even further—perhaps even right here in the car…
Having composed her thoughts, she suddenly asked, feigning casualness, "Xiang Kui, that incident at Villa 68 in the Zhenlong District—was that your handiwork?"
Xiang Ri's hand, which had been reaching for the officer again, froze mid-air. With a wry smile, he replied, "Must you always be so astute? Sometimes, can't you just let it slide?" Realizing there was no fooling her, especially after what had just happened, he had no choice but to confess.