Xiang Ri feigned indifference, walking slowly forward as if nothing were amiss. The tall foreign tourist, clearly aware of his presence, briefly paused before resuming his natural expression, though his left hand had already slipped into his jacket pocket.
Xiang Ri noted this dangerous signal with a jolt, realizing that the distance between him and the foreigner was a little too great. Before he could close the gap, the man could easily retreat behind the people he had entered the elevator with or even take them hostage, a situation highly unfavorable for him.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Xiang Ri's mind. His eyes lit up as he unexpectedly stretched his arms toward the left front of the foreign tourist, toward a girl in sunglasses, exclaiming, "Darling, why are you only coming out now?"
The foreign tourist, already tense, instinctively prepared for action. However, upon seeing that Xiang Ri's attention was not on him but rather on the girl, his movements ceased, and his expression shifted to one of slight relief.
He was certain that he had given no indication of his intentions. Though he had been momentarily unsettled by the arrival of his target, it now seemed he had overthought things. The young man was likely there simply to meet his girlfriend.
The girl in sunglasses was equally taken aback by the sudden move, remaining frozen for a moment as she was enveloped in his embrace. When she regained her senses and was about to push him away, a faint voice, almost imperceptible, whispered in her ear: "Miss, I am an Interpol officer. Please cooperate; there is a terrorist here!"
Her hands froze. At first, she thought he had recognized her identity and was using this tactic to approach her. But soon, she reconsidered. She had come so secretly that even her manager wasn't informed, so there was little chance she had been followed. Furthermore, even if someone were to approach her under false pretenses, they wouldn't use such a childish method. Could it be that there really was a terrorist?
Realizing this, her arms instinctively draped over Xiang Ri's shoulders. With her innate acting skills, she played along effortlessly. Yet, she couldn't help but feel a touch of regret—this was the first time she had such intimate contact with a man, and she hadn't even had the chance to see what he looked like before he'd pounced on her. It was a little frustrating.
Unaware of the complex thoughts running through the girl's mind, Xiang Ri continued his charade, inwardly pleased that she was cooperating. The softness of her chest was certainly enticing, and he couldn't help but feel momentarily distracted.
To the casual observer, the embrace seemed like the passionate reunion of long-separated lovers, and no one would question that they were anything but a couple, despite being complete strangers.
At least, the secretary of a certain company seemed to confirm her suspicions. She scoffed disdainfully, casting her gaze elsewhere, clearly uninterested in the display of passion.
Meanwhile, the long-haired man beside her was all smiles, looking at the scene with apparent delight, as if he had just witnessed a beautiful woman throw herself into someone's arms. He beamed with smug satisfaction.
In his view, the secretary's scoff was clearly meant for the weak young man. "He deserves it," the man thought. "He has such a gorgeous woman and still goes after other women. How foolish can he be? And to do it right in front of her eyes! Let's see how he explains that!"
When Xiang Ri saw the foreign tourist relax his hand from his jacket pocket, he exhaled in relief, knowing he had successfully misled him. Yet, he remained vigilant. While his eyes were focused on the girl in sunglasses, his peripheral vision never left the terrorist sniper.
Every movement of the foreign tourist was being closely monitored by him. Now, the foreigner was walking closer and closer, heading right toward him.
"Excuse me, sir, could you wait a moment?" Xiang Ri called out just as the foreign tourist passed by him.
"Are you talking to me?" The foreign tourist's body tensed, and he quickly turned around, his hand subtly reaching for his usual concealed weapon.
"Yes, I'd like to ask you something," Xiang Ri replied with a faint smile. Without warning, his foot shot out and kicked the foreign tourist, sending him flying just as the man was about to slip his hand into his jacket pocket.
With a thud, the foreign tourist crashed onto the red carpet, blood spurting from his mouth as it stained the floor, deepening the carpet's hue. His body crumpled, lying prone, blood mixed with foam gushing from his mouth.
Onlookers, stunned by this sudden turn of events, stood frozen. What had seemed like an ordinary couple turned dangerous when the young man had attacked the foreign tourist, kicking him to the ground. The foreigner's grotesque, blood-spitting appearance suggested he was severely injured.
Fang Yingying covered her mouth in astonishment, utterly bewildered by the turn of events. In truth, she hadn't been paying attention to the situation earlier. It was only after hearing the loud commotion that she turned around, only to find the tall foreigner lying on the ground, blood pouring from his mouth.
The man she had thought of as a charming playboy was now standing over the fallen foreigner, his foot on his chest, muttering something indistinctly, possibly in French. Unfortunately, her grasp of the language was limited to a few basic phrases, and she couldn't comprehend the rest.
The long-haired man stared in disbelief, his eyes widening at the sight before him. The man who had been so affectionate just moments ago had now unexpectedly knocked down the foreigner. What had happened? Had the foreigner said something inappropriate as he passed by, provoking the slender young man to lash out in a fit of rage?
President Wang squinted slightly, though he, too, was taken aback. His thoughts, however, were focused on a different matter. The young man, who appeared far from imposing—perhaps not even reaching 5'10"—had just taken down a foreigner several inches taller and as muscular as an Arctic bear. To inflict such damage, to strike with such force—how was that even possible?
Even his old high school classmate, a taekwondo master who often boasted of being able to defeat seven or eight men with ease, wouldn't have been able to do that. No, scratch that—he absolutely would not have been able to. This realization led President Wang to classify the seemingly harmless, disabled young man as a potential threat. He began to wonder whether he should abandon his pursuit of a certain woman.
The girl in sunglasses also covered her mouth in surprise. However, her shock was not due to the foreign tourist being knocked down, but rather because the man who claimed to be an "Interpol officer" was someone she knew—and someone she held in deep contempt.
Unaware of the shift in the girl's perception, Xiang Ri continued his questioning of the terrifying sniper. Afterward, he grabbed the foreigner's abandoned travel bag, preparing to open it.
An angry shriek interrupted his actions: "Please stop, sir!" Several burly men in uniform, led by a female office worker, rushed toward him in haste.
"Hmm?" Xiang Ri turned his gaze toward the receptionist who had accompanied him earlier.
"Sir, though I'm not aware of your personal conflict with this foreign gentleman, causing a disturbance in our company is absolutely unacceptable. Please hand over the bag you are holding. If I remember correctly, that does not belong to you. As guests of our company, it is our duty to protect their personal belongings. By the way, I've already called the police. If you cooperate, I'll speak on your behalf when they arrive. It won't be a bad thing for you."
"Stop," Xiang Ri interrupted the receptionist's relentless speech. He realized a grave issue: these people had no idea the foreign tourist was a deadly terrorist. To them, his actions must have seemed completely unjustified. So, he quickly added, "Miss, please don't misunderstand. I'm actually a police officer."
"A police officer?" The receptionist looked at him skeptically. She couldn't believe that this young man, whose right hand was wrapped in thick bandages, could possibly be a policeman. If anything, he looked more like a thief—why else would he be robbing a foreign tourist's bag?
"Of course! Didn't you report to the police? If you don't believe me, just wait for the real officers to arrive. You'll see for yourself," Xiang Ri replied calmly. With a police chief's wife backing him, he wasn't afraid of his story being exposed.
Seeing his calm demeanor, the receptionist began to feel uncertain. If he knew she had called the police and still seemed so composed, it was clear he had something to rely on.
"But—" The receptionist began to speak again, but Xiang Ri cut her off.
"You want to ask why I did this, right? Let me explain. This man is a terrorist. Just a moment ago, he killed dozens of people. And I'm here to apprehend him," Xiang Ri said, pointing to the foreigner on the floor, exaggerating the situation.
"Sir, can't you come up with a better excuse?" The receptionist, hearing his words, was now more at ease. After all, dozens of people killed? If she believed that, she might as well be a fool.
"You don't believe me?" Xiang Ri asked, raising an eyebrow.
The receptionist didn't respond, but her expression clearly conveyed that she didn't just doubt him—she completely disbelieved him.
"Then wait. I'll show you proof," Xiang Ri said, and without further hesitation, reached for the foreign tourist's jacket pocket.