In the early morning, within the office of the head of the Northeast division at Wan Dou Tong, a storm of fury erupted.
"What?!"
"You're telling me that not only did you fail to bring the person back, but you also allowed them to steal all the money?!"
"Is this how a veteran employee behaves?!"
"Uh... that kid is a repeat offender! Absolutely a habitual criminal! I..." The burly man who had led the effort to capture Liu Xiaojing last night, only to be knocked unconscious by a single punch, stood in front of the desk, his head lowered in a moment of extreme embarrassment.
"Enough, Old Liu, your bonus for this month is deducted," a taller middle-aged man seated at the desk declared, his face still tinged with lingering irritation and helplessness, unceremoniously stripping Old Liu of his monthly bonus.
"Old Gao, what is this? Can't we talk this through? My daughter just enrolled in a piano class this month. If you deduct my bonus, how am I supposed to..."
"Shut it!" Gao Lian snapped, unable to restrain himself. Rubbing his temples, his voice seethed with frustration. "Old Liu, the person was just a young man, and you don't even know where he came from? One person, and you let him scare all of you to the point where not a single one of you dared to act?"
"Honestly, I... I don't know," Old Liu admitted, recalling Liu Xiaojing from the previous night, a chill running through him. "That kid was just too bizarre. Not just me—none of our skills had any effect in front of him."
"Is this really external martial arts?" Gao Lian furrowed his brow. "What kind of external martial arts could reach such a level? And from a nameless young man, no less? What about his weak points? Doesn't every style have areas that are vulnerable? Why didn't you all just focus on those?"
"...There was no chance. And his weak points aren't easy to find," Old Liu said with a bitter smile.
Gao Lian pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes to meet Old Liu's gaze, his expression serious. "Old Liu, are you sure it's really external martial arts? And if so, which school does it belong to... can you confirm?"
Old Liu fell into deep thought, and after a long pause, he shook his head. "Old Gao, after all these years of friendship, I won't lie to you. At first, I thought he practiced something like the Golden Bell Shield, because he didn't seem very muscular."
"But upon reflection, even a technique like the Golden Bell Shield, which condenses energy on the surface of the body, would still require the cultivation of bones and muscles. Even if it's not at the level of our Chai-style external training, he shouldn't appear so frail."
"Innate abilities? Or..." Gao Lian didn't continue his thought.
Despite Gao Lian's unsaid words, Old Liu, with years of shared understanding, immediately grasped his meaning and replied solemnly, "Innate abilities are indeed a strong possibility. If it were innate power, the number of years spent cultivating would be less relevant, and a young person might still possess tremendous strength."
"As for other possibilities... I can only say that they're quite unlikely. You know as well as I do, in the history of modern extraordinary individuals, only those eight have ever developed such supernatural abilities."
Gao Lian nodded slowly. "I understand. For now, let's set this matter aside. When the higher-ups hear the full story, although they may not approve of this young man's excessive actions, they will not lay too much blame."
"As for the capture... it seems this task should be entrusted to more capable hands."
"Huh? Why?" Old Liu asked, his skepticism apparent. While he had previously reassured that the higher-ups wouldn't overreact, he had only based that on personal assumptions. After all, the higher-ups always took extraordinary individuals harming ordinary people very seriously. For an extraordinary person to hurt an ordinary person, it was often a grave offense.
Liu Xiaojing's situation—killing someone while trying to save another—wasn't the first of its kind. Though past judgments had generally stopped short of the death penalty, they were still harsh.
Gao Lian cast an exasperated glance at Old Liu. "What else could it be? Have you forgotten who the person he saved was? The daughter of a business magnate, with strong ties to the Ten Lords. People like that have bodyguards who carry firearms. What's the big deal if a thug, who was no saint, ends up dead?"
"Think about it—if that young lady had been accompanied by bodyguards that day, and the thug still foolishly provoked her... do you think he would have come out of it unscathed?"
"Ah, I see." Old Liu suddenly slapped his forehead in realization. "Their family has been a great help to the higher-ups. Compared to such a family, what's one small-time thug?"
"By the way, Old Gao, does that mean my bonus for this month is...?"
"Deducted."
"You!" Old Liu sputtered in disbelief. "We've been robbed, and now you're deducting my bonus because of this?! I... I'll file for labor arbitration!"
"Oh? In that case, I'll just delay your salary for next month as well," Gao Lian replied, unfazed. "Anything else?"
"I was wrong, Old Gao!" Old Liu hastily backpedaled.
"Good. Now get out."
"...."
After Old Liu left the office looking thoroughly defeated, Gao Lian pulled out his phone and glanced at a message from his daughter. The more he read, the more his brow furrowed.
"Liu Xiaojing..."
"An extraordinary individual who doesn't even understand the rules? Could such a person really exist? And what about the memory confusion he mentioned?"
[Unclear, but he hasn't lied, nor is there any reason for him to lie. He didn't kill Old Liu and the others—doesn't that speak for itself? (laughs)]
"But..."
[He's upright, strong, and yet without an identity. He's the very kind of person we've been searching for. (smirks)]
"Why do you trust him so much? Just based on one simple conversation?"
[Yes. (playful)]
"Someone who knows nothing but still possesses such strength, and hasn't used it for evil—doesn't that make him worthy of trust? (teasing)]
"Are you sure about this?"
[Let's give it a try. After all, he has no identity and will eventually be cornered. We're his best option for now. (wicked smile)]
"His power needs to be investigated."
[Indeed, but once he joins us, won't it be easier to investigate? (wicked smile)]
"Erzhuang, why do I feel like you're always defending him?"
[Dad! What nonsense are you talking? I just don't want to see him go down the wrong path! (annoyed)]
"Heh, young girls never have good intentions without a reason. Are you attracted to his looks?"
[...I can't deny it, he's quite handsome. He's my type. (blushing)]
"If you hadn't gone through what you did, it would have been time to find a good match for you. Sigh..."
[It's fine, I'm living well now. As for love and relationships, it's just not meant to be. But I'm not upset! I still have my family! (strong)]
"Erzhuang, thank you for being my daughter."
[Ugh! Why so sentimental all of a sudden? (frowning)]
"Alright, then. I'll leave Liu Xiaojing in your hands for now. If we can make him an asset to the Gao family, he will surely be of great help in the future."
[Understood! (salutes)]