Game: Civilization Paradise

Vid Fen ordered Ah Xun with a cold smile.

"Ah Xun, go get her!"

"Right!"

Ah Xun immediately gave chase.

"You can’t do this!"

Just as Gu Yi was about to fight back, Vid Fen drove a fist straight into his stomach.

"Ugh!"

Gu Yi crumpled to the ground in agony.

「...」

「In a narrow alley.」

Tao Sisi was running for her life, but she was no match for Ah Xun chasing after her.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

Ah Xun rapidly closed the distance.

Tao Sisi glanced back. Seeing her pursuer about to catch her, her face filled with terror. In her panic, she stepped on a discarded bottle and fell hard to the ground.

"Heh heh, gotcha now!"

Ah Xun approached Tao Sisi with a wicked grin.

"Stay away! Help me!"

Tao Sisi cried out in despair.

"Don’t worry. You can scream your lungs out, but no one’s coming to save you."

Ah Xun said with a lewd smirk.

"Is that so?"

Just then, a figure appeared behind Ah Xun and slammed a fist into the back of his neck.

"Agh!"

Before Ah Xun could even react, his vision went black and he collapsed.

Tao Sisi looked over, stunned. Her savior was a figure in Gen-2 exoskeleton armor, their face obscured.

"Who are you?"

"Tao Sisi, it’s me."

Long Ming reached up, removed his helmet, and replied with a smile.

"Brother Long Ming, you’re not dead!"

Tao Sisi was dumbfounded.

"I’m not dead."

Long Ming replied with a lighthearted laugh.

Just then, Tao Sisi snapped out of it, scrambling to her feet and saying to Long Ming,

"Brother Long Ming, you have to save Gu Yi! He’s been kidnapped."

"Don’t worry, I have a plan."

Long Ming replied with a reassuring smile.

「...」

「Elsewhere.」

Vid Fen and his men were holding Gu Yi, waiting patiently.

"Boss, what’s taking Ah Xun so long? How hard can it be to grab one girl?"

one of his underlings asked impatiently.

Vid Fen frowned. Just as he was about to go check himself...

...he saw Ah Xun approaching with Tao Sisi in his grasp.

"Sisi!"

Gu Yi’s heart sank into despair at the sight.

Tao Sisi just kept her head down silently.

"Let’s go!"

Seeing his prize was secured, Vid Fen gave a wave of his hand and led them away.

Long Ming, holding Tao Sisi, brought up the rear.

Suddenly, without warning, he lunged forward and delivered two powerful strikes to the back of the necks of the two kidnappers in front of him.

"Agh!"

The two kidnappers collapsed on the spot.

Gu Yi was completely dumbfounded.

Seeing her chance, Tao Sisi quickly pulled Gu Yi aside.

Vid Fen whipped his head around, startled by the commotion.

"Ah Xun, have you lost your mind!"

Long Ming didn’t waste time with words. He charged straight at Vid Fen.

Startled, Vid Fen immediately drew his Light Beam Gun and aimed it at Long Ming.

Just then, Long Ming stopped right in front of Vid Fen.

Vid Fen tried to pull the trigger, but it wouldn’t budge.

He then realized Long Ming’s finger was jamming the trigger.

He immediately raised his leg to kick Long Ming.

But Long Ming was faster. He kicked Vid Fen’s standing leg, then followed up with a vicious kick to his stomach.

Vid Fen collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain.

"You’re not Ah Xun! Who are you?"

Long Ming didn’t answer, simply tossing the Light Beam Gun aside.

"Damn it!"

Seeing Long Ming discard the weapon, Vid Fen scrambled to his feet and charged, throwing a wild punch.

Long Ming tilted his head, easily dodging the attack, then swung a powerful fist into Vid Fen’s face.

CRACK!

Vid Fen’s helmet instantly buckled, and his internal heads-up display dissolved into static.

Long Ming followed up with a sharp roundhouse kick that slammed into Vid Fen’s chest.

The armor on Vid Fen’s chest caved in. He was sent flying, crashing through a nearby wall before hitting the ground. He spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to rise again.

Seeing that the kidnappers had all been dealt with, Gu Yi hurried forward to offer his thanks.

"Thank you for saving us, sir. May I ask your name?"

"What’s there to thank?"

Long Ming replied with a smile as he removed his helmet.

"L-Long Ming! Brother Long Ming! You’re alive!"

Gu Yi’s eyes went wide. Overjoyed, he threw his arms around Long Ming.

"Let go, let go. Your wife is right there. What’s with all the hugging?"

Long Ming said to Gu Yi with a laugh.

"Right."

Hearing Long Ming, Gu Yi let go.

"But back to the matter at hand, who did you two piss off?"

Long Ming asked, glancing curiously at the men on the ground.

"We have no idea."

Gu Yi and Tao Sisi shook their heads, replying in confusion.

"Well, let’s ask them. Maybe they’ll tell us what this is all about."

As he spoke, Long Ming moved to remove Vid Fen’s helmet.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed, followed by a sharp warning.

"Don’t move!"

Long Ming and the others turned to see a squad of guards rushing over, their weapons aimed right at them.

Gu Yi and Tao Sisi froze, then quickly called out to the guards.

"Officers, you’ve got the wrong person! The ones on the ground are the kidnappers! This is my brother—he saved us!"

The leading captain heard them, but his eyes remained fixed on Long Ming.

"You, step away!"

"Captain, I just want to see who these kidnappers are."

Long Ming replied calmly to the captain in charge.

"That’s none of your concern. We’ll handle it. Now back off!"

Captain Anlu’s tone was forceful.

At this, Long Ming’s eyes narrowed.

’This is getting interesting. Gu Yi and Sisi were being attacked for a while, and there wasn’t a guard in sight. The moment I take these guys down, the guards show up to stop me. Only a fool would believe there’s nothing shady going on here.’

Gu Yi wasn’t happy to hear this.

"On what grounds!"

"Kid, you want to say that again?"

Captain Anlu glared at Gu Yi.

Long Ming placed a hand on Gu Yi’s shoulder, stopping him from escalating the conflict.

’These guards might not be strong, but they represent the Star Alliance. Clashing with them would only put us at a disadvantage.’

Feeling Long Ming’s hand on him, Gu Yi swallowed the words he was about to say.

"Take them away!"

Captain Anlu ordered his subordinates.

His men immediately moved forward and hauled the downed Vid Fen and his crew to their feet.

Captain Anlu turned to Gu Yi’s group.

"If you want to know the details of the case, you can go to the nearby Defense Bureau. Otherwise, just wait for the public announcement."

With that, Captain Anlu left with his men, showing no intention of taking Gu Yi and the others back to get their statements.

"Understood."

Long Ming replied for Gu Yi.

Seeing that Long Ming’s group knew when to back down, Captain Anlu led his men away.

"Brother, those guards were way out of line. They wouldn’t even let us see who those guys were."

Gu Yi cursed, furious.

"No need. I already know who the leader was."

Long Ming replied calmly.

"Huh? You know?"

Gu Yi and Tao Sisi stared at Long Ming, astonished.