Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

"Listening devices."

Zhao Dong's hand clenched, crushing the small items. He frowned at Yang Sixue. "Be careful. It seems you've been targeted."

"What?!"

Yang Sixue's face paled, and a shiver ran down her spine. When had someone planted listening devices in my villa?

Zhao Dong hesitated for a moment before giving her his phone number. "If you're in danger, just call me."

Yang Sixue's eyes darted away from his. "You... care about me?"

"You're Qingyun's best friend, and you used to be my idol. I'm not saying I care about you, but I can't just stand by and watch you die."

After saving the number, Yang Sixue suddenly stood up. "Zhao Dong... I have something for you."

Before Zhao Dong could react, she leaned in and left a gentle kiss on his cheek. A faint, sweet fragrance filled his senses as he felt the soft touch of her lips.

Before he could process what had happened, Yang Sixue walked into the bathroom. "You can go now," she said faintly, her back already turned to him. "Once you leave this villa, forget everything that happened between us."

Zhao Dong watched her retreating figure, scratched his head, and walked out of the villa.

Leaving the Silver Lake Villa Complex, Zhao Dong was still in a daze. Yang Sixue was a goddess of the silver screen, adored by countless fans, a top-tier star. And today, she had been so intimate with him. It feels like a dream!

Zhao Dong shook his head. Just as he was about to hail a cab, two police cars screeched to a halt right in front of him. Several officers got out and handcuffed him without a word. Finally, Song Zixuan emerged from one of the cars. She frowned at Zhao Dong, her impression of him already poor.

He's just not a good person. Getting arrested for stealing a car was one thing, but he's also mixed up with Xu Yafei. Even though I'm friends with Han Chuxue, and Chuxue is friends with Xu Yafei, I've always had my doubts about her. I represent an official law enforcement agency, while Xu Yafei is one of Hong Wu's people. And who is Hong Wu? The leader of East Sea's underworld, the face of its dark forces. He's not the kind of person I should be associating with, even indirectly. I have my issues with Xu Yafei, but I keep them to myself out of respect for Han Chuxue. And since Zhao Dong is friends with Xu Yafei, it's only natural that I have a problem with him too. He already had the gall to lecture me the other day, which only made me dislike him more. I swore to myself then that I would defeat him one day! And now he's killed someone? My disgust only deepens.

"Zhao Dong, you're coming with us," Song Zixuan said coldly.

Zhao Dong furrowed his brow. "What did I do?"

"You killed someone in public. Wei Wu was from the Provincial City and a cultivator. The Bind Dragon Office will try you under their special laws, and no one in East Sea can protect you."

"Wei Wu tried to kill me first," Zhao Dong replied coldly. "I was defending myself."

"Save it for the Bind Dragon Office. Our only job is to apprehend you."

"Can I make a phone call first?"

Song Zixuan shook her head. "There's no need. Men, take him away!"

Without being allowed to argue, Zhao Dong was hauled into the car.

Soon, the car arrived at the East Sea City Inspectorate. As they entered and Zhao Dong was led into a small room, Song Zixuan spoke with a detached coldness. "Cherish these final moments. You probably won't make it out of this alive."

"What do you mean?" Zhao Dong asked, his voice sharp.

"You killed someone, so you'll certainly pay with your life. At the very least, the Bind Dragon Office will shatter your inner core, crippling your cultivation for life."

Zhao Dong clenched his fists. "I recall the Bind Dragon Office has a rule that casualties in a duel between cultivators are considered normal. The punishment shouldn't be this severe."

"Yes," Song Zixuan nodded, "but the person you killed was no ordinary man. He was from the Wei Family, from the Provincial City. And with pressure from the Xiao Family as well, do you really think you can walk away from this unscathed?"

Zhao Dong gritted his teeth. "I refuse to believe there's no justice in this world! The Bind Dragon Office is supposed to be the most impartial institution in Huaxia, with a mandate to enact justice on Heaven's behalf and eliminate evil for the public good. They can't be this corrupt!"

Song Zixuan shook her head. "You're thinking too simply. Where there are people, there is conflict. And where there is conflict, there is filth."

A chill went through Zhao Dong. Is the so-called impartial Bind Dragon Office just as filthy as the secular world? I have no power to fight them right now. Am I really going to be crippled for nothing? No! I won't accept this! Right now, my greatest allies are Xu Yafei and the Han Family. Even though I hate to bother Xu Yafei, at this moment, I have no choice but to ask for her help.

Thinking of this, Zhao Dong looked at Song Zixuan and said earnestly, "Inspector Song, I'm begging you, let me make a phone call. My crime hasn't even been determined yet. Surely I have the right to make one call."

Song Zixuan fell silent, lost in thought. He obviously wants to call Xu Yafei. But there's no way Xu Yafei can help him; she doesn't have the power to interfere with the Bind Dragon Office. Still, if I don't let him make the call, he'll tell Xu Yafei, who will then tell Han Chuxue. That might cause a rift between me and Chuxue. Fine. I might as well let him try. It's an easy favor, and it will force him to accept his fate.

With that thought, she said indifferently, "Are you trying to call Xu Yafei?"

Zhao Dong paused, then nodded. "Yes."

"Fine. Give me the number, and I'll dial it for you."

Zhao Dong glanced at Song Zixuan before reciting the number. She entered it and placed the call.

「Dragon Seaview Villa Complex」

In one of the villas, Hong Wu was sitting by a swimming pool. Xu Yafei, dressed in a bikini, sat beside him. Her stunningly beautiful face was half-hidden behind large sunglasses, and her exceptional figure was enough to make a man's nose bleed. She held a glass of juice, exuding an air of complete detachment.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Xu Yafei glanced at the screen, and Hong Wu shot it a covert look as well.

Xu Yafei looked at Hong Wu, then turned to walk away and answer the call. Hong Wu spoke, a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. "Yafei, where are you going?"

"I'm taking a call," she replied indifferently.

"Can't you take it here?"

"It's not convenient."

Not a hint of emotion could be heard in Xu Yafei's voice as she turned and walked away. Hong Wu's eyelid twitched as he watched her retreating back.

Sensing his master's mood, Kou Hongmin offered some reassurance. "Lord Wu, you needn't worry. Madame Xu is your woman; she would never do anything inappropriate. And no one in East Sea would dare make her."

"No one knows what Yafei is thinking, not even me," Hong Wu said gravely. "By the way, what's the news on that Zhao Dong from a few days ago?"

Kou Hongmin answered with disdain, "He's just an ant, not worth mentioning. Even Xiao Liufu could take his life with ease. You needn't worry, Lord Wu."

Hong Wu nodded. "Naturally, I wouldn't concern myself with such trash. It's just that Yafei has never associated with outsiders. For Zhao Dong to appear out of nowhere... it makes me a little suspicious."

"If Lord Wu is uneasy," Kou Hongmin said flatly, "I can have Xiao Liufu go and kill Zhao Dong directly."

Hong Wu was silent for a moment before waving his hand. "Forget it. If we actually killed him, Yafei might get angry with me. Let's wait and see for now. On another note, I heard a master named Wei Wu came to East Sea from the Provincial City. What's that about?"

Kou Hongmin shook his head. "I'm not sure, but it is indeed strange. Wei Wu is a late-stage first-grade Grandmaster. In East Sea, he would rank third on the local charts, a true expert. His visit is likely for no simple reason."

Just then, a man came running toward the pool in a panic. "Lord Wu, something's happened!"

"Damn you, what's all the fuss about?"

The subordinate, his face pale with fright, dropped to his knees. "Lord Wu, shocking news! Wei Wu has been killed by Zhao Dong!"

"What?!" Hong Wu shot to his feet, aghast. "Say that again!"

"Lord Wu, Wei Wu... the one from the Provincial City... he's dead! At the hands of Zhao Dong!"

Kou Hongmin's face fell. "Nonsense!" he snapped. "Wei Wu was a master. How could a piece of trash like Zhao Dong possibly kill him?"

"It's the absolute truth! Many people at the banquet last night saw it! Zhao Dong used some kind of Forbidden Technique to kill Wei Wu in a surprise attack! But it seems he suffered an irreversible backlash himself. The rumor is... he's already dead."

Hong Wu's pupils contracted, and Kou Hongmin's expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Hongmin," Hong Wu said, his voice low, "what do you make of this?"

Kou Hongmin squinted, stroking his beard. "If Zhao Dong were alive, he would surely be a threat down the line. But now that he's dead, we don't need to worry. In the Cultivation World, Forbidden Techniques that grant a temporary boost in power do exist, but no sane person would use them. Once activated, even if you don't die, your meridians will be damaged, making cultivation impossible. So, even if Zhao Dong isn't dead, he's as good as a cripple."

A dark flicker passed through Hong Wu's eyes, and he let out a cold laugh. "I see. In that case, we have nothing to worry about."

Then, Hong Wu's eyes glinted. "Men," he commanded, "follow Madame Xu. Find out who she's calling and who she's meeting. Report any movements to me immediately. Understood?"

"Understood, sir!"

The man departed, tailing Xu Yafei.

Xu Yafei entered her room, locked the door from the inside, and answered the phone.