Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 39: Chapter 37: A Cut Above, Brought to Justice

”Professor Song, do you have a topographical map of this area?”

Wan Ze suddenly spoke up.

”I do. I even have a city layout map. I’ll go get it for you.” Professor Song hurried off to get them, not even asking why.

Lei Ming, however, looked completely baffled. He leaned in curiously and asked in a hushed voice, ”Ah Ze, what do you need a map for?”

”The enemy was able to accurately assess our situation, which means there must be a lookout nearby... It’s even more likely that this thief is somewhere in the vicinity.” Wan Ze’s gaze was as calm as still water.

Besides, he knew this world didn’t have surveillance cameras.

”Professor Song, is the Tiger Talisman here?” Wan Ze asked.

Professor Song nodded, not trying to hide anything. ”I had a friend design a special code. If anyone other than me tries to open it, the contents will self-destruct.”

”I understand.”

Wan Ze finalized his plan.

But Lei Ming, standing beside him, was dumbfounded.

’Understand?’

’What do you understand?’

’Hey, junior brother... I don’t get it at all!’

A moment later, after reviewing all the details in his mind, Wan Ze looked up and said with a smile:

”My friends, I have a bold idea...”

Professor Song’s expression turned serious. ”As long as it’s not out of line, I’ll cooperate fully!”

...

Night fell. Ominous clouds obscured the bright moon, and a cold wind swept by.

Suddenly, someone shouted from a window.

”Fire!”

Flames shot up abruptly, and alarms blared.

The once-quiet apartment building was thrown into utter chaos. Doors flew open one after another as men, women, and children poured out in groups.

Thick smoke billowed everywhere. Everyone covered their faces with towels, making it impossible to tell who was who in the confusion.

...

Over half an hour later, the fire was finally extinguished.

In the open space in front of the apartment building, a crowd of men, women, and children had gathered. Someone from the police department announced the findings of their investigation: ”It was a cigarette butt that wasn’t properly extinguished in a hallway trash can. There were no casualties, just a scorched wall... We will severely punish the bastard who carelessly tossed the cigarette! Please rest assured...”

While the crowd was being addressed, a furtive, lanky figure slipped quietly into Professor Song’s apartment.

The apartment was already completely empty.

He wasn’t surprised at all—until he noticed the safe embedded in the wall was gone. His expression changed, and he quickly hurried back.

Two kilometers away, the gate to a courtyard was pushed open. The lanky man strode in, but before he could speak, a man in the courtyard polishing a silver pistol spoke first. ”Was it Professor Song’s apartment building that caught fire?”

”You knew?” The lanky man froze. ’You didn’t even leave the house,’ he thought. ’How could you have guessed?’

”To think of a way to break the stalemate so quickly... It seems Professor Song has found himself a capable ally,” the man chuckled softly.

”What do we do now? The people are gone, and the safe is gone too...” the lanky man said urgently.

”It’s fine. We couldn’t confirm the true location of the Tiger Talisman anyway. That Professor Song is full of tricks. He must be carrying it on his person now, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for us... It’s just a matter of time.”

The lanky man’s eyes lit up at his words. ”That would be for the best... But Lie Hu, this mission wasn’t supposed to be difficult. Why did you have to make such a big scene?”

”Don’t you find it satisfying to run your enemies in circles?” Lie Hu smiled faintly. His lips were thin, but the curve of his smile was distinct.

The lanky man couldn’t understand that kind of amusement and could only urge, ”So what’s our next move?”

Just as Lie Hu was about to speak, the door was suddenly struck by an immense force. The two wooden panels transformed into a pair of cannonballs, shooting toward the two men.

”Who’s there?!”

The lanky man was the first to react. He leaped in front of Lie Hu and kicked the two door panels back with two swift kicks.

But before he could even catch his breath, the two people from outside had already charged in. The young man, in particular, exploded forward, appearing before him in an instant. Without a single wasted word, he brought a fist chopping down. The lanky man roared and raised his arm to block.

BANG! The lanky man felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his arm, and half of his body went numb.

”You’re courting death!”

The lanky man’s face contorted with rage.

Wan Ze remained silent. He executed a swift chopping grab, instantly clamping down on the man’s hand. He cut into the man’s center with a shoulder strike, placing his other hand against his waist...

In the blink of an eye, he brutally slammed the man against the wall. The man slid down, unable to get back up for a long moment.

Meanwhile, Lei Ming had already seized Lie Hu.

”You should understand, I could have shot you just now, but I didn’t... I say, buddy, could you be a little gentle?”

Before Lie Hu could finish, Lei Ming slammed him hard against the wall. ”So you’re the damn thief, kid?”

Lie Hu sounded helpless. ”My bad, brother. It was just a joke with Professor Song, no need to get so worked up, right?”

”Is that so? Your little buddy here is a trained fighter. He’s killed people before, hasn’t he?” Lei Ming said with a smirk.

”Let go of Lie Hu!” the lanky man roared, struggling to his feet.

In that instant, the color drained from Lie Hu’s face.

’Are you a complete moron?!’

’What kind of normal person is named Lie Hu?!’

”Junior brother, looks like we’ve caught a big fish!” Lei Ming immediately grew excited.

BANG!

Wan Ze knocked the lanky man unconscious with a single kick, then turned to Lie Hu and asked expressionlessly, ”Do you know Grizzly Bear?”

”...Who?” Lie Hu looked up, feigning confusion.

But unexpectedly, Wan Ze didn’t play by the rules. ”Identity confirmed. He’s from the Secret Palace.”

Every hair on Lie Hu’s body stood on end.

’Holy shit!’

’My acting was so damn convincing, how did he still see through me?’

Unwilling to give up, he feigned panic. ”I really don’t know what you’re talking about—” BANG!

Wan Ze knocked him out cold with a single karate chop. ”Too much nonsense.”

He looked up.

Lei Ming was speechless, at a bit of a loss for what to do.

He cleared his throat. ”Ah Ze, is he really from the Secret Palace?”

”The man I killed last time was codenamed Grey Eagle, and his contact was called Grizzly Bear... Now look at this guy, codenamed Lie Hu. Setting aside the similar codenames, when I deliberately mentioned Grizzly Bear just now, he pretended to be calm, but his breathing paused for a split second and he blinked a few extra times... I’ve read some psychology; that’s a sign of deliberate concealment.”

Lei Ming was stunned silent.

When he came to his senses, he exclaimed excitedly, ”Awesome! That’s so damn awesome!”

...

The group appeared at the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall.

Inside a room, under the dim yellow light, a half-man-high safe sat in front of Professor Song. Two of his students, each holding a broom, stood guard on either side like guardian gods.

Wan Ze and Lei Ming had just finished binding Lie Hu and the lanky man with iron chains and sealing their mouths with duct tape when they heard Professor Song sigh. ”Tonight has certainly been a rollercoaster.”

”You can say that again.” Lei Ming plopped down nonchalantly and poured himself a cup of tea.

First, the Rain Bell from Lingyun Manor was stolen, and right after that, it was Professor Song’s Tiger Talisman... It doesn’t even give a person a chance to breathe.

”Seriously, I just don’t get it. Do people steal antiques instead of money these days?” Lei Ming found the whole thing ridiculously absurd.

’It doesn’t make sense. It makes no sense at all.’

”It’s not that simple,” Wan Ze said at this moment, his tone calm. ”Why would a group like the Secret Palace be interested in ordinary items?”

Everyone turned to look at him.

Professor Song couldn’t help but ask anxiously, ”Wait, does my Tiger Talisman really hold some great secret?”