Xiaofeng furrowed his brow deeply as he gazed at the woman before him. Moments later, another man descended from the passenger seat.
These two were none other than Kelly and William—heirs to the Brom Company and the Victoria Corporation, respectively.
Yet, Xiaofeng no longer regarded their corporate legacies with any reverence, for the New City now lay firmly under the dominion of the X Legion.
Turning to leave, Xiaofeng was halted by Kelly's urgent cry, "Xiaofeng, can't we talk?"
Silent, he strode resolutely toward the command center.
William, trailing behind Kelly, grabbed her arm tightly. "Kelly, what are you doing? If he refuses to speak to you, let it be—why chase after him?"
Kelly, her eyes misted, called out to Xiaofeng again.
William, exasperated, snapped, "Why are you still calling after that bastard?"
His words caused Xiaofeng to pause and turn sharply. The insult rang vividly in his ears, stoking a fierce blaze of anger.
Taking a few strides forward, Xiaofeng stood before William. Clad in a black T-shirt, combat trousers, and boots, his short-cropped hair and commanding presence exuded defiant arrogance. Hands in pockets, he challenged, "What did you just say?"
William, well aware of Xiaofeng's past with Kelly, seethed with jealousy and spat, "Bastard!"
Kelly sensed the brewing storm and warned William sharply, "Don't go too far with your words!"
Xiaofeng's glare pierced William. "If you want to die, I can oblige."
William met his gaze with equal ferocity. Behind him, a cadre of heavily armed special guards appeared—clearly his personal protectors.
A smirk tugged at Xiaofeng's lips. "Seems you really want to die."
Kelly rushed forward, pleading, "Xiaofeng, please, we're about to be married. I don't want to lose my husband now!"
Her words struck Xiaofeng like a dagger to the chest. Staring wide-eyed, he stammered, "You're getting married?"
William sneered, adding insult to injury, "Yeah, we're getting married. How about that? Jealous or envious?"
Xiaofeng cast a disdainful glance at William's insolent face, then without a word, delivered a powerful kick to his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Advancing to finish him off with a crushing blow, Xiaofeng was abruptly stopped.
William's guards raised their automatic rifles, weapons trained on Xiaofeng. "Don't move! One wrong step, and we'll shoot!"
"Move again and I'll blow your head off!"
Despite the blatant provocation, Xiaofeng remained calm. He fixed Kelly with a sharp look. "Step aside."
"No, I won't let you harm my husband!" Kelly's resolve was unwavering.
Yet, as a fourth-tier psychic, Kelly was no match for Xiaofeng. With his left arm, he effortlessly swept her aside. Under the harsh glow of the streetlights, a plume of black smoke erupted from Xiaofeng's right hand, swiftly coalescing into a formidable black longsword. Clad head to toe in black, the weapon amplified his commanding aura. Brandishing the blade, he warned William, "Say one more insult, and I'll carve you up right here."
William's guards responded by racking their weapons, fingers tightening on triggers, yet hesitated to lower their guns.
At that moment, a squad of X Legion soldiers burst from the command center. Though their gear was slightly inferior to the special guards', their sheer numbers overwhelmed.
Lin, cigarette dangling from his lips, approached with a scowl. "Boss Xiaofeng, weren't you out drinking? How come this turned into a fight?"
The arrival of Lin and his soldiers stunned William's guards, who realized they had forgotten—they stood before the command center, deep within X Legion territory. Tension mounted; any gunfire here would have dire consequences.
Xiaofeng spat disdainfully onto the ground. "All this damn nonsense has ruined my mood. Damn it."
William glared fiercely. "Xiaofeng, your arrogance won't last long. Just wait."
He barked orders to his men, "Retreat. Move out."
As William and his guards began to withdraw, Lin raised his hand, signaling his soldiers to encircle them.
Xiaofeng addressed the legionnaires firmly, "Brothers, I'll handle this myself." With that, he advanced toward William.
Kelly clung tightly to Xiaofeng's arm. "Please, Xiaofeng, I beg you. I know I've wronged you—don't fight!"
Xiaofeng's expression soured. "You admit you wronged me? That's rich. I'm no saint—you can't just say sorry and expect me to let it go." Without hesitation, he unleashed a brutal kick that sent William crashing into several guards. The force was enough to snap ribs; clutching his chest, William collapsed convulsing.
William's guards, seeing their master under attack, immediately raised their guns and opened fire. Yet the bullets halted mere inches from Xiaofeng, suspended as if by an invisible barrier. They had clearly forgotten—Xiaofeng wielded the power to manipulate metal.
With a commanding sweep of his hand, the bullets reversed course, hurtling back toward the special guards.
Chaos erupted in screams and shouts as the guards were swiftly subdued.
Seizing William by the throat, Xiaofeng hoisted him high. "Hear this: no matter who you are, today you are powerless. I'm sending you straight to death."