Chapter 108: An Inauspicious Start

"Brother Qiang, ten of our brothers were knocked unconscious on campus," a security guard reported.

They had been unable to contact those ten men, and it didn't take long for them to realize something was wrong.

"I see. Keep the rest of the brothers cautious. I'm going to consult with the boss," Silly Qiang replied. He took a few subordinates, left the campus under the cover of night, and boarded a vehicle headed for the security company's headquarters.

The five members of the secret operations team followed them. Before departing, they sent a message to Ye Fei: "The target has left, we are in pursuit."

Silly Qiang's patience with Ye Fei had reached its limit. He believed that if they didn't eliminate Ye Fei, the security company would no longer be able to maintain its presence at Yingde School.

The mastermind behind the security company, 'Brother Hua,' was also still awake. He had received the news. Sitting in his office were Lu Weiming of the Ming Gang and his personal bodyguard, Fan Guanchao; Rong Gui and his bodyguard; as well as a spirited, green-robed old man and a long-haired man standing beside him.

These were the four factions allied within the school. The old man and the long-haired man represented Fang Tingfang. Even now, Fang Tingfang, the primary puppet master, had yet to make an appearance.

As Silly Qiang walked through the building, his subordinates stepped aside to let him pass, greeting him with, "Brother Qiang..."

"Brother Qiang..."

"Brother Qiang..."

It was clear that Silly Qiang held a high position within the security company.

At the office door, two bodyguards nodded at him and let him inside.

"Brother Hua," Silly Qiang said respectfully.

"Silly Qiang, no need to be so formal. Everyone is here, so just lay it all out," Brother Hua said with a nod.

Silly Qiang complied, recounting the situation in detail.

Once he finished, Brother Hua gauged the reactions of those present before speaking slowly: "Gentlemen, I believe we can no longer leave Ye Fei unchecked. He poses too great a threat within the school. Now that he knows his identity has been compromised, he is attacking us without restraint. Since we lack concrete evidence, we cannot use legitimate channels to suppress him."

Rong Gui added, "Boss Hua is right. Our interests are intertwined. Isn't that why we are sitting here today—to discuss how to deal with this Ye Fei? We cannot let him continue to act so arrogantly."

The green-robed old man stroked his beard, wearing a forced smile, but offered no opinion.

Seeing the old man's reaction, Lu Weiming remained composed. He did not hold a dominant position in this matter; his Ming Gang had only recently become involved. He was not fully aware of the complex web of interests and hidden agendas, so he stuck to his principle: watch more, speak less, and do even less.

Furthermore, Lu Weiming had quietly prepared to pull out at any moment. Since joining, he hadn't seen much profit, but he had heard of plenty of trouble—especially after Fang Tingfang's marijuana production base had been burned down. The profit from drugs was a massive loss.

"Uncle Qing, what do you think?" Brother Hua asked the green-robed old man.

"Heh, you all decide as you see fit. I have no interest in these schemes; I am merely here to support Xiao Fang," the old man chuckled. His implication was clear: he was only here to supplement their manpower and fill the void where they lacked high-level experts. As for how or when to act, he would offer no input.

Brother Hua smiled and said politely, "With Uncle Qing personally involved, that Ye Fei is no match for you."

Rong Gui and Lu Weiming were curious about the old man's identity. It seemed Hua Lin was exceptionally respectful toward him, and not just because he represented Fang Tingfang.

While the group deliberated upstairs, the five members of the secret operations team waited bitterly below, unable to infiltrate the building.

Over an hour later, the group emerged. It was the green-robed old man and his associates. The five watchers perked up, fixing their eyes on them.

"Lu Weiming of the Ming Gang, Rong Gui of the Changye Group, Hua Lin of the security company, and their bodyguards. Who is that green-robed old man? He isn't in our files; he must be representing Fang Tingfang," the team whispered among themselves, identifying the others but remaining stumped by the elder.

"Pass the info to Ye Fei," the team leader said.

After receiving the report, Ye Fei contacted Cui Yanwu to investigate the old man's identity.

Cui Yanwu's results came back, but due to the short timeframe, he could only confirm the man had come from abroad and was an elder of a Chinese overseas gang. Further details would take more time.

The team reported that the targets had dispersed after leaving the security company, and they had split up to tail them.

However, Ye Fei's team was soon discovered.

It was the green-robed old man who found them.

"Wait, it seems we are being followed. Heh, how interesting. Let's find a place to play with this little mouse," the old man said from inside the car, sensing the strangely behaving vehicle behind them. He laughed softly.

The long-haired man looked into the rearview mirror, secretly admiring the elder's perception. The driver then steered the car off their original route.

The man trailing the elder was the steady, experienced deputy leader of Ye Fei's team. He had chosen this assignment, believing the elder to be the most dangerous of the four factions, while sending the others to monitor the remaining groups.

When the car reached a desolate, quiet area, the deputy leader’s heart sank. His instincts, honed through countless missions, told him he had been spotted.

Just as he thought to turn back, the elder's car stopped and flashed its lights twice. A long-haired figure stepped out, gender ambiguous, stretching their limbs and beckoning the deputy leader with a provocative gesture.

"No turning back now," the deputy leader muttered, frowning. He killed the engine and stepped out.

"Come," the long-haired man taunted.

They closed the distance quickly and engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

The long-haired man was incredibly powerful, his strikes bone-crunching and relentless, indicative of a master of hard-style martial arts.

But the deputy leader was no slouch. Though older, his combat experience was vast, and his professional training in the organization was top-tier. For a time, they were evenly matched, locked in a fierce struggle.

The deputy leader had hoped to draw out the green-robed old man to gauge his strength, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw two dark figures in the car—the driver and the elder—sitting motionless, showing no intention of intervening.

"If you're not going to act, send someone stronger!" the deputy leader challenged.

"Are you worthy of making Uncle Qing move? Enough, I’ve had my fun. I’m bored of you now," the long-haired man said coldly. His attacks suddenly grew thirty percent more violent; he hadn't been giving his all until now.

The deputy leader found himself in danger. Feeling the pressure mount as his opponent's superior skill pushed him onto the defensive, he left an opening. The long-haired man seized it, wounding him and ultimately defeating him.

*Whoosh.*

The long-haired man’s fist whistled through the air, aimed at the deputy leader's throat.

"Xiao Zhen, don't kill him," the elder said from the car.

The long-haired man pulled his punch and asked, "Uncle Qing, we're just letting him go?"

"Take him with us. Contact that Ye Fei to come and save him," the elder said flatly.

"Understood." The long-haired man nodded, dragged the subdued deputy leader into the car, and drove away.

The deputy leader wasn't the only one who ran into trouble. Xiao Yang and his partner, trailing Lu Weiming, were also discovered, though they managed to retreat after a stalemate. Another member was spotted near the security company but managed to pull away without a physical confrontation.

Only the member tracking Rong Gui remained undiscovered, eventually returning after watching Rong Gui enter his villa.

When the team regrouped with Ye Fei, his expression was grim.

"Li Guozhong has been captured," Ye Fei said in a low voice.

"Ah—Captain..." Xiao Yang started, then paused, correcting himself: "The deputy leader has been captured."

The man had always been their captain, and in his urgency, Xiao Yang had forgotten that Ye Fei was now in command.

"Yes. But fortunately, his life is not currently in danger," Ye Fei nodded.

The others weren't fools and realized the implication: "They want to use him as bait to lure us into a rescue?"

Ye Fei mused, "The bait part is true. But they specifically demanded that I come alone. If I can defeat them, they will release Li Guozhong."

Meanwhile, the green-robed old man’s car arrived at a five-star hotel, and they headed straight for the presidential suite.

"Uncle Qing, do you think Ye Fei will come alone to rescue him?" the long-haired man asked.

"He will come," the elder said confidently. He had read Ye Fei's files; the young man was honorable and proud—traits not unlike those of the people in their own underworld. He was certain Ye Fei would show up.