Chapter 1 Turbulent Times

The events that had transpired in Yu Hang these past few days could only be described as treacherous and unpredictable. At least, that's what Xiao Mu thought two hours later. Right outside his mansion, a commotion had erupted when a delivery cart overturned, scattering dates and other southern goods all over the street, effectively blocking it. The cart owner, roadside shopkeepers, those hit by the cart, affected vendors, and common folk scrambling for the scattered goods instantly created a chaotic scene.

Feng Jiang was inside Xiao Mu's residence, preparing something, and this disturbance was not part of his plan. He peered out from a side door and instructed two of his men to investigate. Amidst the chaos, it was impossible to discern anything concrete. If Zhou Rui and his men simply stood still in this mess, they would quickly expose themselves. Fortunately, they wouldn't make such a mistake. One man each shadowed any suspicious figures near Xiao Mu's residence while displaying the curiosity and greed expected of ordinary people, blending seamlessly into the chaotic scene.

Just as the local yamen runners and constables hastily arrived upon hearing the news, two of Feng Jiang's men standing by the roadside were suddenly bumped from behind. The bump was perfectly timed, appearing to be a natural result of the crowded conditions rather than a deliberate act. The two, dressed as beggars, immediately fell amidst the scattered debris, right in front of the approaching constables. Naturally, the constables seized them at once. One cursed inwardly, ready to submit to avoid trouble for his master. Unexpectedly, the other refused to comply; his body reacted instinctively, grabbing the constable's arm attempting to restrain him and executing a swift over-the-shoulder throw.

Zhou Rui chuckled to himself. This guy was certainly cooperative, and his skills were decent. In the nick of time, that over-the-shoulder throw was quite impressive. However, the situation was escalating into an increasingly chaotic and intense direction.

"What's going on?" Hearing the shouts and curses outside, Feng Jiang, who had been calm and collected inside, frowned. The last thing he wanted was to attract the attention of the authorities.

"Boss, Xiao Jiu and Xiao Jin are fighting with the constables," a man disguised as a peddler rushed in to report. "Boss, what should we do? Should we save them and run?"

This exclamation sent shivers down Xiao Mu's spine. His residence wasn't located in a district filled with wealthy and influential families but rather in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of the commercial area. The people passing by wouldn't dare to interfere in the affairs of a Minister of Personnel's family, but if something serious happened, many of them had seen Feng Jiang entering and leaving Xiao Mu's residence. Would he lose his position as Minister of Personnel because of this? Feng Jiang was supposed to receive full support from Xiao Mu according to a certain important figure. Xiao Mu's house was chosen for its convenient location, away from important officials and powerful clans, to keep Feng Jiang hidden. But should Xiao Mu suffer for Feng Jiang's sake? No one would weigh their importance equally. As Minister of Personnel, Xiao Mu was a powerful asset to the court, while Feng Jiang was merely an expendable pawn with potential.

Feng Jiang frowned. "No, we'll leave through the back door. We can deal with them later."

The peddler-disguised man was anxious. "But, Boss..."

Feng Jiang snapped, "Enough. I know what I'm doing. This is Lord Xiao's residence, we can't implicate him. Tell the brothers to move out quickly."

Xiao Mu felt relieved but then realized it wasn't right. If they were seen leaving, he would still be implicated. The best outcome would be for the constables to quickly take Xiao Jiu and Xiao Jin away and quell the situation without drawing any attention to Feng Jiang's presence. Xiao Mu spoke up, "Hero Feng, there are people everywhere outside. Some nosy onlookers might recognize you. How about you wait here? I'll go out and see what I can do. Those officers should give me some face."

Hearing this, Feng Jiang quickly said, "Very well, thank you, sir."

Xiao Mu was pleased with Feng Jiang's respectfulness and nodded. "Since you're under my care, it's only right that I do my best."

When Xiao Mu appeared on the street with a frown, the constable, sweating profusely as he tried to control the situation, hurried over to greet him respectfully. "Lord Xiao, I... I wouldn't dare disturb you, sir. We'll take care of this immediately."

Xiao Mu was unusually amicable. "What's your name?"

"This humble one is Sun Qingnian, the constable in charge of the southern district. I wouldn't dare trouble the Lord with my name," Sun Qingnian replied quickly.

"Constable Sun, arrest those who need to be arrested and quickly clear the road for passersby. This chaos is unacceptable." Xiao Mu instructed calmly. "These petty merchants, peddlers, and passersby... It's certainly wrong to loot like this, but who doesn't have a bit of greed in their heart?" Xiao Mu smiled at Sun Qingnian, making the constable feel flattered. "Constable Sun, arrest them, but don't use torture. Give them a small punishment to serve as a warning. Detain them for a day and then release them."

"Yes, sir," Sun Qingnian said obsequiously. For a minor constable like him, the chance to speak with the Minister of Personnel was incredibly rare. And Xiao Mu wasn't even angry despite this chaotic scene.

Amidst the chaos outside, Zhou Rui gave the order to move. Was his martial skill inferior to Feng Jiang's? Zhou Rui never seemed to worry about that because he understood that victory didn't depend solely on martial prowess. Zhou Rui's strong nerves were always on edge, and he was willing to pay the price for victory. He also knew that surviving and winning weren't always the same thing, and this time, he wasn't alone.

Through the Special Operations Camp's training, the soldiers, already outstanding in basic combat skills, had mastered diverse techniques. The best performers in the camp weren't the martial artists, but the excellent soldiers who had survived the battlefield. These soldiers, tempered by blood and fire, were remarkably proactive and outstanding in learning practical survival skills and assassination, reconnaissance, and stealth training, even if it meant abandoning dignity and honor. While the soldiers with martial arts backgrounds were also diligent, they lacked the same mental fortitude and readiness. Fortunately, the soldiers from different backgrounds weren't too different, and they got along well. Each of them was more than a match for ten ordinary soldiers. Equipped with special gear and trained in special ways, they could accomplish things that no other army could.

The assault on Xiao Mu's residence was completed in minutes. The soldiers assigned to Feng Jiang's men and those targeting the residence attacked simultaneously. Half of those hiding around didn't even have time to make a sound before collapsing. In this sudden assault, Zhang Wei, the captain of the Special Operations Camp's Squad A, took down two alone. He charged toward the back door, punching a seemingly lecherous man in the face, killing him instantly. With a flick of his left hand, he parried an enemy's hastily swung blade with his dagger and stabbed him in the chest. Then, he kicked open the back door and rushed inside. Originally assigned only to eliminate enemies, Zhang Wei earned the chance to participate in the operation's next phase due to his exceptional efficiency.

Feng Jiang had barely heard a sound before jumping up. As he reached for the long saber beside him, enemies appeared on all sides of the courtyard and on the rooftops. Without a word, they threw nets weighted with copper rings at each corner…

Feng Jiang was horrified. They were after him, and the nets indicated their intention to capture him alive.

Dodging three nets from the front, Feng Jiang couldn't evade one from behind. A net entangled his leg. While waving his saber to fend off the surrounding soldiers, he bent down to untangle it. As his fingers touched the net, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted into his nostrils. Bad! Feng Jiang roared, "You despicable rats!" But the heavy breathing only made him inhale more of the drug. In such a short time, he started feeling dizzy.

The nets were soaked in a unique anesthetic concocted by Barrett, the captain of Special Operations Camp's Squad B. These drugs were originally used on horses and cattle by witch doctors and veterinarians on the Benlang Plains. Using them against martial artists might seem dishonorable, but the soldiers weren't interested in how they achieved victory.

Feng Jiang shook his head, but another net came hurtling toward him. He thrust out his saber horizontally, letting out an intimidating roar. But then, Zhou Rui acted. He had no "hobby" of rushing in for a head-on confrontation; he had been throwing nets with the soldiers and coordinating the attack on Feng Jiang. Seeing that Feng Jiang's counterattack might injure his soldiers, Zhou Rui, whose martial skills were inferior to Feng Jiang's but still considerable, stepped forward to block the saber. He wielded a Damascus steel Yun Prefecture standard cavalry sword, adept at both slashing and parrying. Using both hands, he pushed against the blade to deflect Feng Jiang's attack and then rammed his shoulder into Feng Jiang's chest.

Feng Jiang didn't expect this sturdy fellow to use such a shameless move. In haste, one hand holding the saber couldn't stop the momentum, and the other hand was used for balance, leaving him unable to counterattack. He could only brace himself. But what Feng Jiang didn't expect was that, instead of Zhou Rui's shoulder hitting him, a grappling hook ensnared his ankle, and a considerable pull caused him to stagger. Then, came the impact of Zhou Rui's shoulder…

Feng Jiang fell. As he did, the soldiers sprang into action, each fulfilling their role. Four or five more grappling hooks were thrown, and someone even blew a puff of powder into Feng Jiang's face. This entire process was designed specifically for highly skilled martial artists, and after extensive training, this was their first practical application. Even a master like Liu Yong would only put up a greater struggle, not escape.

"Withdraw. Everyone knows what to do, right?" Zhou Rui whispered.

The soldiers quickly bound Feng Jiang. Even though he was unconscious, they gagged him with a white cloth. At the kicked-open back door, a simple cart stopped for only a breath, and the soldiers tossed Feng Jiang into the cargo hold. An intelligence agent assisting from the Intelligence Bureau, who had been lying in wait, immediately covered him with a tarpaulin, resuming his nap as if nothing had happened.

The Xiao residence servants were caught off guard, unable to escape. But the soldiers' principle was to treat non-threats gently. Those in the backyard were knocked unconscious, gassed, and left aside. Then, they quickly gathered their gear and dispersed in different directions.

The entire operation, from initiation to withdrawal, lasted no more than three minutes, demonstrating the Special Operations Camp's soldiers' formidable combat skills, practiced coordination, and imaginative tactical deployment.

Xiao Mu had noticed something happening at his residence when he heard Feng Jiang's roar. But when he returned to his residence with a few yamen runners and constables, rushing into the backyard, he saw servants thrown aside, the back door open, bodies scattered on the ground... Only Feng Jiang was missing. Xiao Mu found it hard to believe that such a master would simply vanish. But, at least for now, Feng Jiang was gone after a conflict.

"Search thoroughly and see if any clues were left behind. The thieves are too arrogant, daring to come to the Lord Xiao's door," Constable Sun Qingnian hurriedly ordered his men to please Xiao Mu, then asked him politely and formally, "Sir, should you check if anything is missing?"

"A person… I suppose he was abducted," Xiao Mu replied casually.

"A person? A relative of yours, sir?" Sun Qingnian was shocked. If that were the case, this would be a big deal.

"No..." Xiao Mu hesitated before explaining, "Just a guest. I'll leave it to Constable Sun. But please instruct your men to keep this quiet. It's embarrassing to have thieves cause trouble at my residence."