Black Tiger indeed lived up to his cautious reputation. Li Chonglou had only observed him for a few seconds before being spotted. Their eyes met.
Black Tiger's expression shifted, and he turned to flee.
However, as soon as he stepped out of the side door, a figure blocked his path.
"Who are you!"
Black Tiger didn't attack rashly, but Li Chonglou could sense him subtly activating his abilities.
"Apologies, but I'll need you to come with me."
Li Chonglou smiled faintly, adopting a harmless appearance, but his words caused Black Tiger's face to drain of color.
"Go with you where?"
"To Headquarters."
Li Chonglou didn't conceal his intentions. Black Tiger could no longer hold back. He immediately unleashed his movement technique. The ceramic tiles beneath his feet shattered as he transformed into a black blur, rapidly darting into a nearby alley.
His speed was astonishing. In fact, the moment Li Chonglou uttered the word "Headquarters," he had already begun his escape, showcasing remarkable quickness!
Yet, Li Chonglou was even faster.
From the moment he spotted Black Tiger, he had chosen to fuse his soul with Wen Yi, specifically to prepare for this very situation!
Just as Black Tiger rounded a corner, three alleys suddenly appeared before him. A flicker of joy crossed his face. However, before he could even make a move, a large hand firmly grasped his neck.
"My apologies, you need to come back with me."
This is impossible!
Hearing the familiar voice, Black Tiger was struck with terror. His recent reaction was the fastest of his entire career, and he had always considered himself quite skilled.
How could he possibly have been caught up to so quickly!
But the reality was undeniable, and Black Tiger soon accepted it.
"Please, don't take me back. I'll give you anything you want!"
Li Chonglou calmly replied, "Do you think I'd believe you? Headquarters has already put out a bounty on you. Would I believe you or Headquarters at a time like this?"
Black Tiger's face faltered. He quickly spoke up, "No, brother, I'm serious! If you take me back, it's a dead end for me. Do you think a person facing death would still care about other things?"
"Whatever money or power you want, I can give it to you!"
Li Chonglou's curiosity was piqued by the mention of power. He couldn't help but ask, "You can give power?"
This was the first time he had ever heard of power being used as a commodity for trade.
Despite having his neck in a vice-like grip, Black Tiger still managed to nod repeatedly with difficulty.
"Really, I have two tribes over in the African continent. I brought six beautiful women with me from home, and I can give them all to you!"
In fact, the more he said, the more Li Chonglou was reminded of the information he had seen on him.
"Are you talking about the six missing girls you kidnapped?"
"Yes, that's right. I've spent a lot of money on them over the years, and they're all very well-maintained. I definitely won't disappoint you!"
Li Chonglou didn't pursue that topic further.
"When it comes to beauties, I'm more interested in money. If it weren't for the money, I wouldn't have taken the mission from Headquarters."
With the conversation having reached this point, Black Tiger understood. He immediately responded, "Money is fine too! I still have thirty million in the country. I can give it all to you!"
"Thirty million?"
Li Chonglou was a little surprised. After all, as a fugitive, normal channels for depositing money were practically non-existent. This thirty million was likely cash or equivalent assets he had stashed away.
The fact that an international fugitive could still possess such financial power domestically was enough to indicate that he hadn't skimped on his illicit gains!
However, to Black Tiger, Li Chonglou's words seemed to imply it wasn't enough. With a hint of apology, he said, "I spent a lot of money shipping a batch of goods back recently. Brother, if you let me go, I'll even give you those two tribes in Africa!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a surge of force at the back of his neck. Within half a second, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and his eyes rolled back.
Li Chonglou slung the now limp Black Tiger over his shoulder. As he walked away slowly, he took out his phone and dialed Old Third's number.
If Black Tiger hadn't said that last sentence, Li Chonglou might have been genuinely interested in discussing the money. After all, it was free money.
But with his tempting offer, ordinary newcomers might have believed him. However, for seasoned veterans like Li Chonglou, it was clear he was trying to play games.
Perhaps everything he had said before was a lie! It was all just a stalling tactic.
Directly taking him back to Headquarters would guarantee him a million dollars. Why waste time haggling when he could potentially earn thirty million just by capturing people, without any risk involved.
Yes, for Li Chonglou, capturing people was a sure thing. If he encountered a formidable opponent, he could simply abandon the mission.
By the time he arrived back at Headquarters with Black Tiger in Old Third's car, it was already past six in the evening.
However, the entire mission hall was still packed with people. Although he had anticipated it, seeing the crowded scene before him still made him internally praise Headquarters' decision.
This move was truly brilliant.
The current freelance system, just after its launch, was already so popular. Once they all tasted the benefits of promotion, it was likely that all third-party forces in Shangjing would eventually fall under Headquarters' command!
Not to mention the supervision department selecting individuals from within, which greatly expanded Headquarters' channels for acquiring talent.
However, Li Chonglou didn't see Black Blade and the others among them. He didn't know if they had already accepted missions and left.
Then, he soon felt that something was amiss.
It seemed that the gazes around him were intentionally or unintentionally falling upon him.
"Thankfully, I put on a mask before returning. It would be bad if I ran into someone I knew."
Although he didn't understand why, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly. The entire hall now had at least a hundred people from the inner circle. While not every single one of them might be stronger than Yue Hai and the others, there were still dozens of individuals exuding a powerful aura.
Among them, there might even be members of the Four Great Gangs.
The acquaintances Li Chonglou referred to were the Azure Gang or the Elite Gang. He had the most dealings with these two gangs in Shangjing. If anything were to happen, Li Chonglou feared they might implicate those close to him.
"Quick, look! Isn't that guy carrying the mission target? But it's only been open for a short while, and he's already completed a mission so quickly?"
"I'm curious too. None of the bounties here are less than a million. If one can complete a mission in a day or two, wouldn't riches be within reach!"
"Heh, maybe he just randomly grabbed someone outside and wants to try his luck here."
Just as some were curious, others were envious. However, the questions posed by the envious were quickly refuted by those around them.