The first thing Xia Tian did after breaking into Shadow's private room was check for surveillance cameras. Fortunately, this kind of KTV rarely had any installed—not even in the corridors. Only the main hall downstairs was under surveillance.
That made things easier for people who preferred not to reveal their identities or leave any trace behind.
Shadow recognized Xia Tian at a glance. He remembered seeing Xia Tian and Lin Bingbing back in the bar. He had thought he'd already shaken Xia Tian off, but now realized he had been caught.
"Who are you? This is a lawful society—what are you trying to do?" Shadow asked, trying not to expose his true identity.
"I'm here to kill you," Xia Tian said flatly. He didn't want to waste time. He wanted to finish Shadow as quickly as possible. Without hesitation, he unleashed the Manyun Fairy Steps, instantly closing the distance between them.
"He's a master…" Shadow realized something was wrong the moment Xia Tian moved. He hadn't expected Xia Tian's skills to be this refined.
It was too late to counterattack. He had already lost the initiative. In a panic, Shadow rolled to the ground to dodge Xia Tian's strike—but in that instant, he thought he saw a strange pair of eyes.
Xia Tian moved with lightning speed. His fingers shot forward, striking Shadow with precision. Shadow immediately lost all ability to fight back.
In mere seconds, Xia Tian had sealed thirty-six acupuncture points on Shadow's body. Then he twisted his hands sharply—snapping Shadow's neck. It was his first time killing a man.
But he felt neither nausea nor fear. He knew this was someone who had to die—someone whose death was necessary to protect the people he cared about.
"It seems my strength has grown a lot these past two days," Xia Tian murmured, satisfied. Shadow's strength was about the same as that of the men who had followed him before. Back then, Xia Tian had struggled to handle them—but this time, killing Shadow had been effortless.
That didn't mean Shadow was weak. He was an assassin—trained for silent kills, not frontal combat. His greatest skill was making people die quietly, unnoticed. That was why Xia Tian had been able to end him so easily.
After dealing with Shadow, Xia Tian turned his gaze toward the package on the sofa.
"There should be weapons inside. Let's see what they've got," he muttered. The members of Liusha were always meticulous. Wherever they went, they would first transport their weapons to a transit point—often a bar like this—before retrieving them later.
If pistols, explosives, or sniper rifles were needed, the process became much more complicated.
That was why members of Liusha rarely used firearms unless absolutely necessary.
When Xia Tian opened the package, he found a dagger inside. The handle was a deep green, engraved with the word Qingyun. The blade was razor-sharp—it could slice through a strand of hair with ease.
"Nice. I'll take it," Xia Tian said, slipping the dagger into a sheath hidden at the edge of his shoe and covering it with his pant leg.
He then laid Shadow's body flat on the sofa, picked up the now-empty package, left the room, and tossed the package into a nearby trash bin.
As he stepped out of the KTV, he happened to run into Lin Bingbing.
"Aunt Ye told us to leave here immediately before we're exposed," she said.
"Got it," Xia Tian nodded.
"Thank you for today. I'll definitely return your thousand dollars next time," Lin Bingbing said, beaming. She had passed the test—she was now officially a member of the Special Operations Department.
"Congratulations," Xia Tian said, then turned to leave. He took out his phone and dialed a number.
"This is Xia Tian."
"Xia Tian!" Zeng Rou's voice on the other end was full of excitement. She hadn't slept well for days. Ever since they had parted, she couldn't get him out of her mind. She missed the comfort of sleeping in his arms.
"You've been in danger lately," Xia Tian said. "Someone's been targeting you. I just eliminated a killer who was sent after you."
"A killer? Where are you? I'll come pick you up," Zeng Rou said anxiously.
"Alright. I'll wait for you at the intersection near the bar district," Xia Tian replied after a brief pause.
"I'll be there right away." Zeng Rou hung up and rushed downstairs, her heart pounding.
Standing at the intersection, Xia Tian watched the flow of people around him. Most were there for entertainment—but some were clearly involved in shady dealings.
The corruption here was tied to drugs. Many idle men hung around bars and KTVs, selling narcotics in plain sight.
Xia Tian could have called the police—but he didn't. Arresting small-time dealers was meaningless; they were just pawns. For every one caught, another would take his place. To truly cleanse this area, one had to find the root of the trade.
Fights were common in this district. Just then, a few thugs were beating a young man nearby. The boy had already been kicked to the ground, shielding his head as they continued to stomp on him.
After enduring the assault for some time, the boy suddenly lunged up and bit one of the thugs on the ear.
"Ah!" the man screamed, as blood streamed down.
"Let go! Let go!" the others shouted, hitting the boy harder, but he refused to release his bite.
"Brutal… very brutal," Xia Tian thought as he watched.
He stepped forward, and in a few swift kicks, sent the thugs sprawling. The young man collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.
"Can you stand?" Xia Tian asked.
"Hmph." The boy grunted, forcing himself to his feet despite the pain wracking his body.
"Why were you fighting them?" Xia Tian asked.
"They stole my girlfriend," the boy said bitterly.
"Did she go with them willingly?" Xia Tian asked.
"…Yes." The boy's voice was low.
"Good. Then remember this—if you don't want to be bullied, you must become stronger than others. And if you don't want your woman to abandon you, you need the strength and worth that make her stay." Xia Tian turned to leave.
Thud!
The boy suddenly dropped to his knees behind him. "Please take me as your apprentice. I know you're strong!"
"Are you ready to die?" Xia Tian turned and asked calmly.
"I have no parents, and I've never been afraid of death," the boy said, eyes firm.
"What's your name?" Xia Tian asked.
"Gao Fei," the boy replied.
"Alright. Call this number and tell the man Xia Tian sent you. Address him as Mr. Xu," Xia Tian said, then walked away.
Do you think it's disgusting? You're right—it is.