Currently, an old pickup truck is driving through the streets of Azure Mountain City. Inside are two men with white hair. One looks to be in his twenties with ashen white hair, while the other, who appears about 16, has silver hair. The older man has golden eyes, and the younger one has blue eyes. Both are very handsome, attracting glances from passersby.
I am driving this truck on the city road, maintaining a moderate speed to enjoy the view. The system has already shown me the fastest route to the police station, but I take a longer path to appreciate the scenery. Soon, we arrive at our destination. In front of us stands a ten-story building with a hint of military architecture. A sign out front reads, "Governor District Police Station."
I park the truck and get out. Lu Xiaoran and I walk towards the entrance of the police station, drawing attention from those around us. We head straight to the reception desk and explain our reason for visiting. A young woman listens to our questions about the recent protest arrests and replies, "Mister, I don't know who you are, but listen carefully. Those people were released yesterday. We can't hold protesters without charges for long. If you're their family member, you should wait for them at home."
Hearing her, I respond, "Miss, you don't understand. There are 105 people missing from the protest. You say you released them yesterday, but they haven't returned home. You need to help us find them. Please provide any information you have about them."
She grows nervous and starts avoiding eye contact. "Sir, I've already told you what I know. The police released them; where they went after that is their business. Maybe they went back to their village. If you continue to insist, I can only write a report about the missing people. That's all I can do."
She hands me a form to file our report. I fill it out as instructed. As I exit the police station, I notice the woman talking on the phone. I catch snippets of her conversation. She is informing someone that two people inquired about a man arrested yesterday.
Once outside, I look at Lu Xiaoran. He also heard what the woman said. "I'm sure the police are involved in this," I tell him. "We have to rely on ourselves." I get back into the truck and start the engine. Lu Xiaoran joins me, and we drive away from the police station.
Then Lu Xiaoran asks, "Master, how are we going to find those people?"
I reply, "There's no need to search for them, disciple. Those who seek to find the missing will come to us. For now, enjoy the scenery. By the way, do you know how to drive?"
He replies, "No, master."
I respond, "Okay, I'll teach you how to drive later."
As I drive along the city road, I notice two black SUVs following us. They started trailing us after we left the police station. Lu Xiaoran also spots them and says, "Master, do you need me to deal with those guys?"
I answer, "No, disciple. They will lead us to the missing men from the village. Just don't resist them. I think they plan to kidnap us."
Almost immediately after I say this, a black SUV pulls in front of us, blocking our way. Two men and a police officer get out. The officer aims his gun at us and announces that we are under arrest. As I try to argue, the two SUVs following us reach us. The men from those vehicles cover our faces with black cloths. Lu Xiaoran and I comply, as we first need to find out who these people are.
They cuff our hands and take us inside their SUV. They drive us to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Even though we are blindfolded and bound, Lu Xiaoran and I are aware of every turn. In fact, they have unwittingly captured two wolves in sheep's clothing.
"Host, you are a Snake, and Lu Xiaoran is a human," the system comments.
I respond, "System, don't try to talk when you don't understand. 'Wolf in sheep's clothing' is an idiom."
Shifting my attention away from the system, I observe what's in front of me. The men lead us out of the car. Inside the warehouse, I see hundreds of men bound and beaten, sitting on the ground while a crowd of men in black suits and some rough thugs watch over them. Among them are the same thugs who previously came to expel people from society.
Standing in the center is a man wearing only gray pants, his upper body bare, displaying various tattoos. The most noticeable is a hyena tattoo on his chest.
Soon, they remove our blindfolds. A man Lu Xiaoran previously beat steps forward and says, "Brother Hyena, this is the boy who fought us when we tried to kick those people out."
Hearing this, the man with the hyena tattoo stands up and punches the man who spoke. "Shut up, you fool! It's Boss Hyena! How dare you call me brother Hyena? You were just beaten by some nobodies!"
He turns to Lu Xiaoran and says, "You boy, why not join my hyena gang? With your looks and strength, you could live an easy life in the city."
Lu Xiaoran replies, "Have you ever seen a tiger living with dogs?" The man, Hyena, frowns at his response. I quietly give a thumbs-up to my disciple, glad he remembered to throw in a punchline before the fight. Hyena then sneers, "Break this boy's bones. I want to see how a tiger wails."
At his command, thugs rush toward us while others prepare to strike with metal rods. Just then, Lu Xiaoran breaks his cuffs and punches one thug, sending him flying into others. He tackles another thug attacking from behind, kicking him in the chest and sending him crashing into the warehouse wall. Lu Xiaoran fights them with impressive skill. To support him, rather than join the brawl, I pull out a speaker from the system space and play some background music filled with drums and heavy metal. The music makes his fighting even more exciting; he isn't just fighting; he's also exuding an aura.
As I do this, one of the bound men from the village asks who I am. I introduce myself briefly. When he asks about Lu Xiaoran, I take a moment and then decide to give a longer introduction.
"He is the one who helps the poor and weak in times of need. He punishes evil people like them. He is a tiger who came down from the mountain to confront some dogs. His name is Lu Sheng."
After my lengthy introduction, the village men look at Lu Xiaoran with hope and admiration. The thugs gulp, feeling fear as they face him. I think my lines worked well; I might try an even more elaborate introduction next time. Soon, Lu Xiaoran defeats all the thugs, leaving only the man named Hyena. He stands confidently, flaring his spiritual aura, revealing he is at the peak of the foundation establishment stage. As he approaches slowly, he declares, "Boy, you messed with the wrong people. Don't blame me if I accidentally kill you."