Chapter 354: Must Not Die

Half an hour later.

Xiao Yu, now looking like a sunny, youthful boy, stepped out of a clothing store. Grinning, he trailed a young man from twenty meters behind.

Disguises were strange things. Sometimes, the more conspicuous you were, the less suspicious you became.

Just like now—plenty of women’s gazes swept over his face, while many men shot him dagger-like looks of envy. Yet, the young man ahead only glanced at him briefly before shifting his focus elsewhere, scanning for other potential threats.

Before long, the man seemed certain no one was tailing Wu Hanran and headed off in a new direction.

Xiao Yu blinked once.

With his Falcon’s Eyes, he watched until the man was nearly fifty meters away before following at a measured pace.

The gap between them stayed steady at fifty meters.

Xiao Yu kept his presence concealed. He was unseen by the man, but he could clearly observe his target.

Even if the Falcon’s Eyes failed, he still had the scent-tracking ability of the Monarch Butterfly’s Nose.

Where could he possibly run?

***

Forty minutes later.

The man arrived at a residential area, scanned his surroundings, and entered.

Fifty meters behind, Xiao Yu smirked coldly and slipped into an alley. He removed his wig, reversed his shirt and pants inside out, then pulled out a wet wipe and makeup kit. Wiping off his previous makeup, he swiftly reapplied a new disguise.

Five minutes later, his makeup was done. He kicked off his shoes.

From his pocket, he produced two rubber balls, each the size of a fist.

Splitting them apart revealed a pair of loafers.

When Xiao Yu emerged again, he was someone entirely different. The sunny, vibrant youth had become a plain, ordinary young man.

Xiao Yu fully exploited the special disguise gear from the National Security Special Operations Unit.

Strolling casually, he reached the residential complex fifty meters ahead and stepped inside.

A person could vanish, but a scent wouldn’t disappear so quickly.

Stopping at the entrance of an apartment building, Xiao Yu gripped the handle. He forced open the door with the raw power of a bear’s strength and stepped inside.

The trail ended in front of the elevator. Xiao Yu entered as the doors slid open.

There were eight floors. He pressed every button.

Second floor.

He stepped out, sniffed the air, then returned to the elevator.

Third floor, fourth floor… until the sixth floor.

When Xiao Yu exited and caught a whiff of the air, his eyes lit up.

He turned toward a specific direction. His gaze locked onto an apartment door. A surveillance camera was above it.

Without hesitation, he crouched low and sprang forward.

Leopard’s Speed, Rhino’s Defense, Bear’s Strength—Boom!

Xiao Yu’s body slammed into the door, crashing through it and into the apartment.

His eyes swept the living room. The television displayed live footage from the surveillance feed. Two men were inside. One gripped a knife. The other was reaching for a gun.

Clearly, they had already spotted Xiao Yu through the camera.

If he had hesitated for even a second, they might have been ready for him.

The door smashed against the wall. 

Xiao Yu appeared directly in front of the man with the knife. A wrist snapped. The long blade fell. Xiao Yu caught it mid-drop. He turned and plunged the long blade into the abdomen of the man who had just drawn a pistol.

Three more stabs. The man collapsed.

But his gun was already in Xiao Yu’s hand.

Turning swiftly, Xiao Yu pressed the barrel into the mouth of the man with the broken wrist—silencing his scream.

“Shh, don’t yell,” Xiao Yu bared his teeth. “I can pull the trigger.”

The man, despite the agony, swallowed his cries.

Amazing, isn’t it? At the brink of death, the human instinct to survive can drive the body to the impossible.

Suddenly—

“Huh?”

Xiao Yu’s nose twitched, his expression darkening. He caught the scent of five people. He then smashed the man’s jaw.

Xiao Yu spun around. Boom! He burst through the bedroom door.

A bullet whizzed past his head.

Crouching low, Xiao Yu fired three shots in quick succession.

The man inside—gun raised—took all three hits. Wrist. Chest. Forehead.

Xiao Yu holstered the weapon and charged into another bedroom. The door exploded into splinters, followed by a shrill scream. Xiao Yu stopped, eyes cold as they locked onto two people.

A young man and woman.

The man had a pistol pressed against the woman’s temple.

Xiao Yu’s gaze sharpened as he recognized the man.

“Qi Huan?”

Qi Huan was Wu Yaxin’s boyfriend and the suspected spy.

No. It was confirmed. A normal person wouldn’t be holding a gun to someone’s head, especially not Wu Yaxin’s.

Xiao Yu felt a wave of relief. This was unexpected luck. Even though he had never won a prize in his life from buying two-yuan lottery tickets, maybe he’d finally become lucky.

‘But luck doesn’t last,’ Xiao Yu gave a wry thought.

For instance, right this moment.

“Put the gun down,” Qi Huan said coldly.

Xiao Yu immediately tossed the gun aside.

But just as the gun left his hand, Qi Huan moved his arm and aimed at Xiao Yu, face twisted in a cruel grin.

‘What are you laughing at…?’ 

The instant Qi Huan moved his arm, Xiao Yu pounced.

Like a cat, he landed on all fours right in front of Qi Huan and Wu Yaxin. Both hands grabbed Qi Huan’s ankles.

As Xiao Yu straightened up, Qi Huan was flipped backward. Then Xiao Yu swung his arms, sending Qi Huan flying through the air.

Like a sack of grain, Qi Huan crashed into the wall. With the sound of bones cracking, he slid down like a human-shaped painting, collapsing to the floor.

“Please! Go save my father!” Wu Yaxin pleaded, shrieking at Xiao Yu.

“What happened?” Xiao Yu’s face darkened.

“Once they get what they want, they’ll kill him, and then they’ll kill me!” Wu Yaxin sobbed. “Hurry, save him…”

Xiao Yu drew his service weapon. Amid Wu Yaxin’s frantic screams, he shot Qi Huan’s wrist bones and ankles.

Then Xiao Yu strode out of the room.

Two more shots, and the two men in the living room were finished off.

Wu Yaxin was safe, Qi Huan was left alive, and that was enough.

Xiao Yu took out his phone and called for the special operatives to come, then raced out.

After so many years of shedding blood and sweat for the nation, Wu Hanran might have erred, but he must not die.

The country will not let a bad person go. Nor will it mistreat any who have rendered meritorious service.