Sparring Partners

It was late at night, and Capital's nightlife was in full swing.

Sanlixiang is a dazzling spectacle of lights, with all sorts of bizarrely modified cars rumbling by, and various supercars coming and going. The Japan lights create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere, making it a hub for the most exclusive entertainment venues in Capital. All kinds of people vent, indulge, and revel here.

Dressed in trendy brands, wearing a fake Submariner, and driving a rented sports car, this is a restless young man eager for something to happen. Meanwhile, a flamboyant young woman, glancing around with a dreamy yet expectant look, is a "socialite" who has crowdfunded designer clothes with her friends in a group chat, hoping for a gentle, handsome, wealthy, and devoted second-generation rich kid.

The "mentor" peddling PUA dressed his rich students up to look presentable. Tonight was a practical class, costing 600 yuan per person, where he would demonstrate how to seduce men.

But those toads who dream of marrying a swan will never know that the girls being "hit" are just the instructor's casual sex partners, it's all just a show. As for the tuition of 600 yuan per person, which adds up to several thousand, it's just that these idiots crowdfunded to invite the "instructor" to a nightclub for a private clubbing session. These days, there aren't enough scammers to go around.

A rich second-generation from out of town negotiated a price with a prostitute at a nightclub, then walked towards the parking lot with his bed partner for the night. Drunk men and women vomited wildly in the street. This was just the beginning. In a few hours, this place would be turned into a filthy street by the reeking of drunken people. Even pet dogs' poop is cleaned up by their owners, but this vomit would only become a burden for the sanitation workers who work hard from dawn till dusk.

In this bustling and restless street, photographers are taking street shots, short video creators are walking around, pleasure seekers are laughing, and young people renting sports cars are looking around, hoping to get the long-awaited sense of satisfaction and accomplishment from the attention of passersby and the smiles of beautiful women—but the next moment, everyone's eyes widened.

On this street of desire, where supercars come and go and luxury cars abound, a robust, simple, steady, retro, and dignified Hongqi L5 slowly approaches.

The license plate looked terrifying.

An unspoken rule: at least half of the sports cars in Sanlixiang are rented.

As for how to tell whether someone driving a supercar is a genuine rich kid or a poor guy renting a car to hook up, the escort circle in Sanlixiang has its own experience. The key is to look at the license plate. If it's an out-of-town license plate, especially one starting with Zhejiang, then it's most likely rented from a car rental company for several thousand yuan a day.

As for the license plate...

A chorus of low "Holy crap!"s rose and fell. Those in the know started pulling out their phones. A car with this kind of license plate driving here was simply outrageous; it was bound to become a famous topic of conversation and an urban legend. The Hongqi L5 brazenly found a parking space, and Kang De got out of the car. "Why don't you stay here?"

Qin Mengjin, as usual, was his driver. She unbuckled her seatbelt and said, "I'll come with you."

Kang De glanced up at the bustling night scene of Sanlixiang, the area with the highest concentration of perfumes and hyaluronic acid in the entire Capital, and even in all of China. He looked down and said, "Nightclubs, you'd better not go in."

Qin Mengjin smiled faintly, "It's alright, I'd like to go in and take a look too."

As she said this, she glanced down at her formal attire: a blazer, white shirt, skirt, and stockings. She should have at least changed into more practical trousers, but...

"This outfit is a bit out of place." She smiled slightly. "You'll have to protect me."

Kang De waved his hand and said, "Let's go."

Along the way, Kang De reviewed the various documents provided by the relevant departments, gaining a preliminary understanding of the words and actions of these extraordinary individuals. To be fair, among Su Zhuangzhuang, Li Xiaojie, and Song Xuejun, Su Zhuangzhuang was the least outrageous, but...

"Guide him," he said, gesturing with his hand, "Find him. He needs electrotherapy."

Qin Mengjin got out of the car, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Comrade Kang De, it's best not to make too much of a scene..."

Kang De said gently, "This is in China. I know what I'm doing and won't make things difficult for the higher-ups."

Following the navigation, they walked all the way to Dirty Street, where music at hundreds of decibels blared wildly from the shops.

Information from relevant departments indicates that the bar Su Zhuangzhuang is at tonight is located here. He is already a regular at Sanlixiang, single, wealthy, with a mysterious background, and no fixed romantic relationship, because he can get a different girl every night if he wants to—damn it.

Kang De frowned as he looked at the increasingly noisy street. There were more and more foreigners, and it was easy to see girls wearing strapless dresses and high heels. Men were hugging and embracing each other, men and women were hugging and embracing, and foreigners were hugging and embracing China people... He shook his head. This place was not suitable for him.

On this street, Kang De, dressed in loose casual clothes, and Qin Mengjin, dressed in office lady attire, seemed out of place. The former's outfit was too dowdy, while the latter attracted attention because she looked very stylish. The key was that Qin Mengjin was very beautiful... Kang De leaned over to look at Qin Mengjin's phone, and Lin Chiling's voice informed the two that they had arrived at their destination, which was on the right.

Just then, several drunken white men, staggering and laughing hysterically, came over. One of them, a foreigner with loose skin and body odor, saw Qin Mengjin, his eyes lit up, and he jogged over, slurring in Chinese, "How much? Three thousand a night? Five thousand?"

Kang De shook his head, smiled at the foreigner, then grabbed his head and slammed it against a nearby lamppost. With a thud, the tall foreigner went limp and slid to the ground. But the deep ringing of the bell didn't end there. Kang De grabbed his head and slammed it twice more until the man collapsed completely to the ground.

Then he kicked him so hard he flew into the air, rolled twice on the ground, and let out a pig-like scream.

The foreigner's companions ran over shouting, but ultimately didn't dare to confront Kang De. They yelled in broken foreign language and took out their phones, seemingly intending to call the police.

You saw it.

Kang De turned to Qin Mengjin and said, "This foreign devil attempted to assassinate the leader of Comora."

Qin Mengjin opened her mouth, but ultimately shrugged helplessly.

She gestured behind her, and the relevant departments were very considerate; to prevent Kang De from causing any trouble, a professional cleanup team had already arrived at the designated location and was on standby.

Kang De had already entered the noisy bar.

The music was loud and blaring, and the revelers twirled on the dance floor. Su Zhuangzhuang was wearing a padded-shoulder suit with nothing underneath, revealing his bare chest.

He wanted to look trendy, and flamboyant attire was popular here, but what made him invincible in the entertainment industry was not his appearance, nor his government-funded salary, nor even his fabricated identity as a scientist and his background at the Chinese Academy of Sciences... but rather the electric light flowing from his fingertips at this moment.

He stood with his shirt off, chest exposed, swirling the liquor in his glass, close to the woman beside him. This was his prey for the night—he hadn't gone to his rich friends, nor to his usual nightclub, where the patrons and even the female customers already knew him, knew he had a mysterious background, deep connections, and a good job, and didn't mind having something happen between them.

That wasn't what he wanted; tonight, he wanted something more exciting.

Because of fear.

Fear gripped my heart.

That man named Kang De.

A few days ago, he and some other superhumans were taken to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. That Kang De mocked him, scorned him, made him lose face, and made him the subject of ridicule. He activated his abilities, but they were useless against him; instead, he was paralyzed with fear...

Unauthorized use of his abilities and launching attacks did not result in any punishment or reprimand, but his fear and hatred deepened daily. Su Zhuangzhuang clearly sensed that the entire research institute had become much colder towards him in the past few days. He could even notice the researchers' strange looks; every whisper seemed to be a silent mockery of his earlier lapse in composure. They no longer respected him, even distancing themselves from him, secretly laughing at him as if his abilities were now worthless...

Just like before.

When you lack ability, you are bullied, ostracized, unpopular, and isolated by your classmates at school.

Just like before.

No.

That won't do.

I'm different now. I'm the center of attention, I'm the one who matters. I can do whatever I want, and I can have whomever I want!

He smiled gently, elegantly swirled the wine, and glanced at the beautiful woman beside him, but what truly mattered was the subtle, gentle touch of their shoulders, a subtle electric current taking effect.

This stemmed from his secret experiments.

The ideal amount won't cause discomfort or pain to the target, but rather a slight tingling sensation, creating an illusion of love at first sight. In the context of alcohol and nightclubs, driven by the subconscious desire to "have something happen," many things will naturally unfold.

The woman's gaze became dreamy and affectionate.

Su Zhuangzhuang approached silently and whispered, "Shall we go get some late-night snacks?"

This is also the process of seeking pleasure in Sanlixiang. When a girl agrees to your suggestion, it means that you can go to the nearby snack street for some late-night snacks, and then naturally arrive at the city hotel - where the sheets are said to have the highest density of DNA.

Every womanizer may experience several or even a dozen failures each night before finally succeeding, but Su Zhuangzhuang is different—he is certain to succeed; that's what he believes.

The girl, her eyes glazed over, nestled close to the man. She felt a comforting warmth, a tingling sensation in her heart, a sense of security—it must be the feeling of being smitten. Amplified by the alcohol, she smiled sweetly and said, "Okay..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw a hand descend from the sky and land on the prince's head.

With a thud, Su Zhuangzhuang's head slammed against the bar counter, making a loud noise.

The noise was partially drowned out by the loud music, but nearby patrons had already turned to look, and the bartender quickly approached— Kang De noticed that the man was wearing a red armband that read "Chaoyang District Security Volunteer," because the police officers had spoken with the bars on these streets several times.

"Hey, Electric Dick."

Kang De's smile looked grotesque under the purple nightlights, "Remember me?"

The girl's gaze shifted from dazed to clear, and she opened her mouth to scream, but Kang De's hand was already on her cheek. "Quiet, wake up."

The light from the Divine Ring of Stellar Authority dispelled the mist, and the girl's face instantly went from terrified to calm. The bartender was already in front of her, and he said sternly, "Sir, please let go. Please don't make things difficult for us."

The security guards, having been notified, are already approaching.

"Hello, I am the founder of the China Dragon Group," Kang De said solemnly. "We are apprehending a dangerous individual who threatens national security. His weapons are electrified and need to be cut off..."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Zhuangzhuang shouted, "Help..."

With a thud, in front of the bartender and security guards, Kang De grabbed Su Zhuangzhuang's head and slammed it against his head. "You have two choices now. First, shut your mouth and obediently leave with me. Second, I'll beat you up, then drag you out of Sanlixiang by your feet, making sure there's a blood trail on the ground for at least 500 meters, and no one will stand up for you. Think it over before you call."

Su Zhuangzhuang immediately deflated like a punctured balloon.

"Excuse me, please continue with your business."

Kang De grabbed him and said to Qin Mengjin, "Oh, by the way, show them the gun."

Helpless, Qin Mengjin took out her identification and said to the bartender, "Could you please have your manager come out for a moment? I'll explain the situation to him, and there will be further explanation later..."

Kang De grabbed Su Zhuangzhuang and left. Before leaving, he said to his prey, "Excuse me. If you'd like, go find someone else to get stabbed."

Su Zhuangzhuang ultimately dared not shout, because he sensed something ominous about Kang De... an unprecedented indifference and hardness he had never encountered in recent years.

"Next," Kang De glanced at his phone. "What a coincidence, also nearby."

Kang De and Qin Mengjin walked straight into the upscale apartment in Sanlixiang SOHO. The access card issue had already been resolved. They took the elevator up and arrived at a door.

Ring the doorbell.

A sound came from inside.

"Hey, who is it...?"

"Wait a minute, this angle is perfect..."

"Let's talk about it after we finish filming..."

"--Li Xiaojie, this is Kang De." Kang De's voice came through the door, "Five seconds to open the door, or you'll face the consequences."

A loud noise came from inside. Three seconds later, the door opened, revealing two heavily made-up, pretty faces. Behind Li Xiaojie's uncertain expression, another female voice peeked out, "Who is this?"

Kang De yanked the door open and immediately frowned, asking, "What's going on here?"

Li Xiaojie was wearing a cheongsam, but her hairstyle was awful. The slit in the cheongsam revealed her long legs covered in flesh-colored stockings. She was wearing high heels and holding a small round fan, looking extremely flirtatious.

The woman behind her looked even stranger, dressed in a messy military uniform with a jumble of medals and ribbons, wearing thick makeup with big eyes and a military overcoat, exuding a wicked, cool, and arrogant vibe.

He revealed the face of the old man on the subway looking at his phone. "Are you gay? What kind of fun is this?"

"... Of course not!"

Li Xiaojie blurted out instinctively, "They're filming Douyin!"

"Huh?" Kang De said disdainfully, "What are you filming?"

"You don't even know this?" The woman behind him seemed to mistake Kang De for someone close to Li Xiaojie; perhaps due to her outgoing personality, she showed no signs of shyness. "Picking up a warlord's concubine, huh? Never seen one before?"

"..."

Kang De looked puzzled. "Have you all been kicked in the head by a donkey?"

"Hey, how can you talk like that?"

Li Xiaojie stopped her roommate behind her and said seriously, "First of all, it's our freedom to film whatever we want, so we don't need your advice. Secondly, is there anything you need?"

"What you do is none of my business, but it's wrong of you to take out loans, overspend, default on your debts, and even make a scene at the government. Tsk tsk, I can see all those designer bags, shoes, and clothes of yours right here. Where did that money come from? Don't tell me it's your salary."

"I still have your spending and loan records from the past three months. Damn, this is outrageous! Were you chasing after several celebrities? And the rent here must be expensive, right? Who's this girl? Are you some kind of simp trying to gain superiority? She must be so envious of you. I wonder where you got all that money..."

"Of course, that's none of my business," Kang De said. "I'm here at the invitation of the state to kindly instruct you. I have businesses in Africa, so I'm sending you there to gain some experience—don't you like being a warlord's concubine? There happen to be quite a few warlords in Africa, so I'll show you what it's like to be a warlord's concubine."

He smiled broadly, "Two choices. First, I'll give you three minutes to change into something more practical. Don't worry about bringing any luggage; just go straight to the airport. Second, you can resist. You can call for help, unleash your 'outrageous' tactics against the government, and then I'll grab your feet and drag you out of Sanlixiang SOHO, down the stairs. I guarantee no one will care about you. Think it over before you speak."

After saying that, he looked at Qin Mengjin: "Where is the next person?"

Late at night, Song Xuejun's door was opened. He had moved out of his original home due to work requirements and a confidentiality agreement, and was now living in a better luxury apartment. At this moment, in the dead of night, Mr. Song sat in front of his computer, lit a cigarette, and wrote passionately, occasionally letting out a disdainful sneer.

"Your ladder works really well."

A voice suddenly sounded behind him. Song Xuejun nodded in shock. The light from the computer screen illuminated the face of the person behind him. Kang De leaned out to look. "Holy crap, you use Facebook too? How trendy! Let me see what you're talking about... Holy crap, old man, if this happened in ancient times, your whole family would be executed..."

Song Xuejun angrily retorted, "You... who let you in! This is trespassing..."

Before he could finish speaking, Kang De shoved his head into the ashtray. "Old man, aren't you saying our Gavorm is a tyranny without freedom? Why are you so surprised by my behavior?"

"Damn it, sometimes I just don't understand your brains. If even one of the facts you're smearing is true, this cesspool of Weibo would have been completely blown up long ago. And you bastards still wouldn't be able to say a word? Every time I look at Weibo, I feel like our country's freedom of speech has gone too far."

Song Xuejun struggled and cried out, "Let me go!"

Kang De shook his head and said, "Tell me about it, brother. I find it strange. It's one thing for us common folk to think about how good foreign countries are all day long, but you guys, receiving government welfare and generous treatment, enjoying things we can only dream of, are still complaining about this and that, and longing for foreign countries. Why is that?"

"Alright, alright. Here's a plane ticket to Africa for one person. I'll take you there today to broaden your horizons."

Around 3 a. m., the three superhumans, still shaken, had the sacks removed from their heads.

In the swaying carriage, they saw three People's Liberation Army comrades opposite them—the same three extraordinary soldiers they had met briefly before. Song Xuejun shouted, "This is a blatant trampling on human rights! I'm going to make a phone call! I'm going to file a complaint! I'm going to call the police! I'm going to..."

"Friend, you're a superhuman, not an ordinary person. What human rights do you have to offer?"

Kang De, sitting at the head of the carriage, stretched and said with a smile.

Li Xiaojie trembled all over, crying out, "Why do we have to go to Africa? What are you going to do to us? I don't want to go! I want to go home! You... you can't do this!"

"Want to go home? Fine. All that borrowed money, all that mess you caused—I've done the math. Good heavens, you've made tens of millions over the years, plus late fees and interest..."

Kang De glanced sideways and said, "It might be a bit rude to say, but you couldn't even pay it off if you sold yourself."

"Alright, you two, stop talking. You've been spoiled by the country. But I'm different. I like to play the bad cop. According to my agreement with the country, I'll be the villain."

Kang De pointed to the three People's People's Liberation Army opposite him. "I am responsible for instructing them, setting rules for the extraordinary, and organizing and training the supervisory force. From now on, you only have two paths to choose from: either join them and become one of them, which requires arduous training and rigorous examination to transform you completely."

"Of course, there is a second way."

Kang De looked at the three men and said calmly, "You don't have to join them."

"You can become their... sparring partners."

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: My sleep schedule is insane... Don't worry, I remember all the chapters I owe, and I'll pay back at least half to two-thirds this month. I've offered bounties for so many chapters since my last book, and I've never renege on my promise.