Li Chuan's Warning

"Good, there's only one."

Grant swept his gaze around, quietly breathing a sigh of relief.

If another four or five like the one from before showed up, he really might not be able to escape today.

Without any pointless talk, he immediately launched an all-out assault. Every move targeted vital points, striving to take down the burly man before him as quickly as possible.

Yet to his horror, his opponent's skills far exceeded his expectations. Every one of his attacks was effortlessly neutralized.

"Not bad. No wonder you were able to take down two of my men."

Li San parted Grant's arms with both hands, stepped forward, and swung his shoulder into Grant's chest like a bolt of lightning.

"Old Bear Crashes Tree!"

Li San's martial arts had been personally taught by Li Chuan. What he practiced was Bear Form from the Xingyi Twelve Forms.

The mountain spirit bear guards its cave, both palms protect the body as eagle and bear contend. Bear Form was the most powerful of the Twelve Forms. In terms of sheer damage, once it landed, it was even more devastating than Dragon Form or Tiger Form.

A top-tier fighter like Grant was sent flying after taking Li San's blow, coughing up blood. He braced himself against the ground several times before barely managing to stand again.

Too strong—far too strong. He had carried out so many missions and encountered so many experts, but this was the first time he had met someone this formidable.

"Unfortunately, I'm an agent. Fighting isn't my only strength!"

Knowing he was absolutely no match for the man before him in unarmed close combat, Grant pulled the pistol from his waist and aimed it at Li San.

Using a firearm in a residential complex might cause him some trouble afterward, but this was clearly no longer the time to worry about that.

"I suggest you put that thing down. Otherwise, don't blame me if your head gets blown off."

When Li San saw Grant draw his pistol, he showed no sign of panic. Instead, a mocking expression appeared on his face.

Grant's face stiffened at those words, and he slowly lowered his gun.

Because he had already noticed two infrared sights trained on him—one aimed at his head, the other at his heart.

It turned out the snipers in the complex had already repositioned themselves, bringing the area where Li San and Grant were fighting within their firing range.

At that moment, seven or eight burly men in security uniforms rushed over as well, surrounding Grant from all sides.

"Take him away!"

With a cold snort from Li San, several burly men stepped forward, stripped Grant of all his equipment, and dragged him toward the interrogation room that had been prepared in advance within the complex.

"Ding-dong!"

Hearing the notification from the phone on the bedside table, Li Chuan slowly opened his eyes and reached over to pick it up.

"He made a move on his very first day. Hydra agents really have no patience."

After reading the report Li San had sent, Li Chuan carefully moved aside Wanda's pale arm and leg draped over him.

He quietly got up and left his room. Led by the two security guards who had long been waiting outside the door, he arrived at the complex's interrogation room.

"Boss, he's tight-lipped. He hasn't said anything—only that he wants to speak with you personally."

When Li Chuan entered, Li San stepped forward and reported respectfully.

Li Chuan waved to indicate it was fine. Wearing pajamas, he sat in a chair nearby, yawned, and looked at the bruised and battered Grant with a smile.

"I'm Li Chuan. Go ahead. Who are you, and why did you infiltrate this complex?"

Grant looked up at Li Chuan. Though he was covered in injuries, his tone remained exceptionally calm.

"My name is Grant Ward. I'm an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. I infiltrated this complex today to carry out a classified mission.

"Your actions have interfered with my mission. Release me immediately."

"What mission? Kill me? Or kidnap me?"

Li Chuan raised a brow.

Grant shook his head.

"I can't disclose the specifics of the mission, but it has nothing to do with you. This is a misunderstanding."

Li Chuan took a pistol from Li San's hand and pointed it at Grant's head.

"You can choose not to talk, but your head will blossom any second now. Don't worry, this room is very soundproof. No one outside will hear the gunshot."

"All right, I'll talk. Although this violates protocol, my target is someone named Paige on the sixth floor of Building Eight. His true identity may be that of a terrorist, and I needed to infiltrate his home to gather intelligence."

Grant's expression was earnest, without the slightest sign that he was lying.

In fact, this was indeed the mission he was openly carrying out. John Garrett had arranged a S.H.I.E.L.D. assignment in advance. If anyone investigated it, they would find nothing wrong.

Li Chuan turned to Li San, who replied, "Our investigation shows that Paige is just an unemployed street punk."

"That's only his public identity."

Grant replied blandly.

Paige really was an unemployed street punk, and he even had several prior offenses on record. But starting yesterday, he had become a terrorist—a terrorist who had vanished without a trace.

Li Chuan nodded. He rather admired how meticulous these Hydra agents were. No wonder they had managed to turn S.H.I.E.L.D. into an empty shell.

"The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division—an international organization founded by Captain America's girlfriend, Peggy Carter, and Tony Stark's father, Howard Stark.

"Oh, you may not know this, but Tony and I are pretty good friends.

"The former director, Alexander Pierce, and the current director, Nick Fury. Wouldn't you say I'm right?"

"How do you know all this?"

Hearing Li Chuan's words, Grant's pupils contracted.

According to his file, Li Chuan was merely a wealthy businessman from Sokovia, at most someone who used somewhat dirty methods behind the scenes.

Today, Li Chuan's absurdly powerful bodyguard team had already shocked him enough. He had never expected the man to know S.H.I.E.L.D. so well, or to know Tony Stark. He was clearly nowhere near as simple as the files suggested.

"I know who you are, and I know who's behind you. You didn't come here today to look for terrorists. But that's fine—I won't hold it against you this time.

"But when you go back, tell the person behind you to stop causing me trouble. Otherwise, I won't be this polite next time. He'll die an ugly death!"

Li Chuan's eyes instantly turned ice-cold, and his powerful presence bore down on Grant until he could barely breathe.

"Alright, don't treat our guest like that. Bandage his wounds and let him go. Also, give him something to eat on the way back. It's so late—he must be hungry.

"I'm going back to catch up on sleep. Tomorrow, I still need to take a look around my new company."

After delivering his warning, Li Chuan stood up and yawned again before leisurely leaving the interrogation room.

Grant, meanwhile, was completely muddled. Li Chuan's words had thoroughly confused him.

In the end, he could only pretend not to understand and reply, "I don't know what you're talking about."