"Ha!"
Xu Laosan let out a booming shout, his sturdy frame like a wall as he slammed toward Qin Annian.
He didn't want to lay a hand on someone from the Security Bureau, either.
But—
Qin Annian had been so clueless as to meddle in this mess of his own accord.
Xu Laosan couldn't afford to worry about too much now.
He couldn't just stand by and watch Qin Annian "slaughter his way through everyone" here.
"Get this hothead out of here, then pay a little blood money."
"If the Security Bureau doesn't want the Old District thrown into chaos, they won't look into it too closely."
That was the tacit understanding he'd always had with the Security Bureau.
Now—
The one who'd crossed the line was this greenhorn cop!
The Blood Blade Gang members never saw him groveling before the bigwigs in the Security Bureau.
But if he showed even the slightest fear here—
He'd be eaten alive.
Xu Laosan told himself he had no choice.
In truth—
Seeing Xu Laosan dare to attack a cop like him, Qin Annian understood what these gang thugs were thinking.
"Have you been the tyrant of the Old District for so long—"
"—that you've started thinking you're somebody?"
He'd been worried Xu Laosan might shamelessly slip away.
Then he'd have no chance to test his hunch.
Now—
Seeing Xu Laosan make the first move—
Qin Annian took a deep breath, planting his feet on the ground as if they'd taken root.
"Get out!"
Xu Laosan shouted as he thrust both hands forward.
He meant to use brute force to drive Qin Annian out of the Old District.
Boom!
Qin Annian clenched his fist and drove it forward.
In his eyes—
This move, all force and no technique, was riddled with openings!
But—
"I also want to find out—"
"—just how strong my body is on its own now."
Boom!
He didn't give ground. He swung his fist forward.
Although—
Qin Annian hadn't used a martial art, relying only on his physical strength—
To the gang members, and even Xu Laosan—
The motion of his punch had a beauty to it!
It was nothing like Xu Laosan, who charged like a raging bull.
After his consciousness had advanced to Fist Technique Grandmaster, this way of exerting force had been etched into his body's instincts.
Every muscle, every movement, adjusted unconsciously to perfection.
And so—
Even a casual punch carried the air of "a heavy sword without an edge, supreme skill that seemed crude."
Although their Life Development Power differed considerably—
With this kind of technique, he could still surpass Xu Laosan in combat strength!
Boom!
Qin Annian's fist collided with Xu Laosan's outstretched palm.
A blast of air swept outward.
The Blood Blade Gang members surrounding them with clubs raised their arms to shield their eyes.
"How is this possible?"
Xu Laosan staggered backward in shock, his face grim as he glared at Qin Annian.
His arm hung at his side at an unnatural angle.
His palm was red and swollen.
His fingers twitched involuntarily.
"My Life Development Power is already up to 21.8."
"That's enough to rival some veteran first-phase cops in the Security Bureau."
"This kid is so young. Could his Life Development Power really be higher than mine?!"
He shook his head sharply, trying to drive the thought from his mind.
"Impossible!"
"He must have trained in some secret technique that can briefly stimulate the body's vitality."
Xu Laosan drew a sharp breath, his muscles bulging.
"I'm going all out now!"
"If I hurt you, I apologize in advance."
Even now—
Xu Laosan didn't want to offend the Security Bureau too badly.
As soon as the words left his mouth—
He shot toward Qin Annian like a cannonball.
This time—
Xu Laosan used the martial art that had made his name.
"Blood-Breaking Blade!"
Of course—
He didn't draw a blade. He used his palm as one.
Xu Laosan didn't want to escalate matters just yet.
He could call a fist or palm strike a sparring match.
But using a weapon would mean attacking a cop and endangering his life.
Xu Laosan wasn't ready to land on the Federation's wanted list.
Nor did he want to give up the "empire" he'd built for himself in Taiyu City's Old District.
Whoosh!
A sharp aura gathered around his palm.
Faintly—
A mist seemed to form a long, hazy blade suffused with blood-red light.
Qin Annian watched the imposing move, his expression unchanged.
"Too crude."
"Flashy and wasteful."
His voice was quiet.
Yet Xu Laosan heard every word clearly.
His face turned black as the bottom of a pot.
No one had ever looked down on him like this!
"Arrogant!"
"If you weren't wearing that Security Bureau badge—"
"I'd skin you alive myself!"
He'd done it—
More than once!
A glimmer of murderous intent flashed through Xu Laosan's mind.
But—
The Security Bureau's reputation made that impulse come and go in an instant.
Qin Annian struck first despite moving second.
This time—
He didn't throw a punch.
He kept his upper body still and simply raised his right leg.
Leg Technique: Mountain-Splitting Axe.
Although his talent for this martial art had been fairly ordinary in his memories—
A whole year of relentless training—
Had still allowed him to master the technique.
During the assessment—
Qin Annian had held back.
Here—
He had no reservations.
Boom!
The air around them twisted.
An even fiercer aura took shape beneath Xu Laosan's horrified gaze.
To him—
Qin Annian's descending right leg seemed to become a massive, razor-sharp axe.
Its unstoppable momentum made it hard for Xu Laosan to breathe!
"So that's it!"
"He's a genius at leg techniques, too!"
"Is this what he's relying on to run wild here?"
All kinds of thoughts flashed through Xu Laosan's mind.
Boom!
Qin Annian's leg swept down in a fierce arc, seeming to flash with dazzling light.
When his heel struck Xu Laosan's palm—
The gang members felt as if the ground itself had sunk.
A moment later—
Dust billowed into the air once more.
"Boss!"
"Gang leader!"
They covered their mouths and noses, waving their hands frantically.
They tried to clear the dust blocking their view.
But—
When the gang members could finally see the two men clearly—
They stood frozen in place, their minds unable to process what they were seeing.
Thud!
Xu Laosan crossed his arms over his chest. His face had gone red from the rush of blood, and his lips trembled.
And—
As the dust settled—
His left leg, barely holding him upright, began to buckle.
At last—
His knee slammed into the ground.
Xu Laosan looked up, staring at the young face he couldn't bring himself to believe.
"You?!"
"Your combat strength?"
"What kind of joke is this?"
With just one move—
Xu Laosan saw the gap between his martial arts and Qin Annian's.
"That kick—"
"How could it have landed right on my opening?"
Xu Laosan felt his qi and blood churning chaotically inside him.
He could barely summon any strength.
Boom!
Before Xu Laosan could say anything else.
Qin Annian suddenly leaped into the air, his right foot coming down on Xu Laosan's crossed hands as well.
In an instant.
The latter's body flew backward like a tattered rag.
Bang!
His burly body rolled across the ground several times, coating him in dust and mud.
He did not stop until he was beside the electronic handcuffs that had been knocked away earlier.
Only then did Xu Laosan release the strength in his body and manage to come to a halt.
"Are you going to keep fighting,"
"or put on the handcuffs yourself and come with me?"
Xu Laosan looked up.
He met a pair of calm, pitch-black eyes that stirred an inexplicable anger deep within him!
"You dare humiliate me like this?!"
"You're asking for death!"
Before you continue