Wanted Criminal

Xiao Wang walked out of the underground fighting arena and felt the ten thousand Federation dollars in his pocket.

Even without any extra bonuses, earning five thousand Federation dollars per match is pretty good. If I come a few times each month, even with a fifty-fifty win rate, I can still make close to twenty thousand. Not bad.

Xiao Wang thought as he walked. After passing through the long underground corridor and basement, he arrived on the street.

It was nearly midnight, and not a single person could be seen on the streets.

Under the dim yellow streetlights, the sweeping patrol searchlights atop the inner city wall occasionally passed over the rooftops opposite, revealing flashes of white light.

Xiao Wang pulled on his hat and lowered his face into the shadows.

His face had taken several punches tonight and was slightly swollen.

It probably won't be better until tomorrow morning.

He headed back toward Zhongxing Martial Arts Hall along the streets.

As he passed through one district after another, whenever he encountered small groups of people wandering the streets, Xiao Wang concealed himself in the shadows and moved forward as inconspicuously as possible.

After passing through four districts in a row, he had just rounded a corner and was about to enter the fifth when he suddenly saw someone charging toward him from the far end of the street.

Xiao Wang quickly slipped aside, hiding in the shadows as much as possible.

At the same time, he kept his eyes on the person running toward him.

As the man drew nearer and his features became clearer, Xiao Wang froze for a moment. He felt that the man looked vaguely familiar.

The man had an obvious hollow in his left cheek, as though a chunk had been removed by something.

Just as Xiao Wang searched his memories, the sounds of pursuit came from behind the man, accompanied by scattered gunshots.

"Stop!"

Bang!

Xiao Wang looked toward the shooter and saw that he was wearing a Patrol Bureau uniform.

Then he remembered. He had heard this man's wanted notice on the radio at home before.

There seems to be a reward. And if I can get connected with the Patrol Bureau, I might be able to ask about Hu Guangzhong.

With that thought, Xiao Wang no longer remained hidden. He stepped out of the shadows and walked directly into the man's path.

"Get out of the way!"

The wanted criminal shouted at Xiao Wang as he sprinted toward him.

But Xiao Wang remained where he was, unmoving.

He stepped one foot back and lowered his body slightly, taking a stance to brace for impact.

From the man's gait and speed, Xiao Wang could tell that he was a martial artist, and not a weak one. Otherwise, he could not have escaped armed Patrol Bureau officers twice.

Xiao Wang focused completely, his eyes locked on the man's footsteps.

"I said get out of the way!"

As the distance closed, the wanted criminal shouted again.

When he saw that Xiao Wang still had not moved and noticed his stance, he immediately changed direction, intending to go around him.

But at that moment, when they were still about three meters apart, Xiao Wang moved.

He shot forward in a single step.

The wanted criminal's eyes narrowed.

"You're courting death."

He surged forward and leaped, driving his knee straight at Xiao Wang's face.

Xiao Wang abruptly stopped, planted one hand on the ground, and swung his body into the air with a twist of his waist. His right leg hooked out and struck the wanted criminal squarely in the lower back as he hung in midair.

The wanted criminal had already been rushing forward, and with Xiao Wang borrowing his momentum against him, he lost his balance in the air and crashed face-first onto the ground.

But he sprang back up immediately. He had no intention of fighting and sprinted forward at full speed.

Xiao Wang reacted just as quickly. He rushed up, grabbed the man by the collar, and threw him over his back, dragging his body over his head before slamming him heavily onto the ground.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you blocking me? Did I provoke you?"

Xiao Wang did not waste a word on him. He simply started throwing punches.

The other man still had no interest in fighting. All he wanted was to escape.

But Xiao Wang never gave him the chance. Every time he tried to run, Xiao Wang held him back.

"Damn it. Fine. If you want to die, I'll grant your wish."

After several failed attempts to flee, the wanted criminal stopped trying to run and attacked Xiao Wang directly.

The two exchanged punches and kicks, blow after blow. Only then did Xiao Wang realize just how skilled the man was with his legs.

No wonder he runs so fast and managed to escape.

By then, several Patrol Bureau officers pursuing from behind had drawn close. When they saw the wanted criminal fighting someone, they were all taken aback.

"Who's that guy? Has the captain arrived?"

"How could it be? If it were the captain, he'd have taken him down in one move. How could they still be trading blows?"

"Where's the captain? Is she here?"

"Probably soon."

The group hesitated briefly, then immediately rushed forward to help apprehend him.

On Xiao Wang's side, he launched a powerful punch straight at the man's chest. The wanted criminal threw a side hook at Xiao Wang's lower ribs. Xiao Wang neither dodged nor hesitated, allowing the punch to hit him as he focused solely on his own attack.

Boom!

Boom!

Two dull impacts rang out.

The wanted criminal was forced back several steps, while Xiao Wang staggered sideways.

"Not bad."

The wanted criminal sneered and raised his leg toward Xiao Wang's face.

Xiao Wang drove a knee forward, aiming directly for the man's groin.

"Despicable!"

The wanted criminal had no choice but to pull his leg back and assume a defensive stance. Xiao Wang immediately surged forward, driving one knee into the man's chest and the other upward into his chin.

Boom!

Knee and jawbone collided with a sharp crack.

The sound of teeth clacking together followed immediately after.

Then the wanted criminal's head snapped back, and he fell backward.

The moment he hit the ground, the Patrol Bureau officers swarmed in and pointed their guns at him.

"Don't move!"

"Don't move! Stay put!"

"Don't move! Move and I'll blow you away!"

With guns pointed at him, the wanted criminal stopped resisting.

Xiao Wang dusted off his hands and straightened his clothes.

One officer looked at Xiao Wang. "Thanks, brother. If it weren't for you, this wanted criminal might've escaped again today."

"It's nothing. I'm an upstanding citizen of Yuanshan Outer City. Of course I should help capture wanted criminals when I see them."

The officers were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "You're pretty funny, little brother."

Listening to their laughter, Xiao Wang asked, "This should be the major criminal with the bounty from before, right? Since I helped capture him, can I claim the reward?"

The officers looked at one another and did not answer immediately.

Just then, a somewhat childlike female voice came from the distance.

"You can."

At the sound of that voice, all the officers turned toward it.

"Captain Wen."

"Captain Wen."

Then a woman stepped out from the shadows by the street and walked toward Xiao Wang and the others.

Xiao Wang looked at her. She appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, about one hundred seventy centimeters tall, with a tall and slender figure, delicate features, and a high ponytail. Her capable, form-fitting outfit fully accentuated her athletic physique.

Most importantly, Xiao Wang saw that she carried a Tang saber on her back.

Xiao Wang had already guessed who she was.

The Patrol Bureau's deputy captain, Wen Lujia.

Her chest isn't that big. At most, a B cup.

Xiao Wang recalled Guan Chaoyang's previous description of Wen Lujia, saying that she had a very large chest.