Young Master Zhang

After boarding a US warship bound for Asia, Alex and Logan finally set foot on Chinese soil after a long journey and several transfers. It was a land ravaged by war.

"Alex, what do we do now?" Logan asked, still holding a half-smoked cigar in his mouth, unlit, as he casually surveyed their surroundings.

"Wait for someone!" Alex stood at the ferry terminal, gazing at the bustling pier, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

It was a case of one disaster after another. Not only had China suffered military setbacks in '42, but it was also hit by a once-in-a-century drought. The land was parched, and starvation was rampant. People were forced to leave their homes in search of a chance to survive.

On the dock, Alex saw many families with elderly people and children. The elderly carried iron pots on their backs. Pale refugees desperately rushed off the ferry, sprinting towards the city beyond the pier, believing they could find a way to live there.

Unfortunately, before they could even clear the dock, groups of police officers in dark blue uniforms, armed with batons and rifles, advanced step by step, intending to drive everyone away. The desperate refugees naturally wouldn't give up, fiercely pushing against the human wall formed by the police.

After a brief standoff, a portly police officer pushed through the crowd and stepped forward. His round face was etched with impatience. "You rabble, get out of here immediately, or I'll open fire!" With that, the officer drew a pistol from his waist, fired several shots into the air, and then aimed the barrel at the refugees before him.

Most of the refugees were honest farmers. Hearing the gunshots, they flinched, their necks shrinking as they retreated several steps, trembling.

"Alex!" Logan removed the cigar from his mouth, turned to look at Alex, a hint of anger flashing across his usually calm face.

Alex gave a wry smile and shook his head, signaling Logan not to intervene. Alex wished he could help these refugees, but he lacked the ability to do anything at the moment.

Seeing the retreating refugees, the police officer appeared quite pleased. He waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away flies, and casually said, "Go back where you came from. This is not a place you should be!"

"You're telling us to die!" someone shouted from among the refugees.

"Yes, I am telling you to die!" the officer retorted, glaring furiously. "You're useless anyway. Better dead than alive!"

"Even if we die, we'll take you, you son of a bitch, with us!" an elder with a strong spirit charged forward, brandishing a hammer and poised to strike the detestable officer.

The pig-like officer was startled, nearly dropping his gun. Fortunately, he quickly regained his composure. Seeing the gun in his hand, he immediately puffed up with bravado. He pressed the muzzle of the gun against the elder's forehead and cursed fiercely, "Old man, you dare move again? Move again, and I'll shoot you dead!" His stance suggested he was ready to fire before the elder could even react.

Alex was truly enraged. With a flicker of movement, he suddenly appeared beside the officer. He placed his right hand on the gun pressed against the elder's forehead and turned to the officer, saying softly, "Brother, we're all just trying to make a living. There's no need to fire, is there?"

Having just returned to China, Alex did not want to spill any Chinese blood, even if it was the officer he intensely disliked.

The officer hadn't noticed Alex's sudden appearance, assuming he had emerged from the crowd. He squinted and cursed, "Who the hell do you think you are? Get lost, or I'll shoot you too!"

Alex's face tensed, and he spoke slowly, word by word, "There are some people you can afford to offend, and some you can't!"

Song Zixing glanced at Alex, realizing he didn't recognize him. He arrogantly shouted, "In the territory of Chongqing, there's no one I, Song Zixing, can't afford to offend!"

"Song Zixing?" Alex frowned, let out a cold snort, and slapped Song Zixing across his pig-like face. "You can't afford to offend me!" Alex paid no mind to the powerful families like the Jiang, Song, Kong, and Chen. Even if Chiang Kai-shek himself were standing before him, Alex would still have hit him! There were very few people in all of China whom Alex dared not strike!

Song Zixing was clearly stunned. He covered his face with one hand, pointed at Alex with the other, and after a moment of daze, screamed, "Shoot! Shoot him! Kill him!"

The police officers behind Song Zixing immediately drew their guns and aimed them at Alex.

Alex swept his cold gaze over them, and all the officers were too terrified to move. Having fought in countless battles on the European front, Alex had killed many people. His aura of ferocity was beyond comparison to these officers who only knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong.

Logan had also silently moved to Alex's side, looking at Song Zixing coldly, as if he were looking at a corpse.

Upon seeing Logan, Song Zixing began to tremble uncontrollably. It wasn't just Logan's gaze that terrified him, but also his skin color. In this era, foreigners were considered superior. Offending a foreigner meant international repercussions, and it was always the Chinese who suffered in the end!

Just as Song Zixing was contemplating whether to grovel in apology or offer money to appease the situation, a middle-aged man pushed through the crowd. He glanced around and then walked directly towards Alex.

Upon seeing the approaching man, Song Zixing's excitement surged. He was about to open his mouth to offer flattery when he saw the middle-aged man respectfully approach Alex and ask, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Zhang?"

Alex nodded, sizing up the middle-aged man. "Yes, I am Zhang Xuan." Back in China, using his English name felt rather awkward. Alex felt it was time to use his Chinese name, something he had already discussed with Strucker. This middle-aged man was the head of Hydra in China, holding a very high position within the National Government.

"Please come with me, Mr. Zhang!" After confirming Alex's identity, the middle-aged man's expression became even more humble, almost bowing as he gestured for Alex to follow.

Zhang Xuan glanced back at the pale and terrified Song Zixing, chuckled lightly, and asked, "Now, can you still afford to offend me?"

Song Zixing collapsed onto the ground, his body limp. Tears streaming down his face, he grabbed Zhang Xuan's trouser leg and pleaded with all his might, "I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness. I beg you, Young Master Zhang, be magnanimous and spare me!"

Zhang Xuan had come to China to expel the Japanese, not to argue with a petty police officer. He let out a hearty laugh and strode away.

After Zhang Xuan and his companions disappeared from the pier, a young police officer helped Song Zixing up and quietly asked, "Brother Song, who is this Young Master Zhang? I've never heard of him."

Song Zixing straightened up, looking in the direction Zhang Xuan had gone, a hint of confusion on his face. "I don't know his background either, but I know the person who came to pick him up."

"Who?"

"The Minister of Finance of the National Government!"