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Chapter 286 Top Predator, Beast in Lurk
Bang!
Like a meteorite that has completely died out.

Gao Jin's massive body plummeted straight down from a height of over ten meters, crashing heavily onto the ground.

It instantly splashed up large amounts of mud and gravel, even creating a clear, shallow crater.

The menacing bio-armor covering him was rapidly dissipating like the receding tide.

The sharp bone spurs silently retracted under the skin, and the limbs returned to the shape of normal human hands and feet.

The dark red and black interwoven carapace and tendon tissues were also rapidly liquefying, turning into a fluid substance that shimmered with a faint fluorescence.

As if drawn by an invisible force, they constantly converge and contract.

Ultimately, it all disappeared into the dim, shimmering crystal-like core device in his chest.

In the blink of an eye, the terrifying form, resembling a demon from the abyss, vanished without a trace.

Gao Jin reverted to his original human form, dressed in a black suit, but now his body was steaming with white heat.

Sweat had completely soaked his clothes, which clung tightly to his body, outlining the contours of his exceptionally strong muscles.

The expensive suit was now tattered, with a large hole burned through its chest by Fang Cheng's fiery fist.

The skin underneath was charred black from being burned by high temperatures, and there were even tiny granulation tissues slowly wriggling at the edges.

However, this self-healing ability is far inferior to the super-fast regeneration that occurred when I was inside the energy shield and bathed in red light.

"Commander Gao! Are you...are you alright?"

Zhou Liang and Ali, who were lying in the mud not far away, saw this scene and struggled to get up.

However, the intense pain from various parts of their bodies made them grimace and unable to exert any strength as soon as they tried to use it.

They could only move in vain, showing that they had the will but not the strength.

"call--"

Gao Jin did not answer immediately. He supported himself on the muddy ground with both hands, knelt on one knee, and his body heaved violently.

He was panting heavily, like an athlete who had just finished an ultramarathon.

Sweat mixed with mud and water kept rolling down his forehead.

Only after confirming that the white figure's aura had completely disappeared from his perception range and fled into the distance did he abandon the image of a powerful figure that he had painstakingly maintained.

After falling, it felt as if a huge burden had been lifted, and the tense nerves relaxed. Even maintaining the kneeling position was a bit difficult, and the muscles in the body trembled slightly.

"fine."

Gao Jin waved his hand, his voice slightly hoarse.

He then pulled out a black metal device resembling a car key from his inner suit pocket and pressed down hard on the side button with his thumb.

With a "beep," a faint blue light flickered on the top of the device.

It seems to be emitting some kind of special signal that cannot be detected by ordinary equipment.

After doing all this, Gao Jin finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tense back slumped down, and he felt a sense of relief.

If "White Owl" hadn't chosen to leave, but instead continued the fight...

Gao Jin glanced at the core device on his chest, which was shimmering slightly, with a complicated expression.

I'm afraid I'll have to use that trump card that I absolutely must not reveal unless it's a last resort.

Recalling the intense battle just now, Gao Jin's heart was still filled with turmoil.

That guy's physical abilities were practically superhuman, like he came from outer space. Not only was his speed ridiculously fast, but his strength was also incredibly powerful and domineering.

Especially the explosive power of that final punch...

Looking back now, I still feel lingering fear.

Even with the powerful combat capabilities provided by his bio-armor and energy core, he wasn't confident he could secure a victory in this high-intensity melee combat.

Besides, that guy gave the impression that he had extremely abundant physical strength and could fight for another three hundred rounds like this!
Gao Jin shook his head slightly, dispelling his distracting thoughts, and barely managed to stand up.

His gaze fell on the two subordinates who were groaning and complaining not far away.

Seeing their bruised and swollen faces, covered in mud and blood, he couldn't help but frown.

"How are you two? Are you badly injured?"

Hearing their superior's concerned inquiry, Zhou Liang and Ali, as if they had found an outlet for their emotions, immediately began to scream in perfect unison.

"Ouch," "Hiss—," "It hurts so much!"

Their voices were increasingly mournful, their expressions increasingly pained, coupled with their ragged clothes and battered appearance.

It was so heartbreaking that anyone who heard about it would be saddened, and anyone who saw it would be moved to tears; it perfectly exemplified what "utterly tragic" truly means.

Gao Jin's eyes suddenly sharpened as he looked at his subordinates' miserable state. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, and an invisible pressure emanated from him.
"Was it Bai Xiao who ruined you all like this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Liang and Ali's screams abruptly ceased.

The two couldn't help but exchange a glance, their expressions somewhat awkward and subtle, secretly grumbling to themselves.

We'd like to say that... but most of these wounds were clearly caused by your gravity cannon attack just now.

But if you said that out loud, you'd probably get a "deep self-reflection package" on the spot...

Gao Jin was no ordinary person. Seeing the expressions on the two men's faces, and combining that with his own almost frenzied fighting posture just now, he immediately understood seven or eight parts of the situation. His lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

He coughed lightly, looked away, and gazed at the chaotic battle scene around him.

The ground was full of potholes, with furrows and deep pits dug out by violent plowing and footprints everywhere.

The once lush weeds were ravaged beyond recognition, and large areas were razed to the ground.

Further away, car parts and shards of glass were scattered everywhere, reflecting a cold glint in the dim light from the highway.

A pungent, ozone-like odor lingered in the air.

Those are the traces left after the energy is released violently, burned, and ionized the air.

He took a deep breath of the cold night air, suppressing the tremor in his heart, and asked in a deep voice:
"Alright, stop howling. Give me a full account of everything that happened before, from the moment you made contact with the target, without missing a single word!"

Zhou Liang and Ali immediately stopped their "performance," adjusted to a slightly more comfortable position, and, enduring the pain, explained why the mission had almost failed.

How did they meticulously investigate Xu Hao's life according to orders, and how did they choose to take action in a private room at a bar, quietly taking away their target?

He then recounted in detail the incident of being followed by a taxi on the road, the brief but thrilling chase, and his eventual capture.

After hearing the report, Gao Jin frowned even more deeply. He pondered for a moment and then pressed for an answer:

"So, after Bai Xiao subdued you, he didn't kill you or even harm you further?"

Zhou Liang hesitated for a moment, then answered honestly:

"For now... it seems so. He took us out of the car, intending to interrogate us, but after you arrived, sir, his attention was entirely on you. Then, the two of you almost got involved in a battle between us and the hostages."

Gao Jin: "..."

What kind of talk is that? It sounds so awkward.

Ali, who was standing next to him, quickly added:
"Boss, I feel like his hostility towards us has decreased significantly after he found out we were from the Special Investigations Team."

"Could it be... that my previous judgment was wrong?"

Gao Jin muttered to himself, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

The information reported by his subordinates differed significantly from the information he possessed about the enemy.

According to top-secret files within the Special Investigations Team, the codename "White Owl" has always been closely associated with "mountains of corpses and seas of blood" and "forbidden forces," making it a top predator standing at the top of the food chain.

Historically, every appearance of the "White Owl" has been accompanied by immense chaos and destruction, with no scruples and ruthless killing.

Since the individual wearing that iconic white mask reappeared in Dongdu, headquarters immediately added him to the danger list, classifying him as the number one wanted criminal (S-level). Therefore, upon seeing the individual's face, based on past records and the potential threat, Gao Jin didn't hesitate to strike first.

But the "White Owl" we encountered today seemed somewhat different.

Gao Jin silently sorted through the information.

"This generation of 'Owl' seems to focus more on training pure physical strength, but has not used the legendary, corrupting, forbidden power..."

"Could it be that he hasn't fully 'matured' and still retains normal humanity? Or perhaps this generation of 'Owl' has taken a different evolutionary path?"

Gao Jin's thoughts raced.

But thinking about it this way, isn't the other party's potential even more terrifying?
"With just his physical strength, he could almost fight me head-on in my armored form. If he waits until he fully matures and unleashes that power..."

Having figured this out, Gao Jin felt a chill run down his spine. Without dwelling on it, his thoughts shifted.

"Moreover, given his bald appearance... and his self-proclaimed title of 'this humble monk'... could his true identity be a monk with off-the-charts fighting skills?"

The contrast between this image and the "serious killer" is just too great.

Seeing Gao Jin deep in thought, Ali cautiously probed:

"Commander Gao, should we continue tracking that person?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Jin looked up and glanced at Ali with a "Are you serious?" look, somewhat speechless.

Look at the state you two are in now, and look at how I'm about to be completely drained.

If we had chosen to forcibly keep them here, all three of them would probably be dead today.

Just then, the faint sound of police sirens could be heard from the quiet highway in the distance.

Several police cars with flashing red and blue lights and an ambulance were parked on the road leading to the city center, seemingly handling another traffic accident.

A moment later, several agile figures also jumped down from the road and quickly approached them.

In the quiet night, the sound of footsteps could be clearly heard.

However, they were other members of the special search team who were on duty in the nearby area.

After receiving the emergency signal from Gao Jin, they rushed to the scene to provide support in just a few minutes.

Upon seeing the reinforcements arrive, Gao Jin's spirits lifted, and he immediately regained his commanding presence, issuing a stern order:
"Take Xu Hao with us and we'll return to base immediately. We'll leave this area to the rest of the staff to clean up."

"Well……"

Just then, Xu Hao, who had been thrown aside, let out a groan, his eyelids twitched a few times, as if he had been awakened by the commotion around him, and he slowly opened his eyes.

He glanced around in confusion, then looked at the several ragged "homeless people" standing nearby.

Feeling excruciating pain throughout my body, especially my head which felt like it was about to split open, and feeling dizzy and disoriented, I couldn't help but curse out loud:

"Holy shit...which son of a bitch dares to mess with you, Grandpa Xu?"

Gao Jin gave him a cold glance.

Ali, who was standing next to him, understood immediately. Despite the pain from his broken arm, he pulled out a high-voltage stun gun from his waist.

Then, facing Xu Hao, who had just woken up and was still confused about the situation, he suddenly pressed the switch.

Shila-

A blinding arc of electricity flashed.

"Uh-"

Xu Hao's curse, which he was only halfway through, turned into a scream. His whole body convulsed violently, and his eyes rolled back.

He fainted again, decisively and cleanly.

Gao Jin nodded in satisfaction, waved to the team members who had rushed over, and gave the order:

"Take him under control and take him away."

"Yes, sir!"

The team members responded in unison and quickly split up to clean up the scene.

....................................

The night wind carried the earthy smell of soil and a faint scent of gunpowder.

Fang Cheng's figure was like a ghost, hidden in the shadow of a large, leafy tree, almost blending into the darkness.

His gaze was calm, piercing through the heavy night mist and landing on the distant highway.

There, the red and blue police lights flashed silently, illuminating the surrounding environment in a flickering pattern.

Several paramedics in white coats were carefully lifting a stretcher onto an ambulance.

Lying on the stretcher was that unfortunate taxi driver.

He appeared to be still unconscious, with bandages wrapped around his head and a thin blanket covering him.

Fang Cheng watched quietly until the ambulance closed its back door, blared its siren, and slowly drove away from the scene, disappearing into the distant, dimly lit city night.

Only then did he turn his gaze away.

Although it was an unexpected complication, once it was confirmed that the driver was not in mortal danger, it relieved me of a little worry.

Then, Fang Cheng took out a flip phone from the shoulder bag and skillfully dialed a number.

The phone rang twice before being answered quickly.

"Hey, Mom."

Fang Cheng lowered his voice, but tried to keep his tone calm and natural.

On the other end of the phone, Li Biyun's slightly sleepy voice came through:
"Chengcheng? Why are you calling so late? What happened?"

There was a hint of worry in her voice.

"It's okay, Mom, I'm fine."

Fang Cheng quickly prepared his explanation and said:

"Something came up unexpectedly. The company arranged for me to go on a business trip to another city with a project. It might take two or three days, so I won't be going home for the next few days. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't worry."

"Business trip? Why so suddenly?"

Li Biyun's voice became more clear-headed, carrying a hint of her habitual nagging:

“Chengcheng, don’t work too hard… Your uncle just said last week that he was also going on a business trip, and you two are going at the same time.”

"Alright, be careful out there. The weather's been so unpredictable lately, don't keep taking off your clothes, you'll catch a cold, understand? Do you have enough money?"

"It's enough, don't worry, Mom."

Fang Cheng listened patiently to his mother's instructions, a warm feeling washing over him.

But his eyes remained wary, constantly scanning his surroundings as he spoke:
"You should get some rest too, don't wait up for me."

"Okay, you too. Get some rest after you're done working so late at night. Remember to drink a glass of milk before bed; the doctor said it can relax your nerves..."

Li Biyun gave a few more instructions before hanging up the phone.

After ending the call, Fang Cheng stuffed his phone back into his bag, the warmth on his face quickly fading, replaced by calmness and indifference.

Turning our attention back to the ravaged area, we see the special search team members finishing up their work.

He did not simply leave as the other party had expected.

Instead, it is like a patient wild beast, quietly lurking in the darkness.

(End of this chapter)