Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 290 We're all cyborgs, who's afraid of who!
Looking at the dark face that was so close to him, Xu Hao couldn't help but curse inwardly, "Idiot."

He forced a smile, even patting his trusted subordinate heavily on the shoulder:

"Understood, Ah Le, you did a great job. I'll call the boss myself later and explain everything."

Although he was a little annoyed with his clueless underling, he still patiently praised him a few times.

Then, in order to cover up his lie and save face, Xu Hao cleared his throat and began to boast about how he had "heroically" escaped the night before.

"Speaking of which, those bastards from the East City Gang are only good at petty theft. A dozen of them surrounded me, and I still managed to take down half of them!"

"My fists were like iron hammers, smashing them down. Their fists were as soft as cotton, and all they knew how to do was cry and beg for mercy."

"When they realized they couldn't beat me, those bastards had no choice but to try and run me over with their car. Damn it, they didn't even know how fast I was going!"

He slapped his thigh suddenly, spitting as he spoke:

"When I run, I'm like the wind! My two legs are faster than their broken cart wheels. They're left eating dust in the dust, haha, they can't catch up at all..."

As he blew this far, Xu Hao's laughter suddenly stopped, and the scene he had actually experienced last night involuntarily flashed through his mind:
I slowly woke up in the speeding car, and through the rear window, I saw a pale-faced ghostly figure relentlessly pursuing me, moving faster than a human...

A chill instantly shot from his tailbone to the back of his head, and Xu Hao couldn't help but shiver.

The muscles in his freshly bandaged wound twitched, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Brother Hao, what's wrong? Did I use too much force?"

Xiao Qing immediately asked nervously.

"it's okay no problem!"

Xu Hao quickly covered it up, grinned, and forced the topic back on track:

"I was so excited when I remembered how good it was to beat those bastards that I aggravated my wound."

After treating his injuries, Xu Hao yawned widely, rubbed his eyes, and waved to everyone:

"Alright, everyone, go home and do what you need to do. I was up all night last night, I'm exhausted, I need to get some sleep."

Although the underlings wanted to say something more, seeing that their boss looked exhausted, they didn't dare to say anything more, and they all agreed and left.

Xiao Qing turned back several times to give a few more instructions before reluctantly leaving, closing the door to the lounge behind her.

The room finally became completely quiet.

The feigned ease on Xu Hao's face vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn expression and barely concealed irritation.

He leaned back on the sofa, remained silent for a few seconds, then took out his phone, took a deep breath, and dialed the number of Chen Chen, the leader of the Red Tiger Gang.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and a capable and authoritative male voice came through:

"Hey, Hao?"

"Brother Chen, it's me."

Xu Hao's tone immediately became much more serious.

"Hmm, I heard you ran into some trouble last night?"

Chen Chen asked the question casually, his voice revealing little emotion.

"Yes, Brother Chen."

Xu Hao composed himself and began to recount the fabricated version, but his tone was much more subdued, and he didn't dare to boast as much as he had when he was bragging to his underlings.

“After I finished work last night, two tough guys sneaked into the bar. They looked like professional killers. I wasn’t on guard and they knocked me out with stun guns. When I woke up, I had been taken to a dilapidated house in the suburbs.”

He paused, then continued making up lies;
"Later, I found an opportunity, broke free of the ropes, fought with those two guys, and finally escaped. Although I suffered some minor injuries, it was nothing serious and has been treated."

As Xu Hao spoke, he hissed as he spoke, indicating that he was indeed injured.

Try your best to make your description sound like a close call, hoping to smooth things over and at least prevent the gang leader from investigating further.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone before someone slowly spoke.

"Who was responsible?"

"When I was pretending to be unconscious, I heard them talking and mentioning the Dongcheng Society and Shen Wei's name."

Xu Hao shifted the blame without hesitation.

"East City Club..."

Chen Chen's voice suddenly turned cold: "Hmph, Old Ghost Shen has been a bit restless lately. Alright, it's good that he's alright."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that the gang leader had not yet become suspicious.

Chen Chen didn't press for details, and his tone softened immediately:
"We'll settle accounts with the East City Gang and Old Man Shen sooner or later, but there's no rush."

Then the tone shifted, carrying a hint of warning:
“The situation in Dongdu is not peaceful right now. The police are keeping a close eye on things. If our two gangs really start a full-scale war, we will definitely be used as examples to arrest people.”

"They're secretly targeting you this time. I bet they want to get you arrested and use Tiaozi to get rid of you. You're a valuable asset to the gang, so don't fall into their trap."

"Ah Hao, do you understand what I mean? Bear with it for now. A gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years. There will be plenty of opportunities to get it back with interest later."

Chen Chen offered a few words of comfort, sounding unusually earnest.

"understand!"

Xu Hao immediately and decisively stated:
"Don't worry, Brother Chen. Although I'm a newcomer with little experience, I know the rules and will never cause trouble for the gang!"

Deep down, she wished the matter would just be over and Chen Chen would stop asking about the details.

"Yes, as long as you know your limits."

Chen Chen seemed fairly satisfied with his attitude, paused for a moment, and then casually brought it up:
"By the way, you should keep a low profile lately and keep your men quiet, don't let them gossip everywhere."

“I will cover up what happened last night for you, so that no one will gossip and it will reach the ears of those guys up there, giving them a bad impression of you.”

Xu Hao's heart skipped a beat again.

Before I could even figure out the deeper meaning behind those words, the call had already ended.

He sat blankly on the sofa, holding his ringing phone.

I had just breathed a sigh of relief when I felt even more agitated.

Did Chen Chen genuinely believe my explanation just now, or was he testing me, deliberately trying to win me over?

Xu Hao frowned, threw his phone on the sofa, and rubbed his throbbing temples.

Although he managed to use his intelligence and persuasive skills to temporarily evade the critical issue.

But everything that happened last night felt like a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up.

Special Investigations Team, Noah Organization, White-faced Monster, and that bastard investigator surnamed Gao...

Trouble followed one after another, and there was no way to shake it off.

I feel like I've fallen into a huge quagmire, and I'm sinking deeper and deeper.

"All I wanted to do was make a name for myself in this promising career of being a gangster, how did I end up being called a traitor..."

Xu Hao couldn't help but lower his voice and curse.

He then pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, shook out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

In the smoke, his face was gloomy and uncertain.

What Xu Hao was truly worried and afraid of was not Chen Chen, the gang leader, but the enormous shadow behind the Red Tiger Gang that truly controlled everything.

Although he boasted of his extraordinary combat prowess, he still considered his individual strength as insignificant as an ant when facing such an organization.

Moreover, his extraordinary abilities were thanks to that organization.

"Fine, I'll deal with whatever comes my way. I refuse to believe in this nonsense!"

Xu Hao cursed as he exhaled a smoke ring, squinting as he plotted. He needed to sort out this mess first—

We need to keep an eye on the special investigation team, maintain stability within the gang, and also be wary of those lunatics from the Noah Organization...

The room was quiet, with only his own breathing and the faint hum of the old air conditioner.

However, at that moment, a feeling of being watched crept up his spine without warning, causing all the muscles in his body to tense up instantly.

wrong!

This room is... a little too quiet.

Moreover, it seemed... there was an extremely faint, yet real, breathing sound.

Xu Hao suddenly opened his eyes wide, his neck stiffening like a rusty machine, slowly turning towards the darkest corner of the room.

In the depths of that shadow, a figure suddenly appeared!
Xu Hao's pupils suddenly contracted, and his hair stood on end.

The other party was able to sneak into this place silently, without even realizing it, despite his proud perception abilities.

You look like you're in trouble.

A calm voice broke the silence of the room.

The figure simply stood there silently, like a ghost that blended into the shadows.

Xu Hao's heart skipped a beat, and he almost jumped off the sofa.

But when he saw the outline of the person's face clearly, especially those eyes that were still as sharp as a hawk's even in the dim light, he calmed down after the initial shock.

He recognized the other person.

"It's you……"

Xu Hao subconsciously clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain calm as he asked:
"How did you get in?"

Xu Hao clearly remembered that the door was locked and that his underlings were guarding the outside.

"Come in if you want."

Fang Cheng answered casually, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing the weather outside.

At this moment, Fang Cheng is completely different from the killing god wearing a white mask last night.

Instead of wearing a baseball cap, he wore a slightly fluffy, short, and choppy black wig that covered his conspicuous bald head.

He was wearing a brand-new gray tracksuit and a pair of white running shoes, looking like an ordinary young man who had just finished exercising.

However, that innate confidence and aura of strength still emanated from him subtly.

Xu Hao looked at him with suspicion and uncertainty, but did not immediately call for his underlings outside.

He knew very well that all those people outside combined probably wouldn't be enough to defeat the man in front of him with just one hand.

Moreover, since the other party was able to sneak in here silently, they were obviously prepared.

"Why did you come to me?"

Xu Hao asked in a deep voice, trying to take the initiative in the conversation.

Fang Cheng didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point:

"Last time at the club entrance, you said someone was secretly investigating me. Now can you tell me who it is?"

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible glint flashed in Xu Hao's eyes.

He then grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, with a slightly roguish tone:
"Telling you isn't impossible. But, like I said, you have to agree to one condition first."

Fang Cheng's gaze was calm and unwavering.
"The condition you mentioned last time was just that I should teach you martial arts. I'm afraid it's not that simple, is it?"

"Hey, it's so easy to talk to smart people!"

Xu Hao's smile deepened, and he immediately sat up straight, nodding as he said:
"That's right, offering guidance on kung fu is just a pretext. My real condition is—"

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing, deliberately lowering his voice even further:
"I'd like to know if there's an organization or force behind you? Have you found the right way to deal with the side effects of pushing your body to its limits?"

After asking these questions, he stared intently at Fang Cheng, his eyes filled with a certain longing.

Xu Hao was clearly not seeking any magical martial arts manual, but rather a method to alleviate the increasingly severe mental erosion and irritability caused by the power within him.

Fang Cheng's eyes flickered slightly, then he shook his head, his tone indifferent:
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, I'm used to being alone."

"fart!"

Xu Hao slammed his hand on the sofa armrest, clearly not believing it:

"Do you think I don't know your background and am just trying to bluff you?"

“I’ve seen your file. You single-handedly took on dozens of Red Tiger Gang members without a scratch, and even broke their leg bones.”

"That speed, that power, is not that of an ordinary person. You and I are definitely participants in human modification experiments and have been enhanced!"

"But why...why do you seem perfectly fine, able to live like a normal person?!"

His voice trembled slightly with excitement, and he couldn't help but reveal some of his thoughts.

Upon hearing what Xu Hao said, Fang Cheng suddenly understood:
"Is the organization you joined called Noah?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Hao's face immediately showed a hint of surprise, which quickly turned into a somewhat dejected expression:

"Damn! So you knew all along? I was even planning to use this as leverage..."

He scratched his head in frustration, feeling that his carefully prepared trump card had suddenly become useless.

Fang Cheng looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, his tone still calm:
“Your chips are indeed useless now, it’s my turn to play my card.”

Then he leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing Xu Hao like a sharp blade:
"You were with the Special Investigations Team last night, right?"

"Tell me, if I told Chen Chen, the leader of the Red Tiger Gang, about your secret collusion with official organizations, what would he think? How would the Red Tiger Gang deal with you, this traitor?"

Xu Hao's face drained of all color instantly, and he stared at Fang Cheng as if he had seen a ghost:

"You...how did you know?!"

Fang Cheng understood immediately; he had indeed guessed correctly.

Last night, the special search team secretly took Xu Hao away, and this morning they secretly released him back. Moreover, Xu Hao just lied to his underlings and the gang leader.

Isn't it obvious that something's fishy going on here?

With a little analysis, one can guess that the two parties must have reached some kind of shady deal.

However, Fang Cheng did not answer, but looked at Xu Hao with a profound and unfathomable gaze.

That look seemed to say: I know more than you can imagine.

Seeing his biggest secret exposed, Xu Hao's eyes instantly turned fierce.

He suddenly grabbed the ashtray on the table and smashed it at Fang Cheng's head without thinking.

Ashes were scattered, forming a large cloud of gray mist in the air, obscuring visibility.

At the same time, he sprang up from the sofa like a cheetah, his other hand clenched into a fist, and with a sharp whistling sound, he aimed straight at Fang Cheng's face.

Damn it, strike first!

We're all cyborgs, so who's afraid of who!
A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Hao's eyes.

however--

Fang Cheng's figure slid backward like a ghost, and the ash Xu Hao threw didn't even touch the hem of his clothes.

Immediately afterward, just as Xu Hao's fist was about to touch his face, a hand shot out with lightning speed and grabbed his throat with precision and force!
(End of this chapter)