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Chapter 358 Special Investigation Team Selection Exam, Assassin's Whereabouts

On the balcony, the river breeze, carrying the coolness of the night, dissipated the slight smell of alcohol from the private room.

Ma Dong-hyuk leaned against the railing, exhaled a thick white smoke ring, and continued:
"On the day I signed up, the instructor said that before the official exam, we would have to have a week-long intensive training, ostensibly to help us adapt to the intensity and improve our pass rate."

"Pah! I only realized I'd been tricked when I got there. It wasn't training camp at all, it was hell week!"

He seemed lost in painful memories, his voice tinged with a hint of gritted teeth:

“Every day at four in the morning, when it’s still dark outside, I’m woken up by loudspeakers and then dragged into the mud to roll around.”

"We were sound asleep in the middle of the night when they threw tear gas into our dorm room, which really gave us a hard time."

"As for the food, it was even worse. They ate compressed biscuits and had to find a way to boil water themselves. They lived like wild animals."

Listening to Ma Donghe pour out his grievances, Fang Cheng's lips curled into a smile:
"Didn't your old man say he knew some high-ranking officials in the Special Investigations Unit? It's just a test, didn't he help you out?"

"Hey, don't mention it."

Ma Donghe waved his hand, looking utterly dejected.

"A favor is a favor, but the old man can only help me secure one place to take the exam. He can't possibly help me cheat on the exam as well, can he?"

"Besides, the selection process is very closely monitored, so no one dares to mess around. Everyone is treated equally."

As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned serious:
"Later I learned that the reason for this training camp was because the pass rate in the previous selection was too low, and there were even several cases of candidates dying."

"The higher-ups were afraid of the negative impact, so they decided to train us newbies first, teaching us some basic self-rescue and survival skills, so that we wouldn't die too badly."

"Many people couldn't take it during the training camp and cried and begged to quit, but now that I think about it, it might not be a bad thing for them."

Ma Donghe took a deep drag of his cigarette, snorted through his nose, and exhaled two puffs of white smoke.

"With their small stature, if they were to actually participate in the formal assessment later on, it would be a miracle if they could be carried out whole."

"That intensity is simply beyond what a normal person can withstand."

Seeing Ma Donghe's lingering fear yet irresistible urge to show off.

Fang Cheng smiled slightly and asked cooperatively:

"What kind of exams are there? Tell me about them."

"Hehe, that's exactly what I've been waiting for you to ask!"

Ma Donghe immediately perked up, leaned closer, and said mysteriously:

"I was afraid of scaring the aunties inside, so I kept quiet."

He gestured with his hands, then began to describe it vividly:

"Take that extreme survival test for example. They threw more than a hundred of us into a primeval jungle, gave us only a dagger and a pot of water, and made us hike 100 kilometers within three days to reach a designated location."

"You think that's all? Those bastards even released genetically modified wild animals into the forest!"

"I personally witnessed a guy get gored by a wild boar that was as big as a calf, breaking three of his ribs. He was carried out on the spot by rescuers!"

"There's also a psychological test called 'Echoes of the Abyss,' which is even more bizarre."

"They injected us with a psychoactive drug that amplified our fears, then locked us in a dark room and used holographic projection to create all sorts of illusions—whatever we were afraid of came to pass!"

"The guy next to me has been terrified of snakes since he was a child, but he ended up being 'bitten' by thousands of venomous snakes for half an hour inside. When he came out, he was completely insane and could only laugh like an idiot!"

Ma Dong-hyuk patted his chest, still shaken.
“I saw my dead grandfather crawl out of the ground, cursing me as an unfilial descendant, and holding a knife to kill me.”

"Hey, guess what? I went up there and slapped him hard across the face, sending him flying back!"

"The instructor also said I had a strong will and gave me a high score."

He flicked his cigarette ash triumphantly and continued:

"The most insane one is the last one, called 'cage fighting'."

"They locked us in a constantly rotating iron cage that also sprayed high-pressure water jets, and forced us into indiscriminate fighting."

"The ground was so slippery it was like it was covered in oil, you couldn't even stand up straight, and you had to watch out for other people's dirty hands and water guns spraying randomly."

"Only those who can still stand up after ten minutes are considered to have passed. After that fight, everyone was covered in bruises."

At this point, he looked at Fang Cheng beside him and sighed:
"Fang Cheng, it would be great if you could participate too. With your skills, these assessment items would be a piece of cake for you."

"If we brothers take the exam together, get accepted together, and become official team members, fighting side by side from now on, wouldn't that be awesome..."

Fang Cheng didn't speak, but just gazed at the distant lights of thousands of homes, his eyes deep.

After a moment of silence, he casually asked:
When will the admission list be released?

"Still early."

Ma Donghe shook his head: "This is just the preliminary test. There will be a second test and a final interview next month."

"You also have a second round of interviews?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng couldn't help but feel curious.

"of course!"

Ma Dong-hyuk said matter-of-factly:

"The special search team selects elites; they'll be responsible for capturing those monsters and maintaining social order. How could they be just anyone, some mediocre talent? Every step has to be carefully monitored..."

The two chatted as they gazed at the city's night view.

The night wind grew colder, causing the last embers of the cigarette butt to flicker uncertainly.

Ma Donghe stubbed out his cigarette on the railing before turning back to the private room with Fang Cheng.

The banquet was nearing its end, and Li Dingjian was flushed with drink.

He was talking about Fang Cheng's funny childhood stories in a slightly drunken tone, which made Zhou Xiumei and Wen Xin laugh non-stop.

Upon seeing Fang Cheng and Ma Donghe enter, Li Biyun couldn't help but laugh and told another embarrassing story about her beloved son.

Fang Cheng was quite helpless and buried his head in devouring the remaining dishes.

Wasting food is a grave sin.

Before we knew it, it was almost nine o'clock.

Tomorrow, everyone will either go to work or school, and Fang Cheng will also have to attend a follow-up interview.

The group didn't linger any longer; they packed up and got up to leave.

The corridors of Wangjiang Tower are covered with thick, dark red carpets that make no sound when you step on them.

The walls are adorned with numerous calligraphy and paintings, and the warm yellow wall lamps illuminate everything in a magnificent manner.

"belch--"

Ma Donghe let out a burp and patted his stomach contentedly: "This meal was so satisfying, I haven't felt this good in a long time!"

This guy clearly said before he came that he wouldn't drink and that he would drive, but he ended up drinking more than anyone else.

"That is……"

Li Dingjian staggered slightly, and upon hearing this, he replied indistinctly, "Your uncle... I'm treating, how can I not be happy?"

Fang Cheng stepped forward and steadily supported him, his expression somewhat helpless.

This uncle was so drunk that he forgot to pay the bill. He had to make an excuse to go out and quietly pay the bill at the front desk.

The twelve hot dishes, several cold dishes, desserts, and drinks cost nearly eight thousand yuan in total.

That's almost equivalent to two months' salary for an average citizen.

If I hadn't recently earned some extra money, I really wouldn't be able to afford this.

Li Biyun complained from the side:

"Ah Jian, you can't hold your liquor well, so you should drink less in the future, it'll be better for your health..."

Zhou Xiumei held Wen Xin's hand and quietly followed behind Fang Cheng.

"The elevator is almost here!"

Ma Donghe walked quickly to the front and pressed the down arrow key on the panel.

Ding.

With a soft click, the elevator doors slid open to both sides.

Inside the elevator car, two men in gray jackets were already standing on either side of the back corner. Ma Donghe glanced at them and went in first.

Fang Cheng helped Li Dingjian follow, and as they went inside, he naturally took a step to the side, separating himself from the passenger behind him.

At the same time, he positioned himself in a way that allowed him to look after everyone, placing his mother, Zhou Xiumei, and Wen Xin, the female relatives, in a safer, more forward position.

The elevator interior was luxuriously decorated, with the walls of the car made of gleaming brown mirrors that reflected the figures of everyone inside.

"Wow, as expected of the most upscale restaurant in Dongdu, even the elevator is as spacious as the living room!"

Ma Dong-hyuk sighed.

Fang Cheng smiled, but his gaze swept over the reflection in the mirror without making a sound.

In that instant, he sensed something amiss.

Breathing, heartbeat.

The physiological response frequencies of the two men in jackets were deliberately suppressed.

However, in Fang Cheng's perception, it still sounded somewhat hurried and rough, revealing a kind of excitement and tension.

This unusual physiological reaction, though extremely subtle, could not be hidden from a discerning person with superior mental abilities.

Fang Cheng's heart stirred slightly.

With the help of the mirror's reflection, he could clearly see the man's appearance behind him.

With his head down, the brim of his baseball cap pulled low, his collar turned up high, and his shoulders slightly hunched, he adopted a defensive posture, deliberately concealing himself.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the person standing behind Ma Donghe was also looking down, seemingly trying to avoid the camera at the top of the elevator.

There was an unnatural bulge on his waist.

As a master marksman, Fang Cheng was extremely familiar with the outlines of weapons.

More importantly, there was a very faint smell of blood in the air.

It wasn't fresh blood, but rather the musty smell of blood that had seeped into the very fibers of clothing over time.

It is the unique mark left on one's body only by killing many people.

The elevator was so quiet that only the faint sound of the air conditioner could be heard.

The atmosphere froze instantly in Fang Cheng's mind.

All the muscles in my body are ready to go.

If he were alone at that moment, he wouldn't even bother to pay attention to them and could simply walk past them.

But now the situation is completely different. Apart from his half-drunk uncle, his mother, Zhou Xiumei, and Wen Xin are all here. They are his vulnerabilities that he absolutely cannot allow to be touched.

What are these two assassins up to? Who is their target?

Fang Cheng had no idea, but he had to nip any potential problems in the bud.

zizi...

A faint buzzing sound rang out; it was the static from the headset when the signal was connected.

Fang Cheng saw through the reflection that the man in the baseball cap behind him subtly raised his hand, his fingers slipping inside his collar, seemingly pressing an earphone button.

His lips moved slightly as he spoke in a low voice:
"Received, we are taking the elevator down."

Another voice came through the headset.

Although it was barely audible, Fang Cheng heard it clearly.

The voice was cold and brief: "Target has arrived at position, prepare to move in."

The word "goal" struck Fang Cheng like a flash of lightning, making him instantly understand.

His expression remained unchanged, his mind raced, and then he spoke, his tone as relaxed as if he were chatting casually:
"Donghyuk, do you remember that night when we were wrestling at the garbage disposal plant, those two guys who only knew how to use dirty tricks?"

Ma Donghe was stunned for a moment, but when he saw the look Fang Cheng gave him, he immediately understood.

"Oh, you mean those two bastards!"

He immediately switched to a boastful tone and said loudly:

"How could I not remember? I beat you to a pulp by myself, and you were crying and begging for mercy, you were such a coward!"

After their question-and-answer session, the elevator fell silent again.

All that remained were Li Dingjian's drunken ramblings and Li Biyun's low complaints.

On the display screen, the floor numbers moved smoothly.

8...7...6...

Ding.

The elevator doors stopped on the sixth floor and then slid open to both sides again.

Outside the door, a young man in a suit and tie, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was pressing the open button, nodding apologetically to the person inside.
"Excuse me, please wait a moment, our manager will be here shortly."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a group of people walked into the corridor.

The leader was a middle-aged man around fifty years old.

He was slender, wore black-rimmed glasses, had a calm yet sharp gaze, and wore a dark executive jacket, exuding a composed demeanor.

He was accompanied by two vigilant-looking bodyguards, who also had weapons concealed at their waists; they were clearly bodyguards with gun licenses.

In addition, there was an elderly man with gray hair and a ruddy complexion.

She had a refined and scholarly air, yet she followed closely beside the middle-aged man, displaying a very respectful attitude.

The old man glanced inside the elevator and frowned slightly.
"There are too many people, Representative Zhao, let's wait for the next one."

The middle-aged man, referred to as "Councilor Zhao," nodded slightly in agreement.

at this time!

Fang Cheng saw in the mirror that the two assassins behind him had a fierce glint in their eyes, and their hands, which were hanging at their sides, had already quietly reached for their waists!

This small elevator lobby is about to turn into a bloody battlefield!
"cough."

Fang Cheng's eyes flashed, and he coughed lightly.

That cough is a signal!
He moved without warning, his body snapping open like a taut bowstring.

He twisted his waist and turned to the side, his right hand becoming a blur, slicing precisely into the assassin's carotid artery behind him like a blade.

Before the man could even groan, his eyes rolled back and his body went limp.

Almost at the same instant, Ma Dong-hyuk, who had received the signal, also moved.

He suddenly turned around, like a bear, his arms like iron hoops, and tightly hugged another assassin, preventing him from drawing his gun.

Then, he slammed his hard forehead forward.

With a muffled thud, the assassin's eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.

From the moment Fang Cheng coughed to the moment the two were subdued, the entire process was swift and lightning-fast, taking only a second.

The two battle-hardened assassins were rendered incapacitated before they even had a chance to draw their weapons.

Those outside the elevator only saw a fleeting figure inside before the two men collapsed limply into Fang Cheng and Ma Donghe's arms, creating a rather eerie scene.

Ma Dong-hyuk held the unconscious assassin in one arm, while patting his back forcefully with the other.

He grinned and smiled at the astonished councilor Zhao and the others outside:
"Excuse me, everyone!"

"My two friends are drunk and acting crazy. You'd better wait for the next episode, or I'm afraid they'll throw up on you."

He spoke frankly, but the way he hugged seemed too intimate, making people feel strange.

It wasn't until then that Li Biyun and Zhou Xiumei realized what was happening and looked at the strange man they were "supporting" with puzzlement.

They had no recollection of when Fang Cheng and Ma Donghe had acquired these two friends.

Fang Cheng didn't explain, but calmly reached out and put his arm around the assassin he had subdued, while pressing the close button with his other hand.

The elevator doors slowly closed amidst the surprised and uncertain gazes of the people outside.

(End of this chapter)