Lin Feng slowly pushed open the door. The room was slightly tidier than downstairs, but still very simple. There was a bed, a table, and a chair. An oil lamp was lit on the table, its flame flickering. A middle-aged man, dressed in a dark blue silk shirt, thin and with a black mole on the corner of his left eye, sat in the chair behind the table. His face was pale, his eyes filled with fear and unease, and his right hand was tightly pressed against his waist, where a dagger seemed to be hidden. He looked even more haggard than Zhou Wenyuan had described, with sunken eyes, clearly having endured extreme suffering these past few days.

It's the money and accounting office!

When he saw Lin Feng enter, especially his unfamiliar face and composed eyes, his wariness deepened. He leaned back slightly and demanded sharply, "Who are you? Who sent you? Where's your token?"

Lin Feng didn't answer immediately, his gaze quickly sweeping across the room. The bedding on the bed was in disarray, there was a half-finished cup of cold tea on the table, and a small wicker trunk sat in the corner. There was no sign of the account book.

"Mr. Qian, there's no need to be nervous. Master Zhou sent me," Lin Feng said calmly, showing the warehouse token again, but without getting close. "Master Zhou heard that something happened at the warehouse and was very worried about your safety, so he sent me to meet you and retrieve that 'important item'."

"Master Zhou?" A flicker of panic crossed the accountant's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "Which Master Zhou? I don't know him! The token...you might have picked it up! Tell me, who are you? Are you Prince Qi...no, were you sent by that group?!"

In his haste, he almost let slip that he had mentioned "King Qi".

Lin Feng's conviction deepened. He took a step forward, his tone softening, tinged with a seductive quality: "Mr. Qian, you've misunderstood. Master Zhou genuinely wants to protect you. The matter at the warehouse was orchestrated by Prince Qi and the Di Rong people; you were forced into it, and Master Zhou understands that. As long as you hand over the account books, cooperate with Master Zhou, and identify Prince Qi, Master Zhou guarantees your safety, and might even... send you and your family to flee far away, to enjoy endless wealth and luxury. Why follow Prince Qi down this dark path? He even dares to collude with the Di Rong people; after things fall apart, the first person he'll likely silence is you, right?"

These words were half true and half false, containing both threats and inducements, striking directly at the accountant's deepest fears. The accountant's face instantly turned deathly pale, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, his hand on his waist trembled slightly, and his eyes darted around in a fierce struggle.

"You...you're talking nonsense! I didn't...I didn't collude..." he stammered, but his words lacked conviction.

"Whether it's true or not, it's all clearly stated in the ledger." Lin Feng pressed on, his gaze sharp as he stared into the accountant's eyes. "Mr. Qian, time is running out. Prince Qi's 'Shadow Guards' are probably already on their way. Whether you follow Master Zhou to fight for your life or stay here to wait for death, you should think carefully."

The words "Shadow Guard" were like the final hammer blow, completely shattering the accountant's psychological defenses. He jumped to his feet, his sudden movement causing him to knock over a chair with a loud crash. He looked towards the door in terror, as if the "Shadow Guard" had already broken in.

"No...don't kill me! The ledger...the ledger isn't on me!" the accountant screamed in despair, tears and snot streaming down his face. "I...I hid it! Hid it...hid it..."

Just as he was about to reveal his hiding place, something unexpected happened!

Suddenly, a loud "bang" came from downstairs, as if the door had been violently kicked open! This was followed by a short, startled cry from "Yi Kou Hong" and a dull thud as something heavy fell to the ground!

"Oh no!" "One-Bite Red" screamed from downstairs, "Run! They're here!"

Are they "shadow guards"? Or other subordinates of King Qi?

The accountant was so frightened that his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat; he knew the worst had happened. He grabbed the nearly fainting accountant and hissed, "Where are the ledgers hidden? Tell me!"

"It's...it's downstairs in the stove...the third brick on the left is loose...below..." The accountant stammered, his words trembling, before he could finish speaking. There were already hurried, heavy footsteps on the stairs! More than one person, moving extremely fast!

That's too late!

Lin Feng's eyes flashed with a fierce light. He struck the accountant on the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious, and quickly dragged him under the bed to hide him. Then, he blew out the oil lamp, slipped behind the door into the shadows, and drew his short knife.

Almost the instant he had hidden himself, "Bang!" The door was kicked open! Two dark figures pounced into the room like ghosts, their weapons flashing coldly in the darkness! They moved swiftly and coordinated perfectly; one lunged at the bedside while the other warily scanned the room.

It's now!

Hiding behind the door, Lin Feng, like a venomous snake that had been gathering its strength, suddenly struck! The short knife drew a strange arc, stabbing upwards and viciously into the ribs of the black-clad man closest to him who was lunging towards the bed! At the same time, he slammed his left elbow down, heavily striking the temple of another black-clad man who had just turned his head!

"Pfft!" "Snap!"

Two muffled thuds sounded almost simultaneously! The man in black, stabbed in the ribs, let out a suppressed groan and froze. The man in black, struck hard in the temple, remained silent and collapsed limply to the ground.

However, Lin Feng's heart sank suddenly. The knife that struck his ribs felt like it had pierced tough leather, with immense resistance, and had failed to penetrate to a vital point! His opponent was wearing inner armor! And the person he had elbowed, although fallen, did not seem to have immediately lost consciousness; his body was still twitching slightly.

He's a master! And a well-equipped, highly trained master! He's very likely a "Shadow Guard"!

"Ambush!" The black-clad man, wounded in the ribs, hissed and roared. Despite his injury, his movements were swift, and he swung his blade at Lin Feng with a backhand strike! The blade flashed fiercely, accompanied by the sound of wind being cut!

Lin Feng dodged to the side, his short sword flashing upwards to attack the opponent's wrist. The opponent changed his move with lightning speed, his blade twisting to parry the short sword, while his other hand reached for his waist, seemingly to retrieve a hidden weapon.

We can't keep fighting! There are other people downstairs; if we get surrounded, we're doomed!

Lin Feng feinted with his sword, forcing his opponent back half a step. At the same time, he hooked his foot and kicked another man in black who was lying on the ground towards him, while he himself slammed backward into the window! He had already observed that outside this window seemed to be the alleyway on the side of the wooden building!

"Crash!" The old wooden window was smashed to pieces by Lin Feng's shoulder! Amidst flying wood chips, he leaped from the second floor like a bird!

While still in mid-air, he had already adjusted his posture, his gaze quickly sweeping across the alley below. The alley was narrow and cluttered with debris. The moment he landed, he rolled on the ground to dissipate the force of the fall, and at the same time, a sharp stone he had picked up on the road appeared in his hand.

Upstairs, the injured man in black had rushed to the broken window and was about to peek out.

Lin Feng flicked his wrist, and the stone, with a sharp whistling sound, shot straight at the opponent's face! The man in black hurriedly ducked to avoid it, but the stone grazed his scalp and embedded itself in the wall behind him.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lin Feng didn't hesitate, darting out like a cheetah and sprinting towards the other end of the alley! He had to leave immediately before more "Shadow Guards" surrounded him! As for the ledger... the stove, the third brick from the left! He had to get it!

However, as soon as he rushed out of the alley, he saw three men dressed in black, masked and wielding sharp blades, rapidly flanking him from another direction! They had clearly heard the commotion and seen him jump from the second floor!

Blocked in front and pursued from behind! A true dead end!

Lin Feng's eyes flashed with a cold light. Instead of retreating, he accelerated forward! He switched the short knife in his left hand and reached for his waist with his right hand. Three willow-leaf throwing knives that he had casually picked up from the Zhou family's armory were already tucked between his fingers!

The distance closed rapidly! The three "Shadow Guards" on the other side were clearly not expected that Lin Feng would be so brave and dare to charge back, and were slightly taken aback.

It was just that brief moment!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three throwing knives, arranged in a triangular formation, flew out of their hands, aiming straight for the faces and throats of the three "Shadow Guards" at the front! Their aim was not to kill, but merely to hinder the enemy!

The three "Shadow Guards" hurriedly swung their swords to block or dodge, and their formation instantly fell into chaos.

Lin Feng burst through the gap between them like a whirlwind! A "Shadow Guard" swung his sword, the blade grazing Lin Feng's back and tearing a gash in his outer robe, drawing a trail of blood! But Lin Feng seemed oblivious, his speed increasing instead of decreasing, instantly breaking out of the encirclement and turning into another, narrower, and more complicated side alley!

"Chase him! Don't let him get away!" came a furious roar from behind.

Lin Feng fled desperately through the maze-like alleyways, bringing his urban warfare evasion skills from his previous life as a special forces soldier to the extreme. He constantly changed direction, using the terrain, debris, and even clothes drying in the sun to create obstacles and blind spots. The pursuers behind him were hot on their heels, their shouts and footsteps echoing through the winding alleys.

We must get the ledger! Then, we must leave here alive!

He spotted a low wall ahead, took a deep breath, pushed off with his feet, and leaped forward. He placed one hand on the top of the wall and flipped over like a nimble swallow, landing in a dilapidated courtyard behind it, filled with rotten vegetable leaves and garbage. He had temporarily escaped the pursuers' sight.

He leaned against the cold earthen wall, breathing heavily, his ears perked up, listening to the sounds outside. The footsteps and shouts of the pursuers swept past quickly beyond the wall, gradually fading into the distance, as if they had been lured away.

We're safe for now. But we can't stay here long; the pursuers will soon realize what's happening and start searching again.

He must return to "One Bite Red" immediately and seize the ledger amidst the chaos! The risk is immense, but it's worth the gamble!

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