Chapter 18: The Hounds Strike Back

Two hours later.

Zone F32.

An alley beside a three-story building.

Ning Fan turned to Qiao Fei and Huizi. "We can't be sure yet whether Yang Beihai knows we're still alive."

The Hound Shelter had lost more than half its members, but Ning Fan knew this was no time to fall apart.

Lin Chuan had valued him for his mind.

He needed to do something for the ones who were left.

Anything less would be a betrayal of Lin Chuan.

"Yang Beihai is a three-star Researcher at the Zone F32 Institute of Technology."

Huizi said coldly, "If he knows we're alive, he'll figure out we're coming for revenge. With his connections, he can apply for Tier 2 protection."

"Then we plan as if he already knows."

Ning Fan's tone was decisive. "Tier 2 protection — you two keep them occupied. I'll go in and kill him."

On the way back, Ning Fan had learned something important.

Inside the inner district, Spirit Servants were strictly forbidden.

It was an iron rule.

That was why he had never heard anyone mention Spirit Servants before.

But for Ning Fan, that was actually good news.

He didn't have a Spirit Servant.

But that didn't mean he was completely helpless in a fight.

"You? Think you can handle it?"

Huizi looked skeptical.

Qiao Fei thought for a moment, then looked at Ning Fan. "If you fail, get out of the Hound Shelter."

"Fine."

Ning Fan gave a firm nod.

That night.

Yang Beihai had just stepped out of the laboratory when he immediately reached for his phone.

The signal wasn't great on these things, and they only worked within the zone. Only the more advanced models could pick up a signal in the outside world — but those cost a fortune, well beyond what someone of Yang Beihai's standing could afford.

He noticed a missed call and dialed back without expression.

"Done?"

"Three got away."

A nonchalant voice came through the line. "Give me half the payment."

Yang Beihai's expression shifted instantly. His grip tightened until the phone creaked in his hand.

"Say that again?"

"I said, three got away, so I want half the payment—"

"You've got some nerve asking me for money?!"

Yang Beihai exploded in fury. "What did I tell you? This job had to be airtight! Not a single dog from the Hound Shelter was supposed to walk away! I even set up the bait for you! All you had to do was hide and ambush them — and you still managed to screw it up?!"

A brief silence, then an irritated reply. "They were tougher than expected. Especially that Captain — too quick on the draw. If they'd hesitated even half a minute, I would've gotten them all."

"The Captain? Lin Chuan?"

"Don't know his name."

The voice continued, "That guy... I thought he was running, but then he doubled back and came at me with a blade. I nearly didn't make it out either."

"And where is he now?"

Yang Beihai's heart pounded.

A pause, then a casual laugh. "I put him down."

Yang Beihai relaxed — only slightly — before flaring up again. "But you still let three of them go!"

"Alright, stop whining. Thirty percent work for you?"

Just as Yang Beihai was about to unleash another tirade, the voice on the other end dropped lower. "If you don't pay me, I'll end you. You know I've got nothing to lose — I'll use my Spirit Servant inside the zone if I have to. I'm already wanted in a few zones. One more — F32 — doesn't make a difference to me."

The fat on Yang Beihai's face twitched.

He knew the man wasn't joking.

This guy specialized in assassinations.

And he was completely unhinged.

"I'll have the money for you before tonight."

Yang Beihai pushed his luck. "Can't you go back and finish the job? Kill all three, and I'll pay you in full."

"Too much trouble."

The man chuckled. "Seeing as you're pretty good about keeping your word, I'll throw in a tip for free."

Then his voice turned strange. "I tracked some signs on the way back. Those three strays... I think they're back in Zone F32."

Yang Beihai's eyes went wide.

The man laughed again. "Looks like they're coming for you. Yang Beihai — they might have figured out what you did."

Click.

The call ended.

Yang Beihai's eyes burned with anger — but beneath it, panic was winning.

Three of them came back?

Who?

Lin Chuan was dead — who else died?

Just as Yang Beihai was about to send someone to check with the zone guards, a scream erupted from downstairs.

"Fire!! There's a fire!!"

Yang Beihai jolted in shock.

Moments later, he saw a crowd of people rushing toward the exit below.

"What's going on? How did a fire start?"

A man slightly older than Yang Beihai walked out of a nearby office. "Old Yang, what are you standing around for? Didn't you hear there's a fire?"

"Brother Chen."

Yang Beihai grabbed his arm. "I need to apply for Tier 2 protection."

"Tier 2 protection?"

Brother Chen blinked. "You in trouble?"

"Yes."

Yang Beihai's face had gone pale. "Someone wants me dead. And I think they started this fire."

"Who would have the guts to set fire to the Institute of Technology?"

Brother Chen's expression hardened immediately.

"It's the Hound—"

Yang Beihai stopped himself mid-sentence.

A lot of people knew he had commissioned the Hound Shelter to make a delivery to Zone F27. If he said now that the Hound Shelter was after him, nobody was an idiot — they'd figure out immediately that something wasn't right.

He couldn't say it.

"Just a bunch of punks! Trying to squeeze something out of me!"

Yang Beihai forced out a lie so thin even he couldn't believe it.

Brother Chen narrowed his eyes at him.

"Brother Chen, help me out here!"

Yang Beihai gripped his arm tightly. "Please."

Brother Chen let out a sigh. "Fine. Whatever the reason, I'll approve your request. But with everyone fighting the fire right now, I can't spare many people. I can get you four guards — will that do?"

"That's enough!"

Gratitude flooded Yang Beihai's face.

Those three strays had been through hell out in the field. They'd only just made it back. They had to be running on fumes.

And Spirit Servants were banned inside the zone. Four guards would be plenty.

Before long, the four men Brother Chen had arranged were escorting Yang Beihai out of the research institute.

Yang Beihai craned his neck in every direction, scanning his surroundings. Only once he was sure it was clear did he dare step outside.

"Mr. Yang, why are you so jumpy? Who's actually after you?"

One of his guards laughed casually.

Yang Beihai ignored him.

"Take me to the Executors first."

The Executors — the group responsible for maintaining basic order inside the inner district.

Yang Beihai didn't believe those three strays would dare make a move in front of the Executors.

Once he was safe, he'd have all the time he needed to hunt them down.

But just as the group was about to get into the vehicle, Yang Beihai caught sight of a figure stepping out from the alley.

Scrape... scrape...

Qiao Fei dragged her Tang Blade along the ground, the steel grinding out a sharp, grating sound with every step.

"Q-Qiao Fei!"

Yang Beihai flinched like a startled animal.

That pretty face of Qiao Fei's looked every bit as terrifying as the Grim Reaper to him.

"That's her! Stop her!"

"Well, well — cute one, isn't she?"

One of the guards sauntered toward Qiao Fei with a smirk. Casual as he looked, his hand was already on his weapon.

"Yang Beihai, you die today."

Qiao Fei's figure blurred, and she charged straight at him.

All four guards moved to intercept her.

"Don't all go at once, you idiots — there are more of them!"

Yang Beihai screamed in a panic.

Sure enough, the moment the words left his mouth, a figure dropped from the second floor of a building across the street.

Huizi!

Eyes blazing, knife in hand, Huizi sprinted across the road.

Yang Beihai cursed under his breath. All four guards were already tangled up with Qiao Fei. He gave up waiting and bolted back toward the research institute.

He had just reached the entrance when he collided head-on with someone.

"Out of my way!"

He reached out to shove the person aside.

The next instant, a searing pain tore through his abdomen.

He looked down.

A dark blade had been driven straight through his gut.

"You — you..."

Yang Beihai looked up in disbelief — and found himself staring into a young, almost boyish face.

Ning Fan wore a peaked cap, his gaze cold and unreadable as it fixed on Yang Beihai.

"You're... that... new guy..."

"I've got a message from Brother Chuan."

Ning Fan wrenched the black blade free, then drove it in again with brutal force. "Whoever drags the Hound Shelter's name through the mud had better wash it clean with their own blood."

He leaned in close to Yang Beihai's ear, his expression flat and merciless.

"Next life — don't pick a fight with mad dogs."