After all, this isn't some desolate mountainous region like Myanmar; this is a densely populated metropolis. Even if General Hong were incredibly mad, he would never mobilize missile forces to attack him, right? And now that Zhou Ziwei has recovered over 50,000 units of soul power, unless someone directly uses thousands upon thousands of missiles or other weapons of mass destruction, how could these special operations forces, with their guns, pose any threat to Zhou Ziwei?
The main reason Zhou Ziwei agreed to go with the major was that he wanted to take the opportunity to find General Hong and resolve the conflict between them completely.
In addition... Zhou Ziwei also admired the major's performance to some extent, so he didn't want to put the major in a difficult position.
In the end... these people in front of him were just following orders. Zhou Ziwei was not the kind of person who would kill, so he naturally did not want to raise a merciless knife against these soldiers who had some goodwill towards him.
These soldiers are all stubborn and only know how to obey orders from their superiors. So if Zhou Ziwei refuses to go with them, then the only option is to kill them all.
General Hong… surely that must be the father of Hong Gang that Young Master Hong mentioned? Could that Dr. Hong also be Hong Gang's son? But Young Master Hong looks to be only in his early thirties, so could Dr. Hong really be a young child? Anyway, when I heard Dr. Hong's voice, it sounded like a child whose voice hadn't broken yet… Wow, there really are child prodigies in this world…
While Zhou Ziwei was lost in thought, he put his arm around Wang Xuewei and walked out of the hotel without hesitation. At the major's signal, they got into a green jeep.
Although Zhou Ziwei said he wouldn't leave midway, the soldiers on duty dared not be careless. After Zhou Ziwei put his arm around Wang Xuewei and got into the car, two soldiers with submachine guns squeezed onto the car from either side, sandwiching Zhou Ziwei and Wang Xuewei in the middle.
The major, whose hands were crippled, sat next to the driver in the front seat.
The car's interior space isn't very large, and the back seats only have three seats. Now, four people are being squeezed in, so naturally, people are bound to be crammed together.
Wang Xuewei is a woman with a slight obsession with cleanliness. Normally, even if a man gets too close to her, she will be extremely annoyed. So, she was very unwilling to squeeze in with a strange man. Helpless, she could only try her best to squeeze closer to Zhou Ziwei.
After all, Zhou Ziwei is her legal husband, and if she has to be taken advantage of, then she has no choice but to let her nominal husband have his way.
However, the seats were only so big, and no matter how much Wang Xuewei squeezed closer to Zhou Ziwei, her legs would inevitably touch the soldiers sitting next to her. This made Wang Xuewei feel uncomfortable all over, and she couldn't help but frown slightly.
Seeing this, Zhou Ziwei gave a wry smile and said, "If you find it too crowded, how about... you sit on my lap?"
Hearing Zhou Ziwei's suggestion, Wang Xuewei was slightly stunned. After hesitating for a moment, she actually sat up and gently sat on Zhou Ziwei's lap. In this way, her body no longer had to be close to another man.
After engaging in such intimate behavior with a man for the first time, Wang Xuewei felt as if her body was melting, and she leaned softly into Zhou Ziwei's arms, her pretty face flushed with embarrassment.
The major glanced at the couple in the rearview mirror and smiled slightly, sighing, "You two have such a wonderful relationship, it's truly enviable... Sigh... I used to have a very beautiful fiancée, and we even made a promise to grow old together. But alas... after I was transferred to the special operations unit, I didn't have time to go home... After three years of separation, she quietly got married and vowed to grow old together... If she couldn't even endure three years of loneliness, how could we possibly grow old together!"
Volume 2: The Assassin's Nightmare, Chapter 351: Tiger and Leopard Commando Team
Hearing the major's sighs, the people in the car fell silent.
Moreover, it seems that not only the major was envious of the relationship between Zhou Ziwei and Wang Xuewei, but even the driver and the two soldiers escorting them couldn't help but cast envious glances at them.
As soldiers, they have their glory, but they also have their helplessness, especially soldiers in special operations forces. They have very few holidays and must abide by certain confidentiality regulations. Basically, unmarried soldiers have no time to date, and married soldiers have no time to take care of their wives and children.
Perhaps such a life might not be so bad for a year or two, but once it goes on for a long time, how many women can truly endure the loneliness? In the end, some break up and some get divorced. For them, something like a major is nothing new.
However, seeing the somewhat moved and envious looks on the faces of the people in the car, Zhou Ziwei and Wang Xuewei couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.
Unexpectedly, the two of them became a model couple in the eyes of others. But little did these people know that they were probably the most discordant couple in the world.
Before today, the two had never even hugged... and until now, the couple had never even kissed... If this were told, who would believe they were really a couple?
Wang Xuewei glanced at Zhou Ziwei slightly, a wave of emotions suddenly washing over her.
Before this, she seemed to have only seen Zhou Ziwei's bad habits and vices, and his shortcomings as a playboy, but she seemed to have never discovered any good qualities in him.
But it wasn't until Zhou Ziwei asked her for a divorce that she was surprised to discover that the man who had always been by her side was actually more outstanding than she had ever imagined.
She truly didn't know why she had treated this man the way she had before. Married for a year, she hadn't even allowed her legal husband to touch her body. What man could endure such treatment? What man wouldn't seek out other women?
He used to be a playboy who only liked to live a life of debauchery, but after getting married, he probably wanted to end that kind of life completely. However, his wife didn't give him that chance. Her indifference and contempt only pushed this man further and further away from her.
Only now does Wang Xuewei realize that perhaps she is the real culprit behind the current situation of the couple.
Although she didn't speak, Zhou Ziwei could still read a hint of apology and regret in Wang Xuewei's eyes. Zhou Ziwei was slightly taken aback when he saw this, and then he tightened his arms around Wang Xuewei's waist so that she could lean more comfortably in his arms. A faint smile appeared on his face, but there was no hint of mockery in the smile.
Holding Zhou Ziwei like this, Wang Xuewei experienced the happiness of being a woman and a wife for the first time. If there weren't several other people in the car, she might have even mustered up the courage to try kissing Zhou Ziwei... Sigh... She's over twenty years old, but she hasn't even had her first kiss yet.
Especially since... she's about to divorce Zhou Ziwei, but she still has her first kiss from the past year of marriage, which makes Wang Xuewei feel incredibly guilty...
A group of seven or eight military vehicles quickly drove away from the crowded city center and headed west of Beijing. It seemed that Zhou Ziwei would be taken to a military base stationed on the outskirts of Beijing.
Zhou Ziwei looked out the car window and realized that this was indeed the capital city. Even outside the bustling city center, in what should have been the suburbs, there was a fairly dense population.
The roads were still bustling with traffic, preventing the military vehicles from increasing their speed.
The major had received orders from his superiors to expedite the process more than once, but faced with the traffic situation in the capital, he could only feel powerless to do so.
When they were about halfway to the troop's base, they suddenly heard the rumbling of helicopters flying overhead.
Moreover, the rumbling sound grew louder and louder, and then everyone realized that, without them noticing, four armed helicopters had appeared above the convoy... armed helicopters, not ordinary helicopters...
Upon seeing this, the major was taken aback. He had initially thought that General Hong might have thought he was too slow, so he simply sent his own helicopters to pick up the two men. But... if that were the case, he should have received orders from his superiors beforehand... And since there were no orders from his superiors to cooperate with these helicopters, it proved that... these armed helicopters were probably not sent by General Hong.
But... this is the capital city, and General Hong is the commander of the Beijing Military Region. Which armed helicopter that flies over here isn't under General Hong's command?
"Bang, bang, bang..." Just as the major was slightly taken aback, the four armed helicopters had already formed a four-corner formation, surrounding the seven or eight military vehicles in their group from the air. The four snow-white searchlight beams, like four long swords falling from the sky, landed on the vehicle where Zhou Ziwei and his group were, and locked on it completely in an instant.
Then, the four armed helicopters maintained a very steady speed, carefully keeping their formation and following the convoy below, with their four searchlights constantly shining on the green jeep below.
Immediately afterwards, a dozen dark figures emerged from beneath the four armed helicopters, like a group of spiders descending from the sky. Each of them held a rope and slowly descended from the helicopters, hovering around the military vehicle.
The dozen or so people were all dressed in black, with hoods covering their faces and their bodies completely covered, looking somewhat like the Flying Tigers members often seen in Hong Kong movies.
The soldiers in the military vehicles were all dumbfounded at this point, and the major was sweating profusely.
He clearly saw that the launch ports of the air-to-ground miniature missiles on the armed helicopters above were open and had completely locked onto their vehicle. It seemed that if the dozen or so people who came down from the helicopters couldn't control them, the missiles would rain down on them like dumplings being dropped into a pot.
And that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that because the four armed helicopters were flying lower and lower, he could clearly see what the markings on the four helicopters symbolized, even with just his naked eye.
The badge depicts a tiger and a leopard fighting, drawn with just a few strokes, yet vividly. This simple badge symbolizes the Tiger and Leopard Commando Unit, one of the most mysterious and powerful special forces units in the country.
This is a special forces unit that is not under the jurisdiction of any military region in the country. It reports directly to the Central Military Commission, and only the top two leaders of the Central Military Commission can directly mobilize this small but exceptionally elite force.
However, once this unit is mobilized, the significance will be completely different, especially if this special forces unit is used to deal with a conventional combat unit... the consequences will be even more predictable.
A soldier's duty is to obey orders, but there is a limit to that obedience. If General Hong were to order them to commit treason, I believe that neither the major nor any of these ordinary soldiers would continue to obey.
Now that they saw the helicopters overhead and the tiger and leopard emblem on them, everyone immediately gave up resisting.
To continue resisting in front of this force would be tantamount to treason.
At this point, no one cared anymore what General Hong's orders were.
Under the threat of the helicopter, several military vehicles quickly and slowly drove to a relatively secluded side road ahead, then slowly came to a stop. Eight fully armed Tiger and Leopard Commando members jumped out of the roaring helicopter, and immediately pointed their guns at the major and three other soldiers. One of them saluted Zhou Ziwei and said loudly, "Tiger and Leopard Commando Team No. 3 is here to welcome Mr. Zhou Ziwei. Please come with me, Mr. Zhou!"
Zhou Ziwei was somewhat surprised by this display of force. It seemed that Director Liu's side had finally put in some effort! However, Zhou Ziwei didn't know much about the general situation of the domestic military, so he naturally didn't know what kind of organization this Tiger and Leopard Commando Unit was. But he guessed that there shouldn't be such a large and well-equipped department under the jurisdiction of the State Security Bureau!
However, since these people were going to intercept him from General Hong, they probably wouldn't have any ill intentions towards him, right? Zhou Ziwei was quite skilled and daring; it was just four armed helicopters, and this kind of force wouldn't scare him. Even if this so-called Tiger and Leopard Commando Team really had ulterior motives towards him, he wouldn't be afraid.
So, at the sound of the masked Tiger and Leopard Commando member's loud report, he simply nodded slightly, then put his arm around Wang Xuewei's waist and got out of the car with a calm expression. At the member's signal, he then carried Wang Xuewei up the rope ladder that was lowered from the helicopter.
Seeing Zhou Ziwei and Wang Xuewei finally board the helicopter under the cover of a group of Tiger and Leopard Commando members, the major, whose weapons had been completely disarmed, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he didn't know who this Mr. Zhou was, he knew that General Hong must have suspected Mr. Zhou because of the death of the Second Young Master Hong, which was why he had made such a big fuss.
If Mr. Zhou had no powerful connections, the outcome for these two after being captured would have been predictable. The enraged General Hong seemed to have lost his mind long ago. In his view, since Mr. Zhou had just had some conflict with the Second Young Master Hong, even if the Second Young Master Hong's death really had nothing to do with Mr. Zhou, General Hong would probably still kill Mr. Zhou to avenge his son who had died not long ago.
General Hong... he is not just the commander of the Beijing Military Region. He seems to control another considerable force, but what that force is exactly is not something a mid-level officer like a major knows.
Although the mission was not completed, it was interrupted by the Tiger and Leopard Commando. So even if they were dissatisfied, they probably wouldn't be court-martialed!
The major gently waved his hands, which had just been completely healed, as if in a dream. He knew... that it was that miraculous Mr. Zhou who had cured his hands once again. He knew... that he would owe Mr. Zhou a debt he could never repay in his lifetime.
"Director Liu...it really is you...I thought you didn't care whether I lived or died..."
Upon boarding the helicopter, Zhou Ziwei saw Director Liu, who had changed into camouflage, smiling at him from the plane. However, the noise from the armed helicopter was so loud that Director Liu couldn't hear what Zhou Ziwei was saying. So he just smiled and nodded at Zhou Ziwei, gesturing a few times to indicate that they would talk in detail later.
Then, seeing Wang Xuewei being held in Zhou Ziwei's arms, Director Liu gave Zhou Ziwei a big thumbs up.
A dozen minutes later, the armed helicopter landed on a flat area more than ten kilometers away. Zhou Ziwei and Wang Xuewei followed Director Liu into a black Hongqi sedan, and then they began to exchange formal greetings.
"Director Liu, you're moving a bit too slowly. If we delay any longer, we might be dragged away and executed by that General Hong."
Seeing Director Liu's calm demeanor, Zhou Ziwei couldn't help but feel indignant.
Director Liu gave a bitter laugh upon hearing this, saying, "I didn't want to either... but there was nothing I could do... General Hong and I are completely in different systems. Even my direct superior couldn't influence General Hong. There was nothing I could do... In the end, I had our bureau chief directly appeal to the top leader of the Central Military Commission. The top leader took this matter very seriously and immediately ordered us to contact General Hong. But who knew that guy would pretend to be dead at home, refusing to answer anyone's calls. Finally, the leader got angry and directly dispatched the Tiger and Leopard Commando Unit, directly under the Central Military Commission, to rescue you... Heh... you've got quite the influence, kid... The Tiger and Leopard Commando Unit is the most elite special forces in our country. Normally, even in the face of great trouble, they wouldn't use it lightly, but today, for you, they actually used it... Tsk tsk tsk... now you've become famous among the higher-ups."
"It can't be that exaggerated!" Zhou Ziwei felt no honor at all upon hearing this, but rather felt cold sweat pouring down his face... He never expected that today's matter had alarmed the top leader, and that Director Liu was probably going to take him directly to meet the top leader now, right?
Zhou Ziwei is now considered fearless, but the thought of the person he will be facing later still makes him feel a chill run down his spine.
This has nothing to do with an individual's level of martial prowess. After all, he is also a citizen living in this country, and he will inevitably have a sincere sense of awe for the leader who symbolizes the highest level of the country.
At this moment, Wang Xuewei was even more completely stunned. Although she had gradually realized that Zhou Ziwei was no ordinary person, even if she had to imagine it a hundred or ten thousand times, she probably would not have imagined that the top leader would personally order and dispatch his main force to rescue Zhou Ziwei.
Is he still that playboy who only knows how to drink and womanize all day? How could he possibly attract the attention of the top leader?
Amidst the casual conversation between Zhou Ziwei and Director Liu, the car drove into a heavily guarded courtyard. Director Liu then asked Lu Wang Xuewei to wait there with him for a moment, while several fully armed men arrived and led Zhou Ziwei alone into a beautiful lotus garden.
Although Wang Xuewei was unwilling to separate from Zhou Ziwei, she knew that she couldn't ask for anything in this kind of place. Seeing that even Director Liu himself didn't seem to have the right to enter the lotus garden, Wang Xuewei wouldn't say anything more.
Out of respect for his superior, Zhou Ziwei did not send out his Kun Chong to scout the surrounding environment this time. At this moment, he seemed to have forgotten his special abilities and, like an ordinary person, followed several soldiers and walked properly into an antique courtyard.
Upon entering a spacious and bright living room, Zhou Ziwei immediately saw an elderly man in military uniform sitting at a wooden table, holding a calligraphy brush and painting.
The painting is a traditional Chinese ink painting. The scenery in the painting seems to be the pleasant lotus pond outside the courtyard. The faint fragrance of ink wafts in the air, and combined with the old man's woolen clothes, it shows a unique charm.
"You've arrived... Please have a seat!"
The old man's ink painting was nearing completion, with the final touches being applied. So when he saw Zhou Ziwei enter, he simply looked up, smiled, and nodded at Zhou Ziwei before lowering his head again to continue focusing his attention on the work he was painting.
Zhou Ziwei touched his nose, but instead of sitting still, he tiptoed behind the old man...
"stop!"
Just as Zhou Ziwei approached within three meters of the old man, two middle-aged men in plain clothes suddenly appeared out of nowhere. With a soft shout, they shot towards Zhou Ziwei with lightning speed...
Volume 2: The Assassin's Nightmare, Chapter 352: The Secret in the Painting
With Zhou Ziwei's keen senses, it was impossible for the presence of two people in this room to escape his ears, which were always far superior to those of others. This was only because he respected the old man in front of him and therefore did not release his soul power to search around recklessly. Otherwise, within a radius of sixty meters, not even a single blade of grass or tree could escape his notice.
Although Zhou Ziwei already knew that the two men were hiding in the room, he didn't care. He guessed that they were probably the top bodyguards protecting the leader, the legendary Zhongnanhai bodyguards. Zhou Ziwei had no ill intentions towards the leader, so he didn't need to pay attention to those two men.
However, Zhou Ziwei underestimated the vigilance of the two Zhongnanhai bodyguards. He only wanted to get closer to examine the leader's painting, but he did not expect that as soon as he got close to the leader, the two people hidden in the shadows would immediately jump out.
Moreover, they launched a powerful attack on Zhou Ziwei without hesitation as soon as they appeared. Judging from the terrifying energy emanating from their bodies, Zhou Ziwei was shocked to discover that their strength had actually reached a level that was almost close to that of giants.
You must know that the giant is a master among the world's top ten assassins, and these two people who just randomly jumped out here are actually close to him in strength. If these two join forces, Zhou Ziwei believes that not to mention the tenth-ranked giant, even Blood Shadow would probably have to retreat.
Of course... these two are only similar to the Titans in terms of attack power, but their physical strength is definitely much weaker than the Titans', and their ability to hide is far inferior to Blood Shadow's. However, as bodyguards, they are better at protecting their targets.
For example, right now, these two made their first move with powerful killing blows. One of them cleaved his hand like a sharp knife, aiming straight for Zhou Ziwei's neck, while the other attacked the back of Zhou Ziwei's head from another angle.