Chapter 67: Once Again, an Old Acquaintance

The three Falcon brothers, already half-dead from hunger, lay helplessly on the ground, uncertain if rescue would ever come—perhaps it never would. Still, they tried to conserve their strength as much as possible.

Heaven rewards the persistent, as the saying goes, and against all odds, someone really did come. Watching the wall before them shift, the brothers realized someone outside had triggered the switch. Whoever this person was—whether friend or foe—at least it meant a chance to get out. Forcing themselves upright, they braced their weary bodies and waited for their would-be savior or assailant to enter.

A narrow corridor stretched ahead, and from the darkness emerged a man in a trench coat, his expression grave and unsmiling—an intimidating sight.

The guard took in the tense faces of the Falcon brothers but made no move to attack. Instead, he asked calmly, “Don’t you recognize me?”

The question made little sense. The brothers exchanged confused glances.

Then, as if recalling something, the guard reached behind his ear and effortlessly peeled off a mask he’d apparently worn for who knows how long.

“Yan Ze?” Zhang Xingmin recognized him instantly.

In their memory, Yan Ze had been a refined, courteous man, almost otherworldly in demeanor. What had happened since they last parted on Mount Wild? They couldn't reconcile the Yan Ze they remembered with the sleazy figure from two nights prior.

Seeing the complicated looks on their faces, Yan Ze knew what they were thinking. But he didn’t care about others’ opinions; his purpose was to rescue them. He wasn’t even sure why—maybe if the enemy wanted them dead, saving them was reason enough. Still, their reactions irked him a bit.

“What’s with those looks?” Yan Ze asked, a little exasperated at their hesitance.

“It’s nothing… just didn’t expect it to be you.”

“Yeah, we didn’t recognize you yesterday! Your disguise was too good.”

“Exactly! How did you infiltrate this place? If not for you, we’d be finished.”

As their mood shifted from suspicion to enthusiasm, Yan Ze felt a touch of discomfort at how quickly their attitudes changed. Besides, were they ever really that close? They seemed curious how he got in, but to him, it was child’s play; the Falcons were surrounded by undercover agents, so why couldn’t he, a loner from Golden Rooster Ridge, hide his own identity just as easily?

When Yan Ze mentioned there was a mole from the Shadow Organization among them, the three brothers grew even more frustrated. How could they have spent every day together and not noticed something was off with Zhao Nana?

Listening to their complaints, Yan Ze found the situation amusing. They only realized Zhao Nana was a problem—didn’t they notice the person now wasn’t even the original?

Prompted by Yan Ze’s hints, the three tried hard to recall recent events and sensed something was indeed amiss, though it was hard to believe. Watching them struggle to remember, Yan Ze thought, Men really are oblivious. Even after he’d told them the current Zhao Nana was an impostor, they couldn’t pinpoint when she’d been swapped.

To be fair, if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have figured it out either—the impostor was just that convincing. Still, he wouldn’t miss the chance to needle these three, lest they keep holding his past over his head.

“Seriously, you didn’t notice? No matter how well a man pretends, he’s not a real woman! You really didn’t pick up on it?” Yan Ze said, a hint of smugness in his voice.

The three brothers shook their heads.

“Hand it over. I’ll tell you when the fake Zhao Nana infiltrated your ranks, and who he really is,” Yan Ze said, extending his hand to Yang Dalong.

Yang Dalong knew exactly what Yan Ze wanted. Leaning in, he found the incriminating video from that night and, in Yan Ze’s presence, deleted it. “Now will you talk?”

Yan Ze nodded in satisfaction and stood to leave.

“Hey! You tricked me!” Brother Long protested, reaching to stop Yan Ze.

Yan Ze didn’t break stride. Glancing at Long’s hand, he replied, “This isn’t the place to talk. If you want to live, follow me.”

With that, Yan Ze shook off Yang Dalong’s arm and strode away.

The three Falcon brothers hurried after him.

In hindsight, it was the right decision. Yan Ze truly intended to save them this time—not for any personal attachment, but because they were enemies of the Shadow Organization.

Of course, that was all for later. For now, what awaited them was a meeting with the watcher sent by Young Master Xie. Indeed, the young master had little faith in Yan Ze; scarcely had the four left Area A103 when the spy was already on their trail.

They found a few random scapegoats—so battered and bloodied that no one could identify them. No matter how hard Young Master Xie investigated, there would be no leads.

They couldn’t return to their old dormitory now. Like it or not, the Falcon brothers had to follow Yan Ze’s arrangements and settled into a cramped basement. It seemed to be a lawless place, where many who lived outside Future City’s control gathered. The conditions were rough, but at least there was a rare kind of freedom.

Didn’t a foreign poet once say: Life is precious, love is dear, but if for freedom’s sake, both can be sacrificed?

Here, they even discovered old acquaintances—if not friends, then at least someone they recognized: the young man they’d once helped in the gladiatorial arena. Yet they didn’t recognize him at first.

The moment Yan Ze led them inside, Gangzi recognized them immediately. He’d only caught a glimpse back then, but the experience had been unforgettable—if not for them, he’d have been a beast’s meal.

As soon as they entered, Gangzi greeted them warmly. This time, it was the Falcon brothers’ turn to be confused; they didn’t recognize him at all, and he wore no disguise.

“You really don’t remember? In the arena, you helped me!” Gangzi said, unable to hide his excitement at seeing his benefactors.

“Oh, it’s you! What a surprise to meet again here. Hello—let me introduce us properly: I’m Yang Dalong; this is Zhang Xingmin; and this handsome guy is Lin Xiaofeng.” Prompted by Gangzi’s reminder, Brother Long finally remembered. Who would have thought a casual deed would lead to another fateful encounter?