Chapter 041: Duty

"This throwing knife is off!"
A voice suddenly rang out.

A disheveled young man ran beneath the tree, staring at the iron throwing knife embedded in the snake's head, and called out in astonishment, "Come take a look, the force behind this knife is unusual—it’s like a bullet striking an object, the cracks spreading in irregular patterns..."

"Enough."
Xu Nianxiang interrupted in a low voice, barking, "You there, it’s dangerous, hurry and leave."

"I'm fine, really, I'm fine!" The young man waved his hand, shouting, "The venomous snake is dead already, what's important now is this throwing knife, it... hey, hey, what are you doing, let go of me!"

He struggled, but was no match for the two security team members dragging him away.

"Apologies for the disruption,"
Lin Xiurun smiled awkwardly, "This child has studied himself silly."

"It's nothing, it's nothing," Fan Chungang raised his hand, understanding. "Serious people deserve respect. Isn’t that right, Brother Yang?"

He turned to look at Su Jingxing.

Su Jingxing ignored him, bid farewell to Lin Xiurun and Xu Nianxiang.

"Professor Lin, Captain Xu, I have something to attend to, so I won’t trouble you any further."

"Wait," Lin Xiurun called out, quickly saying, "Brother Yang, you haven’t left your contact information yet."

"No need." Su Jingxing waved, striding away.

Saving Wang Hanpeng had been a matter of convenience; he never expected any reward.

He had only used an ordinary throwing knife.

What Su Jingxing hadn’t anticipated was that this casual act had caught Fan Chungang’s attention.

This fellow seemed to have witnessed Chen Xiaodao performing the ‘Titan Blade’ technique?

From the start, his words were sharp and sarcastic, probing between the lines; Su Jingxing couldn't help but wonder.

After all, before today, Su Jingxing had never met Fan Chungang.

Fan Chungang couldn’t possibly know him as ‘Yang Jian’.

Yet at their first meeting, Fan Chungang had shown a clear intent to provoke, obviously targeting something.

That target could only be the throwing knife.

So, it was highly likely Fan Chungang knew Chen Xiaodao?

Su Jingxing pondered as he walked.

...

On the hillside.

After Su Jingxing left, Lin Xiurun didn’t linger either, calling everyone to move on to the next location.

With Wang Hanpeng’s accident, Xu Nianxiang was even more vigilant with his watch.

Lin Xiurun assisted, reminding everyone to stay alert to their surroundings at all times.

Security team members patrolled ceaselessly among the crowd.

Fan Chungang’s security squad watched the perimeter, front and back, just in case.

The group of more than thirty formed a long line along the mountain path.

Xu Nianxiang led at the front, occasionally using binoculars to scan the area.

Suddenly, a security team member hurried forward to Xu Nianxiang’s side, speaking in a low voice, "Captain, Fan Chungang is missing."

"Hmm?" Xu Nianxiang raised his brow, "Missing how?"

"Liuzzi saw him leave the group, slip into the woods, and disappear in the direction Brother Yang went," the team member replied quietly.

"Heh."

Xu Nianxiang snorted, "I knew that guy couldn’t sit still."

"So, Captain, should we..."

"Ignore him," Xu Nianxiang said calmly. "Whatever Fan Chungang is up to, it’s none of our business."

"But..."

"Brother Yang isn’t that easy to harm," Xu Nianxiang smiled. "Think about it—if he didn’t have the skills, would he dare enter Qingyun Mountain alone?"

"True," the team member realized, then quickly remembered something, lowering his voice, "But Fan Chungang is a seventh-tier martial artist. Can Brother Yang handle him?"

"I don’t know," Xu Nianxiang’s face remained calm.

"Huh?" The team member was stunned.

"Truly, I don’t know," Xu Nianxiang raised his brow. "I’ve never seen Brother Yang truly fight, so I can’t tell his level. But his throwing knife technique alone is enough—when facing a seventh-tier martial artist, even if he can’t win, he can retreat with ease!"

Fan Chungang could discern the unusual quality of Su Jingxing’s knife; how could Xu Nianxiang not notice?

Though he didn’t know it was the ‘Titan Blade’ technique.

But from the moment Su Jingxing acted to the moment he hit the target, Xu Nianxiang only caught the final step, yet could already judge the depth of Su Jingxing’s skill with throwing knives.

Such technique, even if used with the most ordinary darts, was enough to threaten a seventh-tier martial artist.

For someone so young to possess such mastery of hidden weapons, he was certainly not as simple as he appeared.

Fan Chungang wanted to take advantage, but he was likely to suffer instead!

...

The forest was dense and the mountain path treacherous.

The man-made trail struggled against the ever-growing weeds and shrubs, making the path barely visible.

Danger lurked beneath the undergrowth, hovering day and night.

Yet it didn’t trouble Su Jingxing.

He activated the secret art ‘Sound at the Ear’s Edge’; within a hundred meters, every movement was heard.

Even an ant crawling across the ground—Su Jingxing knew its exact position.

Thus, he walked on, preempting all dangers, his journey as effortless as a stroll.

...

Until a familiar heartbeat sounded behind him!

"He really followed," Su Jingxing grinned, stopped, turned, and said calmly, "Since you’re here, come out. Hiding is hardly the way a manager should act."

"Ha!"

Fan Chungang stepped from behind a tree, smiling at Su Jingxing, "Brother Yang, what keen instincts—you spotted me so quickly."

"What do you want, Manager Fan?" Su Jingxing cut straight to the point, unwilling to waste words.

"Can’t I just come find you for a chat?"

Fan Chungang grinned, "After all, you saved a student earlier—helped me out of a tight spot. I caught up to thank you."

"Of course," Su Jingxing smiled. "As for your gratitude, I accept it. The rest of the journey, I’ll go on alone. Manager Fan, you can return now."

"That won’t do," Fan Chungang shook his head. "Brother Yang, you’re our savior, and I have a duty to assist you. By the way, why are you in the mountain? If you tell me, with my help, we might finish faster."

"Thank you, Manager Fan, but there’s no need," Su Jingxing replied calmly. "My affairs, I can handle myself. You’re here for your own mission, so it’s best you return and guard Professor Lin and the others."

With that, he turned and walked briskly away.

"Wait," Fan Chungang continued after him, "My colleagues are on escort duty. As for me, I’ll see you to your destination before heading back."

Saying this, he sped up.

Su Jingxing ignored him, growing wary, and suddenly picked up speed.

Fan Chungang accelerated as well.

Su Jingxing turned a corner; Fan Chungang followed.

Su Jingxing descended the mountain; Fan Chungang followed.

No matter where Su Jingxing went, Fan Chungang was determined to keep up.

At first, Su Jingxing was irritated, but soon, the tables turned and it was Fan Chungang who grew frustrated.

He realized, to his anger, that he was slowly falling behind!

This infuriated Fan Chungang, and finally he dropped all pretense and made his move.

Swish!