The country entrusted me to buy an aircraft carrier, Hou Liangping, do you dare to investigate?

"Should I tell her what I really feel?" he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed. His relationship with the woman filled him with hope, but also made him increasingly uneasy. He wanted to express his feelings, yet he was afraid it would complicate everything.

Just then, a few laughs echoed from the park. A little girl, accompanied by her parents, chased and played, the sunlight shining on her, her smile as radiant as the sun. Huang Feipeng's heart stirred; that carefree joy seemed the complete opposite of his current worries.

"Do I really want that carefree life?" he wondered to himself, but as the little girl's laughter faded, Huang Feipeng felt a pang of helplessness. He knew that the adult world was already filled with responsibility and pressure, and simple happiness seemed out of reach.

He had reviewed the file in his hands countless times; every detail about the criminal was etched into his mind: around forty years old, thin, with an aged face, skilled at disguise and adept at maneuvering, especially adept at posing as a harmless old man to blend into the crowd. This man was a complete villain, not only ruthless but also extremely meticulous, leaving almost no trace.

Huang Feipeng slowly walked into a narrow alley. The alley was much quieter than outside. Several elderly residents sat in their doorways, basking in the sun; some fanned themselves, others hummed old songs. Huang Feipeng glanced at the elderly people, pondering to himself, "To disguise himself as an old man and live here without giving himself away, his disguise must be perfect. Who could he be?"

As Huang Feipeng was carefully observing, the back of an old man caught his attention. The old man was thin, and although he wore loose clothes, the muscle lines on his back seemed somewhat abnormal. Huang Feipeng's alertness immediately increased. He remained calm and slowly walked towards the old man, pretending to stroll casually through the alley, his eyes scanning the surroundings while occasionally glancing at the old man.

The old man sat on a small stool, holding a worn-out palm-leaf fan in his hand, fanning himself slowly. On the table in front of him were a few peanuts. His face looked like it was etched with the marks of time, his wrinkles as deep as ravines, his eyes calm and wooden, as if he were completely immersed in his own world, unaware of Huang Feipeng's approach.

But Huang Feipeng's intuition told him that the old man before him might be the criminal. This intuition wasn't unfounded; years of experience as a criminal investigator had given him an extremely high sensitivity to danger. Although the old man appeared outwardly normal, Huang Feipeng noticed his hands. The old man's slender fingers weren't rough and stiff like those of someone who had worked hard for years; on the contrary, they were remarkably dexterous. His fingertips occasionally flicked at peanut shells on the table with elegant and precise movements. These hands didn't belong to an ordinary old man, but to a master who had spent years performing meticulous work.

Huang Feipeng feigned nonchalance, slowly approaching the old man with light steps. His gaze casually swept over the table and the old man's hands, his suspicions growing stronger. He knew that rash action might alert the man. This criminal was extremely cunning; at the slightest disturbance, he could vanish from his sight at any moment.

“Grandpa, the sunshine here is lovely,” Huang Feipeng suddenly said, his voice relaxed and casual.

The old man slightly raised his eyelids, gently waved his fan, and as if he hadn't heard, replied somewhat slowly, "Yes, it is quite warm."

Huang Feipeng chuckled inwardly; the old man's response was too natural, almost seeming affected. He continued chatting, "I see you have very skillful hands; do you usually do some handicrafts?"

The old man raised his eyes, a hint of wariness flashing in them, but he quickly regained his composure. He smiled, revealing a few yellowed teeth, and said slowly, "Hehe, I'm old now, how can I do any handicrafts? I did some carpentry when I was young, but I can't do it now, my hands won't obey me."

Huang Feipeng smiled slightly, but his mind was elsewhere. The old man's answers were too fluent, almost as if he had memorized lines. Instead of pressing him directly, he changed the subject and asked about the daily affairs of the small town. The conversation lasted for more than ten minutes, with Huang Feipeng subtly probing, and the old man responding calmly and without hesitation, every word perfectly chosen.

Just as Huang Feipeng was about to probe further, a delivery tricycle slowly drove into the alley. The driver shouted, "Come on, come on, fresh fruit is here!" The elderly people in the alley immediately became lively, and they all walked to the vehicle to buy some fruit. Taking advantage of the commotion, the old man also stood up and slowly walked towards the tricycle.

Huang Feipeng's eyes narrowed slightly. He noticed the old man's movements as he stood up; though slow and deliberate, his steps were surprisingly steady, unlike the sluggish movements of an elderly person. Almost instantly, Huang Feipeng decided not to wait any longer. He quickly moved in front of the old man, still wearing a nonchalant smile: "Grandpa, no rush, let me buy you something. Please sit down and rest."

The old man paused, a slightly unnatural smile appearing on his face, then shook his head: "No need to trouble yourself, I can still walk around by myself."

Huang Feipeng's eyes were sharp as he slowly said, "Your legs are quite nimble; you don't look like someone in their seventies."

These words seemed to strike a nerve, and the old man's eyes suddenly turned cold. In that brief instant, his pupils contracted slightly; Huang Feipeng sensed that hint of murderous intent. It was him, no doubt about it! In that instant, a tense atmosphere seemed to fill the air.

Just then, the old man suddenly struck. His movements were lightning fast; a gleaming dagger had appeared in his hand, and he thrust it straight at Huang Feipeng's abdomen. Huang Feipeng was prepared, and he leaned back sharply, narrowly avoiding the attack. His reaction was equally swift; he quickly raised his elbow and slammed it into the old man's wrist with precise force, instantly knocking the knife to the ground.

The old man, without hesitation, darted around like a nimble cat, preparing to flee towards the end of the alley. Huang Feipeng snorted coldly and gave chase. Both were incredibly fast; the old folks in the alley hadn't even had time to react before they saw two shadows flash by.

The sound of chasing footsteps echoed through the narrow alley. Huang Feipeng followed closely behind the old man, his mind utterly calm. He knew that once a criminal like this decided to escape, he would stop at nothing. The alley twisted and turned, and the narrow space temporarily limited their speed. The old man tried several times to use the terrain to shake off Huang Feipeng, but Huang Feipeng anticipated his every move, and the old man remained relentlessly pursued.