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

"Regret?" Huang Feipeng sneered, his eyes calm and firm. "Ridiculous! You really think you can trap me?" He didn't move, his tone filled with undisguised contempt, as if he were watching a childish farce.

Shadow Serpent raised an eyebrow, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. He had expected Huang Feipeng to at least show some panic in the face of such a desperate situation, but Huang Feipeng before him was as calm as ice. He frowned and waved for his men to continue their advance.

Huang Feipeng's gaze swept quickly over the approaching men, a cold smile playing on his lips. He was waiting; the encirclement was tightening, and he needed them to get closer, to reveal a weakness. He had already sketched out several routes and countermeasures in his mind, calm and confident. He knew that Shadow Serpent had underestimated him, and this was his only chance of survival.

The shadow snake slowly approached, a chilling smile playing on its lips. "Mr. Huang, there's no need to be so tense. We're just having a chat, or... could you try to escape?" He paused deliberately, his smile growing even more sinister. "However, I think you probably can't escape now."

Huang Feipeng didn't respond, but merely narrowed his eyes, coldly watching him. Every word and expression of Shadow Snake was etched into his eyes; he was analyzing everything about the other man, even calculating Shadow Snake's breathing. He understood the provocative intent in the other man's words, but he wouldn't easily reveal his emotions.

"Actually... if you weren't so stubborn, you might have suffered less." Shadow Snake moved closer, his voice filled with suppressed coldness.

Huang Feipeng secretly adjusted his breathing and exhaled steadily. He quickly sketched out a counterattack plan in his mind, but he had to wait until these people got a little closer.

“You know,” he said calmly, his gaze sweeping over Shadow Serpent, “sometimes being too confident can make you lose your mind, especially when you think you have everything under control.” His voice was deep and cold, as if carrying a premonition, with a hint of a threat that should not be underestimated.

Shadow Serpent's expression darkened slightly, and his fingers twitched, signaling his men to tighten their encirclement. He seemed enraged by Huang Feipeng's words, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Oh? You think you can still turn the tables?"

Huang Feipeng didn't answer him, but instead focused his attention on the two men to his left. Just as they pointed their guns at him, he suddenly rolled to the right, dodging the guns and simultaneously kicking one of the men's wrists with lightning speed, knocking the gun out of his hand.

Without pausing, he swiftly seized the opportunity, striking the second man in the chest with his other elbow, using his body as cover to swerve to the side. The situation spiraled out of control. Shadow Snake paused for a moment, then sneered and roared, "Don't let him get away!"

Several men rushed towards Huang Feipeng, trying to surround him, but Huang Feipeng had entered a state of extreme calm. He could clearly hear each beating of his heart, as if everything was under control. He moved nimbly among the men, his figure as swift as the wind, breaking through the encirclement step by step.

Just as Huang Feipeng approached a dilapidated corner, Shadow Snake suddenly pulled out a pistol and aimed it at his back. Huang Feipeng instantly sensed danger. He rolled forward, grabbed a piece of rubble, and hurled it at Shadow Snake, forcing him to take a step back. Huang Feipeng used the opportunity to retreat a few paces, creating some distance between himself and Shadow Snake.

Shadow Serpent's face grew increasingly grim, clearly enraged. He roared, ordering his men to readjust their formation and attempt to surround Huang Feipeng again. Huang Feipeng took a deep breath, realizing that the enemy had a numerical advantage and that to escape successfully, he couldn't rely solely on brute force; he had to find a blind spot in their command.

He quickly scanned the area and noticed a man on the west side of the encirclement who seemed somewhat slow in his movements, his gun barrel slightly unsteady. A thought struck him; he judged this to be one of the less experienced members of Shadow Serpent's team, and he quietly approached the man. The man seemed to sense his intention and hurriedly pointed his gun at Huang Feipeng, but due to his inexperience, his movements were clumsy and rushed, giving Huang Feipeng a precious few seconds.

Huang Feipeng took a sidestep, suddenly grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it forcefully, and turned the gun towards his companion. In an instant, a gunshot rang out. The men in the encirclement were stunned for a moment by this sudden turn of events, while Huang Feipeng took advantage of the chaos to quickly break free and run towards the dark alley.

He moved swiftly and steadily through the shadows of the street, his steps steady and rapid. Shadow Serpent's men gave chase, while Shadow Serpent stood still, coldly watching Huang Feipeng's retreating figure, a strange, unfathomable meaning flickering in his eyes. He didn't seem to be in a hurry to catch up, but silently watched the direction Huang Feipeng had gone, a faint smile on his face.

“One day, you will know the meaning of all this,” he murmured to himself, a strange certainty in his eyes.

Huang Feipeng sprinted away from the encirclement, but he didn't feel completely relaxed. Shadow Snake's confident expression and his earlier whispered words were like a thorn deeply embedded in his heart. He realized that Shadow Snake must have a deeper purpose, and this confrontation might just be part of his probe.

Huang Feipeng fled into the depths of the dark alley, only stopping when he could no longer hear the footsteps and low shouts behind him. He leaned against a damp wall, closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and suppressed the turmoil in his heart. The intense confrontation just moments before was still vividly clear in his mind—Shadow Serpent's eerie smile, the cold guns around him, and the surrounding enemies—all lingered in his mind. His heartbeat finally calmed down, and as his nerves relaxed, he felt the fatigue spreading through his limbs.

A cool night breeze blew in from the alleyway, bringing a refreshing chill. His gaze fell on a small fruit stall in the corner, and he suddenly remembered the taste of his childhood—that crisp, juicy apple. As a child, he would often pick a ripe apple from the fruit tree in front of his house, sit in the yard and eat it. The sweet juice would splash onto his lips, bringing a natural refreshment, as if one bite would wash away all the troubles and fatigue of the day.

"Want an apple?" The fruit stand owner smiled as he looked at his somewhat disheveled appearance, his voice gentle and without a trace of hostility.

Huang Feipeng looked at the stall owner and nodded. He was a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair and a peaceful expression, like the most ordinary person in the city, completely out of place with all the conspiracies and dangers.