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

Huang Feipeng smiled faintly; the woman's words carried a touch of simple philosophy. He nodded and said softly, "Perhaps."

His gaze returned to the maple leaves, a strange heaviness settling in his heart. The more beautiful the memories, the deeper the sense of loss in reality. After so many chases and confrontations, he had long understood that his feud with Shadow Serpent had reached a point of no return. Every clash between them, seemingly calm on the surface, was actually turbulent and fraught with hidden danger.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly noticed a dark red mark on the wall beside the tree. It was a small symbol, extremely subtle, and would be easily missed without careful observation. Huang Feipeng stared at the symbol, a sense of doubt creeping into his mind. This seemed to be some kind of mark… He quickly scanned his surroundings and found a similar symbol in another corner of the wall.

He held his breath and observed carefully. Such symbols were uncommon; he knew some underground organizations used similar markings to transmit information or indicate routes of action. This might be some kind of guidance set up by Shadow Serpent, or a signal for another covert mission. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one had noticed his unusual behavior, then pretended to continue walking as if nothing was amiss, while secretly memorizing the characteristics of these symbols.

"What exactly is he planning..." Huang Feipeng felt a surge of tension and unease. Shadow Serpent's actions were always cautious; these symbols might be the beginning of a new plan. Perhaps this operation wasn't just targeting him, but was connected to a much larger conspiracy.

A flurry of guesses began to race through his mind as he considered the Shadow Serpent's next move. He knew he had to uncover the true meaning behind these symbols to have any chance of anticipating the Shadow Serpent's actions. But he also knew this would be an extremely dangerous undertaking; one wrong step and he would become prey, losing all advantage.

"Shadow Serpent, what exactly do you want..." he muttered through gritted teeth, his tone filled with an increasingly resolute determination. Whatever Shadow Serpent's goal was, he had to uncover the mystery before he could. With this thought, his gaze gradually became calm and sharp, and an indomitable fighting spirit rekindled within him.

Huang Feipeng quietly emerged from the dark alley and headed towards a convenience store on the street. His arm was still throbbing; he had been accidentally cut by Shadow Serpent's blade during their earlier exchange. The wound wasn't deep, but it was bleeding slightly, and the stinging pain reminded him of the close call. He pushed open the convenience store door, and the cool air that greeted him brought a momentary respite.

The store was brightly lit and warm, a stark contrast to the dim street outside. Huang Feipeng glanced around, then went straight to the shelf displaying medicines and nursing supplies, taking down a box of bandages. As he picked up the box, he noticed several different sizes were labeled; he randomly chose a small one, thinking he could bandage his wound quickly and avoid being noticed.

He took the bandage and walked to the cashier. The clerk was a young woman in her early twenties, wearing large glasses, her eyes filled with curiosity and enthusiasm. Seeing Huang Feipeng's somewhat disheveled appearance, she seemed to unconsciously frown and couldn't help but ask, "Are you injured? Do you need any first-aid ointment?"

"Hmm, it's nothing, just a minor injury," Huang Feipeng replied simply. He didn't want to attract too much attention, so he feigned ease, but his vigilance remained undiminished. He knew that he hadn't completely shaken off his pursuers, and that Shadow Serpent's men might still be watching his every move from some hidden corner. Relaxing his guard even slightly meant greater danger.

"Okay then, be careful." The shop assistant handed him the band-aid with a kind smile, seemingly unaware of his unease.

Huang Feipeng quickly paid and left the convenience store, his steps light but steady. Back on the street, he found an inconspicuous corner, tore open a band-aid, and carefully applied it to the wound. The action of applying the band-aid made his hand tremble slightly, not only because of the pain, but also because of the tension and worry in his heart. He kept recalling Shadow Snake's whereabouts, trying to deduce his true purpose from every detail.

"Could Shadow Serpent be nearby..." Huang Feipeng muttered to himself, his heart pounding with tension once more. He knew Shadow Serpent wouldn't give up tracking him so quickly. The previous exchange was just a brief standoff, and this was only the beginning. He had to remain vigilant, prepared for any possible further attack from Shadow Serpent.

"Do you need my help?" A strange voice suddenly came from behind, tinged with curiosity.

Huang Feipeng whirled around, his gaze turning cold as he looked towards the direction of the voice. Standing before him was a slender young man, casually dressed, with a calm expression, yet exuding an undeniable confidence. Huang Feipeng's heart tightened, and he asked warily, "Who are you?"

"Hey, don't be nervous. I was just a little worried because you seemed to be injured." The young man smiled, his hands in his pockets, as if he were just a passerby and had no intention of offending anyone.

Huang Feipeng maintained his distance, his mind filled with suspicion. He knew that in the world of Shadow Snake, anyone could be an informant or spy planted by the other side, and the appearance of this strange man was too "coincidental," making it hard for him not to be suspicious.

"No need, I can handle it myself," Huang Feipeng replied coldly, deliberately keeping his distance and his eyes filled with vigilance.

The man showed no sign of leaving. Instead, he smiled slightly and scanned the man, seemingly observing his reaction: "You don't look like an ordinary person, and your injuries don't look like they were from a casual bump. Have you run into some trouble?"

Huang Feipeng's brows furrowed slightly. The man's eyes held a calm, all-knowing gaze that made Huang Feipeng feel a slight sense of apprehension. Although he tried his best to hide his nervousness, the other man seemed to have already noticed his unusual behavior.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" he asked coldly, his voice carrying a hint of warning.

The man remained unperturbed, waving his hand and saying calmly, "I mean no harm, I'm just reminding you that the Shadow Serpent's people seem to be very active in this area tonight. If you want to be safer, you might consider finding another place to rest."

These words were like a pebble thrown into the depths of Huang Feipeng's heart, stirring up countless ripples. A sense of vigilance and suspicion immediately arose within him. Was this stranger friend or foe? How did he know about Shadow Snake's actions? If what he said was true, and Shadow Snake's men had already laid a trap in the vicinity tonight, then wouldn't his every move already be under their surveillance?