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

His words seemed to carry an unshakeable force, causing Phantom's gaze to falter. After a brief silence, her expression grew even colder. She slowly moved forward, and the men in black around her tacitly gathered, forcing Huang Feipeng into a corner of the warehouse.

In that instant, a surge of fearless courage welled up within Huang Feipeng. He knew he had almost no way out, but his yearning for freedom and the hazy longing in his heart seemed to reveal another path. His gaze swept around, finally settling on a window on the side of the warehouse. Though the window was high up, it might be his only chance to escape.

"Now, I'm going to make you understand perfectly that it's not an apple or a memory that can save your life!" The Phantom sneered as she ordered the man in black to approach.

Huang Feipeng suddenly turned around, leaped up, grabbed the windowsill, and quickly pulled himself up. The man in black reacted instantly, rushing forward to try to pull him down, but Huang Feipeng's fingers gripped the windowsill tightly, and with an indomitable strength, he struggled to pull himself up.

Phantom's face darkened abruptly, clearly not expecting him to be so tenacious. She shouted sharply, "Don't let him get away!"

But Huang Feipeng's movements were swift and decisive. Almost at the moment the man in black was about to grab him, he leaped down and rolled onto the ground outside the warehouse. Although his shoulder was throbbing with pain and almost went numb, he endured the pain, quickly got up, and ran forward.

Behind the warehouse lay a desolate, overgrown field, surrounded by rubble and broken walls. He ran, seemingly unfazed by the thorns and obstacles in the darkness. The wind whistled past him, and all he could hear was his own breathing and the hurried footsteps of his pursuers. His heart pounded faster and faster, but he also calmed down. He knew that the moment of life and death had arrived, and every second was crucial.

As he ran, the scent of apples floated into his mind—a warm memory, like a faint light in the darkness, keeping him calm and resolute. This warmth became his driving force, and he silently told himself, "Huang Feipeng, this isn't the first time. You must hold on, you must survive!"

Huang Feipeng ran, the pebbles crunching under his feet in the darkness. During his escape, he caught a glimpse of maple leaves by the roadside and paused, realizing they were turning yellow, some even a deep orange-red. It was a vibrant autumn scene, like nature's grand celebration. Despite his perilous situation, seeing those falling leaves stirred a ripple in his heart, as if awakening a long-forgotten memory.

"Autumn has arrived..." he murmured softly, a bitter smile playing on his lips. He had been constantly on the move for years, and it seemed he hadn't truly appreciated such scenery in a long time. He suddenly remembered an autumn day many years ago, when he was just a child, climbing the hill near his home for the first time, just to pick a bright red maple leaf for his mother. He had climbed until he was drenched in sweat, and when he returned home clutching the leaf, his mother patted his head and gently smiled, saying, "Feipeng is so clever." Those words left an indelible warmth in his young heart.

But now, he finds himself shrouded in the shadows of reality for far too long, the warmth of his memories gradually being replaced by indifference and murderous intent. And in that moment of daze, the sound of footsteps approaching from behind instantly pulls him back to reality.

"Huang Feipeng, you can't escape!" A cold, oppressive voice echoed from the darkness, like the whisper of a lingering ghost.

Huang Feipeng gritted his teeth, not looking back, but his steps grew increasingly firm. He knew he had to escape, he had to survive. The maple leaf in his heart was like his unwavering commitment to life; he couldn't give up this chance to escape. He pushed himself to the limit, traversing a dilapidated old building, his footsteps crunching over the fallen leaves. The crisp rustling sound mingled with the thud of his heartbeat and the sound of the maple leaves hitting the ground, as if telling a story of profound and suppressed emotion.

He couldn't help but smile bitterly, thinking to himself, "Huang Feipeng, you're really crazy. At a time like this, you're still lamenting the color of the maple leaves?" But even so, he felt a strange peace in his heart, as if this desolate autumn scenery had become his only remaining comfort.

Suddenly, an abandoned factory appeared before him, its walls towering high, its interior dark and gaping like a gaping maw. He knew that only by entering this factory could he temporarily evade their pursuit. He quickly scaled the wall, and the moment his feet touched the ground, he nimbly hid behind an abandoned machine, holding his breath and waiting for the men in black to catch up.

Within moments, several men in black arrived outside the factory, their hurried footsteps echoing in the quiet night. Huang Feipeng was on edge, gripping his dagger, his gaze cold and alert, ready to respond to any sudden attack.

"He should be around here, search him!" one of the men in black whispered, and the others immediately dispersed, carefully searching the factory. Huang Feipeng held his breath, trying to blend into the shadows of the machines. His heartbeat gradually calmed, and a calmness appeared in his eyes, as if the surrounding danger could no longer shake his will.

Just then, a maple leaf drifted down onto his shoulder. The crisp autumn air, carrying a slightly sweet fragrance, made his thoughts drift back to the past.

He thought to himself, "Perhaps those past memories are the strength that keeps me going." This thought took deep root in his heart, and the maple leaf that fell on his shoulder seemed to be his only support. He couldn't help but gently stroke its veins, feeling the fragile, withered texture with his fingers.

Just then, he heard footsteps approaching. His nerves tensed instantly; he knew he couldn't linger any longer. He decisively stood up and quickly circled around to the other side of the factory, deftly avoiding the men in black and leaving them far behind.

Suddenly, he spotted a small, abandoned door at the far end of the factory, seemingly the only exit. He rushed towards the door, and the moment he pushed it open, a biting chill rushed out. Ignoring the cold autumn wind, he leaped outside, quickly hiding behind a withered tree, holding his breath, and surveying his surroundings.

Moments after he left the factory, Phantom arrived at the entrance with the other men in black. She stood in the wind, her cold gaze sweeping across the surroundings, seemingly sensing Huang Feipeng's presence.