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

A few apples were scattered around inside, probably leftovers from a street stall, covered in dust and having lost their former luster. A sudden, inexplicable longing welled up inside him: he wanted to eat an apple, to hear that crisp sound between his teeth, to ease the restlessness in his chest.

Huang Feipeng sighed inwardly and muttered to himself, "When did I become so sentimental? To think of eating an apple at a time like this." However, deep down he felt that perhaps that familiar taste could allow him to temporarily escape the suffocating darkness of reality and rediscover a little bit of truth and humanity in life.

He quietly walked to the fruit basket and picked out a reasonably intact apple. Although the skin was slightly yellowish-green and even a little wrinkled, he didn't hesitate and examined the apple carefully in his hand. This small, slightly greenish fruit evoked a long-lost sense of familiarity in him, as if he had touched some tender memory, which made him relax a little.

"What are you doing? At a time like this, you actually care about an apple?" the person opposite said coldly, with an undisguised hint of sarcasm in their tone.

Huang Feipeng ignored it and continued wiping the apple's surface, gently dusting it off with his sleeve. He knew this might be a test, but what he needed now was precisely this kind of relaxation and calm. He needed to suppress all his tension, treat the apple as a momentary refuge, even if it was just a fleeting illusion, and completely calm himself down.

With a snap, the moment his teeth bit into the apple, the crisp, tender flesh burst forth with a slightly tart juice, followed by a sweet and refreshing taste that spread throughout his mouth. That mingled sweet and sour flavor instantly broke down his defenses, seemingly transporting him back to that sunny afternoon when he and his friends were scrambling for freshly picked apples, their faces beaming with innocent smiles, as if the whole world was filled with simple joy.

“You know what,” Huang Feipeng suddenly sneered, twirling the apple in his hand, raising his chin slightly, and staring coldly at the other person, “even assassins sometimes need a little taste of life, otherwise this game would be too boring.”

The other person was visibly taken aback, then frowned, clearly puzzled by Huang Feipeng's reaction. However, a hint of doubt lingered in his eyes, suggesting he didn't entirely believe it was just a casual moment of relaxation, but rather that Huang Feipeng was secretly plotting something deeper.

"Stop pretending, Huang Feipeng." The other party sneered, a hint of contempt in his eyes. "I know the naiveté in your bones. You always think you can change the outcome, but in reality... you are just a pawn in our game."

"A chess piece?" Huang Feipeng chuckled, took a bite of his apple, and asked vaguely, "Do you think I'm the kind of person who would willingly be a chess piece?"

"Otherwise what?" The other person shrugged, with a smug look on their face, like a cat toying with a mouse. "Do you really think this game will play out according to your rules?"

Huang Feipeng fell silent, only narrowing his eyes slightly, his gaze coldly fixed on him. His mind raced, racing through escape strategies. He was no longer the bystander whiling away the time with jokes and memories, but a hunter poised to deliver a fatal blow. He cast aside all his chaotic thoughts, focusing his gaze on the other's face, searching for any possible opening.

The other man's face appeared somber in the dim streetlights, and Huang Feipeng could detect signs of tension in his expression and slightly taut muscles. The other man wasn't indifferent to him; in fact, he might be secretly on guard. A cold smile crept into Huang Feipeng's mind. If the other man was also guessing and testing him, then he had an opportunity.

He casually took a bite of the apple, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said softly, "You know what? In this kind of situation, you never know what the other side's bottom line is, let alone who the real hunter is."

His words were like a silent bomb, sending a chill through the air. A flicker of hesitation crossed the other man's eyes, and Huang Feipeng seized the opportunity, swiftly smashing the apple hard into his face. The apple arced through the air, hurtling towards the man's brow with incredible speed. Clearly unprepared for such an attack, the man's expression changed slightly, and he hastily took a half-step back.

"you--"

Taking advantage of the man's momentary shock, Huang Feipeng lunged forward, swiftly grabbing his shoulder with his left hand and throwing him to the ground with all his might. His right hand flashed out, the dagger pressed against the man's throat. The entire sequence of movements was clean and swift, without any hesitation. The man had no time to react before he was subdued, a flicker of fear in his eyes, as if he couldn't believe he had been captured so easily.

"I won't be your pawn, nor do I need to follow your rules." Huang Feipeng chuckled coldly, the dagger's edge gleaming coldly in the dim light, pressed tightly against the other's throat. "Now tell me, why are you targeting me? Who sent you?"

The other party still seemed unwilling to give up, forcing a disdainful smile and clenching his teeth without uttering a word. Huang Feipeng pressed the dagger down a few more times, the sharp blade leaving a shallow red mark on the other party's skin, threatening to slit his throat at any moment.

“You can choose not to speak, but I have enough patience to make you speak.” Huang Feipeng’s voice was as cold as a sharp blade, and a piercing light flashed in his eyes. He knew exactly where his enemy’s weakness lay, and he knew how to instill utter fear in them.

The other person's expression finally changed, a hint of struggle flashing in their eyes, as if weighing whether they should give in. Huang Feipeng coldly watched him, awaiting their decision. However, just then, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the alley entrance. He quickly turned his head and caught sight of several flashlight beams approaching.

“You won’t find me.” Huang Feipeng twirled the dagger in his hand and quickly dragged the other man into a dark corner. He lowered his breathing and tried to hide himself in the shadows to avoid being discovered by the reinforcements.

He held his breath in the darkness, his heart pounding faster in his chest. Every second of waiting made him more acutely aware of his surroundings. The footsteps grew closer, and the group stopped almost right next to the corner where he was hiding. The faint beams of their flashlights shone on the wall and slid across the ground beside him, as if they were just one step away from revealing his hiding place.

“He should be nearby,” a deep voice commanded coldly, as a flashlight beam quickly scanned the surrounding walls and corners, as if to carefully examine every crevice.