Inside the interrogation room.
Yi Beidou's eyes were slightly closed, memories surfacing in his mind.
That year, he had been abducted by a human trafficking ring. He and three other kidnapped children were beaten, cursed, and abused by the traffickers. The intense pain and fear had fully awakened his innate Demon Nature.
Under the cover of darkness, he took a fruit knife a trafficker had left on the table, killed five people in a row, and stabbed their bodies until they were riddled with holes.
It was then that Hong Datong, who was traveling the world and happened to be nearby, smelled the thick scent of blood and came to investigate. He discovered the scene, cleaned it up for Yi Beidou, and used a supreme mental technique to hypnotize the other three children, making them believe that he, this mysterious man, had killed all the traffickers.
That was his first meeting with Hong Datong.
CLICK!
Just then, the heavy iron door of the interrogation room opened, interrupting Yi Beidou's recollections.
Zhou Baiwei walked into the interrogation room alone, and the iron door swung shut and locked behind her.
Only then did Yi Beidou, who had been sitting as still as an old monk in meditation, slowly raise his head. His half-closed eyes opened fully, fixing on Zhou Baiwei.
"A nimble body, measured steps, vigorous Qi and blood, and harmonious organs. Your training has progressed from external to internal. An ordinary police officer could never reach this level. It seems you're with the Special Security Bureau."
Yi Beidou said flatly, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Baiwei.
The Special Security Bureau, full name National Special Security Bureau, was an agency that specialized in handling special incidents and individuals beyond the scope of normal public security. It was filled with masters.
"Your gaze is as sharp as a torch. Your identity is anything but simple. The three men from yesterday belong to a large international organization. Their influence spans the globe, and their power can even rival that of a nation. What is your relationship with them? You've deliberately hidden yourself for so many years—what unspeakable secrets do you have? If you're willing to cooperate with us, we promise to guarantee your safety."
Zhou Baiwei sat down in the chair across the iron table. Her voice was cold and sharp, her manner swift and decisive.
"And if I refuse to talk?"
Yi Beidou replied, his expression calm.
"If you don't explain everything clearly, you won't be leaving this place. Don't think your connection to the Xu Group will help you. Even if the current head of the Xu Group were here, he would have to cooperate obediently and explain everything."
Zhou Baiwei said.
"How domineering. I don't believe I've broken any laws. Those people broke into a private residence. I didn't use lethal force, so it can only be considered self-defense. According to the law, you have no right to detain me for more than twenty-four hours."
Yi Beidou said.
"This isn't about self-defense anymore. The information you possess is a matter of national security and social stability. As a citizen of Donghua, we have the right to demand your full cooperation with this investigation."
Zhou Baiwei remained completely unmoved by Yi Beidou's words.
"It seems the right to interpret rules and laws is in your hands."
Yi Beidou smiled.
'The Special Security Bureau does have a lot of information I need. Cooperation is something to consider, but not right now.'
'Once I'm in their grasp, I'll be constrained in many ways. Cooperating now would be a show of weakness.'
"Cooperating with us is your best option. You've provoked that organization, which means a fight to the death. Only we can guarantee your safety. Since you specifically asked to see one of our people, you should be aware of your own situation and our capabilities."
Zhou Baiwei neither confirmed nor denied Yi Beidou's statement, but continued speaking.
"I asked to see you not to seek protection, but to eliminate some unnecessary trouble. I wanted to make you understand who I am, and to understand my attitude, to avoid any irreparable conflicts down the line."
"I am a well-educated modern young man with sound values and morals. I have a high degree of respect for the people and culture of this country. Therefore, I won't cause trouble, nor will I kill innocents indiscriminately. I have the bottom line a person should have."
"If possible, I'm also willing to make some contributions to this country and this world."
The smile on Yi Beidou's face faded. In an extremely serious and solemn tone, he spoke words that seemed baffling and somewhat absurd.
"What exactly do you mean?"
At his words, Zhou Baiwei's brow furrowed sharply. She planted her hands on the iron table and stared intently at Yi Beidou.
"I mean exactly what I said. You can report it to your superiors word for word, or you can show them the recording from this room."
"Alright, I've seen who I needed to see and said what I needed to say. I've wasted enough time here. It's time for me to leave."
Yi Beidou spoke casually, as if he weren't in a heavily guarded police interrogation room, a prisoner locked in an interrogation chair, but a guest visiting a friend's house.
Even imprisoned, he could still come and go as he pleased.
In all the world, there was nothing that could restrain him.
"You..."
Hearing Yi Beidou's last sentence, a bad feeling welled up in Zhou Baiwei's heart, and her eyes shot wide open.
But before she could get the words out...
SNAP! SNAP!
A series of metallic snaps echoed from the interrogation chair. The iron shackles binding Yi Beidou's limbs instantly broke open, and he smoothly stood up.
"What?!"
Outside the interrogation room, Fan Dongsheng and the others were watching the situation through the one-way glass. Seeing this, they were so shocked the hair on their bodies stood on end, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
The handcuffs they had used on Yi Beidou were the latest police model, made of a material that could withstand at least five hundred kilograms of pulling force without breaking.
With all four limbs restrained and no room to leverage his strength, it was virtually impossible for a human to break free from the cuffs.
Yet Yi Beidou had done it. He had broken free in an instant, as if the restraints were nothing at all.
'What kind of monster is this?!'
'Are his muscles made of steel rebar?!'
"Quick! All units on high alert! Prevent the suspect from escaping and ensure Captain Zhou's safety!"
Fan Dongsheng immediately roared.
Inside the interrogation room, however, Zhou Baiwei reacted faster than anyone.
The moment Yi Beidou stood up, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. She drew back one arm like a fully drawn bowstring.
Her hand formed a hook, with her index and middle fingers extended, like a beak, a thorn, or a scythe.
It was the unmistakable hook-hand form of Mantis Fist.
The next moment.
She performed a Breathing Technique, the air hissing from her lungs. Stepping forward and twisting her waist, all her power flowed through her body, segment by segment, accumulating in the two fingers of her hook hand as she pecked at Yi Beidou's chest.
Her training had progressed from external to internal, her Techniques becoming so fluid they were instinctual. In Fist Technique, this was known as the realm of "Tonghui Internalization."
In this realm, one used Qi to guide force, the entire body moving as one. Every strike could consolidate as much power as possible from all parts of the body, resulting in astonishing destructive force.
This strike from Zhou Baiwei had enough power to pierce a two-centimeter-thick red-heart solid wood board. She could even pierce the body of a trained adult with a single blow.
Furthermore, she had targeted an acupoint on his chest. If she hit it, the damage would be even greater, and he would collapse on the spot, unable to get up.
THUD!!
Facing Zhou Baiwei's attack, Yi Beidou neither blocked nor dodged. He was struck head-on, and his body let out a dull thud, as if it were forged from metal.
"Your acupoint targeting is precise, but your strength is lacking."
Yi Beidou commented casually, then continued walking toward the interrogation room door.
It was as if her attack had been nothing more than a playful poke from a three-year-old, causing no harm whatsoever.
"You...!!"
Zhou Baiwei stared in horror at Yi Beidou's broad, tall back as he walked past her, completely unscathed.
HAAH!!
She let out a low shout. Her figure erupted into motion, darting left and right as her arms struck out relentlessly, hitting various parts of Yi Beidou's body. The sound of the impacts echoed throughout the interrogation room.
But Yi Beidou was like a colossal golem. He reached the heavy iron door completely unharmed. Zhou Baiwei, on the other hand, found her hands red and swollen from the natural recoil of her own strikes.
'How is this possible?! Even a master at my teacher's level couldn't take so many of my attacks unharmed! My teacher is a titan of Mantis Fist in this country, a renowned figure in the Donghua Martial Arts Realm!'
'How can a human being possibly have such a terrifying body?!'
'Unless...'
"Body Ascension...?!"
Zhou Baiwei exclaimed in shock. She had only ever seen descriptions of such individuals in her master's stories and in some top-secret files within the Special Security Bureau.
Every one of them possessed inhuman abilities. They could be called beings of legend. In ancient times, they were Human Immortals who had transcended the mortal world, ignoring worldly regimes, not even appearing when summoned by the Emperor.
Even in modern society, where thermal weapons possess world-destroying power, such figures were still feared by the state.
'This young man before me, only twenty-seven years old, roughly my own age, is already a legendary existence of this caliber?!'
As she stood there in a daze, Yi Beidou placed his palm gently on the lock of the interrogation room's iron door, as if sensing something. Then, he slapped the lock.
CRACK!!
The lock cylinder was shattered open by the force. He gave the handle a light twist, and the interrogation room's iron door opened.
"Don't move! Hands on your head and get down! Or we'll shoot!!"
A clamor of voices came from outside the iron door, along with Fan Dongsheng's roar.
The sound instantly snapped Zhou Baiwei out of her trance.
"Don't shoot!! Absolutely do not shoot!!"
Zhou Baiwei yelled, the hair all over her body standing on end involuntarily.
She wasn't worried for Yi Beidou's safety—she was worried for the safety of Fan Dongsheng and the others!