Chapter Forty-Nine: Tian Guoqiang’s Astonishment

At this thought, a shiver ran through his heart. Before Sun Junyao could finish her words, he hurried forward and clapped his hand over her mouth, whispering urgently, "My dear lady, do you want your uncle to become a laughingstock? I beg you, as long as you keep quiet, you can ask whatever you want."

This was exactly what Sun Junyao wanted to hear. With her plan succeeding, she couldn't help but beam with satisfaction. "Yes! You said it yourself. Then you must give those Axe Gang fellows a good beating and send them to eat 'state rice'."

"Phew, that's no problem at all. Daring to bully my Yaoyao is absolutely unforgivable." Relieved that it wasn't a difficult request, Sun Jianguo let out a sigh. The Axe Gang was already one of the police's main targets. Pleasing his niece, avenging his brother, and possibly earning a commendation—where else could he find such a triple win? Without hesitation, he patted his chest and agreed heartily.

"Xiaofan, it's already very late—past two in the morning. You all have class tomorrow, so head back to campus. I'll have someone arrange a car for you. Leave the rest to me. I'll give you a satisfactory answer. And don't forget to bring some good wine when you visit on Sunday!" While savoring his threefold success, Sun Jianguo didn't forget to remind Liu Fan and his friends to rest, nor did he forget about the promised wine—a true case of never being satisfied.

"Of course, I won't forget. We'll head back now." Liu Fan knew Sun Jianguo had important matters to discuss with Tian Guoqiang, so after responding, he turned and led the three girls out of the police headquarters.

Watching the four leave, Sun Jianguo's brows drew together and he thundered, "Old Tian, it seems the security here isn't great. Some serious cleaning up is needed. In such a major international metropolis, there are people brazenly abducting innocent girls and framing college students at will. The state cannot tolerate this and must strike hard. If you can't handle it, then let the military sweep them away..."

This time, he meant business. As he spoke, his military bearing was on full display—each word strong and resonant. Family and friends were his reverse scale; anyone daring to touch them had to be ready to bear the consequences.

"Old Sun, rest assured. To have such lawlessness—abductions and false charges—happen in my jurisdiction is intolerable. If I can't deal with these people, how will I face you, or the old chief? Maybe I'd be better off quitting and growing sweet potatoes." Tian Guoqiang was inwardly elated. Since taking office as city police chief, he'd received numerous anonymous reports of the Axe Gang's criminal activities. Each was shocking: running gambling dens, trafficking drugs, human trafficking, forcing good women into prostitution—the list was endless, with countless families destroyed by their hands.

Ever since he took over the department, he'd been committed to cleaning up the city's security and had led multiple anti-gang operations. But the results were meager—only small fry were ever caught, never the big fish. It wasn't for lack of effort; there were too many 'aunties' above, and the city's tangled web of factions made things difficult. Though he had the backing of Party Secretary Liu Yanzheng, his boss was newly appointed and yet to consolidate power. With Sun Jianguo now involved, all concerns could be swept away. He knew his old comrade too well—the old man at Sun's home was currently one of the nation's top nine leaders, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, his ultimate superior. With the Liu family behind him as well, what could the tiny Axe Gang possibly do?

The more Tian Guoqiang thought about it, the more excited he became. If he handled this well, his political achievements would be secure. With Sun and his boss's appreciation, promotion would be all but guaranteed.

"Yes, I trust you, Old Tian. But these gangsters aren't easy to deal with; some are desperate men. Once the crackdown starts, be careful. If you need support, call me. My men are not to be underestimated." Though Sun Jianguo had spoken boldly just now, he wasn't blindly arrogant. There were talented people even among outlaws—a fact he'd learned from some confidential information from the old man at home—so he felt it necessary to remind his old friend.

"Don't worry. Since taking office, I've dealt with the Axe Gang many times and know how tough they are. I've done a lot of investigation. According to intelligence, besides their four 'Diamond Kings,' the Axe Gang has two 'Guardians,' all martial arts experts. Their boss is said to be unfathomable—rumor has it he broke through to the 'Earth Level' ten years ago. Now, he's even more terrifying. Ordinary firearms are barely a threat to him; the police would be hard-pressed to match him in a fight. In the past, maybe..." As he spoke, Tian Guoqiang's fervor cooled like a hot iron doused with cold water, and he sighed, his head drooping.

As trusted comrades, Tian Guoqiang shared all he knew with Sun Jianguo. Seeing his old friend's sigh, Sun Jianguo recalled their days fighting side by side, and thought of his friend's misfortune, his heart heavy with sorrow. Back then, Tian Guoqiang had also been a master of ancient martial arts, his strength no less than Sun Jianguo's—a mid-Earth Level expert. But during a mission, he faced three enemies of equal rank; though he killed them, he was crippled in the process. Now, his abilities were just above those of an ordinary special forces soldier. Because of this, he left the army for a civilian post.

Not wanting his old friend to dwell on the past, Sun Jianguo grinned, "Heh, if the Axe Gang's strength is only so much, then they're doomed. Take a look at my soldiers' current abilities."

Prompted by Sun Jianguo, Tian Guoqiang finally noticed the Wild Wolf Squad standing guard around them. Though his strength had waned, his Earth Level awareness remained. Focusing on these 'ruffians,' he saw each standing tall, brimming with energy, sharp as unsheathed blades, their eyes flashing with steely confidence. They'd clearly reached the peak of the Human Level in ancient martial arts, and a few even concealed their auras—proof of their entry into the Earth Level ranks. His heart roiled with shock: more than a thousand experts at the Human Level peak and above—no wonder Sun Jianguo spoke with such confidence.

"Gulp... th-th-this..." The astonishment left Tian Guoqiang speechless. He could only stare wide-eyed at Sun Jianguo.

"Heh! Stunned, aren't you? There's something even more amazing. Do you know why they're so strong? Do you know how long they've been training?" Sun Jianguo asked smugly.

Still reeling, Tian Guoqiang could only shake his head in bewilderment. Then he recalled how, when Liu Fan left earlier, these soldiers had saluted him in unison. A sudden realization struck—his pupils contracted, disbelief written all over his face. He stared dazedly at Liu Fan's receding figure and murmured, "Could it be him?"

Noticing the shifting expressions and muttered guess, Sun Jianguo couldn't help but sigh inwardly: if not for what happened years ago, perhaps Old Tian would outrank him even in the army.

"That's right! It's thanks to him. In less than half a month, he turned my men into today's super soldiers." Sun Jianguo was filled with pride at these words. Just imagining leading an army of such warriors onto the battlefield, sweeping all before them—what an unstoppable force! Unfortunately, these were peaceful times; there simply weren't enough wars to fight.

"R-r-really? Then doesn't that mean he's already reached the Innate Realm? My god, how old is he?" Tian Guoqiang, a man of experience, had seen many prodigies, but none who'd reached the Innate Realm before their twenties. The shock left him stumbling over his words.

But fate seemed to want even more for him. Sun Jianguo dropped an even bigger bombshell, sneering dismissively, "Innate? Hah, that's nothing! Old Tian, you're thinking too small. Let me give you a hint: 'Imitate Form, Manifest Shape'—understand?"

"Hiss..." The words made Tian Guoqiang suck in a sharp breath. As a former ancient martial artist, he knew all too well what that phrase truly meant. His eyes bulged like a goldfish as he stared at Sun Jianguo, trying to discern any hint of deception. But the latter's face was calm, a look of reverence upon it, leaving no room for doubt.

"A legendary... divine-level master!" One explosive revelation after another left even battle-hardened Tian Guoqiang in a daze, the words "divine-level master" echoing endlessly in his mind.

It was little wonder. In this age of rampant firearms, ancient martial arts had declined. As the saying went, no matter how skilled, one still fears a kitchen knife—let alone weapons a hundred or a thousand times more deadly. Moreover, martial arts secrets were guarded jealously, passed only to direct heirs, never outsiders. Such insularity and closed doors only hastened martial arts' decline and the loss of many classic texts. It's been over four centuries since a divine-level master last appeared, so Tian Guoqiang's reaction was only natural.

"Hey! Old Tian, snap out of it," Sun Jianguo called, seeing his friend frozen in place. When words didn't work, he pinched Tian Guoqiang's arm hard.

"Aah!" The pain jolted Tian Guoqiang out of his stupor, and his anguished cry left no doubt about the force of the pinch—anyone hearing it might think a pig was being slaughtered.

"Old Sun, why are you pinching me?" Regaining his senses, Tian Guoqiang immediately rounded on Sun Jianguo, ready to pinch him back like a pair of squabbling boys.

"Come on, Old Tian, that's not fair. I called you for ages and you didn't respond, so I had to pinch you. You think I enjoy it? If I didn't have something to discuss, I wouldn't bother," Sun Jianguo retorted.

Seeing reason in this, Tian Guoqiang dropped the matter. The two then found an office, closed the door, and spent over half an hour in confidential discussion, after which Sun Jianguo led his troops back to the military district.

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A new week had begun, and the weekly rankings had reset. Last week went well—the book climbed to sixth place in the weekly click rankings. Thank you all for your support! Today, I've posted two chapters in gratitude. I hope you'll continue to support this novel as always.