Chapter Six: Flight

The incandescent light in the room was unusually bright. Chen Hongxu found himself in a guest room high above the city, the view expansive, allowing him to look down upon a sea of lights and the noisy metropolis below.

He curled up on the sofa, staring intently at the black card that Xue Baishu had given him, lost in thought. He could not determine what material the card was made from—it was pitch black, impossible to bend or break. The card was the size of an ordinary business card, and its front bore only a single number, dark red and almost bleeding, with nothing else.

He had stayed at the Xue residence for ten days. On the evening of the tenth, after Xue Baishu had received a guest in his study, he handed the black card to Chen Hongxu with great solemnity, informing him that the visitor was to be his guide for the current round of the Black List. After some heartfelt farewells with Xue Xi, he inexplicably followed this so-called guide to a pier, where they waited and eventually met four others, presumably also participants in the Black List.

The five participants, together with a woman among the five guides who seemed to be their leader, set off again. Six of them boarded a speedboat that had long been prepared at the dock, and set out for the venue of this round of the Black List.

But why was the Black List being held in Japan this time? Chen Hongxu rose slowly, exhaling deeply. The unknowns were overwhelming and left him with a sense of unease. Everything seemed different from what Xue Baishu had conveyed about the Black List in the past—it was no longer just about matching skills with the best from across Huaxia in the arena.

The five participants eyed each other warily, making any exchange of opinions impossible. The guides, after settling them, disappeared without a trace—until—

A knock sounded at the door. Chen Hongxu took a few deep breaths, quietly readying himself, and decisively opened the door. Outside stood a woman in office attire, one of the guides.

She noticed Chen Hongxu, tense as a leopard poised to strike, and raised both hands with a smile to show she meant no harm. “Do you have time to talk?”

Chen Hongxu, starting to understand, probed, “To explain why the Black List is different this time?”

She nodded, smiling. “According to previous rules, the Black List was about climbing the ranks in the arena. But the country doesn’t need mere brutes. So this time, the rules have changed somewhat, though strength remains the foundation.”

Noting Chen Hongxu’s thoughtful silence, she shifted her tone, teasing, “If you keep a lady standing at your door instead of inviting her in, should I suspect you have some physiological issues?” She openly, almost smiling, glanced at a certain part of his body.

Stunned, Chen Hongxu quickly stepped aside to let her in. But as soon as she entered, she looked straight out the floor-to-ceiling window, and suddenly exclaimed. Her face turned ashen, and she spun around, glaring at Chen Hongxu through clenched teeth. “Those reserve team members have shamelessly arrived ahead of time. If you don’t want to die for nothing, pack up and meet downstairs in five minutes!”

Chen Hongxu’s heart skipped. Following her line of sight, he saw, a dozen kilometers away, dazzling fireworks forming the letter “G” in the sky, illuminating the night.

He grew even more cautious. Judging from her words, the fireworks were probably a signal to gather. And these reserve team members were likely stronger than the five of them—otherwise, she wouldn’t have reacted so.

Grabbing his backpack from the bed, he hurried downstairs. There, including the female guide, four people were already waiting. Three other participants, apparently just informed, paced impatiently like ants on a hot stove.

The female guide, face grim, stared at her watch. As the time came, she gave no thought to the last person’s fate and urged, “Let’s go, quickly! There are a lot of reserve team members this time!”

Chen Hongxu studied her for a moment. Seeing her anxiety was genuine, he suppressed his doubts and hurried with the group to the parking lot. Clearly, none trusted the others. When a short man knocked out a parking lot guard, each chose a car and fled in haste.

Unable to drive, Chen Hongxu unhesitatingly climbed into the red coupe the female guide was driving.

The four cars sped away, following her lead in the opposite direction from where the fireworks had been launched. They reached the city’s edge, abandoned their cars at her direction, and hurried on foot through dense forest before stopping to catch their breath.

“What’s so special about these reserve team members? Are the five of us not enough to handle them? Why flee in such panic?” The short man, wiping sweat from his brow, voiced the question that had been on Chen Hongxu’s mind.

The female guide, now composed, shot him a glance and sneered, “The reserve team members are those who qualified for the Black List but were not given slots due to limited space. One way for them to move up is to collect enough black cards. If you think you can just hand over yours to save your life, you’re dead wrong. No one’s foolish enough to leave future trouble behind. The struggle for the black cards is always bloody.”

Chen Hongxu and the others were taken aback. The short man was still dissatisfied, but knowing it would only make an enemy of her, he kept silent.

Chen Hongxu wanted to take this opportunity to ask about the main content of this round. From what he’d seen and heard, the Black List seemed to be focused on missions. Just as he opened his mouth, the war spirit in his mind—silent for so long—suddenly warned him, “Xu, be careful. Five people are moving toward you from straight ahead. They’re slightly weaker than you. You could win against three, escape from four, but against five, if they’re willing to sacrifice, you might not even have a chance to flee. Decide quickly!”

It was the first time the war spirit had ever sounded a warning. Chen Hongxu trusted her. Glancing around, he saw no one else reacting. If the war spirit hadn’t mentioned the combined strength of his own group, the others must be utterly helpless.

To avoid suspicion, Chen Hongxu casually looked for an escape route, then feigned embarrassment and said, “Sorry, I get nervous and need the restroom. You guys go on.”

The female guide raised an eyebrow, then smiled as well. “Perfect, I need the restroom too. Shall we?”

The other three naturally assumed the worst, cursing them inwardly but thinking little more of it, as they had all just fled like startled birds and needed to recover.

As soon as Chen Hongxu entered the forest, he broke into a sprint. The female guide, noticing his sudden burst of speed, tensed but kept five meters behind him.

Less than a minute after they left, a thunderous crash—like a meteor striking earth—sounded. In the clearing where the others waited, a figure barreled straight toward them, smashing through trees without the slightest resistance, exuding an overwhelming aura.

The short man reacted quickly, drawing a flexible blade from his waist and charging forward, slashing five times in rapid succession. His attack was decisive, aiming to establish his dominance within the group.

But the hulking figure did not dodge. Instead, he caught the short man’s wrist, neutralizing his flashy but ineffective technique. With his free hand, he pummeled the man’s temple with a fist, clearly intent on killing. The sound of breaking bones was audible. The short man, thrown aside, convulsed on the ground—unlikely to survive.

The other two, seeing the lethal intent, wasted no time. One drew a compact pistol and fired repeatedly at the giant. His companion, meanwhile, extended his fists—knuckle dusters gleaming an eerie green—swept his comrade off his feet, and punched him hard in the face, ending his life.

The man who had betrayed his companion waited until he was sure he was dead, then stood, tossed aside his knuckle dusters, and raised his hands with a humble smile. “Gentlemen, I’m willing to hand over my black card as proof of loyalty. Please spare me.”

He possessed a peculiar talent—sensitive to any movement within five meters. When the short man attacked, he realized in horror they were surrounded. If it had been just the giant, he might have fought. But with five opponents, he immediately chose self-preservation.

“Smart move,” a man in a black trench coat emerged from the darkness, warmly patted his shoulder, and grinned, “But—go to hell!”

Without any visible motion, a bloodline spurted from the traitor’s throat. The man in the trench coat retreated gracefully, as if avoiding the blood. The traitor’s face twisted with disbelief and regret. He tried to speak, but blood welled from his throat, and he collapsed, eyes rolling back.

The hulking figure stepped into the clearing where Chen Hongxu’s group had waited. Holding four black cards, he mused, “One escaped! I wonder if they have a device to track black cards like us, or if it was just luck…”

He tossed the four cards to his companions. “The black card hunt is just a bonus. The real objective is the mission from the Black List. As captain, I’ll get more rewards, so you can keep these. Don’t bother chasing the escapee; focus on the real task.”

“Yes, Captain, as you say!” The others, pleased with their reward and recognizing his authority, offered no objection.

The captain clenched his fist, and the bullets embedded in his body gradually fell out as his muscles moved. Releasing his grip, he gazed deeply into the distance and said, “Let’s move—our target is Nara!”

0
0