Chapter 126: Surrounded by Enemies, Overcome by True Fear

The massive dining table flew through the air, crashing into two men with a deafening boom. Three steel rods struck the arms of two others. Taking advantage of the distraction, Song Kai grabbed Xu Ling and dashed out the back door. Xu Ling was wearing flat shoes and could run quickly, but she was completely bewildered by what was happening.

"Quick, run toward the university!" Song Kai urged, pulling her along.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Several gunshots rang out behind them, though the shots went wide. A fence stood in their path. Song Kai reached out, hoisted Xu Ling by her waist, and tossed her over it before vaulting over himself. Xu Ling’s heart was pounding, but she didn't ask questions; she simply gripped Song Kai’s hand tightly and ran as fast as she could.

The gates of Harvard University were just ahead. Suddenly, three men leaped from the darkness and lunged toward them. They carried guns but didn't open fire, choosing instead to charge with knives. Song Kai pushed Xu Ling toward the nearby grass and executed a sweeping kick, knocking one of them down. At the same moment, he hurled a steel rod, which pierced the man’s chest with a sickening thud.

The other two pulled out their pistols and opened fire on Song Kai.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang..."

A dense flurry of gunfire erupted. Song Kai was confident he could handle two men. Channeling his Nine-Thunder internal energy throughout his body, he rolled rapidly across the ground while throwing two more steel rods.

"Thwip! Thwip!"

Both men’s throats were pierced. Song Kai lay on the ground, panting, waiting in silence. Dealing with attackers in the dark was twice as difficult, so he could not afford to be careless. After waiting a while and hearing no further movement, he stood up, walked over, and picked up one of the guns.

*Click.* Song Kai opened the magazine; there were seven bullets left. He reloaded and shoved the gun into his pocket.

Xu Ling remained hidden behind a tree in the grass, not moving an inch. She knew her task was to stay out of sight so she wouldn't be a burden or a distraction to Song Kai. Soon, the sound of sirens approached, and a police cruiser sped toward them. Xu Ling let out a sigh of relief.

Song Kai also eased up. He whispered to Xu Ling, "Stay hidden. Don't come out until the police arrive and it's confirmed safe."

"Okay," Xu Ling replied from the darkness.

Song Kai stood by another tree, pistol in hand, listening intently. If any more attackers were nearby, they would be invisible in the dark; he could only rely on sound. Why was this happening? Why was there so much danger? And he was right—living in a villa wasn't good; the area was too vast and sparsely populated, making it easy for robbers to break in.

The police cruiser came to a stop. "Is anyone there? Is there anyone here?" a male officer called out.

Song Kai waved. "Over here."

The two officers approached with flashlights. They were somewhat heavy-set, their hands resting on their holstered weapons. "Hands up! Don't try to resist!"

Song Kai immediately raised his hands. He knew you didn't mess with American police; they might really shoot. The officers walked up to him.

Song Kai quickly explained, "Officer, here's the situation: when I was walking this way, three men suddenly rushed me and opened fire. I only retaliated to defend myself."

"Against the tree!" One of the heavy-set officers pushed Song Kai against a tree and quickly frisked him. He pulled out the pistol and tossed it onto the ground. Song Kai wanted to explain further, but seeing the officer’s indifference, he held his tongue. He figured these people were probably used to people carrying guns while taking a stroll.

After tossing the gun aside, the officer continued his search. When his hand moved to Song Kai’s hip, Song Kai shifted uncomfortably in protest. *Damn it, search if you must, but was such a thorough pat-down really necessary?*

The officer's fat hand lingered on Song Kai’s hip, even circling the area. Song Kai felt goosebumps rise, and just as he was about to protest, his heart suddenly sank. The key was in his back pocket! The officer hadn't cared about the gun, but now, his hand was clearly fishing for the key.

Before he could react, the officer pulled the key out. Looking at it, a flash of surprise crossed his face. He then said to Song Kai, "Let's go. Come back to the station with us."

Song Kai was confused, then terrified. At that moment, he felt a genuine, cold fear. The feeling of being isolated, surrounded by traps and enemies, was paralyzing. It was obvious: this man wanted the key too. He could discard a gun like trash, but he had a peculiar interest in that key. And once he had it, he stopped searching and demanded they head to the station.

Something was wrong. Song Kai didn't know who to trust anymore. He could only trust himself.

The officer, whose name tag read Jimmy, acted casual. "By the way, where is your female companion? Have her come out; there's no more danger."

Song Kai was certain now: the officer knew about Xu Ling. He hadn't just arrived because of the gunfire! He knew everything.

Without another second of hesitation, Song Kai slammed a palm into the officer's neck, knocking him to the ground. The second officer immediately reached for his weapon. Song Kai didn't hesitate; he launched a kick into the man’s chin, sending him flying until he crashed into the distant fence, his heavy frame wedged and unable to move.

Song Kai grabbed the key from Jimmy’s hand, tucked it into his pocket, and ran back to Xu Ling. Her jaw dropped; she didn't know if Song Kai had lost his mind.

"What is going on! Song Kai, why... why did you hit them?" she asked urgently.

"Come with me. We have to get out of here, as fast as possible." Song Kai scanned the surroundings. It was the suburbs; if they had dogs, it would be hard to hide. "Hurry!"

He pulled Xu Ling to the cruiser, jumped in, and sped off toward the city center.

"What happened?" Xu Ling asked.

"There's a problem," Song Kai said, driving hard. "That heavy-set officer is dirty. I don't know about the other one, or the police station itself. Xu Ling, we're in big trouble."

"Really? Is it because of the facial recognition algorithm on me?"

Song Kai shook his head. "No, it's the key in my pocket. Damn it! That guy ruined me. I tried to save him, and he set me up like this."

Xu Ling was sharp; she immediately understood. "We're being hunted because you have something they want. The thief in our bedroom was looking for it too, right?"

"Exactly," Song Kai nodded.

He drove along the highway toward the city. Luckily, it was a police cruiser, so he sped along without anyone stopping him.

"Song Kai, I have a question," Xu Ling said. "If they could track us to the Black Emperor Hotel, that's one thing. But how did they track us to Professor Winton’s house? Do they have that much influence?"

"I don't know. I can't trust anyone now, including Professor Winton," Song Kai said bluntly.

"What do we do?"

Song Kai drove into the city, scanning the streets. "We hide. There, that park. Get out, hide near the security kiosk. Don't go far, watch out for thugs, but don't let the guards see you. I’ll drive the car further away. We meet in half an hour."

"Okay!"

"If there's an emergency, call me immediately," Song Kai said.

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself." Before the car had fully stopped, Xu Ling jumped out, rolled twice on the ground, and vanished into the shadows.

Song Kai let out a long breath and drove toward the busy downtown area. He turned into a dim, narrow alleyway. As the headlights cut through the darkness, he saw lines of women standing on both sides of the street, dressed in nothing but short skirts, exposing their pale skin.