"What are you doing?" Lin Qingzhu asked from inside the car, a hint of panic in her voice.
"Qingzhu, what's going on?" Lin Dong, a civil servant in the military intelligence department, remained relatively calm upon seeing the soldiers. Sun Fengzhi, however, a housewife though experienced, was trembling with fear at the sight of the troops.
"I don't know either. Everyone, stay put." Lin Qingzhu looked at a soldier outside the car.
"Stay in the car and wait," the soldier said sternly, his rifle held steadily. His professional demeanor was evident in his complete lack of reaction to Lin Qingzhu's stunning beauty.
"Qingzhu, with this much of a show of force, could it be related to Ye Zixiao?" Sun Fengzhi whispered.
"I really don't know!" Lin Qingzhu was genuinely bewildered.
Her father, Lin Dong, grinned and said softly, "I'd say, even if Ye Zixiao didn't call the army, it's definitely related to him. Our son-in-law is no ordinary man!"
"Indeed, so mysterious!" Sun Fengzhi chimed in.
Lin Qingzhu felt a flicker of pride at her parents' changed attitude towards Ye Zixiao, but she still couldn't believe that this special forces unit was called by him.
The gunshots gradually died down.
By the corner of the wall, Ye Zixiao sat with a smile. A line of soldiers, their backs to them, stood as still as utility poles. Jiang Chunmei and the other women and children had stopped crying, but they were still bound, and no one paid them any mind. The helicopter continued to circle overhead, but the gunfire had completely ceased.
With a roar of engines, an all-terrain military vehicle arrived. It stopped, and an officer in his thirties jumped out and ran towards the corner.
"Attention!"
"Reporting for duty, sir!"
The line of soldiers snapped to attention and saluted.
"Clear the way."
The officer, wearing a trench coat, strode forward. He quickly scanned the area by the wall, his gaze soon locking onto the smiling Ye Zixiao.
"My God!" the officer murmured.
He walked directly towards Ye Zixiao, stopping three meters away. He quickly straightened his uniform, then snapped to attention, preparing to salute Ye Zixiao.
"What are you doing?" Ye Zixiao suddenly shook his head.
The officer, his hand already raised, paused. He lowered his arm, then turned to a deputy beside him. "What are you waiting for? Report the results of the operation."
"Yes, sir!" The deputy held up a folder and shouted, "Reporting, sir, Black Tiger Hall's over three thousand members have been annihilated. Over ten key criminals have been captured and are currently being escorted."
"Reporting!" A soldier rushed forward.
"Speak!" the senior officer said coldly.
"Reporting, sir, while clearing the battlefield, we discovered a large underground facility. Inside, we found hundreds of women and children. They informed us they were trafficked by Black Tiger Hall."
"Damn it!" The senior officer's eyes widened, and he bellowed, "Order the troops to continue the search. Leave no villain behind. Rescue as many refugees as possible, and bring the captured leaders here."
"Yes, sir!"
"Reporting!"
"Speak!"
"The North Sea City garrison has called."
"Who called?"
"A regimental commander."
"Tell him to scram."
"Reporting."
"Go on."
"A deputy division commander from the North Sea garrison is on the line, inquiring about our operational mission and accusing us of acting without authorization. He's questioning why we didn't notify the garrison!"
"What nonsense!" The senior officer cursed, "Reply to this deputy division commander and tell him to go find somewhere cool to be. I'm already doing them a favor by eliminating these villains; I should be thanking them for not asking for military expenses, and he dares to question me?"
And so it went! For the next ten minutes, the senior officer stood before Ye Zixiao, listening to reports from various subordinate officers and issuing clear directives.
Professional. Arrogant. Capable. Strict discipline!
In just a few minutes, Ye Zixiao and those who were still bound gained this understanding of the army before them. They just wondered why they were conducting operations here.
"Untie them!" The senior officer finally finished his work. The soldiers, who had been facing away from Ye Zixiao, rushed over and carefully untied Ye Zixiao and the others before standing at attention on either side.
"Are you all alright?" the senior officer asked Ye Zixiao meekly.
"Officer, where are the leaders you captured?" Ye Zixiao asked with a smile.
"Bring them immediately."
"Are there people from the Lin family outside?"
"Yes, two carloads."
"Please invite them over!"
"Yes, ah, alright!" The senior officer started to salute Ye Zixiao again but stopped himself this time. Ye Zixiao's tone was casual, but the officer was extremely serious and tense as he gave orders to his troops.
Five or six minutes later, over a dozen leaders of Black Tiger Hall were brought over. These men had surrendered willingly. They had all been beaten severely and were still alive, but barely so.
A few minutes later, Lin Qingzhu, leading over a dozen members of the Lin family, were brought over by a squad of soldiers. Upon seeing Jiang Chunmei and the other women and children, the entire family embraced and wept.
For the Lin family, this was a disaster! Black Tiger Hall had been wiped out. Amidst their shock, the Lin family still felt grief...
"Officer, do you have any cigarettes?" Ye Zixiao asked the officer with a smile.
"Yes, yes, yes." The officer immediately took out a pack of cigarettes. Seeing Ye Zixiao walk away, he understood and followed him. The two walked side-by-side, away from the Lin family.
"Please, have a smoke," the officer offered Ye Zixiao a cigarette and lit it for him with both hands. He then put away the pack, stood with his hands behind his back, chest out, head held high, his expression stern yet extremely respectful.
"What is your name?" Ye Zixiao asked, a cigarette in his mouth.
"Reporting, Supreme Commander, Hu Lai, Division Commander of the First Independent Division of the Starving Wolf Legion, foreign mercenaries, ordered to eliminate the bandit stronghold of Black Tiger Hall. The mission is complete, and I am here to report to you," the officer saluted and reported formally, though not in a loud voice.
"Your name is Hu Lai?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You're a division commander at such a young age?"
"Thanks to the Supreme Commander."
"Hahaha," Ye Zixiao laughed heartily and said, "I don't understand military matters, and you don't need to be so formal. You've completed this mission well. Thank your corps commander for me and tell him I'll treat him to a drink when I have time."
"Yes, sir!" Hu Lai saluted again.
More than ten minutes later, Ye Zixiao and Hu Lai returned to the Lin family's location, chatting like friends. The Lin family had stopped crying but still appeared anxious.
"Bring them here!" Hu Lai shouted, waving his hand.
"I was wrong!"
"Officer, spare me!"
"I won't dare again, ever!"
With a chorus of wails and pleas, over a dozen leaders of Black Tiger Hall were dragged in by soldiers and thrown before the Lin family. Jiang Chunmei's eyes immediately reddened. The other women who had been kidnapped gritted their teeth upon recognizing these leaders, for they had been violated by some of them.
"Sister-in-law, is it them?" Ye Zixiao calmly asked Jiang Chunmei.
"Yes, they are beasts."
"Scum, you'll never die a good death."
"I, I, I want to kill you!" Jiang Chunmei led the way. Five Lin family women who had been tormented handed their children to their relatives and roared with anger, eager to tear these beasts of Black Tiger Hall apart.
"Officer Hu," Ye Zixiao turned to Hu Lai.
"Mr. Lin, what is it?"
"Could I borrow five combat knives?"
"No problem." Hu Lai agreed immediately and waved his hand. Five soldiers rushed over, took their combat knives from their belts, and handed them all to Ye Zixiao.
"Sister-in-law!" Ye Zixiao stepped forward and thrust a combat knife into Jiang Chunmei's hand, saying, "I promise, this is the last time you will suffer injustice. The women of the Lin family should have courage."
Jiang Chunmei gripped the knife, her teeth gritted.
"Give me one!"
"Second son-in-law, I want one too!"
"I want revenge."
"Take the children away." The other violated Lin family women stepped forward and took knives, standing beside Jiang Chunmei, looking at the mysterious Ye Zixiao with anger and anticipation.
"Blood刃, seek revenge." Ye Zixiao gave the command. Five women, five combat knives! They charged towards the leaders of Black Tiger Hall.