Hide the Truth

Half an hour later, the staff came back, smiling at Zhang San, “Brother San, congratulations!”

“How do we split the 485 million yuan reward money among us brothers?”

Zhang San generously said, “Split 85 million evenly among us brothers, and deposit the rest into my underground bank account!”

The staff awkwardly said, “Brother San, the Inspection Department has been cracking down hard lately, we can’t use underground banks, why not try a regional bank?”

Zhang San still had a cheerful smile on his face, but a hint of imperceptible vigilance flashed in his eyes.

Many years of experience as a mercenary told Zhang San that someone in the organization was eyeing him.

It was inevitable that he would attract attention after his strength suddenly increased explosively.

It wasn’t a big deal really, as long as Zhang San truthfully reported Doctor Lu to the organization it would be fine.

But...

Zhang San faintly felt this might be an opportunity for him.

An opportunity to cast off his identity as a small-time mercenary and reach new heights in life!

And the key to this opportunity was that bizarre Doctor Lu!

Thinking of Lu Yun, the cold underground freezer warehouse, and the bodies hung inside, gutted and flayed clean, Zhang San couldn’t help but feel a surge of deep fear well up in his heart.

“Then I want cash!”

Mercenary companies always kept cash on hand. Even in these chaotic times, not all mercenaries could open bank accounts.

Zhang San's teammates all chose bank transfers.

“Brother San, 40 million in cash, are you sure?”

“I'm sure!”

“Alright, please wait a moment!”

Half an hour later, four suitcases were placed in front of Zhang San. After checking them, Zhang San directly placed one suitcase behind his five companions.

“Brothers! Earned this!”

Seeing his companions' puzzled looks, Zhang San deliberately raised his voice for everyone nearby to hear: “Safely escort me to the Western Capital, and split this case between you!”

The Western Capital was the largest city in the entire X Region.

It was also the only city in the X Region that had laws to protect the lives of ordinary people.

Zhang San had five teammates. Hearing his words, two of them glanced at each other and took a step back.

Zhang San laughed, “If you're not willing, forget it. Let's part on good terms!”

As he spoke, Zhang San opened a suitcase and took out ten stacks of bills with both hands, shoving them into the chests of those two.

“Xiao Wu, Lang, take care of yourselves after I'm gone!”

Gratitude flashed in the eyes of those two. They each accepted Zhang San's money, “Thank you Brother San!”

Zhang San nodded and instructed the remaining three, “Two carry the cases, two keep watch. We leave immediately! Try to reach the Western Capital by dawn!”

One of them was surprised, “Brother San, travel overnight?! Dangerous beasts are frequent at night, it may not be safe!”

Zhang San patted the cases beside him and laughed, “Don't worry, we have money now, we can rent an armored vehicle!”

Half an hour later, an armored motorcycle left Xifu City, the main city of X-27 Region, heading west for the Western Capital, the largest city in the entire X Region, under the night sky.

At the same time, a very ordinary looking sedan departed Xifu City from the north.

Soon after, amidst the boundless night north of Xifu City, a violent explosion suddenly thundered like lightning striking the ground!

The sedan that had just left Xifu City flew into the air in a burst of flames!

Boom!

The soaring sedan heavily fell to the wasteland by the roadside. More than half the car was spewing raging fires.

A team of people wearing ink-black combat uniforms emerged from the darkness, carrying fire extinguishers to put out the flames on the sedan.

A hand covered in metal scales from fingertip to forearm grabbed the half-burned car door and pulled hard. Crash!

The sound of metal deforming and breaking rang out as the car door was ripped from the body in an instant by this iron hand!

Inside the car, the two young men in camouflage combat uniforms in the front seats had been knocked unconscious, both were Zhang San’s teammates, Xiao Wu and Lang.

In the rear, Zhang San was badly injured and slumped against the window, smiling wryly and said, “You came in person?”

The iron-handed man's face was cold as he flatly said, “Zhang San, trying to fool everyone?”

“Having those three attract attention while you sneak away quietly?”

“Did you think the organization wouldn't know who you were closest with in the team? Hmm?”

Hearing the iron-handed man's icy ridicule, Zhang San looked at the two unconscious young men in front and a flash of remorse appeared in his eyes.

“Your Ability Coefficient has increased by at least 0.2. Tell me what happened and cooperate, I don't care about your life or money.”

A self-deprecating look appeared on Zhang San's face, “So what if it rose by 0.2? In front of a true ability user like you whose Coefficient exceeded 1.0, I'm still a good-for-nothing!”

“You're a psychic ability user, why don't you just hypnotize me? Otherwise I say it and you won't believe it anyway!”

The iron-handed man flexed his wrist slightly, “Stop wasting time. Tell me what I want to know!”

Zhang San raised his eyebrows, he looked at the people behind the iron-handed man, his voice slightly mocking, “There's a young doctor named Lu who opened a small clinic in the dilapidated medical school in the eastern district of Yun City. That's where I got my prosthetic limb.”

“The 900,000 from the company was transferred to an underground bank account I set up under a fake name! The contract was also fake!”

After a moment of silence.

A cold sneer suddenly appeared on the iron-handed man's cold face: “Zhang San, all cities above second-tier in the X Region start with X. Yun City?”

“Are you telling me you went to some no name backwater corner of the X Region, found a so-called young doctor, and it let you increase your strength explosively in just two days after spending the organization's 900,000?”

“Zhang San, are you taking me for a fool or just don't care about your own life?!”

As he spoke, the iron-handed man touched Lang's head with his metal hand and kept scraping Lang's forehead with the metal scales.

Seeing this, Zhang San's voice grew tense, “I, I'm not lying to you, every word is true—”

Bang!

A loud noise rang out, spraying the interior of the car red and white.

The iron-handed man instantly crushed Lang's skull.

Next, he raised his bloodstained hand and grabbed Xiao Wu.

“Zhang San, you have two more chances.”

Seeing the iron-handed man's hand, Zhang San panicked, “I'll say it, I'll say it!”

“Xiyang City!”

“The Tianyu Ability Enhancement Hospital in Xiyang City! They secretly look for test subjects to trial new ability enhancement drugs without payment, but the subjects have to bear all consequences of the drugs themselves!”

“I drank their latest drug and got my prosthetic installed there!”

“The 900,000 from the company I transferred to an underground account I set up under a fake name! The contract was also fake!”

Xiyang City was the main city of X-25 Region, bordering X-27 Region. The Tianyu Ability Hospital was also the largest ability hospital in the X Region, backed by the powerful Tianyu Consortium headquartered in Xiyang City.

Hearing this, a satisfied smile appeared on the iron-handed man's face.

“You see, there's no problem anymore right?”

Zhang San cautiously asked, “Can I live now?”

The iron-handed man retracted his metal hand from Xiao Wu's head and flatly said, “He can live, as for you, that depends on your fate...”

As he spoke, the iron-handed man's metal arm instantly contracted into a drill bit. At the same time, Zhang San raised his arm and sprayed out a billowing torrent of flames at the iron-handed man!

Seeing the flames, the iron-handed man cried out, “You, this is...?! Your Ability Coefficient rose more than 0.2!”

Next moment, the drill bit on the iron-handed man's hand pierced through Zhang San's chest against the raging flames!

Crackle!

Another spray of blood filled the interior of the car!

A moment later, the iron-handed man slowly retracted his metal arm. Hidden deep in his eyes was a hint of shock!

No one noticed a fine crack had appeared on the metal drill bit on the iron-handed man's hand.

Just before his death, Zhang San had used his arm to block the iron-handed man's drill bit.

After dealing with Zhang San, the iron-handed man glanced at Xiao Wu still unconscious. He turned and said to the men behind, “You all heard right? Report truthfully to the boss when you get back!”

“I'm not returning to the organization for now. I have some personal matters to handle.”

One by one, people bowed to the Iron Fist Man and then quickly left.

After everyone had gone, Iron Fist Man grabbed Xiao Wu who was in the driver's seat and also threw the suitcases full of money in front of him.

At this moment, a strange color flashed in Iron Fist Man's eyes. He whispered in Xiao Wu's ear, "Xiao Wu, I am Zhang San. I am dead..."

"I left this money for you. Go to the dilapidated medical school in the eastern suburbs of Yun City and find Dr. Lu. Have him make you stronger and take revenge for me!"

"The one who ordered my death was Ye Rong, the boss of the Black Fire Military Security Company!"

Without a doubt, Iron Fist Man actually agreed with Zhang San's first answer in his heart!

Everything he did after that was just an act for the people who had come with him!

He wanted these people to confuse the superiors while he took the chance to meet with Dr. Lu in the eastern suburbs of Yun City!

Sending Xiao Wu first was also Iron Fist Man being cautious.

If Xiao Wu failed, so be it. But if Xiao Wu succeeded, Iron Fist would immediately go to Dr. Lu for the surgery. At the same time, he would have the now stronger Xiao Wu fight the Black Fire dogs, while Iron Fist himself could completely stay out of it!

Iron Fist Man wasn't lying to Xiao Wu with that last sentence, although it was Iron Fist Man who killed Zhang San, it was indeed Ye Rong, the boss of Black Fire, who gave the order.

...