Chapter 212: Our Lives Return To Normal!

Chapter 212: Our Lives Return To Normal!

An hour before the live broadcast...

Luke Fu checked his watch, adjusting his sunglasses as the heavy metal doors of ten massive SUVs swung open. A large group of Fire Birds members climbed out into the crisp air of the northern industrial district, a sector crammed with towering brick factories. Luke's eyes locked onto the forty-foot-tall white building standing at the edge of the street, a dark grin spreading across his face as he read the corporate signage.

[Greg's Garments Inc]

He pulled out his smartphone and dialed his primary contact, eager to get the green light. A sensual female voice answered from the earpiece, carrying a cold, razor-sharp edge that spoke of absolute, no-nonsense killing intent.

[Luke, report...]

"Vice Leader Feng, we just arrived," Luke said, keeping his posture straight as his crew lined up behind him. "Orders?"

[I have found my target, so start kicking out everyone on the grounds, and implement Plan: Fire Bird. I am now going to greet my family to be, make sure no lives are lost, but don't take shit. Click... do do do...]

Luke shoved the phone back into his pocket, the grin stretching across his face wide enough to make a high-ranking Yakuza boss blush. He turned to the fifty strong looking men and women standing ready, their hands gripping metal bats and low-caliber handguns.

"Boss Lady said to start Plan: Fire Bird, so no killing, just get them out fast!" Luke yelled, gesturing toward the main entrance of the factory as the morning shift began. "We have to be done in thirty minutes or less, move out!"

The crowd surged forward, the heavy stomping of tactical boots echoing against the concrete as they stormed the open doors.

At that same moment, Tina sat back against the leather interior of her armored limo, sliding her smartphone into her purse. Cat, keeping her striking white hair pinned up in a tight, flawless bun, peered through the tinted glass and pointed toward a sleek grey vehicle parked near the curb. The six-story commercial building looming above them bore the prominent brass lettering of Greg Feng Inc.

"I have just confirmed the license plates, and it is indeed Raymond's limo, Tina," Cat said, her voice smooth and steady.

Tina adjusted the fabric of her vibrant red dress, her long, fiery locks cascading over her shoulders as a slow smile touched her lips. She looked toward the front seat, her gaze shifting to her personal security detail.

"Vincent and Jules, don't let the limo leave, and get the driver out of the car, please," Tina ordered softly.

""Yes, ma'am.""

The two middle-aged, bald bodyguards nodded in perfect unison, stepping out into the bright sunlight and marching toward the main entrance. Jules moved with a heavy, deliberate stride, suddenly pulling a gold-plated, fifty-caliber Desert Eagle from his shoulder holster.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

He walked a slow, lethal circle around the stationary vehicle, systematically blowing out all four tires with deafening blasts. Nearby pedestrians shrieked in terror, scattering blindly down the sidewalk in a sudden wave of panic. Vincent stepped up to the driver's side window, pressing the barrel of his own gold-plated Desert Eagle against the glass while tapping it firmly to signal the occupant.

Tina watched through the tinted glass as the driver, a middle-aged woman radiating the sharp, disciplined aura of an advanced martial arts expert, slowly raised her hands and stepped out. A cold, satisfied smirk curved Tina's red lips. She reached down to grip the heavy plastic handle of a red gas can resting at her feet, pushing her door open just as Raymond and Greg stepped out of the office lobby. The two men were heading toward the high-profile media briefing, completely unaware that their afternoon was about to turn to ash.

The concussive echo of the gunshots had instantly alerted both targets to the danger threatening their transport. Yet, the moment they saw Tina stepping out of the dark interior clad entirely in scarlet, a heavy plastic fuel container swinging from her hand, their expressions twisted into pure, bewildered shock. The female driver scrambled backward, planting her body defensively in front of Raymond while Tina calmly unscrewed the plastic cap.

"Vincent and Jules, shoot off the leg of anyone stopping me, thank you," Tina said, her voice completely flat and devoid of warmth.

Raymond slammed his hands onto his hips, his brow furrowing deeply as he stared at the shifting situation of the street. "Mrs. Feng, what insanity are you pulling here? I will call the police for your actions. Did Rick put you up to this?"

Tina ignored the warning entirely, tilting the container forward to pour the pungent liquid over the hood before splashing the rest straight through the open driver's door. She tossed the empty plastic container into the drenched interior, looking over the roof of the ruined car with dead, unblinking eyes.

"Did Rick ask me to do this? No, the fact you threaten my sister is the reason I am welcoming you into the Feng family," Tina said, a low, unsettling laugh escaping her throat. "All Phoenixes will rise from the flames. Welcome to the family, Raymond. And tell that slutty sister of yours that I am so happy her noble self is going to be my sister-in-law. Only I am allowed to bully Linda, not you Lee siblings, get it? And I will see you at dinner on Friday, ufufu."

She struck a match against the side of a small box, letting the flame catch before tossing the entire lit matchbox straight into the fuel-soaked front seat. A violent whoosh of heat erupted from the interior, sending bright orange tongues of fire licking toward the sky.

"We are leaving," Tina said, turning her back on the blazing inferno without a second glance. "Oh, and Greg. Good to see you, and if you look north, you will see that I did not forget you either, bye-bye brother-in-law."

Vincent and Jules observed the surrounding crowd, keeping their weapons raised until Tina safely crossed the threshold of the armored vehicle. They slid into the front seats with sinister smiles, slamming the doors shut as the engine roared to life.

The heavy black vehicle tore away from the curb, leaving a thick trail of burning rubber behind it. A sharp, rhythmic tone suddenly blasted from Greg's suit pocket.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

He fumbled with the device, pressing it to his ear as his face drained of all color. "What?! When... No! Is it all on fire? Then call the fire department now! What do you mean the Fire Birds took your phones? Fuck, then how are you calling me? What, they only let you call me, fuck!"

While Greg screamed into his receiver, Raymond was already dialing frantically on his own screen, bringing the device up to his ear with trembling fingers. "This is Intelligence Officer Lee, Raymond Lee... I want an arrest warrant for Tina Feng now! Hurry."

Both men disconnected their calls, their gazes automatically shifting toward the northern edge of Star City. A massive column of thick, black smoke was slowly billowing into the cloudless sky, confirming their worst fears about the textile facility. They turned back to the immediate wreckage in front of them, the intense, radiating heat of the burning grey limo forcing sweat to bead across their foreheads as the paint bubbled into charred black blisters.

"Greg, don't worry, I will fix this," Raymond hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits as he watched the vehicle burn. "It seems if we keep targeting Linda Lang, we will get Rick to react the way we want. His weaknesses are his family, let us see how he likes me not playing nice, he-he."

The bright studio lights overhead clicked off one by one, signaling the end of the official live broadcast. I turned toward the Prime Minister and Commander Joe Lee, offering a firm, professional nod as the heavy tension in the room finally began to dissipate. Our joint announcement would be more than enough to calm the global public, settling the chaotic unrest that had gripped the streets since the leaks began. I remained completely oblivious to whatever political moves the Emperor was making back in China, keeping my focus entirely on the domestic board.

Joe Lee closed the distance between us, his heavy boots echoing against the studio floor. I tracked his subtle movements, noting the calloused skin of his palms, the customized sidearm resting securely against his hip, and the sharp, eagle-like focus of his gaze. This man was undoubtedly a Grandmaster Firearms User, his right hand constantly hovering within inches of his semi-automatic pistol.

Fortunately, I had chosen to leave my own weapons back at the estate, ensuring he couldn't read my physical tells or deduce my true combat capabilities. Given my youth, I was likely a small step beneath his level of raw experience anyway.

"Mr. Tang, might I ask how you know so much about Adam Lee, my nephew?" Joe Lee asked, his voice low and calculating. "His entire identity was a classified military secret."

I let a relaxed, easy smile slip onto my face, turning my acting skills up to maximum capacity. "When the Chinese hacker, Hungry Ghost, released the encrypted files regarding the Immortal Yellow Emperor, Adam Lee and his entire extended family were detailed in the public breach. Mr. Joe Lee, did you not even bother to read the information currently flooding the internet?"

His stern eyebrow arched upward, a low, dissatisfied grunt escaping his chest. "Hmm? That was convenient, and how exactly did you find all of that out?"

"Ha-ha! Mr. Lee, you are quite funny," I laughed, waving my hand dismissively to break the tension. "I own multiple computing firms and international internet businesses, so why wouldn't my technical team keep me informed of global electronic shifts? My news conglomerates would be severely lacking if I failed to follow the biggest story in over two thousand years. If you have any further questions for me, Mr. Lee, just ask them, as I have absolutely nothing to hide."

The Prime Minister stepped forward, his expression souring as he interjected himself between us, glaring directly at the military official.

"You seem to be overstepping your authority, Commander," the Prime Minister warned, his voice cutting through the remaining silence. "Mr. Tang has already received our full, unconditional amnesty, so if you are implying anything further, not even a military court can bring formal charges unless he commits an offense from this exact moment forward. Rick Lee-Tang is entirely clear, understood? Your Traditionalist faction seems to be overstretching their boundaries, don't you agree?"

I pulled out my smartphone and tapped the interface, opening the saved audio file from the restaurant meeting to play the recording of Raymond Lee.

A sharp burst of static came through the phone speaker before Greg’s arrogant voice filled the quiet studio room.

[Oh?! If it isn't my brother-in-law eating with a Lang woman, shame really. Now my appetite might be affected?!]

Linda’s voice followed immediately on the audio playback, her tone tight as she tried to maintain her composure.

[My husband and I are having a meal, please leave us be.]

The recording caught the sound of Greg scoffing loudly, his tone dripping with sheer arrogance as he continued.

[This is my new fiancee, Melody Lee, and this is her older brother, Raymond Lee, my new business partner! They hail from Central City and are from the noble clan of Lee, that you never belonged to.]

Raymond’s condescending drawl cut in next, radiating the smug confidence of someone backed by immense political authority.

[So you are the grandson of the now traitor General Lee, and son of the traitor Rick Lee. You seem pretty impressive. I am here from my Traditionalist Lee Clan to keep an eye out on your movements. Central does not want another Lee traitor. How is that?]

My own voice rang out clearly from the phone, flat and utterly unimpressed by his grandstanding.

[Why would you watch me? I am not in the Lee clan, and I have not seen my shit Grandfather in almost ten years? So what traitor issue is going on?]

Melody spoke up instantly, her voice sharp and filled with a petty sense of triumph.

[General Lee defected to the China Empire last week and is working for them!]

Raymond’s dark chuckle echoed through the speaker, revealing his family's hidden agenda without a shred of hesitation.

[Well, we Traditionalists stopped by the Political Lee Clan, cannot kill or arrest you due to not even being in your now gone Lee house. That is right, now only 2 Lee Clans exist. So as the last survivor of your Lee Clan, you are given amnesty by the leaders of the Central Government, unless you, like your father and grandfather, turn to the China Empire. So please, feel free to be a traitor, ha-ha. Cousin Rick Tang... If anything happens to the three of us, and we go missing or dead, the Central Government will know it is you, so come at me. My family sent me because they can lose me to imprison you, dare us, ha-ha.]

I tapped the screen to stop the recording, sliding my smartphone smoothly back into my pocket as I looked directly at both men standing before me.

"Thanks to those top class spies, I already knew this amnesty was a done deal before you offered it to me, but I still wanted to help out with Star Wars," I said, crossing my arms over my chest while letting a slow, mocking grin spread across my lips. "So my question for you Mr Joe Lee... Do these two really represent the Traditionalist, to spy on me? And Prime-minister, I hope the two idiots do not represent the Central Government, right?"

Joe looked like he wanted to slap his nephew and niece for blurting out top secret intelligence on an open line, his jaw clenching tightly as his face turned a dark shade of red. The Prime-minister looked skeptically at Joe Lee, his eyes narrowing as he realized how badly his military commander had failed to control his own relatives.

"Sadly, Raymond Lee does work in the foreign affairs department as an operative, and he does have the authority to monitor you, but that is all he is allowed to do to you," the Prime-minister answered for both of them, his voice heavy with political frustration. "But he is right as well, if the three, well, only the Lee siblings go missing, an investigation will commence. Greg is not a part of our two Lee clans and is not protected from legal actions."

Joe shifted his stance aggressively, adjusting the firearm at his hip as he quickly corrected the Prime-minister. "No sir, Greg is marrying Melody on Wednesday, so he will now be a part of our Lee clan," Joe stated firmly, giving me a hard, warning look. "So Mr Tang should not try messing with Greg Feng."

Prime-minister Lee was completely unaware of the upcoming wedding alliance, his eyes widening slightly as a look of deep embarrassment washed over his face.

I merely chuckled, a sinister smile stretching wide across my lips as I pointed down at the newly signed amnesty document resting on the table.

"It is fine, and thanks to this piece of paper, I won't suffer legal issues for the crimes I committed against Greg last week or this morning, ha-ha," I told them, letting my laughter echo through the studio.

Both men froze as they looked at my happy smile, their bodies stiffening instantly as the crushing realization that they had been tricked set in.

"Don't worry, I have not hurt or killed anyone," I admitted freely, leaning back against the presentation podium with an air of complete indifference. "I only burned down his clothing factory for messing with my wife's business. So this morning a while before the meeting, and last week's issue? That one is a secret. But do not worry, no one is injured or harmed personally. Oh and Raymond's limo is now totaled... I do not let others threaten me without revenge. Joe Lee sir, tell your nephew to hide and do not come near me or my family. I may not be a traitor like my father and grandfather, but I am a petty son of a bitch."

Prime-minister Lee stood frozen, his mind clearly sweat-dropping as he processed the fact that I had intentionally executed a major operation right before signing the legal parameters of the agreement.

Joe Lee's fist tightened in absolute anger, the veins bulging along his forearm as he stared me down. I kept my smile wide, knowing this guy's martial arts capabilities were strictly limited to the Advanced level, making him entirely reliant on the weapon at his waist.

"I do not think destroying his valuable limo was warranted for those words, Mr Tang," Joe growled out, his voice vibrating with suppressed rage.

"Oh? No, if you had seen the look on his face while he said those words, you would have even helped me bash up his ride," I replied, tilting my head back as my smile turned cold. "He really was asking to be face slapped. Plus, he helped Greg harass my Linda Lang, so let us be happy I have not yet done anything more, yet..."

At that exact moment, Nadia stepped smoothly to my side, her sharp suit and confident posture making her look exactly like a highly professional lawyer. She reached out and took my arm firmly, breaking the heavy tension hanging over the room.

"My husband, let the two gentlemen leave for their duties," Nadia said, her voice smooth and melodic as she smiled politely at the officials. "I am sure they have much to do to be out of the building, and prepare to pick up the unit in the morning at the airport. Plus, you still have Velvet Group appointments. Prime-minister and commander Lee, thanks for everything, especially for our past crimes being forgiven, he-he. I had some minor things I worried about as well, ufufu."

As Nadia forcefully pulled me toward the exit, the two men stood in complete silence, looking as if they had just handed a get-out-of-jail-free card to a monster. If they had even the slightest inkling about the existence of the God Squad, they would have passed out right on the studio floor.