Seeing the phone still on a call, Zhang Yuanqing cursed under his breath.
It was clear the muscular man in the black vest had dialed Xiahou Tianyuan's number before the fight and left the phone behind.
The entire commotion of the battle, including the man's shout of "Nightwalker," had been transmitted to Xiahou Tianyuan.
This meant Xiahou Tianyuan now knew a Nightwalker had killed his subordinate and abducted the "hostage."
Given the Nightwalker's rarity, Zhang Yuanqing's stance on the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter issue, and his "relationship" with Wang Qian, Xiahou Tianyuan would undoubtedly suspect him first if he had any sense.
Is he really a Fire Master? Zhang Yuanqing thought, cursing inwardly. Is this what Fire Masters are like? Do they even have brains? He bent down to pick up the phone and croaked into the receiver, "Hello?"
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable, is that you?!" Xiahou Tianyuan's calm voice came through the speaker.
"There's no need for you to interfere in this matter. I have no intention of making you an enemy. I won't pursue the deaths of those men you killed. Just leave the woman behind and leave immediately, and we'll call our feud even. No, I'll even give you some magic items. Whatever you want, we can negotiate. Don't hang up."
Xiahou Tianyuan was on his way, desperately trying to stall for time and keep Primordial Heavenly Venerable occupied.
Zhang Yuanqing sneered, "I'm not Primordial Heavenly Venerable, you son of a bitch!"
He hung up, tossed the phone into the fire, and kicked down the locked bedroom door with a flying kick.
With a deafening crash, Zhang Yuanqing stormed into the bedroom, his gaze sweeping the room.
In the corner by the window, a woman in a black dress and white T-shirt huddled against the wall, her hair disheveled and her wrists and ankles bound with thick duct tape.
She stared at the intruder with wide-eyed terror, like a quail paralyzed by fear.
"Don't be afraid," Zhang Yuanqing said, reaching behind his back to draw the Blade of Bloodlust from the Void. With a swift flick, he sliced through the duct tape binding her wrists and ankles. "I'm a Security Officer here to rescue you."
"A Security Officer?" The woman's face was gaunt, her eyes clouded with sorrow, but a flicker of hope ignited in her bloodshot gaze.
Her features were delicate, bearing a resemblance to Wang Qian's refined beauty. Her figure was full, likely due to her recent pregnancy, yet her waist remained remarkably slender.
"No time to explain. I need to get you out of here—the place is on fire." Zhang Yuanqing yanked her to her feet. "Can you walk on your own?"
"Y-yes, I can," Wang Qian stammered.
The two of them rushed out of the room, one after the other. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke, making Wang Qian cough violently, but she didn't dare stop, clinging tightly to the Security Officer's heels.
As they reached the living room, Zhang Yuanqing spoke rapidly, "I saw a black car parked outside the villa earlier. Was that theirs?"
"Yes, that's the car they brought me in," Wang Qian replied, her face draining of color as she spotted the corpse being licked by flames in the living room.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately dragged the Fire Master's body into the courtyard and began searching the four corpses, all while firing questions at Wang Qian:
"Were there only four kidnappers?"
As he spoke, he fished the car keys out of the fat middle-aged man's pocket.
"Yes, that's what they said," Wang Qian replied, her face growing paler by the second. She was just an ordinary person; she had never witnessed such a bloodbath, nor had she ever seen so many corpses.
Had this young Security Officer killed them all?
Zhang Yuanqing tossed the keys to Wang Qian, his words tumbling out in a rush:
"Take the keys and go!"
With that, he bent down, grabbed two corpses, and tucked them under his arms. Then, he seized the ankles of the remaining two bodies and dragged them across the ground as he and Wang Qian sprinted away from the villa.
As Wang Qian ran, she glanced back anxiously and saw the young Security Officer, despite carrying several hundred kilograms, moving with astonishing speed.
"Unlock the car! Open the door! Hurry!" Zhang Yuanqing shouted.
He quickly scanned their surroundings. The villa district was sparsely populated, and since it wasn't working hours, no one was passing by.
As for roadside surveillance cameras or whether anyone in nearby villas might be watching through their windows, he couldn't worry about that now. After all, the cameras would only capture Xiahou Tianyuan's face.
Wang Qian pressed the unlock button and shakily opened the car door.
Zhang Yuanqing tossed the four corpses into the back seat, snatched the car keys, glared at the dazed woman, and barked, "Get in the car!"
He yanked open the driver's side door and slid into the seat.
Zhang Yuanqing had obtained his driver's license in his second year of high school. Back then, driving schools offered student discounts and promised licenses within a single summer vacation to attract more business.
His aunt, seeing it as a good opportunity, had paid for his lessons.
Zhang Yuanqing passed all four sections of the driving test on his first attempt. His instructor declared him a natural talent and a skilled driver.
However, after getting his license, Zhang Yuanqing had never touched a car again.
What do these PRND symbols even mean? This isn't a manual transmission! He settled into the seat, glanced at the gearshift, and his expression suddenly froze.
"Can you drive?"
"Yes."
"You drive."
The two quickly switched places. Wang Qian started the car, her hands trembling as she gripped the steering wheel. She slammed her foot down on the accelerator.
The car sped through the streets of the villa complex. Zhang Yuanqing, fearing Xiahou Tianyuan might block their escape at the gate, urged her on repeatedly.
A dozen seconds later, the villa gate loomed ahead. Zhang Yuanqing barked, "Don't stop! Ram through it!"
"Are you really a Security Officer?" Wang Qian asked, her voice choked with tears.
"No more questions! Ram through it!" he repeated, his tone hardening.
Wang Qian gritted her teeth, steeled her resolve, and floored the accelerator.
With a roar of the engine, the black sedan smashed through the gate barrier and sped away.
"Head to the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau!" Zhang Yuanqing ordered, then leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.
His original plan had been to eliminate the kidnappers, rescue Wang Qian, and remain anonymous, letting Xiahou Tianyuan suspect the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter.
But now that his identity was likely compromised, the original plan was no longer viable. He needed a new strategy.
Good thing I had a contingency plan, Zhang Yuanqing thought, opening his eyes. He pulled out his phone and dialed Fu Qingyang's number.
After five rings, the call connected. Fu Qingyang's austere voice came through the speaker:
"What is it?"
"Centurion Fu, I've completed the justice procedure."
"And the result?"
"Target rescued. During the operation, four kidnappers resisted fiercely and were neutralized. I'm currently transporting the bodies and the hostage to the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau. Requesting further instructions!"
"Excellent!" Fu Qingyang praised. "Bring the bodies back here. Don't Inquire the Soul yourself; let the Taiyi Sect handle that. We need double corroboration. I'm issuing an immediate arrest warrant for Xiahou Tianyuan on charges of endangering public safety."
Zhang Yuanqing sighed in relief, then added:
"Just that charge might not be enough to really hurt Xiahou Tianyuan, though."
Fu Qingyang replied in a calm, icy tone, delivering a statement that left Zhang Yuanqing speechless:
"Besides endangering public safety, Xiahou Tianyuan may also face charges of hiring assassins, intentional homicide, aggravated assault, rape, pimping, and organizing prostitution. I need to investigate thoroughly."
I'm still too young, Zhang Yuanqing thought. He then asked, "What about Xiahou Xin?"
Fu Qingyang replied coolly, "That depends on how we interrogate Xiahou Tianyuan."
Good idea! Zhang Yuanqing continued, "And what about the Xiahou Family?"
Fu Qingyang's tone sharpened. "Know when to stop pushing."
"Understood, Centurion!"
Zhang Yuanqing hung up.
Meanwhile, three imported business vans sped toward the villa complex.
The vehicles parked outside the villa, where Xiahou Tianyuan saw a dozen property management staff members fighting the fire with hoses and extinguishers.
Thick smoke billowed from the open windows.
Xiahou Tianyuan sat in the car, his face ashen, not uttering a word. His bodyguard opened the door, stepped out, and entered the villa.
Moments later, the bodyguard hurried back, bowing at the car window.
"The body and the woman have been taken away."
Even the body? Xiahou Tianyuan clenched his jaw, his cheek muscles bulging as he suppressed his rage. He dialed his father, Xiahou Xin.
"Dad, the Officials took the woman away—the Primordial Heavenly Venerable I beat up the other day. I don't know how he found this place. Everyone I stationed at the villa is dead, and they took the body too. What should I do now?"
For the first time, Xiahou Tianyuan felt a flicker of panic.
The Xiahou Family had cultivated influence for generations. Many within the Five Elements Alliance were either members of the family or owed them favors.
But the Five Elements Alliance was vast and fragmented, not entirely beholden to the Xiahou Family.
Without evidence or public exposure, others would hesitate to confront the Xiahou Family directly. But with proof, the situation would change drastically.
"What's the panic for?" Xiahou Xin remained calm, pausing for a few seconds before saying, "Go confess immediately."
"Confess?" Xiahou Tianyuan's voice rose in disbelief. "How can I confess?"
Then realization dawned on him. "You mean...?"
Xiahou Xin hummed in affirmation, his tone steady. "To whom you should confess—I don't need to teach you that, do I?"
Relief washed over Xiahou Tianyuan, and a smile spread across his face. "Understood."
Naturally, he would surrender to an Official Walker close to the Xiahou Family, seeking protection under the guise of confession.
He absolutely couldn't fall into the hands of outsiders, like Fu Qingyang, the Deacon of Kangyang District.
Xiahou Tianyuan hung up the phone, his smile vanishing. He slammed his fist violently against the chair back, grinding his teeth as he snarled:
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable, I'll kill you! I'll uncover your real identity and make you pay the price!"
In the speeding car, Zhang Yuanqing lit up his phone screen, opened his messaging app, and sent Wang Qian a message:
"Your sister is safe now."