Kim Tae-hsing and Jung Jae-joon gasped.
In their understanding, the most dangerous individuals were only S-class.
Now, an SS-class had appeared!
"Big brother, you're not lying to us, are you? Is there really such a dangerous person in this world?" Jung Jae-joon asked, swallowing hard.
Park Chun-hwan shook his head slightly.
Actually, after Jung Jae-joon asked the question, he himself realized it was redundant.
If it wasn't for a powerhouse of SS-class danger level, how could they have so easily subdued Go Joon-tae?
Their gazes fell on Chen Jinzhao again, and a deep sense of regret arose in their hearts. If they had known Chen Jinzhao was such a ruthless individual, they would never have provoked him, even if it meant death.
They would have avoided him like the plague!
Upon realizing that Chen Jinzhao was that terrifying entity, Go Joon-tae's breathing almost stopped. It took him a long time to gradually recover.
He said woodenly, "Falling into your hands means certain death."
"If I tell you the purpose of our visit, can you spare our lives?"
"What makes you think I'll let you live?" Chen Jinzhao retorted, causing Go Joon-tae and the others to change their expressions drastically.
It was clear Chen Jinzhao intended to kill them.
Go Joon-tae opened his mouth, about to say something, when Chen Jinzhao flicked his cigarette ash and said, "Your infiltration into China is an act of hostility in itself. This is a matter of principle, and I cannot back down one bit. Of course, you can choose to keep your secret from me, provided you can withstand the torture I inflict."
Park Chun-hwan and the other two fell into a complete panic.
Without any regard for their dignity, they all prostrated themselves on the ground.
Go Joon-tae's spirit seemed to have plummeted. The rumors about Chen Jinzhao in international circles filled him with dread and unease. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "If I tell you the secret, I hope you will grant us a swift end as promised."
Chen Jinzhao remained noncommittal.
Some things, he only said once.
Under immense pressure, Go Joon-tae said, "It's like this: a while ago, a meteor fell in northeastern China, near the border between China and Russia. More specifically, it fell within the forest along the border."
Chen Jinzhao noted these details.
The forest Go Joon-tae mentioned was one of China's most important forest reserves.
Because this forest reserve was located in a frigid region and bordered the powerful nation of Russia, very few people ever set foot there.
Even if they did, it would only be forest workers.
"That's not right. If it were just a meteor, would your Shinra send the chief instructor of the White Bear Legion to China?" Chen Jinzhao seized on a detail in his statement.
Go Joon-tae's eyes were vacant and lifeless. "I didn't lie to you. We indeed came for that meteor because this meteor that fell into the primeval forest is no ordinary thing. A similar meteor once fell in the Southern Hemisphere and was obtained by a chaebol in Mitli. Later, it was rumored that the meteor was an extremely rare crystalline substance, containing a strange energy that could slow down human aging."
"This information was strictly confidential, and only a few countries knew about this crystal."
"As for China, they probably don't know."
Chen Jinzhao frowned.
Such important information, and China didn't even know?
Go Joon-tae confessed that he learned this information from a Mitlian general stationed in Shinra. The number of people in Shinra who knew this news was less than a handful. Before Go Joon-tae spoke, Park Chun-hwan and the other two also had no idea.
"Which other countries know?" Chen Jinzhao inquired.
"Uh—"
"I guess it would be Mitli, Shinra, Dongying, and Russia." Go Joon-tae recounted everything he knew, detail by detail. Chen Jinzhao then asked, "I also want to know what that so-called crystal looks like, and if it truly has an effect?"
Go Joon-tae nodded and said with certainty, "From what I know, the patriarch of that chaebol was on his deathbed. After obtaining the crystal, his condition miraculously improved. As for what it looks like, I really don't know, only that it's crystal clear, and its color is unknown."
Chen Jinzhao's heart raced.
If Go Joon-tae wasn't lying, and the legends he heard were true, then this crystal was perfect for Chen Jinzhao.
Acquiring this crystal might allow him to extend his life.
Go Joon-tae said with a bitter smile, "That's all I know. You can proceed to send me on my way now."
Chen Jinzhao withdrew his thoughts and said to Go Joon-tae, "Alright, as you wish."
Before Park Chun-hwan and the other two could react, Go Joon-tae's head was crushed by Chen Jinzhao's foot, a swift and decisive action.
Go Joon-tae didn't even let out a muffled groan throughout the entire process.
After his head exploded, Park Chun-hwan and the other two were splattered with blood to varying degrees. The dual assault on their sight and smell caused them to vomit uncontrollably.
Jung Jae-joon, while vomiting, pleaded, "Candle Dragon, we promise we won't leak this secret. Please don't kill us!"
"We'll do anything for you."
Park Chun-hwan cast aside all pretense and repeatedly banged his head on the ground.
Chen Jinzhao remained unmoved by their pleas, his expression cold. "Go Joon-tae is dead, and it's time for you to follow him."
"No!!!" Kim Tae-hsing shouted.
Chen Jinzhao gave them no further opportunity. He reached for a teacup on the coffee table, crushed it with force, and then hurled the broken pieces at the three men.
Swoosh—
The sound of air being cut was piercing, like a scream.
Park Chun-hwan and the other two, unable to dodge, had their throats sliced by the teacup fragments, causing profuse bleeding.
The three struggled for a few moments before finally collapsing in pools of blood.
After eliminating the four, Chen Jinzhao's expression remained indifferent. If it were in the past, Chen Jinzhao might have felt something, but now he was accustomed and numb.
"Am I becoming cold-blooded?" Chen Jinzhao muttered.
He shook his head without dwelling on it. Kindness to enemies was cruelty to oneself; perhaps this was the price of growth that Xu Han-chen spoke of.
He searched the villa a few times but found no useful documents, so Chen Jinzhao gave up.
Before leaving the villa, Chen Jinzhao hesitated about who to call to handle the aftermath. After much thought, he decided to call his uncle, Li Qiu-tao, for assistance.
Of course.
He did not reveal anything about the meteor.
Li Qiu-tao was very surprised. Chen Jinzhao was asking him for help with such trivial matters when he could have had the military handle it, as their intervention would have been much faster and cleaner.
After some thought.
Li Qiu-tao guessed that Chen Jinzhao might have his own secrets, but he didn't pry.
"Okay."
"I have people over there too, they should arrive in about an hour."
"Thank you, Uncle," Chen Jinzhao replied.
Li Qiu-tao said meaningfully, "Jinzhao, based on what's been happening with you these past few days, I can see that you've grown a lot. Take your uncle's advice, sometimes you need to become more ruthless. Emotions might be chains binding you."
"There's an old saying that goes well—"
"If a person doesn't look out for themselves, heaven and earth will destroy them!"