"You come to talk to me about fairness."
The man stared at Li Chonglou, the killing intent emanating from him gradually receding, replaced by a cold smile. "Are you a three-year-old child?"
"If we're talking about fairness, then killing someone should be paid with a life. That's the fairest."
"You dare to come looking for me, you do have some courage. But have you considered that you might not be able to walk out of my military camp's gates today?"
Fan Lei knew that his gaze could pierce through most people's bodies and see into their souls.
Yet, after a few seconds of meeting Li Chonglou's eyes, he couldn't see through him at all.
This sparked a hint of curiosity in his heart.
For so many years, hibernating in these mountains, he had almost forgotten what curiosity and passion felt like.
But he felt a trace of it from Li Chonglou.
This feeling was truly wonderful.
Li Chonglou faced his gaze fearlessly. Even if he were facing a demon or a vengeful spirit, he had already died once. What was there to fear?
He replied calmly, "Quite the opposite. I believe Commander Fan will personally escort us out today."
Arrogant!
Lawless.
Ning Lang's heart trembled.
At this moment, he was filled with admiration for Li Chonglou.
Back then, under Fan Lei's command, he too had been defiant, but after being dealt with a few times, he didn't even dare to look up at him.
Unfortunately, his obsession was too strong. In pursuit of revenge, he violated military discipline and was expelled.
From a special forces soldier, he became the leader of the underground forces in Yong'an.
He felt ashamed to face Commander Fan.
He was filled with guilt and remorse.
That was why he was afraid.
But Li Chonglou's conscience was clear, which allowed him to face everything with such composure.
"Presumptuous brat!" Fan Lei's pupils contracted. He clasped his hands behind his back, walked out from behind the desk, and advanced towards Li Chonglou.
Thump, thump, thump...
He walked slowly, each step like the beating of a war drum, emitting a soul-stirring sound.
The entire office was silent, hollowed out from stone.
The sound of his footsteps was amplified and echoed, transforming from the beat of war drums into thunder.
The closer he got to Li Chonglou, the stronger his aura became.
It was like Mount Tai pressing down, making Ning Lang, standing beside Li Chonglou, almost unable to breathe.
"Here it comes... it's here again..." Ning Lang secretly groaned.
Commander Fan had spent his life dominating battlefields, killing over ten thousand enemies. The murderous aura he exuded was in stark contrast to his appearance.
Ordinary people, under this killing aura, couldn't even stand steady, their limbs going soft, their knees buckling, and trembling.
Even someone like him, who had experienced great storms, could barely maintain composure, and that was his limit.
Looking at Li Chonglou.
He remained calm and composed, as if oblivious. He also clasped his hands behind his back, meeting Fan Lei's gaze without blinking.
A slight smile even graced his face.
This...
The difference was clear.
Only now did Ning Lang realize how formidable his brother was.
No wonder he acted and spoke with such arrogance.
Barely in his twenties, he gave Ning Lang the feeling of a hundred-year-old elder, so calm and dignified.
"Aren't you afraid of death?" Fan Lei asked, stopping half a meter in front of Li Chonglou.
As he walked these few steps, his shock was no less than Ning Lang's.
As one of the top three military gods in China, and the captain of the雄鹰 (Xiong Ying - Eagle) unit for seventeen years, he had never seen anyone who could maintain eye contact with him for so long and remain completely unfazed by his aura.
Eyes were the windows to the soul. Words could lie, and actions could deceive, but eyes never could.
From Li Chonglou's eyes, he could see that the word "fear" was absent.
There was only a profound sense of defiance and contempt.
If this state of mind and cultivation were found in an old man of seventy or eighty, it might not be so strange.
But in a young man in his early twenties, it was incredibly shocking.
This young man was extraordinary.
Given time, he would surely soar to great heights.
In just a few seconds, Fan Lei had redefined his assessment of Li Chonglou.
He actually disliked cautious people like Ning Lang, but he favored the lawless, outrageously arrogant youngsters like Li Chonglou.
A youth who isn't bold is a youth in vain.
Ning Lang possessed obsession, but dared not even avenge his father. As the leader of Yong'an's underground forces, that was his limit.
He hadn't even ranked in the top five in the special forces back then. What great prospects could he have?
But Li Chonglou was different. This kid possessed a fiery pride that even made Fan Lei's heart stir.
He did what he wanted, killed whom he wanted.
Fearless of consequences, unwavering.
To ordinary people, this was called brainless courting death, but it was actually the ultimate display of self-confidence.
Such people were born warriors. With proper training, they might become another him.
"Of course I'm afraid of death. The more afraid you are, the faster you die. Commander Fan's methods are heaven-defying. Even if I kowt to you, I might not survive," Li Chonglou said, neither humble nor arrogant. "So, let's strike a deal, shall we?"
"If you're not satisfied, you can kill me."
"If you are satisfied, we'll let the matter of Old Ghost rest, and we'll shake hands and be friends."
Fan Lei heard this as if it were the greatest joke, roaring with laughter before his expression turned stern. "What qualifications do you have to shake hands and be friends with me?"
"Do I look like a businessman? If you're coming to talk business, settle the interest first."
Swish!
As soon as the words fell, Fan Lei's hand moved like lightning from behind him.
His palm extended, reaching straight for Li Chonglou's throat.
The movement was casual, showing no sign of force, nor even remarkable speed.
Yet, it gave Li Chonglou an instant feeling of being targeted by a venomous snake.
Danger!
Before Li Chonglou could even form a thought, his body reacted instinctively. He didn't dare to dodge, because he couldn't.
Wherever Fan Lei's gaze fell, he was already locked on.
The only thing he could do was turn his palm and place it against his throat to block.
Thud.
A dull collision sound, Li Chonglou grunted, and his entire body slid back seven or eight steps before his back leg stabilized him.
His face had turned pale.
The hand guarding his throat was already a large purplish patch.
It trembled uncontrollably.
Only then was he filled with unconcealable horror.
With just a casual strike, he possessed such divine power. Just how strong was this Fan Lei?
Compared to him, Li Hanlong was trash.
That strike just now was merely a casual move. If he were serious, even his senior sister might not be able to block it.
As expected of the Xiong Ying unit captain. In front of him, Li Chonglou truly felt like a child.
"You're quite good." At this moment, Fan Lei spoke.
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he reassessed Li Chonglou's slender frame, unashamedly displaying his admiration. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was young."
"You don't look like much, but the spirit within your heart and body is rarely matched."
"If you join my Xiong Ying unit as a soldier, Tu Gui's debt will be settled!"
Huh?
Before Ning Lang could even worry about Li Chonglou, he was stunned by these sudden words.
What was going on?
Commander Fan actually took a liking to Li Chonglou?
And wanted him to be a soldier under him, settling the old scores?
This...
This was a tremendous stroke of luck!
He himself had been part of the Xiong Ying unit. After immense hardship and being one in ten thousand, he had joined the special forces. Unfortunately, he wasn't skilled in personal combat, but rather in strategy.
Therefore, his performance in the team was ordinary. Coupled with his heavy heart and deep obsession, he wasn't favored by Commander Fan.
Even so, after being expelled from the unit, he still received considerable support from Commander Fan.
Otherwise, relying on himself alone, how could he have taken a share from Old Ghost in the early stages?
He would have died under random gunfire long ago.
Commander Fan had never mentioned this matter, but he knew it clearly.
Anyone who had served under him knew how protective Commander Fan was of his subordinates.
If Li Chonglou could join his unit, with his exceptional intelligence and combat prowess, he would undoubtedly become a trusted confidant of Commander Fan in due time.
At that point, even that person surnamed Huang would not dare to cross him.
This was truly a win-win situation.
"I won't."
Just as he was secretly excited, Li Chonglou flatly refused. "A true man's ambition lies in all directions. Protecting the country doesn't necessarily require holding a gun."
"I came to talk business with you, not to be a soldier under your command."
The implication was that Li Chonglou wanted to be his equal.
He was unwilling to be subordinate to others.
"Chonglou, what are you talking nonsense about? Commander Fan thinks highly of you, quickly change your words," Ning Lang said, his face turning pale, and whispered a reminder.
"Commander Fan, you are a soldier, not a bandit. You wouldn't arrest people for conscription, would you?" Li Chonglou pretended not to hear and said, "Old Ghost's debt, I can repay."
"But there are a few things I need to make clear."
"Firstly, Old Ghost died by his own son's gun. I merely brought out the inner demons in his son's heart."
"Secondly, for so many years, why Old Ghost could act so high and mighty and no one dared to move him, I believe Commander Fan knows in his heart."
"Thirdly, it was a matter of life and death between him and me. I had no choice."
"Whether you kill me or torture me, I will accept my fate."
These simple words caused Fan Lei's sword-like eyebrows to furrow, and his expression to turn grim.
Ning Lang didn't dare to breathe.
He could no longer predict what else Li Chonglou dared to say, each time bolder than the last.
Reckless and defiant, if he truly angered Commander Fan, even immortals couldn't save him.
But the person in question, on the contrary, showed no worry at all.
From their first two encounters, Li Chonglou had grasped a bit of Fan Lei's intentions.
At the very least, he was sure that Fan Lei didn't actually want to kill him.
Otherwise, with his strength and influence, how could Li Chonglou have had the opportunity to enter the military camp?
Last time, outside the Ning residence, those plainclothes guards, why could they be so easily subdued by him silently? Were they just for show?
Clearly, this matter had been arranged beforehand by Fan Lei, and they weren't trying their best at all, deliberately cooperating.
Only Zhou was acting diligently, but he was still a comrade of Ning Lang, so holding back was inevitable.
With this understanding, Li Chonglou naturally had no reservations.
"Guards!" Fan Lei roared after listening.
Immediately, two fully armed soldiers rushed into the stone chamber.
Fan Lei pointed at Li Chonglou and ordered coldly, "Take him out and execute him."
Without question, the two men grabbed Li Chonglou by the arms, one on each side, and dragged him out.
Seeing this, Ning Lang lunged forward like a tiger, blocking the doorway and shouting, "Stop!"
"Commander Fan, if you're going to kill Li Chonglou, kill me along with him."
"I also bear responsibility for Old Ghost's affairs. I've wanted to kill him day and night."
"But because of you, I dared not."
"Chonglou helped me do what I dared not do but wanted to do. My decades-old knot has been untied, and I'm not as afraid of death anymore."
"Execute me then!"
Seeing Ning Lang's actions, the two soldiers immediately released Li Chonglou and raised their guns, disengaging the safety.
The black muzzles pointed directly at Ning Lang's forehead. If he dared to make a move, he would be instantly executed.
"A coward becomes a great hero, not that afraid of death anymore." Fan Lei waved the two away upon seeing this and glared with his phoenix eyes, "Ning Lang, you know my personality. You're shouting for me to execute you."
"Are you testing my military discipline?"