Starforce Warriors

The newcomers, of course, were Li Xiaofei and the Sword Maiden, Ah Qing.

Li Xiaofei glanced at the disheveled Miss Fan and raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you a big star? How did you end up like this?"

"Ran into the mafia," said Miss Fan as she immediately pointed at Sun Xiaochuan and raised her voice. "This old bastard has a great deal of sway in both legal and underground circles. He's got serious connections and it looks like he's awakened some kind of superpower. He's so full of himself now that he even claims he doesn't care about the mayor of Jinshi City."

Li Xiaofei's eyes flickered as he turned to look at Sun Xiaochuan. That name... In his previous life, on the Earth he had come from before crossing over, he had a vague memory of this person.

Rumors had it that Sun Xiaochuan was a well-known billionaire in Jinshi City. He was even recognized as a philanthropist and had later entered the Political Consultative Conference with an impeccable public image.

If he remembered correctly, this man had even once visited his university to give a speech for a recruitment program. But here, on this version of Earth, it was still 2008. The large-scale anti-gang crackdowns hadn't begun yet, so it wasn't surprising that certain local thugs still thought they were untouchable.

However... Superpowers?

Li Xiaofei narrowed his eyes and carefully observed Sun Xiaochuan. Sure enough, there was a faint trace of law power within his body.

That surprised him. Every other aspect of this man was just like an ordinary person. There were no signs of cultivation in his body whatsoever. Yet, the power of laws had seemingly manifested out of thin air.

His physical strength had also been slightly enhanced under the influence of this mysterious force. It was stronger than the average person but still far from breaking human limitations.

The real question was, where did this power of laws come from? Could this be the work of Eden?

Li Xiaofei felt a flicker of excitement at the thought. Right now, what he wanted most was to establish some kind of connection with Eden. Whether it led to conflict or cooperation, it didn't matter. As long as it brought him one step closer to the truth.

At that moment, eight bodyguards moved swiftly to form a tight human wall around Sun Xiaochuan, shielding him from any potential attack. Li Xiaofei and Ah Qing's sudden entrance had shaken them. A deep sense of uncertainty and danger lingered in their eyes.

"You're a superpowered individual too, little brother? Which organization are you from?" Sun Xiaochuan asked politely, his voice measured.

Having spent years navigating both the underworld and high society, his sharp instincts told him that this young man and woman weren't ordinary.

Li Xiaofei ignored him. Instead, he turned to Miss Fan and asked, "Why did he kidnap you?"

"He's been trying to force himself on me for a long time," Miss Fan said immediately. "He invested in a film I starred in just to set a trap for me. I avoided him at first, but after that incident... he sent people to abduct me when I finally returned. He said he was going to let his men take turns with me."

Miss Fan seized the chance to paint herself as the victim. There was no way she was going to waste an opportunity like this. As she spoke, she moved closer to Li Xiaofei, wrapping her arms around his shoulder. Then, she deliberately pressed her soft, ample chest firmly against him.

Finally, she pointed at the lifeless corpse lying nearby and whispered, "Master, be careful. He has a gun. He just... killed someone."

Oh?

Li Xiaofei's gaze shifted toward the young man lying lifeless on the floor. A thought crossed his mind. He reached out and gestured in the air.

To everyone's shock, an impossible sight unfolded before them. The corpse suddenly levitated, floating through the air before coming to float directly in front of Li Xiaofei.

He examined the body carefully. Even in death, the body still contained traces of lingering power of laws. A faint energy, seemingly related to spatial laws.

Another superpowered individual?

After a brief moment of thought, he activated the Northern Darkness Divine Skill. To his astonishment, he effortlessly extracted the remaining power of laws from the corpse and absorbed it into his body.

What truly delighted him, however, was the nature of this energy. It was pure. Although it was only a faint trace, it was uncontaminated and highly refined. It merged seamlessly into the spatial law core within his dantian world.

"Who was he?" Li Xiaofei asked.

Miss Fan shook her head and replied, "No idea. He seemed like one of Sun's men. But from what I gathered, he was betraying them too... Probably not a good person either."

Li Xiaofei finally turned to look at Sun Xiaochuan. The man had the typical appearance of an underworld boss. His complexion was fair and clean, but a sinister aura clung to him. It was an aura that only those who had taken numerous lives could possess.

In other worlds, martial arts masters could use inner strength to disperse this killing intent. But Sun Xiaochuan clearly wasn't one of them. In this modern, law-abiding society, a man like him still carried the weight of multiple deaths on his hands. He was far from innocent. His bodyguards were no better. Their ruthless expressions and the same murderous aura suggested they had blood on their hands as well.

Lining them up for execution wouldn't be a mistake. However, at that moment, all of them were visibly on edge. Li Xiaofei's telekinetic display had stunned them beyond belief. What they had just witnessed shouldn't have been possible.

"Little brother, is Miss Fan your woman?" asked Sun Xiaochuan, his tone unexpectedly humble. "If that's the case, I sincerely apologize. I didn't know before. Now that I do, I'd like to make amends. Let's talk this out peacefully, shall we?"

He had chosen to negotiate. As an underworld figure, his intelligence network was extensive. He knew that strange incidents had been occurring worldwide over the past six months.

More and more people were awakening superpowers with no discernible pattern in age, gender, nationality, or background. Some of these individuals possessed frightening abilities.

They were bulletproof, could control fire and ice, and were capable of single-handedly wiping out entire squads of men. Some were so powerful they could even stand against the military. They were sometimes more powerful than comic book superheroes. Sun Xiaochuan wasn't foolish enough to pick a fight with someone like that.

Li Xiaofei looked at him indifferently and said in a calm voice, "Make amends? And how exactly do you plan to make amends?"

"I, Fourth Master Sun, have some influence in Jinshi City. I have wealth and power. If you want money, property, women, or anything else, just name it. Everything is negotiable," Sun Xiaochuan chuckled as he spoke.

Li Xiaofei raised an eyebrow and replied, "You're being this generous?"

Sun Xiaochuan grinned and said, "I've always been generous to my friends. Let's get to know each other. After all, having more friends means having more opportunities. That's never a bad thing, right?"

"Heh... and what makes you think you're worthy of being my friend?" sneered Li Xiaofei.

Sun Xiaochuan didn't take offense. He continued smiling and replied, "I know you're an extraordinary man with high standards, but I'm no ordinary person either. Don't believe me? Take a look."

He raised his hand. His entire arm transformed into a metallic silver, its surface sleek yet ominous. He casually reached out, grabbing a solid steel machete and deforming it within his grip like a piece of soft clay.

"See that?" Sun Xiaochuan laughed. "I'm an Awakened too. I've got some tricks up my sleeve. Now, is this enough to qualify as your friend?"

Li Xiaofei watched him closely, analyzing his abilities. This seemed to be a mutation-based amplification of Steel Law, allowing his body to transform into steel. It was something akin to the Titan from Y-Men.

It would certainly intimidate ordinary people. But in front of Li Xiaofei? It wasn't even worth mentioning.

When Li Xiaofei remained silent, Sun Xiaochuan assumed he had been intimidated. He continued coaxing him, grinning, "Little brother, times have changed. People like you and me? Our time to rise has come! You have power, and I have resources. If we join forces, recruit the right people, and expand our influence, even the government won't dare to touch us! Hahaha! The new era will be ours for the taking!"

As he spoke, his excitement grew, and he burst into boisterous laughter. Li Xiaofei wasn't surprised in the least. It was a common pattern. When ordinary people were suddenly granted extraordinary abilities, they would often inflate with arrogance. They would be blinded by newfound ambition and greed.

And for someone like Sun Xiaochuan, who already had wealth, power, and a network of loyal subordinates, this delusion of grandeur would only grow faster. These types of people were dangerous.

They had the resources and manpower to expand their influence. If they were left unchecked, their unchecked ambition could wreak havoc on society, destabilizing the nation from within. That made them far more hazardous than ordinary criminals.

"I already told you," Li Xiaofei said calmly. "You're not worthy. The money you brag about, the connections you rely on, and that ability you think makes you special? To me, it's all worthless garbage. So stop embarrassing yourself and just tell me where you got your ability."

Sun Xiaochuan's smile froze for a moment before his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Little brother," he chuckled darkly. "You're disrespecting me. Maybe you're strong—but this is my turf. What if I had already prepared for this? What if I had dozens of guns trained on you? Tell me... how would you handle that?"

He waved his hand. Footsteps and glass shattering sounds filled the room. Suddenly, over thirty armed men rushed in from the doors, windows, and the second-floor balcony. Each one was brandishing firearms of various kinds. Rifles. Submachine guns. Shotguns.

Click-clack.

A sea of black gun barrels locked onto Li Xiaofei and Ah Qing. It turned out that all of Sun Xiaochuan's sweet talk had just been a delaying tactic. While he had been talking, he had secretly sent out a signal, calling his most trusted subordinates to storm in with their arsenal of weapons.

The situation was sealed. Sun Xiaochuan laughed. For years, he had roamed the underworld, clashing with ruthless figures and surviving countless power struggles. How could he have cemented his position in Jinshi City without meticulous preparation?

"Little brother," he smirked. "A wise man adapts to the situation. If you kneel and swear loyalty to me, I might let you live. Otherwise—"

Before he could finish, Li Xiaofei impatiently cut him off.

"Keep him alive. Kill everyone else."

"Got it," replied Ah Qing.

She never wasted words. She simply moved. A bamboo sword appeared out of nowhere in her delicate, snow-white hands. She didn't use any flashy techniques but just a few simple thrusts into thin air.

At first, Miss Fan and Sun Xiaochuan were merely puzzled. Then—

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Without warning, every single one of Sun Xiaochuan's men collapsed. Sun Xiaochuan himself was the only survivor. Many died without even understanding what had happened, their faces still frozen in expressions of shock as they hit the ground.

A closer look would reveal a tiny red dot at the center of each fallen man's forehead. A barely visible puncture wound, no larger than a needle prick. In that single instant, they had all been pierced through the brain by invisible sword qi.

Only Sun Xiaochuan remained standing. He was dazed. Stunned. Completely petrified. He simply could not comprehend what he had just witnessed. What kind of superpower was this?!

"Now, answer my question, how did you obtain your superpower?" asked Li Xiaofei. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable weight.

Sun Xiaochuan shuddered and replied, "I awakened my power because—"

Before he could finish, his expression twisted. Suddenly, he let out a roar. A pistol slid into his palm, and without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The gun roared, sending sparks flying from the muzzle. But he wasn't aiming at Li Xiaofei, nor at Ah Qing. He was shooting at Miss Fan and her agent, Zhai Yunting. At the same moment, his entire body transformed into steel as he sprinted toward the exit.

As a true gangster boss, his instincts were razor-sharp. Sun Xiaochuan understood that ordinary bullets wouldn't harm a powerful Awakened like Li Xiaofei or Ah Qing. So he didn't even bother trying to shoot them.

Instead, he targeted the two defenseless women. But it wasn't just out of spite or rage, it was a calculated move. By forcing Li Xiaofei and Ah Qing to rescue the women, they would be momentarily distracted. And that single moment would be his chance to escape. A ruthless but effective plan.

Unfortunately for him... This time, he had encountered two beings from beyond this world. Ah Qing's bamboo sword flickered.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

A few delicate sword blossoms bloomed in the air. She effortlessly deflected every single bullet. The deflected bullets, now traveling even faster than before, shot straight back. The bullets slammed into Sun Xiaochuan's body with a series of metallic clangs, sending sparks flying as they struck his metallic form.

"Fuck! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" Sun Xiaochuan shouted in fury, the force of the bullets knocking him off balance.

In desperation, he lunged wildly at Li Xiaofei. But something suddenly grew larger in his blurred vision. It was a foot.

BANG!

Li Xiaofei's foot came down hard, stomping directly onto Sun Xiaochuan's face. The immense force smashed him straight into the concrete floor, embedding his head downward into the ground. It was like a nail being hammered in.

The impact force could be measured in the tens of tons. Sun Xiaochuan's mind flickered between consciousness and unconsciousness, his vision blurring as his skull cracked under the pressure. He could no longer maintain his metallic transformation.

Seconds later, his body reverted back to normal and he became a powerless mortal once again.