Starforce Warriors

Li Guorui was equally surprised.

"Brother Chen, you're taking a hard seat too?"

"Haha, I had to buy a last-minute ticket. Even with my connections, I couldn't get a sleeper, just two hard seat tickets. Huh? Weren't you supposed to meet up with your classmate? Where is he?"

Li Guorui sighed. "Don't even mention him. Kefeng's family had an emergency, so he rescheduled and delayed his trip by two days. I had no choice but to travel alone."

"That's some bad luck. But judging by the way you look, you didn't get much rest, did you? Haha, don't tell me you spent the night at one of those 'exciting' little inns?"

"Ah! No, no, absolutely not! I—I was trying to save money, so I spent the night in the waiting hall." Flustered, Li Guorui hurriedly explained himself.

Li Xiaofei burst into laughter. He took out some food, drinks, and bottled water as he said, "Looks like you skipped breakfast. Here, have something to eat first."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly—"

"Come on, a chance encounter is fate. I already see you as a younger brother, and I'll get mad if you keep acting distant. Besides, you're a grown man. What are you afraid of? You think I'd drug you and sell you off or something?"

"Well... Alright, thank you, Brother Chen."

Li Guorui, after all, was a simple and straightforward young man, shaped by his upbringing in a rural northwest village. His natural frankness and warmth made him quickly let go of any reservations. They continued to chat as they ate.

Ten minutes later, the train pulled out of Lanfu City Station. The old green train would take a full twenty-three hours to reach Jin City.

Along the way, under Li Xiaofei's deliberate guidance, the two of them found their conversation to become increasingly engaging. Their bond grew deeper, and by the time they arrived at Jin City Station and stepped off the train, they had become as close as brothers.

"Come on, I'll take you to Balitai University," said Li Xiaofei as they exited the station. He sounded certain as he continued, "I know this place like the back of my hand. Someone's coming to pick me up, and it's on the way, so you might as well ride with me instead of hailing a taxi."

With no way to refuse, Li Guorui reluctantly got into the car that had come for Li Xiaofei. It was, of course, a vehicle sent by Miss Fan. The vehicle was a sleek Mercedes-Benz business van. It was an absolute luxury for someone like Li Guorui, who had never even dreamed of riding in such a high-end car.

True to his word, Li Xiaofei personally escorted him to Balitai University. He even helped carry his luggage, and assisted him in applying for a student loan. He arranged his dormitory check-in, and left his contact information with the advisor before finally departing with Ah Qing.

Inside the dorm, his new roommates looked at Li Guorui with envy.

"Your brother treats you so well."

"And your sister-in-law is stunning! I've never seen a girl that beautiful, not even on TV."

"The moment I saw your sister-in-law, I swore, our friendship is set in stone!"

The group laughed and joked around.

Li Guorui quickly straightened his expression and said sternly, "Don't talk nonsense! She's not my sister-in-law, just my brother's friend... And watch how far you take your jokes."

***

Just as Li Xiaofei and Ah Qing stepped through the school gate, a dark gray Passat government vehicle screeched to a stop in front of them.

A young woman, dressed in a sleek black business suit, stepped out of the car. She was attractive and had a professional demeanor.

She politely smiled. "Mr. Li, I am Zhang Hongjing. We spoke over the phone earlier through Miss Fan. I was wondering if you would be available to meet with our leader for a conversation."

Li Xiaofei smiled and replied, "Of course."

Turning to Ah Qing, he said, "Go wait for me at Miss Fan's place."

"Alright," nodded Ah Qing.

Li Xiaofei didn't hesitate as he climbed into the car. Zhang Hongjing hesitated slightly before deciding not to invite Ah Qing along. Instead, she got into the vehicle, which merged into the heavy traffic of Weijin South Road.

The headquarters of the Supernatural Police Force in Jin City was located in Wu Da Dao, a standalone villa with a courtyard. The large red-brick, British-style building exuded its own historical charm.

The dark gray Passat drove into the courtyard, where a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit stood waiting with a dozen subordinates. When Li Xiaofei stepped out of the car, the man took a few steps forward, extended his hand warmly, and said, "Mr. Li, welcome to No. 36. We've been looking forward to your visit."

Zhang Hongjing introduced him, "This is our team leader, Comrade Yan Zheng."

"Nice to meet you, Leader Yan," Li Xiaofei responded politely.

Having once been a member of the Dragon Group on his home Earth, he held a natural fondness for any version of the Dragon Group across different Earths. This was especially true in this complete Great Xia, where the Dragon Group was still in its early stages. Li Xiaofei was all the more interested and eager to observe its development. That was why he had so readily agreed to meet with them.

"Please," said Yan Zheng, leading the way.

The group entered the villa's reception hall and took their seats. Zhang Hongjing personally served the tea.

Li Xiaofei accepted it with a smile, took a sip, and said, "Good tea. It's been a long time since I've had something this pure. Brings back memories."

Yan Zheng remained composed and probed, "Mr. Li, where are you from?"

"Earth. Great Xia." Li Xiaofei set down his teacup and said with some emotion, "I was originally just a passerby, but now it seems I have to make myself at home. Leader Yan, it's inconvenient for me to reveal my origins right now. Even if I did, you wouldn't be able to believe it. But there's one thing you can be absolutely sure of, I am not an enemy of the Dragon Group or Great Xia."

Yan Zheng and the others exchanged subtle glances. His answer only deepened their confusion. But at the same time, it puts them slightly at ease.

Zhang Hongjing interjected, "Mr. Li, could you explain what happened that day at Tuanbo Lake? How exactly did Sun Xiaochuan and the others die?"

Li Xiaofei nodded and recounted the events in detail. When he finished, Zhang Hongjing turned to Yan Zheng and nodded slightly. His account matched perfectly with the forensic investigation conducted by supernatural experts at the scene.

"Mr. Li, killing is illegal in this country. Why didn't you subdue them and hand them over to the authorities instead?" Yan Zheng asked cautiously.

"Perhaps it's because I've grown accustomed to bloodshed after so many years," sighed Li Xiaofei. He added, "Besides, when it comes to someone like Sun Xiaochuan, who is deeply connected and protected from behind the scenes, can you really guarantee he would face justice even if he committed crimes like kidnapping and illegal firearm possession?"

"We do not let any criminal escape the law," Zhang Hongjing said firmly.

"I believe you," Li Xiaofei nodded. "But in the process, you're bound to face a lot of trouble. If I'm not mistaken, Dragon Group doesn't have much authority at the moment, does it? Many of your operations still require cooperation with the public security bureau."

Zhang Hongjing instinctively nodded.

Yan Zheng quickly added, "In Great Xia, all government agencies must abide by the law and operate within legal boundaries. We have certain enforcement powers, but we do not have the authority to pass judgment on suspects."

That was common knowledge. Li Xiaofei understood this as well.

He nodded and said, "Then in the future, you will encounter significant restrictions when facing various supernatural organizations, especially criminal superhumans... But never mind that for now. Leader Yan, I want to know, are there any other Sky Level Awakened in Dragon Group aside from you and Captain Zhang?"