Strongest Soldier King

Around seven in the evening, the taxi arrived at Mogan Town. Luo Zheng intentionally asked the driver to show him the location of the nightclubs, claiming it would make things easier later that night. The driver had no objections and enthusiastically took Luo Zheng on a tour around the town, checking out each nightclub. Luo Zheng quietly took note of the town's layout and roads, then had the driver stop outside a residential complex, pretending to be visiting relatives and putting on a convincing act.

Once the driver left, Luo Zheng headed to a nearby restaurant based on his memory. He chose a seat by the window, ordered some food, and began to observe the surroundings. He saw no suspicious armed individuals in the town. How would the kidnappers recognize him? Tomorrow was the deadline, and Luo Zheng was certain they had made preparations in the town, but what could they be?

The meal took over an hour. Once finished, Luo Zheng slowly left the restaurant, looked around, and then made his way to the largest and most luxurious nightclub in town. The driver had mentioned that each town's nightclub was protected by an armed force, and since the kidnappers had chosen this place for the meet-up, it was possible they were the force behind this nightclub.

What Luo Zheng didn't know was that he had already been spotted. Mogan Town was neither a tourist town nor an industrial one; it didn't attract tourists or out-of-town businessmen. With a small population, any outsiders were easily noticed.

However, the ever-cautious Luo Zheng, upon approaching the largest nightclub, keenly noticed a tail behind him—a teenager in his teens. At this time of night, the boy should be at school or at home watching TV or playing games at an internet cafe, not trailing him.

The amateurish tailing made Luo Zheng chuckle as he suddenly changed direction and quickened his pace. The boy behind also hastened his step, confirming his suspicions about the boy's identity. Luo Zheng didn't rush to shake off the tail; instead, he casually walked into a hostel, took out his passport to sign in, and got himself a room.

The room was shabby and not very clean, but fortunately, the bed linen was decent. Luo Zheng locked the door behind him, quickly went to the window, and peeked out to see a residential garden below. The hostel was a street-facing property converted from residential use. Seeing no one around, Luo Zheng put on his clothes inside out, slung his bag over his shoulder, and jumped down—it was a four-story drop, but no problem for him.

Exiting the residential area, the security guard let him pass without interference, treating Luo Zheng like any other resident. Once outside the main gate, Luo Zheng saw the teenager making a phone call near the corner of the hostel. With a scoff, he briskly walked in the opposite direction and used his memory to navigate several turns until he was near the largest nightclub again.

The nightclub was already open for business, with several burly men standing at the door, eyeing their surroundings warily. Passersby walked around them, while patrons greeted the bouncers familiarly and headed into the club, where bright lights and loud heavy metal music could be heard from afar.

Luo Zheng calmly watched for a while, then took another walk around the area and quickly sensed that something was amiss. A beggar-like figure sat at the corner of the street, dirty as if he hadn't bathed in months. At first glance, one would assume he was a beggar, but Luo Zheng's sharp eyes caught something off about his eyes—they had a hint of blue, uncharacteristic of the locals. Though well-disguised, the man's true nature was inadvertently revealed when he glanced at a passing car, and its headlights shone directly on him, allowing Luo Zheng to notice.

Under the light, the beggar didn't notice Luo Zheng, and Luo Zheng, with his acute senses, immediately became alert after detecting something amiss. He slipped into a nearby alley with a quick movement, circled around, and noticed that the other party was still there. This was odd, and seizing an opportunity, Luo Zheng found a secluded corner to watch for a while. The beggar just sat there motionless, constantly extending his tattered, black bowl to passersby, mumbling something unintelligible.

Passersby avoided him with disgust, and Luo Zheng, calmly observing for about four or five minutes, noticed that the nearby security guards didn't come to drive him away. This would be impossible in his home country, for it could affect business. Luo Zheng's expression turned stern as his eyes darted to a nearby nightclub, sensing something tricky inside, as if there were a trap waiting for him to leap into.

On high alert, Luo Zheng didn't head straight for the nightclub. Instead, he circled around, discreetly observing his surroundings to ensure that there were no other beggars' accomplices, while moving towards the beggar. As he got closer, a truck roared by, its bright lights dazzling, and the beggar ducked his head to avoid it. Seizing the rare opportunity, Luo Zheng sprinted forward with an explosive burst, his hand chop whistling towards the other's neck.

The beggar became aware of the danger and suddenly looked up, but his vision was blinded by the truck's lights, and he couldn't see anything. Then he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and his vision went dark; Luo Zheng, having succeeded in his surprise attack, silently thanked his luck. If it weren't for those two trucks, he wouldn't have had such an easy time. He grabbed the man by the collar and dashed into the adjacent alley with a swift movement.

The alley was deserted and pitch black; without the light spilling from the surrounding rooms, there would be no way to see the path. Luo Zheng ran with all his might as if he were a ghost in the darkness, quickly exiting the alley and sprinting towards the outskirts of the town.

Minutes later, Luo Zheng arrived on the outskirts with his captive, a desolate gobi strewn with overgrown dry grass and covered with hard pebbles. The terrain was flat. Following the moonlight, Luo Zheng quickly moved to a low-lying area to hide, calmly watching the direction he had come from. His cold gaze flickered in the night like a fierce beast ready to strike. Mogan Town was a haven of strangeness, and Luo Zheng could sense death lurking everywhere, daring not to be the slightest bit careless.

After waiting a few minutes with no pursuit, Luo Zheng let out a sigh of relief, pried open the beggar's mouth, and found a toxic tooth, which made him exclaim how fortunate he was. Ghost Hand had taught him that anyone responsible for covert observation or sentry duty in significant organizations was no small fry; they would usually prepare a toxic tooth for suicide in case of capture. Luo Zheng had tried his luck and, to his surprise, it had paid off, which made his expression grave.

The man's disguise was incredibly sophisticated, not something he could have detected without the coincidences that had unfolded. Finding the toxic tooth in his mouth unequivocally indicated the man's identity was far from ordinary. Luo Zheng quickly tore open the man's clothes, tied up his hands and feet, searched him without finding anything, and then pinched his vital point to rouse him.

Soon the man came to, looking at Luo Zheng in astonishment, panic flashing in his eyes before he asked, "Who are you, and what do you want to do?"

"Actually, you shouldn't have spoken. Speaking exposes your identity," said Luo Zheng coldly. "Impersonating a beggar is a clever disguise. Tell me, what is your real identity? Let's not pretend—smart people like us won't buy the local beggar act. Your speech has already betrayed you." As he spoke, Luo Zheng placed the chilling M9 combat knife against the man's neck, anger filling his eyes. Thinking of Lan Xue, who might be in danger because of this person, Luo Zheng's urge to kill intensified, and his patience wore thin.