Seeing Zhao Guo'an still seemed confused, Xiao Feng added, "Take the acrobatic troupe we encountered earlier, for example. Those people are vicious enough and inhumane enough, right?

But so what?

When those people realized they were likely being watched by the police, they chose to run immediately, even if they were up against someone as seemingly nonthreatening as Lin Jiaxuan, they still didn't choose to confront head-on."

Zhao Guo'an pondered, "Are you saying that no matter how fierce the rat, it'll still fear the cat?"

"Exactly." Xiao Feng nodded. "It's a natural restraint, like the food chain. No matter how skilled a thief might be, how many have you seen stealing from a police station?

The same goes for Ninth Master. He knows he's doing something illegal. Although he donated all his wealth and turned over a new leaf, that doesn't mean he doesn't care about everything, or that losing his freedom is no big deal."

"I thought, with his age, he wouldn't mind going in." Zhao Guo'an shook his head and laughed.

Xiao Feng scoffed, "That's just one perspective. Some people think they don't have many years left and just want to experience a completely different life inside.

But others think they should make the most of the little time left to enjoy and live out their final years in peace."

"So how can you be sure that Ninth Master is the latter type?"

"Besides the bonds of family, love, and friendship, people are invariably drawn to fame and fortune. Ninth Master donated all his money. Let's say he doesn't love money, but could he really not care about his reputation?

People want to leave a good name behind, like a wild goose leaving its echo. I believe the vast majority care about their legacy and don't want to have their reputation tarnished after death, even if no one remembers them a few days later.

Being indifferent to fame and fortune is easy to say, but how many can truly achieve it?"

After hearing Xiao Feng's long speech, Zhao Guo'an nodded in agreement, saying with appreciation, "Old Xiao, when you're not sarcasm-prone, I actually enjoy chatting with you."

"Is that so?" Xiao Feng grinned mischievously. "Then let's have a good chat."

"Why do I find your smile so sinister?" Zhao Guo'an said with a grimace, his instincts telling him that Xiao Feng was about to make trouble for him again.

Sure enough, Xiao Feng asked, "How are things going with you and Zhen Jinghan?"

"You have the nerve to ask me that?" Zhao Guo'an instantly became angry, wanting to vent his frustration but remembering he had once similarly set up Xiao Feng, and had to swallow his anger.

After a moment, Zhao Guo'an replied in a frustrated tone, "She originally just had some thoughts about me, but because of your 'if you love someone, say it loud' advice, she now thinks I'm interested in her too.

But it doesn't matter. This meeting was a coincidence. Who knows when we'll meet again next time."

"I can help you out, get her to agree to live with you," Xiao Feng offered.

Zhao Guo'an paused in his steps, speaking seriously, "Old Xiao, I seriously ask you, do you really consider me a friend?"

"If I didn't consider you a friend, I wouldn't bother with your business," Xiao Feng replied with a laugh.

"If you consider me a friend, then don't help me on one hand while pushing me into a corner on the other." Zhao Guo'an replied indignantly.

Xiao Feng said patiently, "I won't speak of before, but this time my intentions are genuine. Given your conditions, you're naturally not lacking, but you can only attract old men.

Now, there's finally a young woman like Zhen Jinghan interested in you, and you don't know how to seize the opportunity? Or do you really want to spend an unfazed, joyful life with those old men who admire you?

Or is it... that you have a special complex, perhaps you can't get past Zhen Jinghan having been married three times?"

Zhao Guo'an let out a sigh, "You forget my profession; although she's been married three times, Zhen Jinghan is still a virgin."

Xiao Feng sighed, "By that logic, those three guys were really out of luck, marrying her and never getting to the honeymoon before passing away."

"In any case, you don't need to worry about my affairs." Zhao Guo'an said, then prepared to move on.

However, before he took a step, he noticed a figure standing in the middle of the road not far ahead.

The person looked tall and slim, wearing a raincoat despite it not being rainy, with a large hood covering tightly, making it impossible to see what they looked like, only from the outline to roughly judge the person was male.

Xiao Feng's eyes narrowed; it was eleven at night and the middle of winter, standing like that in the road, if there wasn't something suspicious, then one would have to be foolish.

"Do we go by the book or start fighting straight away?" Xiao Feng asked in a deep voice, signaling Zhao Guo'an to take the small path around.

"Old Xiao, I think it's safer staying by your side." Zhao Guo'an said nervously, "If I leave, someone might sneak up from behind and knock me out."

Xiao Feng thought about it, agreed with the logic, and said no more, just motioned for Zhao Guo'an to take cover by the nearby shop entrance.

Zhao Guo'an knew he couldn't be of help, so he sensibly ran to the side to call for backup.

At that moment, a cold mechanical voice sounded, "Yan Huang, long time no see."

Xiao Feng's pupils constricted sharply, "Thompson Antonio!"

"Hehe... to be remembered by you, should I feel honored?"

The voice remained cold and mechanical, completely inhuman, an artificial voice that sounded distinctly sci-fi.

After speaking, Thompson raised his arm, slowly removing the hood of the raincoat...

"Clank!"

Zhao Guo'an's phone fell to the ground, his eyes almost dazed as he looked at Thompson.

Because the raised wasn't a hand but five mechanical claws, a scene he'd only seen in sci-fi movies, yet now was facing in real life.

The next moment, Zhao Guo'an was completely stunned, and Xiao Feng also frowned slightly, showing slight discomfort.

Under the hood, Thompson's half-mechanical, half-human face was revealed, looking incredibly terrifying under the dim streetlamp.

But more frightening was yet to come...

Thompson grinned, exposing a row of serrated teeth glinting cold, like a piranha's, sending shivers down one's spine.

"Old friend, I assume you guessed, I'm here to kill you."

Thompson didn't open his mouth, but the voice appeared, icy and devoid of emotion.

Xiao Feng squinted, "No, you're here to die!"

"Perhaps." Thompson shrugged, "I'm still happy to see you; it's a chance for you to witness my research achievements over the years."

As he finished speaking, Thompson suddenly raised his mechanical hand, the skeletal steel claw darting towards Xiao Feng like an arrow released from a bowstring.

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