Chapter 16: There Is No Room for a Deity Like Me Here

“Huh? I’ve lost track of their positions!” Dongfang Cheng cried out as his computer screen abruptly went black. Adjusting his black-framed glasses, he turned to look at the man seated in the back of the car.

“Leave it for now. Have the Luo family’s bodyguards keep a close eye on them for me,” Gu Ting said, his fingertips tapping lightly on the seat.

Dongfang Cheng agreed, though he still felt uneasy. He shoved the laptop into Gu Ting’s arms and said, “I’ll go check it out myself—I’m not convinced it’s safe.”

With that, he opened the car door and jumped out, donning a mask and hat so that only his glasses frames were visible.

Gu Ting stared at the chaotic data on the laptop. An expert had arrived.

Meanwhile, Xia Mang was tied up in the back of another large truck. These captors at least showed some respect, leaving her mask untouched and making no attempt to see her face.

Dongfang Cheng approached slowly. The two burly men guarding the back of the truck nodded at him respectfully.

“Keep a close watch,” Dongfang Cheng ordered in a low voice, assigning four more men to the task.

He glanced at Xia Mang and paused for a moment, feeling sure he’d seen her somewhere before, though he couldn’t recall where.

“Don’t worry, sir. Even if ten Li Goudan showed up, we’d put them all down!” one of the burly men said with a goofy grin.

Dongfang Cheng’s mouth twitched. Did they think men like that grew on trees? Ten of them?

He cast another glance at the woman in the truck, turned, and started toward Gu Ting’s car. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps before he heard the thud of something heavy hitting the ground.

It had begun.

Dongfang Cheng drew his gun and fired quickly at a man in black.

Shen Qing moved with remarkable agility and speed, effortlessly dodging the flying bullets as six men had already fallen.

“What is she, part monkey?” Dongfang Cheng barely dodged a bullet himself, ducking behind a car and gasping for breath.

It hadn’t taken long, and Li Goudan had already taken out the snipers hiding in the shadows! Unbelievable!

“I knew you’d come,” Xia Mang said, watching as the figure in black, blade in hand, reached behind her and loosened the ropes.

Shen Qing ignored her and untied another captive, pulling two pistols from her waist and tossing them over.

“Useless,” she said coldly.

Xia Mang, thick-skinned, only grinned slyly.

Wang Qiang, on the other hand, looked mortified; if circumstances allowed, he’d probably start questioning his entire existence.

“That hacker was pretty good... I slipped up and gave him an opening.”

“We’ll discuss it later. These people won’t be easy to deal with.” Shen Qing jumped down from the truck, scanning the surroundings.

Bang!

A bullet sliced through the air, aimed for her head.

Xia Mang was about to shout a warning, but Shen Qing’s hand snapped up, her body twisting as she fired a shot in the direction of the bullet.

The two bullets collided mid-air.

Dongfang Cheng, hiding behind the car, nearly dropped his jaw.

“Damn! Bullet against bullet—what kind of person is this?” He was certain Li Goudan’s target had been that very bullet.

Xia Mang’s mouth twitched, and she reached out to close the gaping mouth of the man beside her.

“Tsk! She never misses a chance to show off,” she muttered. Shen Qing had done it on purpose; after all, ninety-nine percent of those present were stunned.

Gu Ting was momentarily taken aback himself, the corners of his mouth lifting beneath his mask as he rasped, “I’ve long heard of your reputation, sir.”

Shen Qing played with her pistol, frowning slightly—she found his voice grating, like a broken bellows.

“I’m just an ordinary person with a bit of wit, nothing more.”

Everyone present was dumbfounded.

With marksmanship like that, ordinary? They must be trash then!

“Mr. Li, whatever Tiangou can offer you, the Gu family can as well,” Gu Ting proposed.

Compared to the other families, this generation of the Gu clan was significantly weaker. Seven years ago, Long Aotian’s unparalleled computer skills had built Tiangou’s foundation, turning it into a renowned international intelligence organization.

With Li Goudan’s capabilities, he could soon surpass Long Aotian—that was why the Gu family had gone to such lengths.

“Hell! Poaching talent so openly, as if Tiangou doesn’t exist?” Xia Mang cursed under her breath. And for just one person, too—how humiliating!

“I’m afraid your master’s temple can’t accommodate a Buddha like me.”

Gu Ting’s eyes narrowed, a murderous glint flashing within.

Xia Mang watched them closely, her gun cocked.

“Very well, let’s settle this directly,” Gu Ting said, and his men sprang into action.

Shen Qing’s aim was perfect and her speed unmatched; none of them could touch her. Soon, a swath of bodies lay on the ground, unconscious but alive—she hadn’t killed.

“Holy hell, what combat power!” Dongfang Cheng, hiding behind a car, had considered taking a shot himself, but with Gu Ting and Li Goudan tangled together, he was afraid of hitting the wrong side.

“Hey! Go steal a car!” Xia Mang kicked one of the hulks below the belt and quickly dislocated his arm.

“My name’s not ‘Hey,’ it’s Wang Qiang,” he replied with a goofy smile.

Xia Mang rolled her eyes. “Damn it! Hurry up!”

“Okay,” Wang Qiang slipped off into the shadows.

*

Shen Qing moved fast and struck hard. Gu Ting took a kick to the calf and nearly fell.

Spotting an opening, Shen Qing aimed a kick at his lower abdomen. Gu Ting’s eyes darkened; he grabbed her ankle and yanked, sending her sprawling to the ground in a splits.

As she tried to rise, Gu Ting was quick to knock away her gun, but Shen Qing was no pushover—she sent his own pistol clattering to the ground.

“Stop now, and it’s not too late,” Gu Ting said, aiming her gun at her.

“You really think you can kill me with my own gun?” Shen Qing heard a car engine roar to life nearby, her eyes narrowing.

Gu Ting hesitated and pulled the trigger—nothing. The gun was empty.

Shen Qing flung her hands forward, sending a flurry of small darts at Gu Ting. He dodged, hitting the ground awkwardly as Shen Qing caught up with the car.

“Hey!” Xia Mang hauled her inside, and when bullets started flying, instinctively shielded her.

Her arm throbbed with pain, and Xia Mang sucked in a sharp breath, frowning.

Damn that guy with the glasses!