Chapter 24: Strategy Determines the Path, Vision Determines the Outcome

This was a race against time.

Kicking through the stone pillar again to trigger the alarm, Fu Qian proceeded with familiar ease. Less than five minutes later, he arrived at Wen Li’s room.

Kicking down the door, shattering the bowl, and saving the girl—it was all done in one fluid motion. However, this time, facing the stone pillar projectile, he did not shove Wen Li aside.

Taking a deep breath, he gathered his raw power into his right hand and met the incoming stone pillar with a single, thunderous punch.

Amidst a deafening roar, dust filled the air. The massive stone pillar, thicker than a man could embrace, was pulverized into thousands of fragments, creating a hailstorm of debris within the room.

Fu Qian withdrew his hand and looked back at the people in the room, all covered in dust. There was dead silence; facing a display of power akin to a deity, the group seemed to have stopped thinking.

Very good. That was the exact effect he wanted!

"May I ask..."

In the end, it was Wen Xiuxian who recovered his senses first. He looked at Fu Qian’s face cautiously, as if weighing his words. "Sir... what is the meaning of this?"

"No time to explain."

Fu Qian snorted, standing with his hands behind his back in the manner of an expert, gesturing for Wen Xiuxian to look at the stone giant emerging in the courtyard. "The situation is critical. Lead the way to the safe room here, or your daughter is as good as dead."

"This..."

Wen Xiuxian instinctively wanted to refuse, but recalling the terrifying scene of Fu Qian shattering stone with a single punch, he swallowed his words.

Although he had seen underground shelters built by wealthy elites before, as he watched the massive metal door, nearly two meters thick, slowly swing open, Fu Qian realized he had still underestimated just how afraid these people were of dying.

"This is it," Wen Xiuxian said, pointing inside the metal door. "Once activated, this door can only be opened from the inside; it cannot be opened from the outside. The supplies inside are enough to last a long time, but..."

After the initial shock, he had regained his composure, and his expression turned hesitant. An unidentified person suddenly appearing in his home and insisting on shoving him into a safe room—anyone would be suspicious. To make matters worse, this man was wearing a standard bodyguard uniform with the words "Guwei" shining brightly on his chest.

*This guy must be at least a Rank 6 transcendent, right? How did I not know this security company was so formidable?*

"Is it really necessary for us to hide in here? Who exactly is the enemy?"

"People capable of killing you. And it’s not 'us'." Fu Qian pointed behind Wen Xiuxian. "Just me and Wen Li. Everyone else, get out. No one is allowed to approach without my orders, or they will be killed on sight."

"Who the hell do you think you are to be barking orders!"

Before the stunned Wen Xiuxian could speak, a voice roared from behind. It was the young Master Ye, who had just arrived upon hearing the commotion. He likely hadn't seen the display of power just now. Fu Qian glanced at him.

Compared to Wen Xiuxian and his group, the four men accompanying young Master Ye were much neater. They must have just entered the Wen residence when he shattered the pillar.

"You don't want to die, do you?"

Fu Qian ignored him completely and turned to Wen Li. The young lady had been doused with poisoned soup and then showered in limestone dust; she looked truly wretched. Yet, even so, her beauty remained hard to conceal, taking on a forlorn, pitiful charm. It was no wonder young Master Ye was so anxious after hearing his proposal.

"I..."

Having just returned from the gates of death, Wen Li was still shaken, her eyes filled with a peculiar hesitation. "Can we go somewhere else?"

"No!"

Confirming that her will to survive was intact and that she wouldn't suffer a mental breakdown, Fu Qian unceremoniously kicked her into the safe room and engaged the switch.

"How dare you!"

A roar came from behind. Ignored, young Master Ye attacked, a sharp gust of wind rushing toward Fu Qian’s back.

Perfect!

Stamping a deep crater into the alloy floor, Fu Qian used the recoil to charge forward.

"Watch out!"

A figure moved faster than the eye could follow, cutting in front of young Master Ye to intercept Fu Qian.

*I was waiting for you!*

Mr. Ji, who had been silently playing the part of the expert, had finally lost his patience. Facing an attack far sharper than young Master Ye’s, Fu Qian chose to meet it head-on without hesitation.

Fists and feet collided, force spilling outward. The upgraded strength sent Mr. Ji flying several meters away. Only then did young Master Ye’s attack arrive, delayed and sluggish.

Fu Qian didn't dodge. He simply slapped young Master Ye across the face, not only stopping the attack but sending him spinning through the air.

"This is not someone we can contend with!"

After landing, the enraged young Master Ye was grabbed by Mr. Ji. "Quickly, summon the Night Watchers!" The latter finished speaking and vomited a large mouthful of blood. Undeniably, as the top expert present, his judgment was sound.

The metal door slowly closed, and no one dared to interfere further. Fu Qian stood behind the door, looking at young Master Ye’s face—filled with a mix of fear, resentment, confusion, and shock—and felt a strange sense of irony.

Imagination truly is the source of all filth. Fu Qian was merely practicing medicine and saving lives; please do not speculate with such vulgar narratives.

*Creak!*

With one final sound, the metal door shut completely, and the interior of the safe room fell silent.

Fu Qian turned around. The space inside was quite spacious; the Wen family had clearly invested a fortune here. Wen Li had already stood up and was leaning against the wall. Having upgraded his power, he had better control now and was certain that his kick hadn't caused her any harm.

As their eyes met, Fu Qian noticed something off. The girl had actually taken the time to wipe her face!

"I can feel that you hold no malice toward me," Wen Li said, her voice trembling but steadying as she caught her breath. "Can you tell me why you are doing this?"

"To save your life, just as I said."

"If it’s good intentions, couldn't you have chosen a more gentle way to communicate?"

"No."

Fu Qian remained expressionless. In the cycles you don't know about, I already tried the gentle way. Of course, only relatively gentle.

...

"Then may I ask how long we have to stay here?" Wen Li thought of another question.

Fu Qian held up one finger.

"A week...? It wouldn't be a month, would it?" Wen Li looked quite resistant.

"No." Fu Qian wagged his finger. "One day."

*Only one day?* Wen Li’s eyes lit up; the answer was clearly beyond her expectations. "Does this mean the assassins will give up their mission after today?"

"No, it means you have one day to break through." Fu Qian wagged his finger again. "From now on, start meditating!"

"If you haven't reached Rank 6 by this time tomorrow, I’ll strip you bare and throw you out."

"Crying counts toward the time limit!"