What the hell is the "kill line" when you're in America?

At the other end of the alley, two figures appeared behind Marcus.

They were dressed in black tight-fitting sportswear and wearing baseball caps.

The brim of the hat was pulled down very low, obscuring his face.

Their hands were always in their pockets.

That posture clearly indicated that he was ready to pull out a deadly weapon at any moment.

Li Ang's gaze swept over the four thugs who rushed in front of Mike.

One of them was slowly pulling his hand out of his pocket.

The remaining light from the streetlights reflected a cold, metallic gleam.

It's a gun.

Li Ang made a move.

The body's instincts have outpaced the brain's commands.

He pounced out silently like a cheetah.

He didn't rush towards the thug who pulled out a gun, but towards Mike, who was standing there stunned.

"Bang!"

A second before the gunshot rang out, Li Ang's shoulder slammed into Mike's waist.

Mike's tall body was sent flying by the force, and the two rolled behind a pile of garbage nearby.

The bullet grazed Mike's scalp and left a fist-sized dent in the wall.

Gravel flew everywhere, and gunshots echoed through the alley.

"Fuck! Where is everyone?"

"Over there, behind the garbage dump!"

Mike's mind went blank, and all he could hear was a buzzing sound.

He didn't even realize what had happened.

"Shut up!"

Li Ang's cold, short voice exploded in his ears.

"If you want to live, run with me!"

The chaotic footsteps and shouts drew rapidly closer.

Without a moment's hesitation, Li Ang grabbed the limp Mike and pulled him up.

He dragged Mike along and ran deeper into the alley.

Mike staggered, relying entirely on Leon's strength to move.

"They're trying to run! Stop them!"

Both ends of the alley were blocked off.

Li Ang looked up and saw the rusty fire ladder on the wall.

"Go up!"

He yelled and shoved Mike toward the ladder.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two more shots were fired, the bullets hitting the metal railings of the fire escape.

It burst forth with dazzling sparks.

Mike was so startled that his hand trembled and he almost fell off the ladder.

Without wasting words, Li Ang followed closely behind Mike.

He gripped the ladder with one hand and grabbed Mike's ankle with the other like a pair of iron clamps.

He forcefully pushed Mike upwards.

The two men in black had already entered the alley; they didn't shout or yell.

They simply raised their hands calmly.

Their movements were very professional, and their gun barrels were very steady.

Li Ang felt threatened, as if a thorn was sticking out at his back.

He used all his strength to lift Mike onto the roof, and then climbed up himself.

"run!"

Li Ang grabbed Mike and ran wildly across the concrete ground of the rooftop.

The city is beneath my feet, and tall buildings surround me.

The night wind whistled past their ears.

They jumped from one rooftop to another.

Li Ang's agility was almost inhuman, while Mike was like a burden.

The muscular guy in this gym almost fell down several times.

They huddled behind a huge air conditioner unit, with Mike leaning against the wall, panting heavily.

His face was ashen white.

"Catherine..."

He muttered to himself.

Li Ang took his phone out of his pocket and found Catherine's number.

"Listen, I am Lee."

As soon as the call connected, Li Ang spoke in an unquestionable tone.

"Mike's in trouble. You're leaving the apartment right now."

"What? What happened...?"

Don't ask!

Li Ang interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Take your wallet and ID, and wait for my call at the 24-hour convenience store on the corner."

He hung up the phone, giving Catherine no chance to ask any further questions.

He glanced at Mike, who was still in shock.

"Go, get down."

They went down the fire escape of another building to another street.

The noise on the street became their best cover.

Li Ang's gaze swept quickly across the street.

A white old truck was parked on the side of the road with its engine running.

The driver was arguing with someone in the pizza shop next door.

"Get in the car."

Li Ang opened the car door.

"This is theft..."

Mike hesitated.

Li Ang turned around and glanced at him.

That look made Mike swallow the rest of his words.

"I'm not driving! Mike, you drive!"

"This is my first time driving too!"

"I can't worry about that anymore!"

Mike got into the passenger seat.

Li Ang jumped into the driver's seat, and the "information" he had been researching about cars finally came in handy.

I unplugged the engine cable, started the engine, and merged into traffic.

Li Ang gripped the steering wheel tightly.

He simply walked through the city streets.

He parked his car at a street corner near the convenience store and dialed Catherine's number again.

"Go out the back door, walk to the next intersection, and get into that white Ford van."

A few minutes later, Catherine opened the back door of the truck.

When she saw Mike huddled in the corner, trembling, tears instantly streamed down her face.

"Mike! Oh my god, what happened?"

Mike just held his head and couldn't say a word.

The car restarted.

Catherine hugged Mike, trying to comfort him.

Li Ang drove, his mind racing.

He couldn't go back to his apartment, he couldn't go back to Mike's house, and he couldn't go to any hotel.

He thought of a place: Victor's safe house.

That apartment in the 14th block, unknown to anyone.

He parked his car several blocks away to make sure no one was following him.

Then, he led the two of them on foot to the apartment.

The moment the door closed, the whole world went silent.

Catherine helped Mike sit on the sofa, but Mike still looked like a lost puppet.

Li Ang checked the doors and windows, then stood by the window.

He gazed at the city's night view outside the window, remaining silent.

He could sense the fear and helplessness of the couple behind him.

[Task: Pure Lotus in a Turbid World (In Progress)]

The system did not indicate that the task was completed.

This means the danger is not over.

Today is just the beginning.

As long as Mike clings to that ridiculous set of good guy principles, he's trying to cleanly escape this quagmire.

He will be constantly rejected and hunted down by this demonic land until he falls into ruin or dies.

Li Ang turned around and looked at Mike, who was curled up on the sofa.

He suddenly felt that perhaps he could "save" him in a different way.

The best way to save a lotus flower that is about to wither is not by watering or fertilizing it.

Instead, we uprooted it from this filth.

Li Ang took out his phone and dialed a number he didn't want to contact so soon.

On the other end of the phone, Victor was having a passionate encounter with his mistress.

Upon seeing the unfamiliar number, he initially intended to hang up immediately.

But a strange feeling of unease made him press the answer button.

"What is it?"

His voice was filled with the panting and impatience of exercise.

"I need you to help me find a few people."

The voice coming from the phone was as calm as a stagnant pool.

Victor jolted awake and sat bolt upright in bed.

The woman next to him was startled by this action.

"Is it you?"

Victor's voice instantly became tense.

"The 'street jackal' of the ninth block, and a fat guy named Marcus."

Li Ang ignored his surprise and spoke directly.

"Have you gotten into trouble with them?"

Victor lowered his voice; he knew those mad dogs.

"It's them, they've messed with me."

Li Ang's voice remained completely flat.

"I need to find two more people, professionals, who were with him at the time."

"Wearing black sportswear, carrying a gun."

Li Ang continued:

"Victor, find me a gun... preferably a pistol!"

Money is not a problem.