"I'm in the Dragon Clan, what the heck is the Naruto Counterattack System?"

The entrance to the Kendo class at the Children's Palace.

Besides the senior student who stayed on duty, there were two police officers in uniform standing there.

The older officers, with their sharp eyes, scanned their surroundings as if searching for something.

"...I understand roughly." Another young officer, holding a notebook and pen, said with a broad smile, "Just one last time, are you sure you didn't see someone who is about 175 cm tall and weighs around 70 kg?"

"I've asked three times already, I really didn't see it!" The senior student waved his hand, looking helpless. "We've been recruiting since noon, there are so many people here, how could we notice these things?"

Seeing this, the young police officer realized he wouldn't get any more information. Helpless, he put the pen back in his notebook, raised his hand in a salute, and said, "Alright, I'm sorry to have taken up your time. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Yes, yes, cooperating with the police investigation is every citizen's duty," the apprentice sighed, sounding annoyed.

After exchanging a few words, the two turned to leave.

Click.

In the incredibly quiet and spacious dojo, the crisp, echoing sound of a door opening behind him was like a stone falling on water, causing ripples to spread. The veteran police officer instinctively stopped in his tracks.

"Hey, Junior Brother Chu, you're awake? Junior Brother Qi, are you heading back?"

Turning around, he saw Chu Zihang standing there stunned after pushing open the door. Qi Xiuyuan walked out from behind him with a normal expression. The senior brother didn't care about Chu Zihang's behavior. The gloom on his face disappeared, and he greeted him with a smile.

Chu Zihang and Qi Xiuyuan were considered to be Old Man Yuan's personal disciples, but they were the youngest students. They never acted like personal disciples and addressed the older students as their senior brothers. Therefore, they were well-liked in the class.

"yes."

Qi Xiuyuan's gaze swept over the two police officers, briefly meeting the scrutinizing look from the older officer, before naturally shifting to his senior colleague with a smile, saying, "It's getting late, we should head back."

"Do you need me to drive you back?"

"No need, senior brother, aren't you on duty? We've already called a car, so we won't trouble you."

Qi Xiuyuan politely declined, but the older police officer suddenly spoke up: "You two are Qi Xiuyuan and Chu Zihang?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Xiuyuan seemed to only then notice the two men. He looked at the two police officers, paused for a moment, and said, "I am Qi Xiuyuan, and you..."

Where were you last night?

Before Qi Xiuyuan could finish speaking, the old police officer interrupted him.

The senior officer then noticed that the two police officers hadn't left yet, especially seeing the older officer still scrutinizing Qi Xiuyuan with a critical gaze. He immediately frowned in displeasure and asked, "Is there anything else you need?"

"Ah, no, that's all." The young officer seemed a bit surprised as well, and quickly tugged at the sleeve of his senior colleague beside him. "Brother Li, what's wrong?"

"...It's nothing, just my professional instincts kicking in. Sorry, we'll be going now."

The veteran officer snapped out of his daze, seemingly realizing that his gaze and tone had been somewhat offensive. He nodded slightly to Qi Xiuyuan and gave him an apologetic smile, though it seemed a little stiff, perhaps because he didn't like to smile.

However, before turning to leave, he took one last deep look at Chu Zihang, whose face was expressionless.

"Is this a population census?" Qi Xiuyuan asked, walking over in confusion.

"What census?" The senior student shook his head and sighed. "It's because a wanted criminal from another province came here and killed four thugs. This isn't a census."

Upon hearing this, Chu Zihang frowned and glanced at Qi Xiuyuan, who had an innocent smile on his face. He had already guessed that the "cross-provincial wanted criminal" that the other party was talking about was the man next to him.

But what exactly did he do, and why was he labeled a "cross-provincial wanted criminal"?

Could it be that they deliberately imitated the murder methods of a wanted criminal to mislead the police investigation?

This certainly seems like something Qi Xiuyuan would do.

Thinking of this, Chu Zihang couldn't help but sigh in his heart, feeling that he had sighed as many times in one day as he usually did in a month.

But is it really normal for a 15-year-old to have four lives on his hands?

Having such a friend puts a lot of pressure on Chu Zihang.

Luckily, he usually has a blank expression, otherwise he might have given himself away just now.

"Should I find him a psychologist?" Chu Zihang couldn't help but think to himself.

I have a feeling that if the police come to the door again, and he gets scared a few more times, he'll be the one who needs to see a psychologist.

beep.

The familiar sound of a car horn came from outside the Children's Palace, interrupting Chu Zihang's chaotic thoughts. Qi Xiuyuan also recognized the sound and said with a smile, "I won't say anything more, senior brother. The car is here to pick us up, so I'll be leaving now."

Having said that, he turned around...

"Hey, junior brother, wait a minute."

Hearing the voice behind him, Qi Xiuyuan subconsciously stopped in his tracks, but when he turned around, a not-so-thin paper package was stuffed into his and Chu Zihang's hands.

The senior patted them on the shoulder and laughed, "This is what the teacher told me. It's your salary for this exhibition match. Although you two rich kids and self-made men aren't short of money, we still have to pay you."

"Although I don't know what he meant, he also said that you should take those two knives away."

So many? Two knives?

Feeling the weight of the paper package in his hand, Chu Zihang paused for a moment and was about to refuse, but was suddenly stopped by Qi Xiuyuan.

He turned to look at him, his eyes filled with doubt, and Qi Xiuyuan shook his head.

Qi Xiuyuan knew exactly what Chu Zihang was planning to say the moment he stuck his butt out.

Being too straightforward is nothing more than the "no reward without merit" mentality.

However, there's no need; it's rare for that stingy old man to be willing to part with a little bit of money.

"Then thank you, Senior Brother." Qi Xiuyuan put away the paper package and smiled, "Please also help me and Senior Brother Chu wish Teacher good fortune in martial arts."

Soon, Qi Xiuyuan and Chu Zihang, each carrying a horizontal sword and a broken sword respectively, left.

But not long after the two left, just as the senior was about to close the door, two figures in blue police uniforms reappeared at the door.

knock knock.

"Hello." The veteran officer knocked on the door to draw the other person's attention before speaking, "Sorry to bother you again, but I have some questions about those two who just left..."

Upon hearing this, the senior brother paused for a moment, then his eyes twitched slightly.

"Haha, there are still some questions, right?"

He walked over cheerfully, affectionately put his arm around the older police officer's shoulder and entered the dojo. With his other hand, he pushed the younger police officer who followed him out the door, hooked the door shut with his foot, and said with a smile, "No problem, let's come in and ask slowly."

------

As night deepens, the endless stream of cars lights up, weaving the city's veins on the roads.

The fine drizzle fell on the windows of the cars, the winding paths of the raindrops resembling the veins of a leaf. The orange-yellow light of the streetlights swept across the cars, like reflecting the twinkling stars.

"Young master, please fasten your seatbelt."

The Mercedes-Benz S500, with its warm-toned interior and dry air conditioning, had the key in the driver's seat and the engine already warmed up. With a press of the accelerator, it smoothly carried Qi Xiuyuan and the other man away from the Youth Palace.

"...Uncle Shun, please just call me Xiao Mang."

Hearing Lao Shun, the driver who wore sunglasses, had a neck thicker than everyone else's head, and looked like a bodyguard, call him "Young Master," and feeling Qi Xiuyuan's teasing gaze beside him, Chu Zihang said helplessly.

He has actually changed his name to "Lu Mang" now, but he has been using the name Chu Zihang for more than ten years, so his teachers and friends still call him Chu Zihang more often. Only the people around his "father" call him Lu Mang.

This is also one of the reasons why he didn't want his "father" to send someone to pick him up.

"Yes, young master," the driver, Lao Shun, said in a measured tone. "Where would you like to go?"

Qi Xiuyuan burst out laughing, while Chu Zihang fell silent, feeling incredibly tired today. He sighed, turned his head, and said, "Let's go to that place we went to before..."

His words were abruptly cut off before he could finish.

Qi Xiuyuan turned to look at him and found that he was just staring blankly out the car window. He followed his gaze.

Looking up, you see neon lights in both cool and warm tones, making the night colorful and vibrant.

Chu Zihang was looking at a magnificent bathhouse, decorated like a Roman palace, making it clear at a glance that this bathhouse was not a legitimate establishment.

But the most important thing isn't whether the bathhouse is legitimate or not, but that a Maybach 62 is parked in front of it.

That was the person and car that Chu Zihang had been waiting for but hadn't seen yet, and now it had appeared in this place.

"..."

Chu Zihang gripped the broken sword sheathed tightly, a sudden urge to kill his own father welling up inside him.