Chapter 37: Disappearance

Beneath the Ferris wheel, lighting equipment had long been set up, turning the area as bright as day.

Officers and patrol agents carefully examined the scene nearby, searching meticulously for traces and photographing every detail.

“These three hunters all belong to the Dark Star Syndicate’s professional assassins.”

Team Leader Han looked at the three corpses on the ground, then stepped forward, straightened one man’s leg with his toe, and said: “By regulation, eliminating a professional assassin from the Dark Star Syndicate earns you a Third-Class Merit.”

“Third-Class Merit?” Lin Qing nodded slightly—it was no surprise.

Second-Class Merit required even squad leaders to tread carefully under immense pressure, but he’d faced these three assassins with little strain.

Only when protecting Zhao Jiayi and Teng Feiyu had there been slight complications.

These three assassins themselves were insignificant; their threat came from their mastery of archery, mechanical ocular implants, and specialized gear, combined with flawless coordination.

If they’d been high-level underground fighters unarmed, even ten times as many wouldn’t have frightened him.

Since none of these assassins had wanted posters, earning just three Third-Class Merits was normal.

After accumulating three Third-Class Merits, he could learn a combat technique anyway.

“You misunderstood.”

Team Leader Han’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I mean, each professional assassin from the Dark Star Syndicate you eliminate earns you one Third-Class Merit.”

Lin Qing turned sharply to Team Leader Han: “Each one earns one?”

“Yes.” Team Leader Han nodded.

Lin Qing’s eyes lit up.

He suddenly felt the attack had been a blessing.

He’d suffered no harm, only expended some energy; Zhao Jiayi hadn’t been hurt—and now he’d earned three Third-Class Merits! In two days, when the fugitive-capture merit came through, plus Zhao Jiayi lending him one, that would be six Third-Class Merits total…

With that, he could directly learn two combat techniques!

If he mastered two more techniques, his strength would surge significantly.

Then…

He’d have the confidence to forcibly raid the underground fighting arena of the Yuanhong Society!

“If I eliminate more Dark Star assassins, can I learn any technique I want?” Lin Qing felt tempted.

Of course, he knew it wasn’t realistic—the Dark Star Syndicate had only sent these killers because they didn’t know his true strength, and he’d turned the tables on them.

Once they learned his capabilities, they’d either send an unkillable team or refuse the contract entirely.

“Eliminate more?”

Team Leader Han fell silent, glancing at him. “I heard the Dark Star Syndicate’s rule is one strike only—if they fail, they withdraw. They rarely fail. You want them to come back? This time it was professional assassins; next time it’ll be elite or even Soul-Level assassins.”

“Just joking.” Lin Qing shook his head. “But… the Dark Star Syndicate sounds powerful?”

“I don’t know much.”

Team Leader Han paused before saying: “But from what’s known, the Dark Star Syndicate is a global assassination organization. They train assassins internally and hire many external ones too… they just dare not enter the urban zones.”

Lin Qing fully understood the weight of that.

As a secret assassination organization meant to lurk in darkness, even patrol and Gongan knew of its existence—and yet couldn’t destroy it.

Leaving other matters aside, the Dark Star Syndicate must be exceptionally skilled at concealment and evading patrols.

Thinking of that, three Third-Class Merits didn’t seem so few.

“So this merit really isn’t easy to earn. No wonder I’d never heard of it before.” Lin Qing nodded slightly.

“This is my first time seeing it firsthand,” Team Leader Han agreed.

Lin Qing understood how rare this was.

Normally, Dark Star assassins excel at concealment and plan murders meticulously, eliminating targets swiftly before vanishing—impossible to track.

He happened to be their target, and he’d hidden too much of his strength, giving him the chance to turn the tables.

“So since your probation, you’ve already gathered six Third-Class Merits.”

Team Leader Han glanced at Lin Qing and murmured: “That’s fast.”

“Luck,” Lin Qing smiled.

“I’ve been a patrol agent for years—only seven Third-Class Merits total,” Team Leader Han sighed.

He glanced around, saw no one was paying attention, and lowered his voice: “But three professional Dark Star hunters attacked together—and you killed them all. Your strength…”

“Yes, I’ve mastered a combat technique,” Lin Qing didn’t hide it, nodding immediately.

Without mastering a technique, he’d have died for sure—there’d be no hiding that.

Besides, he never intended to keep hiding.

This was the perfect chance to reveal his “combat technique prodigy” persona.

“So fast?”

Team Leader Han couldn’t help glancing at him. “It’s only been a month, right? Wait—didn’t you easily handle those two fugitives at the bathhouse? Did you master it before that?” “Yes, much earlier,” Lin Qing smiled and nodded.

Team Leader Han drew a deep breath.

He fell silent for a moment, then shook his head: “I’d heard rumors of people with extraordinary talent for combat techniques—Tian’an City had produced such prodigies before—but I’ve never seen one in person.”

Normally, mastering one technique takes a year or more; even the fastest take three to five months.

Those who master it in ten or fifteen days are exceedingly rare exceptions.

It’s nearly as rare as mastering the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method—only the Chief Commander of the Tian’an Patrol Bureau, Yuan Anping, and one other person in the entire system have achieved it.

Such combat technique prodigies appear only once in a generation.

“Too bad, after tonight, you won’t be able to hide anymore,” Team Leader Han shook his head.

“Doesn’t matter,” Lin Qing said. “Good—it’ll make the Bureau pay more attention to me. By the way, does the Bureau offer any privileges to combat technique prodigies?”

Team Leader Han thought a moment. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask Director Kou.”

Lin Qing nodded.

“Too bad you were targeted by Dark Star assassins—the Bureau can’t even investigate for you.”

Team Leader Han shook his head. “If it were any other case, you—a patrol officer and a combat technique prodigy—the Bureau would pursue it to the end.”

Lin Qing said nothing.

Though no evidence would ever be found, it was almost certainly the Yuanhong Society who hired the assassins—likely because Teng Feiyu had drawn their attention.

After all, Teng Feiyu had been investigating the Yuanhong Society these past days, even applying for a search warrant.

Either he’d been discovered during his investigation, or his application triggered a mole inside the district bureau.

If it was the latter, the suspect could already be narrowed down…

Lin Qing narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Still, it was a close call,” Team Leader Han glanced behind him. “But your team member seems off?”

Lin Qing turned and saw Zhao Jiayi sitting nearby, staring blankly. “Team Leader Han, I’ll take her home first—could you keep an eye on things here?”

Team Leader Han grunted.

Lin Qing walked over to Zhao Jiayi. “How are you? Are you alright?”

Zhao Jiayi lifted her head slightly and shook it. “Just a bit shaken… and tired.”

“Since everything’s settled, I’ll take you home. Afterward, I need to visit the hospital to check on Teng Feiyu,” Lin Qing said.

“No need, Team Leader. I already called my dad—he’s coming to pick me up,” Zhao Jiayi said. “You go ahead.”

“Alright.”

Lin Qing nodded. “I’ll take you to the amusement park entrance and wait for your father.”

Zhao Jiayi nodded softly and stood up.

Lin Qing led her through the amusement park, soon reaching the entrance.

Soon after, the same blue-and-white private car he’d seen outside the district bureau sped down the road and pulled up at the entrance.

As the door opened, Lin Qing couldn’t make out the passenger’s face—only a man’s silhouette.

“Team Leader, goodbye,” Zhao Jiayi waved as she got in.

“Alright.”

Lin Qing nodded.

Watching the blue-and-white car drive away, he noticed Zhao Jiayi’s father seemed cold. He muttered: “You saved your daughter—couldn’t you even come out and thank me?”

But maybe he suspected Lin Qing had dragged his daughter into danger—his coldness was understandable.

He hadn’t saved her to be thanked anyway.

“Go see Teng Feiyu.”

Lin Qing hailed a ride-hailing car and headed toward Xiaoshan District People’s Hospital.

…

That night, after Gongan and patrol teams finished searching the entire amusement park, the abandoned grounds fell silent once more.

On the bungee platform of the observation tower, investigators found only a faint set of footprints in the accumulated dust.

But strangely—

Only one set of footprints leading onto the bungee platform was found. No footprints leading away.

As if… someone had climbed up—and vanished into thin air.

(End of Chapter)