C21 Destroying the Evidence

Nie Feng headed directly to the security room, where Little Monkey and Lee Erniu were on duty alongside Wenn Xuan. They both looked surprised to see Nie Feng. "Feng, I thought you were on leave?" Little Monkey asked, puzzled.

"Oh, I need to speak with Third Master. Do you guys know where he might be?" Nie Feng inquired with a smile.

"We haven't seen Third Master all morning," Lee Erniu replied, shaking his head.

"If Third Master isn't at work, he's probably at home, in Building 16. You should check there, Feng!" suggested Little Monkey.

"Third Master lives in a villa?" Nie Feng exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Absolutely. Rumor has it the chairman personally recruited Third Master. Even though he's a security guard like us, his perks are worlds apart," chuckled Little Monkey.

Nie Feng nodded, impressed by the chairman's generosity—a villa worth millions, just like that.

After saying goodbye to Little Monkey and the others, Nie Feng strode toward Building 16. Shortly after he departed, Wenn Xuan also left the security room.

Nie Feng rang the doorbell and waited a couple of minutes before someone answered. When Third Master saw Nie Feng, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes—a fleeting moment, but Nie Feng caught it.

Third Master stood there in a black long-sleeved shirt, his posture ramrod straight, not betraying any signs of injury. Yet, Wang San typically wore short sleeves, and considering the day's heat, his choice of long sleeves was decidedly odd.

"Ah, Nie Feng, what brings you here?" Wang San greeted him with a warm smile.

"Third Master, I've been here for quite a while and haven't properly visited you. I made a special trip today just for that," Nie Feng said, extending his right hand.

Wang San paused, a moment of hesitation passing before he reciprocated the handshake. Seizing the moment, Nie Feng placed his left hand on Wang San's shoulder and applied a subtle pressure. He was curious to see if there was any sign of injury on Wang San's shoulder from the stabbing incident.

Wang San's expression remained remarkably composed, leaving even Nie Feng second-guessing his suspicions. But a moment later, Nie Feng's fingertips felt a subtle dampness. Wang San's black shirt hid any sign of blood, yet the moisture on Nie Feng's fingers was unmistakable.

With a slight smile, Nie Feng remarked, "Third Master, you're still in your prime, muscles as firm as ever."

"Oh, I'm nowhere close to you young folks. Please, come inside!" Wang San laughed heartily as he ushered Nie Feng into the villa.

Nie Feng stole a quick look at his thumb and, sure enough, it bore fresh blood. It confirmed his suspicion: Wang San was the man behind the mask. With this realization, a deadly resolve took hold in Nie Feng.

"Feng, you know, out of all the young ones, you're the one I see the most potential in. Keep up the good work, and you're bound for a bright future," Wang San said, beaming.

"Third Master, you're too kind. Actually, I have a bold request. Everyone speaks of your great skill, and I, Nie Feng, am eager to learn. Might I have the honor of sparring with you?" Nie Feng asked, his smile unwavering.

"Oh, Feng, what unfortunate timing. I've been under the weather lately, feeling quite weak. How about we spar once I'm back in good health? Say, in a few days?" Wang San replied, his voice tinged with regret.

"It seems to me, Third Master, that you're nursing injuries rather than an illness," Nie Feng said, his tone growing icy.

Nie Feng's intentions were crystal clear, and there was no longer any point in Wang San feigning innocence. His hand crept toward the sofa cushion.

"Stop right there! Old man, I never would have guessed it was really you," Nie Feng said, drawing his gun faster than Wang San and aiming it at his forehead.

"So, you've seen through me. What's your connection to that girl? Don't tell me you're with the Zhu family too?" Wang San asked, his hand halting as he let out a sigh.

"I'm not affiliated with the Zhu family. And my relationship with her is none of your concern. We had no quarrel, but since you're intent on killing her, I'm afraid I'll have to take you down first," Nie Feng said, the smile still playing on his lips.

"I never thought I, Wang San, would be taken down by someone like you. But firing a gun here? You won't get far either," Wang San said icily.

"So..." Nie Feng cracked a slight smile, a dagger suddenly in his grasp. He lunged at Wang San with it, "I guess a knife will do the job!"

Wang San was quick to react, kicking the knife from Nie Feng's hand and pulling a pistol from beneath the sofa. To Nie Feng's surprise, it was fitted with a silencer.

"Ha! Bet you didn't see that coming, Nie Feng. I'll admit, you're tough, and I'm no match for you. But are you a match for my gun? You're afraid to shoot, but I'm not!" Wang San boasted triumphantly.

The silenced pistol made as much noise as swatting a mosquito—no one would hear it. If Wang San shot Nie Feng, it would be the end of him.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Nie Feng's forehead. He hadn't anticipated this old fox's move—it was a classic case of outsmarting oneself.

"Farewell, Nie Feng!" Wang San aimed his pistol at Nie Feng's forehead and pulled the trigger without a second thought.

As Wang San squeezed the trigger, Nie Feng dodged, seizing the gun with both hands. The bullet skimmed past his temple, leaving a superficial cut. In the next instant, the gun clattered to pieces on the floor.

In under a second, Nie Feng had dismantled Wang San's gun. He snatched the magazine from the air and with a swift thrust, the dagger found its mark in Wang San's cheek, blood spurting out.

Wang San could no longer speak, his eyes wide with defiance as he stared at Nie Feng.

"Third Master, you know what your biggest mistake was? Underestimating us special forces," Nie Feng said, releasing Wang San, who collapsed lifelessly to the floor.

With Wang San dead, Nie Feng had closed a chapter. He reassembled the pistol and stowed it away. Then he turned on the gas in the house, shut the doors and windows, and lit a candle next to Wang San's body.

After completing his task, Nie Feng slipped into the security room. While Little Monkey and his crew were distracted, he stealthily erased an hour's worth of surveillance footage.

Roughly ten minutes later, a massive explosion jolted everyone. By the time the crowd reached Building 16, it was already ablaze, the entire villa consumed by a raging inferno.

Little Monkey and the rest were stunned, frantically dialing the fire department. It took the firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. When they finally retrieved Wang San from the villa, he was nothing more than a charred husk, unrecognizable.

In the aftermath, the fire department chalked the disaster up to a gas leak that had met an open flame. Though Little Monkey and the others had a sneaking suspicion that Nie Feng was involved, they kept silent.

Just as Nie Feng was congratulating himself on a flawless execution, Wenn Xuan cornered him, dragging him into a dimly lit alley.

"Nie Feng, you really think you've gotten away with killing the Third Master?" Wenn Xuan taunted with a cold laugh.

"What are you rambling about? I'm clueless. The Third Master died in a fire, how does that implicate me?" Nie Feng feigned ignorance.

"Cut the act. I've got the whole scene of you murdering the Third Master on my phone." Wenn Xuan produced his phone and played the incriminating video. "Ever wonder what'll happen if this ends up with the cops?"

"You're threatening me? You're not scared I might just kill you right now?" Nie Feng's expression turned icy.

"Of course I'm scared, which is why I've set up the video to send automatically. Unless I stop it, it'll hit the police's inbox in an hour. If you're keen on a prison stint, go ahead, kill me," Wenn Xuan said, smirking.

Nie Feng inwardly marveled at the kid's cunning. He had been right to see something special in him.

"So, what's your angle?" Nie Feng asked, his tone frosty.

"I don't really want anything. But I've heard Zhang Menglin has a thing for you. Imagine if I used this video to pressure her—think she'd meet my demands?" Wenn Xuan mused with a smirk.

"You're delusional. She and I are nothing. You think you can leverage this video against her? That's laughable," Nie Feng dismissed with a wave of his hand. Even if he were Zhang Menglin's husband, their brief acquaintance meant there was no emotional bond. It was highly unlikely Zhang Menglin would give him a second thought.

"Oh? That's too bad. Still, having a pro like you on my team isn't half bad," Wenn Xuan said, a tinge of disappointment in his voice.

"Your hopes of enlisting my help are going to be dashed, I'm afraid. I despise being threatened more than anything. Everyone who's tried to threaten me has met a grim fate, and you're no exception," Nie Feng stated, drawing his dagger and pressing it to Wenn Xuan's throat. "So, how would you prefer to die?"

"You... You wouldn't dare kill me! Go ahead, do it if you're so tough. If I die, you're going to jail just the same!" Wenn Xuan exclaimed, terror-stricken.

"Living must be exhausting for someone like you, constantly bullied wherever you go. Eventually, you snapped, killed your roommate, and fled to Silkwick. There's truth in the saying that those who are pitiable often have a detestable side. You and Wang San are alike; you don't understand me, and that seals your fate," Nie Feng said icily.

Wenn Xuan was a murderer who had fled from Farsummit to Silkwick. Nie Feng had learned this from the text messages on Wang San's phone.

The next moment, Nie Feng's dagger sliced through Wenn Xuan's throat, blood spurting out. Wenn Xuan collapsed, eyes bulging, body convulsing. With a faint smile, Nie Feng picked up the phone that had fallen next to Wenn Xuan's body and walked briskly out of the alley.

In an alley like this, Wenn Xuan's decaying corpse might go unnoticed for ages. Nie Feng couldn't be bothered to deal with it.