C19 The Crisis of Death 1

After Xia Liang hit the ground, he felt as though every organ in his body had nearly shifted out of place. It took several seconds for him to scramble to his feet. Suddenly, a flash of red light appeared, and a ring of fire spontaneously ignited around him, encircling his body and leaving him trapped.

The exchange between the two left the small-time thugs behind Wu Dayong completely stupefied.

"What? He's Xia Quanhai's son?" King Xiaoshan, in particular, was wide-eyed and incredulous.

"Xia Quanhai? The Xia Quanhai?"

The rest of the hooligans were equally agape. In this city, the renown of the Guardian of the City, Xia Quanhai, was known to virtually everyone.

Then, with an effortless gesture, Wu Dayong conjured the flames that ensnared Xia Liang, startling all the thugs except for King Xiaoshan.

"Could this be... supernatural power?"

"Wow, fire! That's so cool. Who would've thought Dayong was a meta-human?"

Stars appeared in the eyes of the hooligans, much like fans gazing upon their idol.

In this new era, the allure of supernatural powers far surpassed that of wealth and status. If their new leader was a meta-human, his potential was boundless.

The flames engulfing Xia Liang seemed to burn without consuming anything, clinging to the grass and radiating intense heat. Xia Liang was forced to huddle in place, unable to make any rash moves.

"Do you know? When I heard about your father's death in the underwater prison, I was utterly disappointed. The man who defeated me died so senselessly. How am I supposed to seek revenge now?" Wu Dayong spoke through clenched teeth, his voice thick with fury.

"Later, I had some friends on the outside track down his family. But after an exhaustive search, all we found was a photo of Xia Quanhai and his wife's marriage registration—no other leads." Wu Dayong rubbed his bald head, his expression growing more menacing by the second.

"I had almost resigned myself to the idea that in this vast sea of people, with the Cosmic Constabulary's lackeys everywhere, I might never find his family again. But, on a whim, I decided to visit my old hometown and there, unbelievably, I ran into his son."

"You really have bad luck," Wu Dayong said, shaking his head.

As Wu Dayong spoke to Xia Liang in front of the ring of fire, King Xiaoshan, standing a short distance behind, clenched his fists in secret, his gaze filled with conflict. "He's actually Xia Quanhai's son. Have I inadvertently harmed him?"

"Where's your mother? Tell me, where is she?" After muttering to himself in a mix of self-talk and elation, Wu Dayong finally turned to Xia Liang with the question.

"I won't tell you," Xia Liang replied, glaring at Wu Dayong with defiance and shaking his head firmly.

"He must not know my mother has passed away. Could Uncle Yao have kept the news from getting out?" Xia Liang wondered silently.

"Do you have any siblings?" Wu Dayong, struck by another thought, asked again.

"Yes, my brother has joined the military. He's a meta-human and he'll find you, capture you again, sooner or later."

Xia Liang had a sinking feeling about his fate today, so he put on a brave front and deceived his captor.

"Don't worry, I'll find him. But before that, I'd like to meet your mother. If you want to avoid suffering, you'd better speak up," Wu Dayong pressed.

Xia Liang responded with a defiant spit.

Wu Dayong frowned, seeing no sign of fear or hesitation in Xia Liang's eyes. The young man's calm was unnerving, not at all like that of an ordinary person.

"Just like his father, Xia Quanhai—stubborn and tough. Fine, I'll just kill him and then find a way to track down his mother. His brother can wait," Wu Dayong resolved internally.

He was acutely aware that the city's Psionic Police must have detected his Flame Prison by now. He needed to finish off this kid quickly and make his escape.

Otherwise, he risked drawing the attention of the Cosmic Constabulary's heavy hitters, which could jeopardize his entire plan to find Xia Quanhai's wife, not to mention his own getaway.

But then there were his underlings to consider...

He had contemplated silencing them too, but they were all Mr. Gould's recommendations, and he couldn't shake off the sense of loyalty to his old neighborhood.

"Head back first, guys! I've got a bone to pick with this little one."

With a dismissive wave, Wu Dayong issued his command to disperse.

"Oh!"

The thugs weren't fools. Even the dimmest among them could sense the impending doom from the terse exchange.

Shaken to their core, they hastily made their exits upon hearing Wu Dayong's command, each one eager to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Despite their daily bravado and brotherly boasts of violence, none of them truly had the stomach for murder. Anticipating the student's grim fate, they beat a hasty retreat, desperate to distance themselves from the scene.

King Xiaoshan, however, didn't follow suit. He stood his ground.

"Eh, why aren't you leaving?" Wu Dayong noted King Xiaoshan's defiance.

"Dayong, I'll back you up," King Xiaoshan stated with composure.

Wu Dayong glanced back at King Xiaoshan and gave a nod of approval.

"Good, you've got nerve. You know I'm about to take a life, yet you don't run. That's the mark of a true player."

"Fine, stand there and watch," Wu Dayong conceded.

He then turned his menacing gaze to Xia Liang, who was encircled by flames. "Kid, don't blame me. Blame your birth, blame your damned father."

Wu Dayong's fist ignited with a ferocious blaze, swelling to the size of a basketball. He intended to obliterate the boy with a single punch, leaving nothing but ashes.

He stepped onto the fire's edge, the flames yielding to him, caressing his pant legs instead of scorching them.

In two strides, he stood before Xia Liang.

Xia Liang remained silent and head-bowed throughout. He wouldn't beg for mercy; he knew it would be futile.

"Blame my father?" he pondered internally.

Since his heart-to-heart with Gu Wenying the previous night, his perspective had shifted slightly. His father was no longer "that man" in his thoughts.

Now, because his father had once apprehended and wronged the criminal before him, Xia Liang was about to suffer the consequences. Logically, he should resent his father for this predicament.

For some inexplicable reason, he found himself devoid of such thoughts. For the first time, he didn't cast the blame for his troubles onto his father.

"Damn it!" A surge of frustration welled up within him. Here he was, a young man with decades of life ahead, yet he was abruptly staring down the barrel of death.

"It all comes down to my own weakness. I can't even protect myself. If only..."

Xia Liang's grip tightened, his nails piercing the flesh of his palm. "If only I had immense power."

In that moment, his yearning for power was palpable—the kind of power that could ensure his survival.

Regrettably, even with adrenaline coursing through his veins, he only reached the pinnacle of what any ordinary person could achieve. Facing him was a meta-human, one who seemed to wield his extraordinary abilities with terrifying skill.