C16 Gao Zheng Escaped!

Lee Wen, who had experienced a bizarre transformation, now possessed extraordinary strength. His speed and explosive power were remarkable, and in just a moment, he found himself at the base of Tingyu House!

He tried the door, only to find it securely locked, so Lee Wen deftly slipped in through a window.

Looking around, his eyes squinted in suspicion. "Damn, this old guy sure has taste!" Lee Wen muttered under his breath.

A quick scan was all it took for him to realize that most of the antiques on the shelves were untouched, with only a select few valuable pieces missing.

Straining his ears, Lee Wen bounded up to the second floor, taking the stairs three at a time with the agility of a monkey.

"What are you up to, kid? Thinking of stealing something in the dead of night when no one's around?"

The moment Lee Wen's feet touched the second-floor boards, Gao Zheng's voice rang out!

Lee Wen was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected the old man to be so vigilant. But he wasn't too surprised. After all, he hadn't been stealthy on his way up—if anyone was listening, they would've heard him.

"Why the silence? I've always said you were no good, but the boss wouldn't listen to me!"

Faced with such an accusation, Lee Wen couldn't help but laugh in frustration. "Old man, don't tell me you're here late at night just waiting to catch me in the act?"

His gaze briefly flicked to the bulging bag at Gao Zheng's feet, clearly filled with a good number of items.

Gao Zheng's pupils contracted, realizing he'd been caught. But he didn't seem overly concerned. Instead, a cruel smile spread across his face. "You've got a sharp tongue, kid. But since you're here now, don't even think about leaving. Just lie down and play dead for me, will you?"

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. You'll just be spending the night on the floor. When the cops show up tomorrow, they'll think you got knocked out after a fight with your partner in crime!" Gao Zheng said with a sneer, advancing on Lee Wen.

"Just like when you broke the vase and pinned it on me?" Lee Wen's gaze was icy as he confronted the other man.

"I've got to hand it to you; you're an irritating guy, but you're also pretty sharp. What good does that do you, though? You've got no choice but to just lie there and take the fall for me. Consider it your fate!" Gao Zheng sneered and lunged at him.

Lee Wen's pupils contracted instantly. Despite his age, Gao Zheng was surprisingly agile, far surpassing any common thug.

But Lee Wen wasn't panicked. Since the transformation of his body, he had gained considerable confidence in his fighting abilities, no longer the panicked fighter he once was.

With a sudden shift of his left foot, Lee Wen sidestepped, smoothly evading Gao Zheng's charge.

"Not bad, kid!" Gao Zheng, taken aback, acknowledged with a hint of surprise.

Yet, he wasn't truly shaken. With a menacing grin, he taunted, "And what will you do about it? Think you can turn the tables?"

He didn't even finish his sentence before he was on the move again, his approach even quicker and more ferocious than before.

Crash!

Lee Wen, foregoing words, responded with a kick, meeting Gao Zheng's fist head-on.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Both men stumbled, retreating several steps.

In that moment, their eyes narrowed with intensity.

"So you're pretty tough. That explains how you dealt with Hu San and his crew a couple of days ago. But you're still going down!" Gao Zheng's sinister smile returned as he advanced on Lee Wen once more.

"You really think you've got me beat, old man?" Lee Wen's eyes were fixed on Gao Zheng, a surge of shock in his heart at the old man's formidable skill. Had it not been for his body's transformation, he might have been floored in an instant.

"Just a punk kid," Gao Zheng scoffed. "If I can't handle you, what's the point?" His hand flashed with a cold gleam as a sharp dagger appeared, its blade glinting ominously.

"I've changed my mind. I'm going to finish you off. You're my fall guy either way, so it makes no difference to me if you're dead or alive!" Clutching the dagger, Gao Zheng's face twisted into an even crueler expression as he launched himself at Lee Wen once again.

In the next instant, his body seized up as though turned to stone, frozen in place, holding the pose of his attempted lunge at Lee Wen.

"Old man, try acting tough one more time?" Lee Wen taunted, the small silver pistol now in his hand, pointed directly at Gao Zheng's chest.

He had intended to give Gao Zheng a good thrashing with his fists, but now that his opponent had brandished a weapon, there was no need for restraint. He promptly produced the pistol Ye Tingyu had given him.

"You..." Gao Zheng's face contorted hideously, as if he had just swallowed something revolting. As Lee Wen advanced with the gun, Gao Zheng stumbled backward, clearly terrified.

Lee Wen, for his part, was reluctant to shoot. A misfire here could result in catastrophic damage. His plan was to subdue and bind Gao Zheng first.

But as Lee Wen edged closer, Gao Zheng, now backed against the window, suddenly smirked and leaped out.

"Kid, you're way out of your league. To catch me, you'd have to..."

"Bang!" Flames burst from Lee Wen's hand, cutting Gao Zheng's taunt short with a scream of agony.

Lee Wen dashed to the window and peered out, his pupils narrowing sharply.

Gao Zheng's left leg had clearly taken a hit from Lee Wen's shot. Despite the injury, he managed to deftly land after a few steps on the wall, his gait unsteady but his speed astonishing. He vanished into the night before Lee Wen could even blink.

"Damn, who is this guy? How is he so agile?" Lee Wen swallowed hard, thoroughly shaken.

His combat skills were based solely on the enhanced physical strength he'd gained from the mutation, but in terms of technique, he was no match for Gao Zheng. The other man's ability to leap and use the wall for leverage was astounding.

Lee Wen knew he couldn't replicate such a feat.

Remembering that Ye Tingyu had mentioned Gao Zheng was an assistant brought in by his grandfather, Lee Wen frowned as he glanced at the small silver pistol in his hand.

He didn't dwell on it much longer, instead turning his attention to the bulging sack on the ground, a wave of relief washing over him. "As long as the antiques haven't been stolen, that's what matters. The old man can be tracked down later..." Lee Wen murmured to himself as he made his way downstairs.

Not far off, Ye Tingyu sat in her car, her gaze fixed on her phone, which displayed the recent events at Tingyu House. Upon witnessing Gao Zheng staggering away, she set her phone aside without hesitation.

Looking towards Tingyu House, Ye Tingyu bit her lip, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. With a roar, her car sprang to life, and she vanished into the night.

Returning to the spot where he had parted from Ye Tingyu, Lee Wen was utterly baffled. He had only been gone a moment; how could she have disappeared so quickly? His phone rang just then, and he saw it was Ye Tingyu calling.

She spoke rapidly, explaining that she needed to leave for a while and instructed Lee Wen to look after the shop. She gave him no chance to respond before hanging up.

Fingering the small silver pistol clipped to his belt, Lee Wen wore a peculiar expression. "Well, this is my chance to shine. When she returns, hehe..." A sly grin spread across his face as he hailed a cab.

In the past, he would never have indulged in such a luxury. Without a bus, he would have chosen to walk rather than take a taxi. But times had changed. His account now boasted over a million yuan, rendering such expenses trivial.

The thought of buying a car crossed his mind, but it quickly gave way to a mix of indecision and embarrassment.

"Look, I didn't do it on purpose, I swear. I said I'd transfer the money to you. I wasn't trying to dodge the fare..." Lee Wen's face turned red as he tried to explain.

"I told you, I don't use that app!" The driver, a middle-aged man with a skeptical gaze, retorted.

"All I have is this one and a half yuan..." Lee Wen pulled out a crumpled banknote and a coin, his expression one of distress.

"Have you arrived at your destination? Call your family and tell them to send you the fare!" the driver prompted impatiently.

With a look of frustration, Lee Wen reluctantly dialed Liu Jiajia's number.

Shortly after, a charming figure dashed over, clad in a fluffy nightgown adorned with cartoon characters, exuding an air of cuteness.

"This is the twelfth time I've covered your fare, Lee Wen. You're going too far. I'm just a girl from the Old Quarter, not some wealthy heiress. You're practically bleeding me dry. Pay me back, now!" Liu Jiajia stood with her hands on her hips, visibly annoyed as she confronted Lee Wen.

Lee Wen's mouth twitched in response to her words. "Every time I've paid you back with a meal, haven't I? You've got to have some integrity!"

"You call that paying back? It's always just a bowl of spicy soup..." Liu Jiajia's dissatisfaction grew.

Without hesitation, she reached for Lee Wen's pocket. "Give me your wallet. I'll keep your ID until you've paid me back," she demanded.

Mid-sentence, Liu Jiajia paused, looking up at Lee Wen with a hint of confusion. She probed Lee Wen's pocket again as if searching for something.

She also glanced down at her own pajamas. Despite being snugly dressed, the summer season meant that a bit of her fair skin was still visible around the neckline.