Meeting Boss Dai: Be Honest, Honest, Honest!

Bang! A gunshot rang out, tearing through the summer heat. The instant Fang Jibai shouted his warning, Dongfang Xu reacted, instinctively twisting aside to dodge. The bullet grazed Dongfang Xu's ear and slammed into the utility pole behind him. Startled by the sudden gunfire, the already crowded street erupted into screams as pedestrians scattered in panic. Seeing Dongfang Xu evade the shot, Fang Jibai let out a breath of relief. Amid the chaotic stampede, it was virtually impossible for the gunman to take another shot at Dongfang Xu. Taking advantage of the turmoil, the chauffeur who had fired the shot had already vanished into the crowd. Just as Fang Jibai prepared to leave, two policemen marched up and blocked his way. He knitted his brows and reached to pull out his identification. "Don't move." Fang Jibai looked at them in surprise, then gestured at his military uniform. A flicker of suspicion rose in his chest. ... "Lixingshe Special Services Department." Dongfang Xu came jogging over, flashing his credentials before the two officers. "The Secret Service is taking over here." At that exact moment, the policeman facing Dongfang Xu violently swung his baton toward Dongfang Xu's forehead. Dongfang Xu froze in utter shock, completely off guard. He had no way to dodge. Yet the anticipated sensation of steel shattering his skull never came. A peach-wood-colored suitcase flew through the air, striking the baton and deflecting it. In the next second, the baton came down hard across Dongfang Xu's shoulder, wrenching an agonized cry from his lips. Still, Dongfang Xu proved his mettle. Even as the baton struck his shoulder, he kept a death grip on his briefcase with one hand while kicking out, warding off the assailant's follow-up attack. Meanwhile, Fang Jibai was in danger of his own. The other policeman had feigned a pincer attack on Dongfang Xu, only to swerve mid-motion and lunge straight at Fang Jibai. A dagger gleamed in the man's grip, its tip aimed directly at Fang Jibai's throat. Fang Jibai had just hurled his suitcase; with his momentum carrying him forward, the strike toward his throat seemed unavoidable. Pivoting on the ball of his right foot, Fang Jibai torqued his waist with explosive force. Blessed with remarkable strength through his hips and core, his body snapped to the side, allowing the blade to graze past his neck by a hair's breadth. An instant later, Fang Jibai's left hand clamped like an iron vise around the fake officer's dagger-wielding wrist, yanking him forward while his right elbow drove ruthlessly into the man's wrist joint. The assailant had no time to react. The dagger slipped from his grip; Fang Jibai scooped it out of the air with a swift monkey-snatches-the-moon maneuver. Doubling over to dodge the man's counterblow, Fang Jibai sank into a full split, the dagger in his hand slashing across both of the assassin's calves in quick succession. As the man collapsed to his knees with a shriek, Fang Jibai had already rolled to his feet and pounced forward, slamming his right elbow into the man's spine. With a strangled cry, the assassin coughed up blood and passed out cold. Only then was Fang Jibai able to look up toward Dongfang Xu. Dongfang Xu was tangled in a desperate struggle with the other attacker. Clearly no master of hand-to-hand combat, he had already fallen at a disadvantage. Pinned underneath the man, both hands clamped around his neck, he was on the verge of being throttled to death. Fang Jibai rushed forward to help. Right then, a gunshot cracked. A bullet tore through the assailant's back, straight into his heart. The man went limp and collapsed. "Brother Dongfang!" Zeng Qing sprinted over like the wind. He hauled the corpse off Dongfang Xu and helped him up. Dongfang Xu was pale as a sheet. Having just brushed against death by strangulation, he gasped desperately for air. Never had the breath in his lungs tasted so sweet. Fang Jibai looked at Dongfang Xu, thinking that with his mouth agape and tongue out as he wheezed for breath, he looked just like an anggong catfish tossed onto the banks of the Lücheng Canal. Add two wisps of a mustache, and the resemblance would have been uncanny. Once Dongfang Xu caught his breath, he turned to look at Fang Jibai. He sensed something odd in Fang Jibai's gaze, but had no time to dwell on it. Cupping his hands solemnly, Dongfang Xu said, "My thanks, Brother Fang." "I did save your life." Sitting on the unconscious assassin, Fang Jibai gave a hearty chuckle. "Calling me Fourth Brother wouldn't be out of line, would it?" "Fang the Fourth, don't push your luck." Dongfang Xu seemed taken aback for a moment before pointing at Fang Jibai with a wry laugh. ... "I have to report back to school and check in from leave before a quarter to four this afternoon," Fang Jibai said, frowning slightly as he addressed Dongfang Xu. "Rest easy, you won't be late." Dongfang Xu rolled his neck, trying to work out the stiffness. The choking had been so severe he felt as though his neck were about to snap, and rolling his head jarred his bruised shoulder, making him grimace in pain. He glanced at Fang Jibai. "If you truly can't make it back in time, we'll send a telegram to the Central Military Academy to explain the situation." "Wouldn't that make things even worse?" Fang Jibai's face darkened. "Secretary Dongfang, you can't repay kindness with malice." Dongfang Xu ignored him and closed his eyes to rest. Fang Jibai fell silent as well, watching the car make its way toward Xufuxiang. He knew that was where the headquarters of the Lixingshe Special Services Department was located. A strange feeling welled up inside him. He had never imagined that one day he would find himself here—and 'invited' in a Secret Service car, no less. "Secretary Dongfang, we've arrived." The car pulled into the courtyard at Xufuxiang. The driver brought the vehicle to a halt and turned his head to speak to Dongfang Xu. "Mm." Dongfang Xu opened his eyes, pressing a hand against his injured shoulder with a soft groan of pain, his expression turning somber. "Get out of the car," he told Fang Jibai. Fang Jibai stepped out, visibly tense. "And here I thought you weren't afraid of anything." Dongfang Xu glanced over at him. Fang Jibai said nothing, merely gritting his teeth and taking a deep breath. Dongfang Xu chuckled, assuming the young man was simply too nervous to speak. "Xiaoqing," Dongfang Xu said to Zeng Qing, who had gotten out from the front passenger seat. "Take Brother Fang to the reception room. Treat him to our finest tea and cigarettes." Fang Jibai looked at Dongfang Xu, as if trying to ascertain whether the words carried some hidden implication. "Genuine top-shelf tea and cigarettes, guaranteed," Dongfang Xu said with a smile. "Boss Dai might grant you an audience. When you see him, say whatever comes to mind. Just remember: honesty, honesty, honesty!" Stepping close to Fang Jibai, Dongfang Xu lowered his voice. "The reason I didn't discuss the assassination attempt with you in the car was to avoid coordinating our stories and biasing each other's impressions. When you face Boss Dai, just tell the unvarnished truth. "Relax a little!" With that, Dongfang Xu patted Fang Jibai's shoulder and gave a smirk. "No need to be so jumpy. It's not like Xufuxiang is a tiger's den."