Li Jianguo sighed helplessly as he watched the stubborn look on the man’s face.  

“I say, you just keep being stubborn. What’s your problem? Doesn’t Xia Zhi already know about it? She hasn’t even said anything, but you—just keep it up. You’ll regret it one day.”  

As soon as Li Jianguo finished speaking, the door in front of them opened, and Shen Hangzhi walked out. The group quickly gathered around to ask about Xia Zhi’s condition.  

“Don’t worry, everyone. It’s nothing serious. She’ll recover in a few days,” Shen Hangzhi said, though even he didn’t quite believe his own words. How could something that looked so severe turn out to be so minor? The bullet had gone straight through, yet it was only considered a superficial wound.  

“Thank goodness. I always said that kid Xia Zhi is blessed with great fortune. Of course, nothing serious would happen to her,” Chen Yan said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes before preparing to go inside and check on her.  

In the end, Lu Beiting followed the group into the room.  

Inside the ward, Xia Zhi was busy arguing with the system.  

[What’s the deal with this? How am I supposed to explain it? People are going to think I’m some kind of monster!]

[Host, this is the life-preservation mechanism you triggered. The automatic healing isn’t my fault.]

Xia Zhi could still vividly recall Shen Hangzhi’s shocked and disbelieving expression earlier.  

Wasn’t this just throwing her straight into the fire?  

Hearing movement at the door, she quickly lay back down, pretending to look weak.  

“Xia Zhi, you scared me half to death,” Chen Yan said, her eyes red as she walked over and took Xia Zhi’s hand.  

Seeing the genuine concern in their eyes, Xia Zhi felt a warmth in her heart. Then, steeling herself, she began to improvise. “I’m fine. That guy was a terrible shot—just a minor injury. I’ll be better in a few days.”  

“As long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay,” Chen Yan repeated, gripping her hand tightly.  

Suddenly remembering something, Xia Zhi looked up at Lu Beiting, who stood at the back of the crowd, and relayed what she had overheard in the mountains.  

“Oh, right, Lu Beiting, those two men seemed suspicious. They mentioned transporting something and finding some kind of contact. You should keep an eye out.”  

Lu Beiting lowered his head, his expression unreadable. He gave a faint “Mm” in response before turning and leaving.  

After finding Xu Rufeng, Lu Beiting only asked one question: the current whereabouts of the two men.  

Xu Rufeng had originally wanted to check on Xia Zhi, but seeing Lu Beiting’s demeanor, he had no choice but to push him toward the interrogation room.  

“Battalion Commander, is Xia Zhi okay? I don’t know how she managed to hold her own against those guys and keep them pinned down,” Xu Rufeng muttered to himself, admiration clear in his eyes.  

The image of Xia Zhi pointing that weapon at Yao Dashan was nothing short of heroic—a true example of a woman’s courage rivaling any man’s.  

Lu Beiting’s gaze turned cold, a flicker of displeasure in his heart. “If you’ve got so much to say, why not go run a few extra laps?”  

Xu Rufeng immediately shut his mouth and obediently stopped talking.  

When the two arrived at the interrogation room, Liu Wen had just woken up from the anesthesia. The moment he opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar place, he was startled. Spotting Yao Dashan unconscious beside him, he reached over and shook him.  

“Old Yao, Old Yao, are you okay?”  

After shaking him for a while with no response, Liu Wen stood up and looked around. When he realized where they were, his entire body stiffened.  

Had they been captured and thrown into an interrogation room by those people?  

Xia Zhi’s face flashed through Liu Wen’s mind, and he cursed under his breath. “That damn woman. I should’ve just shot her dead when I had the chance.”  

Xu Rufeng and Lu Beiting, who had just reached the door, froze at the words. Xu Rufeng immediately glanced down at Lu Beiting.

Lu Beiting’s face darkened with fury, his expression so stormy it seemed he could barely restrain himself from storming in and slaughtering those two bastards.  

“Open the door,” Lu Beiting said, his voice icy.  

Xu Rufeng had no choice but to comply.  

Inside, Liu Wen, who had been cursing nonstop, immediately turned his head at the sound. When he saw Lu Beiting—tall, imposing, and sharp-eyed despite being in a wheelchair—his entire body stiffened. The man’s oppressive aura alone was enough to strangle the air from the room, making it hard to breathe.  

Liu Wen gulped nervously. “Y-you—who are you? Why did you arrest us? We’re just hunters from the area. We didn’t break any laws!”  

Lu Beiting raised his eyes slightly. Hunters? Hah. To better distinguish enemies from actual hunters, firearms had long been banned in their jurisdiction—except for military use.  

Ignoring Liu Wen’s loud protests, Lu Beiting went through the motions of asking, “What was your purpose in coming here?”  

Then, without waiting for Liu Wen’s excuses, he turned his gaze to the wall of torture instruments, considering which one to use first.  

Liu Wen had just opened his mouth to accuse him of wrongful arrest when he noticed Lu Beiting calmly rolling his wheelchair toward the array of tools, studying them with terrifying focus.  

All of Liu Wen’s words died in his throat. What the hell is this man planning?!

“You—you can’t just frame innocent people!”  

With every tool Lu Beiting picked up, Liu Wen’s back broke out in a cold sweat. Each time one was set down, his breath hitched again before he could even relax.  

First, a barbed whip. Then, a red-hot branding iron. After that, a series of pliers and drills, each one examined with slow deliberation.  

Just looking at them made Liu Wen’s mind conjure vivid images of his own impending suffering.  

W-wait… this isn’t how it’s supposed to go!

Weren’t they supposed to interrogate him first, then resort to torture?  

“N-no, hold on—” Liu Wen panicked, glancing around before desperately turning to Yao Dashan.  

“Old Yao! Old Yao, wake the hell up!”  

While shaking Yao Dashan, Liu Wen kept throwing terrified glances backward. Seeing that Lu Beiting had already selected his tools, he gritted his teeth and slapped Yao Dashan across the face—hard.  

“Ah—fuck!” Yao Dashan clutched his cheek, glaring at Liu Wen in rage. “Liu Wen, you goddamn lunatic! You dare hit me?!”  

But the next second, seeing the sheer terror in Liu Wen’s eyes, he froze. Then, following his gaze, Yao Dashan turned his head—  

—and saw Lu Beiting holding a pair of pliers in one hand and a glowing-hot branding iron in the other.  

His brain short-circuited for a moment.  

When his eyes traveled up to the man’s murderously dark expression, a chill crawled up his spine.  

“What the hell are you doing?! This is illegal torture! Don’t you fear the consequences—AHHH!!”  

Before Yao Dashan could finish, Lu Beiting thrust the red-hot iron through the bars, pressing it straight into his flesh.  

The sizzling sound of burning skin filled the air, accompanied by the stench of charred meat.  

“AAAGH!” Yao Dashan convulsed in agony, his eyes bulging as he stared at the man’s impassive face. “You—!”  

Then, his pupils dilated in sudden recognition.  

He had thought this man looked familiar earlier. But now, up close, seeing the distinctive scar near his ear—  

—memories came flooding back.  

His body instinctively shrank away in fear.  

“It’s—it’s you!”  

Lu Beiting’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Long time no see. I learned all this from you, after all. Consider this a rare opportunity—you’re getting a free demonstration.”  

He glanced at Xu Rufeng. “Pull his hand out.”  

Xu Rufeng, snapping out of his daze, immediately yanked Yao Dashan’s arm through the bars.  

“Let me go! You think they won’t come for you after this?!” Yao Dashan thrashed violently, his mind reeling.  

He never expected to run into him here.