Watching the man in black crumble, Lin Xiao didn't pause for a moment. He maneuvered behind the burly man, whose arm he had just dislocated, his eyes flickering with icy determination. A split second later, he had snapped the man's neck.
All of this unfolded within a mere minute. By the time the others could react, Lin Xiao had dispatched two of the men in black with chilling efficiency.
His speed was such that it left the remaining seven men in black aghast. These were no ordinary men. They were hardened criminals, assassins who would kill for money, each of them rigorously trained. Even in one-on-one combat with a special forces soldier, they might not be outmatched. And here they were, armed to the teeth.
Yet, what were they witnessing?
An unarmed man had just dispatched two of their weapon-wielding comrades with ease, all within a fleeting minute. It was as if he was merely slaughtering chickens.
Watching this unfold, the apparent leader of the men in black, the scar-faced man who had previously been lurking on a residential rooftop, squinted his eyes and swiftly raised his gun toward Lin Xiao.
With a loud crack, a bullet jetted from the gun, spiraling toward Lin Xiao. Yet, Lin Xiao didn't show a hint of panic. A cold smirk crossed his lips as he evaded the bullet with a deft movement and lunged toward another man in black.
"Damn it! The intel was wrong, this guy is a master,!" The scar-faced man thought with a sinking heart.
He was a professional killer, especially skilled with firearms, but his shot had been effortlessly dodged by Lin Xiao. In his eyes, Lin Xiao was a blur, his movements too quick to follow, let alone target.
Just as the scar-faced man cursed inwardly, Lin Xiao had already positioned himself next to another man in black, landing a powerful kick on his chest.
A muffled thud resonated as the man's chest caved under the impact of Lin Xiao's kick, blood spurted from his mouth, and he was sent flying backward.
After dispatching this man, Lin Xiao prepared to press his advantage and tackle another nearby foe. But he suddenly sensed danger and instinctively shifted to the right.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A flurry of bullets pockmarked the spot where Lin Xiao had just been standing. If he hadn't moved, he would have been riddled with bullets.
The remaining men in black, witnessing Lin Xiao's uncanny agility, momentarily shelved their plans to kill Wan Caixuan and redirected their focus onto Lin Xiao. Several of them, armed with machetes, surrounded Lin Xiao.
Meanwhile, the scar-faced man and three other gunmen aimed their guns at Lin Xiao, their barrels smoking from recent discharges.
They understood that unless they neutralized Lin Xiao first, their mission was destined to fail.
Yet, even when four men fired simultaneously at Lin Xiao, he managed to dodge their onslaught.
"What? Impossible!" The scar-faced man gasped, his voice tinged with disbelief and panic.
They were four gunmen, firing from all directions, yet Lin Xiao had managed to dodge their coordinated attack. The scar-faced man was filled with resentment towards the employer who had supplied them with faulty intel. The target was supposedly unguarded. Where on earth had this formidable expert sprung from?
Enraged, the scar-faced man shouted, "Fire! Fire! Kill him!"
At this, a cold smile played on Lin Xiao's lips. Like a cheetah launching for the kill, he sprung toward the scar-faced man who had just issued the command.
He had already figured out that the man in black, who was yelling commands, was the leader of these assassins, directing their actions. If he could neutralize the leader, the rest would be nothing more than a disorganized mob.
As Lin Xiao charged at him, a surge of viciousness welled up within Scarface. He raised his gun, unloading a frenzied hail of bullets at Lin Xiao.
However, Lin Xiao moved like the wind, his form elusive and swift. He easily dodged the gunfire and in an instant was face-to-face with Scarface. "Too slow," he uttered coldly.
Scarface stared at Lin Xiao, unharmed and relaxed. He felt his world collapsing. Despite his years in the underworld, he had never encountered someone this formidable.
"Die!" Scarface roared, discarding his gun. He drew a military dagger from his waist and lunged for Lin Xiao's throat.
"No matter how much you struggle, you can't alter your fate. You're too weak," Lin Xiao said nonchalantly. He dodged Scarface's attack like a shadow, then with a swift kick to his chest, he sent him flying.
Scarface was launched several meters into the air by the force of Lin Xiao's kick, then plummeted to the ground with a heavy thud.
Lin Xiao strode forward and delivered a devastating knee strike to Scarface's neck. With a snap, Scarface's neck was broken.
Even as he faced death, Scarface's eyes remained wide open, locked on Lin Xiao with a look of disbelief.
The sight of Scarface's death had no impact on Lin Xiao. He had seen far more terrifying scenes during his time in the military.
He stood calmly, scanning his surroundings. From his time in the army, he knew that to show mercy to an enemy was to be cruel to oneself. Especially so when these people were assassins to begin with."
The remaining black-clad men, witnessing their leader effortlessly taken down, gasped in shock. Exchanging glances, they suddenly turned and attempted to flee.
"Thinking of running? Did you seek my permission?"
They hadn't gone far when a chilling voice echoed from behind, followed by a blood-curdling scream. Turning back, they saw their slowest comrade clutching his throat, writhing in pain before falling to the ground.
The remaining black-clad men were terrified. One of them yelled, "Scatter and run!" Upon his command, he sprinted off in a different direction, with the others quickly dispersing.
Minutes later, Lin Xiao returned to the starting point, a hint of regret crossing his face. The fleeing enemies had scattered, and he was also concerned about Wan Caixuan's safety, wary of a potential diversion tactic. Consequently, he had not chased them far before he returned, allowing two of the enemies to escape. But he wasn't particularly bothered, they were merely strays.
The meticulously planned roadside ambush had begun and ended abruptly. From the moment Lin Xiao stepped out of the car until he dispatched the killers, only five or six minutes had elapsed.
"President Wan, it's all over. You can come out now," Lin Xiao tapped on the car's rear window, addressing Wan Caixuan, who hid in the back seat, visibly stunned.
"Ah.... Oh.... okay..."
It took a moment for Wan Caixuan to compose herself before exiting the car. Upon seeing the lifeless bodies of the men in black, her already pale complexion blanched further. She quickly lowered her gaze, unable to bear the sight.
Meanwhile, her gaze toward Lin Xiao took on an incredibly complicated hue.
