Ning Beichen quickly located several enemies whose positions were most likely to threaten Liu Yilin's safety. He needed to deal with them first.
One was on the third floor, taking potshots at them. The second was hiding behind a bronze statue at the street corner. Another was behind a wall in the one-thirty direction. The last one was less than five meters away, holding a firearm.
Ning Beichen crouched down and said to Liu Yilin, "Boss, hide here and don't move. I'll go out and deal with them. No matter what you see or encounter, don't panic, and definitely don't run. Just hide here, and I'll protect you."
"Then… then be careful."
Liu Yilin grabbed his hand. After a moment, she calmed down a bit and said to him.
"Don't worry, boss. I'll be careful. Don't be scared either. I'll definitely get you home safely."
Ning Beichen promised her.
Liu Yilin nodded. Seeing Ning Beichen about to leave, she immediately said to him, "We'll get home safely together. You can't be hurt either. I won't allow it."
"As you command, boss."
Ning Beichen's body stiffened for a moment before returning to normal.
Liu Yilin hid behind the trash can, watching with concern as Ning Beichen rushed out. Then she heard numerous gunshots, causing her to shrink back in fear, clenching her fists and silently praying for Ning Beichen in her heart.
The enemy hiding five meters away pulled the trigger, and a volley of bullets flew towards Ning Beichen.
The enemy hiding by the third-floor windowsill also aimed his weapon at him, his finger already on the trigger. Flames erupted from the muzzle of his gun.
Not only that, but the enemies in the other two positions also attacked him almost simultaneously, showing every intention of killing him.
Countless bullets flew towards Ning Beichen, and at such close range, the farthest enemy was no more than three hundred meters away. Ning Beichen was completely within their range of fire.
But soon, shock appeared on their faces. Ning Beichen seemed to anticipate their attacks, dodging all the bullets before they were even fired. In less than ten seconds, he appeared in front of the closest enemy.
In ten seconds, this enemy didn't even have time to react before a fist appeared on his face.
With a bang.
The enemy five meters away was slammed backward as if hit by a frenzied mad bull, spinning and flying backward. By the time he landed, his skull was crushed.
Ning Beichen didn't take his weapon but skillfully picked up a magazine.
Without even looking, he flicked the magazine with his right hand towards the enemy on the third-floor windowsill.
With a "swish."
A shell-cased, orange-yellow bullet struck the temple of the enemy by the third-floor windowsill.
The enemy fell with an expression of disbelief. To his death, he couldn't comprehend how a human could be so powerful.
However, he would never get the answer in this life.
But he wasn't alone on the road to the underworld. Soon, his accomplices joined him, and their fates were similar. Without exception, they all died at Ning Beichen's hands.
Those killed by Ning Beichen's finger-flicked bullets were relatively fortunate. The most tragic was the one whose skull was crushed by a single punch. He would probably never comprehend, in this life, the next, or even the one after that, what kind of power could shatter a human skull with a single blow.
Ning Beichen quickly eliminated those who could threaten Liu Yilin, but that didn't mean they were safe yet.
Ning Beichen roughly estimated that there were about twenty enemies in total. Apart from those he had eliminated, there were at least a dozen more lying in ambush outside.
Ning Beichen leaned against the alley wall and took a deep breath. Then, with a sudden flip, his feet found purchase on the wall like ivy, and he quickly climbed to the top of the twenty-meter-high building.
He then silently leaped from the rooftop to another, like parkour. After a few leaps, he slid down a ventilation pipe and landed safely on the ground.
By this time, he was already behind the enemies. These enemies were completely unaware, still focused on the situation in the alley.
In their minds, no one could climb that high, let alone cross rooftops, unless they were Spider-Man from the movies.
With a crack.
An enemy guarding outside with a gun didn't know what happened before his neck snapped backward, killing him instantly. He saw Ning Beichen's ruthless and cold expression.
Soon, the enemies ambushing outside fell one by one without a sound. None could give a warning, for they only saw the person who killed them at the moment of their death.
Less than twenty minutes after Ning Beichen left Liu Yilin, not a single enemy outside remained alive.
However, one managed to slip through the net. Taking advantage of Ning Beichen's absence, he sneaked in. He didn't find Ning Beichen, but he did find a woman hiding behind a trash can.
He walked over, grabbed Liu Yilin by her hair, and dragged her out from behind the trash can.
"Woman, where did the man you were with go?"
The enemy interrogated her fiercely.
"I… I don't know."
Her hair was being pulled, causing tears to stream down her face. However, she refused to betray Ning Beichen, simply saying she didn't know.
"I know you're his companion. If you don't tell me, I'll kill you right in front of him."
The enemy was cold-blooded and unfeeling, showing no mercy. He dragged Liu Yilin by her hair towards the alley entrance.
"Come out. If you don't, I'll kill your woman."
The enemy held a gun to Liu Yilin's head and roared loudly.
"I'm coming out. Don't harm her."
Ning Beichen soon appeared before him. His expression seemed to have become even colder, like a robot devoid of emotion.
"Hahaha… Don't worry. I just want the item. Hand over the item, and I'll let her go."
The enemy laughed loudly.
Hearing this, Ning Beichen's eyes grew even colder, because he knew that when an enemy said such a thing, they intended to eliminate both of them and had no intention of letting Liu Yilin go.