Fu Zhu and He Zhiwu entered Zheng Haoyuan’s presidential suite at the Fengyuan Hotel. Looking at Zheng Haoyuan’s corpse on the floor, they both frowned.
A death at the Fengyuan Hotel, and of Zheng Haoyuan from the Zheng family of the Central Plains Province at that, left Fu Zhu and He Zhiwu in foul moods. Fu Zhu in particular knew full well what the Zheng family of the Central Plains Province represented.
“Old Wu, have you pulled the Fengyuan Hotel’s surveillance footage?” He Zhiwu asked.
“Captain, it is ready,” Old Wu said, coming to He Zhiwu’s side. He hesitated before adding, “However…”
“However what?” He Zhiwu frowned.
“However, from the surveillance footage, before Zheng Haoyuan died, Li Feng entered his room,” Old Wu replied.
“Li Feng?”
Fu Zhu and He Zhiwu’s expressions changed involuntarily. They had never expected the matter to involve Li Feng. Could Li Feng have killed Zheng Haoyuan?
At this thought, Fu Zhu scanned the entire room and soon noticed signs of a fight.
Li Feng, it was indeed Li Feng.
Fu Zhu’s expression grew grave. He felt Li Feng was becoming ever more uncontrollable. Was he truly so lawless, utterly disregarding state laws?
“What do you make of this?” He Zhiwu asked gravely. The assault on Li Feng remained unresolved, and now it seemed Li Feng might have committed murder. He Zhiwu’s head was spinning; in all his years as captain of the criminal police, he had never encountered such a convoluted case.
Why would Li Feng kill Zheng Haoyuan? Revenge, or some other motive?
“Let us view the surveillance footage,” Fu Zhu said gravely.
“Alright.”
The two went to the surveillance room and watched the relevant recordings.
“This…” He Zhiwu and Fu Zhu exchanged glances. From the footage, they saw Xu Qing being led into the presidential suite by one of Zheng Haoyuan’s lackeys. Half an hour later, Li Feng entered Zheng Haoyuan’s room. A quarter of an hour after Li Feng and Xu Qing left, one of Zheng Haoyuan’s lackeys departed.
He Zhiwu and Fu Zhu were puzzled primarily because of that departing bespectacled man. If Li Feng had killed Zheng Haoyuan, that bespectacled man would never have been left alive. They had witnessed Li Feng’s ruthlessness firsthand.
But if Li Feng had not killed Zheng Haoyuan, how to explain his death? Could it have been one of his own men? Moreover, the room clearly bore traces of a fight between ancient martial artists.
“Fu Zhu, what do you think?” He Zhiwu asked Fu Zhu.
“Even if Li Feng did not kill Zheng Haoyuan, he is inextricably linked. Captain He, have your men investigate that bespectacled man and arrest him. I shall go meet Li Feng.” Fu Zhu’s expression darkened as he said this.
“Very well.”
With that, Fu Zhu departed. He felt it necessary to have a proper talk with Li Feng. In his eyes, Li Feng was like a wild horse that had slipped its reins, growing ever more unmanageable. This was a situation he absolutely could not tolerate.
Moreover, the stronger Li Feng became, the more worried he grew. If Li Feng truly became a core figure in the Li family, his plan to draw Li Feng into the National Security Bureau would come to naught. And with an additional powerhouse like Li Feng in the Li family, it might upset the balance among the eight great top families. This was something he absolutely could not allow.
In Fu Zhu’s view, all eight great top families deserved to be eradicated. Such top-tier families should not exist in China.
Thus, no matter what, the Li Feng issue must be resolved. If Li Feng proved uncooperative, then a kill order would be unavoidable.
…
Li Feng, unaware of how many people were plotting against him, returned to the training base with the medicinal materials from the Wenjun Pavilion Pharmacy.
After handing the Black Hawk Squadron’s materials to Tian Lang, Li Feng sought out Zhong Shuhui.
“The Hawk Eye did well this time.” Li Feng did not stint on praise. The Hawk Eye’s intelligence had been too timely. Without it, he would not have known Zheng Haoyuan was targeting Xu Qing and Hu Yuanyuan.
“This is only the beginning.” Zhong Shuhui said confidently. Intelligence was not her forte in other areas, but in this domain, she believed it her specialty.
“Then I shall watch with interest.” Li Feng smiled, handing her the materials in his hand.
“What is this…?” Zhong Shuhui looked at Li Feng in confusion.
“These are your cultivation resources.” Li Feng glanced at Zhong Shuhui and said, “Your current strength is too lacking. As Hawk Eye Commander, you need not only outstanding performance in intelligence but also formidable martial prowess.”
“Cultivation resources?” Zhong Shuhui opened the package and looked at Li Feng in astonishment. “Young Master, have you made a mistake? So many materials?”
“How many?” Li Feng smiled. “This is your week’s worth of cultivation resources, the same as for Black Hawk Squadron members.”
“O, one week?” Zhong Shuhui looked at Li Feng in disbelief. This was a week’s worth? She truly doubted her ears.
“What is the matter? Too little?” Li Feng asked.
“Young Master, this is far too much.” Zhong Shuhui said in shock. Even by Mu Chunfeng’s side, she would not receive so many resources in a week.
“Too much?”
Li Feng shook his head. “In my view, it is not much at all. I know not what cultivation method you practise, so I can only allocate you the standard Black Hawk Squadron resources. If insufficient, you may request more. In my Li Feng’s domain, cultivation resources are plentiful.”
“Young Master, you mean all those Black Hawk Squadron members use this much per person each week?” Zhong Shuhui asked incredulously.
“Yes, what of it?” Li Feng asked, puzzled.
“Young Master, do you know how cultivation resources are allocated in the family?” Zhong Shuhui asked.
Li Feng shook his head. He truly did not know how the Li family distributed resources to martial artists. He looked at Zhong Shuhui curiously, eager to learn.
“Young Master, by Madam’s side, my annual resources are not even this much.” Zhong Shuhui said, suppressing her shock.
“Not even this much in a year? How is that possible? With so few resources, how do you cultivate?” Li Feng said incredulously.
“Young Master, these cultivation resources are worth millions, are they not?” Zhong Shuhui asked.
Li Feng nodded.
“Young Master, consider: the Li family has a millennia-long legacy, with tens of thousands of members up and down, and no few martial artists among them. If resources were provided as generously as you do, even the mighty Li family could not sustain it. In the Li family, all martial artists receive resources worth one million annually as standard. If more is needed, it is exchanged based on family contributions.”
Zhong Shuhui paused, then continued, “By Madam’s side, with her favour, the resources I exchange for annually amount to about ten million in value at most.”
“No wonder your strength is so lacking.” Li Feng nodded in sudden understanding.
Zhong Shuhui rolled her eyes. Li Feng spoke as if it were easy; who in the world would provide so many resources for free?
“I care not for the family’s ways, but here, we follow my rules. These are your weekly needs. I hope you do not skimp; I can afford them. I do not want my subordinates so weak.” Li Feng looked at Zhong Shuhui. Knowing the family’s allocation now, he truly worried she might be frugal.
“Young Master, can you provide so many cultivation resources?” Zhong Shuhui asked.
“Worry not on that front; I shall manage.” Li Feng glanced at Zhong Shuhui and said, “These are basic cultivation resources. Everyone receives them. In future, I shall implement a contribution system; better resources will require contribution points to exchange.”
Li Feng knew the contribution system must be established swiftly. Once all Black Hawk Squadron members entered the Qi Refining realm, these basic resources would lose efficacy. Superior ones were costly; with his current means, he could not provide them gratis.
Moreover, for martial techniques, Li Feng did not intend to offer them freely. He was no charity; he trained the Black Hawk Squadron to serve him, not out of benevolence.
“Young Master thinks wisely; it should be so.” Zhong Shuhui nodded. Though puzzled by Li Feng’s free provision of so many resources, she said nothing. During Li Feng’s absence, she had learned of the Black Hawk Squadron’s prowess. Formed less than a month ago, their formidable combat strength likely stemmed from Li Feng’s generous resources.
Zhong Shuhui was curious how Li Feng sourced them, but since he said nothing, she asked not.
“In future, Hawk Eye has another task: seek cultivation resources. Those precious ones cannot simply be bought.” Li Feng said to Zhong Shuhui. This was a key reason for establishing the Hawk Eye intelligence network. Though he could now buy resources from the Wenjun Pavilion Pharmacy, he could not rely on it forever. Securing his own sources was essential.
Moreover, he needed Hawk Eye to monitor forbidden lands across China, even globally. Should precious resources emerge, he could seize them first.
Zhong Shuhui nodded, looking at Li Feng oddly. “Young Master, you would not be planning to found a sect, would you?”
“A sect?” Li Feng paused, then shook his head. He sought not a mere sect but something far superior, though his concept remained vague.
“Zhong Shuhui, this is a sword technique and a movement technique, prepared for Hawk Eye.” Li Feng produced two small booklets.
“This…” Zhong Shuhui took them and looked, shock in her eyes. She had never expected Li Feng to produce such exquisite martial techniques.
“Hawk Eye is not merely an intelligence organisation; it needs its own martial force. Handle that yourself. Annually, I can provide Hawk Eye with cultivation resources worth ten billion.” Li Feng said gravely.
Zhong Shuhui nodded. “Even without Young Master saying, I intended to mention it. Hawk Eye should form its own elite guards.”
“You may decide on that, but Hawk Eye elites must number no more than a hundred. Quality over quantity. But every Hawk Eye elite must register with me.” Li Feng said calmly. Though Zhong Shuhui was a Li family veteran with low betrayal risk, Li Feng did not want Hawk Eye becoming her private force.
“Young Master, rest assured; I know what to do.” Zhong Shuhui nodded.
