Chapter 121

After taking down the first soldier, Xiao Zhi ignored him and charged directly at the second. Seeing Xiao Zhi rushing toward him, the soldier did not hesitate and charged forward to meet him, launching a mid-air kick aimed at Xiao Zhi’s head.

"You dare attack me while in the air?" Xiao Zhi remarked.

As he spoke, he was not idle. He grabbed the soldier’s leg in mid-kick and, utilizing a Tai Chi maneuver to deflect a thousand pounds with four ounces of force, he leveraged the soldier’s own momentum to fling him away.

Xiao Zhi felt a flicker of genuine surprise. Was Zhou Yu’s group not only formidable in direct combat but also so tactically proficient? With this thought in mind, he continued toward the third floor.

Upon reaching the third floor, he saw Liu Long sitting on the ground with a mock bomb strapped to his chest. Three soldiers stood around him in an inverted triangular formation. Xiao Zhi walked slowly toward Liu Long. The three soldiers moved in response, running forward a few paces to surround Xiao Zhi at the center of their triangle.

"Make your move," Xiao Zhi said.

The three soldiers exchanged glances and spoke in unison, "Our apologies, Chief of Staff."

"Get on with it," Xiao Zhi chided. "Why all the hesitation?"

Upon hearing their superior’s command, the three men began to move.

Their formation remained consistent, though it steadily tightened around Xiao Zhi. Watching them, Xiao Zhi furrowed his brow. He assumed a Tai Chi starting posture, his feet tracing a Bagua pattern, and kept a vigilant eye on the circling soldiers.

As they closed into striking range, the three soldiers shouted and launched a simultaneous, multi-directional attack covering high, middle, and low ground.

Xiao Zhi executed a rear-step, pivoted, and stepped forward, his hands pushing slowly against the soldier who had kicked from behind. That soldier was sent reeling. Without pausing, Xiao Zhi took two steps back and then lunged forward, his hands pushing out once more. The soldier attacking from the high position was sent flying as well.

The soldier attacking the low ground seized the opportunity to rush forward, attempting a body check. By now, Xiao Zhi had no room to dodge and was forced to meet the attack head-on. With a dull thud, both men recoiled; Xiao Zhi retreated three steps, but the soldier was pushed back five or six.

As soon as he regained his balance, Xiao Zhi lunged forward again, pinning the soldier to the ground with a joint lock. He raised his left hand and brought it down sharply, stopping less than a centimeter from the soldier’s face.

"All right," Xiao Zhi said. "That’s finished."

Xiao Zhi walked over to Liu Long and said, "Let’s go."

"Chief of Staff Xiao," Liu Long replied, "the bomb hasn't been disarmed yet. How can we leave?"

Xiao Zhi felt a headache coming on. He was a Chief of Staff, yes, but he was no bomb disposal expert. What was he supposed to do?

"If I don't disarm it, can't we just call in an expert?" Xiao Zhi asked.

Liu Long smiled. "Chief of Staff, do you really think the bomb will wait for an expert to arrive?"

Xiao Zhi frowned. "But I have absolutely no idea how to handle this thing."

Liu Long chuckled. "Then I suppose it’s up to fate."

Xiao Zhi gritted his teeth and walked toward Liu Long. There were only twenty minutes left on the timer. After a moment’s thought, he reached out and yanked one of the three exposed wires. A hiss sounded, accompanied by a shower of sparks, and Xiao Zhi froze. He knew he had failed.

He shook his head and said, "Let’s go. I’ve lost this round."