Chapter Ten: The Dragon's Roar and the Tiger's Shout

  As Yang Wenfeng left Huli Rong and walked to a single-plank bridge over a small stream at the foot of the mountain, he saw a spark of fire on the other side of the bridge flickering in and out of sight. Then a strong smell of tobacco smoke wafted over, and he stopped in his tracks, realizing that someone was approaching him from the darkness on the other side.

  A blinding light shone over, Yang Wenfeng raised his gun and warned: "Don't make any sudden moves!"

  Someone walked in with a faint smile and said: "A first-rate agent threatening an old man who is about to die with a gun, don't you think it's a bit excessive?"

  "Who are you? How did you know my identity?"

  Someone shone a flashlight on Yang Wenfeng, and the beam finally settled on his face. "You're so blatant and showy everywhere, are you worried that not enough people know? That's not right!"

  "Who are you? One step further and I'll shoot!"

  The newcomer ignored the warning and walked across the bridge. In the faint light of his flashlight, Yang Wenfeng saw that the man was a thin, spirited old man with a patch over one eye. The hardships of life had left deep marks on his face, but they seemed to have sharpened his spirit rather than worn it down. "Is he about to die?" Yang Wenfeng thought to himself.

  The old man with one eye stared for a long time before taking another deep drag on his cigar, "I really didn't expect you to be so young!"

  "Who are you?!"

  "I am your nightmare!"

  The one-eyed old man suddenly launched a surprise attack, tossing his flashlight into the air. Under the beam of light that was flipping upwards and downwards, he knocked Yang Wenfeng to the ground with lightning speed, snatched his gun away, and caught the falling flashlight in one smooth motion. The one-eyed old man pulled out the magazine from the gun and tossed it back to Yang Wenfeng. The opponent's strong move ignited Yang Wenfeng's fighting spirit, he stood up and assumed a hand-to-hand combat stance, "The chameleon is best at confusing its enemy, since you've shed your disguise, I have no reason to give up."

  "Young man, your vigor has awakened my long-sealed passion!" The old man's pupils shone with excitement, "Come on, before an old man's hot blood cools down."

  It was another fierce battle, but this time the one-eyed old man made a mistake. His physical strength was no match for that of young people. Yang Wenfeng not only gained the upper hand but also snatched the one-eyed old man's 92, which somewhat restored his reputation. The one-eyed old man retreated two steps, looked up at the sky and laughed loudly, "I'm old, I'm old. Such stubbornness can only bring suffering to oneself. How could you use a loaded gun against an unarmed old man?"

  Yang Wenfeng returned the 92 to the one-eyed old man, who ejected the bullet from the magazine and threw it at the old man's feet. "This is not right."

  The one-eyed old man pointed his gun at Yang Wenfeng. "Can only a gun give you a sense of security?" Yang Wenfeng sneered. "Don't think that the 92's magazine is out of bullets, besides, there is still one shot left in the chamber, so my barrel still has one bullet."

  "You're indeed good at playing mind games, but I won't fall for it!"

  "Remember! The enemy is not a gentleman, and don't let your opponent know how many bullets you have in the chamber. This is an elder's advice!" The one-eyed old man pulled back the bolt, and a bullet popped out. A light rain drifted down, and Yang Wenfeng couldn't tell whether it was rain or sweat on his forehead. "This is for you to keep as a memento!"

  Yang Wenfeng involuntarily accepted the bullet, and taking advantage of his slight hesitation, the one-eyed old man knocked Yang Wenfeng to the ground once again. The fallen Yang Wenfeng felt an indescribable sense of humiliation, for he had never been so defeated before!

  The one-eyed old man was leisurely enjoying his cigar. "Are you unhappy? But lying on the ground is not going to help you regain your dignity."

  Yang Wenfeng drew his sword and jumped up, with a fierce flame burning in his eyes: "This is what you asked for!"

  The one-eyed old man burst out laughing, "Great! It's only fun when an angry bull is playing."

  Yang Wenfeng's face darkened and he stopped speaking, charging forward with his knife. The one-eyed old man did not foolishly try to match Yang Wenfeng in physical strength this time, but instead used his superior fighting skills to effortlessly parry each of Yang Wenfeng's attacks. He targeted the weak points on Yang Wenfeng's wounds and severely injured him while also taking away his military knife.

  The one-eyed old man suddenly became enraged, stepping on Yang Wenfeng's wounded right arm with his foot. Yang Wenfeng let out a loud cry.

  "A man is like the green pine tree on that cliff, not only must he take root in the barren crevices and stand tall, but also remain standing firm in the face of wind and rain. Life may be short and fragile, but each of us carries different dreams to fulfill our own vows, ideals, and glorious missions... As a special agent, one must learn to be strong in adversity and not be bound by despair."

  Yang Wenfeng gritted his teeth and endured, the bullet in his hand deformed from being clenched too tightly. He silently resisted the torment of pain.

  The one-eyed old man lit another cigar, as if only tobacco could calm him down. After enjoying the cigar, he lifted his foot and stretched out his left hand to Yang Wenfeng, "Kid, get up! Everything is over." The old man who was furious just now was now calm and composed. Yang Wenfeng hesitated, but the old man in front of him had a certain fatal charm, and he finally reached out to shake hands with the old man. The one-eyed old man pulled him close to his side, "I'm just teaching you, learn to stay awake in pain, those who retreat in pain are destined to be ruthlessly swallowed by death!"

  "Who are you, after all? Why tell me these things?" Yang Wenfeng asked in a low voice.

  The one-eyed old man spat out a smoke ring, "Who I am is not important. Maybe..." He looked at Yang Wenfeng and smiled, "One day you will know. Go, go fulfill your mission." Seeing that Yang Wenfeng still had some hesitation, the one-eyed old man gently pushed him on the back, saying: "There's nothing here for you to linger about, go home."

  Yang Wenfeng, unable to get an answer, had no choice but to leave. The more he stayed, the more he felt a sense of unutterable shame. As he limped forward, enduring the pain, a beam of light from a flashlight illuminated his path ahead. Then came the loud voice of Old Man Duanyan: "A young eagle with lofty aspirations should spread its wings and soar high! You are the most outstanding among all the young people I have met. Be proud of yourself!"

  Yang Wenfeng couldn't tell whether it was praise or ridicule, so he quickened his pace and ran far away, escaping the enigmatic one-eyed old man.