All of Xu Hao’s movements came to an abrupt halt, his attacking fist hung limply as his feet left the ground.
His entire body was lifted by Fang Cheng with one hand, his throat tightly clamped as though by an iron vise.
The feeling of suffocation surged through his entire body like a tide, his face turning from white to blue, then quickly flushing into a terrifying shade of purple-red.
He struggled desperately, his hands frantically grasping at Fang Cheng’s arm, but it was as futile as an ant trying to shake a tree; there was no movement at all.
Fang Cheng looked expressionlessly at Xu Hao, who was struggling in vain in his hand, the chill in his eyes congealing into a palpable killing intent.
However, just as that killing intent was about to burst forth, a familiar face flashed abruptly in Fang Cheng’s mind, his fingers loosened slightly, and he casually tossed Xu Hao back onto the sofa as if throwing away trash.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Xu Hao crashed onto the sofa, clutching his throat and coughing violently, greedily gulping down air, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
In that instant, for real, he felt death approaching.
His throat burned painfully, as though branded by a hot iron, each swallow felt like being cut by a knife.
His muscles twitched involuntarily, and he didn’t even have the strength to stand back up.
Fang Cheng looked down at him from above, his voice carrying no emotion whatsoever:
"If it weren’t for your father’s sake, just for laying hands on me, you’d already be a corpse."
As he spoke, he stepped forward, his tall physique casting a shadow over Xu Hao’s trembling form:
"Now, tell me everything you know about that organization, word for word."
"If you satisfy me, I might consider sparing your life, and I can also temporarily keep secret about your collusion with the Special Search Team."
Xu Hao breathed heavily, cold sweat soaking the back of his shirt.
Looking at the seemingly gentle yet terrifying man before him, a deep sense of powerlessness surged through him.
Resist? Completely out of the question.
From his sudden assault to being subdued, the whole process took less than a second!
Strength, speed, skill... a crushing disparity in every way!
He couldn’t even touch the hem of the other party’s clothes! This was simply not a contest on the same level!
Xu Hao finally understood, the last time on the ring, his draw was entirely due to the other’s mercy.
And it wasn’t just a little mercy, damn, it was like draining the Pacific Ocean!
After a moment of inner struggle, Xu Hao dejectedly lowered his head, his voice exceptionally hoarse from the earlier asphyxiation:
"What do you want to know?"
He knew he had no leverage to bargain with at that moment.
"Why is the Noah Organization targeting someone as insignificant as me, a mere training partner?"
Fang Cheng asked straightforwardly.
"They... aren’t just targeting you."
Xu Hao replied weakly, though he couldn’t help but mentally retort: if you’re a small-time training partner, then what am I, less than nothing?
Fang Cheng barely raised an eyebrow, then let out a small "oh," signaling Xu Hao to continue.
"They received orders from above to investigate all the newly prominent martial arts experts in East Capital who have drawn attention recently."
Seeing Fang Cheng’s cold gaze fixed on him, Xu Hao could only confess honestly:
"Or rather, they’re preparing to put individuals like you—who have extraordinary skills yet lack clear backgrounds and have not joined any official institutions—on a long-term observation list."
Fang Cheng’s eyes flickered slightly, this was somewhat different from his previous assumptions.
After a brief thought, he then asked:
"How is the investigation progressing? How many people have been targeted?"
"I’m not clear on the exact progress since I’m new and not yet qualified to execute tasks, but according to what I’ve gathered, there are at least dozens listed as preliminary investigation targets. You’re... just one of them."
As he listened to Xu Hao’s explanation, Fang Cheng still had an unresolved question in his mind:
"Why did they suddenly start watching me? Is it because of what you just mentioned?"
"Because... you’ve been rising too quickly in the East City Association lately."
Xu Hao glanced at Fang Cheng, then said in a low voice:
"Old Ghost Shen seems to value you highly, treating you as a key figure for development. Also, your reputation as a training partner at the Global Elite Club is growing, with many professional fighters praising your physical aptitude."
"Even at the club where I train, people are talking about you. Nowadays, you’re somewhat famous both in underground circles and among fighters, so naturally, you caught their attention."
At this point, Xu Hao seemed hesitant, his eyes flickering.
"However what, speak up!"
Fang Cheng’s eyes suddenly grew sharp, emitting an oppressive force that felt tangible.
Xu Hao’s body trembled, not daring to hide anything, he whispered:
"Upon further investigation, they discovered you might very well be the mysterious expert who destroyed the Red Tiger Gang’s drug factory last year. At least based on the descriptions from the witnesses, your physical characteristics match seven to eighty percent, so you became a key observation target for the organization."
Fang Cheng furrowed his brow, he hadn’t expected his seemingly innocuous involvement with the East City Association would inadvertently attract Noah’s attention.
A thought flashed, and he fixed his bright gaze on Xu Hao, continuing to ask:
"How long have they been investigating?"
"Seems like they just started. When I accidentally found your name on the list, I immediately went to the club intending to trade this information with you, but..."
Xu Hao’s attitude was very honest, but his voice grew smaller and smaller, and he stopped speaking at this point.