Chapter One: Rescue (1)

At last, he had returned. Standing on the deck of the ship bound for Huaxia, Lin Fan gazed at the endless expanse of the ocean, his heart unable to find peace. Four years ago, at the age of twenty, while retreating from a mission on foreign soil, he was ambushed by enemies and lost contact with his country. In the eyes of others, Lin Fan—the youngest king of the Falcon Special Forces—had likely perished for his nation during that mission.

Now, in the blink of an eye, four years had passed. Lin Fan had transformed into a mature and resolute young man. The sea breeze brushed against his cheeks, and the faint scar on the upper left of his forehead, sometimes visible beneath his tousled bangs, added a fierce edge to his already handsome features.

"Handsome, care to join me for a few drinks?" A flamboyantly dressed bartender approached, throwing him a flirtatious glance and smiling.

This cruise ship was the Caribbean, crafted at great expense by the Royal Caribbean Company of country M, capable of carrying thousands. Onboard, one could find anything imaginable—entertainment centers, restaurants, spas, bars, casinos, and more. If you desired something extra and had the money, you could even spend the night with a first-tier celebrity.

Before Lin Fan could reply, a well-dressed middle-aged man nearby shot him a disdainful look, muttering, "A poor soldier like him, as if he could afford any of this." Indeed, Lin Fan wore the same faded camouflage uniform from four years ago. Though it was clean, its color had long since washed out, and his trousers were tucked into a pair of worn combat boots.

Lin Fan heard these words but paid them no mind. He had seen too many such people—those who, upon achieving a sliver of success, considered themselves unrivaled. He had dealt with plenty like that, some fatally so.

Four years ago, Lin Fan might have flatly refused the bartender’s advance, but now, a sly smile curled at his lips as he replied with a mischievous glint, "You just needn’t worry I’ll devour you," he said, lifting the bartender’s chin with one hand while wrapping the other around her slender waist, pulling her close.

The beautiful bartender was momentarily startled—she hadn’t expected this soldierly-looking man to suddenly seize her. But after a brief pause, she melted against his shoulder, her ample chest pressing against his arm, allowing Lin Fan to lead her into the cruise ship’s bar.

He did wonder why she had chosen to approach him among so many others. Still, since the opportunity presented itself, Lin Fan saw no reason to refuse; he was no longer a paragon of virtue.

In fact, since Lin Fan had first appeared on deck, the bartender had been watching him from within. In her two or three years working here, it was the first time she had seen such a manly presence. Though his attire was hardly extravagant, those phoenix eyes of his were deep as the boundless sea, making it impossible not to be drawn in.

“Hmph, country bumpkin,” the middle-aged man grumbled, clearly annoyed. He had tried flirting with this bartender earlier, only to be ignored, and now, right before his eyes, she was cozying up to a rustic nobody. Anyone would feel slighted. However, recalling the student girl he planned to hook up with later, the man’s face twisted into a lecherous grin.

Lin Fan had no real intentions toward the bartender; his earlier behavior was but a fleeting act. Once inside the bar, he let her go and picked a random sofa to sit.

The bartender brought him a drink. Lin Fan took it, smiled, and sipped. As he looked up to speak, he caught sight at the far end of the private room—a woman being dragged inside, a hand clamped over her mouth. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met. Her gaze was so familiar, it struck a chord deep within him. Lin Fan exchanged a few casual words with the bartender, then quickly found an excuse to leave.

Just as he reached the end of the corridor, he heard a vile voice, "Damn, this little girl’s got some fight. Hold her tight. Once I’m done, you boys can have a turn." The sound of fabric tearing followed, then a girl’s trembling, tearful plea: "I’m just a student, please, I beg you, let me go. Help, help!"

A sharp slap cut off her cries.

"Damn, these are huge. I gave them a squeeze and… damn, better than any I’ve had before…"

…

“Well, seems you gentlemen are in high spirits tonight. Mind if I join?" Lin Fan stood at the doorway, grinning. He’d intended to kick the door in, but it wasn’t even locked—saving him the trouble.

The leader, trousers already down and about to strip the woman, was interrupted by Lin Fan. Though annoyed, he didn’t want trouble at this critical moment—after all, this was abduction and rape. If Lin Fan raised the alarm, they’d be finished. As for silencing him, that was out of the question; the man’s frame clearly showed the ravages of indulgence, and even with borrowed courage, he wouldn’t dare.

With a furious glare at his companions for forgetting to lock the door, the leader turned to Lin Fan—and recognition flashed in his eyes. Wasn’t this the poor soldier from earlier? Lin Fan recognized him as well, a murderous glint flickering in his gaze, though the man failed to notice.

"Since you’ve seen it, you’re welcome to join. Once I’m first, you can have your turn," the middle-aged man said impatiently, eager to resume his vile act.

"You’re too generous. But I’m not interested. What shall we do?" Lin Fan replied, lighting a cigarette with a smirk, buying time to assess his opponents. The middle-aged man was certainly the boss, the other three his bodyguards. Lin Fan could easily deal with them, but if they had guns, alarm would surely be raised, bringing trouble he preferred to avoid.

"Who the hell are you? This girl was snatched by us. If you want in, wait till the boss is done. Or do you want first dibs? That’s way out of line!" sneered one bodyguard, toying with a knife—a clear warning for Lin Fan to back off.

Some men, dressed in suits, believe themselves successful, yet behave worse than animals in private. Lin Fan despised such types. Their fate was sealed the moment they crossed his path.

The middle-aged man nodded approvingly at his bodyguard’s words, clearly satisfied.

Judging by their behavior, they likely had no guns. Customs was strict; few could bring firearms aboard. With this in mind, Lin Fan sneered, playing the rogue, "So that’s how it is? I never said I wanted first go. I just feel sorry for this girl, and frankly, you lot offend me. I want—your lives."

As the word "lives" left his lips, Lin Fan darted to the bodyguard with the knife, landing a heavy punch to his temple. The knife was instantly snatched, and without hesitation, Lin Fan flung it like a released arrow, burying it straight through the throat of a charging bodyguard—the force so great it pierced clean through, a testament to Lin Fan’s deadly strength.