Chapter 46: The Meaning of Tattoos

Xu Qiang was deeply shocked, a murderous intent flashing across his eyes as he threw a punch directly at Hu Zipeng. In Xu Qiang’s mind, anyone who could recognize the meaning behind his tattoo at a glance was certainly no ordinary person. If he happened to be sent by the government, who knew what might happen next? The best course was to subdue him first, then deal with whatever followed.

Hearing Hu Zipeng identify Xu Qiang’s background, Lin Fan could only smile bitterly. Originally, Lin Fan had intended to keep his own identity from Hu Zipeng for the time being, but now it seemed events were beyond his control.

Xu Qiang’s attack was swift, leaving Hu Zipeng only able to defend himself, countering each move as it came, with no chance to strike back. He suddenly realized the enormous gap between himself and those from Falcon—facing a master like Xu Qiang, he felt powerless. Still, he had to muster all his strength, for the chance to spar openly with a member of Falcon had always been Hu Zipeng’s wish, and Xu Qiang’s appearance had granted him this opportunity.

Lin Fan did not intervene, wanting to see for himself what Hu Zipeng was capable of. If Hu Zipeng couldn’t survive a few exchanges with Xu Qiang, Lin Fan would have to reconsider his assessment of him. As for Mo Fei, who always delighted in chaos, he certainly wouldn’t step in—if he didn’t interfere, Lin Fan would count himself lucky.

It was summer, and before long both men were sweating profusely. Xu Qiang, however, grew more exhilarated as the fight went on; it had been a long time since he’d faced such a formidable opponent as Hu Zipeng.

With a loud shout, Xu Qiang swung his fist in a direct, forceful blow—pure strength and speed, nothing more. Hu Zipeng’s face turned bitter; he knew he likely couldn’t withstand this punch.

Mo Fei, witnessing the scene, couldn’t help but inwardly admire Xu Qiang’s skill. He thought, “If I were up against him, I probably wouldn’t fare any better. No wonder he became the boss’s right hand and has been on his mind all these years.”

Of course, in close combat, Mo Fei was no match, but when it came to hidden weapons, not even ten Xu Qiangs could compare to one Mo Fei. It was as the ancients said: in every profession, there is a master.

“Stop!” Lin Fan realized that if he didn’t intervene, Xu Qiang’s punch would likely send Hu Zipeng straight to the hospital. But at this point, Xu Qiang’s fist was already committed.

How could Lin Fan stand by and watch Hu Zipeng get hurt? With a flash, he appeared beside Hu Zipeng, pushed him aside, and took the punch himself.

Immediately, Lin Fan staggered back three or four steps before regaining his balance, while Xu Qiang was sent flying, retreating seven or eight steps before finally steadying himself.

This was the first exchange between Lin Fan and Xu Qiang since meeting again. Though it was only one move, Xu Qiang realized Lin Fan had grown even stronger than four years ago. He felt a faint tingling in his right arm.

“Boss, you’re even more formidable than four years ago,” Xu Qiang said with a bitter smile.

Mo Fei chuckled from the side, “Of course! The boss spends his nights with ten women—no wonder he’s so skilled. You think just anyone could match him?” Mo Fei was all too familiar with Lin Fan’s abilities; in Dragon Soul, no one could stand up to Lin Fan in a one-on-one fight. In a brawl, well, it depended on the numbers.

“Damn it, get lost!” Lin Fan kicked at Mo Fei.

“Ha, I knew you’d try that. Luckily I dodged quickly,” Mo Fei darted to the side, grinning.

Lin Fan glared at him before turning to Xu Qiang. “Qiangzi, are you alright?”

“Boss, if you keep this up a couple more times, I might not survive,” Xu Qiang joked. Knowing he was only kidding, Lin Fan smiled and said nothing.

“I guess I was too impulsive,” Xu Qiang scratched his head, embarrassed. By now, he understood that if Hu Zipeng had other motives, Lin Fan would never have taken him under his wing. Besides, if Hu Zipeng were sent by the authorities, why would he openly reveal Xu Qiang’s Falcon identity in front of him? That would be foolish.

Lin Fan knew his brother’s quirks well. Despite Xu Qiang’s imposing height—nearly one meter ninety—his skills were unquestionable. Back in Falcon, apart from Lin Fan and a select few, no one could keep Xu Qiang in check.

But his flaw was his hot-headedness and lack of cunning. This was precisely why Lin Fan had Hu Zipeng accompany Xu Qiang. As Dragon Soul’s influence in China grew, Lin Fan worried that Xu Qiang alone might not handle things well, so having a steady figure like Hu Zipeng at his side reassured him.

Afterward, the group entered the bar…

“Qiang-ge, you really are with Falcon?” Inside, Hu Zipeng asked, visibly moved.

He had already deduced it upon seeing the eagle tattoo on Xu Qiang’s shoulder, but hearing Xu Qiang confirm it made Hu Zipeng feel his defeat was not in vain.

“Zipeng, perhaps you should let Qiangzi know about your past,” Lin Fan said. By “past,” he didn’t mean Hu Zipeng’s deceased fiancée, but the eagle tattoo on his arm—a mark that looked similar to theirs, but upon closer inspection, something always seemed missing.

Hu Zipeng understood Lin Fan’s intent. With trembling hands, he lifted his sleeve to reveal the eagle on his shoulder.

On the surface, the eagle was identical to Lin Fan and the others’ tattoos, except Hu Zipeng’s eagle lacked eyes. It symbolized his failure in Falcon’s final selection round. Those who passed the final selection would have their eagle’s eyes marked in a special ceremony, signifying the phrase, “adding the eye to the dragon, it becomes a true dragon.”

“A reserve member,” Xu Qiang recognized the mark and paused in surprise.

He hadn’t expected Hu Zipeng to be among those eliminated from Falcon’s reserve squad years ago. Even so, those eliminated were still outstanding in their local units—how had he ended up here? Xu Qiang was baffled.

Lin Fan understood better than anyone what Falcon meant to Hu Zipeng. With a gentle smile, he said, “Zipeng, for now, stay with Qiangzi. Don’t worry, it won’t be long before you’ll be just like us.”

He pointed meaningfully at the eagle tattoo on his own shoulder, clearly indicating he intended to help Hu Zipeng fulfill his dream.

Hearing this, Hu Zipeng’s whole body trembled. “Excited” could hardly describe his feelings.

Falcon was his dream—a dream he thought might never come true. Yet in his lifetime, he had met Lin Fan, and Lin Fan’s words just now had ignited his fighting spirit. Though he didn’t know why Lin Fan dared promise such a thing, Hu Zipeng nodded emphatically, showing his trust in Lin Fan…

ps: Dear readers and fellow authors, please consider supporting this book—just a click, add it to your bookshelf! Your support is my greatest motivation to write; it’s not easy for newcomers!