Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1428 - 689: Black Shark

Just like Jiang Yun and Xu Kuan, their mouths may not speak, but their eyes show the same concern.

"What to do?"

Fang Cheng’s eyelids lifted slightly, and sparks seemed to flicker in his gaze:

"Of course, we must retaliate in kind. In this world, whoever dares to offend the Illuminati must pay the corresponding price."

His calm tone carried a suffocating authority.

For a moment, everyone felt the temperature of the surrounding air suddenly rise.

As if they were near a burning furnace, even their breaths felt scorching.

Xu Kuan held Jiang Yun’s hand, appearing somewhat nervous.

Fine sweat seeped from Jiang Yun’s forehead, and in her Spirit perception, the Chairman was surrounded by a glaring crimson aura.

It was a metaphorical manifestation of murderous intent and violence.

In the corner against the wall, Bean’s shoulders trembled slightly.

The little mouse curled up in her sleeve, emitting rapid "squeak" sounds, seemingly sensing some kind of deadly danger.

Fortunately, this feeling lasted only for a moment before dissipating without a trace.

Fang Cheng regained his calm demeanor, picked up the teacup, and took a sip to clear his throat:

"However, how precisely to act must wait until Li Fei wakes up, learns the situation, and then makes plans."

After that, he turned to look at the Professor:

"You should first tell me about the origin of this organization. Professor, you recruited them, you should know the details."

Recently Fang Cheng had been busy with work and affairs in the Ancient Locust Village and hadn’t cared much about the progress of new member recruitment.

The Professor sat up straight and introduced gravely:

"Li Fei and the other two come from a secret international assassin organization known for their ferocity in the underworld, named ’Black Shark.’

"Black Shark?"

Hearing this, Fang Cheng’s eyes shifted.

The Professor, keenly aware of his change:

"Why? Have you heard of them?"

"I once crossed paths with a member of their organization."

Fang Cheng held the teacup in his hand, paused for a moment, then added:

"Remember the night the explosion happened at the East Suburb Unfinished Building Area? The person I fought with was also an assassin, and judging from the snippets leaked from their intercom, it should be this Black Shark Organization."

Lin Chuqiao heard this and furrowed her brows slightly:

"Are you suggesting this might be related to the ’Ideal Land’?"

Fang Cheng shook his head:

"It’s uncertain for now."

Then he raised his eyes, his gaze gradually turning cold:

"Whether it is related to the Ideal Land or not, since they have involved our people, this account must be settled clearly."

"What the Chairman said is absolutely right."

The Professor nodded in agreement:

"Based on the information provided by Li Ran and the intelligence we have gathered on the market, we already have a general outline."

He then began to tell about this mysterious power hidden in the shadows.

Black Shark, an international assassin organization with a long heritage and an eerie way of doing things.

Their influence spans multiple countries worldwide, with a ruthless style and extremely strict internal rules.

The organization does not allow betrayal; deserters, if caught, will be subjected to cruel punishments like ’spotlighting’ or ’Ten Thousand Gu Heart Erosion,’ leaving their souls unrested.

To control the members, Black Shark employs exceedingly brutal methods.

They mostly adopt orphans from childhood, brainwashing them for years, and employ poisons, Gu Worms, and other means for both physical and psychological control.

The goal is to cultivate these children into emotionless killing machines.

Organizational hierarchy is strict, ranging from the leader, protector, Gold Medal Assassin, Silver Medal Assassin, Copper Medal Assassin, down to the lowest Iron Medal Death Warrior.

Among Li Fei and the other two, Li Jie was the most skilled, being a Gold Medal Assassin; Li Fei and Li Ran were slightly inferior, being Silver Medals.

Just last evening, when they had pledged allegiance to the Illuminati for less than a week, Li Jie and Li Ran left the base, claiming to visit an old friend.

But by almost midday today, only Li Fei returned severely injured, struggling to make it back.

Because he was tortured by Gu Poison, delirious, they weren’t clear on what had happened, only knowing the other side seemed to have set up a trap and ambushed the two.

Fang Cheng quietly listened, silently absorbing this information.

Others in the yard listened attentively as well.

"Creak—"

At this point, the door to the main house suddenly opened.

Everyone turned their heads, just as Li Ran supported the recently detoxified Li Fei as they walked out.

Having just recovered from a serious illness, Li Fei’s face was as pale as paper, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

His steps were as light as stepping on cotton, effectively half hanging onto Li Ran.

Even so, he didn’t stop, gritting his teeth, determined to cross the threshold.

In the surprised gazes of everyone, Li Ran supported Li Fei to the stone table.

Their knees bent, and they knelt down together.

"Chairman..."

Li Fei gasped for breath, his voice hoarse, each syllable requiring immense effort:

"This time, we have brought trouble to the organization, but...please, you must intervene and save Ahjie!"

He was deeply concerned about his senior brother’s safety, deeply anxious, even ignoring his own need for rest, and had come out to plead as soon as consciousness returned.

Li Ran tightly clasped his brother’s arm, lips pressed taut, determination visible in his eyes:

"As long as Brother is saved, our lives will belong to you from now on. No matter what orders you give, we will never disobey, pledging deathly loyalty to the Illuminati!"

Fang Cheng sat on the bamboo chair, lowered his gaze to the two kneeling before him.

He did not immediately get up to help nor give a promise, only raised his hand slightly:

"First stand up. Explain the ins and outs clearly, the feud and secrets between you three and Black Shark—preferably without any concealment, otherwise..."

The latter half was left unsaid, but the meaning was clear.

The awe-inspiring pressure in his tone made the two’s breaths halt.

Li Fei swallowed, his dry throat rolling with difficulty, quickly nodding to assure:

"I dare not utter a single lie."

Supported by Li Ran, his legs trembling, he forced himself to straighten up, then respectfully began:

"Our senior brother and sister trio, we were orphans since childhood, trained as assassins in Black Shark’s Xia Country training base."

Due to the damage to his vocal cords, Li Fei’s voice was severely hoarse:

"Half a month ago, the Professor secretly found us. He described the Illuminati, mentioning the Chairman’s strength and the organization’s purpose of protecting mutants."

"We had long tired of those days of endless killings, and after hearing his words, felt moved. After private discussions, we decided to leave Black Shark and join the Illuminati."

"But..."

Li Ran knelt beside, eyes reddened, picking up the words:

"We underestimated the organization’s viciousness. The person in charge of the Xia Country training base, code-named ’Ghost Fox,’ would not only have his face smudged by our defection, but Senior Brother also took a secret scroll detailing Black Shark’s personnel deployment in Xia Country before leaving."

"He intended to use it as a safeguard, so Black Shark would act cautiously."

"Initially, events developed as we expected."

Li Fei gritted his teeth, veins standing out on the back of his hand:

"Ghost Fox didn’t immediately send people to hunt us down, but he understood Senior Brother’s weakness and dispatched a message via Black Shark’s internal channels."

"It said our mentor, who treated us like his own children, was implicated due to our betrayal, sentenced by the leader to a severe punishment to be publicly executed in three days."

Saying this, extreme pain and hatred flashed in his bloodshot eyes.

The yard fell silent.

Fatty Hu frowned, spat fiercely on the ground, muttering a curse.

Lin Chuqiao put down the teacup, his previously gentle expression gradually fading.

Li Fei gasped a few breaths and continued:

"Ghost Fox laid out conditions in the message. He said he also disapproved of the leader’s actions, demanding we return with the scroll to confess, then perform a final task for him—assassinate a government official. In return, he’d use protector privileges to release our mentor, giving us a way out."

"Senior Brother knew it was most likely a trap. But he told us that years ago, our mentor had been injured severely to protect us, leaving him disabled."

"Even if there is a sliver of hope, he could not just watch the mentor die."

Cold sweat slipped down Li Fei’s forehead, his body uncontrollably swayed.

Seeing this, Li Ran steadied him with a gentle squeeze.

"So, Senior Brother left the real scroll with Junior Sister, had her hide it, while he took me and a fake scroll to the appointment, unexpectedly..."

At this, Li Fei raised his head abruptly, eyes bloodshot, voice trembling:

"In the end, it was a trick from start to finish!"