Era of Magic and Martial Arts-Chapter 292 - 276: A Familiar Script?

Through the phone screen, Feng Mu remained immersed in the tranquility of watching the movie, his gaze focused and deep, patiently waiting for the upcoming twist in the film.

Although he wasn’t clear about Ma Bin’s full plan, he was certain that Ma Bin livestreaming this part of the film to him was definitely not just to show him a murder scene or to let him appreciate Hou Wendong’s dying process.

It would have no meaning, though he did have the peculiar habit of recording videos of others committing crimes.

Hou Wendong, deeply trapped in the situation, had his heart perpetually hanging in mid-air, inevitably overlooking many subtle details.

However, the images Feng Mu saw through the screen were remarkably clear. The timing of Li Shang and Chang Erbing’s appearance was precise and astonishing; their intervention was just right. If they were a second earlier or later, Hou Wendong’s emotions wouldn’t have experienced such dramatic ups and downs.

This kind of almost perfectly timed rescue usually only appears in movies or novels. It’s hard to replicate in reality, unless...

Moreover, the way the assailant swung the wrench, Hou Wendong might have thought that Li Shang saved him at the last critical moment.

But with his level 3 Dynamic Vision, Feng Mu could capture every subtle motion frame by frame, as though watching it in slow motion, down to the finest detail.

At the last moment the wrench fell, the muscle lines on the assailant’s arm suddenly relaxed, and his wrist tilted slightly at a 5-degree angle.

The wrist shift wasn’t the kind caused by someone being body-slammed, which would destabilize the overall balance, but rather, a localized, active cooperation in force.

In short, it wasn’t Li Shang who saved Hou Wendong; rather, it was the assailant who spared Hou Wendong’s life in the last moment. The assailant was clearly acting with his own life on the line.

The subtle eye contact between Li Shang and Chang Erbing didn’t escape Feng Mu’s notice either. Clearly, the two were cooperating, using the assailant’s life as a play for Hou Wendong to see.

Feng Mu blinked, realizing that Level 3 Dynamic Vision could not only be applied in combat but could also have huge benefits in everyday life.

At least, most people’s acting was not up to par in front of him.

After all, not even a seasoned actor could withstand having their performance scrutinized frame by frame, right?

Feng Mu blinked slightly, thinking to himself: "From hell to heaven and back to hell again, and then finally returning to heaven - is that the script?"

Mysteriously, Feng Mu sensed a kind of familiarity in the film, as if he had used a similar script to tailor a play for another character not long ago.

That person eventually chose to "sacrifice" themselves and their family’s souls to him, unreservedly.

A strange smile crept across Feng Mu’s lips as he stared at the screen, watching Hou Wendong, as if he was about to draw his last breath, silently counting down in his heart:

"Three, two, one."

With a loud bang, the iron door of the abandoned warehouse was burst open from the outside, and two sweat-drenched figures ran into the frame.

One was Ma Bin, the other was Ma Wei.

Just like in every story, the main group always makes their entrance at the most critical moment, appearing fashionably late but stealing the spotlight.

As soon as they entered the frame, they drew the attention of everyone in the film.

"Captain Li, what are you doing, are you trying to strangle Secretary Hou?" Ma Bin urgently shouted in a cool voice, "You’re out of your mind, let him go, let Secretary Hou go."

Chang Erbing’s expression suddenly changed. He swiftly reached for his waist, ready to draw his gun.

Li Shang’s hand still gripped Hou Wendong’s throat, his head turning to look at Ma Bin and Ma Wei with a gloomy expression, his lips moving as if organizing his words.

Hou Wendong’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, his bloodshot eyes suddenly bright with a sharp gleam. He struggled to swivel his eyeballs, staring intently at Ma Bin.

He recognized Ma Bin, straining his neck, he spat out a word from between his teeth: "Save... ."

On the ground, Wang Nan’s gaze had already become unfocused, lost to impending death.

But at that moment, as if in a fleeting revival, his eyes suddenly widened, his gaze stiffly sweeping past Ma Bin, landing squarely on the man behind.

"It’s him, it’s that man!"

Though he would never forget the man’s appearance even in death, he stared straight at him, a violent coughing fit emitting a sound as if choking on blood.

Ma Wei stood right behind Ma Bin, locking eyes with the blood-choking Wang Nan for a second, then indifferently withdrew his gaze.

Chang Erbing drew out his gun and fired with a bang.

The bullet pierced the center of Wang Nan’s brow. The coughing ceased, and he lay still, eyes wide open, meeting death.

After shooting Wang Nan dead, Chang Erbing’s gun seemed to waver uncertainly as if he was unsure whether to aim at Ma Bin and Ma Wei.

Unaffected, Ma Bin took another step forward, grabbing Li Shang’s thick arm, speaking gravely:

"Captain Li, I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I think this isn’t your true intention."

Before Li Shang could explain, Ma Bin continued:

"No matter who instructed you to do this, you can still let go now. I believe Secretary Hou won’t hold it against you afterward."

Ma Bin paused, then turned to Hou Wendong, asking, "Secretary Hou, what do you think?"

Hou Wendong opened his mouth desperately wide, and Ma Bin quickly seized the moment to persuade Li Shang further:

"Captain Li, loosen your grip now, it’s just us here, Ma Wei and I aren’t a match for you or Chief Constable Chang. Listen to what Secretary Hou has to say, or if you prefer, you can take us down later."

Li Shang maintained a stony expression, but his grip noticeably loosened.

Hou Wendong gasped for breath, looking at Ma Bin with gratitude in his eyes.

After Zheng Si’s death, he had quietly troubled Ma Bin a few times, even secretly sending someone to steal the ledgers from the Cyan Wolf Gang, although they never succeeded, and Ma Bin probably hadn’t noticed either.

Unexpectedly, the one who saved him at the brink of life and death was Ma Bin. Truly...life is like a play, Destiny toyed with people, didn’t it?

Though not entirely out of danger yet, Hou Wendong felt as if he had recovered half his life. He took a deep breath and said in a very hoarse voice:

"Yes, Ma Bin is right. Captain Li, let go now, and I won’t hold a grudge against you. I’ll only be grateful that you saved me...twice!"

As Wang Xinfa’s most trusted secretary, Hou Wendong was quite adept at speaking impressively and persuasively,

"Once just now, and once now. I’ll consider Captain Li and Chief Constable Chang my life saviors. No matter what Du Ziteng promised you, I’ll double repay the two of you."

Li Shang frowned, glancing at Chang Erbing, who looked conflicted and said, "Captain Li, you decide, I’ll follow your lead."

Staring at Hou Wendong, Li Shang snarled, "Why should I trust you?"

Hou Wendong, panting heavily, gritted his teeth and replied:

"Du Ziteng’s rise was all my doing, he’s completely dependent on me. Yet, he wants to harm me. For someone so ungrateful, Captain Li, trusting him is worse than trusting me. Without Captain Li’s intervention, I’d surely be a corpse now. So I genuinely feel grateful to you."

Ma Bin gave Li Shang’s arm a reassuring pat, gesturing for him to release his grip, speaking deeply:

"Captain Li, in the matter of Boss Zheng, you also saved us, the Cyan Wolf Gang. Ma Bin owes you a life-saving favor, and my principle in this world is loyalty. I’m willing to vouch for Secretary Hou with my life. Secretary Hou surely won’t hold a grudge against you, only appreciate your aid. If not, I’ll pay you back with my life on behalf of Secretary Hou."

Serious, Ma Bin’s face shone with the brilliance of humanity. The scene, deeply branded into Hou Wendong’s memory, was something he would never, ever, ever forget.

...