chapter 4 One move to subdue

"Click!"
As Tyrone Qin's words echoed in his ears and he discerned the disdain in Tyrone Qin's gaze, the middle-aged man's heart thudded with apprehension, intensifying his unease.
The watch he wore was no ordinary timepiece; it was akin to a specialized firearm. Although its power was a fraction of a standard gun, the silver needle it launched possessed incredible speed and force, as demonstrated by its penetration of Diana Zhang's bodyguard's palm.
However, he observed that there was no trace of blood on the back of the seat!
This could only mean one thing...
The silver needle had not struck the seat back!
Inevitably, there was only one possibility...
Tyrone Qin had caught the silver needle barehanded!
"How can this be?"
Contemplating this outcome, the middle-aged man could only feel a numbing sensation creeping up his scalp.
In his estimation, even the most accomplished assassins in the profession might struggle to achieve such a feat!
"Abort the mission!"
Making a swift and firm choice, the middle-aged man immediately decided.
Reason dictated that lingering would likely spell his demise.
Currently, the platform was nearly devoid of passengers, and the train was about to depart. Once the train started moving, his escape options would be severely limited.
As for completing the mission...
He harbored no illusions about his ability to abduct Diana Zhang from a formidable man who could seize a silver needle launched from a special watch between his fingers!
"Whoosh!"
With a contemptuous snort, Tyrone Qin shifted his weight and rapidly pursued the middle-aged man like a phantom.
"Whoosh!"
As the echo of Tyrone Qin's words resounded in his ears and he sensed Tyrone Qin's pursuit, the middle-aged man swiveled abruptly, raising his wrist to activate the watch's button. Once again, the silver needle roared forth, hurtling toward Tyrone Qin, who was charging toward him.
Hm...
As if anticipating the middle-aged man's move, Tyrone Qin continued his advance, raising his right hand and plucking the incoming silver needle between his two fingers.
Keng!
A crystalline sound reverberated as the two silver needles violently collided mid-air. The tremendous force sparked an almost imperceptible glimmer before they plummeted to the ground.
"This...?"
Witnessing this spectacle, the middle-aged man seemed to have encountered a supernatural phenomenon in broad daylight. His terror was so profound that he lost his footing momentarily, nearly stumbling to the ground.
Whoosh!
Tyrone Qin's figure flashed like a specter, closing in on the middle-aged man within an instant.
Whoosh!
With no way out, the middle-aged man abruptly halted, pivoted, extended his right hand, and transformed it into a knife, slashing at Tyrone Qin's face.
Spinning chop!
The middle-aged man's assault was unexpected and incredibly swift, leaving little room for anyone to counter it.
Nevertheless—
Tyrone Qin seemed to have anticipated this, promptly extending his left arm forward to intercept the assailant's knife.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed, and the middle-aged man felt as though his hand knife had collided with a solid steel plate, the brutal recoil nearly shattering his hand bones.
In that moment...
Whoosh!
Tyrone Qin's right hand abruptly extended, forming a claw-like grasp, clamping onto the middle-aged man's neck like a vice. Then, with a mighty lift, he hoisted the middle-aged man aloft as if snatching a chicken!
A single move to subdue!
Tyrone Qin had subdued the middle-aged man in a single stroke!
This outcome plunged the middle-aged man into a frigid abyss, causing goosebumps to ripple across his flesh as he felt a bone-chilling coldness from head to toe.
"Get in!"
Suddenly releasing his grip, Tyrone Qin allowed the middle-aged man to plummet, thrusting out his right foot.
Boom!
A muffled thud reverberated as Tyrone Qin kicked the middle-aged man beneath an unoccupied seat like a soccer ball. The man's head collided forcefully with the carriage floor, leaving him disoriented.
Swish, swish, swish...
Without hesitation, Tyrone Qin advanced two steps, tore off the middle-aged man's suit, and secured him to the seat's armrest with the torn fabric.
Boom!
After fastening the middle-aged man, Tyrone Qin administered another forceful kick, propelling the man's head under the seat. There, he lay, his face pressed against the carriage floor, appearing immobilized.
Consequently, an eerie silence engulfed the carriage.
Although the recent events appeared intricate, they had unfolded in a matter of seconds, leaving passengers dazed and struggling to process the shock.
Wide-eyed and speechless, they gaped at Tyrone Qin. Some even remained in the position of having their heads buried in their hands.
Diana Zhang was also left in a state of shock, her gaze fixed on Tyrone Qin, her movements frozen.
"Don't worry, folks. The criminals have been subdued, and there's no more danger," Tyrone Qin reassured the passengers. He scanned the area, trading his stern and aloof demeanor for a warm smile.
"Whoosh."
In response to Tyrone Qin's words and his gentle smile, the passengers collectively released pent-up breaths of relief. Some even clutched their chests, still visibly shaken.
"Thank you... thank you for saving me!" Diana Zhang finally regained her composure and whispered her gratitude.
"This is quite a departure from your demeanor earlier," Tyrone Qin commented as he approached Diana Zhang and took a seat once more, a grin on his face.
Diana Zhang remained silent but instinctively cast a concerned glance at the two black-clad bodyguards.
"Your bodyguards have merely been anesthetized; they're not in any life-threatening danger," Tyrone Qin reassured her.
"Anesthetic darts?"
Diana Zhang quickly connected the dots.
"Yes, but the anesthetic is incredibly potent, capable of rendering someone unconscious almost instantly," Tyrone Qin confirmed.
"Thank goodness they're okay..."
Diana Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, placing a hand over her chest.
Upon finishing her sentence, she stood up, swiftly walked over to the two bodyguards, and helped them back into their seats.
Huh?
Observing this scene, Tyrone Qin found himself slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Diana Zhang to show such concern for her bodyguards.
While surprised, he also realized that Diana Zhang possessed some level of combat training, evident in her ability to lift the two burly men. Without some form of training, an ordinary young woman wouldn't be able to manage that.
After assisting her bodyguards, Diana Zhang returned to her previous seat, picked up her phone, and realized that her live broadcast had been interrupted. The first bodyguard's fall had caused the table to topple, taking the selfie stand with it, which disrupted the live stream.
She didn't resume the live broadcast but instead took a few deep breaths to regain her composure before making a phone call.
"Tim Zhang, your beloved daughter has had another close call..."
With the call connected, Diana Zhang recounted the kidnapping incident with an almost nonchalant, teasing tone, a stark contrast to her demeanor during the kidnapping itself.
This unexpected transformation intrigued Tyrone Qin.
"Once again, thank you for coming to my rescue earlier," Diana Zhang expressed her gratitude after ending the call.
A minute later, she ended the call, stood up, walked over to sit across from Tyrone Qin, and said, still visibly shaken, "I'm Diana Zhang, but you can call me Diana.'"
"I'm Tyrone Qin."
Observing Diana Zhang's fear, which she couldn't quite hide, Tyrone Qin was puzzled. "You seemed composed when you made that call earlier. Why are you frightened again now?"
"Because I don't want to worry my father," Diana Zhang sighed softly.
Due to her unique status, she had experienced numerous assassination attempts from a young age, witnessing the deaths of bodyguards right before her eyes.
Even her own mother!
These memories often invaded her dreams, becoming her persistent nightmares. Each night, when she awoke from these terrors, she would huddle in the corner of her bed, clutching herself and crying silently, secretly praying to God to prevent further tragedies.
Come dawn, she would wipe away her tears, regain her smile, and transform into the cheerful and lively figure that her father, teachers, classmates, and fans adored.
She concealed her inner demons behind a joyful smile to spare her father from worrying.
With a heart full of piety, she prayed for God's protection, pleading that no more tragedies would befall her.
But—
It seemed that God was not inclined to grant her that peace.