Free Web NovelChapter 2487: Chapter 2511: Like an Idol
Only guys who came out of that unit would dare to do this, everyone sighed in their hearts. Only guys from that unit can’t stand being bullied, and they’re even more out of place with normal society, because that unit exists purely for war. When they carry out missions, the success rate is insanely high, in world-level competitions they’re among the strongest, you could even say they’re killing machines—utterly professional, all of them the top talents selected from every military region.
So even the SWAT captain, who usually has his nose in the air, couldn’t help straightening up in respect when he heard Li Yifei personally admit it. He snapped his heels together with a loud crack, and whoosh—gave Li Yifei a military salute. Any bro who came out of that unit is worthy of respect.
Li Yifei also stood up and returned the salute solemnly. The other cops all snapped to attention and saluted as well. Just a moment ago they were enemies on opposite sides; now, in a blink, they seemed to become friends. One military salute wiped out the distance between them.
Li Yifei lowered his hand and said, "No need to be so polite—we’re not soldiers anymore."
"We’re soldiers for life, because those years are our memories, and those few years affect the rest of our lives!" the SWAT captain said.
Li Yifei nodded in agreement. "You’ve got a point. Even if the body goes out of shape, even if the years stack up, nobody will ever forget those days. That really is the most precious memory."
"May I ask your name? I’m Zhao Tiezhu, captain of the SWAT Team. These are all my brothers. Today’s mission... was kinda bullshit. I’m here to apologize to you on their behalf." The SWAT captain spoke apologetically.
Li Yifei waved his hand and laughed. "It’s fine, your brothers are all good men. I understand you’ve got orders and have to follow them. Of course, Brother Tiezhu, you being willing to hold the line and speak up for me, I really appreciate that too."
"This... honestly, I’m ashamed. The moment I heard this had to do with District Chief Yue’s son, I kind of backed off. After all..."
"I get it, I get it," Li Yifei said casually.
Zhao Tiezhu glanced at Wang Gang, who still hadn’t come back to his senses, then lowered his voice and asked, "Bro, level with me. What’s your plan here? You just beat up Wang Gang—he’s the bureau chief. There’s no way they let this slide. If you don’t have a countermeasure, you’re really screwed. How about this: you pretend to take me hostage, then use the chance to run. You’re Flying Hawk Squad, right? Getting away should be nothing for you. As long as you make it back to the unit, they can’t do a damn thing to you."
"Brother Tiezhu, I’m already discharged, what unit am I going back to?" Li Yifei looked at him with some emotion. They’d just met and this guy could already say something like that—this Zhao Tiezhu was really something. He praised him silently in his heart, then smiled and said, "Since you’re thinking this much for me, I won’t keep hiding it from you. Let me ask again—do you brothers know how the Flying Hawk Squad is structured?"
"We know. When I was in the army, my old squad leader, even the old regimental commander, talked about your squad with nothing but admiration—and envy. You’ve got a captain and deputy captain each leading a team. Of course, normally there’s no such distinction, but the total number of people isn’t high. If there are casualties... only then do they recruit replacements, and those have to go through a long period of training."
"Right. Which is why I happen to be the tenth captain." As soon as Li Yifei finished that sentence, the people around him exploded again. Most of them were demobilized soldiers who’d switched to police work, and they were especially envious of the Flying Hawk Squad. This guy... not only said he was Flying Hawk Squad, but that he was the captain? Damn, how is that even possible?
Zhao Tiezhu was a serious type, but that didn’t mean he was stupid. He blinked, made sure he hadn’t misheard, then quickly shook his head. "That doesn’t sound right, bro. I’m not doubting you—your skills already proved themselves, and there’s no reason to pretend to be Flying Hawk Squad. But saying you’re the captain... something feels off. Even though I’ve been discharged for years, I know each captain had his own exclusive codename. I don’t know what yours is..."
The others were all listening intently. This was a rare chance—to run into an actual member of the Flying Hawk Squad in person, and... could he really be the captain?
Li Yifei laughed out loud. "There’s nothing here worth lying about. You’ve been standing up for me this much—if I’m still lying to you that’d be out of line. Brother Tiezhu, comrades, I’m the tenth captain of the Flying Hawk Squad, codename Golden Eagle. I’ve already been discharged for a few years now, though."
"Golden Eagle?" Zhao Tiezhu and a few who were familiar with the Flying Hawk Squad’s callsigns were even more shocked. Their eyes went wide as they sized Li Yifei up, looking like they just couldn’t believe it. Very quickly they asked, "You’re really Golden Eagle?"
"Of course, I’m Golden Eagle." Li Yifei nodded.
"That’s not right, though. I heard Golden Eagle doesn’t look like this. Bro, this isn’t the time to joke around!" Zhao Tiezhu shook his head.
Li Yifei slapped his forehead. "Right, I don’t look like this. Haha, I forgot." As he spoke, he pretended to rub his face with his hands a couple times, then when he lifted his head again, everyone suddenly realized he looked completely different. The plain, forgettable face from before was gone. Now Li Yifei looked both handsome and sharp, his features together giving off a kind of unforgettable feel. But if you wanted to say he was ridiculously handsome, not necessarily—it was more that his face had presence, hard to forget once you’d seen it.
It was a strange feeling, so much so that everyone completely ignored the "Disguise Technique" Li Yifei had just used, and instead all cried out in shock and excitement, "Golden Eagle, you really are Golden Eagle?"
"Holy crap, in my lifetime I actually get to see the captain of my old idol squad? Let me think—when I joined the army, weren’t you already the captain of the Flying Hawk Squad?"
"You were when I served too. I still remember that year’s big regional exercise. Your Flying Hawk Squad swept all the first-place awards. We all protested afterward that from then on, the regional war games shouldn’t include you, and we’d rank ourselves separately."
"Everybody hold up a sec!" Suddenly a young cop shouted. His bark drew everyone’s attention. They saw him holding his phone, fingers tapping, then he suddenly lifted his head, looking at Li Yifei with obvious excitement. "Oh my god, it really is you. Golden Eagle, is your name Li Yifei?"
Turns out he’d been googling. Li Yifei chuckled and nodded. "Yep, that’s me."
"Guys, it’s really him. He’s Li Yifei, codename Golden Eagle, tenth captain of the Flying Hawk Squad, also one of the best captains ever. Rumor says after he left the service he joined an even more mysterious unit—though nobody knows if that part’s true or not."
"Little Li, hold on—you said Li Yifei... isn’t that our Ning Province’s richest man, Li Yifei?" an older cop who watched the news a lot asked.
"Is he?" The young cop blinked, then suddenly clapped his hands. "Of course he is! Li Yifei is the richest man in our province, the legendary hundred-billion tycoon, and he’s exactly the retired Flying Hawk Squad captain, Golden Eagle..."
The richest man in the whole province, and the captain of the Flying Hawk Squad—either identity alone was something normal people could only look up to. And a guy like that had come here today... and had just laid out several of their colleagues in a row. But anyone still clear-headed at this point completely ignored that part.
Uh, not quite—should say there were two more who passed out. It wasn’t that their mental fortitude was weak, it’s just... the political instructor and that cop with the gun had never in their wildest dreams imagined that the man they’d mouthed off to today was Li Yifei—and then got their asses handed to them by him.
So the two of them just couldn’t take it. Their eyes rolled back and they fainted on the spot.
No one else even noticed. Even the cops who hadn’t served in the army were fired up by now. The richest man and the Flying Hawk Squad captain were both way too far out of their league; they’d never imagined they’d get to see Li Yifei in person. And now here he was, right in front of them.
Zhao Tiezhu was so excited he didn’t even know what to say. It was like he was meeting his idol in the flesh. To him, the richest man in the province wasn’t as big a deal—the tenth captain of the Flying Hawk Squad was the real monster.
"I’m just... too fired up. Golden Eagle Captain, I never thought I’d see you, and in a situation like this, too. I really... don’t even know what to say, I’m so damn excited." Zhao Tiezhu spoke what many of them were feeling. A bunch of big grown men with stars in their eyes, all bursting with adrenaline.
Li Yifei waved his hand. "Don’t be like this, everyone. If you act like that, I won’t dare reveal my identity next time. You’ve seen it yourselves—I’m just an ordinary guy. I’ve got the same seven emotions and six desires, and I’ll throw punches when I have to. If I wasn’t worried about you getting dragged in, I would’ve kept it hidden."
"No, no, this makes you feel even more real. In the future, if my son joins the army, I’m gonna tell him this story. He’ll die of envy, haha!" one cop shouted.
"Exactly, this is what a real man looks like—bloody-minded as hell. Serves that bastard Wang Gang right for pissing you off. And Yang Jin too, that bastard’s rotten to the core. In the bureau he struts around just because he can suck up to people, acts like some big shot."
"Cut it with that talk. With Golden Eagle Captain dropping his identity, today’s crap doesn’t even count as trouble. And anyway, they’re the ones in the wrong. We don’t have to be scared of them!" Just like that, these guys had all put themselves in Li Yifei’s camp.
"Thanks, everyone. I really can’t just let this go. If they can twist black and white like this, this time they happened to run into me. If I don’t do something, what about the next guy? He’ll just have to swallow his teeth with the blood. So don’t blame me for being petty or unwilling to let it drop. This time, I have to get the whole thing sorted out, crystal clear." Li Yifei cupped his hands to the people around him, taking the initiative to explain.
"That’s exactly how it should be. Haha, Golden Eagle Captain is a real man!"
"Boss, whatever you do, I’m backing you. Even if you tell me right now to go beat up that bastard Yue Buqun, I’ll go with you!" the young cop shouted even louder.
Li Yifei laughed heartily. "No need to have you do the beating. As long as you guys aren’t worried, that’s enough. When it comes to throwing punches, I’ll handle that myself!"
