So-called cross-tracking is actually a two-person tracking method, where two people track for a period of time and then alternate. The person not tracking moves ahead of the target to dispel suspicion.
If the target turns, they quickly catch up to the next point and take over.
This tracking method is not easy for the target to suspect, so it is very effective.
The technical content of cross-tracking is not particularly high. Although these two people may not have undergone special training, they must be experienced.
"So skilled, it seems they've done a lot of wicked things like this."
"Does that mean we've confirmed they're bad guys? Can we act directly?"
"No, wait."
Such people are most likely wanted by the police, but An Chen doesn't have time to search the wanted list online now.
An Chen held down the restless Su Xiaojiu, took out a small piece of paper and a pen, placed them on the table, and then quickly wrote a message.
He deliberately changed his handwriting, making it unidentifiable.
He put the pen back into his qiankun bag, folded the small piece of paper, and put it into his pocket.
Almost the instant he finished these actions, Wang Zhaoyang's figure appeared at the alley entrance. He walked into the alley in just a few steps.
"Boss, a bowl of fried noodles, extra spicy!"
He walked to the cashier, pulled out the phone he had kept hidden since entering school, and scanned to pay.
He didn't find a table to sit at but walked out of the shop again, heading deeper into the alley.
The skinny man's figure appeared first at the alley entrance, followed by the muscular man. The two exchanged glances, and a somewhat sinister smile appeared on the skinny man's face.
The two quickly followed Wang Zhaoyang, who was walking deeper into the alley.
A convenience store could be found a little further in. Wang Zhaoyang liked to order a bowl of fried noodles and then go there to buy a bottle of soda. By the time he returned, the fried noodles would be almost ready, and he could eat them while drinking his soda.
However, before he could reach it, he suddenly heard someone whistle behind him.
Wang Zhaoyang thought someone was calling him, so he turned to look, but all he saw was a fist coming straight at his face.
Before he could react, Wang Zhaoyang was already on the ground, his cheek swollen red. The punch had landed on his cheekbone, and when he fell, the back of his head hit the ground, leaving him dizzy.
Wang Zhaoyang's vision blurred instantly, and his body stiffened. Only his right hand fumbled wildly in front of him, but he couldn't grasp anything.
The muscular man grabbed his clothes, and with a pull, flipped him over, pressing his face to the ground.
"This is him, right?"
"It can't be wrong."
"Can we go directly from the alley to the car later?"
"Yes."
Wang Zhaoyang was still conscious and hadn't passed out. These two obviously didn't have ether or anything to make him unconscious, nor did they possess the skill to knock someone out with a single chop, so they could only press his head to the ground first.
This prevented Wang Zhaoyang from opening his mouth or crying out.
"I'll knock him out. Anyway, it didn't say the Transcendents had to be completely unharmed. A slight concussion should be fine!"
The muscular man grabbed Wang Zhaoyang and then punched the back of Wang Zhaoyang's head.
That was the location of the brainstem, which maintains basic life rhythms like heart rate and body temperature. Hitting this area can easily cause unconsciousness and even death.
Before his fist could smash into the back of Wang Zhaoyang's head, a stone suddenly flew over. The half-fist-sized stone hit his hand, making the muscular man retract his hand in pain.
Both were startled at the same time and looked behind them.
But before they could see anything clearly, they noticed a figure rapidly approaching. This person's speed was extremely fast; neither of them saw clearly, nor did they have time to react.
However, they still sensed danger and instinctively reached for the switchblades tucked into their waistbands.
An Chen used the footwork he had just learned, agilely approaching the two.
An Chen chose the muscular man first. This muscular man was about 1.85 meters tall, seven or eight centimeters taller than An Chen. And An Chen, to attack faster, was not only leaning forward but also hunched over, making this person look more than a head taller than An Chen.
An Chen therefore chose to target his lower body.
The muscular man had just drawn his switchblade, and the blade hadn't even had time to spring out when An Chen had already attacked him.
Seeing An Chen make a move to attack his crotch, the muscular man quickly moved to block, but An Chen, with a bizarre angle and speed, dodged around the muscular man and appeared behind him.
The muscular man's peripheral vision suddenly caught a glimpse of a cold glint. He finally realized An Chen had a knife in his hand.
But it was too late.
The knife in An Chen's hand struck the back of the muscular man's right knee, but he used the blunt side of the blade, not the sharp edge.
His strength was great. The muscular man's right leg immediately buckled in pain, and An Chen stood up.
Another strike with the blunt side of the blade, this time hitting the side of the muscular man's neck, at the carotid sinus.
The carotid sinus has pressure receptors. A strong impact can lead to a drop in blood pressure or even fainting. Middle-aged and elderly people can even faint just by pressing this spot forcefully.
The muscular man immediately stiffened and fell to the ground with a thud.
The skinny man flicked out his blade, gripping the switchblade tightly, watching his companion fall to the ground in horror.
But when the muscular man fell, An Chen, who had been behind him, disappeared.
The skinny man suddenly turned his head sharply, only to find that An Chen had used the moment the muscular man fell to flash to his side, and what greeted him was a straight punch.
The skinny man immediately heard a crisp sound from his ribs, and his chest slightly caved in.
He crashed to the ground, and before he could even cough violently, An Chen struck him again with the blunt side of the blade on the side of his neck. The skinny man then also fainted.
An Chen's goal was not to kill them, and ideally, he didn't want to leave external injuries, especially those with clear knife wound characteristics.
Although he could practice the knife skills he had just learned, there was no need to actually kill them with the knife; the blunt side of the blade was enough.
The two instantly passed out on the ground.
"Why didn't you kill them?"
Su Xiaojiu asked.
To her, bad people who do bad things deserve punishment. These two were already trying to kidnap someone, so killing them was entirely justifiable.
"In our world, it's not about immediate retribution but about order. Laws may not always be fair, but they maintain social order, and that's enough. If everyone acted like you, this social order would fall apart."
An Chen bent down, confirmed that the two wouldn't wake up anytime soon, and then said calmly.
This was not the Kyushu Continent; it was not a world where the strong preyed on the weak.
His current actions were considered a heroic act; killing would change the nature of the situation.
Of course, An Chen also didn't intend to take credit for the heroic act.
Moreover, he didn't want to get blood on his hands.
"Honestly, have you never killed anyone? Are you just too scared to do it?"
"..."
An Chen's body froze, silent for a long time.
Su Xiaojiu knew too much.