Chapter Sixty: I Have a Fear of Heights

The day was drawing near when the treasure would be firmly in his grasp, and Belgrade, watching the flashes of electricity within the manor, made another phone call to urge the security chief of the Special Agent Camp. The moment the call connected, he saw their convoy descending from the highway, finally easing his worries. He did not want this precious prize to die in the hands of the kidnappers, especially as his observations suggested the electrical phenomena were not caused by Liu Yunfei; there might be an even more powerful superhuman inside the manor. If he could recruit such a person, his own achievements would be monumental—a vivid stroke in his political career.

The agents and security personnel from the Special Agent Training Camp were the first to arrive. Their base was extremely close, and they had already been waiting in their vehicles for orders. Once the call came, it took them only ten minutes to reach the site. The well-trained agents, clad in black uniforms and masks, moved like rulers of the night. No words were needed; a gesture, a glance was enough for them to swiftly spread out and begin their assault on the manor.

Meanwhile, Liu Yunfei was facing off against three old men inside the manor. It had been no more than five minutes since he stepped through the gate, yet he had already rolled across the grass numerous times. Though the attacks could not harm him in the slightest, his heart was restless, like ants on a hot pan. He did not know where the helicopter would take the prince and Awari, nor what fate awaited them. At this moment, he was their only hope.

Liu Yunfei had forged deep friendships with these Arab companions over time. If anything went wrong, how could he face the old king? How could he face Shalena? It was all because he hadn’t come with them today—he blamed himself.

He heard the chaotic sounds of vehicles gathering outside, followed by the stealthy, approaching footsteps of the agents. But what use was their arrival? With three formidable bosses here, even his own powerful abilities could barely gain the upper hand. Those agents were merely well-trained ordinary people; no matter how many came, it was futile—a single sphere of lightning would lay three roasted chickens flat.

Yet Liu Yunfei was mistaken. As the armed agents surrounded them and aimed at the three old men from every angle, the elders did not resist. Instead, they sat calmly on the grass, reciting the Quran.

Liu Yunfei had always assumed other superhumans were as invulnerable as he was. But superhumans are only formidable in their specialized fields; their abilities are unique, but most are still vulnerable to bullets, and some even weaker than ordinary men. The three old men could have taken out several agents if they fought, but that would only invite more agents and a hail of bullets to shred them. Unless driven by hatred or desperation, no one would trade their life for others’—no matter how many they took down, it was never worth it. Besides, their mission was to delay; they felt it was accomplished and saw no need to fight.

Liu Yunfei cast a fierce glance at the old men, stepped onto his cloud and soared into the sky. Some agents, unsure of the situation, raised their guns to shoot, but Belgrade, trailing behind, shouted them down.

Ascending higher and higher, Liu Yunfei stopped at roughly 5,000 meters, scanning the horizon—most helicopters can only reach this altitude. Thanks to the clear weather, the bright moon, and the timely arrival of the agents, he could see the navigation lights of a helicopter flashing at the farthest limit of his vision to the southeast. Ecstatic, Liu Yunfei thanked the heavens, thanked the moon goddess, thanked fate.

Transforming into a peregrine falcon, he shot forward with a piercing cry. Why a peregrine? Liu Yunfei had researched it—peregrines are the fastest creatures on earth, diving at speeds of up to 355 miles per hour, cruising at over 180. Even the swiftest cheetah only reaches 145 kilometers per hour. Liu Yunfei relished the sensation—it was more thrilling than racing cars. Of course, he could travel fifty-four thousand kilometers in a somersault, but that felt like instantaneous teleportation, robbing him of the pleasure of speed.

Such altitude and velocity made his eyes uncomfortable, tears streaming uncontrollably. Liu Yunfei resolved to order a custom pair of sunglasses for his falcon form next time. He easily caught up to the helicopter and peered inside—a miniature model, with a pilot in the front seat. Behind him, two white men held AKs with sawed-off stocks, aiming at two others—Awari and the old prince, seated at the tail of the craft, their expressions blank.

Seeing the kidnapped pair and confirming there were no superhumans among them, Liu Yunfei breathed a sigh of relief. If the guards had been superhumans, they surely would have been of the combat type—not those who merely charm women or steal with nimble hands. Combat superhumans disdain firearms; guarding Awari and the prince were undoubtedly ordinary mafia.

To avoid unnecessary harm, Liu Yunfei decided to first draw the kidnappers’ attention. He circled beside the helicopter, and sure enough, the pilot noticed him. Then he darted toward the side, slamming into the glass door. The two gun-wielding kidnappers stared in surprise at the giant bird rushing toward the glass. In their panic, the bird vanished.

In that instant, Liu Yunfei transformed into a tiny insect, slipped through the ventilation hole in the door, and entered. The kidnappers and pilot gaped in astonishment, craning their necks to search for the vanished bird; even Awari reacted like them. Only the cunning old prince looked peculiar—seeing the bird approach, he knew Liu Yunfei had arrived. It was the feeling of finding a savior in a desperate situation; he wanted to maintain his previous stoic expression, but excitement betrayed him.

Liu Yunfei found it amusing, but wasted no time. He returned to human form, shielding the two hostages, and produced a knockout spray—remarkably durable, it had subdued over twenty people and still half a bottle remained. He sprayed the two kidnappers, dispatching them easily. The pilot panicked, grabbed his pant leg, pulled out a handgun, and turned to fire wildly.

Originally, Liu Yunfei had no intention of killing him—after all, he was just a pilot, and Liu Yunfei himself wasn’t skilled at flying helicopters. He’d only practiced at the agent camp the day before, and hadn’t truly learned takeoff or landing. But the pilot, oblivious, chose death. “You leave me no choice,” Liu Yunfei thought. He kicked, a blow so powerful that the pilot, his gun, and the freshly fired bullet all smashed into the front windshield—a strong organic glass, built to withstand hurricanes and bird strikes, but not Liu Yunfei’s force. With a crash, a gaping hole appeared. The last thing Liu Yunfei saw in the pilot’s eyes was terror—the fear of impending death. For a moment, Liu Yunfei felt a pang of pity; he was just a high school student, not a killer.

But there was nothing he could do. The out-of-control helicopter spun wildly in midair, losing altitude rapidly. He had to act fast. Grabbing Awari and the old prince, one in each arm, he shouted, “Hold on tight!” and kicked the cabin door open, leaping out.

Salih was suspended in midair, held by Liu Yunfei, staring down at the falling helicopter. It shrank rapidly below, giving him the sensation of plummeting too. Dizzy with vertigo, he squeezed his eyes shut and cried out, “Oh God, please, quickly go down! I have a fear of heights!”