Volume One, Chapter Five: I Told You to Take Off Your Shoes, Not Your Clothes!

The next day, Liu Dong dialed Su Jinyao’s number.

“Yao Yao, Dad here. I have something to ask of you.”

“...”

As night fell, Liu Dong arrived at a coffee shop in the east suburbs. Pushing open the door, he saw only one customer inside.

“Sir, how many in your party?”

Liu Dong didn’t answer the waiter’s question. Instead, he pulled out a wad of bills from his pocket, his gaze fixed on the lone customer seated deep inside.

With a series of crisp taps, Liu Dong stacked the bills on the bar.

“This is for you. Give me a table.”

“Sir, this is a coffee shop, not a furniture store.”

Liu Dong ignored the waiter and strode directly toward the customer.

“Sorry, I have an appointment,” said the woman.

She had a neat short haircut, slender, deep-set eyes, and wore a simple black jacket that hugged her figure perfectly.

She furrowed her brow slightly, a subtle wariness flickering in her gaze—an instinct born from long exposure to a harsh environment, like a leopard always ready to pounce.

One of the four top officers of the Iron-faced Shura Mercenary Corps, her nickname was “Blank Card.”

“How do you know the person I’m meeting isn’t me?”

Liu Dong sat down casually, crossing his legs with ease.

“You? Haha, impossible.”

With a sweeping glance, Blank Card could tell this man’s combat prowess was insufficient. He simply couldn’t be the “Dragon King” trained by their organization.

Because the Iron-faced Shura Mercenary Corps kept communications strictly one-way between ranks to prevent traitors, and meetings were avoided unless necessary, the members didn’t know each other personally.

This time, the organization sent Blank Card to assist Ye Aotian, with clear instructions: Ye Aotian was handsome, powerful, and had a strong aura—easy to identify.

This man was indeed handsome and carried the right aura, but his combat power was obviously lacking.

“Why impossible? Want to test?”

Blank Card glanced toward the door; no one seemed to be coming.

Could it really be him?

“Then let’s test. If you’re not who I’m looking for, this will be your fate.”

With that, Blank Card raised her arm, transforming her palm into a fist, and slammed it hard onto the table. The solid wood cracked, leaving a hole.

“Hey, don’t do that…”

The waiter jumped back in alarm.

“Shut up. Didn’t I give you enough money?”

“Ah? Oh, yes, sir. Please continue.”

Now the waiter understood Liu Dong’s earlier intentions; he must have already anticipated the outcome.

“Wow, Blank Card, as expected! Your strikes are something else. I think the organization is wasting your talents by placing you here!”

Blank Card was momentarily stunned. She had been cold and ruthless toward the waiter moments ago, but now she turned, eyes sparkling with admiration, clapping enthusiastically.

Yet, such praise loosened her vigilance just a little.

“Enough talk. Make your move.”

The message was clear: if you can’t even do this, you’re not the one I’m looking for.

“Alright, I’ll give it my all, but I’m sure I’m not as strong as you.”

Liu Dong smiled and raised a finger, tapping the table lightly.

Nothing happened.

Blank Card’s anger flared instantly; she felt mocked. Her muscles tensed, ready to strike again, when Liu Dong spoke.

“Don’t rush. The dragon is awakening.”

With a sharp crack, the table exploded from where Liu Dong’s finger tapped, shattering into pieces.

Blank Card was stunned. Wood chips flew into her face, but she didn’t flinch.

Liu Dong quietly exhaled. He had just used his only skill, Dragon’s Soul, twice already, pretending it was just the power of a single finger. He felt this skill was incredibly fragile.

Apparently, he had successfully intimidated her.

No choice—for now, this skill’s only function was brute force, which he could channel to different parts of his body to unleash bursts of strength.

“You…”

Blank Card knew well how hard that solid wood table was. She had hit it with at least eighty percent force, yet this man shattered it with a mere finger.

But something was off. She scrutinized him closely but detected no real combat power.

Unless he was many times stronger than her, to the point she couldn’t sense it.

“Sorry, beautiful lady, I spilled your coffee. Shall I get you another cup?”

Beautiful? Blank Card’s heart skipped. Having lived among death and monsters, no one had ever called her beautiful. They called her a monster, a killer, cold and ruthless.

“Actually, these combat boots don’t suit you. These are more fitting for a girl like you.”

Liu Dong pulled from behind a bag a pair of black lambskin high heels.

Girl. High heels. Beautiful? No one had ever associated such things with her.

She shook her head slightly, steadying her emotions. She couldn’t let him unsettle her.

“One last step: our secret code.”

Hearing this, Liu Dong panicked. Damn, he’d forgotten about the code. The original novel was so long; he never memorized such details.

“The organization’s code is clever and strict; no one but the real person can get it right.”

“Ahem, you go first. You’ve been verifying me all along; it’s your turn now.”

Liu Dong forced calm, already planning how to escape if the code was too difficult.

“Goose…”

“Huh?”

“Goose, goose.”

Liu Dong was baffled.

“Curved neck singing to the sky?”

He hesitated but recited the next line.

“Hmm?”

Liu Dong thought, this isn’t going to be easy.

Blank Card reached for her waist—was she drawing a dagger? Liu Dong tensed, ready to spring.

Instead, she pulled out a copy of “Three Hundred Tang Poems” and flipped through it.

After a moment’s study, she said, “Correct.”

Liu Dong was speechless. What kind of educational level did the Iron-faced Shura Mercenary Corps have? They might accept mercenaries with low standards, but not this low, surely?

Blank Card closed the book, her expression stern, then knelt cleanly on one knee before Liu Dong.

“Salutations, Dragon King.”

“Oh dear, get up, get up. Such a beautiful girl shouldn’t kneel so casually.”

Liu Dong immediately helped her to her feet.

This surprised Blank Card deeply. How was the Dragon King so different from others in the organization? Was this part of their training?

“Next, I have two tasks for you.”

“My lord, please command.”

“First, take off your boots and put on these high heels.”

“Huh?”

Though surprised, Blank Card complied. As she stood, the unfamiliar height made her body sway slightly.

“See? That suits the temperament of a beautiful girl.”

A faint blush colored her cold cheeks.

“My lord, what is the second task?”

Liu Dong smiled coldly, pointing toward the door.

“Kill him.”

Blank Card turned her head, eyes fixed on the entrance.