"I'm... I'm sorry." Chun-Li finally lowered her head and apologized, somewhat embarrassed. "I made a mistake. But why were you with that Shadaloo person just now?"
"Like I said, I was passing through." Cloud pointed at the grunt still kneeling on the ground, trembling. "I had just reached this alley entrance when he came barreling in. He saw me and dropped to his knees on his own. Probably thought I looked pretty imposing."
The kneeling grunt nodded frantically: "Yes, yes, yes! Big bro, your domineering aura is overwhelming! One look and I knew you weren't ordinary! I have an elderly mother at home, and I have a... a..."
"Enough, enough—that 'crying infant' routine can stop now." Cloud waved his hand impatiently.
Watching this absurd scene, Chun-Li finally believed she had truly misunderstood.
She looked at Cloud, her expression becoming infinitely complex.
Who was this man, really?
He possessed strength far surpassing hers—possibly stronger than any fighter she knew of—yet he wandered the streets like an ordinary person.
And moreover...
Chun-Li's mind flashed to Cloud's earlier critique.
"Nice speed, good power. Too bad the footwork is too unstable."
That one sentence had hit the nail on the head!
She had always been proud of her legwork, but she also knew that her excessive pursuit of speed and flashiness left her vulnerable to instability in extreme situations.
This was a flaw her own master had reminded her about multiple times.
Yet this man before her had spotted it after just one exchange!
This wasn't just about being powerful—this was grandmaster-level insight!
"You... said earlier that my legwork has unstable footwork. What did you mean?" Chun-Li couldn't help asking humbly for guidance.
"Oh? Want to learn?" Cloud smiled. "Learning is fine, but I charge for knowledge. Tuition is expensive, you know."
"You!" Chun-Li was annoyed by his flippant attitude again.
Just then—
Wee-ooo—Wee-ooo—
The urgent wail of police sirens approached rapidly from the distance.
Chun-Li's expression changed.
"Bad news—it's the Hong Kong police." She glanced at Cloud, then at the Shadaloo grunt on the ground, looking troubled.
Though she was Interpol, she had no jurisdiction in Hong Kong.
The street fight earlier had already caused a disturbance. With the police arriving, explanations would be extremely troublesome.
Especially with Cloud, this "strong unknown," being marked by the authorities would cause endless problems.
Though she'd just been "teased" by him, Chun-Li's heart didn't want this mysterious fighter caught up in unnecessary trouble.
"Hey!" She addressed Cloud in a tone that brooked no argument. "If you don't want trouble, follow me!"
With that, she grabbed Cloud's wrist with one hand, hoisted the Shadaloo grunt by his collar like a chicken with the other, and took off running into the depths of the alley.
"Hey, wait! Officer, is this... kidnapping?" Cloud let himself be dragged along, feeling the delicate yet strong grip on his wrist, unable to resist teasing.
"Shut up! Say another word and I'll cuff you!"
Chun-Li snapped without looking back, though a subtle blush crept up her cheeks.
...
Chun-Li's stamina was clearly no joke.
One hand pulling Cloud, the other hoisting the 170-pound Shadaloo grunt, she navigated Hong Kong's labyrinthine back alleys like the wind, light as a swallow.
Those beautiful legs in white boots exploded with astonishing power and endurance, giving Cloud a profound understanding of what "leg attachment" truly meant.
"I say, Officer," Cloud bantered while being passively "parkoured" along, "with this stamina, not joining the Olympics is a waste. I seriously suspect even Usain Bolt would have to call you 'master.'"
"Less chatter! If we don't speed up, we'll be taken to the station for tea!" Chun-Li spoke without looking back, but her slightly reddened ear tips betrayed her inner turmoil.
Being dragged by the wrist by a man and running—this was a first in her life.
The feeling was strange, tense, and carried a hint of... excitement.
Finally, after countless turns and twists that shook off the ever-closer sirens, Chun-Li brought Cloud and the grunt—who was nearly vomiting from being jostled—to an abandoned pier warehouse.
BANG!
She casually tossed the Shadaloo grunt to the floor, then let go of Cloud's hand with a whoosh, hands on her hips, gasping for breath.
The intense exercise made her tight-fitting cheongsam even more form-hugging, outlining her proud curves to perfection.
Cloud, on the other hand, acted like nothing had happened—calmly patting non-existent dust from his clothes, surveying the warehouse with its smell of rust and fish, and nodding approvingly.
"Not bad. Secluded environment, no one around, dark as night... Officer, bringing me to a place like this—are you planning to silence me? Or... do something unspeakable to me?" He looked at Chun-Li with a wicked grin.
"You... what nonsense are you spouting!" Chun-Li's face instantly turned crimson. She glared fiercely at Cloud, trying to kill this smooth-talker with her eyes. "I just found a place to ask you some questions!"
"Ask away, ask away. I'll tell you everything I know. But consultation fees are quite expensive, you know." Cloud casually pulled over a broken wooden crate, sat down grandly, and assumed a "I'm the boss, ask whatever you want" posture.
Chun-Li took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
She walked up to Cloud, her beautiful yet sharp eyes fixed on him as if trying to see through him.
"Who are you really? Who taught you your kung fu? Why are you in Hong Kong?" She fired off three questions in succession.
"My name is Cloud, a peace-loving fighter, no school or lineage, here in Hong Kong for tourism." Cloud answered without batting an eye or skipping a beat—he'd gotten very practiced at this explanation.
"Tourism?" Chun-Li clearly didn't buy it. "What tourist can catch my Kikoken bare-handed and spot the flaws in my technique at a glance? This 'tourism' of yours—are you some martial arts alliance leader traveling incognito to experience life?"
"Now, Officer, that's a bit judgmental." Cloud wagged his finger. "Can't a master have a heart that enjoys life? Look at that guy called Ryu—his strength isn't any less than yours, right? Yet he wanders the world in tattered clothes every day, pursuing some 'true path of fighting.'"
Chun-Li was taken aback.
"You... you know Ryu?" she asked in surprise.
Ryu was a legendary figure in the fighting world. Though elusive, Chun-Li had long heard of his fame.
...
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