Qian Yongnian

The car door opened, and a man in a black suit and sunglasses stepped out from the driver’s seat.

He was tall and powerfully built, his muscles straining against the suit and giving him an intimidating silhouette.

“An Changqing, Long Ao, Chen Guan.”

The man spoke.

“I’m Mr. Qian’s driver.”

He swept his gaze over the three of them, then quickly looked away.

“Get in.”

The driver opened the rear door of the SUV.

The three boarded in turn. Since the vehicle was too small, Chen Guan had no choice but to hand his coffin over to Baobao for safekeeping.

The weight on his shoulders disappeared all at once, leaving him feeling strangely wistful.

The SUV fell silent, with only the sound of its tires rolling over the road. After introducing himself, the driver did not say another word.

Fortunately, the journey was not long. Before long, the vehicle entered a sprawling private estate.

The estate’s style was remarkably disjointed. Western-style fountains and lawns had been forcibly paired with traditional Chinese pavilions and towers, exuding the unabashed extravagance of a rich man who wanted it all.

The vehicle came to a steady stop in front of a three-story villa.

A plump man in an exquisitely tailored traditional Chinese jacket had already been waiting at the entrance.

He was round as a ball, and the smile piled onto his face had nearly squeezed his eyes into slits. In one hand, he was slowly rolling a string of glossy agarwood prayer beads.

“Oh, my! The three students have finally arrived. It must have been a tiring journey.”

He warmly stepped forward, grabbed the hand of An Changqing, who was leading the group, and shook it vigorously.

“You must be Student An. Indeed, you’re every bit as impressive as your photo—what a fine young man.”

Then he turned to Long Ao and Chen Guan, his smile never fading.

“And this must be Student Long, while this is Student Chen. Come, come inside. The food is all prepared.”

This was Qian Yongnian, the client who had commissioned them.

[Holy crap, this fat guy smiles like the Laughing Buddha. He looks like bad news.]

[Classic smiling tiger. The more hospitable they are, the harder they stab you in the back.]

[Look at that pomp. He must have made a fortune off shady dealings.]

Chen Guan followed them into the villa. The interior was even more dazzling, with antique furnishings, calligraphy, and paintings everywhere. It was impossible to tell which were genuine, but every single one radiated the unmistakable air of “I’m expensive.”

The meal was a delightful affair for both host and guests—or at least it appeared that way on the surface.

Qian Yongnian kept piling food into the three young men’s bowls, showering them with praise without pause.

“I’ve long heard that the students of Huaqing Academy are all outstanding talents. Now that I’ve met you in person, I see the rumors were true. You’re all exceptional.”

“Especially you, Student An. To become student council president at such a young age—your future is limitless.”

“Student Long is impressive as well. One look tells me you’re a top-tier fighter. With you three along for the journey, I can finally put my mind at ease.”

Long Ao had no interest in this sort of mutual commercial flattery. He occasionally responded with a few perfunctory words.

An Changqing, on the other hand, handled the exchange flawlessly. He wore a perfectly measured smile—neither distant nor overly familiar—and became the main force behind the conversation.

Chen Guan was happy to remain in the background. He said the least of the three, quietly eating throughout the meal and keeping his presence to a minimum.

After dinner, Qian Yongnian led the three of them out of the villa and into the backyard.

A huge black container truck was parked in the open space there. This hundred-ton behemoth looked terrifyingly powerful.

More than a dozen bodyguards in black suits stood around the truck. Their abilities varied, but none of them were weak. All of them met Huaqing Academy’s entrance standards, which meant they could be considered minor experts among ordinary civilians.

There were not many powerful practitioners among the general public in the country. Being able to gather such a force was enough to demonstrate just how wealthy Qian Yongnian was.

“The goods are in here.”

Qian Yongnian pointed at the truck, the smile on his face noticeably subdued.

“This time, I’ll have to trouble the three of you. Make sure it reaches Hailin City safely.”

An Changqing’s gaze swept over the truck’s absurdly thick armor and specially designed tires. He asked politely, “Mr. Qian, would it be convenient for you to tell us what’s inside? That way, we can formulate a more thorough protection plan based on the circumstances.”

“Oh, it’s nothing but a few worthless bottles and jars.”

Qian Yongnian waved his hand dismissively and gave a hearty laugh.

“They’re things passed down from our ancestors. They can’t be transported through a teleportation array because we’re afraid they might be damaged. And we’re also worried about those high-tech scanners. You understand—some of their origins aren’t exactly fit for public scrutiny.”

His words were half true and half false, so An Changqing did not press the matter.

An Changqing’s thoughts were much the same as those of the academy leadership. As long as the cargo was not seriously prohibited, he was willing to turn a blind eye.

After all, these wealthy businessmen donated a great deal of money to the academy every year.

They were merely antiques of uncertain provenance. There was no need to make a big issue of it. If the tycoons did not make money, what would they donate next year?

Just then, Chen Guan caught something from the corner of his eye.

When Qian Yongnian’s gaze fell on the black truck, there was a fleeting tension deep within those smiling eyes.

It was completely at odds with the genial smile on his face.

At almost the same moment, An Changqing noticed it too. He said nothing, but the smile on his face grew gentler.

“It’s getting late. Let’s get ready to set off,” Qian Yongnian urged.

The three of them were assigned to the same black SUV from earlier. It would serve as the escort vehicle, following behind the massive transport truck.

The convoy slowly got underway, its heavy tires rolling over the estate’s stone-paved road.

Once they reached the highway, the scenery along the roadside began to blur past.

The atmosphere inside the escort vehicle was fairly relaxed.

Long Ao found the car too stuffy and rolled down the window without hesitation. The high-speed wind rushed in and tousled his hair, but he wore an exhilarated expression.

An Changqing took out an e-reader and quietly began reading.

Chen Guan leaned against the window with his eyes closed, looking as if he were asleep.

From the pocket of his coat came Baobao’s faint snoring, audible only to Chen Guan.

The driver was still the same taciturn man. He concentrated on the road, steadily following the enormous vehicle ahead.

[Classic escort mission. I’ll bet fifty cents something happens halfway there.]

[If nothing happened, we wouldn’t have anything to watch.]

[The plot’s been way too peaceful lately. I want to see blood flowing like a river!]

Chen Guan did not miss a single comment from the viewers. His mental energy had already spread out into an invisible web, quietly enveloping the cab of the transport truck ahead.

Qian Yongnian was sitting in the passenger seat.

The fat man was not looking at the scenery or chatting with the driver. He kept his head lowered, his fingers rapidly pressing buttons on an old-fashioned flip phone.

About half an hour later, Qian Yongnian lifted the phone to his ear. The entire call lasted no more than thirty seconds before he hurriedly hung up, then resumed his usual cheerful expression.

That was only the first time.

Another half hour passed before Qian Yongnian took out his phone again and made another call, repeating the exact same process.

Throughout the afternoon, the convoy continued smoothly along the highway.

Qian Yongnian was like a wind-up clock, making a call punctually every thirty minutes.

As evening approached, the setting sun dyed the horizon red.

Chen Guan opened his eyes.

He said nothing. Instead, he turned to look at An Changqing in the seat beside him.

An Changqing had just put down his e-reader and folded the screen shut.

Their gazes met in the dim vehicle.

An Changqing’s eyes were calm, but beneath that calm lay a quiet understanding. He looked at Chen Guan and gave a slight nod.