Chapter 83: Making Enemies

Qiao Sangui was urging me, but I was surprisingly calm. I didn’t agree right away. First of all, it was strange that he hadn’t been the least bit surprised by my arrival. That alone was suspicious. He also knew my grandfather and was clearly aware that I was the one who leaked the information about the Jade Casket in Yunnan.

So I had a bold guess: Qiao Sangui had anticipated my arrival from the moment I released the news about the casket. Not only that, but with his wide network of information, he might have already known about my Fourth Brother’s whereabouts and was using that as bait to lure me in.

No—maybe it wasn’t even about luring me. Maybe it was all for the ancient jade around my neck. But wait, if Qiao Sangui went to such lengths for this piece of jade, then why?

“Master Qiao, you’ve seen a lot in your time. A jade like this shouldn’t be all that rare across the country. With your resources, you could easily get one of similar quality. Why fixate on mine?” I rested one hand on the arm of the lantern-back chair and took a sip of tea from the cup in front of me.

Putting the cup down, I continued, “If Lu A’yao is dead, then I definitely can’t give you this jade. It would be considered her keepsake. If I hand it over, the Lu family will come after me. I have no intention of making enemies with them.”

Qiao Sangui’s previously calm eyes suddenly turned fierce. Clutching the teacup in his hand, he said, “Kid, you’re clever, but it’s a shame you’re using that cleverness in the wrong place. If you hand over the jade before I run out of patience, we can still make this a successful deal. Otherwise—”

Before he could finish, I noticed the sunlight spilling in from the doorway was slowly being blocked by several looming shadows. He Yu tugged at my sleeve and swallowed hard, motioning for me to look behind. I turned around to see a group of thugs had appeared out of nowhere and were now blocking the exit.

I covered my face, nearly in tears. Was a fight really inevitable today?

He Yu turned to Qiao Sangui with a sheepish grin. “Master Qiao, Master Qiao, tell your boys to put their toys away, alright? No need to get worked up. The kid’s just being immature. We’re only here to ask a few questions. Let me talk some sense into him, and we’ll get back to you right away.”

Qiao Sangui lowered his eyes and sipped his tea, silently giving He Yu the go-ahead. The line of thugs at the door reluctantly stashed away their clubs and sticks.

Then He Yu grabbed me and pulled me to my feet, dragging me to a corner near the door. The two of us started whispering conspiratorially.

He Yu asked, “What do you think? That old bastard’s going to all this trouble. The thing around your neck must be incredibly valuable.”

I glanced at him.

He Yu instantly got it. “Alright, got it. I’ll cover you. You protect that jade. Let’s wreck this bastard.”

We both turned at the same time to look at Qiao Sangui, still sitting on the sofa. He Yu stepped forward first, walking over to the lantern-back chair. He circled around, placed one hand on the back of the chair, and smiled at Qiao Sangui.

“We’ve come up with a win-win solution. Thought we’d run it by you, Master Qiao.”

Qiao Sangui let out a noncommittal “Oh?” and set down his teacup. “Let’s hear it.”

He Yu grinned wide. “Here’s your solution—I’ll pay with your ancestors!”

As he spoke, he grabbed the untouched cup of scalding tea from the table and flung it straight into Qiao Sangui’s one good eye. Qiao Sangui let out a shriek as the hot water hit him. The nearest thug, Baldy, rushed to help, but He Yu was freakishly strong. He picked up a lantern-back chair and swung it at him with full force.

Before the other thugs could react, I grabbed the largest blue-and-white porcelain vase at hand and hurled it at the nearest group. It smashed into two of them, but unbelievably, they stayed on their feet.

I started to panic. Just how much was Qiao paying these guys each month to make them fight like this?

“Little Yao! Move!” He Yu shouted.

I quickly dodged to the side. He Yu spun like a top, swinging the chair in wide arcs and forcing the thugs to back off. He carved out a path for me to escape. Still dazed, he tossed me the keys to the motorcycle and roared, “Gan Ji, run!”

“Goddammit! Forget the one who’s out cold! Bring the other one back! And don’t you dare damage that treasure around his neck!” Qiao Sangui bellowed from inside.

All the thugs immediately shifted their focus to me. I snatched the keys, leapt onto the motorcycle, and gunned it toward the main road. I could feel metal rods swiping past my head, close enough to make my scalp tingle.

I tore out of there and sped into the nearby market. Riding a motorcycle like this made me a huge target. As I sped through, thugs with all kinds of accents poured out of side alleys, chasing after me. The market instantly descended into chaos.

I had never ridden a motorcycle this fast before. Every turn was so sharp the brakes nearly sparked. The damn thing wasn’t even in good condition—I could feel the back tire starting to lose control.

I tore through nearly a kilometer, zigzagging so much I lost all sense of direction. Finally, I clipped the edge of a roadside stall and the motorcycle gave out completely. I was thrown off and crashed into an empty alley.

Ignoring the scrapes and bruises, I scrambled to my feet and bolted deeper into the narrow path.

Just as I passed a rusted iron door, a pair of hands suddenly reached out and yanked me inside. I had no time to react. The door slammed shut behind me.

Shit. I was done for. How the hell was Qiao Sangui’s network this big? I’d already sped this far through the market, and I still ran into his people?

“Shh!” The person who grabbed me clamped a hand over my mouth and raised a finger to his lips. He was freakishly strong, pinning me to the ground before I could fight back. But as soon as I opened my eyes, I recognized him.

Why did this guy look so familiar?

Wait a minute—no way. Wasn’t this Han Jian?!

What the hell was he doing here?!

Even though everything that had just happened felt absurdly unreal, I froze on the spot without hesitation. As soon as I stopped moving, I heard a string of hurried footsteps. A group of people ran right past the iron gate.

Once the sounds had faded into the distance, Han Jian yanked me up from the ground and gave me a stern look, pointing toward a room with a gauzy curtain hanging in the doorway. It was clear he wanted me to go inside before we spoke.

The place was decorated like an old countryside house in Henan, complete with a courtyard. A portrait of a teacher still hung on the wall, and the outermost mosquito netting had turned so black with age that its original color was impossible to tell. I followed him through the curtain into the room. Once I was inside, he reached back to close the wooden door behind the curtain.

“Wait, I’ve got a friend still outside!” I called out immediately.

But Han Jian ignored me. He slid the wooden bolt into place, then picked up an enamel mug from the table in the living room and took a sip.

Seeing the worry on my face, Han Jian finally said, “I know you came with someone. Don’t worry, someone’s already gone to get him.”

He was wearing a fitted short-sleeved shirt that clung to his muscular arms, the sleeves stretched taut. The collar and back were soaked with sweat. Han Jian grabbed a towel draped over the battered sofa to wipe himself down, then went to turn on the fan.

My mind was a mess, scattered by the wind from the fan. I stood there watching him, dazed. Noticing my stare, he waved the towel at me and asked if I wanted it. I snapped out of it and waved him off.

Looking down, I saw two pitch-black backpacks sitting on the table.

I narrowed my eyes and glanced toward a bedroom in the back. The bed was neatly made, but through the crack in the door, I could see several sheets of paper spread out on the desk. Judging by their size and my years of experience with this kind of thing, they looked like maps—probably hand-drawn and quite large.

I turned to Han Jian. “Don’t tell me you’re here on vacation.”

“That’s what I should be asking you,” he shot back. “The smartest thing you could do right now is kiss up to me. One phone call from me, and I can have someone send you back.”

As he spoke, Han Jian pulled half a cucumber from a basket and took a bite. Somehow, he’d also gotten his hands on a pistol, which he casually gestured toward me.

Drunk on power.

I wasn’t thrilled about this unlucky relative who’d suddenly popped up in my life, but since I was technically under his roof, I swallowed my pride and sat silently on the worn leather sofa.

More than ten minutes later, I heard the iron gate creak open. Instinctively, I jumped up from the sofa. Han Jian set down his cucumber and motioned for me to stay calm, then went to unbolt the door himself.

The moment it opened, I saw a bloodied hand grab the doorframe. Han Jian rushed forward to help He Yu inside.

I ran over too. He Yu spat on the floor. “Shit, I almost got taken out by that bastard Qiao. That grudge is locked in now. If I ever see him again, I swear—”

I grabbed He Yu’s other arm. His skin was scraped, and blood was dripping from his hair. Han Jian was far more efficient than I was. He hoisted one of He Yu’s arms over his shoulder and carried him to the sofa. That’s when I realized someone else had come in behind He Yu.

When I saw Lu A’yao, I couldn’t even begin to describe how I felt. It was like hearing someone had died, only to watch them walk through the door alive and well. My only thought was: did this bastard block my number?

Lu A’yao pulled the curtain aside with a grim expression, then turned back to bolt the door again. He had his Soft Whip strapped to his side and a backpack slung over his shoulder. Without a word, he pushed open the door to the side bedroom and walked in like I didn’t even exist.

“They’re saying you’re dead out there,” I called after him, my tone sharp. Maybe he sensed it, because he stopped in his tracks.

Behind me, He Yu propped himself up. “Yeah, what the hell is going on? When I saw you just now, I thought I was seeing a ghost in broad daylight. I can’t hold on anymore. Gan Ji, if you’ve got questions, ask now.”

He Yu’s voice was weak. When I turned to look again, he’d already passed out, his face pale. Han Jian was frantically trying to stop the bleeding.

That only made me angrier. The scrapes on my body were still burning, and now this? I stormed a few steps over to Lu A’yao and pushed open the bedroom door. Inside, his luggage was lined up neatly by the bed.

“You came to Yunnan and didn’t tell me? And why the hell weren’t you answering my calls?” I demanded.

Lu A’yao turned to face me. “Gan Ji, don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble already? Qiao Sangui’s operation is locked down tighter than a fortress. Where did you get the guts to follow his people in here alone? You stirred up a mess in there just to satisfy your own curiosity?”

His words left me speechless with rage. If it weren’t for that damn jade he’s after, I’d have gotten the info and left long ago. You think I wanted to end up like this? And now he’s lecturing me without even knowing the full situation?

Before I could say anything, Lu A’yao stepped into the room and slammed the door shut. I wanted to kick it down, but who knew if this old house belonged to Han Jian? With the little money I had left in my bank account, I couldn’t afford to wreck the place.

Damn it! Lu A’yao, you’ve really pissed me off this time!