Chapter Forty-One: A Few Old Relics?

Chapter Forty-One: "A Few Old Immortals?"

The three unscrupulous bosses on Dead-End Street all fixed their eyes on Chen Xiao. He was so flustered that he lost his words, unable to utter a single syllable.

Lu Chengzhe appeared somewhat expectant, politely addressing Chen Xiao, "Sir, I am sincerely seeking your help, and the task I wish to entrust absolutely does not violate your organization's code of conduct in the slightest... so..."

Although surprised, Chen Xiao was quick-witted enough to swallow hard and stammer, "Um... then, please tell us the details of your commission."

Having said that, he couldn't help but glare at the three delinquent bosses of Dead-End Street.

Lu Chengzhe shook his head. "It's some business matters. I've provoked people I can't afford to offend. Now my family and I are under threat, our lives at risk."

As he spoke, he pulled out a thin file from a hidden compartment beneath the box and respectfully placed it on the counter between them.

"Here are the detailed contents of my commission. The situation is roughly this: a month ago, I received an anonymous letter filled with threats and intimidation. They demanded a large sum of money to be transferred to a specified account on a designated date." Lu Chengzhe gave a bitter smile. "I have some assets, and over the years, I've received plenty of such extortion and threats. Being wealthy comes with its own troubles. At first, I didn't take this seriously, treating it as a routine matter. But after the payment deadline in the letter passed, a series of strange events began to occur in my home."

At this point, a trace of panic surfaced on Lu Chengzhe's face.

Chen Xiao glanced at Uncle Tian and the other two behind him. The three unscrupulous fellows looked completely indifferent; Uncle Tian sipped his tea leisurely, Zhu Rong smoked, and Gong Gong... still snuggled gently against his wife's shoulder.

"And then?" Chen Xiao asked helplessly.

"The night after the deadline, I received a phone call. The voice on the line was artificially synthesized, metallic. The caller threatened me, saying it seemed I didn't believe in their power, and that they'd gradually show it to me. After the call, I was worried, but the next morning..." Lu Chengzhe shuddered, his face bleak, "I woke up to find a sheet of paper beside my pillow! On it was a string of account numbers—the exact same account the extortionist had previously demanded I transfer funds to."

Morning? Beside his pillow?

Lu Chengzhe gritted his teeth. "I have bodyguards at home, and the house is equipped with advanced security systems, doors and windows tightly sealed. Yet they entered my bedroom so quietly and left that paper while I slept—if they had wanted my life..."

Chen Xiao nodded, involuntarily drawn into the unfolding story.

"The next morning, I questioned the bodyguards and servants thoroughly. No clues turned up, but I became more vigilant, bolstering security. On the third day, another strange incident occurred at home. In the morning, our swimming pool was filled with water as red as blood!" Lu Chengzhe rubbed his temples, distressed. "But no one could figure out how they did it! The red wasn't blood, but pigment poured in. To dye such a large pool, they'd need at least two or three barrels of pigment. And we had bodyguards patrolling the yard at night—none noticed anything out of the ordinary!"

He paused, then forced a bitter smile. "On the fourth day, before I left home, the driver was horrified to discover several cars in our garage couldn't start. Someone had cut the wires inside the cars... and a note was left on the garage door: 'Now you should know our power.'"

Lu Chengzhe's complexion grew paler. "What worries me is, they only cut the wires to disable the cars. If they'd cut the brakes instead..."

"Did you offend anyone recently?" This time, it was Uncle Tian who spoke—not Chen Xiao. His demeanor finally grew a shade more serious, though he still held his teacup leisurely and blew gently across it. "You're a wealthy man, right? Have you had any conflicts in business?"

Lu Chengzhe looked helpless. "My business is quite sizable, but I've never been ruthless with my competitors. I'm a traditional Chinese businessman—I believe in leaving room for others, since there's always another meeting down the road. Even if there are rivals, it shouldn't result in such deep grudges. Besides..." His voice grew tense. "I find these events too bizarre. I'm afraid, I'm afraid..."

"Afraid it's not something ordinary people could accomplish, right?" Uncle Tian sipped his tea, slowly set the cup down, and glanced at Chen Xiao. "And you? Have you made up your mind?"

Chen Xiao glanced at Uncle Tian in confusion, making a gesture that meant: Are you really letting me decide?

Old Tian smiled, winked at Chen Xiao, and nodded slightly.

Sigh... Chen Xiao was exasperated. Were these monsters playing him for a fool?

"Mr. Lu," Chen Xiao braced himself. "We need to discuss your matter. Once we've reached a decision, we'll respond promptly, whether we accept the commission or not."

Lu Chengzhe looked a bit disappointed. "Is it that my offer isn't high enough...? If so, I can—"

"No, it's not that." Chen Xiao shook his head quickly, forcing himself to remain calm. "It's just... we can't accept such a job rashly. You need to give us time to discuss it."

Lu Chengzhe was about to say more, but Zhu Rong suddenly tapped the table lightly. "Hey, Lu, where did you hear about this place? Who told you to come here for a commission?"

"I have a friend surnamed Xu," Lu Chengzhe replied with a bitter smile. "He works in real estate. He noticed my recent anxiety, and after I confided in him, he recommended this place. He said that no matter how difficult the problem, you could solve it if you accepted the commission. He also said your organization's methods are extraordinary, and I should be very careful. As for the sword, it was..."

"He told you we don't like cash, but prefer strange and rare items, right?" Zhu Rong laughed brazenly. "So it was that old man Xu, huh? He's even sending us business now. Fine, you may go, but leave the sword."

At the mention of "leave the sword," Lu Chengzhe's face lit up, and he hurried to bid farewell, worried they might change their minds.

"Wait!" Uncle Tian suddenly smiled, walked over, and gently patted Lu Chengzhe's shoulder, his hand lingering intentionally or not. He smiled faintly, "Leaving the sword doesn't mean we've accepted the commission. The one with authority is this young man. If he says no, I'll return your sword. Rest assured, we won't covet your treasure."

Lu Chengzhe shook his head quickly. "I wouldn't dare! Wouldn't dare!"

With that, he rushed out of the shop, climbing into his car surrounded by bodyguards.

Once everyone had left, Chen Xiao turned to face the three, his expression grim. Without a word, he walked behind the counter, slowly took off his apron, folded it, and placed it in the cabinet below. He picked up his backpack and, without so much as a farewell, headed for the door.

He had barely taken two steps when Uncle Tian called out behind him, "Wait! Where are you going?"

Chen Xiao turned back, his voice cold. "Please tell old Edward I've quit."

Uncle Tian wasn't surprised; crossing his arms, he smiled and asked, "Why?"

"I came here because I agreed to Lei Hu's request... I'm just an ordinary person and don't want to be dragged into such troublesome matters. This time, I've been pulled into some so-called 'watch list,' which already annoys me. And this job—Lei Hu promised it had nothing to do with your 'Service Agency,' which is why I agreed to come! But now, things clearly aren't so simple!" Chen Xiao pointed to his own nose. "I'm a mortal. You're superhuman—you can start fires, fly, do whatever you want, but it's none of my business, right? I just want to study, work, earn a living, that's all."

Zhu Rong and Uncle Tian exchanged glances and burst into laughter. Then Zhu Rong stood, chains clinking, and walked to Chen Xiao, affectionately throwing an arm around his neck. Instantly, Chen Xiao felt her ample chest nearly pressed against his face and shrank back, blushing furiously. "You—"

"Oh, you're shy!" Zhu Rong's eyes crinkled with laughter. "What are you shy about? Age-wise, I could be your grandmother! You're just a kid—still shy around me?"

Grand... grandmother?!

Looking at Zhu Rong's delicate skin and exquisitely beautiful face, Chen Xiao was first startled, then angry. "You supernaturals just love to mess with people, don't you!"

"You don't believe me?" Zhu Rong paused, sighed, "You should know we're all retirees, right? Look at me—do I look like someone your age who's retired?" She leaned close, staring into Chen Xiao's eyes, and said coldly, "Listen carefully, little guy—your sister Zhu Rong is nearly a hundred years old!"

What? A... a hundred years?

Chen Xiao couldn't believe it. "What do you think you are, the Immortal Child of Tianshan?"

Zhu Rong pouted. "You're new, so it's normal you can't accept it right away. I'm not even the oldest here. The oldest is Uncle Tian—he's the real old monster who's lived for centuries." She winked mischievously, poking Chen Xiao's nose with a slender finger.

Chen Xiao couldn't help but turn to look at "Uncle Tian."

"She's telling the truth. I'm already over four hundred years old..." Uncle Tian shook his head. "I was born in the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, which is 1546 AD."

AD... 1... 1546???

Chen Xiao's mind went numb, and he was speechless for a long time, just staring at the two. Only after a while did he manage to say, "I don't care how old you are! I have absolutely no interest in joining your Service Agency!"

"Hahahahaha..." Zhu Rong laughed. "Didn't I tell you? We're all retired now, no one's making you join the Service Agency."

The wild woman deliberately pressed close to Chen Xiao, tossing him a flirtatious glance. "And this commission place has nothing to do with the Service Agency. It's just that us retirees got tired of wandering all over and finally found a fixed place to live a few quiet days. But we old immortals still need to eat, right? Need expenses, right? Retired, so there's no salary. We had to set up this commission office to earn a bit of pension money... Got it? Lei Hu didn't lie to you—this place really has nothing to do with the Service Agency's business. It's just a little side hustle by us old folks for extra income."

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