Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 455 Surprise, My Good Brother
Whoosh—whoosh—

At Dongdu International Airport, a Gulfstream G550, as sleek as a falcon, skimmed the ground, accelerated, and then lifted its nose, soaring into the sky.

Unlike the long queues and waits for commercial airliners.

The private jet only made a brief stop on the private tarmac before taxiing directly off the runway and taking off.

With a deep roar of engines, the plane pierced the thin layer of gray fog over Dongdu and plunged into the azure sky.

As the plane stabilized, the view outside the window transformed into a vast sea of ​​clouds.

Fang Cheng sat in the soft, comfortable leather seat, his gaze returning to the rapidly shrinking city map outside the porthole.

Then, he turned to examine the private jet cabin, which could be described as a "palace in the sky".

Unlike the compact layout of commercial flights, this place is more like an elegantly furnished luxury living room.

The soft beige plush carpet, the smooth-textured polished walnut wood veneer, and the recessed wall lamps emitting a warm yellow glow.

A faint scent of leather mixed with some kind of high-end fragrance lingered in the air.

"Being rich is really good..."

Fang Cheng leaned back into the spacious seat, enjoying the perfect sense of envelopment, and silently admired it.

No crowded terminals, no long waits – this is the purest form of efficiency that money brings.

Diagonally opposite Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao was quietly reading a thick, hardcover book with unfamiliar foreign characters printed on the pages.

Beside her, Bailing seemed a little uneasy, her bright eyes curiously looking around.

Clearly, like Fang Cheng, this was also their first time experiencing such a luxurious journey.

The reason why Bai Ling appeared here was a decision made by Lin Chuqiao after careful consideration.

Ever since that night when she spoke with Fang Cheng and guessed that something might have happened to the professor and the crow, the girl had been restless and immediately sought help from Lin Chuqiao, the team's strategist.

Upon learning of the situation, Lin Chuqiao quickly took action, using her own channels to purchase intelligence and conduct preliminary analysis.

Then they contacted Fang Cheng to discuss a plan to conduct an on-site investigation in Tiannan Province.

She originally wanted to act alone with Fang Cheng, but she couldn't resist Bai Ling's insistence.

Also considering that Bailing's ability to disguise herself might be useful in the investigation, they ultimately agreed to her request to accompany them.

As for the other two members of the team, Hammer became addicted to the casino's card table, while Monkey went back to his hometown to visit the orphaned children of his fallen comrades.

Lin Chuqiao and Bailing tacitly refrained from disturbing the two, lest they cause them unnecessary trouble, which would be of no use.

Moreover, according to Lin Chuqiao, having Fang Cheng as their military backing was enough to put their minds at ease.

Fang Cheng's gaze lingered briefly on his two companions before returning to the sea of ​​clouds outside the window.

Just then, the partition door to the rest area in front clicked open and slid open to the sides with a gentle push.

A tall, robust figure strode out, flanked by two elegantly dressed flight attendants.

"Surprise! My good bro, aren't you surprised?!"

The newcomer was a fit and muscular man wearing a floral shirt; he was none other than Pan Wendi, a fitness coach whom I hadn't seen in a long time.

He spread his arms wide, revealing a bright, almost flamboyant smile, his bronze chest muscles faintly visible beneath his open silk shirt.

“Wendi Pan, how old are you? Why are you playing such childish tricks?”

Lin Chuqiao turned a page of the book without looking up, her clear voice carrying a hint of helplessness.

She immediately closed the book, turned to Fang Cheng, and smiled apologetically:

“I was going to tell you over the phone, but my cousin insisted on putting on this show, calling it a welcome ceremony.”

Fang Cheng suddenly realized, and then laughed as well.

It turns out that the "friend" Lin Chuqiao mentioned who was going to Tiannan Province for vacation was this guy.

No wonder he was wondering why only Lin Chuqiao and Bailing were traveling together when he boarded the plane, and why the generous plane owner was nowhere to be seen.

“It’s a real surprise.”

Fang Cheng stood up and shook hands with Pan Wendi.

The other person's palms were broad and strong, showing signs of exercise.

"Haha, I knew it!"

Pan Wendi patted Fang Cheng's shoulder forcefully, his eyes filled with undisguised excitement:

"Brother, I've missed you so much ever since I came back from Yong'an Island!"

"If it weren't for you back then, my cousin and I would probably have died at the hands of those bastards in the Noah Organization."

He smacked his lips, seemingly still immersed in the memory of that thrilling escape, his face beaming with pride.

"Hey, looking back now, you single-handedly pulled us out from a group of hundreds of people and fought your way through..."

"That scene, wow, it was amazing! I still dream about it now, it was fucking awesome!"

After a pause, he added with some regret:

"After returning to Dongdu, I originally wanted to visit you right away, but my mother insisted that I was 'frightened' and needed to rest, so she kept me locked up at home for more than three months!"

Pan Wendi looked indignant and even flexed his biceps, the firm outline of which almost burst his shirt.

"Look at my physique, do I look like I need to recover from an injury?"

"Let me tell you, I haven't been idle at home for the past two months. I've been lifting weights every day, and I feel stronger than before!"

This guy is still the same as ever; once he starts talking, he can't stop.

Fang Cheng listened patiently, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"correct."

Pan Wendi slapped his thigh in regret again:
"If Yong'an Island had an airport back then, I would have just driven my 'Warhawk' there. Why would I have needed to take that crappy ship?"

"Fang Cheng, if you ever plan to go back and visit those monsters, just let me know, and we'll go together..."

"Cough cough."

Lin Chuqiao coughed lightly twice, interrupting Pan Wendi's incessant chatter.

Pan Wendi immediately understood, chuckled, scratched his head, and said:
"Of course, I was able to get out this time mainly thanks to my cousin."

"If she hadn't said she was going to Tiannan to attend some academic conference and take a vacation, and that she felt too lonely to go alone and insisted on having me accompany her, my mom wouldn't have let me go out!"

"So, you have to remember the good things I've done for you."

Lin Chuqiao picked up a glass of lemonade, took a slow sip, and said:

"Once you get to Tiannan, behave yourself and don't cause me any trouble."

"You should know the rules of the Pan family better than I do. If your aunt and grandfather find out that you've been messing around outside, your life will probably be difficult from now on."

"I know."

Pan Wendi immediately calmed down and sat down on the sofa, still muttering to himself:
"I don't want to go back to that lousy secret realm to cultivate. It's like being in prison. I really don't know how those old men can stand it..."

Fang Cheng listened quietly, understanding the situation.

It's clear that the Pan family, as a prominent clan, had very strict rules.

Pan Wendi seemed to want to complain a bit more, but when he caught a glimpse of his cousin's ambiguous smile, he immediately chuckled.

His eyes darted around, and suddenly he became interested again. He deliberately glanced back and forth between Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao, and said in a drawn-out tone:

"However, I am able to come out this time not only thanks to my beautiful, intelligent and kind-hearted cousin, but also thanks to my brother Fang Cheng."

"After all, it's rare to find someone who would make her so concerned that she would personally make a trip to Tiannan."

The implied meaning in her words made Bai Ling cover her mouth and giggle. A faint blush rose on Lin Chuqiao's cheeks, and she glared at Pan Wendi with a penetrating look.

Pan Wendi shrank back, immediately raised his hands in surrender, and dared not continue the topic.

Then, he cleared his throat, stood up, and spoke in the tone of a professional flight attendant:

"Ahem, dear passengers, welcome aboard Wendy Airlines flight WD888."

"This flight is from Dongdu to Cuicheng, with an estimated flight time of three hours and twenty-five minutes and an altitude of 12,000 meters. During this time, we will provide you with the most distinguished service..."

His lifelike imitation once again made the lark giggle.

After his antics, Pan Wendi snapped his fingers nonchalantly and gave an order to the two flight attendants who had been standing there smiling and quiet:
"Alright, go prepare some drinks for our distinguished guests. Remember, take special care of this handsome Fang Cheng; he's our most important VIP."

"Okay, Master."

One of the flight attendants, with chestnut-brown wavy hair, walked over with elegant steps.

She leaned slightly forward, and a delicate fragrance wafted into her nostrils; her voice was so soft it was almost dripping with tenderness.

"Mr. Fang, what would you like to drink? We have freshly ground Blue Mountain coffee, as well as whisky aged for thirty years..."

The flight attendant's gaze was bold and direct, as if she had hooks, trying to scrape something off Fang Cheng's incredibly handsome face.

Before Fang Cheng could answer, Lin Chuqiao had already walked over with a freshly brewed cup of hot tea, standing squarely between the flight attendant and Fang Cheng.

She wore an impeccable smile, but her eyes were as calm as a deep pool.

"He has a sensitive stomach and can't drink anything spicy."

Lin Chuqiao gently placed the white porcelain teacup in her hand on the table in front of Fang Cheng, her tone as natural as if she were recounting a very ordinary matter as his girlfriend:

"A little hot tea will do."

The flight attendant's smile froze slightly, and she immediately bowed and stepped back, knowing better than to do so.

Lin Chuqiao then sat down opposite Fang Cheng with satisfaction, as if nothing had happened.

Fang Cheng picked up the teacup, feeling the warmth of the cup, but he couldn't help but feel a little amused and exasperated.

Do you have a bad stomach?
You know, I even devoured that filthy thing called "Crimson Eye" whole!
On the other side, Bailing was already excitedly pulling Pan Wendi aside, asking him to teach her how to play a complicated card game.

The two quickly huddled together, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

The atmosphere in the corner where Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao were located became quiet again.

The noise seemed to be shut out at the other end of the cabin.

Lin Chuqiao took out a stack of printed documents from her handbag, the title of which was also "Chen Family Curse Case in Tiannan Province".

"It seems we are thinking alike."

She smiled and pushed the file to the center of the table: "I also bought a piece of intelligence from 'Naihe Bridge' the day before yesterday."

"Besides buying intelligence, I also took on the task of solving this case."

Fang Cheng then added a sentence.

Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Lin Chuqiao's eyes.

"That's good, it will make things easier for us."

She didn't ask any more questions, but instead opened the document.

The two got together and tried to analyze this bizarre case more deeply.

"Three dead, three ways of dying."

"One was scared to death, another seemed to have been deprived of his mind and actively sought death, and the third died silently in his sleep."

Fang Cheng frowned slightly and said in a deep voice:
"The only thing they had in common was that there was no intense fighting before their deaths, so it doesn't seem like a homicide."

"That's precisely why it makes people even more suspicious—how could there be such a coincidence in the world?"

Lin Chuqiao's expression also became somewhat serious, and she continued:

"Based on the details of the incident and clues at the scene, the intelligence experts at Naihe Bridge believe that this was caused by an extremely vicious 'black magic' in the Southeast Asia region."

"Therefore, we must make some preparations before we go to the Chen family this time, in case of any unforeseen circumstances."

"Ah."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly in agreement.

The two discussed for nearly half an hour, but still had no clear result regarding the case and the whereabouts of the professor and others, so they temporarily put the discussion to a halt.

Lin Chuqiao put the documents away, leaned back in the soft sofa, closed her eyes, and prepared to take a nap.

Her long eyelashes cast a soft shadow beneath her eyelids, making her intellectual and beautiful face appear exceptionally serene under the gentle light.

Fang Cheng didn't disturb her and turned to look out the window.

The plane had already entered the stratosphere, and outside the window was a vast and boundless sea of ​​clouds.

Layer upon layer of white clouds, like frozen waves, are edged with glittering gold under the sunlight.

Further away, the sky took on a purer, azure hue, as if transitioning towards the edge of the universe.

Fang Cheng's gaze was somewhat lost in thought.

How wonderful it would be to be able to soar freely between the sky and the sea of ​​clouds without any external assistance.

Based on my current physical condition, my maximum static hang time is probably around eight seconds.

If you jump off a cliff or a tall building, use the wind to glide, and then use the subtle thrust generated by your true qi emanating from the pores of your body to adjust your posture and accelerate.

Perhaps this time could be extended to twenty seconds.

But that's just gliding, not real flight...

Fang Cheng sighed deeply.

Just as he was silently calculating his own limits and his mind was immersed in his longing for the sky, a subtle feeling made him subconsciously turn his head.

In an instant, Fang Cheng's gaze met Lin Chuqiao's gaze in mid-air.

She had opened her eyes at some point and was staring at him intently.

His own reflection was mirrored in those bright eyes.

It was an extremely focused gaze, carrying a hint of inquiry, a hint of curiosity, and a hint of tenderness hidden deep within, perhaps even she herself was unaware of.

Caught red-handed, a clear look of panic flashed in Lin Chuqiao's eyes.

A faint blush quickly spread across her fair cheeks, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly.

Then she slowly closed her eyes, her breathing becoming slightly longer than before, pretending that she had only opened her eyes by chance and glanced at them unintentionally.

Looking at her like this, Fang Cheng couldn't help but smile.

He didn't say anything, but calmly withdrew his gaze, picked up the cup of tea on the table that had already cooled slightly, and took a small sip.

In this corner, there is a peaceful and silent atmosphere filled with the aroma of tea.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Pan Wendi's exaggerated laughter and Bai Ling's coquettish complaints of losing the game could be heard.

Time slipped by quietly during the smooth flight.

After an unknown amount of time, a flight attendant's gentle voice announced something in the cabin.

"Dear passengers, our aircraft is about to begin its descent and is expected to arrive at Cuicheng International Airport in fifteen minutes."

"The ground temperature is 28 degrees Celsius, the weather is clear, please fasten your seat belts in advance..."

(End of this chapter)