Simultaneously traversing: traversing countless heavens

Chapter 104 How many people can you call?

His movements were stiff, as if every movement exhausted all his strength. He carefully climbed onto the front of the carriage and picked up the whip and reins, his hands still trembling slightly.

The carriage slowly started moving, heading towards the Chen residence in the east of the city along the not-so-wide streets.

Throughout the journey, Young Master Chen was trembling with fear, racking his brains to come up with all sorts of flattering and ingratiating words, desperately belittling himself, swearing that he had no intention of revenge, only begging for the master's mercy, promising gold, silver, and beautiful women, even willing to offer half of his family fortune—

Zhou Yi seemed not to hear anything, but simply sat quietly beside him, his gaze sweeping over the rapidly receding houses, pedestrians and vendors on both sides of the street, occasionally picking up the wine pot beside him and taking a sip of the spicy liquor.

His expression was indifferent, like that of a mere passerby.

This bizarre scene naturally attracted countless astonished glances.

Pedestrians and vendors on the roadside stopped and stared, pointing and whispering, their faces filled with disbelief. Wasn't that the domineering young master of the Chen family?

He was actually driving someone?!

Who is that man in black in the car? How could he make the arrogant Young Master Chen so humble? Speculation and discussion spread rapidly among the crowd like ripples on water.

Under the watchful and uncertain gazes of countless people, the carriage finally came to a stop in front of a solemn mansion.

The towering vermilion gate is flanked by menacing white marble lions, and a gilded plaque bearing the words "Chen Mansion" hangs above it.

Several burly, wary-looking servants stood guard at the entrance.

Seeing that it was their young master returning by car, accompanied by a strange man in black, the gatekeeper and servants, though finding it odd, hurriedly ran forward, bowed, and greeted him: "Young master, you're back!"

Young Master Chen reined in the carriage and brought it to a stop, his forehead already beaded with cold sweat.

He turned his head with difficulty, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, racking his brains for an excuse: "Great hero, look—we've arrived. The manor is in disarray, so why don't you wait here for a moment? I'll go in right away and have my father—no, I'll have the accountant fetch all the most valuable gold, silver, jewels, antiques, and paintings from the storeroom for you? Absolutely not—"

His words came to an abrupt end.

Because Zhou Yi had already interrupted him, his voice remained calm but went straight to the point: "Go."

"How many people can you call?" Zhou Yi's gaze swept over the imposing gate, then returned to Young Master Chen's pale face.

Hundred? Thousand? Ten thousand?

He paused briefly, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch very slightly, as if stating a simple fact: "I'll be waiting for you here."

These few words, spoken so casually, struck Young Master Chen's heart like a heavy hammer.

Seeing the other party's confident, even somewhat bored, waiting posture, the last glimmer of hope in Young Master Chen's heart finally sank completely into an ice cave.

He knew that the talk of a thousand or ten thousand people was just the other party stating an extreme scenario, or rather—an absolute confidence. It was all just a joke; who in this world could truly fight against ten thousand? That was nothing but mythology!

But the Chen family, who wielded immense power in the city, couldn't muster three hundred men even if they mobilized all their guards, servants, and thugs.

Those who can be called "masters" are even fewer.

For the other party to dare to say such a thing and wait like this, they must either be insane or—they must truly possess the absolute power to disregard the Chen family.

At this moment, Young Master Chen vaguely realized that he had probably kicked a red-hot iron plate, one that could burn his Chen family, foundation and all, to ashes. A bone-chilling coldness shot from his spine to the top of his head.

But it's too late now, the knife is already at your throat!

Could we just turn around and run away?

Or, to put it another way—"No, I won't call anyone, please be lenient"?

The other party clearly wanted to test the "foundation" of the Chen family and to completely resolve this "trouble".

It's true what they say: it's easy to invite a god, but hard to send him away!

Now, what else can we do but bite the bullet and go in to find his father, who may also be helpless but is at least the head of the family?

The color drained from Young Master Chen's face, leaving him with an expression even more grotesque than a mourner's lament, as if his very soul had been ripped away.

He staggered off the carriage, his legs weak, and he almost fell. The servants who were unaware of what was happening and tried to help him were shoved away roughly by him.

"Get out of here!"

He let out a shrill, inhuman scream, filled with despair and fear, and scrambled toward the vermilion gate that represented power and security, but now seemed like a gateway to hell.

"father-!!!"

The pitiful scream pierced through the high walls of the Chen mansion, echoing in the afternoon air. It startled the birds perched on the eaves and made the servants and guards at the gate look at each other, a strong sense of unease rising in their hearts.

All eyes were involuntarily drawn to the black-clad figure still quietly drinking wine on the front of the carriage.

Deep within the Chen mansion, in an elegant flower hall, the Chen family head was smiling obsequiously as he personally poured tea for a middle-aged man with a sharp face and piercing eyes.

The aroma of tea wafted through the air, and the atmosphere seemed harmonious, but Patriarch Chen was actually on edge. After all, the man before him was Huang Rusong, a retainer of Nangong Batian, the eldest son of the Nangong family of Northern Mang. Huang Rusong possessed the cultivation of a second-rank minor grandmaster, making him a rare expert in the martial arts world. Moreover, the fact that Nangong Batian had sent him out on a private mission demonstrated the trust he placed in him.

Although the old patriarch of the Nangong family strictly ordered that no further pursuit be carried out that night, how could Nangong Batian, who had lost his younger sister and was severely injured and humiliated by the mysterious man in black, swallow this insult?

He secretly dispatched many trusted and skilled men to search for Zhou Yi and Nangong Pu She's whereabouts. Of course, he was not stupid, but he strictly ordered that they were only allowed to search and report any traces immediately, and that they must not act on their own.

Huang Rusong was one of them. Although he participated in the ambush that rainy night, he sensed something was wrong and rushed to the back, thus escaping injury. That's why he was entrusted with this task.

Huang Rusong came to the Chen family with the intention of using the Chen family's extensive network of connections and informants in the area to search for the two targets, one big and one small.

The head of the Chen family was flattered and overjoyed by this.

He didn't care about being driven by the Nangong family; he was only afraid that the Nangong family wouldn't use him!

Who among the officials and wealthy merchants in this city and even the surrounding prefectures and counties didn't know that the Chen family was claiming to be "distant relatives of the Nangong family"?

But the true story was clear to the head of the Chen family: his deceased father had served as a steward in the Nangong family for a few years and later married a distant cousin who was already beyond the fifth degree of kinship and could barely be connected to the Nangong family.

This meager act of offering incense is so insignificant that it's embarrassing to even mention it. Do you really think you can rely on it to gain substantial favor from the Nangong family?

It's as difficult as climbing to heaven.

Although Huang Rusong came on behalf of the Nangong family to "do business," in the eyes of the Chen family head, it was a golden opportunity!

He not only had to do his best to get things done, but also had to take this opportunity to make a big deal out of it, to solidify the relationship between the Chen family and the "loyal dogs of the Nangong family," so that everyone could see it clearly!

Once this relationship is confirmed, the Chen family's position in the western border of Northern Mang will be unshakeable.

Just as he was racking his brains, figuring out how to do his job well while also showing his loyalty, a mournful wail, like that of someone who had lost their parents, suddenly shattered the tranquility of the flower hall: "Father—!!! Father!!!"

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