118 Endless Troubles

Upon learning the full extent of Lin Qi’s experiences, the group was gripped by tension. Their immediate reaction was to urge him to flee, to put as much distance as possible between himself and the treacherous city of Haitong.

Lin Qi, however, shook his head. "They already know what I look like. Where could I possibly run to?"

Tang Long insisted, "Regardless of where you go, you must leave Haitong first."

Again, Lin Qi shook his head. "I have already joined Tianji, and we have an appointment to meet in three days. I believe this is a golden opportunity. I cannot keep running forever. You have all been working so hard; I cannot remain indifferent. Tianji is undoubtedly a perfect breakthrough."

Over the years, Tang Long and the others had achieved success in their respective fields, but compared to Lu Wanfang, they still lagged far behind. Relying on their current strength to exact revenge would take an eternity. If they could stand upon the shoulders of an organization like Tianji, it would surely shorten that timeline significantly.

Lin Qi’s mind was made up; no one could change it.

Tang Long asked in a heavy tone, "Will joining Tianji truly guarantee your safety?"

Lin Qi replied, "They claimed themselves that even if it meant offending the most powerful figures in the land, they could keep me safe."

According to the analysis Tang Long and Lin Qi had conducted the previous day, the mastermind behind Tianji was clearly a person of extraordinary status. In the entire Great Xia Kingdom, one could count the people capable of such a feat on one hand. If they dared to make such a bold claim, they certainly had the means to back it up.

Tang Long pondered for a moment before saying, "Those two envoys brought back the bodies of Black Hawk and Red Scorpion. It is inevitable that their identities will be uncovered. The mastermind behind Tianji likely knows Lu Wanfang. What if the two parties collude and hand you back over?"

Lin Qi said earnestly, "I do not believe that will happen."

"Why not?"

"A person capable of establishing Tianji right under Han Yu’s nose must surely look down on someone like Lu Wanfang."

"I am speaking of 'what ifs'," Tang Long countered. "There is always a possibility for things to go wrong. Young Master, we cannot afford a single mistake."

Lin Qi said firmly, "There are no 'what ifs.' Trust my judgment!"

Tang Long had nothing left to say. He knew that when this young master’s stubbornness flared, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

"What do you think?" Tang Long turned to look at Blindman.

"I’ll listen to the Young Master," Blindman said, scratching his head. "I want to join Tianji too, so I can continue to stay by his side. But they are looking for people with business acumen, and I don’t think I’m qualified..."

Tang Long glared at him and then turned to Song Qingfeng. "And you?"

Song Qingfeng said, "I’ll listen to the Young Master as well."

"You two are truly useless..." Tang Long felt a sense of despair. "Fine, Young Master, let me consult the others."

The group that had escaped together all those years ago was now scattered across various regions. Just as Tang Long reached for his phone, Lin Qi stopped him. "No need to call. My mind is made up. This matter is to remain a secret; you must not spread it any further."

Lin Qi’s tone was absolute. Tang Long knew there was no turning back and could only obey.

"That’s enough. Everyone go back. I will lay low for three days and then go to meet those two envoys." Lin Qi rose and departed.

For the next three days, Lin Qi did not return home, nor did he go to the delivery station or Jinyang Group. He knew he had been exposed and could be hunted by Lu Wanfang’s men at any moment. Not wanting to implicate his friends, he found a place to hide.

He waited in silence, watching the situation, biding his time.

In the capital city, within the flower pavilion of a small courtyard—

The capital was, of course, bustling, with its streets filled with an endless stream of traffic and pedestrians. Yet, this place was deathly quiet, undisturbed by any.

A middle-aged man with a graceful and noble appearance reclined on a rocking chair, gazing blankly up at the trellis of grapevines above.

Standing before him were two men: the Fat Envoy and the Thin Envoy.

"Leader, that is the entire situation," the Fat Envoy said. "We have identified the two deceased men as Black Hawk and Red Scorpion, subordinates of Lu Wanfang."

The middle-aged man was the leader of the Tianji organization. At the mention of Lu Wanfang’s name, his expression remained unchanged.

"Lin Qi... Lin Qi..." The middle-aged man murmured the name repeatedly before letting out a long sigh. "It is Lin Qi, the youngest son of Lin Xuansheng. He was rescued by a mysterious person ten years ago. I did not expect Lu Wanfang to track him down after all..."

Ten years ago, Lin Xuansheng and Lu Wanfang were both figures of immense prestige in the capital. Ten years later, their fortunes had diverged completely.

One was now imprisoned, while the other remained high and mighty. One had seen his family almost entirely wiped out, with only his youngest son left to wander the world, while the other’s descendants enjoyed the shade of his influence, continuing to flaunt their power in the capital.

It was truly a sobering thought.

The Fat Envoy was also deeply surprised. "So it is him! No wonder Lu Wanfang was hunting him down..." He added, "Leader, this man cannot be kept. He will bring us a great deal of trouble."

The middle-aged man retorted, "Are we afraid of trouble?"

The Fat Envoy immediately lowered his head. "We are not afraid of trouble, but I feel it is unnecessary. It would be cleaner to simply kill him."

Lin Qi’s affairs were entangled with a major case from ten years ago in the capital—a case that had implicated countless noble houses and families. If not handled correctly, it would indeed bring endless complications.