svetikya Page 792
Page 792
Du Guanghe stood upright, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, the hem of which swayed gently in the breeze. Beside him were two equally capable subordinates, their steps steady, their leather shoes making rhythmic sounds on the ground.
The three of them appeared in front of He Yuzhu's door precisely on time, like the hands of a clock.
Du Guanghe raised his hand and gently tapped the slightly worn wooden door with his knuckles, producing a crisp and rhythmic "thump-thump" sound that echoed in the quiet corridor.
In an instant, footsteps came from inside the room, unhurried and composed.
The door creaked open, and He Yuzhu, his face beaming and eyes smiling, entered. He wore a simple white shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up, revealing his strong forearms. He extended his broad hand to the group, warmly welcoming them into the house, saying, "Mr. Du, you've finally arrived! Please come in!"
Everyone took their seats in the room, which was filled with a calm and focused atmosphere.
He Yuzhu's expression hardened, he sat up straight, cleared his throat, and began to explain the key points of the mission to Du Guanghe in detail.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes bright and piercing, like two bright stars, intently watching Du Guanghe.
He Yuzhu raised his hand and gestured, emphasizing the importance of guarding the two captured assassins.
He knew in his heart that with his excellent skills, ordinary dangers could not get close to him, and he did not need Du Guanghe and others to protect him at all times.
He knew that, comparatively speaking, ensuring that the prisoners did not escape or cause any accidents was of paramount importance, as it determined the success or failure of the entire operation. The slightest mistake could lead to total defeat.
Just as He Yuzhu and Du Guanghe were having a serious conversation, Huo Yingdong on the other side slowly woke up from his sleep.
He rolled over in bed with a nimble, fluid motion, demonstrating the excellent physical condition he had maintained through years of training.
After quickly getting out of bed, he walked briskly toward the landline phone, which stood out conspicuously on the wooden table.
His fingers moved nimbly, his long, slender fingers quickly swirling across the dial pad. He dialed a number, and a "beep beep" waiting tone immediately came from the receiver.
Not long after, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside, the footsteps getting closer and closer, with a tight rhythm.
Several burly bodyguards in dark suits rushed over, their steps precise and orderly, like well-trained soldiers.
Huo Yingdong's gaze swept over the spirited and upright bodyguards in front of him, a satisfied smile appearing on his face, and he nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Then, he quickly turned his head, looked directly at He Yuzhu, and asked, "Did you get any important information yesterday?"
He Yuzhu's lips curled up into a confident smile, a smile that seemed to say that everything was under control. He nodded and answered methodically, "The situation has been basically figured out. As far as I know, the master of these two assassins is named Xu Yunhai."
Upon hearing the name "Xu Yunhai," Huo Yingdong felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His whole body jolted, and a look of astonishment flashed across his face, as if he had heard the most unbelievable thing in the world.
He blurted out instinctively, "It was him?"
The tone was full of disbelief, as if the name carried a past that had been buried by time, unknown and extremely shocking, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the deepest part of the heart.
Seeing Huo Yingdong's strong reaction, He Yuzhu's curiosity was instantly ignited, burning like a flame doused with oil.
He quickly pressed on, asking, "What? Do you know this person?"
As he spoke, his eyes were filled with a thirst for knowledge, wide open like copper bells, staring intently at Huo Yingdong, hoping that the other's next answer would unravel the many mysteries in his heart.
Huo Yingdong nodded slightly, his already serious expression becoming even more solemn, as if shrouded in a layer of gloom.
He slowly began to speak: "I met him once before. He was ruthless and extremely decisive. In the Luzon region, he was a very influential figure whose every move could shake the earth."
He runs an astonishingly large business empire, spanning multiple industries, from lucrative and risky import and export trade to a wide variety of local industries covering all aspects of people's lives.
The extent of his accumulated wealth is simply immeasurable; it would not be an exaggeration to say he was incredibly wealthy, enough to rival a nation.
As Huo Yingdong spoke, he shook his head slightly, his brows furrowed, as if he still felt lingering fear about Xu Yunhai's past. Those memories were like nightmares, and even after many years, they still sent chills down his spine.
Chapter 565 I Don't Do This
However, in stark contrast to Xu Yunhai's meteoric rise and immense wealth, his apprentices faced drastically different circumstances.
His apprentices were not in a good financial situation and were very short of money, often worrying about a few taels of silver.
They didn't have much disposable income, lived in dire straits, and struggled to make ends meet, having to be extremely frugal with every penny they had.
Compared to their master's boundless glory, they were worlds apart, one in heaven and the other on earth, making one sigh at the capriciousness of fate.
Lin Wanting, on the other hand, was born into a relatively wealthy family.
Both parents were prominent figures in the local community. In social circles, they were witty and charming, and knew celebrities from all walks of life. In the business world, they were adept at networking and had extensive connections and influence.
Although their family's businesses were not as vast as Xu Yunhai's, which resembled a business empire with a tight organizational structure and extensive business layout, they were still quite wealthy and well-off, considered to be well-off and living a worry-free life in the local area.
For this reason, her family spared no expense, pulling strings and using all sorts of connections, from high-ranking officials to江湖豪杰 (jianghu heroes), searching for every possible link in the chain of command before finally managing to get Lin Wanting to become Xu Yunhai's disciple.
Furthermore, they were required to send Xu Yunhai a large sum of money every year as a sign of respect, which was essentially paying a so-called "protection fee."
Otherwise, considering only Lin Wanting's own qualifications, among the many candidates eager to become Xu Yunhai's disciple, she would probably have little chance of standing out and becoming Xu Yunhai's apprentice.
After all, Xu Yunhai's standards for selecting apprentices are extremely strict, like choosing the most dazzling pearl from thousands of grains of sand. Unless there is enough incentive, it is difficult for ordinary people to catch his eye.
But Xu Changfeng's situation was completely different.
Xu Changfeng was born with exceptional talent for martial arts, his bones were extraordinary, as if God had specially crafted him for the path of martial arts.
He possesses exceptional comprehension and an understanding of martial arts far surpasses that of ordinary people. The secrets of martial arts that others might need months or even years to comprehend can be grasped by him in just a few days.
After just over a decade of arduous practice, he would rise before dawn every day, before the first rays of sunlight had fully illuminated the earth, and he would practice diligently without interruption, regardless of the severe cold or scorching heat, or the wind, frost, rain, or snow.
In the realm of martial arts, his progress was astonishingly rapid, like a rising star in the night sky, quickly emerging and reaching the pinnacle of internal strength.
Such a pace of progress certainly cannot be compared with that of some individuals who rise rapidly as if they have been given a cheat code, such as He Yuzhu, who has special opportunities.
Even so, to achieve such success at just over twenty years old is already outstanding and remarkable among the younger generation.
Looking at the younger generation of the entire martial arts world, there are very few who can compare with him, as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. He has already begun to gain some fame in the martial arts world and is regarded by many as a martial arts genius with a promising future.
Now, Xu Changfeng's next goal is to continue to carefully refine and perfect the vital energy within his body.
Every day, he would find a quiet place to cultivate in seclusion, immersing himself in the world of martial arts, trying to break through the shackles on the circulation of vital energy in his body.
The secluded retreat is often a quiet cave deep in the mountains and forests, or a remote valley where few people venture, where all around is quiet except for the sound of the wind and birdsong.
He sat there for days, oblivious to the passage of time, focusing on the circulation of vital energy within his body.
Based on the normal development trend, if everything goes smoothly, it will take at most five years, and at least about three years, for him to successfully break through the current bottleneck and enter a higher level of mastery.
Once he reaches the pinnacle of martial arts, his status in the martial arts world will be completely different, and his strength will also undergo a qualitative leap. He will leap from an outstanding young martial artist to a top master in the martial arts world. At that time, he will surely cause a stir in the martial arts world, attract the attention of all forces, and become a figure respected by everyone in the martial arts world.
Unfortunately, the only drawback was that Xu Changfeng's family background was quite ordinary.
My parents are honest and hardworking ordinary people who work hard every day and make a living on meager income. Their lives are very difficult.
The father worked from dawn till dusk every day, toiling in the fields, while the mother stayed home, taking care of household chores, sewing and mending, and carefully managing the family's finances.
With such family circumstances, it was difficult to provide much material support for his martial arts training. They could neither buy him precious martial arts manuals nor provide him with high-quality medicinal herbs to aid his training.
After arriving at this location to escort the goods, he was easily swayed by the sweet talk of Gao Laorong and others.
Knowing that Xu Changfeng desperately needed money to improve his life, Gao Laorong and his gang used the tempting reward as bait and persuaded him with the "righteousness of the martial arts world," fabricating all sorts of seemingly high-sounding reasons, such as for the sake of justice in the martial arts world and for fighting against evil forces. In reality, they were all just trying to satisfy their own selfish desires.
On a whim, Xu Changfeng inexplicably decided to temporarily take on the role of an assassin.
He thought that with his superior martial arts skills, completing this mission would be a piece of cake, as easy as taking candy from a baby. He never expected to fall into such a predicament and now he is a prisoner. He is filled with regret and self-blame for his impulsive behavior.
They had originally devised a meticulous plan: after the deed was done, Xu Changfeng and Lin Wanting would quickly clean up the scene and remove any traces that might be left behind, relying on their rich experience and skillful techniques.
They were well-versed in various techniques for concealing their tracks, and every step, from erasing footprints to destroying tools used in the crime, was meticulously planned.
Then evacuate from this place and return to Luzon as quickly as possible.
They figured that by then, there would be no way to prove it! Who would know who actually did it?
In this way, they can easily distance themselves from the situation, as if it had nothing to do with them, and continue living their lives as usual.
However, plans can't keep up with changes. They never expected things to develop so unexpectedly. He Yuzhu's appearance was like a sudden variable that completely disrupted their plans.
However, as the saying goes, "Man proposes, God disposes," and fate always likes to play tricks on people.
Surprisingly, both of them ended up in He Yuzhu's hands.
He Yuzhu was shrewd in his interrogation of the two assassins, using both soft and hard tactics. He first tried to appeal to their emotions and persuade them to confess the truth.
He spoke earnestly, recounting the code of honor among the common people and the right path in life, attempting to awaken their conscience.
When the soft approach failed, they resorted to hard measures, applying pressure to instill fear in them.
His gaze was piercing, and his voice was authoritative, creating a powerful sense of pressure for the two of them.
After a battle of wits, the results of last night's interrogation were finally revealed to Huo Yingdong in detail.
However, there was one thing he didn't say: he had successfully persuaded Lin Wanting to serve him for an entire night.
Lin Wanting was completely bewildered. She felt wronged and wondered to herself: She had already agreed to become He Yuzhu's woman, so how did she end up like this?
Not only were they subjected to a severe ordeal, but they were also bound hand and foot here.
Is this the legendary "ruthless slaying of an eagle"?
Thinking of this, a deep resentment towards He Yuzhu welled up in her heart.
She hated him for deceiving her and taking her body away.
But at this moment, she was tightly bound, and a dirty rag was stuffed into her mouth, so she couldn't even speak.
Helpless, she could only stare at He Yuzhu with eyes full of resentment, her eyes seeming to spit fire, as if she wanted to tear him to pieces with her gaze. The anger in her heart burned fiercely, but she had nowhere to vent it.
On the other hand, Huo Yingdong did not show much surprise upon hearing the news.
In his view, it was expected that Gao Laorong would send people to kill them.
After all, Yip Hon had been trying to steal the other party's business, and the conflict of interest between the two parties had a long history and deep-seated resentment.