Chapter 227: Chapter 192: No Wonder You Can Be the Captain
"I’ll send you the mission details now; be there by 3 PM sharp tomorrow afternoon at the north entrance of the Huirong Building, the person meeting you will be wearing a black jacket."
"Your friend needs to arrive early, by 2 PM sharp, go to the security booth at the north entrance of Huirong Building, and look for Captain Liu, he’ll arrange the rest."
Shortly after, Fu Qingzhu sent the information, which showed that the person Yang Xiao was in charge of protecting was the heir of a prominent family from a province in the southwest, surname Qi, male, 32 years old. His visit to Rongcheng was to finalize a transaction with the local real estate titan, Hengzhong Group.
The rest of the information was rather inconsequential. Yang Xiao continued scrolling, but couldn’t find a photo of the person, just some descriptions: 184 cm in height, 86 kg in weight, with a square face and a mole on the right side of his lip, never involved in a nightmare incident, an ordinary person.
Yang Xiao sent the message to Beibei, and she quickly replied with an OK gesture.
The next day, after a refreshing midday nap, Yang Xiao woke up, freshened up, and changed into the casual outfit he had bought the day before.
A bit past 2 PM, he hailed a ride-share and headed to the mission’s location, the Huirong Building.
The ride was swift, as the road was not too far, and the Huirong Building was known far and wide as one of the most luxurious buildings in the western part of the city. He’d barely alighted from the car and taken a few steps when a man dressed in a black leather jacket approached him.
"Mr. Chu, right?" The man, in black jacket and Black Sunglasses, had a burly figure, with a thick gold chain around his neck, from which a Jade Buddha Pendant dangled.
"You are..." Yang Xiao looked the man up and down, filled with doubt, as his flashy style didn’t match what Yang Xiao had anticipated.
"Mr. Fu sent me to meet you." The man grinned, revealing three gold teeth gleaming inside his slightly open mouth.
After saying this, the man turned and led the way, with Yang Xiao observing his surroundings closely. Indeed, among the crowd passing by, he spotted several dubious individuals, both male and female, mostly wearing Bluetooth headsets, occasionally glancing his way.
"Mr. Chu, no need to be nervous, we have our scouts mixed in with the people nearby. Your task is to be the close protection of our distinguished guest. Mr. Fu has praised you as a rare expert," the man said, hands in his pockets, walking up to an access point, took off his sunglasses, and after a few seconds a ’beep’ sounded, and the gate opened.
The two walked toward the north entrance of the Huirong Building, as if leisurely out for a stroll. Along the way, Black Sunglasses explained that the north gate was generally not open to the public, and even more security measures had been temporarily added for that day.
"Just to talk business, is all this show really necessary?" Yang Xiao saw from a distance dozens of figures standing near the steps of the north gate, all in uniform security attire.
"Rich folks, they all cherish their lives, not like us, who need to exchange our lives for money," Black Sunglasses remarked casually.
From the others’ attitudes towards Black Sunglasses, Yang Xiao surmised that this man must be in charge of security, and most likely was also an Angel Envoy.
As they stepped onto the staircase, before they could enter the building, Yang Xiao’s stride halted abruptly; near the door, he noticed a familiar face.
It was Zhuge Zhijie!
At that moment, Zhuge Zhijie was dressed in the gray uniform of a security officer, blending into the crowd. If not for his distinctly disdainful face, Yang Xiao might not have noticed him at all.
When Yang Xiao reached out to Beibei, he intended for her to ask someone who didn’t know him from the office to come over, but how did she end up choosing Zhuge Zhijie? Could it be because he was cheap?
And could Zhuge Zhijie even do the job of security? He wouldn’t stand a chance against a chicken.
In front of Black Sunglasses, Yang Xiao couldn’t mention his acquaintance with Zhuge Zhijie, so as they passed the main gate, he desperately signaled with his eyes, but Zhuge Zhijie was as unresponsive as if he were blind.
Upon reaching the first floor of the building, resplendent and opulent, the surrounding walls were adorned with large oil paintings that Yang Xiao didn’t understand. With their bright and lavish colors, Black Sunglasses left Yang Xiao in a nearby rest area, saying he needed to verify some information first.
When no one was around, Yang Xiao immediately messaged Zhuge Zhijie, arranging to meet in the restroom.
A moment later, Yang Xiao, pacing back and forth in the restroom, finally saw Zhuge Zhijie hurry in. He pulled him into the furthest stall and whispered, "How did you get here?"
"Team leader, what are you doing here?" Zhuge Zhijie asked curiously.
"Who asked you to come?" Yang Xiao’s annoyance grew. He should have made things clearer to Beibei; it wasn’t anyone’s fault but his own.
"Xi Menxiu, he said he had a side job for me, doing security. The only requirement was to keep a low profile, avoid greeting anyone."
Yang Xiao immediately caught on, Beibei had subcontracted the work, acting as a middleman for a cut. "What did Xi Menxiu offer you in return?"
Zhuge Zhijie chuckled and stretched out five fingers.
"5000?"
Zhuge Zhijie was stunned, "5000? Are you kidding? I’d be robbing you. 500, just for the afternoon, and if there’s overtime into the night, an additional meal’s provided, including spicy crawfish."
Yang Xiao took a deep breath, thinking to himself that the work culture in their investigation team had seriously deteriorated. Beibei and Xi Menxiu were ruthless enough to take advantage of simpletons like Zhuge Zhijie.
It seemed Zhuge Zhijie realized it too, and with a sage look, he eyed Yang Xiao and ventured, "Team leader, you weren’t also called in by Xi Menxiu, were you?"
"Yes," Yang Xiao nodded.
"How much did he give you?"
"5000."
"Just 5000?!" Zhuge Zhijie gasped for air, nearly passing out. He cursed at Xi Menxiu, "I knew that damn Xi Menxiu wasn’t that kind-hearted. Wait until I get back; I’m going to smash his coffee machine and report every website he frequents!"
Saying this, Zhuge Zhijie started to take off his clothes, ready to go fight Xi Menxiu, the unscrupulous merchant, but Yang Xiao stopped him, "Let’s finish the job first. I’ll cover the other 2500 for you."
After hearing this, Zhuge Zhijie was almost in tears. He grabbed Yang Xiao’s hand and wouldn’t let go, "This is why you’re the captain; there’s a reason for it!"
"Come on, we’re brothers, we don’t need to say things like that. We share wealth and woe. Stand guard outside and message me if anything happens." Yang Xiao patted Zhuge Zhijie on the shoulder, drew closer, and said earnestly, "Zhijie, you’re the one I have the highest hopes for in the team. You’re smart and hardworking, the material for a deputy captain. You know what I mean."
Zhuge Zhijie stood at attention, "I am willing to work like a dog or a horse for the captain!"
"Mm, off you go."
Watching Zhuge Zhijie leave, Yang Xiao splashed cold water on his face at the sink, and before he could dry off, his phone vibrated.
It was a message from Zhuge Zhijie: Captain, you truly are a good person.
Yang Xiao put away his phone, sighed long into the mirror, and couldn’t help feeling that an honest person’s life is indeed full of hardships.
Back in the hall’s resting area, it wasn’t long before the man with Black Sunglasses hurried in, stuffing a black card into Yang Xiao’s hand, "This is your pass card. Keep it safe. Young Master Qi and his people have arrived."
Yang Xiao was about to stand up when Black Sunglasses pushed him back down by the shoulder, "You’re not needed to receive them. We’ll go to meet them. In a moment, we’ll pass through this hall and take the elevator upstairs. Keep an eye on your surroundings, and half an hour after we leave, make your way up. Your room number is 2317. They’ve booked the entire 24th floor of Huirong Building."
"Which room is Young Master Qi in?" Yang Xiao hadn’t forgotten his job, which was to ensure Young Master Qi’s safety.
This was his first private mission, and it could not afford any mistakes.
Black Sunglasses looked at Yang Xiao, his expression a mix of smile and non-smile, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses, "Mr. Chu, it seems you’re still not too familiar with the rules of our business. I can only tell you that Young Master Qi is staying on the 24th floor. As for which specific room, even I don’t know."
"What do you need me to do?" Yang Xiao asked.
"Just as I said, wait for half an hour after the people leave, go upstairs, and return to your room."
"That’s it?" Yang Xiao frowned - that sounded like easy money.
"Stay alert. If something unexpected happens, we will notify you. Other than that, don’t move around unnecessarily; we don’t want any misunderstandings."
The employer’s word was law, and Yang Xiao wasn’t too worried about it.
No sooner had Black Sunglasses left than he returned with a large group of people. The attire of these individuals was distinctly different from that of the security staff; they all wore uniform black suits. Some of these black-clad men had fierce eyes, and the obvious bulges at their waists indicated they were carrying weapons.
The man who was not dressed in a black suit walked in the center, casual in sportswear and light running shoes, wearing gold-rimmed glasses with no frame. His demeanour wasn’t particularly refined, but he exuded a unique presence.
What drew attention was the silver briefcase he carried, handcuffed at the handle to the man’s wrist.
A high-ponytailed assistant-like girl followed closely behind Young Master Qi, in particular, staying on the right side, where the briefcase was.
The group entered the elevator in batches and quickly disappeared from Yang Xiao’s line of sight.
As agreed, Yang Xiao observed the hall for a while; aside from a few security personnel coming and going, there was no other activity. Half an hour later, Yang Xiao stood up, took the elevator to the 23rd floor with his access card, and entered room 2317 to rest.
As dusk fell and no food was delivered, luckily Yang Xiao was prepared. He had compressed biscuits, sausages, and a thermos cup of wolfberry tea in his backpack.
Though there were instant noodles and the like in the room, it was essential to remain vigilant when away from home.
After eating, he lay on the bed, closed his eyes, and the images of Young Master Qi and his entourage surfaced one by one. These people didn’t strike Yang Xiao as legitimate businessmen, and those suit-gangsters didn’t seem to be just for show either.
What truly dissatisfied Yang Xiao was the arrangement for his own position. This so-called secret protection seemed more like a game. Black Sunglasses had brazenly brought him in; wasn’t that practically announcing to everyone that he was a secret bodyguard?
The more he thought about it, the more something seemed off. Yang Xiao suspected there were things at play that he wasn’t aware of. The silver briefcase was clearly important, yet it was paraded openly, handcuffed to the hand of the heir. Couldn’t they find a more reliable bodyguard for the job?
Linking all these considerations, Yang Xiao’s heart skipped a beat - could it be they were using that silver briefcase as bait?
