Chapter 124

Late at night, in the brightly lit Beishan branch of the Anquan Bureau, it was lively and noisy.

After finishing the late-night snack, everyone didn't break up. Tong Hua suggested going back to play poker to digest the food. Anyway, everyone had rooms in the branch, and if they got sleepy, they would just go back and fall asleep; it wasn't the first time.

Just as she was fuming over a hand of terrible cards and suspecting that Tong Hua was secretly cheating, Wen Wen heard the phone in her pocket.

The screen lit up, and a familiar name appeared.

For some reason, every time she saw this name recently, her heart would skip a beat.

It seemed like every time he took the initiative to call her, nothing good ever happened.

Could it be... he's caused some trouble again?

"Hello? Ji Jue?"

She steeled herself before answering: "It's so late, is something wrong?"

"Sister Wen, there really is something..."

On the other end of the phone, Ji Jue hesitated: "There's a matter, it's a bit complicated... why don't you come over here? That, it's best to come quietly, don't let anyone else find out..."

In an instant, the corner of Wen Wen's eye twitched.

No, calling your sister to come to your house quietly in the middle of the night?

Has this kid's dog guts expanded?

What are you thinking?!

And Tong Hua, who was quietly eavesdropping, had her eyes light up, filled with gossip, and even Old Zhang seemed to have raised his ears intentionally or unintentionally.

This clearly has a story!

Is the progress this fast? No, it seems like no one felt anything!

When did it start?

Wen Wen, did you make a move so quickly?

Seeing the admiration in Tong Hua's eyes, Wen Wen couldn't help but punch her on the head.

"This brat."

She hung up the phone, not hiding it, but instead beckoning to the others: "Let's go, everyone, give him a surprise, and incidentally see what medicine this brat is selling in his gourd."

If he really has any ulterior motives in the middle of the night, don't blame your sister for teaching you how to be a human under her iron fist.

"Holy shit—"

Fifteen minutes later, in Ji Jue's living room.

Wen Wen, who pushed the door open and entered, saw the person sitting on the sofa and couldn't help it anymore; her vision went black.

The surprise wasn't delivered; instead, she was the one who was shocked.

The medicine in this gourd was a bit too strong; she couldn't hold it together!

After a brief chaos, everything quickly returned to silence.

Under the dim, yellowish light of some years, everyone on the sofa sat with their arms crossed, watching the guest sitting in the middle. Chen Yubo lowered his head, shivering, subconsciously clutching the bag in his arms.

"Meow~"

At the opening of the bag, a black and white cat stepped on another blue cat, curiously poking its head out, looking left and right, tilting its head at him.

It was indeed very cute.

"This one is called Sheriff, this one is called Ah Fu."

Ji Jue pointed and introduced: "This one is called Chen Yubo."

"Hmm, it's Chen Yubo." Old Zhang nodded first, making a judgment.

"Chen Yubo..."

Wen Wen rubbed her forehead with a headache, "He looks a bit like his brother, but much paler."

"It's definitely Chen Yubo, no mistake."

Tong Hua was expressionless, "I'd recognize this face even if it were turned to ash."

Chen Yubo gave a bitter smile: "Miss Tong, please don't make fun of me."

"You know him?" Ji Jue was bewildered.

"We've dealt with each other."

Tong Hua's expression became increasingly painful and serious: "The hatred of stealing a wife is irreconcilable!"

"What?"

Ji Jue was shocked and subconsciously looked at Chen Yubo, who immediately shrank back in guilt.

Which made him even more shocked.

Then, he heard Tong Hua continue: "The year before last, the JC from the Empire released a limited edition, diamond-encrusted girl pink. I stayed up all night to queue at the flagship store in the Empire to place an order, but as a result, someone threw money at them and cut the line to snatch it..."

She glanced at the bag in Chen Yubo's hand, finding it even more indescribable: "He bought it to carry his cat."

"This, I didn't know you had ordered it," Chen Yubo weakly defended: "As the saying goes, first come, first served. If I had known..."

"If you had known I wanted it, would you have let it go?"

Chen Yubo immediately stopped talking, clutching the bag in his arms tighter.

If I give you the bag, what will I use to carry my cat?

Hearing the two cats meowing in the bag, he scrambled to open a can for them.

"What is JC?" Old Zhang asked in a low voice.

Ji Jue replied, "A luxury brand."

"In short, Yacheng isn't big. After staying in the circle for a long time, most of them are familiar faces. Didn't Xiao Chun introduce him to you too?" Tong Hua shook her head and sighed, watching him feed the cat with his head down: "He really loves those two cats."

Unfortunately, the cats remained cold and aloof, snatching the cans, not sympathizing with their owner's situation, and even too lazy to act cute.

Staying silent like this is not a solution.

Ji Jue coughed twice and asked in a low voice: "Is Chen Xingzhou really..."

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, he's still in emergency care."

Chen Yubo hesitated, but finally sighed and said: "This time, I'm afraid it's more ominous than auspicious."

After being shot, Chen Xingzhou was immediately sent to the hospital by Uncle Lin, but his condition was not optimistic; there was a curse on the bullet. He relied on the alchemical items on his body to barely hang on to his life. You couldn't say he was alive, but if you said he was dead, he was just a breath away.

He is still in emergency care at the Chongguang Sect's charity hospital.

After being sent to the hospital and understanding the specific situation, Chen Yubo's first reaction was to run.

Taking advantage of the chaos, he slipped away unnoticed.

It wasn't out of heartlessness or coldness, but because Chen Xingzhou had instructed him to do so in the past: if anything happened to him, don't worry about anything, leave Yacheng decisively, and go live somewhere else under an assumed name.

Seizing the last opportunity, he ran back home, didn't pack gold or silver, didn't carry valuables, and even gave up his collection of various sports cars he had saved for over ten years.

He only brought a gold watch for emergencies and the two most important cats.

Then, after calming down, he discovered...

He couldn't run at all!

These days, natural disasters run rampant in the wilderness, with storms and earthquakes constant. Transportation between cities can only be done by airships or by relying on convoys to cross-country and carry the load.

Without channels, he couldn't even leave Yacheng secretly.

Chen Xingzhou hadn't not done smuggling; he had plenty of ways, but now that his big brother's life was hanging by a thread, he didn't dare trust a single one of those people.

If he trusted the wrong one, his life would be gone.

When he looked back at his life, wanting to find a friend he could trust, he sadly discovered that there was almost none.

The only person who didn't kick him away to save his own life when he was in a life-or-death situation was the only one.

That is the unlucky kid sitting directly opposite him.

Ji Jue.

This is the cause of all this.

After understanding the situation, Ji Jue didn't pull a gun, nor did he coldly turn him away.

Even knowing how much trouble he was in, he still sighed and let him walk into his home.

He even helped him contact the Beishan District.

Just for this point, Chen Yubo didn't know how many times he had cried with gratitude before they arrived.

It's just a pity that Ji Jue could hardly hold out much hope for this.

In this kind of matter, the Beishan District branch might not be able to help.

After Wen Wen extinguished her cigarette, she sighed and said: "Boss Chen, we are also clear about your situation. Unfortunately, we are unable to help."

Chen Yubo's face gradually turned pale: "Even you, Supervisor Wen..."

"This afternoon, I impulsively went to cause trouble for Lei Yaoxing and was almost severely tricked. When I came back, I saw Tong Shan's dead-man face, nagging until now... Honestly, I get a headache just seeing people from the Imperial now."

Wen Wen said bluntly: "Even if I can't stand the trash from the Imperial showing off their power, I must consider the position of the Anquan Bureau. At this juncture, if I intervene by force, the situation might spiral further out of control, becoming the fuse for a conflict between Bai Lu and Tian Yuan."

"I, I..."

Chen Yubo gathered his courage: "I can give all my assets..."

"Useless."

Tong Hua interrupted him: "If the Anquan Bureau wanted your assets, they have plenty of ways. If Sister Wen wanted to earn this money, I have the Tong family's channels; couldn't I handle you?"

Chen Yubo had nothing more to say.

"Then... run away."

Ji Jue rubbed the bridge of his nose with some fatigue: "Sister Wen, can you contact a ship? A speedboat will do, get a large boat. I'll send him out of Yacheng right now. If we move fast, he'll be in Ship City or Tide City by tomorrow morning and can still eat breakfast."

Wen Wen was about to speak, but was pressed down by Tong Hua.

"He can't leave, Ji Jue."

The girl's expression was devoid of its usual frivolity and playfulness, compassionate yet cruel: "He can't run anymore."

Her phone was delivered in front of Ji Jue.

The screen lit up.

Bringing the latest news.

"Just now, Chen Xingzhou's lawyer fell to his death, the safe was pried open, and Chen Xingzhou's will was discovered."

Tong Hua sighed and said: "If Chen Xingzhou dies, all his assets in the Eternal Bank—funds exceeding four billion, shares in eleven listed companies—will all be handed over to his only relative, Chen Yubo.

The will has a notarization from the Eternal Bank, so even if the sky falls and the earth cracks, this money will definitely be handed over to him."

Ji Jue was stunned, only feeling his scalp go numb.

He turned his head stiffly to look at Chen Yubo.

"In other words..."

Now, sitting beside him is the entire Yacheng, no, the entire Haizhou, the number one Tang Monk meat!

A person without any ability to protect himself suddenly inherits such vast wealth. No, even if Chen Xingzhou isn't dead yet, just having this qualification is enough to make him a target for everyone, the center of the storm.

If he stays in Yacheng, the organization and remnants left by his brother will protect him for the sake of what Chen Xingzhou once did, but once he leaves Yacheng, the outside world is full of hungry, bloody mouths.

Impatiently wanting to chew on his flesh and blood...

Never mind the others.

Even Ji Jue felt a bit of evil fire after hearing it, wanting to pull off a job!

Isn't it just kidnapping? It's not like I haven't done it before!

I almost tore it up too!

Unfortunately, after all, there was still a little bit of remaining conscience, and he really couldn't bring himself to do it...

Ji Jue sighed: "Can't he give up the inheritance?"

"Those guys at the Eternal Bank only recognize contracts, not people. Even if Chen Xingzhou suddenly opened his eyes and changed his mind, saying 'no, I won't give it,' they wouldn't pay attention until the contract is revoked.

No matter how much trouble this money brings, they will definitely stuff the money into Chen Yubo's hands. Otherwise, the credibility of the Eternal Bank would probably be destroyed in an instant.

They have probably already sent out managers, just waiting for Chen Xingzhou's death certificate to be stamped and effective, so they can come to fulfill the terms."

"We've known each other for a while, Old Chen."

Tong Hua sighed: "Your only way now is to go find Lei Yaoxing, kowtow, then sign to give up emergency care. After your brother passes away, hand this money over to him, beg him to spare your life, and from then on, make a clean break with the Imperial.

In this way, Sister Wen can protect you with the Anquan Bureau's ability and save your life."

Chen Yubo didn't speak.

He just lowered his head, wanting to open his mouth several times, but tears flowed down uncontrollably.

"My dad... my dad was a gambler. He abandoned us when I was still in my mother's womb. My mother also died early, gone when I was two years old.

If it weren't for my brother, I would have been thrown into a ditch like trash and rotted to death long ago. Even the first time I took a knife to someone, it was for my tuition and food money.

I know he did many things that couldn't see the light, but without my brother, there would be no me. I also have half the responsibility for the evil he did.

If you live in the underworld, you have to pay it back. If I die, I die, but to ask me to kowtow to the person who killed him, to ask me to harm him, I'd rather just die like this..."

He wiped his tears and snot in a disheveled manner, stood up, and bowed: "Thank you all for your kindness. It's me who is useless, unappreciative. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Just like that, he bowed and said goodbye to leave.

Then, he was pressed back onto the sofa by Ji Jue.

"Wait a moment."

He said: "The situation might not be that bad."

Just like that, he forcibly pressed Chen Yubo, whose legs were secretly trembling, back onto the sofa.

Ji Jue pondered for a moment and sighed:

"At least there is one more way."

Chen Yubo swallowed his saliva, anxious enough to cry. If you have a way, hurry up and say it!

Then, he heard his words.

"Anyway, the worst-case scenario is just death, right?" Ji Jue examined him and suddenly asked point-blank: "Do you mind never getting married in your life?"

"Ah?"

Chen Yubo was stunned.

"First, let's understand one thing—" he raised a finger, "with this money, if Chen Xingzhou doesn't die, you have no chance at all. But if Chen Xingzhou dies, you definitely won't be able to keep it.

But at least you can decide where this money goes, right?"

"Anyway, it's all going to be handed over. With such a large sum of money, why let a gang leader like Lei Yaoxing, who is full of evil, benefit? Even if he says he'll spare your life, do you dare believe him?"

Chen Yubo was silent for a moment, finding it hard to refute.

Honestly, even if Lei Yaoxing smiled and told him "it was just a joke," would he dare to relax?

"Give it to the Anquan Bureau, and the people at the Anquan Bureau will only find ways to embezzle this money, or transfer it three or four times into the small treasury of some department. I shouldn't be wrong about this, right, Sister Wen?"

Wen Wen waved her hand dismissively, admitting it.

"So—"

Ji Jue asked seriously: "Have you considered the 【Chongguang Sect】?"

The sudden suggestion left everyone stunned.

In the silence, only the meowing of the two cats in Chen Yubo's arms remained.

The Chongguang Sect, a religious organization spread throughout the entire world, believes in the glorious creed. The doctrine stipulates that the souls and spirits of all living beings come from the light and will return to the light.

If you only look at this, it doesn't seem any different from ordinary religions, but the key is that the light they believe in was actually worshipped into existence by them...

The compassion and virtues rising from countless souls gathered together, formed by the practice of generations of believers, actually constructed a void sage.

The Chosen Ones of the Metamorphosis lineage, in order to pursue the ascension of the soul and their own transformation, often strive to practice the path they have set for themselves. Those Chosen Ones who receive the holy covenant through resonance with the light of compassion will abandon all property and fame, spending their lives practicing the glorious creed, saving the dying and healing the wounded, and comforting souls.

Once they violate the holy covenant or actively harm others, they will immediately lose the protection and blessing of the sage and revert to their original form.

Although there are very few people who can receive the holy covenant, these people will be welcomed by everyone wherever they appear. Who wouldn't like someone who simply does good and whose integrity and character are absolutely guaranteed?

Although the number of registered formal members is only a few hundred thousand, and there are only a few thousand Chosen Ones among them, the charity organizations of the Chongguang Sect are spread all over the world, including Yacheng.

Unlike those that fool people for money or are purely for tax avoidance, their charity funds will ten thousand percent really be used for doing good and saving people in danger.

No amount of money is ever enough.

If they were just putting on a show, any fund could have a surplus every year, but once they really start working, they can't even cover their costs.

Education in impoverished areas, water sources in drought areas, medicine in epidemic areas, hospitals in war-torn areas... even if Ji Jue isn't a believer, who among the poor in Yacheng hasn't received care and protection from the charity hospital?

"You donate all this money to the Chongguang Sect's charity fund, then find the Bishop of Haizhou to make a vow of conversion, from now on holding no private property and seeking no profit.

With this money, the Chongguang Sect will also guarantee for you. Even if the hatred is sky-high, they can come up with a solution. Besides, you haven't done anything heinous, so no one will pester you relentlessly.

After a few years, the limelight will pass, no one will remember Chen Xingzhou, and no one will remember you. If you really can't stand the austere life, you can also leave the church. For the sake of this money, the Chongguang Sect will definitely arrange a place for you. How about it?"

"Is... is it true?"

Chen Yubo was stunned, subconsciously looking at the others.

But after the initial astonishment, the others, in the silence, had no choice but to nod.

After all, it's over four billion, and there are even company shares and other real estate whose prices are temporarily hard to estimate but definitely not low... When wealth reaches this level, besides the numbers, I'm afraid it's hard to measure with other places. It's enough for ten thousand Ji Jues to live a life of luxury from birth until death and still have plenty left over.

To actually suggest donating it all in one go, even if it's not one's own money, is too extravagant.

But it must be said that this is the best method for Chen Yubo at present.

There is nothing better than this.

"I... I have no problem."

Chen Yubo only hesitated for a moment, and after hearing the two cats in his arms meow, he nodded solemnly.

He isn't married. Although he has a bunch of girlfriends, the financial relationship between them is clear and unambiguous. It's mutual consent; they say honey and baby, but they both know clearly whether there is any emotion in their hearts.

With the relationship of his brother Chen Xingzhou, he has to be on guard at all times not to establish any trust relationship with any stranger that goes beyond the ordinary.

But only these two cats in his arms are the creatures he can safely love and like without worrying about being betrayed.

A person's attachments to the world can be numerous; sometimes, there might only be a tiny bit.

If he were to die, the two of them would probably really become stray cats... from then on, hungry one meal and full the next, bullied by others. Who would look at them twice?

"It's just... can you leave some money for me to buy cat cans?" he asked tentatively.

"You donate this money, and the Chongguang Sect will buy them cat cans for a lifetime, you fool!"

Tong Hua rolled her eyes in annoyance, her fingers tapping on her crossed arms, her expression stern: "The plan is beautiful, but you have to face reality—the premise of this matter is that you must be able to survive this period before your brother breathes his last, until a new boss appears.

Otherwise, before you make a clean break with the Imperial, no matter how compassionate the Chongguang Sect is, they will absolutely not intervene in these dirty matters.

What about this point? Have you thought about it?" She looked at Ji Jue.

In the silence, Ji Jue nodded slowly.

In the end, he sighed helplessly.

"We were friends after all." He glanced at the cowering Young Master Chen, his headache worsening: "He was able to come find me at this juncture; I can't just kick him out, can I?"

Do a good deed to the end, send the Buddha to the west.

At worst, I'll play the ostrich for a few days and hide him.

When he was in danger, he was squatting outside his house with his cat, shedding tears; I can't just watch him die on the street after he leaves.

Getting involved in this kind of thing, I can only count myself unlucky.

I just feel that every gift fate gives has too damn high a premium!

Earning a little bit of money from you two brothers, why is it so hard!

"Brother Ji, Brother Ji, I..."

Chen Yubo was moved to tears again, unable to help but rush over, wanting to wail, but was pushed away by Ji Jue, who held his face, full of helplessness:

"Don't! I'm already starting to regret it, calm down."

"Actually, if it's like this, there isn't too much danger."

On the sofa, Wen Wen, who had been watching for a long time, suddenly spoke: "It can barely be tried."