Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Under Xiao Luo’s guidance, the English Language majors fully dedicated themselves to singing practice, and they were more enthusiastic than ever before. At the same time, astounded by his talents, they practically began to worship Xiao Luo.
Since the competition was only a week away, Xiao Luo made the class go through intensive training. Aside from attending classes and taking their meals, the rest of their time was devoted to rehearsal. Everyone felt a sense of fulfillment during these few days, which brought them pure joy while also deepening their friendships and strengthening the bonds of their class.
******
One afternoon, Xiao Luo received a call from a stranger. It was a man who’d seen his listing for a Swiss Omega watch on the internet and wanted to buy it for his girlfriend. The man even arranged a meeting point along the national highway in the suburbs.
Xiao Luo was uneasy about the meeting point that the man had selected. It was far from the city, about an hour away by taxi. Moreover, the area was a deeply forested, and it had a frightening name – Wild Boar Ridge.
Meeting in such a place to conduct business made it feel like they were doing something illegal!
However, the man has his reasons. He explained that he was a resident in one of the county towns under the jurisdiction of Jiangcheng but did not live in the city district. Hence, the proposed location was a compromise so that both parties could meet halfway and show their sincerity in making the deal.
“This guy is shrewd,” Zhu Xiaofei praised the man after hearing the details. “By choosing to meet along the national highway at Wild Boar Ridge, he can save half of his travel expenses.”
Ding Kai furrowed his brow, then voiced his thoughts out loud, “Brother Luo’s watch is going for 59,999. If he can afford that much, why can’t he afford to travel further? I’m afraid he might have bad intentions and is luring Brother Luo there to rob him.”
“That makes sense. Kaizi has a point, and we can’t rule out that possibility,” Zhu Xiaofei said as his expression tensed up. “Brother Luo, as a precaution, you should ask him to meet at our school.”
Xiao Luo shook his head as he took out the watch from a drawer. “I finally managed to find someone interested in buying this watch. Since he’s invited me to meet there, I’ll play along. Even if he really does have bad intentions, we’ll see if he can snatch the watch from my hands.”
“That’s true. Brother Luo is so good at fighting. Anyone who tries anything funny will get beaten up,” Zhu Xiaofei agreed.
Ding Kai looked at him disdainfully. “Do you have your own opinions, or are you just going to keep flip-flopping?”
“Piss off! I’m Brother Luo’s die-hard fan!” Zhu Xiaofei proudly patted his chest.
Xiao Luo shook his head helplessly.
Later that afternoon, Xiao Luo flagged a taxi and rushed off to the meeting point.
Half an hour later, the taxi arrived. The driver was a young man in his thirties. As he took in their surroundings (Wild Boar Ridge was practically a virgin forest), the driver shuddered and asked, “Bro, we are in the middle of nowhere. Why did you want to come here by yourself?”
The man had heard that there were some people targeting taxi drivers. They killed and robbed them, then dumped their bodies in the wilderness. He was beginning to wonder if he were a mark right now and did not engage his handbrake after stopping. He was ready to drive away at a moment’s notice if anything felt off.
“I’m here to meet someone. Wait here for me, please. I’ll need you to take me back later.” Xiao Luo opened the car door and got out.
Was he waiting for his accomplices?
Chills gripped the driver as he was filled with tremendous anxiety.
Soon after, three luxurious black sedans came speeding up the highway toward them before skidding to a stop not far from Xiao Luo in the middle of the road. The doors opened, and a group of men with a fearsome air dressed in black suits got out of the cars. There was no trace of anything pleasant in their expressions.
F*ck!
Their arrival greatly startled the taxi driver, who immediately put his pedal to the metal, speeding his green taxi out of sight. For him, this whole situation was beyond the pale. If he did not escape now, he might not get another chance.
Xiao Luo did not look back at the taxi driver who had just abandoned him. He remained looking straight forward.
The group consisted of nine people, one of whom was a silver-haired youth dressed like a hipster. At a glance, he could tell that it was the young master who was in charge. The group fanned out in front before him and surround him.
Xiao Luo questioned, “Are you the one who called me?”
The silver-haired youth replied cheerily, “Yep, the call came from me.”
“Show me the money, and I’ll hand over the goods,” Xiao Luo replied lightly.
Hearing this, a playful expression appeared on the group’s faces.
“It seems like you’re a real fool, coming out to a place like this so casually. You know, my little sister really wants you dead,” the silver-haired youth cackled wickedly.
“Your younger sister?” Xiao Luo asked, narrowing his eyes.
As if right on cue, a girl emerged from the car at the front.
She had a devilishly attractive figure, with a head of wavy blond curls that seemed to sparkle in the light. Her long, slender thighs were wrapped in a light-yellow mini skirt, showing off her perfect proportions.
“Xiao, long time no see!”
The girl glared viciously at Xiao Luo. It was Fang Shulan, whom he had met before at a party.
Seeing her, everything fell into place in Xiao Luo’s mind. Fang Shulan must have stumbled upon his watch’s listing on the internet and decided to use it to lure him to this remote location and teach him a lesson with her subordinates.
Xiao Luo called out to her in a joking tone, “It has been a while hasn’t it? Is Miss Fang planning to give me some spending money again today?”
A flash of anger crossed Fang Shulan’s face. Just recalling the shame Xiao Luo that put her through that day made her grit her teeth in hatred. She snarled, “You son of a b*tch. Still putting on airs, are you? Today I’m going to pay you back for all the humiliation I suffered, with interest!”
Xiao Luo let out a soft sigh of contempt. Some people were just like that. They never learned.
The silver-haired youth let out a weird giggle and said to Xiao Luo, “I heard you were good in a fight, and that you managed to beat up several of the bodyguards at Fu Jiawei’s house. I wonder if you’ll fare as well against these men my family hired. Fair warning, they’re all ex-military and powerful fighters. Hehe.”
“If I were you, I would not have done that,” Xiao Luo retorted mildly, the corner of his mouth tilting up in a cruel smirk. “It’s just you and me here. Even if I end up killing you, the police will never trace it back to me.”
At that moment, Xiao Luo’s eyes glazed over completely. His gaze was bleak and emotionless, devoid of any color or feeling. His body exuded an aura of bloodlust. It was so intense that it was palpable, as though the air were instantly chilled to the freezing point.
He was like a pool of pitch-black ink, and the clouds of darkness around him were like a gigantic black hole, engulfing and swallowing everyone around him whole.
Such a strong killing intent!
The color drained from the faces of the eight men in suits. Suddenly, they felt like they were about to suffocate.
Xiao Luo was prepared to kill. ‘The Constitution of: King of Mercenaries’ ability had not only improved his physical abilities, but it had also changed his temperament.