Hearing that, Chen Cai sprang up from the sofa. "What exactly happened?"
She was a careful woman and would never leave anyone a handle on her. This time, the only person she coordinated with was the middle-aged man before her. Whether it was the trucks blocking the road or the hired thugs on the other route, she'd told him to arrange everything. None of those men knew the one pulling the strings was the Feng family's Chen Cai. As for the martial artist from the Dai family, that contact had been made directly by Dai Xiao.
"It failed! Xu Mu got away!" the man said in a low voice.
"What?" Chen Cai's legs went weak and she collapsed back onto the sofa, stunned. "With that many people—and even a martial artist—how could he possibly escape?"
"I don't know the details yet. Everyone involved was taken away, and I can't reach any of them—including that martial artist."
"Taken away? Then you know what to do, don't you?" Chen Cai clenched her fists, her face turning cold.
"Of course. None of this has anything to do with you, Director Chen." As he spoke, he set the phone he'd been using to contact her on a side table. No traces left behind.
After he left, Chen Cai walked over, picked up the phone, her expression growing darker. "Damn it!"
Crack! She hurled it to the floor.
She was starting to suspect Dai Xiao had been toying with her. He'd said he'd found a Dai family expert, and yet they still couldn't handle Xu Mu?
Early the next morning.
Xu Mu opened his eyes and, by instinct, glanced at the space beside him—empty. Oddly enough, he felt a twinge of unfamiliarity. Before he transmigrated, he'd spent years with only his right hand for company.
He'd just stretched when his phone buzzed. It was a call from Xu Shou.
"Hello? What's up this early?" Xu Mu answered with a smile.
"I'm reminding you not to run around today. At noon we're going to the Feng family manor in Yang City—you'll accompany me," came Xu Shou's voice.
"Today at noon? I thought it'd be in a few days." Xu Mu hadn't prepared yet—by which he meant editing the video he'd recorded. He planned to trim off the fluff at the start and cut out a highlight reel to play first. In his head, the "hook" was set: start right from Feng Kang's appearance and Dai Xiao's lunge.
"It's Saturday noon. You've been away from the company a lot lately, so I'm telling you in advance," Xu Shou said.
"Got it," Xu Mu nodded. "I'll head to the office after breakfast."
After hanging up, he opened the saved footage and began editing. Done, he headed downstairs, pulled a USB drive from a drawer, and copied the video over.
Ye Tong came down the stairs. She wasn't sure why, but after just one night apart, she found herself missing Xu Mu a little.
"Awake?" Xu Mu looked up and greeted her.
"Mm." Ye Tong smiled. "I'll make you breakfast."
"Where's Ye Yu? Not up yet?"
"It's Saturday. Let her sleep in," Ye Tong said with a laugh. "I'm off today too—was thinking of taking her shopping."
"I'll have Wanyue go with you," Xu Mu said. Better to be cautious—now that Chen Cai had used a martial artist against him, he had to guard against anything.
"Alright," Ye Tong agreed. In fact, she wanted to talk more with Meng Wanyue; she liked her. If only she could make Wanyue "endure" the duet in her place someday—how nice that would be.
After breakfast, Xu Mu drove to the company. On the way he messaged Meng Wanyue to go straight to his villa after she ate. She agreed at once. Although she was following Xu Mu now, she hadn't openly broken with the Dragon King; her official assignment was still to protect Ye Tong, which she intended to do to the letter.
No sooner had Xu Mu settled into his boss chair than a call from Xu Shou summoned him. In the chairman's office, he found Xu Ningbing there as well.
"Dragging me in here first thing—what's the rush?" Xu Mu asked, crossing one leg over the other on the black leather sofa.
"We need to prepare. Feng Kang's acting off—better we stay cautious," Xu Shou said. "What's your take this time?"
"I plan to go on the offensive," Xu Mu shrugged, smiling. "There's no repairing things between our families."
"Xiao Mu, our weight-loss drug is selling like crazy and all eyes are on us. Don't do anything reckless," Xu Ningbing said, glancing at him. Her tone was about the same as before, but she'd switched from calling him "Xu Mu" to "Xiao Mu."
"Relax. I know my limits," he said.
"Hahaha, then let's wait and see what the Fengs try," Xu Shou chuckled.
After some family chatter, Xu Mu and Xu Ningbing left together. In the elevator, Xu Mu pulled out two Qi-Gathering Pills. "Sigh, I ran into that senior while I was out yesterday. He gave me two pills."
"Xiao Mu!" Xu Ningbing immediately grabbed his hand. "What do they do?"
Ding! The elevator doors opened. She hesitated only a beat before tugging him to her office.
She pushed him onto the sofa, folding her arms as she stood over him. "What's their effect?"
Xu Mu was briefly dazed—at his current angle, he couldn't even see her face, blocked by two… overwhelming presences. He adjusted himself upright. "They boost your strength."
"Boost strength? Xiao Mu, let me relive my childhood," Xu Ningbing said bluntly the moment she heard "boost."
He hadn't expected someone like her to take the initiative. "Alright, alright—both are yours." He lifted his hand and passed them over.
[Favorability +10]
Gratitude lit her face as she took the pills.
"Take them now," Xu Mu reminded.
She nodded and swallowed them. A warm current immediately flowed through her meridians. Suddenly she frowned lightly—her meridians were swelling, aching—and then—
Pop!
It felt as though something inside had broken open. She clenched her fists, sensing the Qi in her body—stronger than before. "Xiao Mu, I think I advanced."
"Normal," Xu Mu said, already lying with his head on her lap, plunged again into darkness. In the "plot," her talent was the best among all the Dragon King's harem—far above most.
Since Meng Wanyue wasn't at the company, Xu Mu simply spent a few hours with Xu Ningbing that morning. After that, Xu Shou called the two of them to head for the Feng family manor.