By the time Wang Yiyang returned to the martial hall, it was nearly seven in the evening.
The many disciples at the martial hall had all completed their daily etiquette and resolved their questions, departing one by one.
The martial hall's teaching method was unconventional. Rather than direct instruction, disciples practiced on their own, accumulated their doubts, and then resolved them together with the old master Wang Xinlong.
This was because all the disciples at the martial hall had already moved past the foundational stages.
Most of them had reached a level where they could stand independently in the outside world, so their questions were mostly theoretical.
Or rather, when these disciples came to ask for guidance, they were often really just coming to see the old master Wang Xinlong.
Of course, some of them had simply developed a habit over the years. Whenever they weren't away on business, they enjoyed gathering at the martial hall.
Wang Yiyang wasn't part of this circle. He didn't understand these things, but because he was Wang Xinlong's grandson, all the disciples treated him with kindness.
A few disciples politely exchanged words with him, but since they had no common topics to discuss, they eventually parted courteously.
In the end, it was Zhong Can, the senior brother who also gradually had nothing to talk about with the others, who ended up sitting alone in a corner of the courtyard with Wang Yiyang.
Their eyes met briefly, and both noticed they were each alone.
Unlike Wang Yiyang, Zhong Can's temperament was too overwhelming and suppressive. No one enjoyed feeling naturally inferior. So his lack of popularity was entirely normal.
Except when asking questions, no one wanted to spend extra time with him.
While the old master was seeing off the last two disciples at the gate, Zhong Can walked straight over to Wang Yiyang.
"When are you leaving tomorrow?" He was still deciding whether to act today.
"Yeah, it's about time to head back. I originally came back to quiet my mind because I was anxious about things." Wang Yiyang smiled.
He had confidence now. As head of security, he naturally had some self-defense means at his disposal.
According to the information in his mind, the chip implanted beneath his skin had certain neural signal induction capabilities.
The principles were complicated, but the specific effect was simple: the moment Wang Yiyang's life faced danger, the chip would immediately release a pulse of high-energy biological magnetic field.
This pulse would harm him not at all, but to all living things around him, it would have a very strong knockout effect.
"I'll see you off then." Zhong Can fell silent for a moment, then spoke calmly.
"No need. Just spend more time with grandfather. He's getting on in years, and his body isn't as strong as it was when he was younger." Wang Yiyang smiled warmly.
He looked at this senior brother who was extremely mysterious in his previous life, suspected of killing everyone in the martial hall. A strange thought suddenly welled up in his heart.
"Brother Zhong Can, have you ever considered that martial arts actually has limits? The only thing without limits is technology."
Zhong Can's brow furrowed slightly. "What are you trying to say?"
"I can see you have something on your mind." Wang Yiyang said calmly. "Since the path you pursue isn't understood by those around you, perhaps..."
"What are you two talking about?" Wang Xinlong pushed the door open and returned at just the right moment, interrupting Wang Yiyang's words.
"You're leaving tomorrow. Come on, have a drink with me!" Wang Xinlong grabbed his grandson's shoulder and forcibly dragged him away to the main hall of the martial hall.
Leaving Zhong Can alone, standing in place, silently watching Wang Yiyang depart, saying nothing.
It was in the main hall that the servant began setting up the second table with food and wine. Only then did Zhong Can return to his room, pull out his phone from the drawer, and quickly sent a message.
'Come tomorrow.' - Black Mantis.
'Okay.' - Dada.
Wang Yiyang was grabbed by his grandfather and subjected to a fair amount of alcohol before being allowed to go rest.
Though he drank, he never got drunk from start to finish, constantly on guard against any possible attack.
But until late into the night, Zhong Can showed no sign of making a move.
It seemed just like in his previous life. The other party had still not chosen to act now.
This gave him some relief, and also bought him more buffering time.
Early the next morning, Jane had already led all team members and, through cell phone transmission, sent Wang Yiyang a message confirming their arrival.
Not until after breakfast, when Wang Xinlong and Zhong Can had seen him off to the bus station and he'd boarded the long-distance coach heading to the city, did Wang Yiyang feel that Zhong Can showed no sign of wanting to act.
"Remember to call me once you've arrived safely." Wang Xinlong stood at the bus door reminding him.
"Got it, got it. You go back and rest, Grandpa. It's only about a two-hour drive. It's very close." Wang Yiyang sat in his seat and waved dismissively.
Wang Xinlong gave a few more careful reminders before reluctantly turning to leave with Zhong Can, squeezing through the crowd out of the bus station.
Watching his grandfather and Zhong Can leave, Wang Yiyang finally let out a breath. To be honest, staying close to someone who could crush you to death with one claw at any moment was not a pleasant feeling.
Though he now had some bargaining chips, the distance was still too close.
Now things were better. Finally far away.
As he relaxed, he also vigilantly scanned the environment inside the bus.
There were people smoking, people playing with their phones, people eating pre-cut fruit pieces.
Several small children were loudly demanding to buy snacks from vendors outside the bus.
The driver wiped his sweat with a discolored white towel.
About a third of the seats were occupied.
Wang Yiyang was fortunate to get a window seat in the middle section.
Next to him, two young women who seemed to have just graduated and started working were playing a connect-the-dots type game on their phones.
The row behind was a family of three. The parents were feeding their son something like rice porridge, though Wang Yiyang couldn't tell what it was.
In the front row, a fat man and two skinny men. The fat man was making a phone call, while the two skinny men sat together also playing with their phones.
Wang Yiyang pulled out his phone and checked the time: 10:06 AM.
An even time.
"Are you from Qiushang Industrial Park too?" One of the girls playing games next to him asked with some surprise, noticing the park identification card hanging from the side of Wang Yiyang's phone.
"Ah...yes, are you?" Wang Yiyang looked over at her with some surprise.
The girl speaking couldn't have been much older. She looked to be in her early twenties.
She wore a white shirt paired with a black professional skirt, with beige stockings covering her legs. She held her legs together at a slight angle, her posture somewhat stiff. Clearly she'd only recently undergone professional etiquette training.
As for her appearance, rating out of ten, this girl could score around seven.
Her features were delicate, her nose bridge high and straight, with willowy eyebrows. Her skin was a bit rough though, as if she didn't come from somewhere with much rain and high humidity.
The phone in her hand also clearly had a white key-shaped card attached.
"I never expected to run into someone from the park just by taking a bus. Hello, which company are you from?" Su Ling set down her phone and looked at Wang Yiyang with natural ease.
"I'm with Xinda Network. It's a small company." Wang Yiyang replied with a smile.
"Xinda Network is right one floor above us. That's even more of a coincidence. I'm with White Bridge Cosmetics. I'm Su Ling." Su Ling smiled and extended her hand, shaking Wang Yiyang's gently.
She'd already grown tired of playing games with her girlfriend and was happy to meet someone from the same park, even the same building. It felt like fate. She took the opportunity to put down her phone and find something to chat about. It was certainly better than being dragged into playing games all the time.
This trip she was accompanying her girlfriend to visit their hometown.
She'd heard the hot springs in Guixi Town were particularly comfortable, so they'd come to soak for a few days. She'd even specially requested what amounted to one of only two vacation days per year.
But after only two days of soaking, the company had forcibly pulled her back with claims of urgent business.
Though her supervisor had promised compensation, being forcibly dragged out of her vacation still left her in a bad mood.
"I'm Wang Yiyang. What are you two here to do?" Wang Yiyang returned her smile.
"Soak in the hot springs, and relax a bit." Su Ling replied.
"Hot springs. There are several good ones in this area. Maple Leaf Hot Spring, White Crystal Hot Spring, Fengshan Hot Spring. They're all worth visiting."
Wang Yiyang casually mentioned a few locations and chatted with Su Ling about the merits of various hot springs.
As they chatted, they moved from talking about Guixi Town's hot springs, to the local specialties, and eventually to Wang Yiyang's grandfather's martial hall.
Hearing that his grandfather actually ran a martial hall, Su Ling and the other girl became quite interested, beginning to ask various details about martial hall practices.
In modern times like these, a martial hall was quite an unfamiliar thing to most people.
Whenever Wang Yiyang mentioned something, both girls would react with slight wonder. The girl who'd been playing games simply set down her phone and joined in the conversation.
Before long, all three were quite comfortable with each other.
Besides Su Ling, the other girl was called Yuan Shasha. She had a baby face and a petite build. If not for her business attire, judging purely from her appearance, this girl looked no older than a high school student.
Yuan Shasha's home was in Guixi Town. She'd come back this time for her old family home renovation. Since the old house was registered under her name, she needed to come back and handle some paperwork.
Just as Wang Yiyang was chatting enthusiastically with the two girls, a crisp ringtone suddenly rang from his pocket.
He quickly pulled out his phone and looked at the message.
'Director, a suspicious target is approaching your location.' - Jane.
Wang Yiyang glanced at the bus's start time: 10:20 AM. Four minutes until departure.
"What's wrong? Someone looking for you?" Su Ling asked curiously, noticing Wang Yiyang had been looking at his phone a bit long.
"No." Wang Yiyang looked up casually, forcefully suppressing his suddenly accelerating heartbeat.
So after all, Zhong Can's forces had already been targeting him since now.
He thought for a moment, preparing to reply quickly.
Just then another message came from Jane.
'Should I take him out?' - Jane.
Take...take him out...!?
Wang Yiyang's heart raced wildly.
His previously composed expression finally began to change subtly.
If the previous system identity implantation had only made him feel surprised and sudden, without real sense of it or understanding what this identity truly meant, then now a simple question from his subordinate made him truly understand what kind of power and authority he wielded.
That was a human life, yet in Jane's mouth it seemed so light, so weightless.
'Suspicious target has gotten within fifty meters of you. Do you need me to activate official channels to handle this, or act covertly?' - Jane.
Wang Yiyang took a deep breath, pressing his body firmly against the backrest, sitting up straight, his eyes slightly closed.
'I need him alive.' He replied simply.
'Also, try not to cause any commotion. This is the Mien Federation, not the Maria Archipelago where headquarters is located.'
'Understood.' - Jane.