Zhao Longfei was in his office. He picked up a lighter and set fire to the paper documents in his hand.
Squinting, he watched the flames slowly devour all the information. The words on the pages twisted and warped in the fire, eventually turning to ash.
Only after the last corner of paper had burned away and all the information had become a pile of fine black ash did Zhao Longfei slowly let out a breath.
"Good luck."
BANG!
At that moment, the office door was suddenly kicked open.
Qin Siyang swaggered in, "Definitely next time… Huh? Principal Zhao, why are you playing with fire in your office? Aren't you afraid you'll wet the bed tonight?"
"Say what you came to say, kid!"
Qin Siyang sat down on the sofa, unable to hide the melancholy in his eyes, "Professor Lu has been gone for almost a week. There was still some news a few days ago, so why did it suddenly go quiet? Nothing happened to him, did it?"
Zhao Longfei glanced at him, "Shouldn't you be asking Professor Li that question?"
"Old Li and Professor Lu have been friends for more than ten years. He's even more down than I am. He's been walking around with a gloomy face every day, and even Brother Fei can't cheer him up. I'm afraid bringing up Professor Lu would make him feel even worse, so I haven't asked about it since Professor Lu left."
Zhao Longfei sighed, "I don't know anything either."
Qin Siyang stared at Zhao Longfei, trying to find something in his eyes.
But Zhao Longfei's expression was as calm as still water, revealing nothing.
Qin Siyang took a deep breath and steadied himself, "Forget it. There's nothing much I can do about Professor Lu's situation anyway. I can only hope that after he gets his revenge, he'll return to South Glory."
"Return to South Glory? Have you eaten too much shit and started talking in your sleep?", A strange look appeared in Zhao Longfei's eyes, "Lu Daoxing killed so many members of the Jiang family. It'll be difficult enough for him to stay alive. And you expect him to return to South Glory and show his face in public?"
Qin Siyang spoke as if it were only natural, "The victors write the rules. As long as he can kill Jiang Hao, Professor Lu can try to clear his name."
"You're full of crooked ideas. Who knows who you learned them from."
"Principal Zhao is my mentor in this area."
Zhao Longfei couldn't be bothered to respond, "Anything else?"
"Yes. Hu Chan has been busy preparing to go to Area 75 this whole week. He says he's going to risk his life in one final gamble, so he's been asking me for all kinds of funding."
"Mm! I've heard about Area 75. Actually, it's not just the Buddha Robe Protector of Area 75. The Trinity Church's leader, Ulit, has already replaced all three of the church's Protectors with people from the Richard family. The entire Trinity Church is basically under the Richard family's sole control now."
Qin Siyang looked indignant, "If he's running the church like this, won't the United Government revoke the church's status? I heard that the Buddha Robe Protector, Dibaxi, used to live it up every night when he was governor, drinking and partying. He can still become a Buddha Robe Protector? And then there's the Daoist Robe Protector, Victor. He wears a suit every day. What kind of Daoism is that?"
"Neither you nor I can control how the United Government makes its arrangements. Tell me why you're here."
"I want the Zhao family to help Hu Chan."
Zhao Longfei helplessly shook his head, "I already told you. We can't get involved in the church's affairs. As for helping him kill Dibaxi, that's even more impossible."
"I'm not asking you to deal with the church or Dibaxi. I just want you to provide some support. For example, clear out some of the traps and ambushes over there, and send someone to receive him if he can't beat them."
"Isn't that still interfering in the church's internal conflict?"
Qin Siyang first looked annoyed, then explained, "Why don't you open a branch of the Chamber of Commerce in Area 75? Then you can clear the traps around it on the grounds of [clearing illegal elements around the Chamber of Commerce]. After that, you can use your identity as the Chamber of Commerce's vice president, uh, that is, my name, to receive your close friend and give him a place to rest and stay."
"That fucking works too?"
Qin Siyang spread his hands, "Is there a problem? No problem at all!"
Zhao Longfei nodded, "Fine. I'll arrange it right away."
"Great. Thanks, Principal Zhao. What do you want for helping?"
"That depends on whether I'm helping you or helping him."
"What do you mean?"
Zhao Longfei lit a cigar, "If I'm helping him, I'll have to charge a fee. If I'm helping you, then it doesn't matter."
"Then consider it helping me."
Zhao Longfei laughed when he heard this, "That doesn't sound like you. What conditions did he offer you to make you help him this much?"
"Oh, we agreed that if he dies, all his inheritance will be mine. This morning, Hu Chan shared the contracts for all his special-item locks and materials with me. As expected of the Holy Son of the Zephyr Church, he's loaded! I didn't realize he had so much stuff saved up!"
"Then shouldn't you be hoping he dies?"
Qin Siyang said indifferently, "No need. Even if he stays alive, his stuff will still be mine."
"Hmm? Why?"
"I found a new way to steal… Why do you care so much? Just agree to it."
"I thought you were going to Area 75 to help him kill Dibaxi."
"Forget it. I have no intention of risking my life for the Holy Son."
Although Qin Siyang refused to admit it, Zhao Longfei knew very well that this money-losing deal he was making also meant that, deep down, Qin Siyang had begun to regard Hu Chan as one of his own.
"By the way, Principal Zhao, how long will it take to open the Chamber of Commerce branch in Area 75?"
"When is Hu Chan going?"
"Next Wednesday, probably. If you need more time, he can wait another day or two."
"We have enough time. Let him proceed according to the original plan. You and he can both rest assured about this."
"Good!"
"What are you planning to do next?"
"Do what?", Qin Siyang thought for a moment, "Attend classes, go practice at the Divine Arena, and visit Quan Taibin."
Zhao Longfei nodded, "Go see Quan Taibin first."
"Why?"
"We're going to announce the issuance of crystal coins within the next two days. Once the news is out, you'll become the focus of attention for all the various factions. It'll be easy for something to happen if you go looking for Quan Taibin after that."
"That soon?"
Zhao Longfei frowned, "Didn't I already tell you? Crystal coins are being launched at the end of the month. It's already the latter half of the month. How is it too early to release the news? Don't tell me you're planning to run away at the last minute?"
Qin Siyang scratched his head awkwardly, "No. Sigh! Because of what happened to Professor Lu, I've been feeling pretty awful lately and haven't paid attention to anything else."
"Especially these past two days. Professor Lu suddenly stopped sending any news, and I've been really on edge. I've been so anxious and worried that I completely forgot about the crystal coins."
Seeing worry and anxiety appear on Qin Siyang's face again, Zhao Longfei gently shook his head, "Don't worry. Professor Lu is fine right now."
Qin Siyang's eyes lit up when he heard that, "Really?"
Zhao Longfei curled his lips, "I don't know either. I'm just guessing."
Qin Siyang immediately jumped up from the sofa, "Principal Zhao lives upto his reputation."
"Easy, kid! Don't jump so high! What if you smash my ceiling through with your headbutt?"