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However, he hadn’t been in the town for long when he bumped into the young couple, Liu Chuang and Chu Xiaoting.

Zi Cheng had a good impression of Old Xia’s cousin; he thought he was a straightforward man and could be friends with him, so he invited him to lunch and then to play at Wushu Mountain in the afternoon.

Xia Tianhuo had no specific plans and readily accepted. He knew that Zi Cheng was Xiang Kun’s college roommate and a close friend, who should know Xiang Kun well. He wanted to ask some things about Xiang Kun, particularly he was curious about this bald man who had “lured” their family’s Old Xia to a remote rural area to establish a research base.

But in his casual conversation with Zi Cheng, Xia Tianhuo found that Xiang Kun in college didn’t seem to have anything special, a plain and simple look, and he didn’t have a bald head, which was consistent with the information he had briefly looked up, obeying all the rules.

In the evening, after returning from Wushu Mountain, they went to the Youlong Restaurant for dinner and ran into Chu Xiaoting’s second uncle Chu Xiuwen, Liu Feibao, and Qi Haoguo.

Actually, it didn’t seem like a chance encounter as Chu Xiuwen and the rest tended to frequent the Youlong Restaurant after its opening.

Initially, they might have come for a show of support, but after the first meal, they were completely conquered by the cuisine. Even without the connection to Xiang Kun and You Meng, they would definitely come often for the unique dishes.

Both parties had three people each, with Chu Xiaoting and Chu Xiuwen being uncle and niece, the two tables naturally merged into one. They all ended up in a private room, effectively freeing up another room for You Meng and his staff to entertain other guests.

“Mr. Xia, you must have been living in Chongyun Village for several days now. How does it feel? Are you getting accustomed to it?” Chu Xiuwen asked with a smile.

Xia Tianhuo replied, “I’m getting used to it, I live quite comfortably. Honestly, I haven’t slept so soundly and had such high-quality sleep for a long time. I am not the type of person who always stays in the city. We often work in places with low economic levels, such as villages in Southeast Asia and Africa, where the supply of electricity and potable water can be a big issue. Comparatively, Chongyun Village is completely different, it is so well developed. There is a road that directly connects to the town, street lights are always on at night, and there are public cameras everywhere. It feels very safe walking around the village, it gives a sense of… It’s hard to describe, a feeling of tranquillity.”

Liu Feibao laughed, “That’s mainly because Mr. Xia only came this year. Last year, the road from the town to the village was still a rough dirt road full of potholes. If you came a few months earlier, the village roads weren’t even finished, and things like street lights, surveillance cameras would have been impossible to have. It’s all thanks to Mr. Xiang, President Chu, and Boss Qi’s investment, that Chongyun Village and the entire Tongshi Town is now different.”

Xia Tianhuo curiously asked, “It’s understandable why Xiang Kun invested in the infrastructure of Chongyun Village. After all, he and my cousin have set up a research base there. These support facilities also provide convenience for them. Besides, with the investment in the restaurant industry in Tongshi Town, once the poultry industry in Chongyun Village takes off, he will also benefit. I can also understand why President Chu invested in Chongyun Village, as he is a local Tongshi Town resident. But Boss Qi… I heard that your Haoguo Group’s previous focus was in the provincial capital. Why did you suddenly run to such a relatively remote place like Tongshi Town? Why would you take notice of a village like Chongyun Village which lacks resources, geographical advantages, and people?”

Although Qi, Liu, Chu, all three of them sitting at the same table are elder generations and are also relatively successful businessmen, Xia Tianhuo has been spending his years running around elsewhere, and his contacts are all regional heads and executives of various multinational corporations. He even frequently interacts with tribal leaders and high-ranking officials of small countries. Also, unlike Zi Cheng, he doesn’t have a natural familial bond like Chu Xiaoting and Chu Xiuwen, he didn’t sound cautious while chatting.

In fact, he was quite interested in the three of Qi, Liu, and Chu, especially Qi Haoguo. He had heard from Yang Lao San that during Qi Haoguo and Liu Feibao’s first encounter with them, there was a minor conflict. Qi Haoguo and others were suppressed by Xiang Kun’s aura, rebuked a few sentences, and left in a submissive way.

Surprisingly, not long after, this boss with a similar hairdo to Xiang Kun, actually moved directly to Tongshi Town. It was rumored that he had given up or transferred his successful businesses and assets in the provincial city and shifted his focus to Tongshi Town. He was passionate about public welfare, cooperated with the government, invested in infrastructure, and also improved the road from Tongshi Town to Chongyun Village with Chu Xiuwen, Liu Caifu, and other local businessmen of Tongshi Town. After Xiang Kun came to Tongshi Town, he frequently showed goodwill towards him.

This change made Xia Tianhuo very puzzled and curious. He knew that something must have happened or Qi Haoguo must have gotten some information, otherwise, for this kind of successful businessmen, there would be no reason for such abrupt and radical changes.

Xia Tianhuo remembered that a few days ago Yang Lao San mentioned to him that Liu Gao and Liu Zhengyi, the brothers who had helped Xiang Kun look after the construction site, had a minor issue with them before. They had attempted insurance fraud on their vehicles.

But not much later, this pair of brothers became Xiang Kun’s employees and it appears that they were very obedient towards Xiang Kun, performing their duties on the construction site very diligently.

According to Yang Lao San’s words, Brother Xiang has a “gift for recruiting and integrating”.

But he felt there might be more profound reasons behind it.

Upon hearing Xia Tianhuo’s question, Qi Haoguo laughed heartily, “On one hand, I felt my previous mode of operation had met its limitations, lacking development prospects. On the other hand, I genuinely see the potential in Tongshi Town, including the surrounding villages, they all have great development opportunities. Of course, the most important thing is, like Mr. Xia, I also felt the tranquillity… the tranquillity that one can only feel in Tongshi Town. It’s priceless to have peace of mind, isn’t it?”

Xia Tianhuo didn’t quite understand his meaning, but he had a hunch that the last two sentences were Qi Haoguo’s genuine expression and he wasn’t beating around the bush.

While casually chatting during dinner, Zi Cheng and Chu Xiaoting decided to leave and continue their fun elsewhere when it was around eight o’clock.

Originally, Xia Tianhuo had planned to leave too. Even if he didn’t continue being a third wheel to Zi Cheng and Chu Xiaoting, he could find something else to do, like stroll around the pedestrian street, find a bar or coffee shop for drinks, then get a car back to Chongyun Village. Perhaps he could still catch supper made by Xiang Kun?

But Qi Haoguo stopped him from leaving, claiming he wanted to discuss foreign investments with him. But Xia Tianhuo was aware that asking about overseas investments was not Qi Haoguo’s actual intention. After all, Haoguo Group had previously taken the initiative to pull out many foreign investments, even at a loss. Throughout their previous chats, Qi Haoguo didn’t seem to show any interest in his domestic or international business.

Nevertheless, he stayed. He was curious about what Qi Haoguo wanted to talk to him about.

Qi Haoguo made up an excuse to get Liu Feibao to run an errand for him. Once only he, Xia Tianhuo, and Chu Xiuwen were left in the private room, he finally said, “Mr. Xia, I owe you an apology.”

“Apology?” Xia Tianhuo was confused. He glanced at Chu Xiuwen nearby, who seemed to know what was going on from his calm expression.

“Mr. Xia, weren’t you kidnapped in Burma?”

“Yes, I just returned to the country not long ago after that incident. But why does Boss Qi need to apologise for this?” Xia Tianhuo asked. His kidnapping wasn’t a secret, so it was normal for Qi Haoguo to know about it.

Qi Haoguo then elaborately explained his part of the story about how Xia Tianhuo was kidnapped. His uncle had contacted Chu Xiuwen through Officer Xu of Citong, who then contacted him, asking him to help find the local contacts in Myitkyina to inquiry about the situation.

In the end, Qi Haoguo said grimly, “I had some business dealings with Wu Lun from Myitkyina before, so I asked him to check your kidnapping incident directly. However, from what I found out, Wu Lun is the real culprit behind your kidnapping. Although he didn’t intend to kidnap you initially…Anyway, my well-intentioned move not only failed to facilitate your rescue but also put you into more danger. Thankfully, you’re blessed by fortune and managed to escape safely.”

Only then did Xia Tianhuo realize the underlying connections. However, Qi Haoguo’s attempt to help was well-intentioned, and his actions did not have a real impact on his survival. Because he knew that at that time, the kidnappers and Wu Lun had already lost trust in each other. That’s why they took to the sea.

Next, Qi Haoguo and Chu Xiuwen naturally steered the conversation towards the kidnapping and escape process of Xia Tianhuo.

If someone wanted to know more about the case, they could find relevant public announcements or news. However, the details in those sources are vague; many details are missing.

Since Qi Haoguo and Chu Xiuwen had agreed to help his uncle with the rescue, Xia Tianhuo naturally felt closer to them, despite the rescue ultimately bearing no results. Thinking that there was no need to keep everything a secret, he restated what he previously said to Yang Lao San and his people during the car ride regarding the exact process of his kidnapping and how he was moved to a boat, and then released by the only surviving heavily wounded kidnapper after a conflict between the kidnappers and the crew.

Of course, he did not mention his initial plea for ransom, when he called Old Xia ‘Mom’ over the phone.

When Qi Haoguo and Chu Xiuwen heard Xia Tianhuo speak about the repeated mutterings of the badly injured kidnapper, which were about a ‘Sea monster with many hands and many eyes,’ they locked eyes with one another, both of their gazes reflecting an acknowledgment of ‘as expected.’

Xia Tianhuo reiterated his opinion, “You probably saw the incident that occurred in Myitkyina on television or on the internet? Strictly speaking, the mass hallucination incident in Myitkyina and the irregularities I experienced on the kidnappers’ boat happened on the same day, only hours apart. So, I always thought that the two incidents might be linked. The so-called sea monster and the Giant illusion in Myitkyina may be referring to the same thing or… the same event. The occurrence at sea could be the precursor to the Myitkyina incident, or alternatively, the Myitkyina incident could be a continuation of the maritime occurrence.”

“That possibility does indeed exist,” said Qi Haoguo and Chu Xiuwen, nodding in agreement.

“It may sound a bit ridiculous, but I’ve been thinking ever since learning about the Myitkyina incident and that Wu Lun was the true mastermind behind it all… Maybe the sea monster, or the Giant, appeared in Myitkyina to help me get revenge on Wu Lun. As for stopping the riot in Myitkyina, that could just be a coincidence. Of course, it could also be that it was there to stop the riot in the first place, and it happened to encounter my predicament and saved me in the process, and even ‘avenged’ me.” Xia Tianhuo said somewhat sheepishly.

Yet Qi Haoguo and Chu Xiuwen didn’t find his words absurd or naive, instead, they found it quite believable and nodded in agreement.

“Mr. Xia, could you describe the specific feeling you had when you sensed something was amiss in the ship cabin?” Qi Haoguo asked.

“The specific feeling… was fear, terror. But this fear and terror did not seem to target any particular thing. It felt more like it was evoked by an emotion, a memory or a… feeling? It’s hard to describe,” Xia Tianhuo said, remembering and describing his experience.

Qi Haoguo slowly said, “If there truly was a sea monster or some other being that consciously saved you, as per your belief, you naturally wouldn’t have feared it. Therefore, the fear you experienced didn’t originate from the outside, but from within yourself. The external factors, whether it was the sea monster or something else, merely pushed you to recognize your own state of being. I think… You can use this feeling to your advantage, to better understand, to clarify your state.”

Xia Tianhuo paused, “Boss Qi, why do I feel like you seem to know that feeling very well? Have you experienced it before?”

Qi Haoguo chuckled and said, “It was delightful chatting today, but it’s getting late, both Xiuwen and I are old and need our rest. Mr. Xia, are you planning to stay in town tonight or return to Chongyun Village? I can have my driver take you.”

Xia Tianhuo did not continue to question, instead he chuckled and said, “The moonlight is quite nice tonight, I want to take a stroll. I can call for a car later on my own.”

After Xia Tianhuo left the “Youlong Restaurant”, Chu Xiuwen stood by the window and sighed with emotion, “Suddenly, I also feel like seeing that Giant Illusion or that Sea Monster in Myitkyina, to experience that feeling of being dominated by fear.”

Qi Haoguo glanced at him and chuckled, “You don’t need to.”

“The more you know, the more you yearn for those things. Heh, I’m flirting with danger here, aren’t I?” Chu Xiuwen shook his head and said in resignation.

After a while of casual chatting with Chu Xiuwen, Qi Haoguo called for “Xiao Liu”, who had been working at the “Youlong Restaurant” this whole time, to drive him home.

Upon reaching Qi Haoguo’s villa in Tongshi Town, they found a man wearing a black tracksuit, huddled up and waiting for them by the side.

“What do you do?” Xiao Liu asked first after parking the car.

The tracksuit man, however, ignored him and looked at Qi Haoguo who was getting out of the car, “Brother Hao, do you remember me?”

Qi Haoguo squinted a little under the outer wall light and said, “You are… ‘Duck Leg’?”

“As long as you remember me.” The tracksuit man said, then glanced at Xiao Liu and then turned to Qi Haoguo, “Isn’t Old Zhang with you anymore?”

“He went back home to get married and started a small business.” said Qi Haoguo nonchalantly, “What is it that you want from me?”

“I want to talk to you privately.” The man in the tracksuit glanced at Xiao Liu again.

“Speak your mind here.” Xiao Liu frowned.

Although he was usually compliant in front of Qi Haoguo, he was a fearless thug back home, essentially a harsh character. Hence, he wouldn’t have ended up in a reform facility. He sensed a familiar “scent” on the tracksuit man, which made him very alert. Although his life now was different from what he had imagined; following the mighty Qi Haoguo, he found strange enjoyment in it and deeply respected his cousin-in-law, Qi Haoguo. Naturally, he was quite wary of this potentially dangerous person.

“President Qi, do you remember the bid invitation in the provincial city 10 years ago? I have something here that you might be interested in.” The man in the tracksuit threatened.

Xiao Liu nervously glanced back at Qi Haoguo, only to see his cousin-in-law still exuding calmness and composure which helped him breathe easier.

Qi Haoguo said, “Xiao Liu, wait in the car.”

“Uncle, that’s not a good idea, this person…” Xiao Liu anxiously interjected.

But Qi Haoguo had already waved him off, led the way to enter the fingerprint-locked gate, and entered the lobby.

“Duck Leg” glanced at Xiao Liu provocatively and quickly followed inside, closing the door behind him.

What neither the calm Qi Haoguo, nor the nervous “Duck Leg” and “Xiao Liu” knew was that as soon as “Duck Leg” entered this villa area, all surveillance and electronic devices in the area, including their phones, were overtaken by an unknown entity.

Everything happening at this time was being transmitted to a bald man located miles away in Chongyun Village.

“Duck’s Foot” who entered the living room looked around at the decor and furniture, and sneered. “Brother Hao, this decorating style doesn’t seem like you. It’s as if you’re… regressing the more you live!”

Qi Haoguo sat directly on the sofa and smiled indifferently. “Have a seat. Tell me what’s the matter with visiting me so late. I’m sure I don’t owe you guys anything. As for the business in the city, I’m no longer involved.”

“I know, big boss Qi, you’ve made enough money, and now you’ve started building bridges and mending roads in the countryside. But boss Qi, President Qi, Brother Hao, you might have had your fill, but we small fries are still starving.”

“Duck’s Foot” walked over, casually sat down in front of Qi Haoguo, and said.

Despite his rudeness, he was pretty nervous facing Qi Haoguo.

“If you guys are looking for work, I can certainly make some introductions. Tongshi Town is under construction everywhere and needs manpower…”

“Listen to this first.” “Duck’s Foot” said, pulling out his phone and starting to play an audio file.

You could clearly hear Qi Haoguo’s voice in the audio. He was instructing some people, and it sounded like he was using illegal means to intimidate a bidding competitor into backing off.

Qi Haoguo’s expression remained unchanged, but he sat up straight, elbows on his knees, fingers interlaced, propping up his chin.

“So, boss Qi, Brother Hao, how much are you willing to pay to get this recording back?” After the audio was played, “Duck’s Foot” stared into Qi Haoguo’s eyes and asked.

“Seems like you guys kept a trick up your sleeve from the start.”

“Quit the fucking bullshit! Five million, cash! You have three days to prepare. I’ll come to collect the money on the 29th. Don’t tell me you don’t have the money with all the assets you’ve sold in recent months. There must be a lot of money in your account now! Don’t even think about doing anything to me. Since I dared to come alone, my brothers are naturally outside. If you dare to touch me, this recording will immediately be posted online. Let’s see how you continue playing the big philanthropist then! But don’t worry. Five million, and we’ll give up on this recording for good. It will disappear from the world and we will never bother you again. You can continue playing your big philanthropist and capitalist, and we, our little shrimps, will just earn a living.” This speech was clearly rehearsed beforehand. After quickly uttering it, “Duck’s Foot” couldn’t help but heave a few large breaths, then he nervously fixed his gaze on Qi Haoguo across him.

The usually composed Qi Haoguo furrowed his brow for the first time at the sight of “Duck’s Foot”, crossing his arms and leaning back against the sofa, looking towards the ceiling as if lost in a hard problem.

After a while, Qi Haoguo suddenly laughed as if he had figured something out. His mood seemed light, and he was all smiles.

“What… what are you doing?” Seeing Qi Haoguo pat his bald head and grin at him, “Duck’s Foot” said nervously, “I’m warning you, if you do anything to me and I don’t come out on time, my brothers outside will surely know. That recording… and other evidence, will all be posted online and given to the police…”

“Come on, send a copy of that recording to me.” Qi Haoguo handed his phone over, laughing, “You guys must have a backup anyway, giving me a copy won’t make any difference.”

“Duck’s Foot” was stunned, not sure why Qi Haoguo made this request. But after thinking about it, it didn’t seem to make any difference so he transferred the audio file as instructed.

After receiving the recording, Qi Haoguo fiddled with his phone for a bit, then turned to “Duck’s Foot” with a smile, “Honestly, I should be thanking you. You’ve helped me realize something that I’ve always been puzzled about.”

“What do you mean figured it out or not? What the fuck… are you talking about?” “Duck’s Foot” felt that Qi Haoguo seemed mentally unwell. Who’d be grinning so brightly when they’re being threatened? And yet his smile seemed so sincere.

Qi Haoguo’s phone rang. He looked at “Duck’s Foot”, and picked up the call in speaker mode. The voice on the other end said, “President Qi, what’s this thing you sent? Something seems off. Did you send it? What does it mean? The voice inside… is that yours?”

Qi Haoguo laughed and said, “Officer Xu, I sent it. That voice inside is mine. It’s from a few years back when bidding for a project in the city. I made a mistake. Someone came tonight with this recording to blackmail me. He’s still with me now. This time, I’m sending you double gifts. Do you want to come over yourself, or should I contact a police officer over at Tongshi Town?”

Throughout Qi Haoguo’s conversation with Officer Xu, “Duck’s Foot” was dumbstruck, his eyes bulging in disbelief. It wasn’t until the conversation ended and the officer said he would notify his colleagues in Tongshi Town to come over that he found his voice. “Qi Haoguo, I’m warning you, don’t fuck with me and hire someone to pose as a cop. You think he can intimidate me? You think I’m stupid…”

Qi Haoguo suddenly asked, “Have you seen Infernal Affairs?”