Zhao Family Village.
A line of cars approached, with Wang Chao's BMW in the middle, protected by those luxury cars like stars surrounding the moon.
Wang Chao parked the car in front of the villa where Song Henian and Pei Donghu resided.
"Wang Shenyi, you guys chat first, we'll go back and rest," Zhao Donghe said.
After speaking, he had the others drive him home to rest.
Zhao Shanhe immediately got out of the car and escorted Wang Chao and his group into the house. He then shook hands with Wang Chao, brimming with enthusiasm, and said, "Wang Shenyi, don't forget our appointment. Let's have tea tomorrow night."
"No problem."
Wang Chao nodded and thought for a moment before speaking, "Also, remember to invite Dongfang Wang, Hao Feng, and others. I promised to help them with their illnesses."
When they were at the Drunken Immortal Tower earlier, he made that promise to those people before coming back.
"Sure, sure, no problem," Zhao Shanhe happily agreed.
The more he looked at Wang Chao, the more he liked him, and the more passionate his gaze became.
This was an elite Seven-Star War God, an absolute king in the city!
Even on the most dangerous battlefield, he would still be a regional lord.
Moreover, Wang Chao was too young.
A Seven-Star War God under thirty years old, given more time to grow, Wang Chao would surely soar to new heights. By then, he would definitely have more potential than the young master in Yanjing!
Once the three big shots of the Dragon Nation War Department learned of such talent, they would probably come here directly to recruit him.
Therefore, Zhao Shanhe planned to make the first move and firmly bind Wang Chao to the Zhao family's ship.
Only in this way could the Zhao family sail through storms, raise their sails to traverse the vast sea, and become the top aristocratic family in the country.
After repeatedly urging Zhao Shanhe, he finally left.
By the time Wang Chao and his group entered the villa, it was already past 11 o'clock at night, close to midnight.
Once they returned home, Song Henian immediately collapsed onto the sofa, took a long breath, and said, "Finally back. I was almost scared to death at the Drunken Immortal Tower!"
Pei Donghu also nodded, his eyes filled with fear.
Lan Ruyu was also completely drained, her eyes filled with boundless terror.
As insignificant figures, they had never experienced such a scene before.
Even just thinking about it, they felt a palpable fear deep in their bones.
Wang Chao looked at the three of them, his eyes filled with guilt, and said, "Brother Nian, Brother Hu, I didn't expect Lafayette to do this. Cui Hong is dead, he can't apologize to your village, and you didn't receive the respect you deserve."
This was different from the negotiation plan he had in mind.
Song Henian struggled to stand up, looked sincerely at Wang Chao, and said, "Brother Wang, you have already done so much for us."
"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be living like this. I wouldn't have been able to see Lan Ruyu again, and my legs wouldn't have recovered. We should be the ones apologizing, we've caused you trouble," Pei Donghu expressed his gratitude.
"Anyway, no matter what, as long as the matter is resolved, you three brothers don't need to be so polite."
Lan Ruyu was very sensible and had
already brought out a dozen beers from the kitchen, placing them in front of Wang Chao and the others. "Brotherhood doesn't require many words."
"Hahaha, Sister-in-law is right. Let's drink this glass and not return home until we're drunk tonight."
"Farewell to the days of suffering, the future will surely be bright. Cheers to our bright future!"
Wang Chao and Song Henian burst into laughter, opened the bottles of beer, and along with Pei Donghu, they drank heartily.
Lan Ruyu watched the three of them and smiled. She opened a bottle of beer herself, took a leisurely sip, and then got up to prepare supper for Wang Chao and the others.
After enjoying a satisfying meal and drinks, Wang Chao bid farewell to Song Henian and Pei Donghu. He called a designated driver and got into the car to go home.
Pei Donghu watched Wang Chao's departing figure from his wheelchair, deep in thought. He remarked, "Nian, don't you feel like Wang Chao and us are no longer in the same world?"
Pei Donghu nodded in agreement, "I feel like the distance between us and him has become vast."
They used to be high school students together, playing and having fun, feeling close to each other without any barriers. But after tonight's negotiation, they felt for the first time that Wang Chao had become distant, towering above them like a deity. No matter how hard they tried to catch up, they were destined to fall short. This made them feel a sense of alienation.
They exchanged glances, seeing the helplessness and sadness in each other's eyes. They both knew that their previous equal brotherhood might be gone forever.
At that moment, Lan Ruyu walked out, smiled, and said, "You two are overthinking it. Wang Chao is still the same Wang Chao you knew before - loyal and righteous. He has just become more powerful than before."
"In his heart, you are still his best brothers."
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to confront Lafayette."
"As brothers, all you need to know is this."
Song Henian and Pei Donghu looked at each other, suddenly enlightened, and burst into laughter.
"Yes, yes, you're right, wife." Pei Donghu hugged Lan Ruyu's waist and laughed heartily.
Wang Chao sat in his BMW, leaving Zhao Family Village and heading back to his own villa.
He lay on the back seat, sleeping heavily, completely drunk.
However, when the car made a turn, his eyes instantly opened, and a cold electric current seemed to flash through the darkness.
This road wasn't the way home!
It was the opposite direction!
When he got in the car, he had clearly told the driver the address of his villa in the old city. The driver couldn't have made a mistake.
The way the driver was driving now was clearly intentional!
"Who sent him? Lafayette, or another enemy?"
He stared at the back of the driver, his eyes filled with coldness.
But he didn't show any reaction, still lying on the seat, closing his eyes, pretending to be fast asleep.
He wanted to see who this designated driver was and where he was taking him.
The BMW sped swiftly and soon arrived at a relatively secluded location.
The driver parked the car in front of a hotel, glanced at Wang Chao, and quickly got out, making a phone call with a crying tone, "Miss, I've brought him to the designated location. Can you let me go now?"
A cold voice of a woman came from the phone, "It's none of your concern. Get lost!"
"Yes, yes, understood."
The designated driver was overjoyed, immediately fleeing the scene without even collecting his payment.
Wang Chao lay in the backseat, his expression serious.
The woman's voice sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
But for the life of him, he couldn't recall who it was.
In any case, he decided to continue pretending to be asleep, waiting for the other person to reveal themselves.
After a while, a woman opened the car door, sat next to Wang Chao, and said calmly, "Stop pretending. I know you're not drunk. Wake up."
The woman was stunningly beautiful, with delicate features and porcelain-like skin. Despite being of Asian descent, she possessed an exotic charm that captivated people. Her body was also fantastic, with curves in all the right places, and she emitted a mesmerizing fragrance. However, her eyes were piercing and filled with a chilling aura, giving a sense of dread.
What made her stand out the most was her silver hair, which shimmered under the light, adding to her mysterious allure. As Wang Chao opened his eyes and sat up, he was slightly taken aback. He finally recognized why her voice sounded so familiar.
She was none other than Silver Fox, the ace assassin from the Gates of Hell. Their mercenary groups had been fierce rivals in the extraterrestrial battlefield. However, through a series of coincidences, they had fought side by side and developed a bond akin to siblings. Their relationship was kept secret from most people.
Wang Chao could not believe that Silver Fox, who had always been active in the extraterrestrial and Central European regions, had suddenly appeared here and found him.
"In the past month, two assassins from the Gates of Hell have died. This caught the attention of our organization's higher-ups, who sent me to investigate," Silver Fox explained.
"Did you find anything?" Wang Chao asked.
Silver Fox gave him a cold glare. "Isn't that a rhetorical question? Besides you, who else could it be?"
"You can't be so sure. Canton City is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. I heard that the Zhao, Shen, Liu families, and Lafayette's side all have formidable warriors. It could be one of them," Wang Chao suggested.
Silver Fox cast a disdainful look at him and said, "Ren Jiuxiao's target was the actress Wang Zuxian, and you happened to be by her side before he died."
"Black Robe was investigating Ren Jiuxiao's disappearance, but he had a personal relationship with Cui Hong. Before their mission, he went to see Cui Hong, and then he died."
"Both of them died not long after you appeared. Do you think I'm a fool to believe it has nothing to do with you?"
She shifted her gaze back to Wang Chao, her eyes filled with mockery. "When did the Dark Lord start being afraid to take responsibility?"
Wang Chao scratched his head and chuckled, "Maybe it started when I saw you. After all, you're my friend."
"Don't give me that. I'm not one of those women you like to sweet-talk. Your words won't fool me," Silver Fox replied with a wry smile.
Wang Chao straightened his posture and said, "Hahaha, I was just joking. Luckily, the Gates of Hell sent you. If it had been someone else, I might have had to unleash my fury."
When the chauffeur changed direction earlier, Wang Chao realized something was amiss and activated his internal energy, expelling all the alcohol from his body. He had already developed a mindset for combat. If someone had made a move against him, he would have retaliated fiercely and cut down the enemy.
Fortunately, it was an old friend who had arrived, so he didn't need to resort to extreme measures.
Silver Fox took out a cigarette and handed it to Wang Chao, saying, "No wonder the extraterrestrial battlefield has been so calm lately. It turns out you retired and came back to China. It's a waste of your talent to be a security team leader."
Wang Chao took the cigarette, lit it himself, took a puff, and asked, "Alright, enough small talk. What do you desire me to do?"
Silver Fox smiled.
She was beautiful, and her smile made her even more graceful, like a blooming orchid, captivating people. However, her words froze the air around them as she spoke, "I'll help you hide this matter from the Gates of Hell so they can't find you. As a repayment, you'll help me kill someone!"
Her voice was sweet, but it carried a deadly intent.
"When do we strike?" Wang Chao asked.
"In half a month."
"Okay, no problem."
Wang Chao readily agreed.
Silver Fox stared deeply into Wang Chao's eyes for a couple of seconds, and her eyes seemed slightly teary.
As an assassin, she remained cautious and guarded around everyone, receiving the same in return. Only Wang Chao trusted her unconditionally and agreed to help her without even asking who the target was.
This level of trust moved her.
She leaned over and tightly embraced Wang Chao, planting a kiss on his cheek. Softly, she said, "Thank you. We'll meet again in half a month."
After speaking, she turned and got off the car.
"Where are you staying now? Do you desire me to drive you?" Wang Chao asked.
Silver Fox waved her hand without looking back and quickly disappeared into a dark alley.
"It seems she has encountered some difficulties after all."
Wang Chao smoked his cigarette, watching the direction in which Silver Fox had left, his gaze filled with concern.
Knowing Silver Fox's character, she would not seek help unless the difficulties were insurmountable.
It was manifest that the person Silver Fox was about to assassinate was either extraordinarily powerful or under the protection of someone formidable. It would undoubtedly be a significant trouble.
"She's still so frugal. This cigarette she gave me is so cheap. What a stingy woman."
After getting off the car, Wang Chao finished smoking the cigarette, checked the logo on the butt, extinguished it, and threw it in a trash can.
He got back into the driver's seat, started the car, made a U-turn, and drove home.
Having fought side by side with Silver Fox, they're as close as siblings, and he knew her character.
She was a woman of high moral character with her own principles. Although she was an assassin, she only killed those who deserved it—none of those who died by her hand were innocent.
So, when Silver Fox asked for his help in killing someone, he agreed without hesitation.
Back at home, Wang Chao acted as if nothing had happened. He took a shower and went to sleep.
The next day, he woke up as usual, did his morning exercise, and practiced his martial arts.
Just as he was preparing to go to work, Yang Mi called.
He answered the call, and Yang Mi's voice came through with a mixture of anxiety and excitement, "Wang Chao, do you have any time? Can you come over? My friend has really encountered something strange!"