Chapter 7: Russians?

As Li Mingxing settled into Zheng Yuan’s home, a formidable group of bodyguards arrived at the residential complex where he lived in the city. Accompanying them was a man who radiated the same imperial aura as Li Mingxing.

The moment they stepped through the main gate, the man took a step back and turned to ask, “Are you absolutely certain that the murderer escaped here?”

“Yes, we’ve confirmed it. After fleeing from us, he hijacked a small truck, purchased two calves, two piglets, and two lambs, along with several dozen pounds of fish. He then drove straight here—the truck is still over there.” The bodyguard pointed ahead, drawing the man’s attention to a battered old vehicle.

Seeing the evidence, the man’s expression calmed. After a moment’s thought, he said, “It’s no wonder. This place is saturated with dark energy. Even though the worst of it has been dispelled, the lingering aura remains potent. It’s not surprising someone would turn murderous here. This place is of no use to us; post guards to keep watch, and notify the Yin Talisman Sect to come take over.”

With that, the man departed without further delay, climbing into his car and driving away.

Once he left, the bodyguards began to take action. Having served alongside him for some time, they understood well what a place saturated with darkness meant. Even for men of their strength, entering the complex was not a risk worth taking. Instead, they rented several rooms outside the gates, each with a clear view of the entrances, and established a watch over the area.

Just as they finished setting up their surveillance, an unexpected event occurred—a convoy swaggered boldly into the complex.

At first, the bodyguards wondered if their master had already notified the Yin Talisman Sect so swiftly. But when the car doors opened, all of them sprang to attention, for the passengers were burly, golden-eyed foreigners with thick beards.

Among them were a couple of interpreters. One stepped forward and said, “Mr. Barov, this is the place. The complex is usually quiet; if you rent out an entire building, outsiders won’t even know you’re here.”

Barov surveyed the area and nodded. “It seems decent. How’s the transportation?”

“Rest assured, sir,” said the interpreter cautiously. “While it’s not downtown, it’s within the city limits. Both buses and cars can access it easily.”

“Good work. The money’s yours.” Barov, satisfied, tossed a wad of cash to the interpreter.

The interpreter glanced at the bills, his smile fading, but he continued to arrange accommodations for the foreigners.

After all eighty-some foreigners had settled in, the interpreters quietly left the complex. Yet before they got far, the bodyguards stationed nearby seized them.

Dragged into the temporary quarters, the head bodyguard said coldly, “Impressive—hundreds of millions of rubles. Quite wealthy.”

Seeing the bodyguard toss the money aside, the interpreter who had spoken with Barov protested loudly, “Sir, we’re just doing honest work—we need to make a living too!”

“You need to make a living? For foreigners? Fine. Tell me who they are, and I’ll pay you this much—how does that sound?” The bodyguard gestured with his hand.

“This isn’t easy,” the interpreter hesitated. “Those Russians are tough—they’re ex-military, now involved in organized crime. Each one could take on a Russian bear single-handedly.”

The bodyguard understood immediately. Waving his hand, he ordered his men to escort the interpreters out. As they left, each found an extra ten thousand yuan slipped into their pockets.

Unbeknownst to the bodyguards, as the interpreters departed, they muttered complaints, “All stingy—either rubles or yuan, why not dollars or euros?”

With the interpreters gone, the bodyguards discussed among themselves. Clearly, these Russians weren’t here for tourism, and the interpreters’ information confirmed they were formidable fighters. Careful consideration was needed.

After some thought, the head bodyguard decided to report the situation to his superiors. If the Russians were indeed here to seize territory, preparations had to be made. Even if not, their young master had already decided to hand over the area to the Yin Talisman Sect; it was best to clear things out early, lest the sect suspect the Russians were brought in to sap their strength, which would be a costly mistake.

Sure enough, after the bodyguards relayed the situation, their young master arrived outside the complex. He did not enter, but used surveillance systems to review footage of the Russians disembarking.

After watching, he remarked calmly, “These are elite Russian soldiers. Their skills rival yours. I don’t care why they’re here; just keep watch. If any step out of line, eliminate them. I won’t tolerate chaos here.”

The head bodyguard responded, “If they’re elite troops, they must be skilled. Should we—”

“Anything except heavy weapons. Use whatever you need,” the young master replied without hesitation.

The head bodyguard said no more. With such authorization, if he couldn’t handle the situation, he was unfit for the role.

The young master departed, and the head bodyguard began rallying his forces. Before long, aside from those guarding their estate, every bodyguard in the organization was summoned. Only now was their strength evident—this was merely a fraction of their force, yet over two hundred men, all equally capable of dispatching a dozen strong men barehanded.

All were armed, dividing themselves into squads according to ability without need of orders.

Once arrangements were complete, the bodyguards melted into the crowd, blending seamlessly with the city’s pedestrians. If not for their imposing stature, they would have been indistinguishable from ordinary people.

As the bodyguards settled in, Li Mingxing appeared outside the complex. Though his relationship with Zheng Yuan had grown awkward overnight, he still slept in her bed until noon.

Upon waking, he found Zheng Yuan had gone to work, but she had prepared breakfast and lunch for him, leaving a note: she would return early, and if he found the house dull, he was welcome to go out, but she insisted he come home for dinner.

Touched by Zheng Yuan’s care, Li Mingxing was at a loss for words. He wanted to stay a few more days, but recalling the tense atmosphere of the previous night, he hesitated.

Ultimately, he left a message for Zheng Yuan, saying he needed time to think about their relationship. Even if he couldn’t sort it out, he’d return to rest if he was tired.

Leaving the enigmatic note on her desk, he ate all the food she’d prepared, then departed.

He didn’t take a car, preferring to walk. His mood was unsettled, and rushing back might worsen it; a leisurely stroll might help him clear his mind.

Because of this, Li Mingxing missed several things he should have noticed. By the time he reached the complex, the bodyguards had already blended into the crowd, leaving no trace.

Still, Li Mingxing sensed something unusual. Upon entering, he activated his sinister eye and noticed the dark energy dissipating much faster than before. In one building, he saw a force combining green and white.

Though he didn’t know what this power was, he understood that someone extraordinary had moved in.

Elsewhere, Li Mingxing would retreat to safety, study his adversaries, and plan his next move. But this was his turf—he couldn’t let intruders cause havoc without intervening.

With a cold expression, Li Mingxing returned to his rented room and began to observe the building with shifting energies from his window.