A Suspicious Mission

London in winter was cold and damp. Months of unbroken rain had nearly made the entire city—and every living thing in it—grow green mold.

Gray storm clouds hung low overhead. When Gu Xiechen's twin-rotor helicopter smashed through the clouds and descended to just over three hundred meters above the ground, the London before his eyes was exactly as every novel described it: shrouded in mist, everything blanketed by an unpleasant gray haze. More than fifty towering pure-silver crosses in the distance, along with the unceasing toll of bells, told every outsider one thing—this was a city ruled by religious powers.

At Gu Xiechen's command, the helicopter skimmed low over the squat city of London before finally landing in a tidy artificial forest on the southern outskirts.

The orderly birch grove looked mournful beneath the cold wind and rain. Countless large eyes on the tree trunks stared coldly at Gu Xiechen as he jumped from the helicopter, making several elite soldiers from the Hell Angels Mercenary Group behind him shudder. Patches of mist less than a meter high swirled across the ground in the wind. Gu Xiechen could not help but curse, "This really is a perfect place to film a horror movie."

A hand suddenly grabbed Gu Xiechen's sleeve. He nearly sent the person behind him flying with an instinctive punch.

The one who had abruptly grabbed him was a blond middle-aged man named Jack. Short and frail, Jack was the Hell Angels Mercenary Group's most experienced appraiser, skilled at authenticating and valuing all kinds of jewelry and artwork. Because of the special nature of this mission, the Bearded Commander had specifically named Jack to accompany Gu Xiechen to London. Soaked to the bone by the rain, Jack clutched Gu Xiechen tightly and muttered in a trembling voice, "Dear Captain, this place is too creepy!"

"Mm!" Gu Xiechen squeezed Jack's shoulder hard, pulled a pistol from his waist, and shoved it into Jack's hand. "This place is indeed very creepy. So protect yourself."

Jack stared at the pistol in his hand as though he wanted to cry. Several mercenaries snickered softly, patted him on the shoulder, and crowded around him as they followed Gu Xiechen.

A path covered in colorful fallen leaves ran through the birch grove. After following it south for roughly half a mile, more than a dozen English foxhounds suddenly burst from the bushes ahead. These fine purebred hunting dogs bared their teeth and barked furiously at Gu Xiechen. He snorted coldly and shot the pack a vicious glare. The dozen or so foxhounds immediately tucked their tails between their legs, whimpering as they scattered and fled.

A bald old man in a clean, neat tailcoat emerged slowly along the path. Rigid and stiff, just like London beneath the rain curtain, he looked with mild surprise at the fleeing foxhounds before giving Gu Xiechen a formal little bow. "You have arrived? Master is waiting for you in the study."

Gu Xiechen said nothing. He merely turned and gestured for Jack and the others to follow.

The bald old man led the group around two bends in the path, and the view suddenly opened up. Within the dense birch grove lay a crescent-shaped lake. Facing it was a lawn spanning several dozen hectares, where an ancient three-story castle built from granite stood. A row of stables stood to the castle's left. Loud neighs rang out continuously from within, where more than twenty glossy purebred horses pawed anxiously at the ground.

"Oh, so many treasures!" Jack muttered. "Captain, at current market prices, a fine purebred horse costs at least fifty million! Our client is loaded!"

Gu Xiechen's eyes widened in surprise as well. He turned and winked at Jack. "Brothers, be careful. If someone who can afford to keep this many purebred horses has cash-flow problems, then this job probably won't be easy! Damn that bearded old man. He isn't deliberately setting me up, is he?"

Besides Jack, the specialist, Gu Xiechen had brought thirty tough fighters from the Hell Angels Mercenary Group to London. These men were not thugs from federal prisons, but special forces soldiers retired from the regular federal military. Every one of them was an elite among elites, a warrior among warriors. They too had concluded that this mission would not be so simple.

Satisfied to see his previously relaxed team turn serious and focused, Gu Xiechen gave the castle before him a thorough once-over, then followed the bald old man toward it.

More than a dozen middle-aged men and women in the most traditional servant uniforms stood before the castle to receive Gu Xiechen's group. The bald old man led Gu Xiechen and Jack through the spacious first-floor hall and up the stairs, while the other thirty fighters were left in a first-floor reception room, where steaming milk tea and pastries awaited them.

They climbed the spiraling mahogany staircase to the second floor, then passed through a hundred-meter corridor covered in thick wool carpet before the bald old man led Gu Xiechen to a wooden door. Along the walls of that short corridor hung no fewer than twenty extremely famous ancient paintings. Gu Xiechen did not need Jack's professional appraisal to know they were genuine. It was difficult to imagine that a family about to secretly auction off its ancestral treasures could still keep so many purebred horses, fine foxhounds, and ancient paintings.

Just as the old man was about to knock on the door knocker, Gu Xiechen pushed the door open and walked straight in. The bald old man froze for a moment, then helplessly hurried forward to step ahead of him.

It was a spacious study of roughly two hundred square meters. Bookshelves covered all four walls, packed with countless books bound in red leather. A set of comfortable sofas occupied one corner, while a huge jade globe stood in the center. Driven by a motor, the two-meter-wide globe slowly rotated.

Three specially made metal cases sat on the floor of the study, with several well-dressed men standing nearby and discussing something in low voices.

When Gu Xiechen forced open the study door, everyone inside looked up in surprise. The bald old man hurriedly said, "Master, my deepest apologies."

Gu Xiechen pulled the bald old man behind him, rested both hands on his belt, and surveyed the men in the study. He gave a casual nod. "My apologies. I was a little abrupt. But that hardly matters. We should get down to business."

An old man with a gleaming bald head and an imposing full beard rose from the sofa and extended a hand toward Gu Xiechen. "Mr. Evil Dragon? I have read the information your commander faxed over. You are far more imposing in person than in your photograph. Hmm, I am Lawrence Lee, your client for this mission."

After giving Lawrence Lee a deep look, Gu Xiechen walked over without ceremony and sat on the sofa opposite him. Crossing one leg over the other, he ignored Lawrence's outstretched hand and said, "Then let's speak frankly. I'm very curious, Mr. Lawrence. Given your family background, I don't think you would need to sell off your family treasures to raise funds. Hmm, I saw the horses in your stables, as well as the pack of hounds that so warmly welcomed us. It is clear that you have always lived very comfortably."

A young man standing beside the three metal cases angrily stepped forward several paces. Pointing at Gu Xiechen, he snapped, "You vulgar—"

Lawrence Lee shouted, "Shut up! Mr. Evil Dragon's suspicions are justified!"

The study fell silent. Gu Xiechen watched Lawrence with interest as the man's expression shifted between red and white. Finally, Lawrence sat down with a bitter smile and gestured toward the bald old man standing dumbly by the door. "Old Peter, tea and pastries. Have you forgotten how to entertain guests?"

Old Peter bowed respectfully to Lawrence, then turned and left the study with rigid, meticulous steps.

Lawrence looked at Gu Xiechen, and Gu Xiechen stared straight back at him. Their gazes clashed for a while before Lawrence finally lost to Gu Xiechen's aggressively probing eyes. He smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Your gaze is truly frightening. Of course, that is determined by your profession. Uh, are all mercenaries as cautious as you?"

"Others aren't. But I'm afraid of dying!" Gu Xiechen's blunt honesty left Lawrence speechless for quite some time.

Another middle-aged man in the study angrily pointed at the door. "If you are afraid of dying, then leave! A mercenary's duty is only to satisfy the client's needs. You are merely—"

Gu Xiechen cut him off, shouting without the slightest politeness, "Mercenaries may be tools, but I am responsible for my men! Mr. Lawrence, I now believe you are caught up in serious trouble. That trouble is the real reason you are secretly auctioning off your family treasures. I hope you will tell us about it honestly. Otherwise, I will advise our commander to refuse this mission."

Having a Sacred Unicorn watching from the sidelines was dangerous enough. Now that Gu Xiechen had discovered that this mission seemed to involve something else, he had begun thinking not only about the mercenaries who had followed him here, but also about his own life.

"We are only mercenaries. We only consider the risks we are supposed to bear. If they exceed a certain limit, we will not continue this mission." Gu Xiechen spoke very plainly.

Lawrence smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Actually, Mr. Evil Dragon, things are not quite as you imagine. Even if there are risks, they will not involve you."

Before he had finished speaking, a dull engine roar came from outside the castle. Gu Xiechen sprang to his feet, shoved open the study's French windows, and rushed onto the balcony.

A medium vertical-takeoff transport aircraft was slowly descending from the sky, spraying pale blue plasma flames. While it was still dozens of meters above the ground, the high-temperature plasma had already dried the withered, damp grass below. Then wisps of black smoke rose from the lawn as large stretches of turf were ruined beyond recognition.