That Road

"Why isn't Old Han out yet?"

At this moment, several cars were parked in the open space in front of the Public Security Bureau's main gate.

The leading car was a sleek, high-end black sedan. Its door was open, and Xu Ji was sitting on the car steps, two band-aids on his forehead.

Not far away, a bunch of other cars were parked, and a group of richly dressed young masters, all in colorful attire, were waiting nervously. No one dared to approach Xu Ji to speak with him.

Standing beside Xu Ji was a thin man in a black suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He seemed to smile at everyone he saw. This was the person sent to pick up Xu Ji, the personal assistant to Xu Ji's father, who also shared the Xu surname.

Now, he was patiently speaking to Xu Ji, who insisted on waiting for Han Su to come out: "Why don't you go back first? I'll arrange for someone to wait for Mr. Han here."

"The master knows you encountered this, and he's very worried. From now on, for at least two years, you won't be touching a steering wheel again."

"It's not my fault..."

Xu Ji became anxious upon hearing this. "We saw a ghost, Brother Zhuzi! Don't you believe me? If it weren't for Old Han, I would have died there."

"I believe Mr. Han definitely helped you again this time. In return, we will ensure he walks out of the Public Security Bureau safely."

"Wouldn't it be better for you to go back and rest?" Assistant Xu asked.

Xu Ji heard this and immediately felt displeased.

He looked at the secretary, who always wore a smile and whose clothes and hair were always immaculate, and said, "Brother Zhuzi, why do I feel like you're saying some unpleasant things today!"

"When you see Old Han later, don't talk about transactions all the time. Old Han is my brother, remember that."

"I know many people approach me because of the Xu family, because of my father. But Old Han isn't like that. He's a friend I truly, wholeheartedly want to make."

"Especially since he saved my life!!"

The secretary was not surprised by Xu Ji's complaint and explained patiently and gently, "You're about to graduate. You should understand that, including friendship, and even love and family affection, what kind of relationship isn't essentially a transaction?"

Xu Ji was enraged. "You..."

The secretary smiled and waved his hand. "Also, you need to be careful."

"This matter isn't over yet; it's just the beginning. Did you think it was as simple as a nobody illegitimate son from the Zhang family dying while you were street racing?"

"You've alerted people from the Disaster Management Bureau. This in itself is a major, life-threatening event."

Xu Ji was unconvinced and retorted, "I didn't provoke it intentionally. Besides, people at the club were already talking about that thing, like a storyteller. I'd heard it before, I just thought it was fake..."

"Shut up."

The secretary suddenly spoke, his expression unusually cold.

Xu Ji was startled into silence. He then slowly spoke, "Do you know about Qinggang's Secretary Number 5?"

Xu Ji was stunned by the question and tentatively asked, "Temporary staff?"

The secretary ignored him and continued directly, "Qinggang City has four secretaries, each responsible for different aspects of affairs."

"There's a lot of overlap and cooperation in each of their jurisdictions, but they aren't the only ones managing Qinggang City."

"The four secretaries are often on TV and in newspapers, but only Secretary Number 5 doesn't cooperate with anyone else. Ordinary people don't even know he exists."

"However, his identity is special in a way that far surpasses the other four secretaries."

"For example."

He turned to look at Xu Ji. "If one day, your father decides to enter politics and accepts a commission from above to serve as the Director of the Administrative Hall in Qinggang City, then I will be his Number 1 Secretary."

"Secretaries Number 2 to 4 will be selected from enterprises under the Xu family and from social elites, respectively."

"But Secretary Number 5 will remain Secretary Number 5; nothing will change."

"The Bureau of Abnormal Disaster Assessment, which he directly manages, is the same. Once a department directly managed by him appears, everyone must make way for them."

He looked at Xu Ji's expression, confident that with the education he had received since childhood, he already understood the importance of the matter. Then he slowly said:

"Do you know what your fate would be if you weren't a Xu family child?"

Xu Ji sensed the seriousness of the situation and slowly shook his head.

The secretary said lightly, "Hypnosis, or being cleaned up as a deep contactor."

Xu Ji was dumbfounded. "Contactor? Cleaned up?"

The secretary didn't answer and continued on his own, "Hypnosis, I mean real hypnosis."

"Once you undergo their hypnosis, no one can guarantee your mind will remain intact. You will lose the opportunity to take over the Xu family's businesses in the future. It's a pity that Mr. and Mrs. are so old and still have to consider having a second child..."

Xu Ji: "?"

The secretary sighed and looked at Xu Ji with pity. "This time, it was Mr. [Xu Ji's father] who used his connections and influence to save you from this punishment."

"But as a price, you must promise never to speak of what happened that night to anyone, nor discuss it."

All of this made Xu Ji suspicious. When he finally reacted, he suddenly thought of the crucial point: "What about Old Han? What will happen to Old Han?"

"That's what I'm here to tell you." Assistant Xu said calmly, "Given his identity, encountering something like this at this particular time would only result in hypnosis."

"It's even possible that it's not worth applying for hypnosis resources, and we can just choose the second method directly."

"However, he did save your life, twice, so not only will we ensure he comes out unharmed, but we'll also pay him a considerable reward."

"And the price..."

He paused, then said in an undeniable tone, "Your relationship with him is hereby nullified."

"What the hell is this?!"

Xu Ji listened, his face turning red. He slammed the table and stood up, "Old Han got into these troubles because he was following me. He saved my life."

Compared to his anger, Assistant Xu remained unusually calm, speaking softly, "You're angry because you don't know what kind of trouble you just stirred up. Or rather, that's not quite right. You didn't stir up trouble; you simply fell into someone else's scheme."

"The Zhang family's child was too ambitious and wanted to work under Secretary Number 5 using this method."

"But he was likely used by someone else and ended up losing his life."

"Of course, it hasn't been investigated yet, but I've already proposed my suspicions to the Master. Someone likely wants to use his situation to scheme against you, to make you a contact of the grotesque."

"The severity of this matter even surpasses that of you killing someone."

"..."

"I didn't kill anyone, damn it..."

Xu Ji displayed his usual futile rage. He suddenly waved his hand, pointing far away at the group of rich young men waiting, "It wasn't just Old Han and I who saw it. Didn't they see it too?"

"They are outside the shadow and do not belong to the category of deep contact."

Assistant Xu didn't even look at him, just said softly, "Also, what I just told you was what the Master wished for me to convey to you. If you have any objections, you can take them up with him."

"I..."

Assistant Xu interrupted him, "Believe me, if Mr. Han understood what this represents, he would thank our Xu family."

"Perhaps, in all of Qinggang City, only our Xu family has the potential to..."

"Which one of you is Assistant Xu?"

But at this moment, Assistant Xu's words were suddenly interrupted.

Xu Ji and Assistant Xu looked up simultaneously and saw a woman in a black suit with a cold expression walking out of the Public Security Bureau. Her eyes locked onto them, and she walked over with a document, saying calmly, "Sign here, and you can leave."

"This..."

This time it was Assistant Xu's turn to be surprised. He took the document and glanced at it, only seeing Xu Ji's name on it. He was immediately surprised:

"There's another one..."

The woman in the black suit interrupted, "He's being held."

"What?"

Assistant Xu's expression changed slightly, and Xu Ji was already getting anxious. He had vehemently opposed Assistant Xu's suggestion earlier, but now, hearing this, he became even more flustered.

He quickly stepped forward and shouted, "What are you going to do with Old Han?"

Assistant Xu reached out and grabbed Xu Ji's arm, stepping forward himself. He didn't display his usual arrogance at this moment, striving to keep his voice calm and gentle, saying, "I've already been to see Miss Li."

"And I know that the Highway 59 ghost truck incident, because the news spread too widely, its threat level has already..."

"Investigator Li?"

The woman in the black suit looked up at him, her eyes seeming to hold a hint of mockery. She smiled and said, "Normally, her influence is quite significant, but this time, she can't manage it."

"Before that, I have one more question for you!"

She looked at Xu Ji, "Your statement is equivalent to writing nothing, so I need to ask you in person: when you encountered that strange truck, did your friend exhibit any other behavior besides reciting spells?"

Xu Ji stared blankly, recalling the chilling color that seeped from Han Su's blind right eye. He shook his head decisively, "No!"

The woman in the black suit tilted her head slightly, "Really no?"

Xu Ji said, "I just thought he looked really cool, does that count?"

The woman in the black suit shook her head and said, "Sign it!"

Seeing that the capable woman was becoming impatient, Assistant Xu also quickly calmed down.

It was clear that the current situation was beyond even his expectations.

But he quickly adjusted his attitude, taking the document while saying rapidly, "Then, may I ask, will Mr. Han's impending outcome be the first or the second..."

"Him?"

The woman in the black suit raised her head slightly, a half-smile on her face, "Neither."

Upon receiving this news, Assistant Xu froze on the spot. He, who had insisted Xu Ji not mention seeing a ghost, now looked as if he had seen one.

It wasn't until the woman with the flaxen hair left that Xu Ji seemed to react, anxiously asking, "What happened?"

"What are they going to do to Old Han?"

"..."

Assistant Xu slowly shook his head and said, "Do you know that the Zhang family's child, before he died, used all his family's wealth to forge a path?"

Xu Ji: "Huh?"

Assistant Xu said, "That path has fallen onto your classmate."