On the wilderness at the end of the official road outside Heaven Dou City, a well-built carriage slowly came to a stop.
The carriage curtain was lifted. Lin Ya stepped lightly onto the ground and landed steadily before the entrance paved with bluestone slabs.
Looking up, he saw a spacious residence. Its solemn silhouette was enclosed by high walls of gray brick, while a black plaque with golden lettering hung at the center of the gate tower. The vigorous character "Strength" seemed to radiate an immense sense of power even from several yards away.
"Well? Didn't disappoint you, did I?" Niu Gao strode forward with a hearty laugh, his chest slightly puffed out, looking every bit like he was waiting to be praised.
"This is the Defense Clan's specialty. In all of Heaven Dou City, no one understands building houses and setting up defenses better than us!"
He pointed at the residence's eaves and battlements, explaining animatedly with pride evident in his voice:
"Don't be fooled by how rough this place looks from the outside. There are plenty of tricks hidden inside! The flip panels beneath the walls, concealed crossbows behind the corridor pillars, the thousand-pound gate at the courtyard entrance—they're all mechanisms for guarding against schemers and defending against enemies."
"To be honest, it's only because our clan is short on funds that we made it this plain. But you're different—you've got plenty of money. We'll definitely design it to be... design it..."
"High-end, grand, and classy?" Lin Ya prompted.
"Right! That's it! High-end, grand, and classy!" Niu Gao slapped his forehead and hurriedly assured him with confidence.
A faint smile curled Lin Ya's lips. Before he could reply, the residence's two heavy wooden doors creaked open.
Two figures stepped out first. One was incomparably burly, while the other