Action

"Congratulations to Chen Martial Arts Academy and its master, Chen Xu, for advancing to the finals!"

Ignoring the commentator's usual drivel, Chen Xu easily slipped past the pursuing reporters and headed to the protected family's home, where he would wait for the mission to begin.

If he went over now, he could also mooch lunch and dinner, saving a considerable amount of Abyss Coins.

Everything in the Black Market cost money. How could he not spend carefully?

Martial Pavilion Family Residential Area.

Chen Xu walked all the way to the villa at the very end, a hint of amusement flashing through his eyes.

At least ten people were guarding the villa from the shadows. As expected of one of the Martial Pavilion's most influential figures, the protection was far beyond that of ordinary family members.

But that had nothing to do with him. All he had to do was escort them to their residence in Peace Prefecture City, and the money would be his.

"Captain, is he the final line of defense for this escort mission?

"If I shot him dead right now, he wouldn't even know how he died. And he's supposed to be a line of defense?"

Scattered laughter came through the radio.

"It's the employer's request. Just complete the job. The only people we're protecting are that mother and daughter anyway." Blood Rose fiddled with the map in her hands.

"Rat, is the car I told you to rent ready?"

The shifty-looking man grinned. "Captain, don't worry. They're all bulletproof. If this weren't just some small county town with limited materials, I'd have modified them myself."

"The employer really paid generously. Once we finish this job, we can have some fun for a couple of days."

"That's all the ambition you have."

The radios were filled with cheerful chatter.

"Mom, there's an uncle I don't know knocking at the door." The little girl with two braids spotted Chen Xu through the peephole and dashed toward the kitchen.

"I'll go take a look." Nie Mengyin put down her spatula and gently rubbed her daughter's head.

Ling Youyou immediately shielded her little head. "If you keep touching it, I won't grow tall! I want to be taller than Dad someday."

"So it's Mr. Chen. Please come in. We were just about to eat, so join us for a meal."

Nie Mengyin had learned from her husband that Mr. Chen was his colleague at the Martial Pavilion and would be heading to Peace Prefecture City on business.

Her own family happened to be going to Peace Prefecture City as well, to visit her parents. Since they were headed the same way, her husband had asked Chen Xu to give them a ride.

She had thought Mr. Chen would not arrive until the evening, but he had unexpectedly shown up at noon.

"Youyou, call him Uncle Chen." Nie Mengyin patted her daughter's back, and Ling Youyou immediately called out sweetly.

"Mrs. Nie, right?" Chen Xu glanced at the steaming dishes on the table. So little? It wouldn't be enough.

"The driver will come pick us up tonight, and then we'll set off." Having received the invitation, Chen Xu naturally did not stand on ceremony and sat down at the table.

"Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Chen, taking us mother and daughter along."

Chen Xu quickly said, "No trouble, no trouble."

He was getting so much for a simple trip. Lord Chen certainly did not mind the trouble.

"Wow, Mom, is this uncle a monster? How can he eat so much?" Ling Youyou propped up her chin with both hands and watched with great interest as Chen Xu cleaned out the last of the rice in the pot.

"He must have grown so tall because he eats so much," the little girl thought instinctively.

"Children speak without thinking. Please don't mind her, Mr. Chen." Nie Mengyin lectured her daughter. "Youyou, how can you call Uncle Chen a monster?"

Yet when she looked at Chen Xu, the shock in her eyes did not lessen in the slightest. Her husband was a powerful Martial Artist, so she knew that Martial Artists usually ate somewhat more than ordinary people.

But Mr. Chen did not merely eat a little more. For some reason, she had the feeling that he was probably not even half full.

"I'll make some more food." Nie Mengyin rose, intending to cook several more dishes.

"I'll do it myself." Chen Xu looked around. "Would you mind lending me the kitchen?"

"Please." Before Nie Mengyin had even finished speaking, she found Chen Xu already standing before the refrigerator.

Chen Xu examined the ingredients inside. He estimated that before he was full, the hostess would collapse from exhaustion, so he might as well handle it himself and see whether his cooking skills had gotten rusty.

His solitary life as a bachelor in his previous life had honed his cooking skills.

After all, back when his studio had just started up, he had saved money wherever he could. Buying groceries at the market and cooking for himself naturally cost less than ordering takeout.

Under the mother and daughter's watchful gazes, Chen Xu used Ling Xiangshan's largest bowl and ate more than a dozen bowls before finally wiping his mouth.

Night fell, and a black sedan stopped in front of the villa.

"Deputy Pavilion Master Chen." The driver respectfully greeted Chen Xu.

"Everyone here? Then let's go." Chen Xu nodded to the driver and got into the sedan with Ling Xiangshan's wife and daughter.

The driver's palms were covered in calluses. He was clearly also a fairly capable Martial Artist. To ensure the safety of his wife and daughter, Ling Xiangshan had gone to great lengths.

"Don't follow so closely." Blood Rose sat in the front passenger seat, issuing orders.

"The vehicles responsible for clearing the way, keep watch on the surroundings at all times. Report immediately if anything unusual happens."

"Received." Viper held a cigar between his lips and said indistinctly, "This mission's a piece of cake. Great Abyss is much safer than the little countries where we usually stay. At least we don't have to worry about some stray bullet flying in from nowhere and taking our lives."

"Safe, sure, but it's so safe my bones are getting rusty." The man in the front passenger seat, wearing a headscarf, laughed.

"You're just asking for it. You get an easy job and still complain." A driver's voice came from another vehicle over the radio.

"Stay alert."

Blood Rose interrupted the chatting group, her sharp gaze sweeping across the land shrouded in darkness.

"The road ahead hasn't been fully developed for a long stretch. Stay on your toes!"

At their captain's command, the mercenaries in the vehicles immediately quieted down.

On a hill somewhere.

"Report! Target located. The target vehicle is approaching. Please give instructions." A soldier in camouflage stood at attention and reported to the officer holding night-vision binoculars.

"How far away?" The officer's voice was calm, yet it contained a distinctive authority.

"About two kilometers. Once they enter within one kilometer, they'll be within our snipers' effective range."

"Inform the snipers to stand by. Without my order, no one is to attack on their own."

He was far less calm inside than he appeared. He was a Great Abyss soldier, and he knew exactly what would happen to him if what he was doing was exposed.

His soldiers believed this mission was to capture an illegally infiltrating mercenary group. They did not know there were two additional targets.

But he had no choice. The Xu Family held plenty of leverage over him. If it were exposed, he would probably spend the rest of his life in prison.

Lowering the brim of his cap, he directed the soldiers into action. If this succeeded, the Xu Family would use the strength of the entire clan to help him rise through the ranks. He was only in his thirties. In the future, he might have a chance to sit in the top seat and command the military forces of a prefectural city.

Like the Martial Pavilion, the Great Abyss Military Headquarters generally had branches in every prefecture and county. The person in charge held a position equivalent to the highest local administrative official and possessed absolute authority.