The inn was only three to four hundred ters from where Boxing Lion and his crew were staying, but anything could happen, so Hu Xian and the others decided to drive there.
Chen Chuan sat in the car. He saw another vehicle following from a distance behind them. He couldn’t see the occupants, but it wasn’t making any effort to hide, so they were probably allies.
Hu Xian gripped the steering wheel, driving the car slowly forward as her eyes scanned their surroundings. "Let tell you sothing," she said. "The assessnt team won’t ask about the specifics of what you candidates do, and they can’t offer help directly, but things are flexible. If you’re in danger, you can call on us for help."
From the back seat, Chen Chuan asked, "But doing that would an I’m voluntarily forfeiting the assessnt, wouldn’t it?"
"That’s right. But you need to decide for yourself which is more important: the assessnt or your life."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Thank you, Sister Hu."
"Alright, Brother Chen," Hu Xian said. "Since you’ve called Sister Hu, I’ll be sure to look out for you if there’s any danger. This ti, I’m having Old Wan go with you. You’re the buyer—if you show up alone, you’ll lose face. Boxing Lion and his crew are a bunch of snobs who judge a book by its cover. They might not take you seriously otherwise."
"Alright," Chen Chuan said.
He picked up his water bottle and took a drink. Seeing that he had been gulping down water nonstop since they got in the car, Hu Xian was amused, assuming he was nervous. "Hey, kiddo, you shouldn’t drink so much before a negotiation."
Chen Chuan didn’t answer, simply taking a few more gulps.
The car stopped about fifty ters from the building where Boxing Lion and his n were staying. Hu Xian said, "This is as far as we go. It’s not wise to get any closer. Hey, want to go in with you?"
"There’s no need. Thank you, Sister Hu."
Chen Chuan pushed the door open and got out. After a quick farewell to Hu Xian, he slung the Snow Monarch Blade over his back and headed for the four-story building up ahead. Old Wan got out as well, gave Hu Xian a nod, and silently followed Chen Chuan.
Hu Xian watched them walk away. Her eyes fell on the water bottle tossed onto the back seat. It looked weightless. ’It must be empty.’
She was a little surprised, then chuckled to herself. ’After drinking so much water, isn’t he afraid... No, wait.’ She frowned, a sudden realization dawning on her. She looked toward the building. ’This Brother Chen... he’s not planning to do sothing, is he?’
Chen Chuan had now reached the entrance. He was only carrying his Martial Halberd and the openly displayed Snow Monarch Blade.
The two guards at the door looked him over, then stepped aside. "Mr. Chen, please."
Neither man asked him to disarm. This was the Land of Chaos, even if it was only the fringes. Inviting soone to your turf for business and forbidding them from carrying weapons was no different from inviting them to their death. No one would ever agree to such terms.
Bee Woman, Ran Xiaoli, stepped forward to greet him. She had changed into a long red dress with a high slit and was wearing vibrant lipstick. As the only woman there, her job was to welco guests. This was a way to show the buyer so respect and appear less aggressive.
Upon seeing Chen Chuan, she touched a polished fingernail to her lips and gave him a flirtatious look. "Mr. Chen, right this way."
Chen Chuan followed her inside. The building was quite spacious. The ground floor had been converted into a reception hall. Several large sofas were arranged under a chandelier, leaving a large open space in the center, as if to make room for so kind of demonstration.
He saw a burly, dark-skinned man with his hair in nurous small braids sitting on the sofa opposite him, flanked by four henchn on each side. Bee Woman, Ran Xiaoli, went directly to the man’s side, whispered a few words to him, and then turned to face Chen Chuan and Old Wan. This imposing figure had to be Boxing Lion.
Chen Chuan could tell from the man’s steady, rhythmic breathing that he was a trained fighter, and a highly skilled one at that. His muscles were constantly tensed, as if ready to erupt at any second. His heavy fra sank deep into the sofa cushions, a clear indication of his sheer mass.
No Biological Armor was visible on his exposed muscles, but from their dense, hard quality, it was likely subcutaneous. This technology was far more advanced than the Biological Armor used by Scarface and Fang Dawei’s crew.
Behind Chen Chuan, Old Wan grew wary, his hand hovering where he could draw his gun in an instant. Though Boxing Lion appeared calm and relaxed, a hidden madness lurked in his eyes, giving off the feeling that he could erupt into a man-eating frenzy at any mont.
When Boxing Lion saw the two of them enter, he sized Chen Chuan up for a mont, then grinned. "You must be the buyer Fox Immortal ntioned. What’s your na?"
Chen Chuan casually scanned the room before replying, "The na’s Chen."
"Mr. Chen. A pleasure. Please, have a seat."
Boxing Lion’s words were polite, inviting him to sit, but he made no move to stand up himself.
He didn’t actually underestimate Chen Chuan because of his age. A young man who could co up with that much money always had powerful backing. In fact, the very reason he was on the run now was that he had provoked soone just like that.
Still, if he didn’t project an air of dominance, the buyer might think he was desperate to sell, which would ruin his negotiating position. Besides, he had more than one potential buyer today, and this one had co knocking on his door. There was no need to be overly accommodating.
Just then, two henchn shifted their positions, moving to stand behind Chen Chuan and Old Wan. The n on the flanks also fanned out, flanking them on the left and right. Every one of them was holding a gun, their stances showing they were ready to open fire at any ti.
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