Chapter 68 The Spring Chill in Brahma City...

The spring chill in Brahma City always comes unexpectedly. I just changed into light clothes yesterday, and this morning a thin layer of frost has formed on the grass and the sky is gray.

At nine o'clock in the morning, a black Bentley silently turned from the traffic and drove onto another route. The roadside was covered with lush greenery, which was clearly well maintained. Through the car window, one could see one side of the artificial lake in the distance. This was a high-end private residential area.

Ten minutes later, the Bentley came to a smooth stop, and someone immediately stepped forward to respectfully open the car door for him.

The person who got out of the car was very young, with pure black hair and a pale face. The lines from his nose to his jaw were cold and smooth. There was no sharpness or aggression between his brows, but his whole body inexplicably exuded a terrifying aura that made people feel intimidated and dare not speak rashly.

The person who opened the car door for him glanced at him and then looked away, making a guiding gesture as usual to lead him inside, but Ying Shixue did not move.

The maid was taken aback, only then noticing that there was more than one Bentley that had arrived today; another car was following behind.

The two cars were the same color and similar in appearance. At that moment, the doors opened and five or six lean, black-clad men stepped out.

The maid was so startled by the scene that she instinctively took a step back. Ying Shixue gently shook her head: "Don't be nervous."

"They are just my bodyguards."

Bodyguards? The servant looked at the group of men, averaging over 1.9 meters tall and standing in a row like a row of menacing figures, with suspicion. Which security company in Fancheng has become like this?

As he hesitated, the group in front of him began to walk in. His instincts told him something was wrong, and the servant immediately stopped him, saying, "Wait, wait!"

Ying Shixue looked at him; his figure was thin yet unusually straight, the sunlight behind him dividing it into bright arcs: "Is it not allowed?"

For some reason, the maid felt a shiver run down her spine, and suddenly recalled the scene when she first met him.

That was during the most turbulent time in Van City. Even young men who were not yet twenty years old walked through this door alone in a black suit. When they came out, their faces were as pale as paper, but their figures were held up very, very straight, so much so that it seemed as if they would collapse at any moment.

But at this moment... the maid hesitated. The old master hadn't given any order against bringing bodyguards in, but the key point was that Ying Shixue had always come alone before...

“I will talk to him.” Ying Shixue seemed to see through his thoughts. Her voice was gentle but had an irresistible power. The servant was stunned for a moment, and he had already gotten up and stepped into the room.

The bodyguards behind him were like loyal and silent knights, following closely behind him in an orderly manner.

Walking through the long corridor, the reception room was empty. The servants who were originally in the reception room said in a serious tone that the old master was busy. Ying Shixue smiled slightly and did not care at all. She said, "I got the overseas line."

The man's expression changed instantly, but he quickly masked it, glanced at him, and then hurriedly left after saying "wait a moment."

The minute hand of the clock ticked away, and the man returned quickly, but this time his attitude was noticeably more respectful: "The old man invites you to the study."

As he stepped onto the stairs and was about to go up to the third floor, a hand suddenly blocked his way between him and the bodyguard behind him.

Ying Shixue stood on the steps and turned around. The man's outstretched hand trembled slightly, but he insisted, "The old man said he only saw you."

It's understandable that someone as suspicious as Xi Zongbo would subtly assess the situation while looking down at Ying Shixue with his gaze.

At the same time, among the five bodyguards who had been stopped below, the one who had been silently standing at the back, with sharp eyes, simultaneously looked up—

Their eyes met in the air, several meters apart. Before setting off that morning, Song Mingli had repeatedly told him that no matter where they went, he could not leave his sight. Now they were about to part ways... and he was certain that the other man could not hide the coldness in his eyes when he was stopped.

To an outsider, Ying Shixue's pause probably didn't even last a second. He looked back at the person who had made the announcement and nodded: "Okay."

He then turned to the group of people downstairs and said, "You wait here first," before turning and going upstairs.

Xi Zongbo's study was large, with a standard inner and outer bedroom. When Ying Shixue entered, he was sitting in a chair, leisurely admiring the painting hanging on the wall.

Seeing Ying Shixue enter, she slowly turned around. Her skin was loose, and deep wrinkles around her eyes concealed the sinister nature of time. She raised her chin slightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Sit."

Ying Shixue readily sat down, his posture impeccable and exuding elegance. Xi Zongbo instinctively frowned, his eyes clouded: "I heard you recently had a bit of a disagreement with the people in the lab?"

It was more than just unpleasant; Song Mingli almost turned the lab upside down... But she definitely couldn't say that out loud. Ying Shixue lowered her eyelashes and said in a nonchalant tone, "The people below are a bit clueless and made a fool of themselves."

Xi Zongbo gave a cryptic snort: "You mean, you've found a way to connect with the outside world?"

In recent years, regulations within the region have become increasingly stringent and demanding, significantly increasing risks and costs and inevitably reducing profits. Despite the already astronomical annual returns, how can those with such bloated appetites tolerate a decrease in the amount of meat they can eat?

Ying Shixue: "I met Mr. Mo of NX once at their banquet half a month ago."

Xi Zongbo stared at him with eyes like a carrion vulture, his tone fluctuating: "...Oh?"

"NX has only been publicly revealed for less than a month, how do you know...?"

Ying Shixue shook her head: "In fact, it wasn't me who approached them, but rather they who approached me."

Xi Zongbo paused for a moment, then said to Shixue, "NX has risen to this level in just a few years. It's impossible that it's completely innocent. In fact, the role it plays here is very similar to that of Sheng'an... The difference is that one needs a line that can be opened, while the other needs new resources."

Xi Zongbo tapped the back of the chair with his withered fingers: "How can I believe that you and it are sincere?"

Ying Shixue noticed that Xi Zongbo mentioned him as the first person he didn't trust, but she still shrugged: "NX has many options, and as far as I know, it's contacting more than just me."

"In fact, the people from NX are downstairs right now."

It took Song Mingli nearly half an hour from being stopped downstairs to finally going upstairs and entering the study.

A lot can happen in half an hour. The Xi family's attitude towards them wasn't bad; they didn't let them go up, but they did find them a place to sit.

Ever since Ying Shixue left his sight, Song Mingli had been in a state of extreme anxiety and unease, yet he couldn't go up to her, his jaw clenched and his face gloomy.

The four who came today were all carefully selected elites, but he came in hiding. Except for the leader, the others did not know his true identity. The only one in sight was this guy who suddenly appeared in their team. Although he seemed to be able to fight, he always had a gloomy face, as if someone had stolen his wife. It was all very strange.

Even knowing he couldn't be exposed, Song Mingli still scanned him from head to toe with X-ray vision the moment he stepped into the study.

Ying Shixue sat in the chair in front of the desk, his shirt neat and well-tailored. From his angle, all that could be seen was Ying Shixue's straight and slender back, and a section of his snow-white nape that was partially obscured.

The person who brought them up nodded subtly to Xi Zongbo as he pushed open the door, indicating that the test was over. Xi Zongbo withdrew his gaze, and Ying Shixue stood up at the same time: "Mr. Wu."

Wu Wei was a robust, taciturn man in his forties, but very reliable. They had already clashed several times in secret along the way, but he had always managed to smooth things over.

Upon hearing the sound, he stepped forward, but before he could even speak, his pupils contracted when he saw what was on the table.

A slight smile appeared on Xi Zongbo's lips: "Hello, Mr. Wu."

He had truly aged. The dim light from the window reflected on his wrinkled profile, which, along with the dark blue test tubes on the table, made him appear even more terrifying.

The assistant next to him felt a chill run down his spine, but saw that everyone else on the scene looked calm and composed.

Wu Wei, with his strong facial features, said: "Old Master Xi, I have long admired your name. It is an honor to meet you."

After a preliminary, subtly probing attack, Xi Zongbo finally changed the subject: "I heard that President Mo is also interested in this kind of business?"

Wu replied succinctly: "Actually, President Mo has always been very concerned about this matter, and many people with connections also need it."

Xi Zongbo sighed softly, "If we could reach a cooperation agreement, it would indeed be a win-win situation, but..." His gaze fixed on Ying Shixue, "This reagent in front of us is the latest one. Preliminary tests show it poses no harm to the human body, but we still lack some special samples..."

The reagent emitted a dim, fluorescent blue light. Xi Zongbo's meaning was clear: words are meaningless; you have leverage over me, but I have none. Since you say you need it, I'll give you a free bottle to drink, or send a few people over... Wu Wei hesitated for a moment.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ying Shixue suddenly grabbed the medicine, chopped the glass bottle in half with a swift motion, shattering it with a crack, tilted her head back, and poured it into her mouth, her Adam's apple bobbing.

I swallowed it.

Ying Shixue's expression remained unchanged: "Is this alright?" (Affirmative statement.)

-

The vehicle drove away from the Xi family again, and almost as soon as it was out of the surveillance camera's range, Song Mingli suddenly said, "Stop the car."

His tone was calm, but the driver was taken aback. Song Mingli repeated himself, almost shouting, "Stop the car!"

Wu immediately gestured, and the vehicle braked sharply to the side of the road. He then quickly pulled the two unaware individuals out of the car.

The moment the car door closed, Ying Shixue was pressed against the back of the seat, and at the same time, a large hand grabbed his chin, forcing him to open his mouth, and two fingers were about to go in and stir his throat.

Ying Shixue had no time to resist. His hands and feet were pinned down with lightning speed, and he choked and kept gagging. Song Mingli took the garbage bag from the car and put it to his mouth: "Spit it out."

With the back of her neck pressed down, Ying Shixue coughed and grabbed his forearm, saying, "I didn't..."

"That medicine is fake."