At the dining table, HuMing noticed the boy was nowhere to be seen.
He had assumed that ChaChai would dine with the boy.
"Mr. ChaChai, where is your son? I don't see him around."
"Mr. Ross, Ah Nuo has always been frail. After going out, he needs time to rest," ChaChai replied, raising his glass of red wine and gesturing in HuMing's direction.
"Mr. Ross, in a couple of days, I'll take you to watch a boxing match. I've gathered skilled boxers from around the worldâyou're guaranteed to enjoy it."
"Oh? Is that so? Then I will look forward to it," HuMing said, raising his glass in return and downing his wine in one go.
ChaChai appeared satisfied with HuMingâs gesture. Yet, until now, he had deliberately refrained from mentioning business.
He wanted to test whether HuMing would show any impatience, but surprisingly, HuMing didnât broach the topic of business even during the meal.
Narrowing his eyes, ChaChai became more cautious of HuMing.
Soon after, ChaChai smiled, placing both hands on the table and leaning slightly toward HuMing.
"Mr. Ross, what do you think of the development of this place?"
"Mr. ChaChai, it seems you've managed things well here. However, its reputation outside isn't exactly stellar."
"No Manâs Land, huh? I've heard that term many times before. Outsiders always think they understand WuYuan Town, but theyâve never dared to step in. Why? Because they fear the people here and worry about getting entangled in its affairs!"
ChaChai laughed, his tone full of mockery toward the outside world.
"Before I took charge, WuYuan Town was the real outlaw zone. Shootouts would erupt on the streets every now and then. The major factions fought endlessly, and countless children bled out in their homes. If not for my intervention, the government outside would have crushed this place long ago!"
"How many corrupt officials are out there? Iâm sure, Mr. Ross, you know better than I do. Iâm merely protecting these people, ensuring they can eat every day and live normal lives."
ChaChai's voice was commanding, echoing throughout the room.
The servants, stewards, and soldiers around him stood frozen, like puppets awaiting his orders.
HuMing stared at ChaChai, his eyes devoid of emotion.
He understood that ChaChai saw himself as the savior of this lawless landâdefiance meant death.
ChaChai looked back at HuMing and continued.
"A bad reputation doesnât matter. After all, we still have the goods youâre looking for. As long as we have the supply, there will always be demand."
"Speaking of which, Mr. ChaChai, shouldnât you show me your real inventory?"
HuMing wasnât entirely clear on what Ross and ChaChai were trading, but he wanted to investigate further.
While ChaChai publicly dealt in transportation, HuMingâs research revealed his involvement in human trafficking and arms dealing, steadily expanding his influence. ????
Yet HuMingâs instincts told him that the deal between ChaChai and Ross couldnât be this simple.
Ross had traveled all this wayâhis purpose surely wasnât just the visible businesses.
ChaChai stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought.
Suddenly, a man hurried in from outside, whispering a few words into ChaChaiâs ear.
ChaChaiâs expression darkened instantly. He turned to HuMing and apologized.
"Apologies, Mr. Ross. Iâll take you to see the inventory tomorrow. For now, please excuse me."
With that, ChaChai left.
A steward approached and escorted HuMing to his quarters.
â¦
In his room, HuMing sat deep in thought.
He pondered what ChaChai was planning and where the USB drive had ended up.
Deciding not to sit idle, he locked the door, changed into a different outfit, and slipped out through the window.
The summer night buzzed with noise as HuMing, clad in stealth gear, blended into the darkness.
The mansion was heavily guarded, with soldiers and bodyguards stationed every few steps, armed to the teeth.
It felt like playing a stealth game, constantly on alert for danger.
But HuMing was accustomed to such situations. Moving carefully, he slipped into ChaChaiâs study.
On the desk was a photo of ChaChai and Ah Nuo, but Ah Nuoâs mother was conspicuously absent.
This raised a suspicion: was Ah Nuo really ChaChaiâs son?
However, HuMing quickly dismissed the thought.
If Ah Nuo werenât his son, why would ChaChai treat him so well? Besides, a man like ChaChai likely had many women outside. If one bore his child, he would naturally bring the child back to raise, while the woman would become irrelevant to him.
This explanation seemed the most plausible.
After returning the photo to its place, HuMing began searching for the USB drive.
Despite combing through several cabinets, he found only documentsânothing else.
One particular document caught his attention, detailing the infamous "Couples Case" from seven years ago.
For instance, the two couplesâ bodies werenât found in a house but by a river.
Moreover, they hadnât officially married but were on the verge of doing so.
The document also outlined the decisions ChaChai made while handling the case.
This case had been pivotal in earning ChaChai the trust of the No Manâs Landâs residents.
Yet HuMing felt that some details had been overlooked. What were they?
Holding the document, HuMing frowned deeply.
Fragments of memories began surfacing in his mind.
"Seven years ago... Seven years ago... Zhao... Ah Zhao?!"
HuMingâs eyes twitched as he suddenly recalled his first assignment seven years ago.
His target then had been Ah Zhao! S~eaÊá´h the NovÑlÆire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Gripping the document tightly, HuMing realized that the timeline of the Couples Case and his mission overlapped significantly.
It felt like something hidden was about to emerge.
Suddenly, footsteps and voices echoed from outside.
HuMing hurriedly returned the document to the cabinet and placed a recorder under the rug.
After completing these tasks, he vaulted out the window.
Not long after, echoes halted. ChaChai had entered the study.