In the city of Wildgrass, a car fitted with dark, bulletproof glass slowly entered the street.
Zhao Yide sat in the back, slightly to the left, and glanced back at the grain store on his side. He nodded with satisfaction.
Ever since the vagrant riot before the new year, he felt like his luck had turned.
As the first heir of the Zhao family in North Street, he appeared to be endlessly successful in the eyes of others. However, he knew very well that he lived in constant fear, walking on thin ice every day.
Above him was his father, Zhao Zhengqi, a member of the Wildgrass City Noble Council who controlled the family's real power. Below him was his ambitious younger brother, Zhao Yixue, watching him. He not only couldn't make decisions on most things and only received a small portion of the resources, but he also couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
After that riot, his wolfish younger brother, Zhao Yixue, was sent to Initial City, completely removed from the center of the family's power. His father, Zhao Zhengqi, was frightened and his health deteriorated, gradually handing over some of his power and industries to him.
Having lived for over thirty years, Zhao Yide truly understood the privilege of being a noble.
For example, the profitable grain store he had just inspected would be completely under his name from today onward. And the steward, who used to only listen to his father Zhao Zhengqi and treat him coldly, now wished he could grow a dog's tail and wag it around him.
As these thoughts swirled, Zhao Yide pressed the car window button, wanting to breathe in the sweet and intoxicating air outside.
Just then, he saw a clearly modified military-green jeep driving towards them.
In Wildgrass City, this wasn't too uncommon, and Zhao Yide didn't pay much attention to it.
Suddenly, the jeep slowed down, and the driver lowered the window, took off his sunglasses, and waved his left hand at Zhao Yide.
He looked very excited and happy.
Zhao Yide's eyes immediately reflected a healthy, handsome face.
This face was so familiar, so deeply etched in his mind, that his brain went blank and he felt like his heart had stopped.
It's that person!
It's the madman who threatened the entire Noble Council with high explosives!
It's the terrifying hunter who possessed bizarre abilities that made everyone unknowingly become his friends and dance with him!
Zhao Yide held his breath, his instinctive reaction was to raise the window, pretending he hadn't seen anything.
The dark glass window slowly closed, and Zhao Yide saw out of the corner of his eye that the man who called himself Zhang Qubing withdrew his hand with some disappointment.
He stared blankly at the front row, not urging the driver to speed up, lest he reveal the fact that he had seen the other party.
The two cars passed each other, and nothing happened.
Zhao Yide still sat upright, his body extremely stiff.
It wasn't until the car rounded the City Hall and the bridge leading to North Street was in sight that he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
In the jeep, Shang Jianyao turned the steering wheel and said with a look of regret:
"It seems the effect of 'Reasoning Clown' has disappeared. Sigh, I haven't even had time to attend his family's dance party."
Zhao Yide had indeed extended an invitation to Shang Jianyao back then.
"It's been so long, you're not a Destiny's Child, the effect must have worn off long ago." Jiang Baimian wasn't surprised at all.
Long Yuehong, who was sitting in the back row on the left, said with some worry:
"He should have recognized us, will he send someone to retaliate?"
Last time in Wildgrass City, the Old Task Force had made the Noble Council bleed quite a bit to appease the refugees.
Moreover, Shang Jianyao had used "Reasoning Clown" on them, forming a brotherhood, and everyone danced together.
After the nobles woke up, this was bound to be an embarrassing, shameful, and infuriating memory.
With the resources they possessed, Long Yuehong felt it would be unscientific for them not to retaliate against the Old Task Force.
Jiang Baimian smiled and said:
"Wildgrass City and the company now have a friendly cooperative relationship. As long as City Lord Xu Liyan doesn't think about dealing with us, a few nobles can't make much of a splash.
"Relying purely on hiring outsiders, they can't find many Awakened and experienced hunters. And our current strength is more than double what it was when we left Wildgrass City. As long as we're not careless, what's there to be afraid of?"
Without Xu Liyan's permission, the nobles' private armed forces couldn't be too presumptuous in the city, unable to act without restraint.
Long Yuehong thought about it and found that his team leader was right.
Our team has really grown to a rather terrifying extent... he thought to himself, and then "hmm"ed.
"Anyway, we won't be staying in Wildgrass City for more than a few days. Once Genava arrives, we'll leave."
Because the situation of the Underground Ark was relatively delicate, and there was competition with other forces in Redstone Collection, Genava spent more time than expected stabilizing the order and would not arrive in Wildgrass City for another two days.
Jiang Baimian rested her elbow on the door, supported her cheek with one hand, and said with a smile:
"Besides, they should also be able to guess that we have considerable forces supporting us behind the scenes. As long as we don't go to North Street to provoke them, they'll at most just monitor us."
At this point, Jiang Baimian glanced and found that Bai Chen's gaze had passed her and was looking out the window.
"What are you looking at?" She tilted her head curiously and followed her gaze to the side of the street.
The original "Old Brand Noodle Shop" had become "Wang's Noodle Shop."
Jiang Baimian fell silent.
Shang Jianyao also didn't speak, driving the jeep around a large circle until he was sure that no one was following them before driving into the alley where "Afu's Gun Shop" was located.
After the car was parked in the courtyard surrounded by buildings, Long Yuehong pushed the door open and looked around at this familiar yet unfamiliar place.
It was familiar because he had lived and fought here, but unfamiliar because the place had been modified to some extent, and the clothes hung out to dry had become lighter.
"Hey, you're back again?"
"You even changed your car? I really didn't recognize you just now!
"Want to come and sit in the room?"
The residents who came and went recognized the Old Task Force who had fought alongside them, and greeted them with either reserve or enthusiasm.
There were also many strangers, who should be relic hunters who had arrived after the new year.
They all looked at the Old Task Force with curious and scrutinizing eyes.
After responding briefly, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Long Yuehong followed Bai Chen through the back door of "Afu's Gun Shop."
Aunt Nan, wearing a light scarf, an old-fashioned long dress, and her hair in a high bun, was already waiting at the stairwell, throwing out the two keys in her hand as she said with a smile:
"Still the same two rooms."
Bai Chen originally wanted to reach out and catch the two keys, but Shang Jianyao had already snatched them in front of her and happily completed the task.
She had no choice but to nod and simply say hello.
Jiang Baimian said with a smile:
"You've been doing well lately."
"Same as always." Aunt Nan replied with a smile.
Jiang Baimian looked around and said:
"Does Teacher An still come to teach classes?"
"Yes, still at the same time." Aunt Nan said as she stepped aside, making way.
The four members of the Old Task Force carried their tactical backpacks and entered the cold corridor along the stairs, which had not changed much except for the many bullet holes.
…………
North Street, Zhao Mansion.
Zhao Yide rushed into the study in a hurry.
Zhao Zhengqi, fat and with a white beard, held a teacup and glanced at his eldest son, saying with some dissatisfaction:
"What's the panic? You're already in your thirties!
"Maintain composure when faced with major events!"
Zhao Yide gasped for breath and said hurriedly:
"Dad, those people are back! The ones who threatened us with bombs!"
With a click, the teacup in Zhao Zhengqi's hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"Where are they?" Zhao Zhengqi jumped up, showing a flexibility that didn't match his figure.
"South, South Street!" Zhao Yide replied truthfully.
Zhao Zhengqi calmed down a little:
"What are they doing?"
"We just met on the road, and that madman greeted me happily. I pretended not to see him." Zhao Yide didn't hide any details.
Zhao Zhengqi pressed on:
"And then you came back like this?"
"Yes!" Zhao Yide nodded emphatically. "Dad, what should we do now?"
Zhao Zhengqi regained his composure and paced back and forth:
"First, report this matter to the City Lord and others, and let everyone be on alert.
"Then, then, do nothing and just closely monitor those people's movements."
"Do nothing?" Zhao Yide was quite surprised.
Zhao Zhengqi sneered:
"You still want revenge?
"Unless that madman dies on the spot, you and I can forget about sleeping soundly for the rest of our lives.
"Who in their right mind isn't afraid of a madman who has both the drive and the ability?"
At this point, Zhao Zhengqi paused:
"They don't seem to be without backing, and our losses last time weren't that great either."
Zhao Yide breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"That's all we can do..."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered something and blurted out:
"Dad, hasn't that matter been unable to find the right people to do it? Should we ask them?"
"Are you crazy?" Zhao Zhengqi scolded reflexively.
Then, he fell silent, and after several seconds he said:
"It's not, not impossible..."