Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Silhouette

Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Figure in the Distance

"Wang Bao, is that bow yours?"

Shen An asked.

"It's been passed down in my family, my father left it to me, for hunting," Wang Bao replied with a cheerful smile.

Shen An nodded, saying nothing more.

To Shen An, Wang Bao’s bow and arrows seemed extraordinary. He couldn’t tell what materials they were made from, but their power was impressive.

For a bow that could withstand the strength of someone awakened like Wang Bao, it had to be remarkable. So Shen An took note of it.

Shen An retrieved some beast carcasses from his space and asked Wang Bao to take them to the hotel kitchen to have them prepared.

Wang Bao left happily.

"Boss, the branch office is just ahead, would you like to take a look?" Mu Linqiu paused, pointing forward.

Shen An looked up and saw many people craning their necks to catch a glimpse of them. After a moment’s thought, he said, "Let’s go, it’s good to have a look."

With that, the group walked toward the branch.

An employee who had been peeking quickly shrank back and shouted, "The boss is coming!"

Instantly, everyone tensed.

"Quiet, all of you," the supervisor barked, "just act as you would on any normal day. You few, go greet them at the door. The rest, keep busy and don’t cause trouble. Remember, uphold the headquarters’ discipline. Anyone who messes up will be fired."

At scenes like this, He Zhouzhou naturally had no place. He had just finished cleaning when someone led him away.

He Zhouzhou was in a room with a group of girls, curiosity in the air.

"I heard the company boss is young and really handsome."

"Really? What a pity, we won’t get to see him today."

"Yes, as newcomers, the supervisor won’t let us meet him, afraid we might cause trouble."

"I heard the boss isn’t married yet. Whoever gets close to him won’t ever have to worry again."

"You’re just lovesick!"

The new girls chatted animatedly, laughter drifting through the room.

But none of this concerned He Zhouzhou. Her thoughts were on Shen An. Where was he now? What was he doing?

"Zhouzhou, do you have a boyfriend?"

A girl leaned in and asked.

"I suppose I do," He Zhouzhou replied after a brief pause.

"Wow, what’s he like? Is he handsome?"

He Zhouzhou smiled wryly. They were not from the same world.

"He’s very handsome."

"Zhouzhou, I need to go to the restroom, come with me!"

"Alright, let’s go together."

He Zhouzhou agreed, and went to the restroom with another girl.

Shen An had just entered the company when someone approached.

"President Shen, welcome. I’m the manager here. It’s an honor to have you inspect our branch."

Shen An nodded, saying little. He left all communication to Mu Linqiu.

She handled these matters far better than Shen An, who was content to simply observe.

After touring the company, followed by a crowd, Shen An stopped outside a room and pointed inside, asking, "What’s this room for?"

There was no sign, so he asked casually.

"Oh, it’s a rest area for newcomers. Several new employees arrived today and aren’t yet familiar with company rules, so..."

Shen An understood and didn’t criticize, simply saying, "Let’s take a look and see how these newcomers are doing."

He moved forward.

The manager hurried ahead to open the door.

Shen An didn’t enter, but glanced inside.

"All girls," he remarked.

"Yes, it’s easier for women to handle these tasks nowadays."

Shen An nodded and turned to leave.

Just as he was leaving, He Zhouzhou and another new girl emerged from the restroom.

"Wow, wasn’t that the boss? He’s so young and handsome!" The other girl’s eyes sparkled.

He Zhouzhou looked over, but saw only a figure walking away.

"That figure seems familiar," she murmured, frowning, unable to recall where she had seen it before.

The two entered the rest area, the door still open.

Inside, the newcomers sat in stunned silence, lost in happy thoughts.

"Hey, what are you all looking at?" He Zhouzhou snapped them out of their reverie.

"Zhouzhou, Yingying, the boss just opened the door and looked at us!"

"So handsome, I feel like melting."

"Really, he just stood there, my heart was pounding so hard I didn’t know what to say."

He Zhouzhou couldn’t understand their infatuation. She sat to one side, dazed.

…

Crash!

A noble wine glass was crushed in the hand of a man wearing a golden mask; his skin remained unscathed.

With a hoarse voice, the golden-masked man said, "My man is dead."

He looked furious, on the verge of erupting.

"I’m sorry, I hadn’t expected Shen An to be so strong. He seemed to anticipate someone would make a move against him," Xu Tianming said, lying on the sofa, his face grim and his fists clenched until they creaked.

"He killed my man. Given his character, I expect he’ll come for me soon," the masked man said, taking a deep breath.

"That’s good, saves us the trouble of going after him," Xu Tianming replied, inhaling deeply as if weighing some decision.

"You’re too optimistic. That kid isn’t as simple as you think. He won’t be easy to deal with."

Xu Tianming sat up, his face darkening. "If he were easy, you wouldn’t have had to get involved. Everyone knows he’s not simple, but that’s exactly why we have to kill him."

His eyes flashed with murderous intent.

"Don’t be so extreme. Things haven’t reached that point yet," the masked man hurriedly cautioned, as if afraid Xu Tianming might do something uncontrollable.

"I know. Let’s wait a bit longer. For now, don’t provoke him. He’s been meeting frequently with Bai Weiwei from the authorities lately, and who knows what they’re hiding from us."

What Xu Tianming feared most was the unknown. The more elusive, the more uneasy he felt.

"I recall you have someone who can control fire?"

Suddenly, Xu Tianming shifted the topic.

"I do, but that kid is in Mu Linqiu’s team. Last time, he was the only one who returned. I don’t dare use him now," the masked man replied, annoyance showing on his face.

Wang Yuan, though he hadn’t chosen Shen An, had been ostracized upon returning to the covert group. They no longer dared to use him, and he was gradually being marginalized.

"What a pity," Xu Tianming sighed. "If he’s not reliable, just kill him. Someone whose loyalty is uncertain has no use."

He cared little for Wang Yuan’s fate; what worried him was someone sabotaging his plans in secret.

"So, how are things going with the Sun family?"

Seeing his reaction, the masked man became serious as well.