Archfiend

Chapter 18: Manager Su (2) 

 “Hold your tongue!” Before Cao Mosheng’s voice even fell, Cao Yun had already pulled him over fiercely and firmly pushed him down on the sofa, looking into his eyes and saying loud and clear, “I am telling you, there are men that cannot be weighed by wealth in this world. Yes… these men, there are indeed people in the world that can rival them, that can shake those mega corporations to their very core. Examples like China’s Imperial Qin Court, Britain’s DuPont Family, or a few of Japan’s major financial groups… however, our Sanshui City’s Cao Family isn’t any big deal!” 

“Even the world’s authorities can only use wealth and their enormous connections to trade with him. When did it become your turn to speak? Isn’t our Cao Family as big as an ant in comparison to those peak powers?!”

“I brought you here in order to let that man know of my good faith! Not so you could anger him! How many times have I told you!”

These words seemed to exhaust his entire body of strength. He sat down in disappointment and leaned against the sofa, shutting his eyes. “Mosheng… you should be sensible… There’ll inevitably be a day where grandfather won’t be able to keep carrying on. I regret… I really regret… spoiling you so much… Tonight, just stand there obediently and don’t say anything… Promise, grandfather, alright?” [1]

Cao Mosheng was dazed, believing he had heard incorrectly.

His grandfather had told him before that they were going to see a man. His grandfather, as the present family patriarch and sitting chairman, and Cao Mosheng, the next patriarch and next chairman, had to treat this person properly. He had originally believed it was someone that they had to meet, but it surprisingly turned out to be the new police captain! 

At the present, Cao Yun had went so far as to say that even Tie Xue, the sitting chair of China’s premier corporation the Imperial Qin Court, had to treat such a person equally in the prime of his years?

A person… dressed so casually, the sum value of his clothing equal to less than 500 RMB? 

“Promise me!” 

His train of thought not yet concluded, his grandfather’s voice rang out once again. It wasn’t until he firmly clenched his teeth a few times did Cao Mosheng lower his head, his lips set in a deep line. “Got it.”

Only then did Cao Yun truly release his bated breath. Soon after, he looked towards Manager Su nervously and pursed his lips. “Ms. Su… This time… their branch wouldn’t know, right…”

Manager Su was evidently stunned, sighing faintly, “The branch...?”

“I don’t what kind of place it is, either… Legend says that it’s a mystical world… A real world of immortals… In the myths, it’s said monsters can be seen and there are warriors that can split and hack mountains apart into rubble… Hehe, but it’s only a legend… Lord Yun, this isn’t enough to believe in, but I dare to be sure of two matters.”

She looked at Cao Yun deeply. “One, the key to enter the ‘truth’ is there. The cornerstone. The starting point.”

“The truth…” The hoarseness of Cao Yun’s voice contained immense emotion, and he laughed bitterly. “What truth… The so-called ‘true world’?”

“Perhaps.” Manager Su’s eyes carried the same unequalled yearning. “This key… The second matter I can confirm is that the Cao Family still hasn’t drawn the key to be considered important.”

Cao Yun was silent for a moment, and he unexpectedly laughed, “Is that so… I can set my worries aside.”

“Tch…” Cao Mosheng sneered, his eyes carrying a cold light as he swept them over Manager Su. At this moment, the sound of knocking echoed out. He had discovered a startling matter once more.

Manager Su stood up immediately and tidied her maquillage again. As for Cao Yun, he deeply inhaled several times, not tarrying in the slightest to stand up, only…

Cao Mosheng didn’t know whether or not it was an illusion, but he thought to himself… was his grandfather’s face trembling? 

Why!? Because of what!? Excitement? Fear?! Are you fucking kidding me?! Cao Mosheng’s complexion was terribly gloomy. A mere captain… I want to see how great your background is to make grandfather lower his head to you like this! You better pray it’s great… otherwise, tomorrow will be the day you’re sent scrambling out of Sanshui City!

“I hope I haven’t come late.” Xu Yangyi entered through the door. As for the matter of Manager Su failing to change her shoes, the meaning was rather clear: please, as you will. [2]

Nevertheless, Xu Yangyi still changed into slippers accordingly. His gaze stretched a little onwards, and he laughed. “You didn’t tell me there would be other guests tonight.”

“I’m extremely sorry!” In Cao Mosheng’s astonished gaze, Cao Yun nearly bowed to the floor. “I am your humble servant Cao Yun. This is my grandson, Cao Mosheng. We are truly ashamed to look upon the Immortal Master… Please, we beg your forgiveness.”

“Grandfather.”

“Shut the hell up!” Before Cao Mosheng’s voice even subsided, Cao Yun’s entire head was dotted with cold sweat. He directly straightened his body, looking at Cao Mosheng resentfully for failing to meet his expectations. “Remember my words!”

Cao Mosheng was stunned. It was completely beyond his expectations that his grandfather would surprisingly admonish him in front of a total stranger!

Chinese people paid particular attention to face. But now that major business was being discussed, he’d actually been rebuked?

Son of a bitch… In his heart, he silently cursed, and an icy edge emerged within his eyes. Coldly sweeping his eyes towards Xu Yangyi, he feigned deference and stood over at the side.

“Hehe…” Manager Su faintly laughed and carried over a pot of coffee. The look in her eyes full of meaning, she deeply eyed the youthful face of Cao Mosheng, who was incapable of concealing his inner thoughts. She took a cup and placed it on the table. “Sir Cao, we can be considered acquaintances, but tonight I can’t help you plead.”

“It’s not necessary.” Cao Mosheng forcefully choked back on his anger.

“You…” Cao Yun nearly spat out blood. This child was raised from childhood to be spoiled and pampered, however, in the Cao Family’s three successions of sons, his father had passed away in a car accident. The family’s great properties and estates could only be given to him!

Even now… at this critical juncture… he had actually blurted nonsense!

“Forget about it.” Xu Yangyi lit a cigarette. “It’s no biggie. It’s problematic to demand the wealthy son of a multi-million-dollar company to treat a pauper like me who gets a thousand in allowance every month politely.”

Cao Mosheng laughed. A thousand, was this supposed to be an allowance?

You better pray you got something important deserving of my grandfather’s attention… He wore a bloodthirsty smile as he lowered his head, licked at his chapped lips, and noted darkly to himself within his heart. Otherwise… I don’t mind letting you know who's got the final say in Sanshui City…

He didn’t continue speaking.

“Mr. Xu, a great person is of great capacity.” Cao Yun released his held-in breath, and gritted his teeth. “He ran off…”

At this time, if Xu Yangyi still didn’t know who they were, then he was truly an idiot.

Sanshui City had a few corporations that formed its backbone. They could be said to be Sanshui City’s gods of wealth, great tax-paying households. Venture Pharmaceuticals run by Sanshui’s Cao Family was among one of them.

It could be said he still hadn’t guessed who Cao Yun and Cao Mosheng were, or perhaps it could be said that he hadn’t connected them to Venture Pharmaceuticals. But the words “he ran off” explained everything.

Not only did the toad know that Xu Yangyi hadn’t died, he also knew that Xu Yangyi had even killed the berserker that no one in Sanshui City had dared to act against. How could he still risk continuing to reside in the city?

Xu Yangyi was reminded of his first matter of business, and that was to flay that toad of its skin!

He was unable to tolerate deceit, especially since he had gambled with his own life this time.

But the Cao Family… had spoken truthfully. If it weren’t for them coming to knock on his door, he would’ve even forgotten this name.

“How long did he escape ago?” He asked without much thought. The toad’s escape came to him as no surprise. He had been left slumbering for the past ten-odd days. Would the toad keep waiting, standing stiff like a corpse?

“It’s been over ten days…” Cao Yun wiped away at his sweat, wanting to sit but not daring to. “After Chief Zheng said the killer was apprehended… he specifically asked about your condition… Chief Zheng simply didn’t know about his inside information… Afterwards, he…”

“Embezzled some funds and took off.” Manager Su poured a cup of coffee for Xu Yangyi, gently laughing, “5 million was the greatest sum he could transfer within a week. You know, even if he was lousy, he could render Sanshui’s security system without the slightest awareness with his skill.”

The sofa was pretty comfortable… Compared to the stiff and plank-like “sofa” at Heavens Law, it was much more cozy. Xu Yangyi was so lazy that he didn’t want to move. With a wave of his hand, he brought a cup of coffee to himself using a simple attraction technique. The cup gently floated over to his mouth, and he lightly pursed his lips. Before he even opened his mouth, an abrupt shattering noise pierced everyone’s eardrums. 

“I-It’s f-f-f-flying?!” At this moment, Cao Mosheng’s eyeballs went round and his mouth hung ajar. He looked on in horror at everything occurring in front of him.

What in the blazes was going on!? Had he suddenly passed through into some cultivation novel?! No… This was a dream. This was definitely a dream!

He fiercely clenched his fist but discovered his palm had been painfully pricked by his fingernails. Turning his head immediately, he looked at the taciturn Cao Yun and said shakily, D-D-Demon! G-Grandfather! Demon! He’s a demon! A demon!”

Xu Yangyi looked at the floating cup of coffee at the side of his mouth in amazement. Beside him, Manager Su couldn’t help but giggle.

“A demon…?” She said somewhat meaningful, “A bonafide demon… Little brother, you’ve never even seen one…”

“Shut up!” Presently, Cao Yun felt incomparably complex within his heart.

In his encounter with the toad, he held selfish motives. He couldn’t be considered a good person, and to seize the other’s health supplement secret formula, he had sought several underground organizations to “make the other disappear”. However, the final thing he saw was a youth sitting atop a pile of corpses, smiling at him with a mouth dripping with blood.

In the past few years, he watched blankly as the toad didn’t age but was simply powerless to act! Moreover, even if he desired to make a move, Venture Pharmaceuticals’ major scale of operations simply didn’t allow him to relinquish the other!

At that time, he knew… he had encountered a calamitous thing… when the youth in his third year hadn’t even grown taller nor grown older.

At this time, Manager Su had found him. He knew there were some things he wasn’t allowed to touch… but now that things had already been touched, what was there to be done! The strange youth was a poppy that would spell his doom! He was incapable of breaking free! He also didn’t want to be freed! 

Hidden. That which was hidden had to be concealed beneath the cloak of darkness! It wasn’t that Heavens Law didn’t have someone come, but in such a situation the toad was disinclined to care, even with someone coming. However… things weren’t the same this time!

According to Manager Su, the champion of Yuyang City had now come! Furthermore, the toad and this man even had a fatal skirmish! When the toad could no longer be met, he knew that an imminent crisis was approaching Venture Pharmaceuticals.

He simply didn’t wait for Xu Yangyi to come find him, instead bribing the entire hospital. As soon as Xu Yangyi had awakened, he had spent 2 million to get Manager Su to bring Xu Yangyi for a talk, if only for a word.

Cao Mosheng didn’t know anything about this whatsoever. He only looked at the leisurely and content Xu Yangyi like he had seen a ghost. His lips quivered, and his forehead was slick with cold sweat.

Subsequently, he looked towards his silent grandfather again and the comfortable Manager Su. Several minutes later, he used his trembling finger to vacantly sweep it across the living room, his voice like grinding rust. “Y-You guys both knew… Am I right…?”

“Grandfather… Ms. Su... Tell me… a-am I dreaming?!”

“You aren’t dreaming.” Manager Su parted her lips and took a sip of coffee. “Your grandfather has already reminded you a good many times, and I have reminded you, as well. There are some things, even with the Cao Family’s foundation, which bottom lines still can’t be touched.

Cao Mosheng gaped several times, unable to say a word.

An immortal art… This was an immortal art! Heavens… The things found in novels and television actually existed in reality! What had he provoked? A true demon? An immortal?

It was no wonder… No wonder Manager Su had warned him again… No wonder his grandfather had warned him once more… He had envisioned an awful lot, such as the strength of the other’s background and so on, yet he absolutely didn’t expect…

That this man was simply beyond comprehension!

“You’re pretty smart.”

Cao Mosheng’s thoughts nervously scrambled to the nth degree, yet Xu Yangyi simply didn’t plan to pay any heed to him. On the contrary, he looked at Cao Yun and said, “I was just getting ready to handle this business and return. At most to remind you, but you delivered yourselves to my door. And I…”

“Mr. Xu!” Against expectation, Cao Yun dared not let Xu Yangyi speak. The other appeared not to take the matter seriously, but he didn’t have such a luxury! What was the intent of the other’s “reminder”? To what degree? He absolutely didn’t want to risk spurring the entire Cao Family into mobilization!