Absurd.
That was the first word that came to Li Qianfan's mind upon waking up.
And then?
There was no 'then.'
Realizing absurdity was one thing; liking it was another.
In fact, many things people did, many actions they took, were just like this.
The room was silent, with only Li Qianfan sprawled on the bed.
He closed his eyes and savored the moment for a while before slowly sitting up.
The bedroom door opened.
The radiant President Jiao San, dressed in a black, form-fitting suit and high heels, walked in with a peculiar gait: "Oh, Master, you're finally awake. I thought you'd sleep until noon."
What time is it?
Li Qianfan picked up his phone to check and found it was already close to eleven-thirty.
He was startled: "How could I have slept so long?"
"Perhaps you were too tired last night?"
Jiao San, swaying her hips, walked over and apologized: "It's all my fault, always wanting more. Come, lift your leg, I'll help you put on your pants."
Heh heh.
Since when was Jiao San so virtuous?
But this was a good thing; it should be encouraged more often.
Was she alone?
Li Qianfan couldn't help but ask: "Where's Chongchong?"
Kneeling on one knee to put on his shoes, Jiao Yin looked up at him: "Who is Chongchong?"
"Shen Yun."
Seeing that the woman was feigning ignorance, Li Qianfan had to be direct.
Jiao San lowered her head: "Oh, you mean Miss Shen. She's never been to Modu, has she?"
What?
Li Qianfan was stunned.
Jiao Yin picked up another shoe and put it on him: "But this morning, around nine, Deputy Chief Su of Dark Blade, accompanied by Su Xin, went to your home on Jinling Road. They were followed by Dark Blade's third team. The leader's name was something like Hu Zi."
Li Qianfan was somewhat bewildered.
He seriously suspected if he had been dreaming last night.
No!
Had he been dreaming since the night before?
"Master, shall we go home for dinner? It's only a few minutes' drive from here."
Jiao Yin stood up and asked: "Do you need me to help you pee?"
Li Qianfan—
Get lost!
Shameless woman.
Don't just talk the talk.
Li Qianfan glared at her, and amidst Jiao San's giggles, he walked into the restroom.
After washing up, as Li Qianfan stepped out of the restroom, Jiao Yin tossed him something black.
With a *snap*, Li Qianfan caught it. It was half of a black jade pendant.
In the center of this half-pendant, there was an indentation about the size of half a soybean.
It was obvious.
When this half-pendant was combined with the other half, it could hold something the size of half a soybean.
In Li Qianfan's mind—
The image immediately surfaced: yesterday morning at the Li residence, and last night here, a black jade pendant swaying back and forth like a pendulum with Jiao Jiao's voice.
So.
What was the thing hidden inside the black jade pendant?
Li Qianfan didn't need to think hard to guess that this thing had something to do with the conspiracy planned by Sister Wujiang and the others against them.
Unfortunately, no one would tell him.
Li Qianfan asked Jiao Yin: "Who gave it to you?"
Jiao Yin casually replied: "This is a protective amulet I prayed for you at the temple. As long as you wear it, it will ensure you live a long life. Remember, once you put it on, you're not allowed to take it off again. Otherwise, misfortune will befall you."
Nonsense!
Li Qianfan muttered, but after a moment of hesitation, he put the half-pendant around his neck.
*Bang*.
His heart skipped a beat without warning.
Then it returned to its calm rhythm.
He then had a strong illusion that an invisible, smooth, delicate, and cool little hand was caressing his chest.
A phantom sound echoed in his ear: "Brother."
"Master, take a look for yourself."
Jiao Yin brought another item over.
It was her makeup mirror.
Li Qianfan, with a face full of confusion, asked: "What do you want me to look at?"
"Yourself."
Jiao Yin looked into his eyes and said softly: "Someone instructed me to remind you to look in the mirror. See if you've become younger."
Li Qianfan's expression changed.
He looked at himself in the mirror, unmoving, for a long time.
Jiao Yin gently stroked his cheek, her eyes full of adoration: "Master, you are indeed younger than you were two days ago. This change is truly visible to the naked eye."
"What about her?"
Li Qianfan suddenly thought of something and urgently asked: "Has she gotten old?"
Jiao San asked: "Who is she?"
Li Qianfan kicked the woman's behind.
Ouch, that hurt!
Jiao San cried out in pain, and it wasn't just for show.
It was real pain.
Li Qianfan's kick made Jiao San's gait even more awkward.
Although she deserved to be kicked for her pretense, Li Qianfan felt a little guilty thinking she had been kicked right after being injured.
Therefore.
On the way home, Li Qianfan offered to drive for her.
Five minutes later.
The small blue car stopped in front of the Li residence.
The parking spaces on either side of the entrance were already full.
Li Qianfan quickly entered the house.
In the courtyard, he saw Hu Zi and others from Dark Blade's third team, as well as Su Xin, dressed in a black tracksuit.
These people were all Su Nan Yin's personal bodyguards.
Their presence proved that Su Nan Yin, the Standing Deputy Chief of Dark Blade, had indeed graced the Li residence.
Hu Zi and the others nodded and smiled at Li Qianfan.
Jiao Yin's "fake loyalty" twelve guards, along with Ma Rongna, were cleaning the courtyard in the cleared west wing.
That little fox had moved into the master bedroom of the west wing.
"Son-in-law."
Su Xin, standing at the entrance, greeted Li Qianfan.
Mm.
Li Qianfan nodded and returned the greeting before entering the living room.
In the living room.
Gao Ling Wang, Jing Hong Cuo, and eight other people sat upright on the west sofa.
On the sofa facing west and back to the east sat several men Li Qianfan didn't recognize.
And Su Nan Yin, the Standing Deputy Chief of Dark Blade, sat with her legs crossed on the sofa facing the entrance.
Dressed in a white suit, she sat upright.
Her expression was calm, and a slight shift of her eyes could exude an indescribable pressure.
Looking at her face, still charming and youthful, in her late twenties, Li Qianfan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Very good.
She was still so young and vibrant!
It had to be said, Su Nan Yin in her work mode had an imposing aura.
Even Li Qianfan, the world's top dandy, had to curb all selfish thoughts and adopt a proper attitude upon seeing her, quickly walking behind her and standing there with his hands at his sides, head slightly bowed.
"Everyone, allow me to introduce my secretary, Li Qianfan."
Su Nan Yin turned to Li Qianfan and said, "These gentlemen are colleagues sent by Director Chen to assist Dark Blade in thoroughly investigating the Ken Ru Devil incident. They are from Special Services, Security, and Urban Special Forces."
The plainclothes men stood up together and waved to Li Qianfan, saluting: "Secretary Li."
"Hello, everyone."
Li Qianfan nodded and returned the salute.
After a brief introduction, Su Nan Yin immediately began to assign tasks as the overall commander.
The joint operation plan between Dark Blade and Modu's three powerful units was named "Black Jade Pendant" by Su Nan Yin.
Why was this operation called "Black Jade Pendant"?
Li Qianfan was puzzled and instinctively glanced down.
From his perspective—
He could see a black jade pendant hanging on Deputy Chief Su's chest.
Black against white, the black was mysterious, and the white was even more noble.
The leaders of Modu's three powerful units, as well as Gao Ling Wang and his group, also didn't know why Deputy Chief Su had named this operation the rather mysterious "Black Jade Pendant."
However, no one asked.
It was just an operation codename.
Let alone calling it "Black Jade Pendant," even if it were called "Ma Family Victory," the Ma family of Modu would surely collapse.
A complete uprooting!
After all.
If the Ma family was merely "sheltering" a cruel devil, they wouldn't be worthy of the joint efforts of Deputy Chief Su and Modu's three powerful departments.
"I reiterate,"
Su Nan Yin said sternly at the end, "Tonight, before the Black Jade Pendant operation begins, no one is allowed to leave the East and West courtyards! All communication devices must be placed on the table!"
Yes!!
Everyone, including the leaders of the three powerful units, stood up abruptly and agreed with a resounding "Yes!"
Nine P.M.
The outskirts of Modu.
In a rented civilian house, seven middle-aged and elderly people who had come to Modu to "inspect projects" were discussing something in low voices behind a closed door.
"Matsushita-kun."
An old man frowned: "It is said that just last night at midnight, the Ran Feng Pond water began to churn and boil. This is a very ominous sign. I have a bad feeling that our trip to Modu might, might be in vain."
In vain, is that the bad omen?
Of course not.
The old man dared not say what the specific bad omen was.
"I think it's best for us to withdraw from Modu tonight."
The old man called Matsushita-kun nodded: "After we withdraw from Modu, we can notify those who are challenging the ring to withdraw gradually. Otherwise, a group withdrawal will surely attract the enemy's attention."
"Good, then we'll leave tonight."
As another elder finished speaking, they suddenly heard some squeaking sounds from the courtyard outside the door.
These squeaking sounds were like the calls of mice.
The calls of countless mice gathered together.
The squeaking grew closer and louder!
It reached the door!!
And—
After everyone heard the squeaking, they faintly heard a high-pitched whistling sound coming from a distance, yet seemingly close by.
"What is that?"
An elder closest to the door quickly went to open it.
Then—
Countless mice, squeaking furiously, suddenly rushed in from outside the just-opened door.
"Ah! Where did so many come from?"
As the elder who opened the door exclaimed "from," a mouse, taking advantage of his open mouth, jumped into it squeaking.
Mice.
Innumerable mice, like a tide of gray and black, rushed into the house and began to frantically gnaw at everything.
Furniture, food, people, even appliances, were subjected to the frenzied gnawing of countless mice.
It was as if all the mice in the world had flocked into this room, following that sharp whistling sound.
A dark figure stood on the roof opposite the residence, watching indifferently, holding a whistle with both hands and continuously playing a melody of death.
Her name was Black Hole.
Black Hole from Jinta Country—
Not only was she Li Xiao's wife and the last descendant of the Pharaoh, but she was also the world's only beast tamer who could use a whistle to enslave any animal and have them kill according to her orders!
The sharp whistle sounded intermittently for a full fifteen minutes.
Finally.
Black Hole drifted away under the moonlight.
The whistling stopped!
The tide-like swarm of mice, as if realizing something, awoke from their frenzy and quickly ran out of the living room, soon scattering into the surrounding fields.
Looking at the living room—
The seven elderly masters from Hancheng, Dongyang, and Daosheng, renowned experts of the Xuanmen, were no longer there.
They were all Xuanmen masters.
They possessed the ability to calculate dire omens when an enemy was about to appear!
But they couldn't calculate mice, which were not human—
And so, they transformed from seven living people into seven fresh skeletons!