Chapter 288: Chapter 285 [Open in a Safe Place?!]
Chapter Two Hundred and Eighty-Five [Open in a Safe Place?!]
In front of Hengfa Bike Shop on Daming Road.
When Chen Nuo jumped out of the taxi, he glanced at the time on his phone: it was just after nine in the morning.
Since it was the weekend, there was no morning rush hour to speak of, and the streets were not very busy with pedestrians and vehicles.
The bike shop’s rolling shutter was closed, and the sign above it was still brand new. But someone had thrown a few eggs at the four big characters spelling out "Hengfa Bike Shop."
The shutter was undamaged, just a bit dirty, splashed with some paint or something similar, perhaps oil paint.
In front of the planter by the shop, a group of three to five people were huddled together, of varying heights and builds, clearly the sort of idle riffraff one might find in society.
They weren’t idle; they had put up a big banner, red with black letters, which boldly stated:
"Unscrupulous, black-hearted merchants, passing off substandard goods as quality ones, defrauding consumers!!"
There was also an old lady, probably hired for the occasion, holding a megaphone and occasionally letting out a few loud, mournful cries.
Then, the people around her would grab any passerby who stopped to watch, loudly propagating all sorts of things.
It was nothing but a bunch of made-up nonsense. Things like this bike shop selling shoddy electric bikes that would fall apart after a couple of days, or batteries that might catch fire, or brakes that would fail.
In short, they would just make things up: fabricate away!
The old lady, head wrapped in gauze, spoke as if she were a veteran at staging accidents. She told everyone who would listen that she’d bought an electric bike from this shop. It supposedly broke down after two days, causing her to take a nasty fall and injure her head while riding it.
She would also wail and complain about how the shop owner was heartless, refusing to compensate, and being deceitful...
Ordinary people, after all, love to watch a good spectacle, and at the beginning, quite a few gawkers really did gather around.
Chen Nuo didn’t go over directly when he got out of the car; instead, he stood at a distance and took it all in for a moment before starting to look around.
Soon enough, he spotted a minivan parked inconspicuously off to the side of the road.
Inside the van sat a driver, window open, watching the commotion across the street.
There was also someone sitting in the passenger seat.
His face indeed was wrapped in gauze, and he looked bruised and swollen.
With a crew cut and a gold chain around his neck, he had a fierce look about him.
Chen Nuo stared intently for a moment and confirmed in his mind that he had found the right person.
Without approaching, he continued to look around and then suddenly saw a person in a noodle restaurant across the street. Chen Nuo smiled and walked over.
Inside the noodle shop, Brother Lei was already seated. Upon seeing Chen Nuo enter, he got up and waved at him.
Chen Nuo walked in with a smile and saw Zhang Linsheng sitting at the same table with Brother Lei. Surprisingly, the little demon Xia Xia was also there.
Zhang Linsheng seemed in good spirits, though his complexion was a bit off. There was, however, something different in his expression, a subtle change between his brows.
Chen Nuo’s heart stirred as he suddenly noticed that Xia Xia was wearing an oversized men’s shirt. The girl had styled it a bit, tying the hem to deliberately expose a strip of her midriff.
It had the "boyfriend style" vibe that would become very popular many years later—a men’s style worn by a woman.
"You’re all here," Chen Nuo said as he settled in at the table.
"Nuo is here," Brother Lei greeted him with a smile, then called over the waitress, "Add a bowl of eel noodles."
He turned to Chen Nuo and said, "This place serves pretty good eel noodles. During the two months of renovations, we often ate here. The owner knows us well."
Chen Nuo nodded; he hadn’t had breakfast yet.
Zhang Linsheng sighed, his face darkening as he whispered, "Chen Nuo... I’m sorry, I..."
Chen Nuo waved his hand but looked at Brother Haonan with a smile, suddenly slapped him on the shoulder, and said with a grin, "Congratulations, you and Xia Xia have made it official?"
Zhang Linsheng suddenly felt awkward, his eyes betraying his embarrassment.
It was Xia Xia who smiled, unabashedly leaning on Zhang Linsheng’s shoulder. "Thank you, Master Nuo."
"Hmm, treat my brother well; he’s a bit of a simpleton," Chen Nuo nodded.
Brother Lei distributed cigarettes, and Xia Xia, very astutely, took the initiative to pick up the lighter from the table and lit the men’s cigarettes. The first one she lit was for Chen Nuo.
The last one she lit was for her own man.
Chen Nuo took another look at Xia Xia, sighing inwardly.
This girl is too smart, and I wonder if Brother Haonan, such a straightforward fellow, can handle her.
As for the trouble at the shop... truth be told, no one was taking it too seriously.
Whether it was Brother Lei or Zhang Linsheng, by now they both had some understanding of Chen Nuo’s capabilities—such minor issues were indeed not considered problems.
There was definitely no need to worry; at most, it was just a bit nauseating.
While smoking and enjoying eel noodles, Chen Nuo listened as Brother Lei and Zhang Linsheng briefly explained the situation.
The eel noodles were quite good, with the eel fried until crisp and tasty, with a hint of sweetness.
The noodles themselves weren’t that great, but the generous topping made up for it, marking it as a dish with real substance.
A bowl of noodles went down in no time, and Brother Lei was still talking.
"Lin Sheng handled it well this time, closing the shop right away. Their eager attempts were met with a cold rebuff.
If we had continued to operate today with our doors open, their commotion upon arrival would have been problematic.
Now that our doors are closed, any noise they make is like punching air. The onlookers, seeing no further developments, will soon disperse.
It won’t cause much of an impact."
Chen Nuo nodded, picking at his noodles with chopsticks while looking out of the restaurant window across the street.
Sure enough, most of the onlookers at the shop’s entrance had dispersed.
With the aggrieved party present but no shop representative to confront, it was clear there would be no fight or quarrel—like thunder without rain. Such a spectacle couldn’t hold people’s interest for long.
Zhang Linsheng spoke in a low voice, "I thought they would smash our shop, so I came prepared today."
Chen Nuo laughed and glanced at Brother Haonan.
"Lin Sheng has no experience in these street matters," Brother Lei chuckled. "They won’t smash the place; doing so changes the nature of things."
Do they think this is the old society? Don’t pay protection money, so they smash your shop? That’s from watching too many movies. We live in a society ruled by law now.
Moreover, Jinling City is a key city in the eastern Yangtze River Delta region, with public security ranking among the top nationwide.
Smashing a shop is out of the question.
If they did, do they think the police are just for show?
The moment someone reports vandalism or destruction of private property, the damages alone are enough to file a case!
How could these city rats and foxes directly confront the authorities?
They all operate by toeing the line.
If you don’t pay protection money, they won’t actually smash your place. It’s impossible.
But they can find various ways to harass you, to disrupt your business and prevent you from making a profit.
I didn’t smash anything, I didn’t rob anything. Even if you call the police, it’s no use. The police can’t arrest me. At most, they’ll give me a lecture and disperse us. I’ll leave today and come back tomorrow! After a few days of this, how much business will you have lost?
Of course, truly ruthless methods weren’t unheard of.
If the shop owner remained defiant and refused to comply, then more covert and brutal tactics might be employed.
But it was always done sneakily.
Smashing a store in broad daylight... that kind of thing only happens in remote and backward areas.
In the Yangtze River Delta, it’s basically impossible.
Brother Lei shared some underworld wisdom with Zhang Linsheng, then began to explain a few of the complexities of the situation to Chen Nuo.
Currently, Chen Nuo’s small circle already had pretty strong backing.
Li Qingshan was a well-known big shot.
Brother Lei had also recently become a significant figure.
In addition, Luo Qing, Young Master Luo, could also be of some use.
But the crux of the matter was, this was Daming Road.
The big shots all had their own territories. They couldn’t overstep their bounds or meddle in others’ affairs on their turf.
Li Qingshan’s influence was in the main urban area. Luo Qing’s father, Luo Dachanzi, dealt in civil engineering and the sand and gravel business in Jiangning District.
Brother Lei, on the other hand, controlled the Tangzi Street neighborhood.
And this place, Daming Road, belonged to the Qinhuai District of Jinling City.
It wasn’t a territory their small circle had a grip on.
"We can’t just keep our doors closed and hide, right?" Zhang Linsheng said, his face ashen. "We’ve just opened and distributed a wave of flyers. These next few days are crucial for seeing results. Closing down to avoid direct conflict curtails the immediate impact, but overall, we’re still losing out. If we don’t open for a day, we lose a day’s business."
Chen Nuo nodded and deliberately looked at Brother Haonan. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Me?" Zhang Linsheng pondered, seeming a bit hesitant.
"It’s okay, just speak your mind. How do you think we should handle this? Do you have any strategies?" Chen Nuo said calmly.
Zhang Linsheng glanced at Brother Lei. "I’m not very familiar with this line of work. Could we possibly ask Brother Lei to find out about these guys’ background? We must find out who the opposing party is."
"Uh-huh, pinpointing the real adversary first is correct. What comes next?" Chen Nuo drawled.
"Next?" Zhang Linsheng hesitated even more, then took a deep breath. "These people, they must be local bullies... We’re trying to run a business here... Perhaps... find an influential mediator, someone with enough clout, to send a message..."
Chen Nuo laughed. "You mean to prioritize negotiation?"
Zhang Linsheng’s face turned red.
"Is that really what you think?" Chen Nuo stared intently at Zhang Linsheng.
Zhang Linsheng’s eyes shifted, and he clenched his teeth. "I..."
He exhaled heavily. Brother Haonan finally lowered his head and said, "I was thinking... you’ve invested millions in this shop. If the business can’t take off, I can’t let you lose money. So..."
Chen Nuo sighed and patted Zhang Linsheng on the shoulder.
He understood. It wasn’t that Brother Haonan was backing down; rather, he was concerned about Chen Nuo’s investment.
As the principal investor in the business, Brother Haonan didn’t want Chen Nuo to suffer financial losses.
Hence, he was willing to swallow his pride, look for a mediator to negotiate, and prevent a larger conflict that would cause Chen Nuo to lose more money.
"Tell me what happened yesterday again. I want to hear it," Chen Nuo said after a moment’s thought.
"Okay, yesterday..." Just as Zhang Linsheng began to speak, Chen Nuo suddenly raised his hand, turning to Xia Xia. "Were you there yesterday too?"
Xia Xia was taken aback. "Me? I... was there."
"Good, then let Xia Xia tell the story," Chen Nuo said with a smile.
Xia Xia hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Zhang Linsheng had closed his mouth, she reluctantly started narrating.
Two minutes later, Chen Nuo suddenly raised his eyebrows. "Stop!"
Xia Xia: "..."
"You said that person touched you inappropriately?" Chen Nuo asked with a frown.
Xia Xia looked a bit flustered, not daring to respond for fear of saying something wrong.
Chen Nuo shook his head, glanced at Zhang Linsheng, and slowly said, "Brother, what’s there to talk about now?"
"..."
"Let me make myself very clear today.
This shop, this business—I didn’t set it up intending to make a lot of money from it.
It’s just to give our brothers something to report to their families, and for everyone to have something to do—consider it a pastime.
As for money, it’s good if the shop can earn it. If it can’t, honestly, just consider it a pastime.
Under normal circumstances, if these local thugs and city vermin come looking for a handout and don’t do anything too outrageous,
as long as their actions don’t cross the line, then, as you said, Lin Sheng, we could find Li Qingshan or someone else to send a message to their boss, and the matter would be over.
But since they’ve crossed the line, then it’s a whole different matter!"
Chen Nuo said coldly, "Xia Xia, you’re considered my sister-in-law now, right?"
Xia Xia was startled and instinctively turned to look at Zhang Linsheng.
Actually, Chen Nuo’s wording was a bit off. He called Zhang Linsheng "Brother," but when it came to Xia Xia, he referred to her as "sister-in-law."
However, neither Zhang Linsheng nor Brother Lei found anything wrong with that statement. Both instinctively recognized Chen Nuo as the leader of their small circle.
Zhang Linsheng’s face turned red, seemingly a bit embarrassed. "Well... um, we are together now."
With that admission, Xia Xia immediately beamed with joy but gently pinched Zhang Linsheng’s arm.
Chen Nuo also nodded. "Then there’s no need for further talk.
They messed with our sister-in-law, so what the hell is there to talk about?"
With that, Chen Nuo looked firmly at Zhang Linsheng and said in a grave tone, "Brother, you really don’t have to put yourselves through this!
Xia Xia was bullied, and you’re still thinking about my business... I understand your intentions.
But, you really don’t have to!
Since we’re brothers, and Xia Xia is your girlfriend, she’s one of us!
Our own people get bullied, and we’re supposed to tolerate that crap? No way!
I’m only saying this once today, and you’d better remember it in the future!
We don’t bully others—that’s the greatest kindness!"
Chen Nuo had set the tone. Although Zhang Linsheng’s face didn’t show much, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Actually, if Chen Nuo had decided to "prioritize negotiation" today, Zhang Linsheng would have gone along with it without a second thought.
After all, Chen Nuo was the main boss of this business; all the money was his. If, for the sake of the business, the decision was to endure it, Zhang Linsheng would have had no objections.
Moreover, Chen Nuo had already given him so much.
It wouldn’t be reasonable to ask for more.
But when Chen Nuo said, "Our own people get bullied, and we’re supposed to tolerate that crap? No way!" Zhang Linsheng suddenly felt a warmth in his heart!
Chen Nuo then asked Brother Lei to find out who these guys were. After all, the first step was to identify the opposition.
After finishing their noodles, the four of them settled the bill and got up to leave.
"Let’s not worry about it today. Let them make a fuss. Since we’re not open for business, they’ll disperse after a while.
You two lovebirds can just take it as a holiday.
Go on a date, have some fun. Go home and get cozy if you want. We can deal with the big issues after Brother Lei has gathered all the information."
Chen Nuo’s words made Zhang Linsheng blush, but Xia Xia cast a flirtatious glance at Brother Haonan and laughed. "I’ve begged you so many times to take me to the movies. You can finally go with me today, right?"
"...Go!" Chen Nuo laughed. "It’s just a movie! Let my brother take you! Watch whatever you want! You can even spend the whole day at the cinema if you like!"
After arranging for Brother Lei to drive Zhang Linsheng and Xia Xia away, Chen Nuo said he would stroll home.
Once the three were gone, Chen Nuo strolled along the road with his hands in his pockets, deliberately stopping by the van.
Inside the vehicle, the man wearing a gold chain was impatiently making a phone call.
"They’re not opening the door, so let’s just pull out! Damn it! We’ll bring more people tomorrow. I don’t believe they can keep the door shut indefinitely!"
Chen Nuo pretended to lean against the van as if searching for something in his pocket, his hand lightly patting the front of the vehicle.
"Hey! What are you doing? Don’t lean on that!"
The man inside glared and shouted a warning.
Seeing that the youth in front of him looked like a student, he didn’t take it seriously and looked away.
Chen Nuo smiled, turned, and walked away. After a few steps, he took out his phone to make a call.
"Hello! Traffic Control?
I’m reporting an illegally parked car at the XXX intersection on Daming Road! Are you going to handle it or not?!
It’s blocking the entrance to my shop!
Are you going to take care of this road-blocking illegal parking or not!
Ah! Well... Okay, come over quickly then!"
After hanging up, Chen Nuo walked into a nearby convenience store, browsed for a while, and bought a pack of cigarettes.
When he came out, he saw a police car arriving. A traffic officer got out and was scolding the two men who had emerged from the van.
The gold-chained man nodded and bowed profusely.
However, no matter how the driver tried to start the car, the engine wouldn’t ignite!
Moments later... a tow truck arrived.
The gold-chained man cursed furiously at the driver but was powerless to stop the traffic cop from directing the tow truck to haul the van away.
In the year 2001...
If you were caught for illegal parking and drove away immediately, it was usually manageable.
But if you couldn’t drive away and the tow truck took it... to one of those "impound lots"...
Well, that’s where things got tricky!
Park it overnight, and by the time you dealt with the violation and completed the paperwork to retrieve your vehicle, the parking fees could cost you two or three thousand—and that would be considered a "friend price."
This is a murky business, so we won’t delve into details.
Today was the weekend.
When Chen Nuo returned home, Ou Xiuhua was helping Xiao Yezi with her kindergarten homework, holding a drawing board and drawing with her daughter.
As Chen Nuo entered, Ou Xiuhua naturally asked, "Back already? Have you had breakfast?"
"Yeah, I’ve eaten," Chen Nuo replied, going to wash his hands first. Ou Xiuhua came over from behind, looked at her son, and seeing that his complexion and everything else were fine, she felt relieved. "Was your business trip smooth?"
"Yeah, it went pretty well."
Chen Nuo turned to look at Ou Xiuhua, then at Ye Zi, who had put down her drawing board and run over from the living room.
First, he hugged his little sister and lifted her high a few times.
After putting Ye Zi down, he glanced at the clock on the wall. "It’s the weekend. Why not take Ye Zi out for some fun?"
Ou Xiuhua was taken aback.
"I heard there’s a promotion at the mall in Dongshan; children’s clothes are on sale.
I was thinking, since the season is changing, we could take Ye Zi to buy a couple of new outfits."
Ou Xiuhua hesitated for a moment. "I’ve checked Ye Zi’s clothes; she doesn’t really lack anything..."
Chen Nuo smiled, his tone gentle. "It’s not about whether she’s lacking anything or not.
Kids grow fast. I’ve noticed Ye Zi has grown quite a bit in less than a year. Since there’s a seasonal sale, we should buy what she needs.
Mom, don’t worry about saving money; we’re not short on it. Let Ye Zi dress up nicely; she’ll be happy too."
Only then did Ou Xiuhua nod.
"Ye Zi, Mommy is going to take you to buy new clothes, okay?" Chen Nuo squatted down and kissed Chen Xiaoye on the cheek.
Ye Zi’s face lit up with a smile. "Is brother going too?"
"Hmm, I’ve got some things to handle, so Mommy will take you..."
Seeing Ye Zi’s disappointment, Chen Nuo thought for a moment, stroked his sister’s hair, and smiled. "Be good. Brother really does have things to do... You go with Mom first, shop around, and buy a couple of pretty dresses.
Hmm... Later on, I’ll come find you, and then we can all eat at McDonald’s, okay?"
With a few words, Chen Nuo cheered up Chen Xiaoye, and they even made a pinky promise.
Shortly after, Ou Xiuhua, having gotten ready, left the house with a skipping Chen Xiaoye.
"Don’t take the bus; just hail a taxi," Chen Nuo specially instructed before they left.
After seeing his mother and sister off, Chen Nuo returned to the living room.
Only then did he reach into his shirt and produce a small wooden box.
It was a gift from the middle-aged woman of the Qingyun Sect.
She had told him to open it only when it was safe.
Chen Nuo remembered this. The first thing he did upon returning home was to get his mother and sister out of the house.
He glanced at the living room. After a moment of thought, he channeled a portion of his spiritual power to erect several protective barriers around the area. Then, he slowly reached out and gently lifted the lid of the wooden box placed on the coffee table...
As the lid was lifted, Chen Nuo instantly felt a gentle yet tightly contained force inside burst open!!!
Chen Nuo’s eyes widened instinctively, and his Mentality Cocoon rapidly unfolded!
BUZZ!!!
A dense torrent of Sword Qi, imbued with fierce killing intent, suddenly erupted from the box!
With a crash, Chen Nuo felt his spiritual power barriers being battered by a tempestuous assault!
The mental shock caused Chen Nuo’s mind to go blank for a second...
The next instant, when he opened his eyes again...
Chen Nuo was dumbfounded.
Thankfully, he had set up several spiritual power barriers, but now they were riddled with holes!
Some of the piercing Sword Qi had penetrated the barriers, wreaking havoc in the living room!
The coffee table where the box had rested shattered instantly, as if cleaved by an axe, collapsing into a pile of splintered wood!
The sofa looked as if it had been slashed by a sharp blade. Its cover was punctured with several holes, exposing the stuffing, and in a few places, springs had even burst out!
What vexed Chen Nuo most was the television set beside him!
A perfectly good TV had been sliced clean in half!
From the screen to the picture tube and all its internal components...
Luckily, it wasn’t plugged in, or it might have exploded on the spot.
Several deep gouges, as if carved by an axe, scarred the walls...
BANG!!!
The chandelier suddenly detached from the ceiling and crashed down, landing right in front of Chen Nuo.
Chen Nuo: "..."
Staring silently at the wrecked living room, Chen Nuo swallowed hard.
This is what you call "open it somewhere safe"???? How can you mention it so casually!!!!!!!!!! If I had opened this in a crowded place, it would have become a weapon of mass destruction!!!!! Sister, you could have been a bit clearer in your warning!!!!
Chen Nuo took a deep breath and picked up the box to look inside.
It was a sword.
It was at most a foot long, covered in mottled rust, and the hilt was almost falling off.
The blade was thick with rust, a brownish-yellow color.
Chen Nuo frowned as he examined it, then reached out a finger and lightly touched the blade!
Suddenly, something stirred within his Consciousness Space!
Chen Nuo immediately sensed that, in his Consciousness Space, the "Killing Intent Tree" seemed to have reacted, vibrating slightly.
Chen Nuo frowned but withdrew his finger and carefully closed the box lid!
This thing... I’d better find a truly "safe" place to examine it carefully!!
With that thought, Chen Nuo picked up the box, ready to leave, but then he grabbed his phone to call Brother Lei.
"Brother Lei... have you gotten home?
Ah, you have.
Well... don’t rush to gather information or look for our opponents just yet.
I have an urgent matter for you to handle immediately.
There’s been an incident at my place; I’ve damaged a lot of things in the living room. Could you come over and help me replace everything with a new set?
Yes, quickly! Otherwise, if my mom and Ye Zi come back and see this, I don’t want to scare them.
Good... I need to go out for a while. You have a key to my place, right?
Alright, that’s it then."
「South America.」
The southernmost seaport city on the continent.
A skinny boy stood by the seaside, observing the bustling harbor...
His oversized coat flapped in the sea breeze.
The wind also tousled his curly hair.
In his hands, he held a bag of oat cookies, seemingly bought from somewhere.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, the boy quickly turned his head and squinted in one direction!!
"Is this... an activation?"
Emmmmm...
This is quite intriguing!
Should I go to Antarctica... or should I first find this activated being?
Standing by the sea, gazing out over the water, he seemed lost in thought for a while.
Suddenly, the boy took a deep breath, turned around, and quickly left the seaside...