Chapter 28: Go and See Him

“These damned bastards. I handed in my resignation, and they didn’t even try to keep me. The boss agreed without hesitation and immediately had my things packed and saw me out the door.”
“I’ll show them. They missed out on a real gem! Losing me is their loss.”
“In any case, my friend, from now on, I’ll be working here with you.”
Kelly Losetti sprawled on the sofa, ranting endlessly about the heartlessness of his previous detective agency.
Li Changqing sat across from him, offering comfort. “Kelly, here’s our employment contract. The base salary is two thousand Long coins. For any case you handle alone, you get a fifty percent commission. If we work together, your cut is thirty percent.”
Li Changqing felt both joy and concern over Kelly Losetti’s arrival. A professional detective like him rarely joined a struggling agency such as his, so Li Changqing was naturally pleased to have him on board.
However, with the Shadow Cult likely to come knocking at any moment, he worried that Kelly’s involvement might place him in danger.
Kelly Losetti’s gaze drifted to Guan Wenyan, busy with housework. “And who is this?”
“Let me introduce you—this is my assistant, Guan Wenyan.”
Li Changqing explained to Guan Wenyan, “Wenyan, this is our newest detective, Kelly Losetti—a true nobleman from the Ramela Empire.”
Kelly Losetti rose gracefully and shook Guan Wenyan’s hand. “A pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working together.”
“Hello,” Guan Wenyan replied, his words few, though suspicion lingered in his mind.
This Hu Qideng’s ability to hide his identity was truly impressive.
After several days living here, Guan Wenyan had found not a single clue linking Hu Qideng to the Shadow Cult, and now, a new detective had even been recruited.
What an old fox—no trace of suspicion could be found.
If he hadn’t approached under the guise of an undercover mission, he would never have suspected this young man was Hu Qideng.
Li Changqing cleared his throat and said, “Kelly, you don’t need to come in for work these next few days. I’ll let you know when to start.”
“Alright.” Kelly didn’t think much of it. Detectives didn’t have to clock in every day anyway.
Most of their time was spent resting at home or traveling.
Only when the agency received a commission would they head in to learn about the case and take it on.

“I’ll see Kelly out,” Li Changqing cheerfully said, throwing an arm around Kelly Losetti’s shoulder as they headed downstairs.
Once in the lobby, Kelly Losetti lowered his voice. “My friend, your assistant doesn’t strike me as a professional detective’s aide. He seems quite amateurish—his whole demeanor is more like that of a cleaner.”
Li Changqing chuckled and replied, “He’s new to the field—there’s still much he needs to learn.”
After seeing Kelly Losetti off, Li Changqing took out his phone and dialed Hu Xiong.
The dial tone hummed a few times before the call connected.
Hu Xiong’s voice came through. “Hello, Detective Li. Any new developments?”
“Where are you? Yesterday, more Shadow Cult members came looking for me, and those two guardians will arrive soon. You can’t seriously expect me to become their sect leader, can you?”
Hu Xiong paused before replying, “I’m protecting you from the shadows—I’m nearby. Don’t worry.”
“Each of those two guardians holds a roster of their subordinates. Once you become the leader, you can order them to hand over the rosters, and then we’ll make our move.”
Li Changqing frowned. “You know I have to become their leader first, but by their cult’s rules, I’ll have to defeat them both…”
“Detective Li, I trust your intelligence. You can do it. And don’t worry about your safety—I’m close by, watching over you.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I’m looking at you right now as you’re calling me.”
Li Changqing cursed inwardly. Damn this bastard and his nonsense.
He hung up and returned to the agency. All that was left was to wait for the two guardians to appear.
…
Within Nanlin City, a sedan pulled up slowly in front of the Jintian Hotel. An elderly man, over seventy, slightly stooped with graying hair and dressed in a thin black shirt, alighted with the help of a cane.
Two security guards in suits and sunglasses stepped out behind him.
“Guardian Gou.”
At the hotel entrance, someone approached and said quietly, “Guardian Qi has been waiting for you. Please, this way.”

The old man’s expression remained calm as he followed the man inside.
The private room was filled with food and drink arranged on a large round table. Gou Zhen entered with his two bodyguards.
Seated at the head was an old man about his age, surrounded by over ten aides.
“Old Qi, it’s been nearly thirty years since we last met,” Gou Zhen said, leaning on his cane, his face wreathed in smiles as he sat beside him.
Qi Hongshan turned to his aides and the servers. “My old friend and I have things to discuss. All of you, wait outside.”
The room emptied.
“Old Gou, the leader’s been dead nearly three years. Let’s speak plainly,” Qi Hongshan said with a thin, mocking smile. “We’re here to choose a new leader.”
Gou Zhen set his cane aside, fingers interlaced on his lap. “At my age, I have no interest in being the leader. I’m only here for the spectacle.”
Qi Hongshan cursed the old fox’s hypocrisy. “But I hear that Hu Qideng’s sacred art has reached perfection—that his Shadow has attained transcendence!”
“Impossible!” Gou Zhen’s pupils contracted as he gripped his cane and said in a low voice, “After the leader’s death, the transcendent Shadow technique was lost. The lower ranks may not know, but we do. How could he have mastered it?”
Qi Hongshan chuckled. “They say he’s even regained his youth—using the life-borrowing method to become young again.”
The two locked eyes in silence for a moment.
“He’s not Hu Qideng,” Gou Zhen said coldly. “The life-borrowing method, to regain youth? Hmph, if it were so simple, would I still be hobbling around like this?”
Qi Hongshan nodded. “That’s exactly why I asked you here before the meeting. But Hu Qideng holds the Guardian’s Seal—you know those can never be passed to outsiders.”
Both men were old foxes who had survived decades of persecution. This alone was enough to raise their suspicions about “Hu Qideng.”
Qi Hongshan stroked his chin and said in a grave tone, “Shall we go see him? We’ll know at a glance if he’s real or not.”
“If he truly is Hu Qideng, with his Shadow at the peak, there’s no need for us to compete. We’ll simply acknowledge him as leader.”
“And if he’s an imposter, then we’ll see what tricks he’s playing.”