TLDP: Ch.18 Mysterious a.s.signment

After some polite small talks, we directly entered the main subject.

Chen Jianmin sat opposite of me as he said: “I have heard about you from Lao Qian before, that you had solved his ghost problem in one night, and that your efficiency was good. The person I need now is one with true abilities, and the payment is the same as promised. But if some people deceive me, I will not let him off easily, hahaha…”

He reminded me that if I had no real ability, then immediately get the h.e.l.l out, otherwise I would encounter some mishaps for it. I just smiled and didn’t speak, waiting for his following words.

“Did you master the Daoist geomancy technique (Feng Shui)?”, Chen Jianmin asked.

I replied truthfully: “I don’t, if you are looking for a tomb, I cannot help.”

“Then, what is your ability?”

“I can expel ghosts and exorcise evil spirits, I also mastered some Daoist spells and charms.”

“I heard from Lao Qian that when you were having dinner, the headless ghost suddenly appeared, and you just casually pulled out a Daoist charm, and ignited it to expel the headless ghost. Can you perform it for me to look at?”, Chen Jianmin asked with curiosity on his face.

I pulled out a Sun Charm from my pocket and spoke: “This is only a basic skill that must be mastered by a Daoist legitimate successor, it’s not that wonderful and amazing though!” while talking, I lit the Sun Charm and ignited it in my fingers.

Chen Jianmin said in appreciation: “Good, although you are young, you really have some ability and are not arrogant. And you are also honest and modest. Young fellow, you can introduce me to your master, can‘t you?”

I replied in a low voice and solemnly said: “My master has pa.s.sed away a year ago.”

“I’m really sorry for asking.”

“It’s all right. Mr. Vice President Chen, it looks like you are going to handle some important matters, and I was also worried that I would not be competent enough, therefore I’ll say goodbye first.” This fellow’s meaning was very obvious, I was too young and seemed inexperienced, therefore I might as well ask to leave rather then got expelled by this chap.

“Wait a minute!” Chen Jianmin quickly interrupted and said: “Young fellow, to be honest, I’m really hesitant in hiring you considering your age and experience, but I really like your character. You don’t talk too much and this is very good, so I decided to hire you! However I must tell you in advance, this time we are going to handle a secret matter, and when you had finish this a.s.signment, you cannot mention it to anybody; otherwise, this old Chen will make him disappear from this world!”

“I’m really sorry, I cannot take this job!”, I stood and walked straight to the door, as I secretly mused in my heart. I ought to avoid these kinds of people in the future, being threatened by people every time was absolutely not a pleasant feeling to have. Much less because they wanted to keep the secrets, they would silence the witnesses to keep it confidential, this was not a joke.

“Young man, hold on…” Chen Jianmin called out again: “I’m telling you all of this in advance because it’s necessary to keep it confidential. I know what you are worrying about, you fear that I will give you troubles. For this you may feel at ease, this old Chen must hire many people for this a.s.signment, including several well known figures. And I’m not a murderer either, besides it’s impossible to kill all the people hired for this a.s.signment just to keep it confidential. If you’re agree, then I will give you a down payment of 1 million RMB as goodwill, and after this a.s.signment had been completed, aside from your down payment, I will add 2 million RMB in additional fees for you, how about this?”

I thought for a moment, and felt that he also spoke truthfully, with such a high reward, I had no reason to not go.

But although he was rich and didn’t care about several million RMB in expense, he would not offer a high reward for no reason either, so, the a.s.signment that I would take, would most probably be very difficult!

However, a person could only grow and develop his ability in adverse circ.u.mstances, if I had no guts to face the challenge, and only dared to hit dozens of little baby ghosts, I would be forever stuck and would not grow into someone with real ability.

Therefore I clenched my teeth and replied: “Okay, I agree! When will I start?”

“2:00 pm tomorrow afternoon, I heard that you didn’t have a cell phone, and that wouldn’t be very convenient, so I’ll borrow one for you first.”

“No thanks, yesterday somebody had given me one.” I then took out my Sanlu phone.

Chen Jianmin said: “Tell me your cell phone number, to make it easier to keep in touch, and I will call the Finance Department to transfer 1 million RMB into your account.”

After exchanging cell numbers, I said: “You don’t need to transfer the money, just wait for me as I come back from the a.s.signment and then settle the account. I believe that you will not act shamelessly, hahaha.” I laughed as I turned around and went out of the conference room.

I had just left the Huaxia Corp branch building and was still in its area when my cell phone rang, it was Chen Jianmin, after answering the phone, Chen Jianmin said: “I forgot to tell you that the place we are about to go is some kind of sierra, and there will be no phone signal there. It is estimated that you would come back after a month, so make up an excuse to tell your family first, lest they worry.”

After I got home, I immediately talked to my mother: “Mom, I have found a job, the Huaxia Corp must construct a laboratory in some sierra, and is now recruiting workers, I have registered and moreover I got selected! And my monthly salary is 10,000 RMB.”

“Son, are you being cheated? You didn’t even graduate from high school, other people’s head surely had not been clamped by the door 1, how would they give you a 10,000 RMB monthly salary?”

I was immediately speechless, it took me several moments to continually make up my excuses as I said: “ It’s true Mom, I really registered for Huaxia Corp., the reason that the wage is so high is because the condition is quite difficult, and I’m working as a manual laborer, that doesn’t need high level education.”

My mother nodded: “Where will  the laboratory would be constructed?”

“I am not clear about this, since they said that the location is confidential, but it is said that the sierra has no signal coverage, and after we arrived there we cannot use our cell phones!”

Mom replied in worried tone: “Son, then don’t go, otherwise when you are gone, we can not contact you and we would never know where you went!”

I comforted her and gently said: “It’s all right Mom, the Huaxia Corp’s higher ups said that this job would only take one month, although it would be tiresome, the payment is 10,000 RMB. It would be ten times more than my waiter’s job payment.”

However mom’s face was still looking anxious so I continued speaking: “Mom, I have grown up, it is time for me to exit and support myself.”

As father came back, he also approved my decision to take the job and started to support myself and he said to take care of myself well.

So, I then returned to my room and packed the things I would need later, including: the Shadowbane sword, the makeup case, several Daoist Charms, two ginsengs, the half filled vial of cattle tears’, yellow paper, cinnabar, chicken blood, Chinese pen ink, and other props. It was just in case my Daoist charms were running out, I might have to draw some later. In addition I also took some s.h.i.+rts, one sportswear, 2 underwear bags, cell phone batteries, charger and other things.

I was still preparing my things as the cell phone rang, it was Xu Xiaoling, I then answered the phone: “h.e.l.lo…”

“What does my younger cousin do?” Xu Xiaoling asked in a gentle voice.

I slightly felt helpless and said: “I’m in the middle of packing my things, as tomorrow I must leave and go far away from home. I just wanted to call you, and tell you that the place I’m about to go has no signal coverage, so this phone cannot be contacted, it is estimated that it will take about one month till I come back.”

“Where are you going?”, asked Xu Xiaoling.

“I’m not clear about this, the client is Huaxia Corp’s vice president, and is asking me for help. He didn’t tell me about the place.”

Xu Xiaoling whispered on the phone: “Huaxia Corp… …Huaxia Corp… … Vice President… … Is he call Chen Jianmin?”

“Yes, how do you know?” asked me curiously.

Xu Xiaoling was silent for a while: “Xiaolong, if you don’t know the destination place, don’t go!”

I just smiled and replied: “You don’t need to worry about me, I’m a grown up. Could it be that you don’t want me to get kidnapped, that I won’t be able to run? Just wait for me to come back, and I will take you to dinner!”

At 2:00 pm, I had arrived at the Huaxia Corporation building’s entrance on time, and dialed Chen Jianmin’s number: “I have arrived.”

“Okay, I can see you, walk toward the yard inside, there is a white Camry to the left nearby, the plate number is SB945. Talk to the driver in the car and he will lead you to your destination.” Said Chen Jianmin.

Then Chen Jianmin hung up the phone.

I didn’t tarry for long and quickly walked and opened the car’s door, sat in the back row and took a glance at the driver who immediately started the car.

The driver seemed to be about 30 years old and was very strange. He had driven the car for consecutively 2 days and nights without stopping and hadn’t said any words which made me suspect that he was a mute. Certainly I didn’t speak either,except for when I wanted to go the toilet did I tell him a few words to stop.

As for meals and snacks, there were biscuits and milk in the car.

On the 3rd day in the afternoon, the driver finally stopped on his own initiative! This place was very remote, there was not a single bird around as the surroundings were all mountains. There was a large tent that had been erected nearby, I really didn’t know where this place was and there was no signal on my cell phone. The driver gestured to me and hinted to get out of the car.

I carried my backpack and got out off the car and the driver moved back to the front seat as he drove the car away. Darn, this person was possibly really a mute.

I turned around and looked at the tent’s direction; there were more than 20 men and women around the tent, they heard the sound of the car and came out to see it. The majority of these people wore a tuxedo as if they were bodyguards, only 4 of them that wore leisure-casual clothes, 2 handsome men and 2 beautiful women of which were around 20 years old.

I carried my backpack on my back and walked toward them as one of the young men asked me a question: “Zhang Xiaolong?” He was about 20 years old, 175 cm in height with a frail-slender body. His appearance could be described as absolutely charming. He gave off a gentle and feminine aura, however at the same time an evil-sinister aura was also exuded from this feminine like youth.

“Yes.” I replied shortly.

“You are so young? Humph! You could not have grown your hair, how can you help us in this matter?” the feminine like youth blatantly disgruntled.

A short haired young girl behind him quickly responded in dissatisfaction: “Chen Er Shao [1], you must be careful with your words, young? Do you look down upon the young? If so then I’ll take my leave.”

Another man faintly replied: “Jiang sister, please just ignore it, Haozhe little brother’s character is always straight anyways.”

The short haired young girl only grunted to this ‘Chao Er Shao’: “You really need to learn from your elder brother.” Then turned around and walked back to the tent.

A cold glints flashed in this ’Chen Er Shao’s’ eyes as he entered the other tent with the long haired girl.

The calm looking man said: “My name is Chen Haotian, the one that spoke to you before is Chen Haozhe, and that long haired girl is his girlfriend Shasha. The short haired girl is Miss Jiang as the remaining are our bodyguards, as such I won’t introduce you to them. I had heard about you from Chen Jianmin that you are very good. Our people have not all arrived yet, therefore you will live with me first in the same tent.” As he finished talking he also entered the tent.

~~~~~~~~~~end of ch.18~~~~~~~~~~