Chapter 698: Unexpected Shifts in Fortune

Lu Xin’s phone call made quite an impact.

But he himself felt nothing; after hanging up, he was already at work.

Not only was he at work, he even took a moment to reflect on his lazy thoughts when he got up this morning—even though he now had a hundred million. That hundred million was enough to cover his debts and still leave him feasting on chicken legs for life…

But is that really enough?

Come to think of it, wouldn’t it be great to stash that hundred million and earn a modest salary of just over two thousand a month?

No wonder so many people love going to work!

……

……

With that mindset, Lu Xin picked one of his remaining two off-road vehicles and drove over.

That’s the advantage of owning three cars.

One’s parked in Flame City while two are available to choose from.

When he arrived at the company building, Lu Xin heaved a long sigh.

It was just a party in Flame City, yet it evoked a feeling of long-lost familiarity.

Was it because he had grown attached to the company over time?

Lost in such thoughts, he climbed the company stairs, his mood tinged with a trace of nervousness.

After all, he had lost that revolver before.

Although he still had a gun in his pocket, it wasn’t the original one, and he wasn’t sure if his colleagues would still approve.

With this uneasy feeling, he stepped into the office and greeted his colleagues enthusiastically.

His colleagues, caught up in their busy routines and slacking off, looked on in surprise at the tardy but cheerful Supervisor Lu. They quickly warmed up and greeted him back, subconsciously noting that Supervisor Lu now seemed much friendlier—his genuine smile a far cry from his old, somber grin…

…Sure, Lu Xin would deny it, insisting he used to be so cheerful.

But there was one change that everyone had noticed.

After so many years of work, Lu Xin had never taken leave, never once arriving late or leaving early.

Yet now, he frequently asked for time off, took long absences, and even started showing up late…

Perhaps this was his way of finally learning how to be a boss.

From a career standpoint, it was a great leap forward.

After exchanging smiles with his colleagues, Lu Xin walked into his office.

By now, his colleagues were used to his occasional absences and abrupt returns.

He sat in his office for ten minutes without a single red packet being passed over.

Lu Xin pulled out some documents and did the math—it was simply because it hadn’t been long enough. No new project had hit its milestone yet. Sigh, as nice as red packets were, they couldn’t compare to the stability of a regular salary, which, at least, was paid reliably every month…

No wonder only a few received red packets, while most stuck to their basic pay.

……

……

After half an hour of playing Tetris, someone lightly knocked on the door. Lu Xin closed his game, pulled out a report sheet onto his desk, opened his notebook, and assumed a look of deep concentration before saying, “Come in…”

Manager Liu entered, his face flushed as if he’d just finished a grueling effort.

It wasn’t a big deal—just the usual inquiries about whether Lu Xin’s business trip went smoothly and if everything was fine lately.

Then came a few minor details, like the company now providing him with a fuel allowance and pondering whether to assign him a secretary.

Fuel allowances aside, it was obvious that the idea of a secretary was at the behest of Vice President Xiao.

Always going over the top with flashiness.

Lu Xin outright rejected the idea of a secretary.

Frankly, his job wasn’t demanding—mostly just counting red packets—and he preferred playing Tetris himself.

So there was no need to add extra personnel to the company.

Manager Liu agreed with a broad smile, and then casually suggested having a working lunch with Lu Xin at noon.

A couple of drinks, and a chance to discuss ways to boost company business.

This was serious business, and Lu Xin agreed heartily.

Working lunches were something Manager Liu often had, though Lu Xin hadn’t had many chances before.

Earlier, he wasn’t even eligible to join Manager Liu for a working lunch. Ever since he started carrying a gun to work, his work environment had improved a lot; yet Manager Liu not only hesitated to dine with him but barely dared to eat himself.

Later on, the invitation to a working lunch came from Vice President Xiao. Manager Liu wanted it, but Vice President Xiao wasn’t willing to include him…

That’s how these once harmonious and well-cooperating superiors and subordinates finally got the chance to dine together.

Before 11 o’clock, Manager Liu had made the arrangements and called Lu Xin downstairs.

After all, there was still work in the afternoon; the meal was simple—about ten dishes and a bottle of fine white wine.

Plates clattered, chopsticks clinked, and soon everyone was enjoying themselves thoroughly.

Manager Liu was clearly quite enthusiastic toward Lu Xin. What he hadn’t disclosed was that he’d attended a drinking party earlier.

At that party were Vice President Xiao, Gao Yan, Little Meng, and a host of wealthy scions and high society figures.

Manager Liu wasn’t even eligible to attend such an event; strictly speaking, he was there just to pour drinks and run errands.

But at that table, he ended up overhearing these people whispering mysteriously about Brother Lu.

Stories of him leading a bunch to catch unruly kids watching banned movies in bedrooms, apprehending the old security guard at a construction site during a shooting, and dragging nearly the entire Security Hall of Satellite City to arrest indecent couples partying in unlicensed hotel rooms—all hailed as heroic feats.

In their conversations, their admiration and praise were simply indescribable.

Especially one fellow called Little Meng, head to toe wrapped in bandages, reportedly beaten with a staff by his own father.

Yet he beamed with pride, even tossing aside his cane when getting excited.

“Brother Lu is truly formidable. I’ve already made him my idol…”

“Believe me, even if my father breaks one leg, or even two, I’d never regret following him!”

“My father just wouldn’t settle scores. What can he do by beating me up?”

“And he still demanded that the doctor fix my leg perfectly, no ifs or buts!”

“……”

“……”

That dinner left Manager Liu deeply curious about Lu Xin’s background. What kind of person was he, really?

The legends surrounding him only grew grander.

Even if people said he was just a hustler, reaching this level meant he was someone most couldn’t dream of leveraging.

Manager Liu, ever cautious, observed him for a while before deciding to get close.

Of course, before getting too involved, his secretary warned him—mixing with someone like Lu Xin was risky. Who knew what trouble might come?

Maybe even if a deal was just sealed today, the next day he could be whisked away by the Security Hall for questioning.

Manager Liu didn’t buy that excuse. Even with some risk, having such a prime asset right there meant he couldn’t let the opportunity slip.

With that in mind, he enjoyed a pleasant working lunch with Lu Xin.

Over the meal, he openly credited Supervisor Lu for the company’s surging performance.

He hinted that red packets would only grow larger in the future.

After all, if we’ve bled and sweated for the company, doesn’t it owe us something?

Just as everyone, satisfied and full, prepared to head back upstairs to keep working, an unexpected scene unfolded:

Suddenly, several police cars screeched to a halt in a row on the roadside, and a short-haired, uniformed woman with a stern, unyielding expression stepped out of one car and walked straight up to Lu Xin, saying, “Let’s go.”

Lu Xin froze for a moment, nervously glancing at Manager Liu and the others. “Where to?”

The short-haired woman frowned and replied, “What do you think?”

“Oh, okay!”

Understanding immediately, Lu Xin eagerly hopped into the Jeep.

A line of police cars and armed personnel swarmed in, leaving behind a trail of cold wind and a dumbfounded Manager Liu and his crew.

“What’s going on?”

The secretary stared at Manager Liu in sheer terror.

“Just look at the scene…”

Manager Liu, still dumbfounded, shivered as his chubby face trembled, “His status is beyond imagination…”

“And his misdeeds are unthinkably enormous…”

……

……

“It’s only a medical examination. There’s no need to make such a fuss, right?”

After getting into the car, Lu Xin surveyed the entourage with a hint of anxiety.

“You’re just treating this as a check-up…”

Chen Jing drove while saying, “But the researchers and professors in Qinggang don’t see it that way…”

Lu Xin asked in surprise, “Then what do they think it is?”

Chen Jing paused before finding the right word, “New Year’s celebration?”

“!”

Lu Xin couldn’t help but recall how during New Year’s celebrations everyone joyfully hoisted pigs onto butcher blocks.

He shivered involuntarily, wondering: Is this really the treatment he’d receive?

The convoy escorted Lu Xin straight to the High-Speed Train station, then ushered him into a special train car.

Shortly after, the High-Speed Train set off for Qinggang Main City.

Lu Xin was curious—wasn’t it usually the most critical incidents that warranted a helicopter ride?

So why this time, on a High-Speed Train?

But Chen Jing, clearly tense, offered no further explanation.

Arriving in Main City via the High-Speed Train and using a special passage, they skipped the graffiti-marked route and evaded the ever-watchful eyes of the watchdog. Chen Jing then led Lu Xin into a car that pulled up at the High-Speed Train station, and under the escort of several lead cars, they headed straight for the Special Cleaning Department—as if escorting a priceless treasure…

At the Special Cleaning Department, they were greeted by Professor Chen Liqing, Occult expert Dr. Mo, Psychology expert Jia Mengyi, Occult expert Yuan Qinqin, Medical expert Pi Siwen, and Researcher Zhou—all of Qinggang’s Six Freaks had assembled.

Also present were Professor Bai from the Special Pollution Research Institute, Minister Shen of the City Defense Department, and Mr. Su from the Administrative Main Hall.

All the top voices in Qinggang had gathered.

Faced with so many bigwigs, Lu Xin felt his legs go weak.

These were all leaders.

……

……

A group of leaders then escorted Lu Xin into a brand-new lab—no, a medical room—set up long ago by the Special Cleaning Department.

The new signage made it clear: this place was meant for check-ups, not for research.

Before the formal examination began, they held a conversation with Lu Xin, asking if he had any special requests.

Lu Xin hadn’t really expected anything.

It was just a check-up—what more could one ask for?

But looking at the team of researchers with smiles on their faces and cold, gleaming lenses that barely concealed their excitement,

he swallowed hard and said, “Just don’t cut me open—I’m not in the mood to lose my temper!”