Chapter 00127: Coming and Going in a Hurry
# Coming and Going in a Hurry
Chapter 127
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 127: Coming and Going in a Hurry
Under the bright moonlight, stars twinkled.
Waves, tides, the vast sea, and towering mountains stretched into the distance.
A modernist-style manor villa stood atop a cliff, as magnificent as a palace.
Outside the gates, lush green grass spread like a carpet, giant trees swayed gently, and vibrant flowers bloomed in full splendor, creating a scene straight out of a fairyland.
Even in the dead of night, the place was brightly lit, exuding an air of solemnity and depth.
At the entrance, the flawless marble surface reflected the image of a poor man named Ji Jue.
"Come on, Brother Ji, you know me! I’m the most low-key person you’ll ever meet! This is all my brother’s private property! I’ve never even been here before!"
Seeing Ji Jue hesitate, Chen Yubo immediately broke into tears.
Holding his cat in one hand and gripping Ji Jue tightly with the other, he pleaded, "Besides, at this point, what’s mine is yours, and what’s yours… is still yours! For the sake of our brotherhood, please help me out. Otherwise, why would I even come back?"
Without trustworthy allies, even the most luxurious palace or villa would feel like a death row cell to him.
He might as well have stayed hidden under a bridge or in a filthy ditch.
If death was inevitable, he’d rather go out on his own terms.
At least it would be quick.
As Ji Jue gazed at the opulent villa before him, he couldn’t help but grind his teeth in frustration.
His heart, filled with resentment toward the wealthy, pounded uncontrollably.
So much money.
So damn much money.
"If we can get through this, we can talk about anything!" Chen Yubo had already made up his mind.
"Since I can’t keep it anyway, I’ll split it with you, half and half!"
"No, absolutely not!"
Ji Jue felt as if his conscience was on trial, teetering on the edge of the cliff just like the villa.
The temptation to commit a crime was becoming harder to resist.
"Let’s not talk about money. Do it for yourself. If I make even the slightest mistake, you’re done for, okay?" Ji Jue advised.
"Let’s just consider ourselves unlucky. If we can survive these next few days, the future will be wide open. Deal?"
Chen Yubo hugged his cat, tears welling up in his eyes as he fell silent.
Perhaps he was thinking of his brother, whose fate was still uncertain.
Or maybe he was thinking about the fortune he was destined to lose.
Better to let a brother benefit than some stranger, damn it!
Ji Jue’s thoughts began to spiral again.
He couldn’t help but feel that Chen Yubo was even more tempting than Xiao An.
The latter was just good-looking, but the former was genuinely rich… Money was slowly blinding him.
Especially since all it would take was a little squeeze to extract a juicy stream of federal currency.
Ji Jue’s hand had already reached for his gun several times.
The villa was completely empty, with even the usual servants dismissed.
Only a few of Chen Xingzhou’s trusted elites and a dozen armed bodyguards remained.
It all seemed like a facade.
If things got too dangerous, they could always move to the city.
At least there, flies attracted by money wouldn’t dare use bombs or weapons of mass destruction.
If Ji Jue were after money, he’d probably rig up hundreds of pounds of explosives or even a missile.
Failing that, a suicide truck would do the trick, right?
Once the thought of crime took hold, the ideas kept flowing like a spring.
If he could bribe someone inside, things would get really interesting.
Oddly enough, even Chen Xingzhou’s trusted aides seemed indifferent after meeting Chen Yubo.
Even though they knew they were supposed to protect their boss’s last remaining relative, they didn’t seem particularly invested.
Those who loudly proclaimed their loyalty couldn’t be trusted either.
With the boss lying in the emergency room and a hostage worth over four billion beside him, who wouldn’t entertain some dark thoughts?
Internal strife and external threats.
Ji Jue’s heart was worn out.
Damn it, why was he working for free? He hadn’t gained any benefits, but the troubles kept piling up… Ji Jue felt a surge of anger and wanted to kick Chen Yubo a couple of times.
Out of all the people in the world, why did your brother have to be Chen Xingzhou?
Couldn’t it have been someone less troublesome?
And to make matters worse…
There was Ji Jue’s coursework.
He checked the time—it was past 1 a.m.
Professor Ye was probably still awake.
He dialed her number and stammered, "Teacher, I…"
"Taking a leave of absence?" The professor immediately understood.
"Yes."
"That mess with Chen Xingzhou?"
The professor pressed, and Ji Jue had no response.
Then he heard her say, "Fine, since you’re involved, I won’t have to deal with it… Consider this a business trip for you."
Ji Jue’s eye twitched uncontrollably.
When the master has trouble, the disciple steps in.
So, in a roundabout way, he was doing this for Professor Ye? Couldn’t she at least throw him a bone?
At least give me Qiu Ge, couldn’t you?
Unfortunately, the professor didn’t mention it at all.
She simply asked, "How long will you be gone?"
"About a week?" Ji Jue wasn’t sure.
No matter how big the mess, it should be over in a week.
Surely your internal conflicts in Huangji won’t drag on for two or three years, right? Don’t people still have lives to live?
Whether Huangji was in conflict or not didn’t matter, but other people’s lives did.
If you couldn’t stop, others wouldn’t mind helping you stop.
So, according to Ji Jue’s estimate, since a week had already passed, another week should be enough.
"Alright."
After the professor hung up, Ji Jue’s phone started buzzing incessantly.
On the messaging app, several megabytes of PDF scans were being sent one after another—all photocopies of rare books from the library.
Many of them were unique copies, and it was unclear when they had been scanned.
All of them were now dumped into Ji Jue’s phone.
If converted to text, it would probably amount to millions of words.
Unfortunately, these weren’t mindless novels but dense academic literature that required serious brainpower to digest.
Finally, there was a message from Professor Ye:
[After reading, write a reflection.
I’ll check it when you return.]
Ji Jue felt his vision darken.
So, the alchemy course had turned into a correspondence class, huh?
Couldn’t she even let him catch his breath while on leave?
But Professor Ye had always been like this—do it or get out.
There was no room for half-hearted efforts or negotiating for a passing grade.
He could only accept it with tears in his eyes.
Being a bodyguard while also having to study—wasn’t this job a bit too fulfilling?
He sighed, turned off his phone, and stopped looking at it.
Instead, he gazed out the window at the bay.
Following Ji Jue’s advice, Chen Yubo had given up the villa’s best master bedroom to Ji Jue and moved into the maid’s room.
Though there was a bit of self-interest involved, at least they didn’t have to worry about a ship appearing on the horizon and a sniper taking Chen Yubo out with a single shot.
Ji Jue looked out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the bay and the city of Yazhou across the water.
The city was brightly lit, with countless neon lights flickering.
There was no sign of the life-and-death struggles or blood feuds that were undoubtedly taking place.
Amidst the flashing neon lights, a burst of fiery light seemed to rise and then quickly vanish, like a firework.
The darkness buried everything equally, with only the sound of the tide echoing in the silence.
"So lively," Ji Jue murmured softly, with no one to respond.
On the couch in the corner, Xiao An slept soundly, her eyes closed.
But in this prolonged silence, Ji Jue felt a strange sense of clarity and understanding.
In the past, he would have been utterly confused—why, when people already had more money than they could spend in a lifetime, beauty at their beck and call, and everything a poor man like him could ever dream of, were they still insatiable?
Why would they risk their lives to participate in a no-holds-barred game of life and death?
In the whirlpool stirred up by Huangji, some, like Chen Yubo, had no choice and were thrown into the storm against their will.
But others willingly jumped into the pit, sinking deeper and deeper.
Like Ji Jue himself.
Even though he was no longer destitute and could live comfortably, he had developed new ambitions and desires—to become a craftsman, to have his own workshop, to make a name for himself.
Even to do as he pleased.
Just like now, meddling in troubles that didn’t belong to him.
Equally overestimating his abilities, equally reckless—was anyone truly nobler than the rest?
Underlings wanted to rise above their station, the poor dreamed of soaring to greatness, bosses craved even more power, and even regional overlords coveted the highest positions of authority… Even those at the very top would fight and scheme for their own goals.
The chaotic wilderness of the White Deer existed in everyone’s heart.
When all the lofty excuses and pretenses were stripped away, what remained was nothing but raw ambition and unbridled desire.
It wasn’t the White Deer that caused all this—it was simply the wild beasts chasing after the traces it left behind.
But as the White Deer looked down from above, would it take pleasure in the bloodshed offered in its name?
The highest good knows nothing, perceives nothing.
From beginning to end, the highest good bears witness to it all.
For a moment, in the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling window, amidst the glow of neon lights, Ji Jue seemed to see a faint outline once more.
The blood-stained White Deer of the wilderness turned its head indifferently, casting a glance in this direction.
As if examining a newcomer to this bloody feast.
But soon, as if disappointed, it withdrew its gaze and disappeared.
Behind the White Deer, something intangible seemed to rise, but Ji Jue couldn’t make it out clearly.
Everything faded into the hazy images that gradually filled his mind as he drifted off to sleep.
Ji Jue fell into a deep slumber.
Only Xiao An, on the couch, silently rose and looked back at Ji Jue, whose sleeping posture was becoming increasingly messy, her eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.
That fleeting aura of the wilderness just now…
Was it a call from the highest good?
But it became even harder to understand.
Why had it come so suddenly?
And why had it left just as quickly?
The next morning, Ji Jue woke up at seven.
If he were following his usual workshop schedule, he’d already be in the warehouse, using his disintegration technique to clear his energy before breakfast.
But now, he leisurely washed up, brushed his teeth, and yawned as he made breakfast for himself and Xiao An.
Sitting at the table, he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone.
Ignoring Chen Yubo’s resentful gaze after a sleepless night, Ji Jue exuded a carefree attitude that seemed indifferent to his boss’s plight.
Free service was like that—the boss just had to wait for death, but as a bodyguard, Ji Jue had to consider much more.
Thankfully, last night had been peaceful.
No werewolf had suddenly appeared in the villa to devour Young Master Chen.
Most people hadn’t yet received the news or confirmed Chen Yubo’s location and situation.
Amidst the watchful waiting and calculations, the night’s killings and struggles had passed like a lingering storm.
As soon as Ji Jue opened the messaging app, he saw a forwarded chat log from Ye Chun.
Clicking on it revealed a flood of videos and photos uploaded by local netizens.
On a chaotic street, cleaners drove water trucks, using high-pressure hoses to wash away dark red stains.
The clear water turned crimson as it flowed like a small river, disappearing into the darkness of the sewers.
On a fishing boat, a bloated corpse slipped from a net full of fish onto the deck.
In the bustling nightclubs, chaos spread.
Under the neon lights of the streets, life-and-death battles raged.
And then there was the high-rise building cordoned off by police tape, its outer walls cracked and on the verge of collapse.
At the end of the chat log was a photo.
On the overpass at the mouth of the North River in the southern district, a gruesome corpse hung from the railing, swaying in the wind.
The face, frozen in a deathly grimace, belonged to the boss of Yazhou’s largest construction materials company—Lei Wuye’s favorite seventh son, who had just been admitted to the ICU!
Overnight, the winds had shifted, and a violent storm had swept through.
While most people slept, death and blood had flowed like a river.
In the villa’s first-floor dining room, which was as spacious as a hotel restaurant, everyone who sat down looked worried and preoccupied.
But at the same time, there was a sense of relief, as if the second shoe had finally dropped.
The fight had begun.
It had finally begun.
Before this, the clashes between factions had been about gaining the upper hand and securing advantages in negotiations.
But now, with the path of negotiation severed by an invisible hand, all that remained was pure survival of the fittest—a fight to the death.
What sent shivers down everyone’s spine was Lei Yaoxing’s determination.
In just one night, after cleaning out the traitors and disloyal allies, he had launched an all-out war against his opponents.
Before, I tried to talk to you as Lei Wuye’s successor, but you didn’t take me seriously.
Well, now it’s too late.
Screw you all, I’m done pretending!
I’m going to kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!!!
Traitors were fed into meat grinders, opponents were tossed into sewers, and those who dared resist were hung from overpasses, becoming Yazhou’s signature "sunny day dolls."
Jin Yabao, who had once foolishly thought he could challenge Lei Yaoxing, was found dead in his mistress’s bed this morning, his corpse a gruesome sight.
In short, with just one faction, Lei Yaoxing had stunned everyone in a single night.
When he cast aside all restraint and openly declared his intention to follow in Lei Wuye’s footsteps and unify Yazhou’s underworld, everyone finally felt the terrifying power lurking beneath the surface.
Now, with the big bosses gone, the small fry in the southern district had quickly knelt and pledged allegiance, recognizing Lei Yaoxing as their one and only sun.
The map-coloring game had begun.
Who was next? Lihua? Beishan? Or Longhai?
Or would the monster lurking in the quagmire turn around and devour the ants hiding on the sidelines first?
Everyone was on edge.
By noon, Uncle Lin, who had been missing for a while, finally returned.
Clearly having not slept all night, his eyes were bloodshot.
Even as a chosen one, he couldn’t hide his exhaustion under such pressure.
After asking about Chen Yubo’s condition, he took out a crystal ball from a box.
"An alchemical item?"
Ji Jue pinched his chin, examining it curiously.
"Ether?"
Uncle Lin nodded.
"As expected of Master Ye’s disciple. Your insight is sharp, Mr. Ji."
"Not at all. This kind of thing is obvious at a glance," Ji Jue waved his hand.
After reading the spiritual essence within, he was thoroughly impressed:
"The structure is rigorous, the format clear, and the flexibility remarkable. The creator’s understanding of the Ether Path surpasses mine by dozens, if not hundreds, of times. Truly impressive."
After inputting enough spiritual essence, he placed the crystal ball in Chen Yubo’s still-confused hands.
Instantly, dots of light began to appear on the ball.
Uncle Lin and Ji Jue’s expressions gradually stiffened.
"What’s this?"
Chen Yubo held the ball, puzzled, then suddenly grew excited.
"Is this a test for chosen ones? With so many dots, am I some kind of once-in-a-generation genius?"
"Sorry, not even close."
Ji Jue couldn’t bear to shatter his delusion.
"This is a counter."
"A counter for what?" Chen Yubo was still confused.
"It records the disturbances and interferences from the Ether Path affecting you and displays the data to determine how many Ether ‘radars’ are currently targeting you."
Ji Jue reached out, counting the dots of light.
"In other words, from last night until now, roughly eleven Ether chosen ones have been trying to figure out where you are, who’s with you, and where you’re planning to go next."
"To put it another way, whether bullets will fly or not is another matter…"
Ji Jue sighed, revealing the harsh truth.
"Right now, you’re ‘at least’ in the crosshairs of eleven guns."
In an instant, Chen Yubo’s smile collapsed.
Tears finally streamed down his face.
(End of Chapter)