The car radio was still playing English news:
"Just now, a teorite landed near the local suburbs. The observatory has tracked its trajectory. Since there's a suspicion that smaller fragnts haven't landed yet, the area has been sealed off, and citizens are forbidden to enter..."
Lu Chengwen slapped the back of the front seat and said in English, "Faster! Faster!"
The driver grumbled impatiently, "This is already fast!"
Having no choice, Lu Chengwen removed two pure gold cufflinks from his suit and handed them over.
The driver took them, bit into one with excitent, then pocketed them with satisfaction. "Alright, we'll get there in no ti!"
The car sped along, with chaos breaking out behind them.
Lu Chengwen tapped the passenger beside him and asked, "Can I borrow your phone?"
The man glanced at him but didn't respond.
Growing anxious, Lu Chengwen felt around his body, then took off his belt and handed it over. "Solid gold!"
The man admired the belt for a mont before finally pulling out an old-fashioned phone and handing it over.
"Hello? Li iqin? Has the money been transferred?"
"It's been transferred, 12 billion yuan."
Lu Chengwen asked urgently, "Can it be recalled?"
"Yes, but the process is a bit complicated. It's an overseas transfer, and once it's sent, it enters the World Bank system. It'll take 48 hours for verification and approval of—"
"Forget the verification! Submit the recall application imdiately!"
"Understood, I'll do it right away."
He quickly dialed another number—Jin Tuo Wang. "Old Jin, has the strategist and the others arrived?"
Jin Tuo Wang replied, "They've arrived! Lu, how's your side? Is it handled?"
"Take off imdiately and return to the country—don't waste ti!"
"What!?"
"I said take off! Fly now! Handle all the paperwork via the satellite phone on the plane. Trust , it'll be fine!"
"But what about you?"
"What about ? Just take off already!"
Zhang Shen'er grabbed the phone and cried, "Chengwen, what about you? We're not leaving without you!"
"What are you waiting for, idiot? If you delay any longer, none of you will leave! Get out of here now!"
"No, let them leave. I'll stay and wait for you."
"Are you stupid? What use is it if you stay? Get on that plane now!"
"But... but you..."
Lu Chengwen turned his head to glance behind him. Buddha was already catching up, driving a military jeep.
Lu Chengwen hastily shouted into the phone, "Shen'er, listen to . Old Jin and the strategist can't handle many things. Chen Moqun and those girls are all counting on you. Plus, those 300-plus compatriots are about to take off. Only you can explain everything clearly and keep everyone connected. Do you understand?"
Zhang Shen'er sobbed, "I understand, but you..."
"I'm fine! I'm in one of their military vehicles; I might even catch a ride on a military plane back ho—real VIP treatnt. Don't worry about . Just do as I say. And when I'm back, find ten busty beauties to welco , okay? Big busts, rember!"
"What nonsense are you talking about..."
Lu Chengwen roared into the phone, "Ten! Busty! Is this so hard to understand!? You're a cop, damn it! Now, your priority is to get everyone ho! Those 300 lives are in your hands!"
Choking on her tears, Zhang Shen'er replied, "Got it. Just promise you'll co back. You must co back!"
Lu Chengwen hung up, returned the phone to its owner, and exhaled deeply.
At that mont, he glanced back and saw Buddha standing on the jeep, wielding a rocket launcher and taking aim.
Lu Chengwen didn't even have ti to be shocked before he saw sothing fiery coming straight at them.
Without hesitation, he kicked the car door open and dove out, just as the vehicle behind him exploded in a fireball.
Buddha charged into the grassy area, gun in hand, pursuing Lu Chengwen.
But others were clearly chasing him too.
Lu Chengwen had no belt to hold up his pants and struggled to keep them from falling as he ran through the overgrown fields, cursing under his breath, "Damn it! Miscalculated this one. Never thought he'd go insane and even kill the general."
He plunged into the forest, pushing through branches and thorns.
After a fierce hand-to-hand clash with Buddha, Lu Chengwen spat blood, feeling his strength ebbing away.
Lying on the ground, he crawled backward, only to find himself at the edge of a cliff.
Buddha tossed aside his gun and approached slowly. "Damn you! My business was booming, and it's all because of you, this rich playboy! With all that money, why do you care about those penniless nobodies? For over 300 dogs, you threw away your own life—does it feel good?"
With nowhere left to go, Lu Chengwen glanced back at the cliff edge. Below, a wide river flowed.
He cursed the heavens, "Is this how it ends for ?"
Despair turned into a twisted grin. "Hey, rember your dream?"
"Lu Chengwen! Even killing you won't be enough. I'll make you beg for rcy, beg to end your misery!"
Lu Chengwen laughed maniacally. "You? Just a filthy rat. Your head is full of crap, yet you dream of mingling with the big players. To them, you're nothing but a money-grubbing dog! Your hideout? Just a petty workshop to them. And you? Just a watchdog guarding the door!"
"I'm about to make it! To beco a real player! You ruined everything!"
"Beco a player? You're a rat! A filthy, long-tailed rat! Your descendants won't even have assholes!"
"Argh! I'll kill you!"
With that, Lu Chengwen turned and jumped off the cliff, shouting, "If Dragon Ao Tian can do it, so can I! Ahhh—!"
Splash!
He hit the water. By sheer luck, there were no rocks where he landed.
Sinking into the river, he surfaced monts later, clinging to a piece of driftwood, carried away by the current.
The Buddha above saw this, gritting his teeth and shouting, "Lu Chengwen! I will never let you go!"
Lu Chengwen, clutching the wooden log, panted heavily. "Idiot."
anwhile.
Zhao Ritian was sitting under a waterfall, ditating cross-legged.
Under the moonlight, the waterfall cascaded from the heavens like a silver ribbon, magnificent and awe-inspiring.
Zhao Ritian was one with nature, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, feeling the power of the water!
Tonight would be the night for a breakthrough!
Zhao Ritian suddenly opened his eyes. Despite the relentless pounding of the waterfall, he stood up and shouted:
"Heaven and earth, sun and moon, essence united! The celestial gate opens, yin and yang aligned! Supre eight trigrams, rebirth of nine gates! Boundless and limitless, divine awakening of the great path!"
His cultivation thod reached its peak!
Excitent filled his heart to the brim!
Soon... soon... just a little more, and he would break through!
"Ahhh—!"
From above, Lu Chengwen was swept down the waterfall, clutching a log thicker than himself. He scread:
"Ahhh—!"
Zhao Ritian looked up, his eyes gleaming.
An echo!? I did it!
Hahaha! I did it!
I've finally succeeded!
BANG!
Just as Zhao Ritian was about to achieve his breakthrough, Lu Chengwen slamd into him with the massive tree, knocking him flat.
He was utterly dead.
Lu Chengwen climbed out, struggling to his feet, and saw a person lying in a pool of... water, or blood.
"Damn! There's soone here?"
Exerting great effort, he dragged him out, stepping over rocks to get past the waterfall.
Lying by the riverbank, Lu Chengwen felt completely drained of energy. He could only gasp for air.
After a long while, Zhao Ritian stood up.
He stared at his palm. "Why? Why!? Why did this happen!? Ahhh—! I was so close! Ahhh—!"
Lu Chengwen, unable to stand, barely lifted his head and looked at him. "Calm down."
"I worked so hard and finally touched the barrier! I was just one step away, just one step!"
Lu Chengwen, exhausted, said, "Why don't you just go back and try again?"
"It's you! All because of you!"
Zhao Ritian touched his head. "Damn, this bump!"
Then he looked again. "Lu Chengwen? Damn, it's you?"
Lu Chengwen nodded. "Pleasure to et you."
"Why did you sabotage ?"
Lu Chengwen glanced around and thought, Great, just my luck.
When protagonists fall off cliffs, they either find so magical treasure, a long-lost cultivation thod, et a sage-like elder, or a reclusive beauty...
But ? I fall from the sky and et another protagonist.
And with such a massive tree, I still couldn't kill you?!
Now I'm screwed.
This godforsaken place, devoid of people, where even birds don't bother. I smash him with an entire tree trunk, and he doesn't die?
If he doesn't kill , I'd find it surprising.
"I can explain."
"Explain? Hah." Zhao Ritian sneered. "You ruined my breakthrough. I want your life as compensation!"
"Wait!" Lu Chengwen said. "You're being irrational, let tell you."
"Irrational? How so?"
"I'm Lu Chengwen! No matter what you've lost, I can compensate you. What's the point of killing ? Let's talk terms instead."
"Compensate ?" Zhao Ritian laughed. "Do you even know who I am? Do you have any idea about my background? Do you think I care about your asly money? As long as I return to Snow City—"
"I can marry any of the richest, and then just sit at ho counting money!"
"Oh? So you do know."
Zhao Ritian smirked. "Since you understand, don't bla for being ruthless! Prepare to die! Ahhh—!"
Just as Zhao Ritian was about to attack, Lu Chengwen blurted, "teorite Ice Crystal! Heard of it?!"
Zhao Ritian's palm stopped mid-air. "teorite Ice Crystal? You have it?"
"How's that possible?"
"Then you're lying to ?"
"It's in Snow City."
"Hahaha, Lu Chengwen, do you think tricking into taking you back to Snow City will save you?"
Lying on the ground, Lu Chengwen said, "With how strong you are, no matter the city, you'll always be unbeatable. Can I fool you?"
"Fair enough. What kind of teorite Ice Crystal?"
"A chunk about this big, crystalline. Pour energy into it, and it glows green—shiny, like your bald head."
"Watch it!" Zhao Ritian gestured. "Lu Chengwen, stop your nonsense. Crystals that big are already rare beyond belief. And one of this size from outer space? You?"
Lu Chengwen shouted angrily, "Does this stuff need status or connections? It ca crashing down from the sky—bam! Crushed my senior brother flat. When we cut it open, there it was! Believe it or not, I'm telling you, top experts in Snow City are already fighting to the death over it. And, of course, even if you go, it's not guaranteed to be yours."
"Hahaha!" Zhao Ritian pointed to himself. "If I want it, it's mine. Fine, I'll trust you this once. If there's no teorite Ice Crystal in Snow City, you'll see how I deal with you!"
anwhile.
Long Aotian was traveling through the sa area with Luo Shiyin and Qi ishao.
Long Aotian looked up at the starry sky. "It must be here. No doubt."
Qi ishao closed her eyes to sense the surroundings. "Young Master, it's just ahead, not far now."
Long Aotian was overjoyed. "I have a feeling I'll find the teorite Ice Crystal. Shiyin, ishao, let's go."
_________
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