The night was dark, the wind howling. The curtains Ren Yuanhao had drawn were lifted slightly by some unseen force.
"What do you mean, 'merchants'? So the Gray Wolves are just a family running goods through the Western Wasteland Desert?"
Black Ox nodded, his eyes avoiding theirs, his head bowed so low it seemed he was afraid they might see something in his expression.
Mu Ziyue naturally didn’t grasp the significance, but that didn’t mean Ren Yuanhao was clueless.
"Merchants? Hmph. Black Ox, it seems you won’t spill the truth until you’re staring at your own coffin. Perfect timing—my fists have been itching for a workout. And with all that fat on you, you’d make a great punching bag. Won’t even hurt my knuckles!"
Ren Yuanhao cracked his fingers, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
*—Trying to whitewash the Gray Wolves in front of me? Kid, you must have a death wish.*
The moment Black Ox saw Ren Yuanhao eyeing him—no, eyeing his thick layers of fat—he knew that wasn’t a *loving* gaze. Remembering how effortlessly the man had lifted him in the internet café, his flabby flesh already ached in anticipation.
"Big bro! Big bro! Hold on, I wasn’t finished!"
Sweat the size of beans rolled down Black Ox’s face as the two before him stared like hungry ghosts, their eyes ravenous—like starved men spotting a roasted chicken.
*They’re practically drooling.*
"Look, I only found out by accident—the Gray Wolves are recruiting couriers to cross the desert. But their standards are high. They demand absolute loyalty. And whatever they’re transporting… it’s not ordinary goods."
Black Ox wanted to speculate further, but with his limited intellect, he couldn’t begin to guess that those items might *change the world*.
"So you’ve already been accepted?"
Ren Yuanhao patted the tattoo on Black Ox’s belly, smirking.
"No, no! This was just a show of loyalty. They’ll interview all candidates in a week." Black Ox’s expression darkened. "If I weren’t such a failure, I wouldn’t even consider joining the Gray Wolves. Rumor has it… they’re *not normal*."
At this, his face paled slightly.
"Not normal? How? Are they actually European werewolves or something?"
Mu Ziyue burst into laughter, but Black Ox didn’t find it funny. If anything, his fear deepened.
"Just… not *human*."
Ren Yuanhao studied Black Ox’s expression. That terror wasn’t faked. "Since you’ve signed up, you must know where they’re gathering, right?"
"No idea. They’ll email the location six days from now." Black Ox added, "They’re *extremely* secretive. Aside from when they kidnapped the Mu family, no one’s even seen them in Xiling City. I only stumbled onto their recruitment ad through a pop-up at the internet café."
Ren Yuanhao frowned. "Can people still sign up now?"
"No." Black Ox glanced at him timidly, as if guessing his intent. "But if you want to go… you can take my spot. I don’t *have* to be there."
Mu Ziyue and Ren Yuanhao exchanged a glance, some unspoken agreement passing between them. Suddenly, Ren Yuanhao lunged, a long, terrifying blade flashing into his hand.
Black Ox’s soul nearly left his body. "Big bro! *Big bro!* Are you killing me now?! My family’s not rich, but I’m the *ninth-generation only son*! You could ransom me—a few hundred thousand is totally doable! Please, for the sake of my ancestors, spare me!"
Mu Ziyue snorted, then blushed as a yellow puddle spread beneath Black Ox.
"Pissed yourself already? If we threw you to the Gray Wolves, you’d *really* have something to fear."
Ren Yuanhao leaned in, his voice dripping with menace. "If the Gray Wolves aren’t human… what makes you think *I* am?"
Before Black Ox could react, Ren Yuanhao unleashed the aura of his **three qi channels**. The very air seemed to warp under his control, pressure bearing down like a boulder. Black Ox couldn’t breathe—let alone move. At this rate, he’d be dead in minutes.
"Big bro! *I get it!* I’ll keep my mouth shut—not a word, I swear!"
Terrified beyond reason, Black Ox had already wet himself. Any more pressure, and worse might follow. Having made his point, Ren Yuanhao withdrew his aura. The distorted space snapped back to normal, the suffocating weight vanishing instantly.
"Hope you can keep a secret. I doubt you’d gamble with your life."
Ren Yuanhao lit a cigarette, took a drag, and casually waved Black Ox off.
"My lips are sealed! The second I get that email, you’ll be the first to know!"
…
After sending Black Ox on his way, Ren Yuanhao returned to the hotel room to find Mu Ziyue still by the window, unmoving even at the sound of the door.
After a moment, she spoke softly.
"So… *Baoge*, planning to share a room with me tonight?"
"Those four freaks might come after you. Since you’re Mu Yunyan’s sister, it’s my duty to protect you."
"Oh? And if I *weren’t* her sister, would you just leave me to die?"
Ren Yuanhao thumped his chest, righteous as ever. "Nonsense. If I think something’s right, I’ll do it. Those four move mysteriously, but when I fought them, their techniques weren’t evil. No idea what they really are."
"Just like you—*not normal*." Mu Ziyue pointed at the bed. "Well? Only one bed. What now?"
"I’ll take the floor. Not as delicate as you rich girls."
Ren Yuanhao spread a blanket on the ground and lay down, fully dressed.
"But I can’t sleep. *Baoge*, tell me a story?"
Mu Ziyue remained by the window. The night was clear, the moon vast. Though so close to home, her eyes brimmed with longing.
"You’re not a kid anymore. Need someone to tuck you in?"