"Mr. Ning, I didn't know you were coming. With so many people working under me, quality is bound to vary."
Nicholas was nervously explaining to Ning Beichen in a private reception room on the second floor.
"Alright, I'm not here to reprimand you. I need to go to Old Jin's place. Find me twenty good men."
Ning Beichen said to him.
"Yes, Mr. Ning. I'll go pick them right away."
Nicholas, as if granted forgiveness by Ning Beichen, let out a sigh of relief and replied respectfully.
After Nicholas left, Ning Beichen noticed Liu Yilin looking at him with a surprised expression.
The way Ning Beichen had gotten angry earlier, and Nicholas's fearful demeanor in front of him, had left Liu Yilin dumbfounded. She hadn't expected Ning Beichen to have such an imposing side.
"What's wrong, boss? Is there something on my face?"
Ning Beichen asked her.
"Ning Beichen, talking to him like that, you... aren't you afraid he'll get angry?"
Liu Yilin snapped back to reality and asked him incredulously.
"Don't worry, he won't. I used to..."
Just as Ning Beichen was about to explain, Liu Yilin rolled her eyes and interrupted him.
"You're going to say again that you met him while working odd jobs?"
"Uh, something like that."
Ning Beichen replied with a hint of guilt, realizing this woman was becoming harder to fool.
"Ning Beichen, do you take me for an idiot? Have you worked odd jobs all over the world?"
If they weren't here, and if she could defeat him, Liu Yilin would have liked to beat this guy up.
However, since Ning Beichen refused to explain, Liu Yilin couldn't do anything about it. Fortunately, she was used to Ning Beichen's capabilities and didn't press further.
Before long, twenty fully armed men appeared before Ning Beichen, standing at attention and saluting him.
"Mr. Ning, they are the best of the best here. There's nothing they can't handle in this place."
Nicholas said to Ning Beichen, trying to please him.
"Fine, they'll do."
Ning Beichen didn't bother to choose. He didn't necessarily need them to do anything; mainly, their presence would save him and Liu Yilin some unnecessary trouble.
"You all must obey Mr. Ning's orders, protect Mr. Ning and this lady. If anything happens to them, I'll take your lives!"
Nicholas said sternly to the twenty men.
"Yes!"
The twenty men responded in unison.
Although Nicholas had been lectured by Ning Beichen like a subordinate, here he was the local emperor, and no one dared to defy his orders.
Ten armed jeeps rumbled away from there, escorting Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin towards Old Jin's.
Old Jin was the most chaotic place, so chaotic that even three-year-old children knew how to use a gun. If ten tourists went to such a place, it would be a miracle if even one left intact.
Therefore, it was never a tourist destination, but many businessmen came here. The reason was simple: the more chaotic the place, the easier it was to get rich.
Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin sat in one of the jeeps, while three fully armed bodyguards occupied the back of another vehicle, monitoring their surroundings.
A convoy of several dozen fully armed vehicles like this would usually deter anyone from daring to cause trouble in such a place.
If Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin had driven here themselves, they would likely have encountered countless troubles before even reaching Old Jin.
Even with bodyguards, Liu Yilin could see many ill-intentioned and greedy expressions from the car window. Some teenagers stared at the convoy like hungry wolves.
While the bodyguards could deter some petty criminals, one must remember that things have two sides. People who could afford so many bodyguards were surely wealthy targets.
However, small-time gangs wouldn't dare to provoke such a heavily armed convoy. But it was not impossible for larger factions to make a move, so the bodyguards protecting Ning Beichen were constantly vigilant, not daring to relax at all.
Although Liu Yilin had invested money to open a mine here, she had never personally visited. She had always managed things through hired personnel. Thus, this was her first time in such a place.
"Ning Beichen, has it always been this chaotic here?"
Liu Yilin asked Ning Beichen in a low voice.
"More or less. This is a lawless zone where you can find any crime you can imagine."
Ning Beichen told her.
"This place is too terrifying. Look at the way those children's eyes are so frightening."
Liu Yilin said softly, unsure if she felt pity for these children or feared them.
"They were born into this environment. Some don't even know who their fathers and mothers are. They are influenced by their surroundings, simply driven by the need to survive."
Ning Beichen, however, seemed unfazed and told Liu Yilin that one should never pity them in such a place, because in their eyes, you were just prey.
If you wanted to play the saint in such a place, you would be the one to die.
This was not something that one or a few people could change. First, a peaceful environment was needed, followed by an extremely long time to improve the living conditions, education, and so on. It was something that would take several generations to achieve.
Ning Beichen wasn't just making things up; there were many examples.
Some foreigners, especially foreign women, had come here wanting to play the saint, but they had all, without exception, met their deaths at the hands of these children. Some were even decapitated.
Liu Yilin sighed and withdrew her gaze from the car window, deciding it was better not to see and not to worry.
A few hours later, the convoy stopped in a bustling small town for resupply.
At a rudimentary gas station, the bodyguards protecting Ning Beichen acted as if they were facing a great enemy, sealing off the entrance and exit of the gas station in three layers.
Anyone familiar with the area would not find their behavior strange, as refueling was the most vulnerable time for an attack.
Fortunately, no attack occurred. After refueling, the convoy continued its journey towards Old Jin's.
The distance from here to Old Jin was not far, but due to the extremely underdeveloped transportation facilities, there were virtually no decent roads. Therefore, it would take about two days to reach Old Jin.
Fortunately, the bodyguards were all experienced individuals, and there were no worries about food and drink along the way. Other trivial matters did not require their intervention.
Moreover, these bodyguards were the elite of the elite. If they discovered any dangerous area, they would resolve it in advance.
However, daytime was not the most dangerous time. The most dangerous time was at night.