The old man scornfully swept his gaze across Duan Chen's face. "Xiao Wei, do you know this person?"
Li Wei hurriedly whispered, "Darling, he's just an ordinary classmate, haven't seen him in ages."
What an 'ordinary classmate.' Did you forget how you used to link arms with me back then, leaning into my embrace as we strolled through every corner of the campus?
Duan Chen thought with a chilling smile, maintaining a mature and elegant demeanor outwardly.
"Hello, I'm Duan Chen." He extended his hand to the old man.
The old man chuckled and didn't reciprocate. "Shaking your hand would dirty my million-dollar suit."
"Heh heh." Duan Chen stepped forward, abruptly grabbed the old man's arm, and forced him into a 'handshake.'
"Damn! What are you doing... Ouch! It hurts, damn it, let go!" The old man winced in pain, yet Duan Chen hadn't even used 20% of his strength.
"Duan Chen, what are you doing?!" Li Wei exclaimed, rushing to shield the man beside her.
"I'm just teaching you some basic manners, as your father would," Duan Chen said, releasing his grip with a smile, his eyes cold.
The old man glared at him resentfully. "Fine, you brat. You dare to provoke me, you're finished."
Duan Chen waved his hand. "Come on then, if you dare."
Li Wei stomped her feet in anger. "Duan Chen, what are you doing? You don't have to treat him this way for me."
Duan Chen chuckled. "Miss Li, please don't flatter yourself. What does this have to do with you by half a cent?"
Li Wei's small face flushed slightly, but she said stubbornly,
"Duan Chen, we were classmates after all. If you're really in trouble, I can ask Xingwen to help. Apologize to him quickly, he's the vice president of Zhong Group, with many connections. Besides, aren't you a senior agent of the Spirit Hunter Guild? How did you become a beggar?"
Upon hearing 'senior agent,' Zhong Xingwen's eyelids twitched. His brow furrowed, and his gaze towards Duan Chen shifted.
"This gentleman is not actually a... " The beggar, still clutching the hundred-yuan bills Duan Chen had given him, wanted to step forward to explain when he saw him being misunderstood like this, but Duan Chen stopped him.
"No need to waste words on them. I have nothing to apologize for."
"Forget it, Xiao Wei. It's hard to book a wedding dress designer from Paris. Our time is precious, no need to waste it on trash like this," Zhong Xingwen glared fiercely at Duan Chen, his hand still hurting.
It's only been a little over two years since graduation, and Li Wei is already eager to marry him off. The Li family really wants to latch onto Zhong Xingwen's coattails.
"Duan Chen, will you attend our wedding?" Li Wei asked, her big eyes flickering as she looked at him evasively.
But before Duan Chen could reply, Zhong Xingwen patted the waist of the beauty in his arms, his hand undisguisedly taking liberties.
"Darling, what are you kidding about? Why would he come? To beg at the door? Hmph, our wedding doesn't welcome trash like him."
Li Wei let out a soft gasp, her expression changed, and she stopped speaking, walking away with Zhong Xingwen.
The beggar stomped his feet in anger, feeling indignant for Duan Chen. "What's so arrogant about him? Is having a little money such a big deal!"
Duan Chen smiled indifferently. It was all in the past. As for a woman he broke up with, she could be with whomever she pleased.
Let alone marrying a second father, even marrying a second grandfather would have nothing to do with him, Duan Chen.
However, during the unexpected 'handshake' with Zhong Xingwen just now, he noticed a strange scent on him.
It wasn't the spiritual energy of a spirit hunter, nor the demonic energy of a demon.
It was more like a faint, peculiar, malevolent aura.
The beggar suddenly tugged at Duan Chen's sleeve and whispered mysteriously,
"Boss, is that person over there yours too? Ever since you entered the lamb soup shop, he's been lurking around, peeking this way."
Following the beggar's gaze, Duan Chen suddenly turned to look.
He saw a man leaning against the shadow behind the wall. He wore a tracksuit, jeans, and had short black hair. He was wearing sunglasses, obscuring his face.
Sensing Duan Chen's gaze, he quickly took a step back and disappeared behind the wall.
Duan Chen's eyes narrowed. He exerted force with his feet and quickly pursued.
Behind that wall—
In the empty alley, there was no one.
"Tsk, are you a rat? Scurrying so fast."
Duan Chen pursued for another block. It led to a wide main road. Small vendors were selling their wares along the street. Students with backpacks heading to school, people rushing for buses with breakfast in hand, a constant stream of people, bustling and lively.
The mysterious man had already vanished.
Who would be tracking him?
To be able to do so without him noticing, the other party must be no ordinary person.
Either a spirit hunter, or... an anomaly.
But the other party was cautious, leaving no trace and setting no ambush, seemingly just unwilling to reveal their identity.
Duan Chen no longer dwelled on it. If he couldn't catch them, they would come to him eventually.
"One big pancake with everything."
He ambled over to a breakfast stall, planning to get one for Gao Tiankai.
But when he returned home and opened the door, Gao Tiankai wasn't there.
The wound medicine and bandages he had changed were scattered on the floor, mixed with several explicit women's photo albums.
A sticky note was left on the table—
[Brother Chen, there's new progress on the serial murder case. I'm heading out!]
"This kid, he can't stay still even when injured."
Jiang Qi shook his head and put the breakfast into the refrigerator.
He opened his computer and entered the Spirit Hunter Black Market auction system, casually browsing the newly listed posts.
"Da Li Mineral Water," "Detoxification Small Yellow Beans," "Dagger of Fortune," "Blood Wolf Fang Blade," "Spiritual Power Pills"...
After browsing three full pages, there wasn't a single post about accessories.
Duan Chen casually took a few photos of a pearl necklace and uploaded them, titling it— "Want to say goodbye to the green light on your head? All you need is a pearl necklace."
He then attached a few pictures and attributes, and Duan Chen closed the computer and left.
However, he could never have imagined that such a small necklace could cause such a stir.
In just one hour, the view count had exceeded ten thousand, and comments and inquiries were flooding in.
A man named "Can't Sleep Tonight for You" directly offered 400,000 to buy it instantly, but was quickly outbid by someone with a gray avatar named "Fearless."
"Fearless": 410,000.
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": 500,000!
"Fearless": 510,000.
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": ... 600,000!
"Fearless": 610,000.
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": ...
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": This brother, if you have money, bid more! Bidding by 10,000 is looking down on someone, isn't it!
"Fearless": Fearless.
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": Dammit, I've set my sights on this necklace. If you know what's good for you, back off, or I'll kill you!
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": 620,000!
"Fearless": 621,000.
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": ............
Well, why don't you just add 1,000 at a time? A toad can't bite you to death, but it can certainly annoy you to death.
"Can't Sleep Tonight for You": Damn it, if you have the guts, give me your address. I'll come find you anywhere on earth!
"Fearless": Fearless.
As more onlookers gathered to watch the verbal spat, the small necklace attracted increasing attention.
Before long, a sad-looking female avatar named "＊Fish from Mars☆" joined the fray and broke through the competition with an absolute advantage.
"＊Fish from Mars☆": 1,000,000.