Sophie Soo’s neck was pale and delicate. From behind, her silhouette was graceful, exuding an enchanting fragrance in the shifting light.
Jack Young reached around her neck and fastened the Protective Pendant securely. He could even catch a whiff of her scent, but his expression stayed serious. This pendant was actually a piece of black tech Jonathan Black had whipped up on Queen Jill's orders. Its main purpose: protecting important people. It’s a monitoring and positioning device that sends out an alert if danger’s detected. If things get really dicey, it can even save your life. Jonathan just finished developing it, and since the family has Cangcang covered, the very first one was given to Sophie Soo.
Because this one-of-a-kind Protective Pendant exists, Eternal Night Holdings is about to invest big—setting up a branch in Chengdu and building a rapid-response team. Once the system’s in place, if Sophie’s ever in trouble, the rescue squad will show up faster than an ambulance or fire truck, ready to save and protect her.
Countless hurdles—cost, tech, manpower, even bureaucracy—had to be overcome before the pendant could actually work. So when we say ‘it took a ton of effort’ or ‘worldwide limited edition,’ it’s not just hype. Words don’t even begin to capture the struggle and price.
But Jack Young thought it was worth it. Jonathan Black thought it was worth it too.
Whether it’s Eternal Night, the Chosen Ones, or whatever secrets are involved—some things just have to be kept under wraps. Jack Young can share this info with Jill Young, Susan Morrow, and Jonathan Black, but he’s not telling Sophie Soo or Derek Soo.
"From now on, you wear this for me—no taking it off, not even for sleeping or showering, got it?" Jack Young’s tone was icy and bossy.
[All those exhausting, brain-bending, worry-filled things—let us grown-ups handle them.]
"Oh... got it..." Sophie Soo pouted, but still nodded obediently.
[Even though third-year students aren’t exactly kids anymore, if you haven’t graduated, you still kind of feel like one. And kids—well, they just need to live happily.]
"Alright, back to your bureaucratic grind!" Jack Young waved his hand dismissively, shooing her away.
[Maybe this is a kind of pampering too.]
"Hey! Can't you talk nicely for once? Just you wait, I'll come find you after this!" Sophie Soo shot him a dramatic eye roll and dashed off, full of energy.
[But maybe the future will bring a biting chill.]
"Bring it on, I'm waiting for you."
[So, better seize the chance to spoil her a little more while I can.]
Watching Sophie Soo bounce back to the VIP seats reserved for leaders, Jack Young turned and left the performance hall.
"I can't rely entirely on that pendant. Nobody really knows how Chosen Ones show up—what if the space capsule just sucks her away someday? I need a plan to quietly boost her survival skills." Jack Young's mind raced, churning through countless ideas and subtle strategies in seconds. "I'll need to think this over more. Maybe that expert tomorrow will have some tips. Oh, and when Senior Brother mentioned East Gate Bridge, his expression was a little weird... Forget it, whatever creepy stuff is hiding there, I'll find out soon enough."
Jack Young was confident he could handle any danger—but! If he'd been just a bit more alert, he'd have asked Ethan one more thing: Is there something weird about East Gate Bridge?
One question could've changed his whole thinking, one question could've saved his poor heart. But he missed it, and so he walked right into a dead end!—Well, it's not that dramatic. He just walked into a bar, saw a bunch of dudes strip another guy naked in public, and then did some really weird stuff...
With super-vision, it was like everything was in slow motion, every detail blown up—he almost wanted to poke his own eyeballs out from all the drama!
Here's how it all went down.
After crashing at Sophie Soo's apartment for a night, Jack Young and Ethan Zhuo set off the next day, all spruced up. According to Ethan, this mysterious expert is impossible to find during the day, but at night, he's always in the same spot. So, the two headed out just as the city lights came on.
As the saying goes, "Ba Mountain's night rain"—it rains a lot at night in Chengdu. In this fine, misty drizzle, everything felt different. The city was different, the streets were different, the people on both sides were different, the neon lights were different—even the cabbie was different! Jack Young felt something was off as soon as he got in, especially when Ethan Zhuo quietly told the driver: "East Gate Bridge." The cabbie's face in the rearview mirror went weird in an instant.
How to describe that look? Well, this forty-something uncle's eyes suddenly got super sharp—just like when you draw the tile you need in mahjong. He scanned both of them in a flash using the rearview mirror. Then, with a knowing nod and a forced smile, he asked, "You two... really heading to East Gate Bridge?"
"Yeah..." Ethan Zhuo gave a noncommittal nod, barely making a sound from his nose, already turning to look out the window.
Alright, from that moment, Jack Young started feeling the weird vibes. He gave the classic cold, scrutinizing look from manga, scanning Ethan Zhuo and the cabbie's suspicious faces. These two definitely know something. And me? I'm probably getting played.
The car sped through red and green lights, finally stopping in a bustling but peaceful part of town.
"Looks pretty nice here." Jack Young stepped out of the cab and glanced around. There was even a river nearby—great environment. But why did the cabbie's face look even weirder?
"Of course it's nice. I come here whenever I get the chance." The cabbie rolled down the window and leaned out, his peach-blossom eyes sweeping over the two of them, his fingers pointing side to side: "You two... cousins?"
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"Cousins?" Jack Young was confused. He and Ethan Zhuo looked nothing alike—how did anyone get that idea? And even if you were guessing, why was that uncle grinning so hard his face was wrinkling up?
"No, no, not cousins!" Ethan Zhuo shook his head and hands like he was avoiding drugs for his own health.
"Oh, that's a shame, but as they say, 'let one bird go, ten more come your way'—it's still a good thing." The cabbie waved at them: "Come hang out more often, maybe you'll meet someone to chat with!" With that, he honked twice and sped off, leaving the two of them staring at his taillights vanishing into the rainy night.
Jack Young paused for a moment, then loomed over Ethan Zhuo with a shadowy face and a sinister tone: "Spill it—what are you hiding from me? What's with the 'cousins' thing? And when that cabbie said 'ten birds come your way,' what was with his little look and his little smile?!"
"Uh, haha, well..." Ethan Zhuo gave an awkward laugh and stepped back, practically wearing 'guilty as charged' on his forehead.
"You dragged me here today—besides meeting the expert, are you scheming something else?" Jack Young demanded, almost ready to use his sound-based powers: "Out with it, now!"
"I... honestly, I didn't dare come alone." Senior Brother couldn't stand Jack Young's grilling anymore and finally surrendered, raising his hands: "Coming here solo is way too dangerous. I can't fight at all, so I wouldn't dare. You're the martial arts master—make sure you cover me if things go south!"
Cover him? Just what kind of tiger's den is this, that even a master hypnotist is this scared?
Is this... the legendary Chosen Ones' HQ?!
But after zigzagging through the streets with Ethan Zhuo for a bit, Jack Young narrowed his eyes. He started picking up all sorts of weird sounds—none of them good. The buildings here were low, and soon they arrived at the entrance of a bar. Even from a distance, Jack Young was already mentally preparing himself—to beat up Ethan Zhuo. But when he actually entered the bar, he was still completely shocked.
A spacious venue, fancy decor, a stage in the middle, a pole onstage, and a bunch of excited men hoisting up another equally excited man.
If the words 'pole,' 'men,' and 'hoisting' make you think of a certain game called 'Aruba'—or as it's more bluntly called in southwestern slang, 'Shuang Gangzi'—then congrats, you're still a pure-hearted, slightly naughty, and very energetic young guy at heart.
But Jack Young instantly knew this was different—there was no youthful energy here, only... 'youthful queerness!' A bunch of guys, plus a few women mixed in, were stripping a pretty-boy gym bro down to almost nothing, groping and shrieking. That scene, that spectacle, that utter shamelessness—it made Jack Young feel like he'd crashed headfirst into destiny's dead end, and he was seeing stars.
No wonder the cabbie was so weird! No wonder Senior Brother was too scared to come alone! It's not that he can't 'tie up a chicken'—it's that he can't 'tie up a guy'! And that damn 'let one bird go, ten more come your way'—in this context, Jack Young instantly got it, and immediately felt the urge to drive straight to hell and chase that cabbie to the ends of the earth!
It's been ages—really, ages—since Jack Young finished his training with Old Master Tang that he's wanted to curse like this. But today, his long-sealed ultimate move just had to come out: "WTF—!!"
"Calm down, calm down, don't lose it!" Ethan Zhuo rushed over to help Jack Young catch his breath. "Just bear with it for now!"
Jack Young immediately looked down at Ethan Zhuo's hand on his chest, then at the looks from all around. His gaze turned icy as he pointed off in the distance: "Get lost, take your hand off me, and keep at least an arm's length away! Normally I wouldn't care, but in this place, at this time, I'm sounding the red alert. By the way, the expert you mentioned actually hangs out here?!"
"Absolutely! This is the place! He hasn't shown up yet, but he will!"
"This is sounding less and less legit. Who is this guy, anyway?"
"The moment he shows up, you'll know."
"Just spit it out already—now! Enough with the mystery! My patience is zero, so don't push me, dude!"
Ethan Zhuo immediately threw up his hands in surrender: "He's... a fortune-teller!"