Chapter 1186: Want Some Little ~ Crayfish?

“The dinner banquet was very enjoyable tonight, don't you think so, Mr. Ying Fu?” Chen Ling said with a smile.

Ying Fu slowly looked up, his eyes behind black-rimmed glasses fixed on the Tang suit-clad young man. In that instant, the air around them seemed to drop to freezing point. Even Yao Qing, who was quietly blanching beef nearby, looked up with a strange expression, glancing first at the seated Ying Fu, then at the standing young man, his eyes full of confusion.

“If you've come to gloat, you can leave,” Ying Fu said calmly. “This game is far from over. I won't keep losing... and you can't keep winning.”

“I know why you're here at the Wushan Conference.” Chen Ling's pale red eyes, like a rattlesnake gripping its prey, were firmly locked on Ying Fu. “There are some people I can't protect, but if you dare to touch certain others... I will fight you to the bitter end. You know who I'm talking about.”

Chen Ling kept his gaze on Ying Fu, but for some reason, Yao Qing's heart jolted slightly.

Hearing this, Ying Fu already knew Chen Ling's purpose in coming specifically to say these things. However, he didn't respond to Chen Ling's threat at all; instead, he slowly stood up as well. The two figures stood face to face. Behind simple black-rimmed glasses, Ying Fu's gaze towards Chen Ling was as profound as an abyss.

“Fight to the bitter end...” Ying Fu smiled faintly. “You're truly interesting at this stage... Cherish everything you have now, because when everything you hold dear leaves you, or turns against you... I hope you can still maintain this spirit.”

Having said that, Ying Fu turned and walked towards the banquet exit.

Chen Ling was stunned. Ying Fu's last words seemed like a counter-attack to his “threat,” but they also seemed to hint at something deeper. Chen Ling knew that since Ying Fu entered the era archive later, there was a time difference between them. The Ying Fu before him was from several months in the future of the real world. If that was the case, Ying Fu's words just now were definitely not spoken without meaning. What exactly was he talking about?

Chen Ling had originally sought out Ying Fu to warn him not to target certain individuals, but Ying Fu's retort unexpectedly sowed a seed of unease in Chen Ling's heart. Perhaps, as Ying Fu said, no one always wins, and no one always loses. Chen Ling had achieved a resounding victory at the banquet, but the other party's parting words seemed to make Chen Ling lose half a step, and his joy of victory completely vanished. He stared blankly in the direction Ying Fu had left.

Inside the lobby of the Huixian Hotel, Ying Fu walked alone. At the banquet hall earlier, since Chen Ling had approached him to speak, it meant Chu Changqing had already been taken away. If that was the case, his entry and exit from the venue wouldn't be obstructed. As for the final speech by the 749 Bureau leader, why would Ying Fu pay attention to any of that?

Red welcoming messages scrolled across a screen. At the entrance of the Huixian Hotel, Zheng Zhiqin and Fu Kun were still in a standoff with Shen Nan. Shen Nan's eyebrows twitched slightly when he saw Ying Fu approaching from behind.

“Your Maj...” Seeing Ying Fu emerge with a grim expression, Zheng Zhiqin subconsciously started to say something, then immediately closed her mouth.

Ying Fu didn't even glance at Zheng Zhiqin or Fu Kun; he merely gave Shen Nan a brief look. “...Move aside.”

Shen Nan didn't hesitate and immediately turned to leave. Since Ying Fu was here, it meant Chen Ling had succeeded, and there was no longer any need for him to stop them.

Ying Fu walked out of the Huixian Hotel's main entrance and headed straight down the empty, deserted street. Zheng Zhiqin and Fu Kun exchanged a look and immediately prepared to follow him.

“Don't follow me,” Ying Fu said without turning his head.

Zheng Zhiqin and Fu Kun's outstretched legs immediately retracted. They watched the figure gradually disappear at the end of the street, their expressions somewhat unnatural.

“Is His Majesty angry...?”

“It's all your fault, you idiot! All you do all day is eat and watch dancing! His Majesty was staring intently, and you didn't even react!” Zheng Zhiqin furiously kicked Fu Kun.

“How... how can you blame me for this?? Weren't we told we just had to sit there and not worry about anything at this banquet? Who knew a wild card would appear halfway through...”

“Great, now the person we finally snatched away has been taken back. All our efforts were for nothing!”

“Why are you yelling at me? It's not my fault alone!” Fu Kun spread his hands, looking quite innocent.

Zheng Zhiqin glared at him fiercely, then turned and walked in the other direction down the street.

“Hey, where are you going now?”

“Are you out of your mind?! To the Lotus Hotel, of course! His Majesty told you not to follow him, not to just stand there like an idiot! The person's been taken, so hurry up and look for clues to see if we can get them back!”

“Oh, right, right...”

On the deserted street, Ying Fu slowly walked along the sidewalk. The dim streetlights cast his elongated shadow on the ground. No one knew what Ying Fu was thinking: whether it was the confrontation at the banquet, how to act at the Wushan Conference, or perhaps the difficult matters he was facing outside the era archive. He brought no subordinates, walking alone. Everything around him was silent in the darkness, with only the distant Wushan Mountain rising amidst solitary clouds.

After an unknown period, a burst of bell-like laughter interrupted his thoughts. Ying Fu frowned and looked ahead. It was late at night after the banquet, and almost all the shops on both sides of the street were closed. Only a small crayfish restaurant in the corner was still open, its flickering neon sign illuminating half the street. Shadows flickered at the entrance, as if someone inside was busy.

Ying Fu wasn't interested in late-night snacks and continued walking.

“Big brother, want some craaayfish?” Just as he was about to pass the shop, a little girl, holding a menu, suddenly popped out from the doorway. She tilted her head, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. The shop's light shone on her, giving her a faint golden outline.

Seeing that familiar face and hearing that lively, bell-like voice, Ying Fu froze. He looked at the girl in front of him, and in a daze, A Qian's appearance slowly overlapped with hers. The same age, a similar build, and a seventy to eighty percent resemblance in facial features... In that moment, Ying Fu's heavy thoughts seemed to halt. He just stared blankly at the girl, standing still like a statue.

Seeing Ying Fu unmoving, the girl waved a hand suspiciously in front of him. “Hello? Do you... need help?”

Ying Fu came back to his senses. He looked up at the vibrant crayfish restaurant sign above him, then at the outdoor tables set up on the street, and remained silent for a long time.

“...Eat.” Ying Fu nodded. “And bring me a bottle of alcohol... Thank you.”