Chapter 489: Su Zhiwei

"The Hunter of the Golden Triangle..." Yang Xiao, sitting in the passenger seat of the speeding car, mused after reading the file. "He sounds like a difficult character."

"I think I know why he submitted to 'the Emperor'," Chen Ling said slowly. "Wanting to erase national borders by himself is a pipe dream. But if there were an 'Emperor' dedicated to unifying both realms, Nie Yu would likely follow him without hesitation... Considering both his historical achievements and his own potential, Ying Fu certainly has the qualifications."

"An enemy with conviction is the most formidable. It seems we should find Su Zhiwei and protect her as soon as possible."

Chen Ling floored the accelerator, and the yellow taxi sped away into the sunrise. The silhouette of a city appeared on the horizon before them. He glanced at the map navigation on his phone and said calmly, "We're almost there."

About half an hour later, the vehicle slowly pulled over to the roadside. Chen Ling and Yang Xiao got out, surveying their surroundings. This was not a commercial hub filled with skyscrapers; mostly, they saw low, white-walled houses of no more than three or four stories. Several small streams flowed under bridges, and a row of slender willows swayed in the breeze along the banks.

"Dr. Su's family background doesn't seem very good?" Yang Xiao asked, puzzled. "Is this considered a village?"

"A village? Have you ever seen a village where property costs sixty thousand per square meter?"

"??? How much?"

"This is the city center of Gusu, and also its best-preserved old district." Chen Ling glanced at Su Zhiwei's address on the map, his lip twitching slightly. "It seems Dr. Su's family is quite wealthy..."

The rest of the way was mostly through narrow alleyways unsuitable for driving, so they walked according to the map. After passing through an old street scenic area, they finally stopped in front of a residence right next to it. Looking at the three-meter-wide vermilion gate and the characters "Su Mansion" inscribed on it, Yang Xiao's mouth involuntarily fell open...

"This is Dr. Su's house? Right next to the scenic area? And it's so big?"

Chen Ling double-checked the address, confirming it was correct. He walked straight to the gate and knocked on it with the knocker.

Thump, thump, thump—

After a brief wait, the gate slowly opened inwards, revealing an elderly woman, around fifty or sixty, standing behind it, frowning as she scrutinized them.

"Who are you?"

"Hello, we are Dr. Su's friends." Chen Ling glanced past her into the house. "Is Dr. Su home?"

The elderly woman hesitated for a moment, then closed the gate slightly and said, "Please wait."

Chen Ling and Yang Xiao stood outside the gate, unable to see inside through the crack. However, the elderly woman's actions suggested Su Zhiwei was likely home, which brought a slight sigh of relief to both of them. Their biggest fear was arriving at the address only to find Su Zhiwei wasn't there, putting them back at the same starting line as Nie Yu. Only by finding Su Zhiwei and getting her away early could they shake off Nie Yu.

After the elderly woman left, Yang Xiao spoke, somewhat uncertainly, "How should we talk to Dr. Su later?"

"Just tell her the truth."

"What if she doesn't believe us? She has such a large residence and a life here; how could she just abandon everything and flee with us after hearing a few stories?"

Chen Ling pondered for a moment. "Then she won't have a choice... Even if I have to tie her up, I'll take her."

Yang Xiao: ...

"So, now we've added kidnapping to our services?"

"How can you call that kidnapping..."

Chen Ling was still trying to explain when the vermilion gate was pushed open. A slender, agile figure stood behind it, a look of surprise appearing on her face when she saw the two of them.

"Yang Xiao? Director Chen?"

In the courtyard, Su Zhiwei was dressed in plain exercise clothes, her long hair tied high behind her. Traces of sweat remained on her cheeks, suggesting she had just been exercising or practicing.

"Dr. Su," Chen Ling said, his eyes serious. "We need to talk."

Su Zhiwei's gaze swept over them. Without much hesitation, she nodded slightly. "...Please come in."

As they entered the residence, Su Zhiwei closed the gate behind them. A gentle breeze swept through the spacious courtyard, rustling the few willow trees by the central lake. Several plump red fish glided across the water, their movement ethereal and silent.

Chen Ling and Yang Xiao stood in the courtyard, momentarily stunned... Compared to this, Chu Muyun's Chinese-style residence in Aurora City seemed like a crude imitation. Not only was the area several times smaller, but the rockeries and landscaping were worlds apart. Every step here revealed a meticulously designed garden scene.

After the Great Cataclysm, some things, no matter how hard they were mimicked, could never be fully restored to their original state. Just as modern times can never perfectly replicate ancient cultural heritage, countless treasures forged by spiritual civilization have been gradually buried under the weight of history.

Su Zhiwei walked over to them and gestured for them to follow. "The reception area is this way."

"Dr. Su, this house... is it yours?" Yang Xiao asked in surprise.

"It's an ancestral property," Su Zhiwei replied with a smile. "In earlier years, our Su family had quite a few assets in Gusu, but with the changing times, we've long since declined. This house is all that's left, a sort of inheritance. With my laboratory salary, I certainly couldn't afford a property in a location like this."

"Do you usually live alone?"

"There's also an auntie who handles cleaning and cooking, but I mostly take care of the plants and flowers in the courtyard myself." Su Zhiwei's gaze swept over the pond where red fish swam, the nearby rockery, and the slender willows swaying by the bank. She continued, "I really like this Jiangnan atmosphere and style. If no one maintained it, it would just become overgrown with weeds, which would be a shame."

As she spoke, Su Zhiwei led them to the tea room on the first floor. It was a semi-open veranda. The three of them sat inside, with sliding doors open to the courtyard beside them. Sheer, gauze-like curtains swayed gently in the breeze, casting a faint mist over the spring scenery of the Jiangnan garden, creating a hazy, ethereal beauty.

Although Chen Ling and Yang Xiao weren't experts in architecture or landscaping, they could still sense the elegance and refinement of the place, which largely matched their initial impression of Su Zhiwei.

Dressed in her plain exercise clothes, Su Zhiwei sat at the main seat and expertly began washing cups and brewing tea for them. With her back to the courtyard view, she exuded an air of serene detachment. The rationality of science and the sensibility of romance merged subtly within Su Zhiwei; her every gesture and movement conveyed a comfortable feeling.

After a brief silence, Su Zhiwei spoke first. "Is there a reason for your sudden visit?"