Chapter 130: Discovery

Chapter 130: Discovery

Time drifted by, and in the blink of an eye, it was time to get off work. As Bai Zeshao headed back, he paid special attention to his surroundings, yet he discovered nothing. Nevertheless, the lingering unease regarding the fact that someone had been tailing him earlier prompted him to knock on A-Hai's door.

"Brother, it's so late. What brings you here?" A-Hai asked with surprise as he saw Bai Zeshao, stepping aside to let him in.

"When I head to work tomorrow, follow behind me. But don't stick too close. See if anyone is tailing me. If you spot anything, do not take action," Bai Zeshao said the moment he sat down.

"What? Brother, you mean someone is tailing you? You’re a secret agent—who would be so bold?" A-Hai exclaimed in shock.

"What's with this 'secret agent' talk? It sounds terrible. You know my heart is in the right place even if I wear this black skin," Bai Zeshao said, casting a speechless glance at A-Hai.

"Haha, Brother, I just forgot," A-Hai laughed dismissively. "Brother, do you need me to step in?"

"Absolutely not. Remember what I said: regardless of whether you find anything, do not act rashly," Bai Zeshao’s expression shifted, and he warned him with great gravity.

Bai Zeshao could not afford to be careless. Those who were tailing him were highly professional; he was certain they had undergone rigorous training. If A-Hai were to intervene prematurely, he would surely come out the loser. A-Hai and his friends were fine for street brawls, but compared to these machines of death, they were far outmatched. For A-Hai's safety, he had to be stern.

"Brother, isn't that a bit extreme? No need to be so serious," A-Hai said with a sheepish smile, looking at Bai Zeshao with confusion.

"It’s only going to get more serious. Just remember, your job is only to see if I’m being followed. Leave the rest to me. Do you understand?" Bai Zeshao repeated.

"I understand," A-Hai replied, his mood dampened.

"What's wrong?" Bai Zeshao noticed the shift in A-Hai’s demeanor and asked.

"Brother, am I useless? I can only help you with such trivial matters," A-Hai said, his head hanging low.

Bai Zeshao was taken aback. A-Hai’s words served as a wake-up call; his line of work was incredibly dangerous, and being close to him only increased the risk for A-Hai. Although he never revealed their relationship to outsiders and A-Hai kept it hidden, if A-Hai were discovered while tailing these people, the consequences would be dire.

After a moment of contemplation, Bai Zeshao said to A-Hai, "Starting tomorrow, I will provide you with some necessary training."

"What?" A-Hai was stunned, unable to process the statement at first.

"You're right. You are just an ordinary person. If you want to be involved in this line of work, you must undergo some training. No matter what we do, we must ensure our own safety. Only when we are safe do we have infinite possibilities," Bai Zeshao said slowly.

"Brother, you're right! You don't know this, but I've wanted to learn how to shoot for a long time, but I was afraid to ask," A-Hai said, his face lighting up with excitement.

"You brat, I said training, not teaching you how to shoot," Bai Zeshao knocked A-Hai on the head with a laugh.

"It's all the same! If I can shoot well, that's better than anything. If I run into someone I don't like, one shot and it's all solved," A-Hai mused, lost in his own fantasies, unable to snap out of it.

"You... alright, stop daydreaming. I will teach you to shoot, but there are other things you need to train for. I assume you don't want to be stuck helping me with trivial tasks forever, right?" Bai Zeshao’s words were merciless, piercing straight into A-Hai’s heart.

"Brother, I understand. How about we start right now?" A-Hai looked at Bai Zeshao with a serious expression.

"No, tomorrow will be fine. Get some sleep early tonight and be extra careful tomorrow," Bai Zeshao said, rising to leave.

"Alright."

The night grew deeper, and everyone sank into a heavy slumber.

*Knock, knock!*

An abrupt knocking sounded in the night. With a creak, the door opened. A disgruntled Qi Zhengyi, draped in a white coat, stepped out. "What is it?"

"Master Qi, we have leads on the matter you entrusted to us," the man said with a smile.

"Really?" The formerly furious Qi Zhengyi’s face broke into a smile upon hearing the news.

"Of course it's real. The person who provided the lead is outside. Should I bring him in for you to see, Master Qi?"

"No need, I trust your methods," Qi Zhengyi replied, shaking his head.

"You are too kind, Master Qi. We are just doing a job for money, how could we not be thorough? However, that man you're looking for, Gu Hai, is likely in grave danger."

"I guessed as much. Just tell me the final result," Qi Zhengyi said dismissively. He had never cared much about whether Gu Hai lived or died.

"It appears to be the work of the Secret Service. It was Bai Zeshao, the team leader of the third action squad, though there is no direct evidence." After saying this, the man turned and vanished into the night.

Returning to his room, Qi Zhengyi did not go back to sleep. Instead, he sat in his chair, eyes closed, his brow furrowed tightly. He knew of Bai Zeshao, of course. Initially, he hadn't cared about the boy—he was merely an ant that could be crushed at any moment. But now, it seemed this ant was unwilling to accept its fate and had learned to fight back.

And this ant appeared to be quite capable, having actually tracked the matter back to Gu Hai. He just didn't know if Gu Hai would keep his mouth shut or reveal things he shouldn't. This was the reason Qi Zhengyi could not sleep. Although Gu Hai didn't know much, he feared that Bai Zeshao might use this thread to uncover even more. If the truth were to come out, even the Wen family would struggle to protect him, and they might even be implicated themselves.

Bai Zeshao was now like a fishbone stuck in his throat—not enough to kill him, but incredibly irritating, causing him pain that he couldn't even voice. Qi Zhengyi dared not act against Bai Zeshao rashly; he had to figure out exactly how much information the boy held. Otherwise, the consequences of a premature move could be terrifying.

Thus, the night passed, with Qi Zhengyi sitting in his chair, dozing for the night. Meanwhile, Bai Zeshao began some basic training with A-Hai. A-Hai was diligent, knowing Bai Zeshao had his best interests at heart, and he truly wanted to grow stronger, so he learned with great focus.

Time passed quickly. After breakfast, Bai Zeshao headed toward the Secret Service office to begin his day.