Su Qing hadn't driven in a long time. She first helped Chen Yang fasten his seatbelt, then took a deep breath before starting the engine.
It was 3 PM, and the sun was blazing. Su Qing backed the car out and hit the road. Once on the main street, she relaxed, easily falling back into the rhythm of driving.
At that moment, Chen Yang, who should have been drunk, suddenly sat up straight. He grinned and said, "Sister Qing, you're driving quite well!"
Su Qing was startled, then realized, "You were faking being drunk?"
Chen Yang chuckled, "Liu Jingtin was faking it too."
Su Qing asked, "Why pretend to be drunk?"
Chen Yang replied, "Getting drunk together helps build relationships!"
Su Qing smiled, carefully driving while saying, "You planned to ask Liu Jingtin for help with the bar from the beginning, didn't you?"
Chen Yang smiled, "Not really. I went to the bar yesterday just to check things out. Running into Qi Donglai and his thugs was an accident, but then I realized Qi Donglai must have a boss. So I thought asking the boss for help might save us a lot of trouble." He paused, then continued, "Many things in life are like our destiny. You set goals as you go along. It's only after you start down a path that fate decides if you're suited for it. The way out is found by moving forward. Difficulties are overcome by facing them, not by hiding at home."
It was the same with his fighting style. He never planned his moves in advance when facing an opponent. It was all about adapting in the moment!
No technique in mind, but techniques in hand!
Combat situations change in an instant, just like a general in the field must sometimes disobey orders.
After they returned to the rental apartment, Su Qing poured Chen Yang a glass of cool water and massaged his temples. Chen Yang was actually fine, but he was happy to enjoy Su Qing's gentle care.
"Will Liu Jingtin really help us?" Su Qing suddenly asked.
Chen Yang said, "He will. It's an easy favor for him. I've proven my worth to him, so he won't pass up this opportunity to build goodwill. But Liu Jingtin is ultimately a businessman. He won't become too close with me, nor will I with him. We're just mutually beneficial acquaintances."
Su Qing smiled, "Shouldn't we call it mutual exploitation?"
Chen Yang laughed, "Exploitation means using others at their expense. This is mutual support where we both benefit. Come on, Sister Qing, don't you know the difference?"
Su Qing was in high spirits. She playfully scolded, "I almost went for a master's degree! You didn't even go to middle school. How dare you say I don't know things?"
Chen Yang smiled, "You've read ten thousand books, I've traveled ten thousand miles. Different methods, same result."
This was the principle of all paths leading to one!
Although Chen Yang had never formally attended school, his master had taught him a wealth of knowledge and had him read many books. Moreover, Chen Yang was fluent in four languages: Japanese, English, French, and Chinese.
That evening, Liu Jingtin called Chen Yang. On the phone, Liu Jingtin sounded very enthusiastic, "Brother Chen, tonight I'll have Lu Bugui take you around our North District. See which place suits you for opening a bar. Once you decide, leave the rest to me, okay?"
Chen Yang chuckled, "Thank you, Brother Liu."
Liu Jingtin laughed heartily, then said, "We're family now. No need for formalities."
After hanging up, Chen Yang called Su Qing, telling her they'd go choose a location for the bar soon. Su Qing was thrilled at how quickly things were progressing.
Half an hour later, Lu Bugui arrived in a stretched Mercedes, following the address he'd been given.
Lu Bugui was extremely respectful and polite to Chen Yang and Su Qing, all thanks to that fifty grand.
Once Liu Jingtin had given away the money, he certainly wouldn't ask his subordinates to get it back.
Lu Bugui drove, with Chen Yang in the passenger seat and Su Qing in the back.
Chen Yang sat in the front out of respect for Lu Bugui. If he and Su Qing had both sat in the back, it would have relegated Lu Bugui to the status of a mere driver. Though Chen Yang often appeared carefree and irreverent, he understood social etiquette well.
It was 7 PM, and the city was alight with dazzling neon in the evening darkness.
The streets were bustling with traffic.
Binhai City, being a tourist destination, was always lively and prosperous.
Lu Bugui drove directly towards Bar Street. Chen Yang chatted casually with Lu Bugui, creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Lu Bugui didn't inquire about Chen Yang's background. In fact, he already knew some details about Chen Yang, as Liu Jingtin had asked him to investigate. The information he'd gathered was that Chen Yang currently worked as a security guard at the Yadai Company and had a good relationship with a woman named Mu Jing. He had also been involved in a murder case previously.
However, specifics like the life-or-death duel with Luo Ren and matters involving the Yang Group were beyond Lu Bugui's level of investigation.
Liu Jingtin and Lu Bugui had concluded that Chen Yang's identity was mysterious and his intentions unclear. They could befriend him, but not too closely.
Soon, Lu Bugui drove into Bar Street.
The street was as lively and prosperous as ever.
Chen Yang and Su Qing focused their attention on the bars along the way.
There were many bars here, but not all of them were doing good business. To open their bar, Chen Yang and Su Qing would need to take over an existing one and relaunch it.
From the beginning, Chen Yang had decided to open their bar on Bar Street.
Su Qing initially thought it unnecessary to cluster with other bars and suggested opening elsewhere.
Chen Yang disagreed, saying, "Bar Street is a symbol of Binhai City. We shouldn't fear competition. We should make the competition fear us."
This was Chen Yang's confidence speaking.
"Huh?" Just then, Chen Yang's gaze was drawn to a dark building on the left.
This dark building stood out starkly, as it was surrounded by brightly lit bars with neon signs. But this building was eerily quiet, as if forgotten by the world.
Moreover, the building was quite large and in a decent location.
"Brother Lu, stop the car!" Chen Yang pointed at the dark building and asked, "What's the story with that pitch-black building?"
Lu Bugui stopped the car. He looked at the dark building, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. Then he said, "This building used to house the largest and most successful bar on Bar Street. It was called the Golden Age Bar. Later, the young female owner was murdered, and after that, the bar shut down."
Chen Yang immediately asked, "How long ago was this?"
"Three years ago," Lu Bugui replied.
Su Qing listened intently. As she looked at the dark building, she inexplicably felt a chill run down her spine. She felt as if a pair of eyes from within the dark building was watching her.
Su Qing shuddered involuntarily and said, "Chen Yang, let's go. This place gives me the creeps."
Seeing that Su Qing was genuinely scared, Chen Yang pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, let's head back."
Lu Bugui asked, "Don't you want to look at other places?"
Chen Yang said, "No need."
Lu Bugui found this strange, but Chen Yang's decision was firm, so he didn't press the issue. He drove them back to their rental apartment.
Back at the apartment, Chen Yang told Su Qing to rest first. He said, "I still have some things to discuss with Brother Lu. Sister Qing, you should get some sleep."
Su Qing was still a bit scared, but she wasn't a little girl anymore, so she didn't want to show it.
After settling Su Qing, Chen Yang got back into Lu Bugui's car and said, "Let's go. Let's take another look at that dark building."
Lu Bugui started the car and said, "That place is cursed. Brother Chen, I know you're very capable, but it's best not to mess with supernatural things."
Chen Yang could see that Lu Bugui was also afraid of that place, which made him even more curious.
He had a streak of adventure in his personality, and now, even if they didn't open a bar, he wanted to get to the bottom of this mystery.
He also said, "I think that place is strange too. If Golden Age Bar used to be the biggest bar, how come it's been closed for three years just because the owner died? What else happened there?"
Lu Bugui said, "After the female owner of Golden Age Bar died, someone immediately took over the bar. The new owner had big plans and was going to renovate. But on the second day after taking over, the new owner died. When he died, blood was flowing from all seven orifices, and his body was just a husk of skin with no flesh inside. It was horrifying."
He paused, then continued, "Later, the police investigated but couldn't figure out what happened. A few police officers stayed overnight in the Golden Age Bar to see what was going on. Those officers ended up dead too, in the same state as the owner."
"This incident caused quite a stir in Binhai City at the time. Later, the authorities denied the rumors and suppressed the story to calm things down. The local party secretary, Secretary Zhang, thought the Golden Age Bar was cursed and wanted to demolish it. But that very night, Secretary Zhang fell seriously ill. The matter was shelved, and when Secretary Zhang recovered, he ordered that no one should touch the Golden Age Bar again."
"After that, some curious adventurers entered the Golden Age Bar, but unsurprisingly, they all died," Lu Bugui said. "I'm a martial artist, and I understand the principle of positive energy repelling negative forces. But when I stood outside the Golden Age Bar, I felt a deep-seated resentment and negative energy that hit me like a wave. I'm certain that if I had actually gone inside, I would have been overcome by inner demons and died in there."
Chen Yang was intrigued and said, "I can't believe such bizarre things really happen."
Lu Bugui said, "In this vast world, anything is possible. Sometimes it's better to be superstitious."
Chen Yang was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "If I wanted to take over the Golden Age Bar now, would it be allowed policy-wise?"
Lu Bugui paled and said, "Brother Chen, you mustn't!"
Chen Yang chuckled, "Brother Lu, I'm just asking. Don't get excited. Just tell me, would it be possible policy-wise?"
Hearing this, Lu Bugui realized Chen Yang wasn't going to let this go. He said, "Policy-wise, there's no problem. Secretary Zhang has been transferred, and the government sees the Golden Age Bar as a blemish on the city. They'd be happy if someone could break the curse. Also, the property owner is especially eager for someone to buy it."