Xu Que, paying no heed to the chatter around him, unsheathed his black sword, ready to make his swift exit.
Behind him, Ye Gou called out urgently, "Hey! Master Gou's speaking to you, listen up—"
Xu Que spun around, his eyes narrowed, a chill of invisible menace locking onto Ye Gou. "What did you just say?"
Ye Gou halted mid-step, breaking into a hasty, ingratiating smile. "Oh, I meant... Master Ye Gou's your humble servant. You're the master here."
"Master Xu, communication is the bridge that draws our souls closer. If you have any concerns, just let me know—I swear I'll get it done for you, no matter what."
Xu Que couldn't help but be speechless at the audacity of this person, who truly lived up to his name: Ye Gou—the 'dog.'
In truth, Xu Que had a soft spot for those who showed humility, and Ye Gou's unorthodox way of bowing down was certainly refreshing. Besides, Ye Gou's antics, while exasperating, hadn't crossed any lines. Could he truly take offense?
After a brief moment's thought, Xu Que decided to entertain him. "You claim to be Elder Ye's grandson—couldn't you just call on him and gain an entourage? Why latch onto me?"
At Xu Que's question, Ye Gou erupted like a floodgate, his chatter flowing freely. "Master Xu, you don't know how tough my life is. Sure, I'm the grandson of Old Tortoise Ye, but in the circles of Huan Ge and Ye Xiang, I'm nothing more than an afterthought. So, I took up the family name like a banner and made my way among the smaller players."
"I thought it would be an easy gig, but the old man wouldn't let me use the family's name as a shield. Over time, I became a ghost in my own family, a nobody. When Abyss descended, things got busier at home, and now I'm no better than a stray."
"Out there, I may look like someone, but back home, they all kick me around. To them, I'm as good as invisible."
Xu Que mentally jotted down his suspicions, feeling certain that most of Ye Gou's story was fabricated. The grandson of Ye's household wouldn't be so easily sidelined. Not to mention, with his vulgar attitude, it was no wonder his grandfather didn't take a liking to him.
"So, you really want to be my lackey?"
"Absolutely!" Ye Gou thumped his chest. "I can't go up against my own kin, but when I heard about you, Master Xu, I rushed to the Chen household to wait for you."
What a scoundrel, Xu Que thought with a wry smile. Still, he could use someone with Ye Gou's resilience and shamelessness. In this post-Abyss world, where diplomacy and formalities mattered little, a person with Ye Gou's raw nerve might make the perfect emissary.
Still, Xu Que's gaze turned cold as he posed his next question. "If you can't stand up to your own family, what makes you think you can follow me, a mere drifter?"
Ye Gou beamed, his grin oddly bashful. "Master Xu, it's precisely because I can't afford to offend you that I seek your protection. With you behind me, no one would dare ignore me, not even my family. I knew enduring all these years had purpose—so long as you've got my back..."
"Enough."
Xu Que interrupted, finally understanding Ye Gou's intentions. He mentally made another note of his schemes.
"I have no interest in being your bodyguard, and you should know I have my own enterprise."
"I'm not asking for a bodyguard," Ye Gou replied, his tone suddenly serious. Though usually irreverent, he could be sincere when needed. "I simply want to follow you, and if the need arises, I hope you'll spare me once."
"That's no small request." Xu Que's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "What, then, is your life worth, and what will you pay in return?"
"Because if you're worthless, I won't save you at my own loss. Even if I spare you once, it has to be worth my time."
Xu Que's words, calm but laden with value, hung in the air as he kept his intense gaze on Ye Gou.
"I'll handle anything that comes to Zhatian Co. from the outside," Ye Gou vowed confidently. "I may not be great at everything, but I can speak several languages and know how to throw my weight around. You want to expand abroad? I'll make it happen."
Though satisfied inwardly, Xu Que maintained his steely exterior.
"I'm open to taking you under my wing," Xu Que replied with a sly grin, "but only if you pass my test. Are you ready?"
"Bring it on! As long as you accept me as your lackey, I'll do whatever it takes. Heck, I'd steal Big Sis'—"
"Enough!" Xu Que shot him an icy look. "I don't have such tastes. In a moment, we're entering an A-rank rift. Survive, and you're in."
Ye Gou's mouth dropped open, his grin faltering as he stammered, "Wait... I mean, could we not—"
Before he could finish, Xu Que seized his shoulder, and with a surge of his sword, they took to the sky.
The words died in Ye Gou's throat as the gust of wind whipped his face, and a silent stream of curses formed in his mind.
---
On the outskirts of the Third Ring of Shangjing, when Xu Que finally landed with Ye Gou, the latter was a wreck, dizzy and vomiting violently. The nearby soldiers looked on in shock; they'd seen carsickness, airsickness—but sword-sickness?
Ignoring Ye Gou's plight, Xu Que approached a lieutenant. "Hello, I'm Xu Que from Zhatian Co., and this is the authorization."
"Hello, Mr. Xu. Welcome. Here's the contract; if everything looks good, just sign here." The lieutenant presented a document.
Xu Que nodded, signing without reading, even adding Ye Gou's name.
"Are we good to enter?" Xu Que inquired.
"Whenever you're ready." The lieutenant smiled, tucking away the signed document.
"Thank you."
Xu Que gripped the dazed Ye Gou, and together they stepped into the interdimensional rift.
---
Back in Shangjing, the news had reached Elder Ye.
"What? Gouzi's gone into an A-rank rift with Xu Que?" He bolted upright.
"Yes, sir. After leaving you, he ran into Master Xu. We couldn't hear their conversation, but by the length of it, Master Gou likely begged for Mr. Xu's protection," the guard reported.
"That fool! Just like his grandfather—a scoundrel through and through, but to run off with Xu Que into an A-rank rift at his level? Has he lost his mind?"
Furious, Elder Ye dialed his third son.
"Yes, Father? What's the matter?"
"Don't call me Father—you raising a fool of a son! Has your whelp lost his mind?"