Chapter 945: Twenty-One, Pay Up and Get On Board, Still Slumbering Huangfu Lingyun
Chapter 945: Twenty-One, Pay Up and Get On Board, Still Slumbering Huangfu Lingyun
......
Looking ahead.
Huangfu Lingyun pointed at the crowd still wiping the chariot. "Aren't they so badass? Love cracking jokes, but here they are, still wiping the car."
"I thought they were actually impressive."
Yan Feifan's expression turned serious. "Are you stupid? This might be their leader arriving. Calm down and don't cause trouble for Brother Lu."
Huangfu Lingyun wasn't dumb either.
He just had a hot temper and needed to run his mouth a bit.
He didn't even need to see the person.
Just looking at this divine chariot pulled by eight dragons was enough to know—its owner was definitely no pushover.
Though his cultivation heart was firm and he never admitted defeat.Faced with a gap this huge, Huangfu Lingyun might not know restraint, but he did know when to duck out of the way.
He changed the subject. "This thing is seriously cool. Eight dragons pulling it. Too bad it's not nine—nine is the ultimate number; sitting on top of that would be the supreme ruler."
"When I'm strong enough later, I'm getting nine dragons to pull my chariot. That's the only way to match my style."
As he spoke, he grabbed his collar and gave it a tug.
Men had absolutely zero resistance to something like the Eight-Dragon Sandalwood Chariot.
Bai Hemen, standing nearby, put it even more bluntly. "I want to ride it too."
Lu Ding was smoking in the corner. He blew out a puff of smoke. "Twenty-one, pay up and get on board."
A familiar voice rang out.
Dozens of gazes instantly locked onto one person.
Yan Feifan: "Brother Lu!!"
Bai Hemen: "Lu Ding."
Huangfu Lingyun: "LU DING!!!!"
Wang Qingge: [LU DING!!]
Wutian: "Benefactor Lu."
Finally, Elder Deng's warm voice: "Did you rush back?"
The moment the voices sounded together.
Huangfu Lingyun dropped the bundle he was carrying and charged straight at Lu Ding. Dragon Qi condensed in his hand into a seal as he reached out and struck with a palm.
"LET ME SEE IF YOU'VE SLACKED OFF IN YOUR TRAINING!!!!"
Lu Ding flicked his cigarette away and rose.
He spun, twisted his waist, kicked, and delivered a side thrust so fast it was impossible to track.
Then came the sound.
BAM!!!!
In one motion.
Zhang Wei flew backward, slammed into a trash can, was forcibly shut down, and fell into a deep sleep.
The cigarette butt fell, and Lu Ding caught it between two fingers.
Inhale... exhale...
Smooth as hell.
Bai Hemen shook his head silently.
Lu Ding's voice rang out again. "Everyone, long time no see."
The group walked over.
Lu Ding walked toward them.
He immediately reached out and took the luggage Elder Deng was carrying. "You've had a hard journey, Elder Deng. I've already arranged everything. Just come with me to the new city and enjoy the good life."
When Lu Ding wasn't around, Yan Feifan had been steady and composed. Now, reunited with Lu Ding, he slipped back into the state they'd shared when roaming the Third Circle together.
"Brother Lu, what about me? Can I enjoy the good life too?"
Lu Ding glanced at him. "You? You'll work. I've got a mountain of work waiting for you."
Yan Feifan's face pretended to look disappointed.
But the hands hanging casually at his sides were clenched tight.
Before coming to the Second Circle, countless lonely nights had found him alone, quietly wondering how far Lu Ding's talent had taken him. He had wondered if he'd ever have the chance to assist Brother Lu again.
Now, hearing Brother Lu say he had work saved for him.
He finally felt at ease.
At least he was still needed.
Lu Ding looked at Wutian. "Out already?"
Wutian performed a Buddhist greeting. "Thanks to Benefactor Lu's backup and assistance."
Lu Ding crossed his arms. "Then you owe me."
Wutian smiled. "Benefactor Lu, name your terms."
"How about this—work under me as an investigator for a few decades, do some legwork, and we'll call it even."
Wutian knew Lu Ding was joking, but he genuinely had nowhere to go right now.
Being an investigator might just give him a place to belong.
Wutian nodded. "I'll follow Benefactor Lu's arrangements."
Lu Ding hadn't expected Wutian to actually agree!!!
This was a pleasant surprise.
After all, this little monk's talent was genuinely impressive.
Though he wasn't sure how he stacked up against others in the Second Circle.
The title "Buddha's Enemy" wasn't thrown around lightly.
"Then it's settled. I'll process your paperwork when we get back."
He turned to Wang Qingge. She already had her sign raised.
[What about me? What about me?]
The moment the words appeared, a hopeful emoji was drawn beside them.
Though she couldn't understand what others were saying, she could hear Lu Ding clearly.
Lu Ding thought for a moment. "Do you want to be an investigator?"
The new city had new rules for special times, special treatment for special circumstances, special implementation for special regions.
Wang Qingge: [Can I?]
"Of course you can."
Wang Qingge firmly raised her sign. [I accept!]
Everyone was settled.
Finally, there was Bai Hemen, standing there with an air of indifference.
Lu Ding looked at him and said, "What's with the act?"
Bai Hemen, who had been completely expressionless, instantly broke into a grin. "Heh heh."
"Actually, never mind, go back to the act. That smile was way too fake."
Bai Hemen silently pulled his teeth back in. No more giggling.
But the knot in his heart had loosened.
Just now, that kick Lu Ding had used to take down Huangfu Lingyun.
It had made him feel a deep sense of helplessness.
The gap in strength was too wide. He had been pushing himself as hard as he could, but still...
At least his friendship with Lu Ding remained unchanged.
Worst case, he would just keep chasing, never giving up along the way.
Meanwhile, Huangfu Lingyun was still unconscious.
In a distant corner.
An old man in a wheelchair silently watched everything unfold.
He observed Lu Ding laughing and chatting with the group.
Elder Shui's gaze shifted—glancing at Elder Deng, then at Lu Ding, back to Elder Deng, then again at Lu Ding.
No one knew when he had arrived.
Right now, he was conflicted. He wanted Lu Ding to notice him, but also didn't want to be noticed.
To make Lu Ding find him without seeming intentional, Elder Shui dispersed the Spiritual Energy concealment around himself while simultaneously shrinking deeper into the corner, as if the cement block could somehow hide him from Lu Ding's sight.
And that did it.
Lu Ding suddenly felt something. His gaze shot over and locked with Elder Shui's eyes midair.
Seeing that Lu Ding had spotted him, Elder Shui.
He immediately started rolling his wheelchair away.
The next second.
Lu Ding appeared behind him as if by teleportation, grabbing the handles of the wheelchair.
"Elder Shui, why didn't you say something when you arrived?"
Elder Shui pretended to be calm. "I saw you were busy."
"No matter how busy I am, I'll always make time for you. Let me introduce you to my friends?"
Elder Shui: "Sure. I'd like to spend some time with the young folks too."
Lu Ding pushed Elder Shui over to the group.
He spoke up. "Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Elder Shui, my mentor. From the moment I first arrived until now, I've been under his care."
"In our Great Han, he is..."
Though Lu Ding didn't finish his sentence, the thumbs-up he gave silently completed his thought—top-notch, outstanding, unmatched.
Everyone offered their greetings in turn.
Only Elder Deng stood ramrod straight, raising his hand in a salute. "Member of the Third Squad, Sixth Platoon, Seventh Guerrilla Assault Battalion, Deng Guofu, reporting to my former commanding officer!!!"
Elder Shui's eyes went wide. "You... you're... that kid from Iron Corpse Ridge who hid under the pot with half a cold bun?"
Lu Ding listened to their exchange. "Elder Deng, Elder Shui, you two know each other???"
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