Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 921: The Thick Fog of Lies and Changes

The address had been thoroughly searched, but Luo Qiu did not immediately move according to the map. There were still matters to handle here.

After the Alfa Romeo exploded and plunged off the cliff, Song Ying and Gan Hong were knocked unconscious from the impact. However, with Luo Qiu nearby, they were naturally unharmed.

He placed them not far from the wreckage of the car. Luo Qiu found a small fridge in the remains of the car, took out a bottle of water, and casually wiped their faces before sitting down to think.

Though unconscious, Song Ying and Gan Hong were still holding each other's hands tightly. When the car fell off the cliff, Song Ying instinctively embraced Gan Hong, shielding her, while Gan Hong protected Song Ying’s head. In that moment, neither considered Luo Qiu’s presence in the car.

Luo Qiu stood up with a smile, gently patted their clasped hands, and left quietly. He only left a bottle of water behind and took all their communication devices, including a miniature tracking system on Song Ying — something she was likely unaware of. It was likely a protection measure from her residence’s security team, who always tried their best to safeguard this thrill-seeking young lady.

"Getting out won't be difficult," Luo Qiu smiled, "if they work together…"

---

Gan Hong’s physical condition was naturally much better than Song Ying’s. After all, she had survived rigorous training in the village, and despite being female, she had surpassed many men. It was clear how strong she was.

Thus, she woke up earlier. By now, dawn was breaking, and even in the depths of the cliff, she could make out a person’s shape. Surrounded by the wilderness, Gan Hong looked around before gently shaking Song Ying awake. Song Ying shook her head vigorously as she tried to recall the events before she lost consciousness.

They had been ambushed on the road by a gang of small-time thugs, likely sent by Zhong Luoyue or the Zhong family, just to cause trouble. But then the Alfa Romeo had suddenly exploded. Song Ying quickly pieced the events together and sighed in relief, "We’re lucky to be alive… Gan Hong, what's our current situation?"Gan Hong frowned, "We’re at the bottom of a cliff and have lost all our communication devices. The car is completely destroyed, and I only found one bottle of water. It's the worst-case scenario. But worse than that, I can’t find Young Master Qiu."

"What… what happened to him?" Song Ying’s expression shifted.

Gan Hong shook her head, "There’s no sign of him in the wreckage, which is the only good news. But it’s not much better. It’s possible he was thrown from the car during the fall and landed somewhere."

She glanced at the cliff, her voice grim, "If we’re lucky, he might be injured and unable to move. If we’re not, he could’ve suffered fatal injuries from the fall…"

“He has incredible luck!” Song Ying suddenly exclaimed. “He’ll be fine, I’m sure of it!”

“Let’s hope so,” Gan Hong said after a pause, standing up. “Regardless, my priority is to find Young Master Qiu. Miss Song, I’ve checked you over — just some minor scratches. If you stay here, your residence will send rescuers soon. They’ll know…”

Gan Hong reached for Song Ying’s collar, cutting herself off mid-sentence. "They’ll know what?"

“The tracking system your Uncle Wu placed on you is gone.”

“Uncle Wu? When did that happen? Why didn’t I know about it?” Song Ying frowned.

Gan Hong sighed, “It had to be kept secret. Otherwise, with your temperament, you’d never have willingly carried a tracking device.”

Song Ying fell silent, then asked suddenly, "Does Luo Qiu… have one too?"

Gan Hong shook her head, "Young Master Qiu’s system is still being custom-made, so it hasn’t been installed yet. That’s why I’ve completely lost track of him. It’s the most troublesome part. I can’t confirm his current condition."

"Maybe… maybe someone rescued him?" Song Ying suggested.

Gan Hong frowned.

“Don’t you think it’s strange?” Song Ying quickly continued. “We fell off the cliff in the car, but now we’re outside, and we’re fine. How did we get out on our own? And how did we avoid the car burning up?”

Gan Hong thought for a moment, but couldn’t find a better explanation. She nodded, “Let’s hope for the best…”

Just then, the bottom of the cliff began to grow hazy. A thick mist from the mountain stream slowly spread toward them.

The surrounding fog grew denser, and before long, the entire wild area at the foot of the cliff was shrouded in a thick white mist.

"This is bad... In this situation, even if a rescue helicopter is dispatched, it won't be able to find us!" Song Ying immediately realized that the appearance of this fog was undoubtedly making an already dire situation worse for them.

Without her tracking system, it would be difficult for her family to locate her, even in clear visibility.

"This fog has come too quickly and is too dense. I fear it won't clear anytime soon," Gan Hong shook her head. "But there are still traces on the road to track. As long as we don't stray too far, the rescuers will naturally start searching from the scene... Staying here is clearly the best option."

Song Ying smiled bitterly. "You're right... But in this thick fog, let's hope no dangerous creatures appear. In a place like this, there are bound to be wild animals and venomous snakes, and we can't see anything..."

Gan Hong said calmly, "This place may be remote, but it's unlikely for wild animals or snakes to come here. They need to survive too, and staying in such a barren place offers no benefit."

But just then, strange sounds suddenly came from within the fog... like the call of some wild beast.

Song Ying jumped up, laughing bitterly. "Don't tell me... did we just speak it into existence?"

"Perhaps it's Young Master Qiu returning," Gan Hong speculated, then crouched down and pressed her ear to the ground. "No... This doesn't sound like human footsteps!"

Howl—!!!

"That... that’s a wolf howl!!"

Startled by Song Ying's outcry, six or seven shadowy figures suddenly emerged from the thick fog. As they drew closer, their forms and sounds made one thing certain—they were being stalked by a pack of wolves!

But how could there be wolves here? And seven or eight of them all at once?

"It seems staying put isn't an option after all..." Gan Hong quickly made a decision, grabbing Song Ying by the shoulder. "We have no weapons and can't fight these beasts. We can only hide... this way, follow me!"

Song Ying felt herself being pulled along but said nothing, quickly adjusting her pace. At this point, it seemed Gan Hong had stopped thinking about searching for Luo Qiu.

For some reason, Song Ying suddenly felt a warmth in her heart.

As the wolves chased from behind, they hurriedly fled into the fog, hoping the mist would confuse the wolves’ vision.

She could only hope... Song Ying worried silently.

...

At a street-side café.

"Sir, your coffee."

Luo Qiu smiled slightly and placed a small bill on the waiter’s tray. Ordinary people give tips too, and it doesn't need to be much. The recipient will already feel happy with just a little. This waitress was probably a student working part-time.

She left with a kind smile and mentioned that refills were available.

Luo Qiu picked up the coffee. The taste was average, but the place seemed popular. Perhaps his taste had long been spoiled by Yōu Yè.

He sipped the coffee and began fiddling with his phone—like any ordinary young man, sitting idly at a café, killing time or waiting for someone.

No one paid attention to him.

But he was keeping an eye on someone in the corner—a man in his forties or fifties reading a newspaper, occasionally lighting a cigarette. He looked like a bored man passing the time.

This was the man set to meet the hired gun, though clearly not the mastermind behind the hit.

Cautious... Luo Qiu’s vision shifted slightly.

He could see the gun hidden under the man's coat, blades concealed in his shoes, and a small steel ball in his pocket.

That ball could unwind into a thin steel wire—a weapon of sorts.

Hire a killer to assassinate Song Ying, then hire another to kill the first killer... Maybe there's even a third assassin lurking, targeting the second one.

Piece by piece, cutting off the trail.

Luo Qiu yawned. It seemed it would take more time to catch the real culprit. He didn't mind. If he did, he'd simply cheat—after all, the club held the most comprehensive intelligence in the world.

But he wanted to give Song Ying and Gan Hong some alone time, so he played this time-wasting game of tracking.

Perhaps his emotions had revived more than he'd thought. Luo Qiu found himself doing trivial and inefficient things... but that's how people are, often wasting time on unnecessary matters.

Even knowing it’s a waste, they still do it—almost as if it's second nature.

In the corner, the man checked his watch for the third time—the meeting with the gunman was already an hour overdue.

He made a call and left shortly after.

Luo Qiu didn’t follow. Instead, he opened the GPS on his phone. A small red dot appeared on the map, representing the middle-aged man.

Unbeknownst to him, he had been marked—not by high-tech means, but by more esoteric methods, equally convenient.

The red dot moved slowly, then accelerated, as if he had gotten into a car.

"Sir, would you like a refill?"

It was the same waitress, still smiling sweetly, probably because of the tip.

"No, thank you." Luo Qiu shook his head. "Please tell the barista that the latte art was beautiful."

The waitress nodded. Despite his Asian features, she felt an inexplicable urge to linger by him, as if being near him brought a profound sense of peace, banishing all worries.

"Would you like a snack? Sandwich or cookie?"

Luo Qiu waved her off. "I should be going. I’ll be back another time."

Praise and promises bring people closer... as does a smile.

As the waitress watched him leave, Luo Qiu felt more like his old self—before becoming the club’s owner, he'd often pondered how to relate to people.

Sadly, back then, he knew all the steps but lacked the execution.

"Maybe... I’ve changed a bit," Luo Qiu muttered, looking toward a distant intersection. "Without even realizing it..."

He suddenly stopped in his tracks. At the street corner, he saw a black car pull up.

Stepping out of the car were Song Da and Mr. Blind.

The sign above the street corner read... Chinatown.