Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 804

"It seems this is all the candles I could find."

After bringing Song Haoran into the seaside apartment, Luo Qiu pointed to the candle standing on the coffee table, looking somewhat helpless.

"It was definitely a sudden freak weather event," Song Haoran said as he sat down, gazing at the orange-red flame of the candle. "Even communication devices were damaged."

He shook his head. "Things like this only seem to happen in the movies."

Luo Qiu smiled without saying much... He couldn’t exactly admit that he had been itching to do something and ended up causing this natural disaster for the city.

"By the way, where’s your girlfriend?" Song Haoran looked around the room.

This was the fourth time he had met Luo Qiu, and the previous three times, he had always seen the girl who never left Luo Qiu’s side.

Luo Qiu poured a glass of lemon water and said casually, "She’s tired today, so she went to rest early."

"Oh, let her rest more then," Song Haoran said without any concern. In fact, his expression suggested that he preferred the absence of a third person in the room, as it made things more to his liking.

He looked at Luo Qiu and said, "I’m sure you have some idea why I came this time, don’t you?"Luo Qiu nodded.

Song Haoran got straight to the point. "I won’t beat around the bush. This is the test report I got from the hospital. I supervised the entire process. Fortunately, the results came out just before the storm hit; otherwise, we might have had to wait longer."

At this point, Song Haoran smiled slightly and said, "It seems fate has allowed me to resolve this matter today."

Luo Qiu took the test report from Song Haoran’s hand and carefully read through it without saying a word. Song Haoran quietly waited, knowing that anyone would need time to process such results.

After a long time, Luo Qiu let out a slow breath. "It seems my grandfather really was Song Tianyin. Mr. Song, thank you for bringing me this news."

Song Haoran laughed heartily. "Mr. Song? You should change the way you address me. According to our family tree, you should call me ‘Uncle’—your actual uncle, no less."

Luo Qiu thought for a moment and then looked at Song Haoran, unexpectedly saying, "I need some time."

Even after all these years, Luo Qiu hadn’t managed to call Ren Ziling "Mom," let alone suddenly call Song Haoran "Uncle."

Song Haoran wasn’t aware that Luo Qiu’s request for "some time" might take a very long time—perhaps forever. He assumed it was just a matter of getting used to it, and that it would eventually be fine, so he didn’t mind too much.

Meeting a long-lost family member on a foreign street, only to later discover through a series of coincidences that they were blood relatives, would be hard for anyone to accept right away—even for Song Haoran himself.

But it didn’t matter—Song Haoran believed that in the future, there would be plenty of time for this lost member of the Song family to recognize his heritage.

"Let’s not talk about that for now." Song Haoran nodded and then asked more seriously, "Luo Qiu, since you’re traveling here, when are you planning to head back?"

"Is there somewhere you need me to go?" Luo Qiu thought for a moment before asking.

Song Haoran smiled and said, "As expected of someone from the Song family—you're a smart kid. Let me get straight to the point: my father wants to meet you in person, but he’s not able to travel, so I hope you can come with me."

Song Haoran carefully observed Luo Qiu's expression, speaking slowly, "Of course, we're not demanding anything from you, but as a junior, it’s only proper to meet your elders. I also sincerely hope you'll come. Don’t worry—if there's an issue with your visa, I can take care of it. By the way, doesn't your father have a second wife? If it’s convenient, I can arrange for someone to bring her along as well."

Luo Qiu shook his head and suddenly said, "For now, I don’t want her to know about this."

Song Haoran didn’t ask any further questions—he had been raised with the traditional values instilled by Song Tianyou. Song Tianyou, having made his way in the old world, held many old-fashioned beliefs, including the idea that in a family, the men made the decisions.

Since Luo Qiu was the only male left in his lineage, he was entitled to make decisions for his family branch. In fact, as the direct grandson of Song Tianyin, the eldest brother of Song Tianyou, Luo Qiu was considered a direct heir in the Song family, a family that had once been quite prominent. Traditions and rules were particularly important to them.

In the Song family, the opinion of a direct male descendant carried more weight than that of a secondary member of the family.

Thus, Song Haoran nodded and said, "That’s fine; we’ll go with your decision. When would you like to leave?"

Luo Qiu frowned slightly and said, "Mr. Song, before we go, isn’t there something else you should tell me? For example, more about your background... a normal businessman wouldn't have the kind of skills you demonstrated at the theater."

Song Haoran wasn’t surprised that Luo Qiu had these doubts. In fact, he felt that Luo Qiu’s curiosity was a good sign—if he had remained indifferent, that calmness would have been almost unnatural.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you too much right now," Song Haoran said after a moment of silence. "However, you have the right to know everything. I believe my father will explain it to you personally, which would be more appropriate."

Luo Qiu remained expressionless.

Song Haoran knew it wouldn’t be easy to persuade him. His father had instructed him to bring Luo Qiu back, but Song Haoran didn’t want to resort to force, especially when dealing with a blood relative. If the first impression was poor, it would be even harder to mend their relationship in the future.

"Let me put it this way," Song Haoran decided to reveal a bit more information. "We don’t conduct legitimate business. But don’t worry—my father is a man of principles. Although our operations are extensive, we’ve never touched anything within our homeland. All of our money is made abroad."

Luo Qiu nodded.

Song Haoran quickly added, "Rest assured, you won’t encounter any danger on this trip. Or to put it another way, as long as we’re in South America, if we commit to protecting someone, they won’t die."

"I’ll need to think about it," Luo Qiu finally responded after a long pause.

This answer didn’t surprise Song Haoran. He understood the need for balance and didn’t push any further. He quickly stood up and said, "This is my phone number. Communications should be restored by tomorrow. I’ll wait for your reply, and I won’t be leaving the area anytime soon."

"I’ll see you out," Luo Qiu nodded.

Song Haoran soon left the seaside park, walking along the dimly lit path by the sea. Only after closing the door did Luo Qiu slowly return to the apartment.

The candle had barely burned halfway when Luo Qiu, standing before it, seemed to dissolve into fine dust as a gust of sea wind blew in from outside, and he disappeared.

It was merely a temporary doppelganger that had been created—the real boss was still at the club.

...

In the study, Boss Luo slowly opened his eyes.

Most of the time, the first thing he saw upon waking was You Ye’s face, which gave him a sense of comfort.

The maid was holding a tray covered with a black cloth and looked at her master. "Has Mr. Song left already?"

"Yes, he's gone," Luo Qiu nodded. "It was fortunate that I had left a temporary illusionary doppelganger at the apartment earlier."

You Ye smiled and said, "It seems Mr. Song and his people have finally gotten their answer."

Luo Qiu replied softly, "It won't be long now. I estimate it’ll take another day or two... Did you find the items?"

You Ye placed the tray in front of Luo Qiu and removed the black cloth. Three different items were laid out on it.

One was a crown made of some kind of metal, shaped like woven olive branches.

The second was a silver ring.

The last item was a transparent black crystal bottle.

Boss Luo picked up the olive branch crown and examined it. At the same time, information about it appeared in his consciousness.

This was the "Crown of the Gospel."

As for the ring, it was a magical item that could grant ordinary people the ability to use magic. Its name was simple: "Ring of Blessing."

The blessing it provided didn’t bestow luck as if favored by a goddess, but it did invigorate the mind, ease pain, and cure minor illnesses and discomforts. It also encouraged a positive, optimistic, and benevolent outlook.

Of course, the real effect of the Ring of Blessing was its ability to give people a powerful psychological suggestion. By stimulating their potential, it could slightly enhance a person’s mental and physical strength.

The black crystal bottle, on the other hand, was a vessel for collecting and storing souls—similar to the box that Boss Luo had once given to the tyrant Nero.

Looking at these three items in front of him, Boss Luo suddenly chuckled and said, "How about we give them a new name?"

The maid softly replied, "Master, you may name them."

A mischievous thought crossed Boss Luo’s mind, and he said, "Let’s call it the 'Charlatan’s Set.'"

"Very well, it will be called that," the maid remained elegant as always.

Boss Luo found it a bit dull and shook his head. "Since this is the Crown of the Gospel, and the ring and bottle are supportive items, let’s call it the 'Gospel Set' instead... Later, deliver them to Bucky and instruct him on how to use them."

"Understood," the maid nodded.

Boss Luo looked at You Ye and suddenly said, "I’ll be leaving on my own for a while. During my absence, I will temporarily grant you the same authority as me. If any business comes up, you can make decisions yourself."

The maid nodded, ready to unconditionally follow her master's instructions.

Luo Qiu added, "Since you'll be making decisions, do it based on your own preferences. This time, I'm taking it easy... but when I return, I hope to see some of your work."

"You don’t need to take me with you?" the maid asked softly.

"After this, check which Black Soul's leave is coming up, and wake them," the boss paused. "For now, you’re the only one I trust completely to assist Bucky."

"I understand," You Ye nodded. "Then, I’ll head out now, Master."

"Wait."

The maid turned around.

The boss gently said, "Even if I’m not here, remember to eat on time. Taste different flavors and keep them in mind. Tell me about it when I return."

"Alright!"

After You Ye left the study, Luo Qiu muttered to himself.

"Following the former master for hundreds of years, your knowledge and experience far surpass mine... So, when you no longer have to worry about limitations and can make decisions for yourself..."

"The saint who raises the flag of freedom..."

He seemed to be anticipating something… lost in thought.

...

Caroline curled up in the corner of the sofa, covered with a blanket that Arnold had found.

The power was still out, the communication system was still down, and even the TV couldn’t be watched. The old radio Arnold had found only emitted static.

Without electric lights, the room was lit only by candlelight, as if they had gone back to a time before modern civilization existed.

Just a man and a woman, alone together.

"Want some beans?"

In the dim light, Arnold’s voice came from the darkness. Caroline could see a vague shadow moving—there was no way to order takeout in this situation, and cooking was even less likely.

So Arnold was preparing canned food.

"Thank you."

Arnold came out of the darkness, holding two plates. Caroline took one of them. She hadn’t eaten since she woke up that morning, and by now, she was starving.

The cheap canned beans surprisingly smelled quite appetizing.

"You... you really can't remember what happened last night?"

As they ate, Arnold hesitantly looked at Caroline—she had already briefly mentioned what had happened before she escaped that morning.

Caroline put down her spoon and shook her head. "I really don't remember. When I woke up, I saw Livia sitting on a chair, covered in blood. At that moment... I was so scared, and for some reason, I was holding a bloody knife in my hand."

As she spoke, Caroline looked at Arnold with a complex expression.

Arnold could only smile bitterly and lower his head, saying softly, "I don’t know what the police think, but if it were me... I would believe you."

"Why?" Caroline suddenly asked.

Arnold sighed. "No one knows better than I do just how bad of a guy Hailey is. You know? My mother had a heart condition—we all knew. But Hailey still provoked her until she had a heart attack... On the day of the funeral, he was off doing heroin with a group of people and didn’t show up."

Caroline was stunned. She could clearly see the hatred in Arnold’s eyes.

Thinking about it from his perspective, Arnold’s resentment towards Hailey was understandable—like this time when she had mistaken the two and almost stabbed Arnold with a dining knife.

Growing up... he probably had to cover for Hailey’s mistakes more than once, right?

"Can you... can you find him? Hailey?"

Arnokd shook his head. "I’ve never gone looking for him, especially after he got out of jail recently. We basically haven’t been in contact… except for that one time he came to my house."

Arnold suddenly let out a cold laugh. "I thought maybe he had reflected on things in prison, but no, he came to borrow money... Do you know what for? To buy a gift to woo a woman. His reason? He wanted to steal this woman from someone else—yeah, she was his rival's girlfriend."

Caroline shook her head... She had seen men like Hailey before, both in the slums and in the outside world.

The dirty secrets of men were often unimaginable.

"Does he usually go to any specific places?" Caroline asked.

"I don't know." Arnold shook his head, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, when you attacked me earlier, you said something about him stealing your money... How much did you lose? Do you need it urgently? If you do, I have some savings I can lend you…"

"No need," Caroline shook her head.

With the amount of money on that bank card, there was no way a poor student like Arnold could help.

"You shouldn’t be carrying so much cash around," Arnold sighed.

Caroline frowned. "How do you know how much I had?"

Arnold was taken aback. "Wasn't it a lot? You seemed pretty upset at the time, so I thought it must have been a significant amount, right?"

Caroline turned her face away. "It's nothing, just a bank card."

Arnold let out a breath. "A bank card? Well, in that case, just report it lost. Even if he took it, it’s useless to him—he wouldn’t know your PIN, right?"

Normally, that would be the case... But the problem was, the card she got from that mysterious merchant already had the PIN written on it!