Chapter 29: Joining the Club
Chapter 29: Joining the Club
Ye Jinghong searched for a whole day and actually found Fang Moqi’s address.
He also had information that Fang Moqi had just returned to the country not long ago, right here in Metropolis!
So, not caring that it was already night, he directly took a trusted police officer and drove to Fang Moqi’s home.
Two hours later, he drove to Sheshan. This area was full of high-end residential properties. He found one of the villas.
“This is Fang Moqi’s home? Chief, are you sure? How could someone this rich possibly be a murderer?” Ye Jinghong’s trusted officer was named Li Han. After getting out of the car, he stared dumbfounded at the garden villa in front of them. He knew this area, Royal Garden, was an internationally renowned super luxury district.
He couldn’t imagine a suspect in a homicide case living in such a magnificent place.
Ye Jinghong was also a bit taken aback, but he trusted his gut and wasn’t intimidated.
“Li Han, a person’s suspicion has nothing to do with whether they have money or not! Someone with money, ability, who has everything… that kind of person often pursues thrills. No one can understand what they’re thinking! They might play games of punishing the wicked, treating it like a game. Such people absolutely exist!”
While reminding Li Han, Ye Jinghong seemed to feel even more certain of his intuition.
“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!”
After pressing the doorbell twice in a row, Ye Jinghong waited outside the garden.
He waited a full three minutes with no movement at all, so Ye Jinghong pressed the doorbell again.
“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!”
This time, after a minute, a screen on the iron gate suddenly lit up. It displayed a man with deep-set features, wearing only a black shirt, his muscles taut against the fabric.
Ye Jinghong showed his identification and said, “I am Ye Jinghong, Chief of the Metropolis Public Security Bureau. You are Fang Moqi, right? There is a case we’d like to ask you about. We hope you will cooperate.”
The man on the screen, seeing two police officers looking for him and mentioning some case, immediately frowned.
“I haven’t been back to Metropolis for six months. What case could involve me?”
Ye Jinghong said, “Early this morning in Hongshan District, there was a case of premeditated murder. The weapon was a bow and arrow, so we wanted to ask Mr. Fang you…”
Before he could finish, as soon as Fang Moqi heard it was yesterday, he immediately cut him off. “Has nothing to do with me. Also, I’m very tired. Don’t bother me.”
Ye Jinghong was stunned and grew even more suspicious of Fang Moqi.
“Mr. Fang, please cooperate! I’m not saying you did it…”
Fang Moqi looked weary and said, “I don’t know who did it either. It has absolutely nothing to do with me.”
With that, he directly turned off the screen, leaving the police chief out in the cold at the front gate.
Ye Jinghong stared blankly at the iron gate. He had never met someone this arrogant before.
Anger turned into a bitter laugh. “Probably only this kind of person would disregard the law and challenge the police like this, right?”
After witnessing Fang Moqi’s personality, Ye Jinghong became even more convinced he was that ‘Heaven’s Punishment’ guy. He fit the image of the culprit in Ye Jinghong’s mind perfectly.
“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!”
Fang Moqi lay tiredly on the sofa. Hearing the constant ringing of the doorbell in his ears, his face showed impatience.
So he picked up his phone and dialed a number.
Soon, the other party answered the call. “Lao Fang? Heard you’re back in Metropolis? Why not come see me at the club?”
“Maybe later… I’m exhausted. Haven’t slept well in months,” Fang Moqi said lazily.
The voice on the phone said, “Alright, alright, you’re always like this when you come back, completely different from when you’re out there. By the way, where did you go?”
Fang Moqi said, “Venezuela. The Guyana Highlands. Lao Bi, stop asking. I have something else to talk to you about.”
“Oh oh oh, what is it?” Lao Bi said.
“As soon as I got back, the police showed up. Said there’s a murder case they want to ask me about. It’s so annoying. Take care of this for me,” Fang Moqi said with his eyes closed.
Lao Bi chuckled and asked, “Seems like I heard about that case. Does it have anything to do with you?”
“No. I just got back yesterday. You know I always sleep like a stone for two days when I return. They woke me up,” Fang Moqi said gloomily.
“I see, I get it. Okay, I’ll handle this for you. But since you’re back, how about you lead the club members for a bit? They’ve been waiting for you, hoping day and night.”
Fang Moqi sighed and said, “Do I have to? Why does your club always make me work?”
Lao Bi said, “Heh heh heh, just say yes or no!”
“Yes! Just hurry up and get those two cops outside my door to leave. It’s so noisy!” Fang Moqi, hearing the doorbell still ringing, agreed quickly.
“Lao Fang, don’t be so impatient. You have shares in the club too, don’t you?” Lao Bi chuckled.
“I’ll go to the club after I wake up. Also, I can only lead the team for ten days. I have something else on the third of next month…” Fang Moqi’s voice trailed off as he was almost asleep.
Lao Bi asked curiously, “Something else? Where to?”
“Shennongjia…”
“Oh? Going with that group from the capital again? Hey? Hey?”
“Huu… Huu…”
Fang Moqi fell directly asleep, his phone just dropped on the sofa.
Lao Bi called out a few more times, then knew what was up and had to hang up.
“Tsk, every time he comes back, he’s like a dead log…”
Lao Bi muttered to himself, “Shennongjia? That old place still hasn’t been fully explored after all these years?”
“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!”
Ye Jinghong kept frantically pressing the doorbell outside, but it was obvious Fang Moqi had no intention of dealing with him. He waited a full ten minutes without any movement.
“Chief, should we go back for now? He’s clearly not cooperating!” Li Han said cautiously.
Ye Jinghong was also extremely frustrated. He had never seen anything like this.
Right then, his phone rang. Ye Jinghong answered it, and his expression changed. He frowned, listened for a few moments, and then spoke.
“Whether he’s related still needs investigation. He fits in all aspects…”
“This… how can it be like this?”
“Yes…”
Ye Jinghong’s face darkened, and he hung up.
Li Han watched from the side and understood. He guessed it was someone from higher up calling; otherwise, Ye Jinghong, with his short temper, wouldn’t be this obedient.
“Chief… about this…”
“Let’s go!” Ye Jinghong turned sharply and got straight into the car.
Li Han hurriedly followed into the car and asked, “Chief, where are we going?”
Ye Jinghong gritted his teeth and spat out two words: “Off duty!”
…
The next day, Lan Mu started moving early in the morning. He didn’t do much, mainly packing up the things he needed to. The rest he left to the moving company.
Right after he took Su Yue to the new place, he got a call from Du Yu.
Hearing the familiar voice on the phone, Lan Mu snapped, “How do you even know my phone number?”
“Ahem… don’t mind those details.”
Du Yu continued, “I talked to the club manager. It’s all settled. You can just come straight to the Forest Club. Should I pick you up?”
“That fast? Is the club run by your family?” Lan Mu was surprised by Du Yu’s speed. How could the club let someone with no certificates like him lead a wilderness survival activity?
“Yep! My brother runs it,” Du Yu admitted without a second thought.
“…”
Lan Mu remained silent for a moment, then said, “Alright, come pick me up, I’m at…”
He hung up the phone. Lan Mu looked around the empty studio that was still not set up, so he called Cheng Ming.
“Brother Mu, what’s up?”
“Are you busy at work? If not, come help out. The studio is in Songjiang. The exact location is…”
“Oh, so you actually rented a studio? I really thought you were going to do it in that old house of yours,” Cheng Ming said.
“Uh… enough talk. The studio will officially open in a little while.”
About half an hour after hanging up, Cheng Ming arrived.
“You got here pretty fast. Check out what I wrote.”
Seeing Cheng Ming arrive, Lan Mu just tossed the keys to him and handed over the promotional text he had written on his notebook.
“I have years of experience working in television. Currently forming a professional team to handle pre-production and post-production for various TV programs. Timely delivery and reasonable prices. Looking forward to working with you. Specializing in product VCRs needed for TV shopping.”
“Accepting documentary production, advertising production, corporate promotional videos, year-end reports, product videos, microfilms, event recordings, meeting documentation, etc. Offering pre-production planning, photography and videography, post-production packaging, voiceovers, music, subtitles, and more.”
“Work phone… Company address… Contact person…”
After reading the promotional text, Cheng Ming thought it was okay, though it did seem a bit like a small ad…
But he couldn’t write anything better himself, so he said, “It’s fine, but where do we have a professional team?”
“I’m not asking you to take on jobs right now. I need to go out soon to make some money. Once I’m back, we’ll officially open.”
“I’ll transfer thirty thousand to you. That’s all the assets I have left.”
“Decorate the studio, put up the sign, and buy some furniture, appliances, and such. Also, get in touch with our old classmates. If anyone is willing to join our team, invite them over.”
Cheng Ming listened, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the tasks. Finally, he said, “Alright, leave it to me!”
“I’m not going to work anymore anyway. Since I submitted my resignation, the newspaper hasn’t been assigning me much work. I don’t even want the remaining salary. Let’s just quit directly! Haha!”
Right then, a low honk sounded from downstairs.
Lan Mu looked out the window and saw it was indeed Du Yu. He was driving a Ford E350 and poking his head out the window to look around.
Cheng Ming was still confused when he saw Lan Mu gesture, then pick up a bag and head out.
“Brother Mu, where are you going to make money?”
“I’m not sure yet. I might not leave today; just going to check things out.”
“Oh, right.” Before leaving, Lan Mu introduced Su Yue to Cheng Ming, then said to Su Yue, “This is my good friend, Cheng Ming. You’ll be colleagues from now on.”
Su Yue couldn’t see Cheng Ming, but she could roughly tell where he was. She politely bowed slightly and said, “Mr. Cheng, my name is Su Yue.”
Cheng Ming was completely baffled, thinking to himself, “She’s blind?” Before he could ask more, Lan Mu said, “I’m leaving now. Take good care of Su Yue. She’s the cleaner I hired, and she’ll handle our meals too. Pay attention.”
After saying that, Lan Mu went directly downstairs, leaving Cheng Ming standing there, utterly confused.
Once inside Du Yu’s car, Lan Mu couldn’t help but say, “Pretty rich, huh? Changed cars again?”
Du Yu laughed, “This car is imposing! For picking up someone like you, I can’t drive some sleek sports car, right?”
Originally, Lan Mu was quite pleased hearing that, but then Du Yu couldn’t help adding more.
“Oh, I don’t mean your face is sleek or anything!”
“…”
Thinking of the money, Lan Mu held back once again.
Calculating the time, today was the seventh day of his transformation into an Elf. If things went as expected, by three o’clock tomorrow morning, he would turn back into a human.
After about several dozen minutes, Du Yu drove the car to Jinkou District.
They didn’t go to the Forest Club in the city but instead headed directly to the outdoor grounds the Forest Club had purchased, also known as the VIP training ground.
The environment here was quite nice. The buildings stood amid lush green grass, forming a garden-style complex, somewhat similar to a resort.
Inside the training ground, only about a dozen people were visible, each carrying their own bows and arrows as they moved around.
Some were practicing shooting at basic ring targets, some were shooting at moving targets like balloons, and others were simply gathered together chatting.
Du Yu parked the car and walked over with Lan Mu.
A middle-aged man immediately came forward, smiling, and said, “Xiao Yu!”
“And this is the Mr. Lan… you introduced?”
The middle-aged man was first stunned by Lan Mu’s striking appearance but quickly regained his composure, then introduced himself.
“My name is Wang Ling. I wonder if Mr. Lan would be willing to join the Forest Club?”
Lan Mu didn’t even think before replying, “No need.”
“Uh…”
Du Yu chimed in from the side, “If Brother Mu says no need, then no need! We can just consider him an external consultant.”
Wang Ling smiled bitterly, “Xiao Yu, even if we hire an external consultant, there should be some credentials, right? Club members might not give us face…”
“And I heard that Mr. Lan, you have no wilderness survival experience, haven’t joined the Hunter Association… and likely don’t even have a hunting license?”
Lan Mu nodded and straightforwardly answered, “That’s right. My only work experience is as a journalist.”
Wang Ling looked quite troubled, but Du Yu quickly said, “Manager Wang, didn’t we agree on this?”
“I did promise you, but if Mr. Lan isn’t willing to join the club, there’s a lot I can’t arrange!”
“If Mr. Lan joins the Forest Club as a member, according to VIP benefits, he can join any outdoor activities with the team. That way, I can easily arrange someone qualified to lead the team as a nominal leader.”
“There have been cases of two leaders before. As long as they coordinate well, leading the team can actually be easier. I wonder what Mr. Lan thinks?”
Hearing this, Lan Mu fell into thought.
Finally, under Du Yu’s eager gaze and for the sake of the money, Lan Mu agreed.
“I can join the Forest Club, but…”
“He pays the annual fee!”