Chapter 646: Chapter 646: The Old Path (Part Four)_1 Chapter 646: Chapter 646: The Old Path (Part Four)_1 “Alright, nobody touch these things anymore.”
In the end, it was Lei who broke the awkward silence, warning Kateman not to go poking around, and with that, the minor turmoil was defused.
However, Fu Qian’s pressure tactics were obviously very effective.
When the group returned from underground, the atmosphere had once again grown silent.
“Speaking of which, do any of you know someone named Laxik?”
In such an atmosphere, troublemaker Fu Qian suddenly spoke up, asking casually.
“Laxik? Who’s that, your friend?”
Lei, who had been somewhat dazed, lifted his head at the question, his face filled with confusion.
It seemed he really didn’t know.
Fu Qian sighed inwardly, but wasn’t overly disappointed.
Being suddenly asked in this state of mind, one would see bewilderment, not shock.
If this was an act, the actor’s self-cultivation must be at the level of a grandmaster.
And it wasn’t just him; all three of the others had the same blank look in their eyes.
It looked like he would indeed have to search for her at the foothills.
…
Given that their spirits were a bit shaken, the group didn’t take long after coming up to decide to head back to their rooms to rest.
The house was quite large, and the above-ground sections were not too old, making it easy to clean up several rooms.
Sitting in a room that had been tidied up briefly, Fu Qian rested for a while, pondering what excuse to use to drive the car away, when a knock on the door suddenly came.
When he went outside, he found Lei had already gathered everyone together.
“My aunt has invited us to have dinner later.”
“Your aunt? She lives nearby?”
Kateman asked in surprise, voicing what the others were thinking.
“What else did you think kept this place livable?”
Lei snorted.
“Although she moved out of this house, my aunt never left the area and even spends money to maintain it from time to time.”
“Before we set off, my parents asked her to look after me.”
“Great, does that mean we’ll get lots of delicious food? I really don’t want to keep eating fried chicken tonight.”
Jessica was the first to express approval.
“Her husband is the local police chief.”
Facing her cheers, Lei gave her a look and added calmly.
A police chief, huh?
The thought piqued Fu Qian’s interest.
In a strange place, looking for someone, such a character would undoubtedly be useful.
However, out of the corner of his eye, he also noticed the moment the words were spoken, the faces of Kateman and the other stiffened in unison.
Scared of seeing the police? Weren’t they being a little too paranoid?
Fu Qian thought to himself but then heard Lei continue.
“I have already agreed for us.”
Already agreed…
Kateman and the other swallowed hard, but in the end, they didn’t raise any objections.
Not too stupid, Fu Qian noted.
Under the current circumstances, the invitation was almost impossible to decline.
Even if the three had done something outside and didn’t want to see the police at this time, without a good reason, they were obliged to attend the dinner.
Otherwise, if something were to happen, as outsiders, this abnormal behavior would likely be the first to draw suspicion.
In fact, after the three returned, they didn’t immediately clamor to leave, probably for the same reason.
Hastily arriving and then suddenly interrupting the planned escape for no apparent reason was indeed highly suspicious.
“Great!”
Out of the group, it was Fran who seemed the most elated.
To her, a big meal after a spell of hard work was clearly a delightful occurrence.
In light of the evening’s plans, Fu Qian settled down quietly to rest, opting not to set out early.
Now being of merely human constitution, he absolutely needed to conserve his energy.
…
Although he had agreed to attend the dinner, Lei was clearly somewhat reluctant.
He procrastinated until the evening approached, finally calling everyone to set off and also roused the neighboring couple next door.
Soon after, they squeezed into the little red car, which was packed full, and drove along the black gravel road.
The residential area at the foot of the mountain was obviously not large, seeming just like a small town.
In Fu Qian’s view, this wasn’t a bad thing at all; with fewer people, it would be much easier to search, and he even guessed that the police chief might know everyone.
After nearly crossing half the town, the car finally stopped in front of a building.
A grey-roofed, white-walled house that was quite large but relatively simple.
Almost as soon as the engine shut off, a middle-aged woman in a long dress came out to greet them, smiling and standing there.
…
Lei’s aunt and her family were even friendlier than expected.
Even the legendary Police Chief Uncle was lazing on the sofa watching TV, looking almost sleepy.
Upon seeing everyone enter, he greeted the youths warmly.
This “combatant” was unsurprisingly not weak!
Fu Qian, with one glance, quietly made a judgment in his heart.
The police chief in front of him was clearly in his prime, in his forties and physically strong.
Unlike Kateman’s gym-built physique, this man lying there even had a bit of a belly, but if it really came down to action, he would most definitely be capable.
Against such an opponent, if it were just a police baton, Fu Qian wouldn’t have much of a problem dealing with him, but if the man was armed with a gun, it would pose a certain risk.
In summary, he could be a good ally.
…
By the time everyone arrived, it was clear that Lei’s aunt had prepared for a while.
After a bout of pleasantry exchanges, dinner soon began.
Mr. Jones, Lei’s uncle, didn’t seem very talkative, or maybe he just didn’t have much in common with the younger folks.
After a simple welcome, it was mostly Lei’s aunt who kept the atmosphere lively.
Fortunately, the two girls were quite responsive, and with their engagement, Lei’s aunt was quite happy.
However, the pleasant atmosphere did not last long, as a phone ring soon interrupted it.
Mr. Jones casually picked up the call, grunted a few times, and then made his excuses for an emergency, promptly stepping out after greeting everyone.
Mrs. Jones seemed unfazed by this, laughing and continuing to entertain the guests as if it were the norm.
This was happening too fast! He hadn’t even had time for any subtlety yet.
Fu Qian mused internally, but as someone who took pleasure in his work, he wasn’t too anxious, settling down to enjoy the meal while watching Kateman and his companions struggling to suppress their tension.
He didn’t get to enjoy it for too long, though.
As dinner wound down and everyone was enjoying their conversation, Fu Qian slipped out alone to the yard to survey the surroundings.
It wasn’t long before Mr. Jones returned, slowly getting out of his car.
When he saw Fu Qian standing outside, he seemed slightly taken aback.
But in the next moment, he approached, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and offered one to Fu Qian.
After being politely refused, the man didn’t press the matter any further, merely lighting one for himself and taking a deep inhale.
“Today, you hit and killed someone?”
… Huh?
Seeing Mr. Jones’s somber approach and expecting a profound conversation, Fu Qian didn’t anticipate it would be this profound.