F-class thief? Sorry, I can steal anything.

Chapter 124 The dust has settled! New plans

Wang Qingyun's figure completely disappeared around the street corner.

The place was empty, as if he had never been there.

Chen Yifan stood motionless at the entrance of the villa.

A cool breeze blew by, and a slight chill crept into his neck.

His mind, which had been under immense mental strain, finally cleared up a little.

"Some things are too hot to handle. If you pick them up, you have to be prepared to get burned."

Wang Qingyun's last words echoed in his mind again and again.

Of course he knew it was too hot to handle.

But he had no choice.

From the moment he decided to "reclaim" all of Bai Xiang's inheritance right under Wang Qingyun's nose.

He had already put his hand into the fire.

It's too late to back out now.

Moreover, he didn't want to pull it back.

but!

What puzzled him was why Wang Qingyun didn't expose him on the spot.

These are the big shots standing in the clouds.

They're all eccentric, always saying only half of what they mean and holding back their actions.

It's as if they won't be satisfied until they've tormented people to death like riddles.

This feeling of having your fate controlled by others, and even your right to know being arbitrarily taken away...

It made him very unhappy.

I'm extremely, extremely unhappy.

However, now is not the time to dwell on these things.

Ye Tong, Wang Qingyun, and the unseen shadows behind them...

You can't trust any of them.

The only person he could trust was himself.

Chen Yifan lowered his eyes, looking at the black encrypted phone in his hand and the envelope containing the 30 million black card.

Oh.

next second.

With a flick of his wrist, the encrypted communicator, specially supplied to Longdu and touted as absolutely secure, traced a precise parabola in the air.

"Clatter".

With a soft thud, it landed steadily in the roadside trash can.

After doing all this, he took out his phone and turned it on.

The moment the screen lit up, a constant buzzing vibration began.

Countless missed calls and text message notifications flooded the screen like a burst dam.

There were numbers from Principal Zhou Dehai, Director Zhao Lixin, and all sorts of unfamiliar numbers...

His gaze finally settled on the contact at the top, which showed "99+" missed calls.

Wang Fugui.

The blood that had been fueled by suspicion and anger seemed to be infused with a warm current.

Chen Yifan swiped the screen and dialed back directly.

The call was answered instantly.

"Fanzi! You finally turned it on! You scared me to death, you know?!"

Wang Fugui's signature loud voice rang out like thunder, making Chen Yifan's eardrums buzz.

The voice contained barely suppressed anxiety, lingering fear, and an overwhelming joy at having something lost and then regained.

"I'm fine."

Chen Yifan moved his phone further away, a helpless smile on his face.

"Nothing's wrong? You call that nothing's wrong?!"

"I told you so! I told you so! Why wouldn't you let Xiaoyu and me go!"

"So, you knew all along!"

Wang Fugui yelled even louder on the other end.

"The Hundred Images! That's the Hundred Images! The city center square was almost completely flattened!"

"I called you eight hundred times, and your phone was always off! I thought you..."

Her voice suddenly choked up, and she couldn't continue speaking.

Chen Yifan could imagine the agony this kind-hearted fat man must have felt when he saw the news and couldn't contact him.

"Oh, you're crying?"

Chen Yifan's voice softened.

"I..." Wang Fugui hesitated for a long time before finally saying in a muffled voice, "I was just worried about you... If my dad hadn't locked me in the house after the accident, I would have rushed over long ago!"

"You little brat..."

Chen Yifan was amused by him, and the gloom in his heart caused by Wang Qingyun dissipated a lot.

"By the way, Fanzi, where are you now? I'm coming to find you! Damn it, I can't rest easy without seeing you for a day."

"No need, I just got back from outside, I'm at Longcheng No. 1. You stay home and don't wander off."

"Dragon City No. 1? Oh, okay."

Although Wang Fugui was somewhat disappointed, he still obediently agreed.

"Then be careful. Call me anytime if anything happens! Keep your phone on 24/7!"

"Okay, okay, stop nagging."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Yifan was just about to put it down.

A new message popped up.

It was sent by Lin Xiaoyu.

The content is very simple, consisting of only one sentence.

"Brother, are you alright? I was so worried about you!"

Following this was a small, worried emoticon.

Looking at the message, Chen Yifan could imagine how restless that quiet girl must have been after learning that he had gone missing.

He replied, "Yeah, don't worry, I'm fine, I'm back."

Then he put his phone away.

Whether it was Wang Fugui's loud and boisterous manner or Lin Xiaoyu's quiet concern, both made him feel a long-lost warmth.

He is not fighting alone.

Behind him are these people he cares about, and who care about him in return.

Chen Yifan took a deep breath.

He turned around and walked into the villa that the authorities had prepared for him, which was called "protection" but was actually a "cage".

The living room was empty, but the air still held some of the living atmosphere he had deliberately created for his acting.

He was not in a hurry to return to the Heavenly Cloud Court.

Instead, he walked to the sofa, sat down, and let himself sink into the darkness.

He needs to calm down.

Everything needs to be re-examined.

Wang Qingyun's power is completely beyond what he can comprehend at this stage.

This person has likely already reached the pinnacle of the Dragon Kingdom's top combat power.

This kind of person condescends to work in a tiny security bureau...

This in itself speaks volumes.

"The power of heretics..."

Chen Yifan pondered these four words, his eyes flashing with thoughtful light.

This may be the true "version of the answer" for this world.

But right now, it's too far off to think about those things.

Right now, he needs to confirm one thing.

He took out his phone, glanced at the time, and realized it was already the next day.

He hesitated for a moment.

In the end, he dialed Mu Wanqing's number.

The phone rang for a long time, and just when Chen Yifan thought the other party wouldn't answer, it was finally connected.

"Feed?"

Mu Wanqing's voice came through, carrying a hint of hoarseness from just waking up and a strong sense of impatience.

The young lady was in a bad mood because he woke her up at this hour.

"it's me."

Chen Yifan's words were concise and to the point.

"I know it's you! What are you up to now, staying up so late?!"

Mu Wanqing's voice instantly became wary, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Now, whenever she hears Chen Yifan's voice, she instinctively feels that nothing good is coming.

"How are my mom and sister?"

Chen Yifan ignored her emotions and asked directly.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

After a good ten seconds, Mu Wanqing's voice rang out again, her impatience replaced by a complex tone, tinged with displeasure.

"You're quite good at being a hands-off manager."

She snorted coldly.

"I've arranged everything for you. The Black Gold Merchant Guild has a secret estate on the outskirts of the city, with the highest level of security. You can rest assured."

"in addition……"

"Everything you eat and use is the best. As for your sister, I even found two maids who are proficient in music and literature to keep her company, so she won't be bored."

"Your mom... I've also found someone to chat with to keep her company and relieve her boredom."

She finished speaking in one breath, as if she were giving a work report.

Her tone conveyed a sense of professionalism, as if to say, "Don't worry about what I do."

And the urging that "you owe me a huge favor".

Chen Yifan listened quietly, and the heaviest stone hanging in his heart finally slowly fell to the ground.

Although Mu Wanqing is greedy and shrewd, she is indeed reliable in her work when bound by contracts.

Entrusting the family to her is currently the best option, at least in terms of physical safety.

Thanks.

For the first time, Chen Yifan's voice carried a hint of sincerity.

"Don't give me that." Mu Wanqing seemed very uncomfortable with his attitude and said irritably, "This is a deal, you owe me."

"Don't worry, I won't forget."

Chen Yifan smiled.

"I'll return these things to you as soon as I've dealt with them."

"Hmph, that's for the best."

Mu Wanqing paused, as if she remembered something, and her tone became serious again.

"By the way, what's the situation on your end? Bai Xiang is dead, but the authorities didn't give you any trouble, did they?"

Although she was sharp-tongued, upon learning that Chen Yifan was still alive, she was shocked and couldn't help but worry about the safety of her "partner".

After all, if Chen Yifan were to fail, all her previous "investments" would be wasted.

"No, they even gave me compensation for emotional distress."

Chen Yifan said it casually.

"Compensation for emotional distress?"

Mu Wanqing's voice rose eight octaves, filled with disbelief.

"How many?"

Thirty million.

"..."

Silence fell again on the other end of the phone.

Mu Wanqing felt that her worldview had been shaken once again.

official……

When did you become so generous?

Or is there something about this guy that even the authorities have to be wary of?

"Alright, I'm hanging up now, I'm so sleepy."

Mu Wanqing felt that if she continued talking to this guy, she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

"etc."

Chen Yifan called out to her.

"Keep an eye out for information regarding 'Heretical Power' and 'World Engine.' I need any related clues."

"...Where did you hear these words?"

For the first time, Mu Wanqing's voice carried genuine shock.

"You don't need to worry about this."

After Chen Yifan finished speaking, he hung up the phone immediately.

He leaned back on the sofa, feeling a long-lost weariness wash over him like a tide.

From the shocking turn of events at the commendation ceremony, to the life-or-death struggle with Bai Xiang, and then to the meeting with Wang Qingyun...

Only now did his tense nerves finally begin to relax.

He needs rest.

but not now.

He turned on the TV in the living room and tuned it to local news from Jiangcheng.

On the screen, his "heroic deeds" are being played on a scrolling screen.

The host spoke with great enthusiasm.

He was portrayed as a young hero who outwitted and fought against evil forces.

Chen Yifan looked on expressionlessly.

He needs to reassess how his identity as a "hero" has been shaped into what kind of image by the invisible hand of the authorities.

Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to doing better...

Make use of it.