226: Chapter 226 Lin Chuqiao and the Extraordinary Team

Chapter 226 Lin Chuqiao and the Extraordinary Team

The lingering atmosphere of the New Year still remained in the crevices of the city, and the red lanterns on the street swung haphazardly, as if reminiscing about the hustle and bustle of the festival.

Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the club, Fang Cheng looked at the bustling and continuous stream of traffic outside, holding the mobile phone with the dialed number to his ear.

On the other end of the phone, after a moment of busy tone, came a voice as crisp as a silver bell, yet unable to hide its fatigue:

"Hello?"

Fang Cheng was slightly stunned, and then said:

"Lin Chuqiao, it's me, Fang Cheng. Happy New Year! What have you been busy with recently?"

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Hearing Fang Cheng's familiar voice, Lin Chuqiao seemed to be instantly injected with a burst of vitality, her previously somewhat weary spirit suddenly perking up, and she immediately chuckled softly:

"Yo, you are truly a rare guest today. I never see your shadow on normal days. It's rare for you to take the initiative to call and wish me a Happy New Year."

Her words were filled with smiles, revealing a hint of playful reproach amidst her joy.

Ever since bidding farewell to Yongan Island and returning to Dongdu, both of them had been entangled in various matters, living a fast-paced life without stopping, and they hadn't met for a long time.

Fang Cheng didn't feel any awkwardness at all and smiled as well:

"I was running around in a daze busy with things a while ago and didn't even have time to contact you. Now that I'm done with my work, I remembered to come find you to catch up."

"Do you have time? Let's find a place to get together, my treat."

Faint sounds of conversation seemed to drift over from Lin Chuqiao's side.

After whispering a few words to someone softly, she responded with a hint of apology:

"I am truly sorry, but I have guests visiting my home today and it's inconvenient for me to go out. How about we make plans for another time?"

Her words paused slightly, as if sensing something, and she acutely asked: "Do you have something on your mind?"

Fang Cheng didn't hide anything, and said in a frank tone:

"Yeah, aside from treating you today, I happen to have a favor to ask of you."

"I knew it."

Lin Chuqiao first let out a soft laugh. The laughter came through the earpiece without any reproach, instead sounding extremely willing:

"Go ahead and say it. As long as it is within my power, just ask, and don't stand on ceremony with me."

"It's not really a very complicated matter."

Fang Cheng cleared his throat, sorted out his thoughts a bit, and then explained the situation:

"It's like this. Do you remember the little girl I brought to your home for medical treatment last time?"

"She dropped out of school for some reasons, and I was thinking that she is still young, so she shouldn't waste her studies and delay her future because of this."

"You are a university professor with relatively broad connections. Could you help keep an eye out and find a suitable school for her?"

Lin Chuqiao listened quietly on the other end of the phone, and without hesitation, immediately replied:

"Alright, fax a copy of her identification information to me. Don't worry, I will definitely get it sorted out for you before school starts."

A wave of warmth surged into Fang Cheng's heart, and his tone was filled with sincere gratitude:

"Thank you very much. Next time I have free time, I will definitely treat you to a big feast."

Lin Chuqiao smiled brightly and said with a touch of playfulness:

"You said it yourself. You are not allowed to go back on your word then. Hurry up and prepare the information. I still have guests here, so I'll hang up first."

"Okay, then go ahead and get busy."

Fang Cheng hung up the phone, let out a soft sigh, and squinted at the skyscrapers outside the window.

In his mind, Lin Chuqiao's enthusiastic, capable, yet gentle appearance involuntarily emerged, and a trace of a smile couldn't help but rise at the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, in the high-end apartment located in Cuihu Yipin.

Lin Chuqiao was also standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

After finishing her call with Fang Cheng, she put down her phone, turned around to look at the guest waiting in the living room, and explained:

"I'm sorry, a friend of mine asked me for help with something, so I was delayed for a moment."

The visitor was a man in his fifties, wearing a grey trench coat, with a neat and crisp slicked-back hairstyle. The gaze behind his glasses revealed a bit of scrutiny and indulgence.

He waved his hand gently and said with a smile:

"It seems I came at a bad time today and disturbed your dating time. Xiao Chu, if you are busy, we can chat another day."

Lin Chuqiao's cheeks blushed slightly, and she immediately sat down on the opposite sofa.

Then she resumed her dignified posture and looked at the other person with a serious expression:

"It's alright, Professor, please continue."

Her tone was soft yet resolute, as if the woman who was gentle and slightly spoiled on the phone just now and the dignified and elegant her at this moment switched seamlessly without the slightest abruptness.

The professor nodded slightly and continued:

"The target of our operation this time is that long-lost golden bumpa bottle."

"Last time I already asked you to help predict it, and the portrait you provided showed an auction scene. Now, according to reliable intelligence, it is very likely to appear in next month's International Shadow Auction."

Hearing this, Lin Chuqiao slightly knitted her willow-like eyebrows, knowing what this meant.

In the undercurrent-churning underground world, there existed a mysterious and notorious illegal trading platform—the International Shadow Auction.

It was composed of an extremely secretive trading network, completely detached from the regulatory system, and was a hotbed for the trade of illegal cultural relics and rare items.

The items handled by this auction had extremely sensitive sources, including stolen national-level cultural relics from various countries, illegally excavated ancient ruin items, and plundered Legacy secret treasures after the decline of some long-standing families, etc.

"Do you want me to confirm the specific collection location of that item again and make a move before it goes to the auction?"

Thinking of the possible danger involved, Lin Chuqiao suddenly felt a bit worried in her heart and asked once more.

The professor nodded, his gaze looking very calm.

Lin Chuqiao pondered for a moment and agreed.

Immediately afterwards, she took a large-format piece of white paper and colorful drawing pencils, and spread them out on the coffee table.

She first took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, let her inner self gradually calm down, and emptied all distracting thoughts.

A few minutes of Meditation time passed.

Finally, she abruptly opened her eyes.

At that moment, brilliant stars seemed to be twinkling in her eyes, and the strange light projected an otherworldly charm.

It was as if her Soul had broken free from the shackles of her Physical Body, transmigrated across the barriers of time and space, and entered a wondrous and profound spiritual vision state.

At the same time, her right hand holding the pen trembled slightly, as if connecting to some mysterious electric current, summoned by the future.

The paintbrush in her hand then slid lightly across the white paper.

At first, it was just a few tentative strokes.

Following closely, the lines became increasingly smooth, as if guided by an invisible and powerful force.

With the extension of the brushstrokes, the outline of a manor hidden in the mountain forest gradually emerged on the paper.

The manor's walls were tall and thick, covered with dark moss, exuding the vicissitudes of time.

The main gate was tightly shut, carved with strange patterns above it, seemingly some kind of ancient totem, guarding the secrets within the manor.

After color adjustment, the picture continued to advance. Behind the manor, there was also a carefully disguised underground secret room entrance.

And right in this seemingly ancient and mysterious place, there were many bulky guards.

They wore black uniforms, wore ferocious masks on their faces, and carried various cold weapons as well as modern firearms and weapons on their bodies.

Lin Chuqiao stared unblinkingly, fully focused, as if all the hustle and bustle around her had nothing to do with her.

The entire world was left with only the paintbrush in her hand, the white paper in front of her, and the key clues being depicted.

Nearly half an hour later.

A slightly blurry but detail-rich picture was completely presented on the paper.

Lin Chuqiao stopped the paintbrush in her hand and let out a long breath, as if she had just gone through a fierce battle.

At this moment, her complexion was as pale as paper, her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and her arms were trembling slightly, obviously having consumed a huge amount of energy in the process of using her ability.

She raised her sore arm, gently wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, and said somewhat weakly:

"Professor, I saw it... That treasure should be in this manor, but the security inside is extremely strict, you must act carefully..."

Seeing this, the professor handed over a cup of warm water with a face full of concern:

"Xiao Chu, take a rest first. Thank you really for your hard work this time."

Lin Chuqiao took the water cup, took a sip, and nodded slightly in thanks.

The professor then picked up the treasure map depicted by the prediction ability and looked at it carefully.

His gaze moved slowly across the paper, not missing a single detail.

The entire picture was divided into two halves, with the left side being a panoramic view of a manor.

Although relatively rough in comparison, one could still clearly see the general layout of the manor: surrounded by mountains and shaded by green trees, the manor was hidden within like a paradise away from the world.

On the right was a secret room, and the painting style appeared much more detailed. Winding and twisting passages and hidden mechanisms leaped onto the paper, resembling a detailed adventure map.

And right in the center of the secret room was impressively the target of this operation—that long-lost heavyweight Buddhist treasure.

The golden bumpa bottle was placed on a stone platform. Besides having a general style identical to her memory, one could even faintly see the intricate patterns carved on the bottle body.

It was covered by thick glass, and the red reflection on the glass indicated that strict alarm devices were set up. Any slight abnormal movement would presumably trigger the alarm and cause an uproar.

Surrounding it were several people wearing black robes. Their hands were pressed together, their eyes lowered, as if they were performing some mysterious ritual.

Furthermore, they also wore ferocious masks identical to the guards outside.

The fangs and eerie patterns on the masks were just like wicked ghosts, making one shudder.

"Xiao Chu, your ability is even more exquisite than before. It's simply superb; I imagine taking photos at the scene with a camera wouldn't be much better than this."

After reading it, the professor couldn't help but take a deep breath, letting out heartfelt praise, his eyes full of surprise and recognition of Lin Chuqiao's growth.

Hearing this, Lin Chuqiao's pale cheeks blushed with a faint flush.

It was both the shyness from being praised and the memory of a certain guy who once belittled her poor painting skills.

She couldn't help but let out a soft hrumph in her heart, her thoughts drifting back to the days on Yongan Island.

If that guy knew that her strength had advanced by leaps and bounds within just a month, he would probably be shocked into a daze.

Thinking of this, Lin Chuqiao shook her head slightly and said softly:

"Professor, I just did my best, hoping to be of help to you."

Pausing slightly in her tone, her expression became solemn, and she added:

"However, regarding this operation, I have a bad premonition, as if other dangers are hidden within it."

Hearing this, the professor smiled nonchalantly, unconcerned:

"With such a rare treasure of the century coming into the world, it will definitely involve forces at the level of plutocrat families and international organizations, so danger is naturally inevitable."

"However..."

Lin Chuqiao stopped speaking with hesitation, worry still evident on her face.

"Xiao Chu, set your mind at ease. I know what I'm doing."

Seeing her unease, the professor comforted her verbally and deliberately asked a rhetorical question:

"You can imagine, since they hold this treasure in their hands, why are they willing to take it out for auction? Could it be that they are short of money?"

"Short of money? That should be impossible."

Lin Chuqiao recalled the strict scene she saw during the prediction, and immediately shook her head in denial.

"Indeed, who would sell a treasure that is very likely a Saints Relic for mere money."

The professor squinted his eyes slightly, his gaze as deep as the sea, as if he could see through all conspiracies:

"By my guess, they intend to use this item to attract various factions into the game and trigger a chaotic battle."

"Even the secret news of receiving the treasure this time was intentionally leaked by them..."

Lin Chuqiao's eyes lit up, instantly capturing the key information, and she blurted out:

"You mean that by then, the forces eyeing this treasure will definitely be more than just our path?"

"Precisely so. This gives us an opportunity to exploit."

The professor nodded in praise, his eyes behind the lenses sparkling with a faint light.

Various forces competed against each other and kept each other in check; the more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it actually was for the weaker side.

Therefore, what we need most is not a direct head-on theft method—that would only cause us to be exposed too early and fall into a desperate situation—but rather focus on the ability to adapt to circumstances on the spot, which is precisely what our team is best at.

He sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, and slowly explained:

Under this treacherous and unpredictable situation, as long as we can keep our composure, seize the right timing, and strike amidst the chaos, there is a great chance to pocket the golden bumpa bottle. In this way, the probability of danger appearing will also be reduced to a minimum...

After speaking, he picked up the teacup and took a sip. His posture was leisurely, exuding the calmness and full confidence of someone who had traveled the Jianghu for many years.

Lin Chuqiao nodded slightly, twirling the pencil in her hand.

Although her inner worries had not completely dissipated, the professor's analysis gave her a bit more confidence.

Thinking about it carefully, she then asked:

"Professor, may I know how many people are participating in this operation now?"

"Including me, there are five people. They are all team members who have experienced multiple missions and have tacit understanding."

The professor put down the teacup and introduced the abilities of each member one by one.

Hearing this, a trace of determination flashed in Lin Chuqiao's eyes, and she said:

"I will also participate in this operation."

"Xiao Chu, you don't need to risk yourself in person."

The professor frowned slightly, with a hint of dissuasion in his tone:

"According to the agreement, as long as we get the golden bumpa bottle, you also have the right to use it once. You just need to provide intelligence support for us in the rear. The scene is too dangerous, and I cannot let you take risks."

Lin Chuqiao shook her head, her tone firm:

"There are too many variables in this operation. The slightest mistake will ruin all previous efforts. To truly ensure we get it, only with me on site to make predictions at any time and adjust the action plan can I provide the most precise guidance based on real-time conditions."

The professor showed a hesitant look, and after pondering for a moment, finally nodded and agreed:

"Alright, but by then, you must stick close to me and are not allowed to leave for even a step. Once there is danger, I will take you to evacuate at the first moment."

After some discussion.

The professor wore a smile, his eyes full of confidence in this operation:

"With the assistance of your prophetic ability, we should be able to ensure foolproof success."

Lin Chuqiao nodded slightly.

Given a seed deeply buried in her heart, she had a reason why she must get this treasure.