Chapter 325 Are you interested in playing professional matches?
"Yeah, what kind of skill is it to just stand there? You throw so accurately, why don't you go do acrobatics!"
"Yeah, what are you trying to show off for! You think you're so great? Come on, get moving! Are you crippled, only able to stand up?"
"Kid, you better stand still like this for the rest of your life, or I'll torture you to death!"
A series of shouts followed. Jiang Bai was not old, only twenty-four years old, and he would be twenty-four years old in a few months.
Strictly speaking, he is 23 and a half years old now. At this age, a considerable number of people are still struggling in their junior or senior year of college. Moreover, Jiang Bai looks young.
These students from the sports department clearly mistook Jiang Bai for a student from the finance department, and they acted rather recklessly!
The finance students were naturally outraged by this. Putting aside the fact that Jiang Bai's actions were clearly an attempt to vent the anger of the finance department, they felt they had to side with Jiang Bai, both morally and logically.
More importantly, Jiang Bai is highly respected in the finance department!
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he is one of the best lecturers.
The Finance Department has no shortage of Jiang Bai's fans, so naturally they wouldn't let those physically strong but mentally weak guys from the Physical Education Department speak recklessly at this time.
When it comes to swearing, the Finance Department can't compare to the Chinese Literature Department's guys who can swear in such a refined way, but compared to the Physical Education Department's guys who are all brawn and no brains, they are far superior.
Fighting won't work, but you can use insults to teach them a lesson they won't forget!
"Are you a pig? Is there a rule in basketball that you can't stand still? How did your mother teach you when you were a kid? Did you grow up eating feed? There's no rule against it, it's allowed. Don't you even know that?"
"Who the hell says we have to run? If my cousin doesn't want to run, then he won't. You're all like dogs barking randomly. Did you eat shit before you left home? Why do you talk so foully!"
"A bunch of shameless bastards! You can't win, so you resort to dirty tricks? Have you no shame at all? Are all people in the physical education department like you? You think you can date girls from the finance department? Keep dreaming! You're more suited to mating with mares!"
The finance major's guys spewed out a series of extremely aggressive lines, which nearly sparked a full-blown brawl on the sports major's side.
The atmosphere in the meeting room became extremely tense; the slightest disturbance could have triggered a fight.
If they were outside, the finance department would definitely back down; the sports department students are all as strong as oxen, how could they possibly be a match for them?
At this moment, no one was afraid, because in this small venue, there were only a little over a hundred people from the Department of Physical Education and about two thousand people from the Department of Finance. Even if you exclude half of the girls, there were still more than a thousand men present.
Ten against one, even if you're as strong as an ox, or even a tiger, we'll kill you!
"you..."
The sports department wanted to say more, but Jiang Bai spoke up at this moment. He ignored the big, dumb guys and turned his gaze to the gloomy-faced department head, saying, "Director! Let's pause the game for a bit. Um, I have something to ask you."
After saying that, he waved to the head of the physical education department who was watching the game.
"What's wrong?" The department head looked at Jiang Bai with surprise, and walked over while pausing the game.
For a moment, the venue fell silent. Everyone looked at Jiang Bai, wondering why he had suddenly called over the two department heads.
"Hey, these kids insulted the teacher in public and even threatened to beat him up. What are our school rules again? I don't usually pay attention to these things, I forgot."
One sentence made the students in the finance department smile. Only then did they realize that Jiang Bai was not their classmate. Although they had been calling him "Big Brother" so enthusiastically, Jiang Bai was actually a teacher, a specially appointed visiting professor in the finance department!
Those bastards in the physical education department dare to insult him; isn't that blaming them for disrespecting their teachers?
He even threatened to hit the teacher?
This is really going to be a big problem.
"According to school rules, they should be expelled! But since they only threatened and didn't actually lay a hand on them, they'll give them a major demerit but retain their student status. That demerit will stay with them for life!"
Before the two department heads could speak, students familiar with the rules immediately started yelling.
Upon hearing this, the boys from the sports department's basketball team who had been shouting just moments before immediately turned pale. A chorus of howls erupted from the finance department, while the head of the sports department's expression also changed, becoming quite grim.
He didn't know Jiang Bai, and he never expected that Jiang Bai wasn't a student, but a teacher...
Thinking about what those guys had done, if you really want to investigate, they had indeed violated school rules. He wanted to defend them, but he didn't know how to say it, and for a moment his face showed a troubled expression.
He looked pleadingly at the head of the finance department, but this usually mild-mannered man completely pretended not to see it and said to himself, "Professor Jiang, don't worry, I will definitely report this matter to the school. I believe the school will give you an explanation for such a terrible thing!"
"Damn it, have you no shame? Isn't this blatant bullying?"
The students in the physical education department began to shout in their hearts.
But no one dared to say another word, for fear that Jiang Bai would find something to use against them and make things worse.
"Old Zhou! You...you hear me..."
The head of the physical education department was also anxious and quickly pulled aside Mr. Zhou, the usually mild-mannered director, wanting to say something.
However, Director Zhou completely ignored him and turned away, leaving him extremely embarrassed. After a long while, he still had to bite the bullet and went to plead with Director Zhou on his behalf.
Jiang Bai didn't really care what they said. He knew that Director Zhou would eventually compromise. After all, they were from the same school and had no deep-seated hatred for each other. Since they came to him for help, he naturally couldn't refuse them.
As for him personally, he didn't genuinely want to compete with those few students; he just said it to teach them a lesson.
The objective has been achieved; the game resumes.
Jiang Bai didn't bother to waste words with them. As soon as the ball was in play, Jiang Bai moved, controlling the ball with one hand and passing the three of them with lightning speed. Then, in the blink of an eye, he casually put the ball into the basket.
The entire action was lightning fast, completed in just a few seconds, leaving everyone present gaping in disbelief, unsure of what to say.
The group of braggarts from the physical education department were completely dumbfounded, staring at Jiang Bai, unsure of what to say.
Actually, when it comes to ball skills, Jiang Bai is really just average, an amateur among amateurs.
But who is he? He is someone who surpasses even the grandmasters of Chinese martial arts, and his control over power has reached a divine level.
To put it in a mystical way, in his hands, "even falling petals can injure people," let alone a huge basketball, which is as simple as hitting the hoop.
Let alone him, even an ordinary Ming Jin master wouldn't find it difficult to do this, of course... they just don't have Jiang Bai's terrifying accuracy.
In addition, Jiang Bai's speed and reaction time completely outclassed the Grandmaster, naturally making his ball skills appear superb.
Let alone a bunch of students, even top professional players are trash in Jiang Bai's eyes.
Jiang Bai scores easily, the ball is restarted, and he scores again.
They came in again...
This cycle repeated itself until halfway through the third quarter, when the Physical Education Department had completely collapsed. Everyone was numb and let the Finance Department students walk around them without doing anything to stop them.
Complete collapse.
"We surrender! This game... we just can't play it anymore!"
Finally, the physical education coach couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward before the third quarter was even over, cursing and swearing.
Only a fool would continue playing in this situation. The score is already 45:100. If we continue, the finance department will easily crush them by 100 points.
His suggestion was immediately approved by everyone in the physical education department. They simply couldn't continue playing, and the shame of losing was no longer a concern for them.
Because... losing is inevitable, and losing face is inevitable, so why dwell on it?
As soon as he surrendered, cheers erupted from the Finance Department. Then, several students from the Physical Education Department stepped forward, their faces pale, and bowed deeply to the Finance Department students in loud, sincere apologies. They were convinced of his sincerity.
Of course, no one knelt down, and the finance students didn't dwell on the issue, accepting it magnanimously, followed by a barrage of sarcastic remarks.
Well... those present were prepared, so there was no surprise.
"Teacher Jiang... wait, wait for me..."
Jiang Bai finished his match and was about to call Lin Wanru to go out for a stroll since he had nothing to do today, but he was stopped by a slightly overweight, bald, middle-aged man.
The moment the other person called out to Jiang Bai, they had already run up to him.
"Who are you?" Jiang Bai asked curiously.
All I knew was that the other person was from the physical education department, but I didn't know who they were or why they wanted to talk to me.
"Well, Mr. Jiang, I'm Hu Qiu, the basketball coach from the Physical Education Department. I just saw your performance, and I think you have a great talent for basketball. Your skills and speed are unlike anything I've ever seen. With a little training, you will definitely become a world-renowned basketball player. I wonder if you'd be interested in playing professionally?"
"Professional competition?" Jiang Bai was somewhat taken aback.
"Yes. In professional competitions, my classmate is a coach for the Tiandu team. I can recommend you to him. With your skill level, you'll quickly become a starter, and maybe you'll even have the opportunity to play abroad in the future and become a top basketball player! A true superstar!"
Hu Qiu looked at Jiang Bai with fervor and said excitedly.
Jiang Bai's performance just now completely won him over, and he felt that he had discovered the most important glimmer of light in his life.
As a former basketball player and now a coach, he has a responsibility to discover Jiang Bai and guide him onto the right path, instead of letting him stay at Tiandu University as a teacher!
In his view, it would be a waste for such a talented person to stay here as a teacher; it would be a crime against the entire basketball cause!
He has an obligation to help Jiang Bai leave this place, and an obligation to persuade Jiang Bai!
Chapter 326 Boss, someone wants to kill you!
"Well, I'm sorry, I'm really not that interested in playing professionally. If you'd like, why don't you try looking for someone else?"
Jiang Bai politely declined the other party's suggestion.
He had absolutely no interest in being a professional football player.
That kind of work is very tiring. Although professional athletes abroad earn a lot of money, it's still not as good as being a star.
Jiang Bai wouldn't even be willing to become a superstar, let alone a professional player.
However, since the other party had come to him with good intentions, Jiang Bai naturally couldn't say anything too harsh.
"Teacher Jiang! You have to understand, those are professional players! With your talent and ability, it would be a complete waste if you didn't become a professional player. I guarantee that as a professional player, your income would be much, much higher than what you are now!"
Hu Qiu could tell that Jiang Bai had no basketball dreams, so he didn't bother talking about ideals or dreams at all. He went straight to the point and tried to attract Jiang Bai with benefits.
Unfortunately, he clearly chose the wrong person. Jiang Bai didn't care about the meager income of professional players. He was not short of money at all. If he really wanted money, Jiang Bai had many ways to make it. He didn't need to do this.
So he declined again: "I'm still not very interested, sorry Coach Hu."
After saying that, he ignored the other person and went directly to find Lin Wanru, where they left the school chatting and laughing.
Jiang Bai finally had a free afternoon, so he took Lin Wanru shopping and had a meal. His life was full of fun.
After strolling around for an afternoon, watching a movie, and having a meal, Jiang Bai and Lin Wanru had a very pleasant time. Of course, there were intimate acts such as kissing and touching.
Just as the young couple were strolling around after dinner, an untimely phone call came in. It was Xu Jie calling, which surprised Jiang Bai.
It's worth noting that Xu Jie hasn't been in Tiandu recently. Li Qiang, who has been focusing on the development of Empire Entertainment, has started expanding Tiandu's peripheral businesses in recent months. As the group's security supervisor, Xu Jie has also been constantly building security teams and negotiating with some local forces.
I wasn't in Tiandu much during the Chinese New Year; I was traveling around several nearby cities, keeping myself extremely busy. What does it mean that you're calling me now?
And at this time? Eight o'clock in the evening?
"What's wrong with Brother Jie?"
Jiang Bai held Xu Jie in high esteem. The two had known each other for a long time, and Xu Jie was the foundation of Jiang Bai's business. Their relationship was extraordinary.
Of course, Jiang Bai never agreed with this guy's taste, which was just like Meng Huangchao's.
He's in his fifties, but he dresses like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old, with dyed hair, tattoos, and a glaring gold chain. He and Meng Huangchao are practically the epitome of gangsters!
Where is the imposing presence that a security chief of an imperial enterprise should have?
"Boss, where are you? I've been looking for you all afternoon and can't get through to you on the phone... This afternoon, one of my comrades from when I was in the Sharp Knife called me and said that this morning, news about you appeared on the black market, and someone offered one hundred million US dollars for your head!"
Xu Jie didn't waste any words with Jiang Bai, appearing quite anxious, and went straight to the point.
"One hundred million US dollars?"
Jiang Bai gasped in astonishment. What a grand gesture!
Jiang Bai knew that he couldn't get through on the phone. He guessed that the person was playing basketball at the time, and then the phone was turned off, and it wasn't turned back on until right after they finished watching a movie.
"Do you know who it is?" Jiang Bai pondered, his mind racing as he tried to figure out who was trying to kill him.
Khun Sa?
It's most likely him!
Although Khun Sa has been arrested and is being held in a military prison in Thailand, as long as he is alive, given his years of influence in Thailand, escaping is out of the question, but sending a message would be a piece of cake.
Even when that guy was in jail in the West, he enjoyed himself more than most people on vacation; apart from not being able to leave, he had everything else he could want.
Jiang Bai's first thought was him.
Khun Sa is rich. When Jiang Bai captured him, he told Jiang Bai that he could give him two billion US dollars, all of which was stored in his secret Swiss bank account.
It wouldn't be difficult to come up with 100 million to buy Jiang Bai's life.
However, this is not absolute; there are too many people who want Jiang Bai dead.
Unfortunately, quite a few of these people were able to come up with this money. For example, Mr. Jiang, the head of the Sun Kee, had previously lost face because of his own actions and almost couldn't make a living in Hong Kong anymore.
I've heard that he's managed to stabilize the situation on his end, and with Yin Tianchou's support, he's quelled the internal strife within Xinji.
So, when Mr. Jiang has some free time, will he want to seek revenge on himself, the one who started this?
Jiang Bai thought...it's probably possible!
Furthermore, doesn't that seemingly kind-hearted Mr. Ho, the gambling king, want to die?
In Jiang Bai's view, he not only wanted him dead, but also hated Jiang Bai more than the other two. Jiang Bai's grudges with Kun Sha and Jiang Hong were personal grievances, but hatred.
But with Mr. He, that would be a blatant conflict of interest.
Jiang Bai ruthlessly took two pieces of flesh from the other party, not only absconding with more than 2 billion, but also swallowing up 8% of Portugal's shares.
This isn't about money; it's about taking Mr. He's life.
At the time, Mr. He had no choice but to endure Jiang Bai's actions. However, now that things are calm, it's hard to guarantee that Mr. He won't try to get rid of Jiang Bai as soon as possible and find a way to reclaim his 8% stake.
Besides the three most suspicious individuals mentioned above, there are also some other enemies of Jiang Bai, such as Li Qingdi, the Dragon of the Capital, a powerful figure who stirs up trouble. Could it be that he is the one who took action to cut off Zhao Wuji's wings?
Or perhaps they were the second-generation or first-generation rich kids who had been taught a lesson by him before, or those who had suffered a setback in front of him. In any case, there were so many of them that Jiang Bai was too lazy to even remember their names.
But there are quite a few people among them who can come up with this money.
He hadn't realized it before, but now that things had happened, Jiang Bai was shocked to discover that he had enemies all over the world!
"I've already inquired about this. It's a secret fund operating over there. The buyer is unknown, but the money has already reached an overseas revenge fund organization. Their credibility is guaranteed. That organization specializes in revenge funds and has never broken its promise in decades. They are highly reliable."
"After retiring from the elite unit, my brother went abroad due to family reasons and joined a mercenary group. Over the years, he has made a name for himself in that group, which is why he was able to get the information. But he told me that if he can get the information, others can too."
"It won't be long before someone takes over this task."
After a moment's thought, Xu Jie said solemnly.
Although Xu Jie was confident in Jiang Bai's strength, he knew that no one he knew could face Jiang Bai head-on and kill him.
Even a tiger can't withstand a pack of wolves. Once they surround and attack, Jiang Bai will inevitably suffer a loss.
Moreover, the other party doesn't necessarily want to confront Jiang Bai directly. There are too many methods of assassination, such as poisoning, ambushes, sneak attacks, and planting bombs. There are too many types, and they will definitely come up with all sorts of methods.
This is what Xu Jie is worried about: no matter how powerful Jiang Bai is, he is still a human, not a god.
If you're human, then you can kill!
"I see. Where are you? Let's talk when we meet." Jiang Bai frowned and pondered for a moment.
Xu Jie's serious expression indicated that the situation was indeed very serious, and Jiang Bai had no choice but to take it seriously.
"Okay, I... Oh, boss, my friend called again. I'll take this call first. I'm in Tiandu. I'll come to your house later."
Just as Xu Jie was about to speak, he suddenly saw his phone ringing again. He then said this to Jiang Bai and hung up.
"What's wrong?" Lin Wanru asked Jiang Bai curiously.
Seeing Jiang Bai frowning, she realized what had happened and became extremely concerned.
Lin Wanru didn't know much about Jiang Bai now. All she knew was what Jiang Bai had shown, such as how rich he was and how powerful and influential he seemed to be in Tiandu.
She didn't really know what Jiang Bai did, but Lin Wanru was a sensitive woman. She sensed that the phone call Jiang Bai had just received was very important and even contained some kind of danger.
"It's alright, I'll take you back to school first." Jiang Bai smiled, hiding his previous seriousness, and gave this answer before sending Lin Wanru back to school.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't worried; a $100 million revenge fund would be enough to cause a huge uproar.
As for Jiang Bai himself, with his strength and a weakened version of "super recovery," he is not worried about his own safety. What he fears is that when these people attack him, they will be caught in the crossfire.
That would be a real problem.
Jiang Bai is not afraid of death, Jiang Bai has the resources, Jiang Bai can protect himself, but the people around him are all ordinary people, Lin Wanru, Xia Yiyi, Jiang Yuqing, Zhu Xinxin, and even Yao Lan and Ye Qingcheng, none of whom have any ability to protect themselves.
If an attack occurs and innocent bystanders are caught in the crossfire, then we will be caught off guard.
Lin Wanru didn't believe Jiang Bai's words, but she obediently chose to follow Jiang Bai's advice and remained silent.
She quietly let Jiang Bai take her back to school, and gave him a tight hug before leaving.
Jiang Bai reciprocated by kissing her forehead, then turned and left.
After leaving Tiandu University, Jiang Bai casually tossed his bicycle aside at the door. Xiao Tian, who was already prepared, started the car, and Jiang Bai returned home.
As soon as he entered the house, he saw that Yao Lan had returned at some point and was lying drunk on the sofa in the living room, which made Jiang Bai frown.
Jiang Bai was certain that Yao Lan was addicted to alcohol, and he was sure it was related to her past.
Jiang Bai never asked what the specific reason was.
Yao Lan didn't say anything either.
Prior to this, Jiang Bai had actually had Xiao Tian investigate Yao Lan, just before Yao Lan was about to become the president of the empire.
Everything is normal: elementary school, middle school, high school, and university—these are all part of a person's normal life trajectory.
The only puzzling thing is that Yao Lan dropped out of school for unknown reasons during her sophomore year and disappeared for a full five years.
When Jiang Bai first met Yao Lan, this woman had only been working at Zhang Changgeng's film company for about half a year.
Chapter 327 Hellfire
During those five years, Xiao Tian had no idea what Yao Lan did or where she was, even with his abilities and by using Zhao Wuji's connections.
Yao Lan's addiction to alcohol is definitely related to her experiences over the past five years.
Jiang Bai didn't know what had happened during this time, nor did he ask. Yao Lan herself wouldn't say either. In any case, according to what Jiang Bai knew, Yao Lan had never touched a drop of alcohol before this!
Shaking his head, Jiang Bai stopped thinking about it, picked up Yao Lan, and then tossed her into her room on the first floor.
After having the servants clean the house, Jiang Bai sat down, turned on the TV, brewed himself a cup of Da Hong Pao tea, and savored it while waiting for Xu Jie to arrive.
For some reason, Xu Jie was late, which made Jiang Bai a little curious.
Xu Jie had previously said he was in Tiandu, so he must have arrived home before me.
You see, he had ridden his bicycle to take Lin Wanru home first, and then made her a cup of tea. After drinking tea for so long, Xu Jie still hadn't arrived, which made Jiang Bai a little curious.
Although the "Wuyishan Dahongpao" he swiped from Zhao Wuji tasted really good, Jiang Bai didn't intend to keep enjoying it like that. He picked up the phone, intending to call Xu Jie.
A blinding light appeared outside, and a dignified Audi pulled up in front of Jiang Bai's villa.
The next minute, Xu Jie pushed open the door and entered. With him was a middle-aged man who was over two meters tall, extremely burly, with several hideous scars on his face, wearing a green camouflage uniform, his muscles bulging, and exuding a murderous aura.
Although he is said to be middle-aged, he is actually only in his thirties. However, his face is weathered and he looks much older than Xu Jie. If you look closely, you can see that he is actually not that old, only in his thirties, and is at the peak of his life.
As soon as this person entered the door, a strong smell of gunpowder and blood hit you. Standing at the doorway, he gave off a feeling of being a demon from hell, and most people would feel uncomfortable just looking at him.
A standard Asian face, with Han Chinese features immediately apparent: thick eyebrows, a large face, and a square jaw.
Presumably, this person is the comrade-in-arms that Xu Jie mentioned.
"Boss, this is my comrade-in-arms Zhang Meng, nicknamed 'Cannon'! He was a friend of mine when we were in the'Sharp Knife' unit. He was my instructor in the'Sharp Knife' unit, and he's the one who gave me this information!"
Before Jiang Bai could ask, Xu Jie began to introduce Zhang Meng, or rather, Huopao, who was standing next to him!
This made Jiang Bai very curious. How did this person suddenly come here?
It should be noted that Xu Jie had previously stated that his friend had been living abroad, and now his sudden return to China and his presence in front of him left Jiang Bai very puzzled.
"Sit down, sit down first. Try my Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao. This is a special supply from Brother Zhao. No matter how rich you are, you can't get this. It's from the original mother tree. I only have half a jin here."
Despite his doubts, Jiang Bai did not ask on the spot, behaving with great composure. He smiled and gestured for Xu Jie and Zhang Meng to sit down, then poured out the tea leaves and replaced them with fresh ones, personally brewing tea for the two of them.
The two men didn't hesitate and followed Jiang Bai's instructions, quietly waiting for him to finish brewing the tea. After taking a small sip, Zhang Meng spoke first: "Mr. Jiang, I am a soldier. Even though I've retired, I'm still a soldier. I don't like beating around the bush, so I'll just say what's on my mind!"
"Um."
Jiang Bai picked up a cigar from the table and cut it, then handed it to Zhang Meng. He then cut two more cigars, one for Xu Jie and one for himself.
Xiao Tian, sensing the situation, quickly came over to light it for Jiang Bai. Jiang Bai took a deep breath, exhaled thick smoke, and nodded with a smile at Zhang Meng.
"Here's the thing. I think I explained things clearly enough to Xu Jie on the phone before. I told him about it this afternoon, but he couldn't get in touch with you. However, things changed in the evening, so I had to come over in person."
Zhang Meng paused here, and when he saw that Jiang Bai and Xu Jie did not react, he continued: "That revenge foundation has a mysterious origin and a long history. It is highly reputable in the mercenary and assassin worlds."
"This afternoon, a huge task worth 100 million US dollars was announced, which caused a sensation. Originally, I was just informing him about this, but I know that Xu Jie is Mr. Jiang's man, and as a comrade-in-arms, I should tell him out of courtesy and reason."
"But things changed in the evening."
"Oh? I'd like to hear the details?" Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow and said noncommittally.
What Zhang Meng said earlier was all nonsense; they already knew that, Jiang Bai knew it. The key point was the changes that occurred in the evening.
"The latest news is that Seraphim accepted the mission at 5 PM." Zhang Meng paused here, wanting to see Jiang Bai's reaction.
Jiang Bai knew nothing about Seraphs or anything like that, so naturally he didn't react at all.
The name sounds cool, but so what?
It's just the name of an assassin, an assassin organization, or a military group; it doesn't mean much to Jiang Bai.
Instead, Xu Jie's expression changed. He had been lounging lazily on the sofa, but suddenly sat up abruptly. He glanced at Zhang Meng in front of him and said with a serious expression, "Cannon, are you telling the truth? Seraphim has confirmed that she has taken over?"
"How could I joke about something like this? That's why I came here today," Zhang Meng said with a wry smile.
This piqued Jiang Bai's curiosity. What exactly was this Seraphim that could elicit such a strong reaction from Xu Jie?
As if sensing Jiang Bai's confusion, Xu Jie glanced at Zhang Meng, then at Jiang Bai, and said, "Boss, Seraphim is a long-established mercenary organization, ranked third in the world. They are incredibly powerful and have done many big things over the years. The chaos in many African countries is related to them. They are ruthless and domineering, and they have no scruples. As long as they have money, there is nothing they wouldn't dare to do."
"Their members are all retired elites from special forces in various countries, the elite of the elite! They are extremely powerful, and their success rate in missions over the years is 99%."
"Many years ago, they came to China once, but at that time their opponent was Sharp Knife. You know, in China, no one can get the slightest advantage, not even the Seraphim. We drove them away."
"Back then, I was a member of the Red Sharp Knife. The jungle warfare was tough for us. Although we drove the enemy out of the country, we didn't annihilate them all. The Seraphim suffered many casualties, but we also suffered heavy losses. It was only a draw."
"In that battle, all 120 of our men were mobilized, while the other side had 80. In the end, it was a close fight. To be honest, if we hadn't had the advantage in manpower, as well as the right time, place, and people, we might not have won."
Xu Jie said dryly.
"Hmph! Back then, the Sharp Knife team was just training. For some reason, they didn't have many opportunities to see blood. The Seraphim team consisted of retired elites from various countries. They lived in a world of knives and blood every day, experiencing life and death. The battlefield was their home. Their combat experience was naturally stronger than ours. If we were to fight again now, the Seraphim team might not be able to win."
Zhang Meng, the artilleryman, snorted coldly at these words and firmly opposed them.
Clearly, he had other opinions on this.
Regardless of what the two said or whether their opinions were the same, Jiang Bai at least learned one thing: the so-called Seraphim was a terrifying military organization that could rival the Red Daggers and even hold its own against the Chinese Daggers on their home turf.
What's even more frightening is their audacity and complete lack of scruples.
This made Jiang Bai frown.
Jiang Bai dislikes nothing more than these unruly and reckless individuals, because they are fearless and dare to do anything, which is a headache for people.
"I see. So, I've run into a troublesome opponent?" Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow, took a sip of tea, and said noncommittally.
"To put it another way, while the Seraphim are a formidable opponent and their attacks are indeed troublesome, it's much better than a chaotic mass of people coming at once. Since the Seraphim are top-level executives in the Avengers Foundation, they possess exclusive power within the Foundation."
"Once the Seraphim accepts this mission, they will have exclusive rights to it after paying the corresponding deposit. This mission will not be offered to anyone else for one year and will be completed by the Seraphim alone until they declare the mission a failure or the deadline has passed."
"So with the Seraphim involved, Mr. Jiang was actually spared a lot of other trivial troubles and didn't have to run around dealing with those crazy people who would risk their lives for money. Although I believe they are not enough to threaten Mr. Jiang's life, dealing with these people is like swatting bedbugs, it never ends and it's really a headache."
"From this perspective, the involvement of Seraphim may not be a bad thing."
Zhang Meng smiled slightly after hearing Jiang Bai's words, and said noncommittally, "This is the answer I gave regarding the Seraph's involvement."
"In that case, it might not be such a bad thing, but what about the Seraphim? Didn't you just say they were a formidable opponent?"
Raising an eyebrow, Jiang Bai said noncommittally.
He knew that Zhang Meng's special trip to talk to him about all this was not just a simple chat.
While it was certainly out of friendship to remind Xu Jie, that was definitely not the main point.
As expected, Zhang Meng laughed heartily upon hearing this and said to Jiang Bai, "Mr. Jiang, dealing with the Seraphim is the very purpose of my special trip here!"
"If you wish, we Hellfire can offer you protection and help you fight against the Seraphim!"
This was the main reason why Zhang Meng made a special trip back from abroad to see Jiang Bai and talk to him so much.
He was actually trying to drum up business, or rather, to sell their protection plan to Jiang Bai!
Chapter 328 Assassin Alliance
"Hellfire?"
Jiang Bai knew nothing about the mercenary world, just as he knew nothing about Seraphim, and was completely unaware of the Hellfire that Zhang Meng mentioned.
So he turned his questioning gaze to Xu Jie.
Although Xu Jie had never participated in such organizations and became a street gang leader and thug in Tiandu after retiring, he had a deep understanding of military organizations and quasi-military organizations around the world.
Knowing about Seraphs, he must also know about Hellfire.
"Cannon! I didn't expect you to have joined Hellfire! Heh, I was wondering why you were so kind as to tell me this. So, you're here to promote your business? Or perhaps to get revenge on the Seraphim?"
Xu Jie glared angrily at Zhang Meng and said irritably.
Jiang Bai could also tell that Xu Jie was bluffing and wasn't really angry.
But this was enough to make Zhang Meng blush slightly, and he couldn't utter a single word.
It's easy to see that he's a straightforward man, and Xu Jie's words made him feel very embarrassed.
Ignoring Zhang Meng, Xu Jie turned his gaze to Jiang Bai and began to explain, "Hellfire is also a mercenary organization. As far as I know, Hellfire ranks fourth among the top ten mercenary groups in the mercenary world, so its strength is naturally very strong."
"Yes, there's also news that they've been at odds with the third-ranked Seraphim, and they've fought each other many times. If I remember correctly, the leader of Hellfire died at the hands of the Seraphim two years ago. Of course... as a price, the Seraphim also suffered heavy losses. In short, the two teams are actually evenly matched in strength."
In response to Xu Jie's explanation, Jiang Bai asked curiously, "If they are evenly matched, why is Seraphim third, but Hellfire can only be fourth?"
"Well...we...there are not many of us," Zhang Meng said, his face slightly flushed.
After saying this, he seemed to remember his mission, so he waved his fist and said, "Although there are only eighteen of us in total, while the Seraphim have at least a hundred, they are all a bunch of trash. In a one-on-one fight, one of us can take on four or five of them! If it weren't for the fact that they have more people and more missions, third place would definitely belong to us, Hellfire!"
This piqued Jiang Bai's interest. The renowned Hellfire, the fourth-ranked mercenary group in the mercenary world, only had eighteen members, which greatly surprised Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai didn't know much about the mercenary world, but he did know a little about it. These guys' main way of life was to fight for others, to help war-torn countries fight, whether you were government troops or anti-government troops, as long as you paid them, they would go!
Lacking any sense of justice, they only work for money.
Teams vary in size; powerful teams can number in the tens of thousands and are standardized military organizations capable of organizing large-scale wars. Examples include Blackwater, which has faded from the mercenary world, and EO, which remains active.
Of course, the French Foreign Legion is technically a mercenary group, but they are officially part of the military and are state-owned mercenaries.
The number of people in small teams varies, but the fact that a team of eighteen people can rank fourth is a testament to their strength.
"You mean... you want me to hire you Hellfire to fight the Seraphim? I'm curious, why would I do that? You're only fourth-rate. If I'm willing to spend the money, why not find a more reliable first or second-rate, like Blackwater or EO?"
Jiang Bai took a puff of his cigar, exhaled a wisp of smoke, and asked Zhang Meng noncommittally.
One sentence made Zhang Meng burst into laughter, and Xu Jie next to him blushed slightly.
Before Zhang Meng could speak, Xu Jie said, "Boss, Blackwater and EO are just big names with a lot of people, and they can do a good job of creating hype, but when it comes to elite troops, they're trash! Out of the top ten mercenary groups, they only managed to get one ninth and one tenth place despite their numerical advantage."
"Besides, Blackwater has already withdrawn. They basically don't do this business anymore and focus on bodyguard work, so they can't be considered mercenaries."
"I mean, why would I choose fourth instead of first or second?"
Jiang Bai blushed slightly upon hearing this, then glanced at Zhang Meng in front of him and repeated his words, but with a slight change in content.
"Whether it's the number one Hand of God or the number two Shadow of Satan, if you hire either one, I think you wouldn't even need them to lift a finger. Just standing there would be enough to make the Seraphim quit the mission immediately. But the key is... you can't hire them!"
Zhang Meng's expression hardened, and he responded with utmost seriousness. It was not hard to hear the awe in his tone, clearly indicating that these two mercenary groups were worthy of his utmost respect.
"Oh? You can't hire them even if you have money?" Jiang Bai blinked, neither confirming nor denying.
The mercenary world is full of desperate people who risk their lives for money. Jiang Bai has money, so why can't he hire them?
"Yes. Because they don't fight for money. Both are the oldest organizations in the mercenary world. According to legend, the establishment of these two mercenary organizations can be traced back to before Christ. They have a long history and they don't fight for money, but only for their beliefs. The Hand of God, according to legend, originated from the ancient Knights Templar. For so many years, they have focused on serving the Holy See and have never fought for anyone."
"As for the'Shadow of Satan,' their origins are very mysterious. No one knows where they come from, and their members have always been a mystery. However, since the Hand of God came into existence, there has been the Shadow of Satan. They are mortal enemies."
"There are rumors that this army originated from King Solomon's guard, while others say they came from the Praetorian Guard of the ancient Jewish Empire. In any case, there are all sorts of theories."
"But it's true that they don't work for money. I haven't heard of anyone being able to hire them in all these years. The reason they can still occupy the first and second positions is because they are too strong."
"Oh?" Jiang Bai blinked curiously.
Seeing Jiang Bai's performance, Zhang Meng did not hide anything and slowly said, "In fact, the Seraphim were very strong before, far stronger than our Hellfire. Ten years ago, the Seraphim were enough to make Hellfire grovel at their feet. They were known as the kings of the mercenary world, with a total of over a thousand people, all of whom were elites. Among them were some experts who could fight Hellfire one-on-one."
"At that time, the Seraphim were ambitious and not satisfied with the third position. By chance, they received news of Satan's shadow and launched a challenge against them."
"And they lost?" Jiang Bai smiled noncommittally.
The result is obvious: if they win, Seraph will not be third, but second, or even first.
"Yes, we lost, we lost badly. The Shadow of Satan is a huge organization with a large number of people, but that time they only sent ten people! Ten people almost wiped the Seraphs from this planet at their peak!"
"If their old adversary, the Hand of God, hadn't suddenly appeared, the Seraphim would probably have been completely wiped out!"
Zhang Meng recounted this secret from the mercenary world with lingering fear in his eyes, a fear of the shadow of Satan.
These words not only made Xu Jie's expression change, but even Jiang Bai unconsciously narrowed his eyes.
Ten people wiped out a mercenary group that was considered the most elite, with heavy firepower and every member hailed as an elite.
This level of strength is undeniably impressive.
Even if Jiang Bai were to face the Seraphim alone at that time, he might not be confident of victory. The final result would likely be a draw, with the Seraphim suffering heavy losses and Jiang Bai being seriously injured.
Judging from Zhang Meng's words, the number of people in Satan's shadow is far greater than this, which makes it even more terrifying.
Jiang Bai didn't know their overall strength, but he was afraid he wouldn't stand a chance against them.
This was the second time in recent days that Jiang Bai had heard of any entity that could threaten him, and this time there were two.
Before this, all he knew was the divine group that Cheng Tiangang had mentioned, but now there were two more: "Shadow of Satan" and "Hand of God".
This made Jiang Bai fall silent.
Adding to the two sorcerers he faced in Taixi, Jiang Bai suddenly felt... as if he knew nothing about this world.
Behind this seemingly peaceful world lie too many unknowns, far beyond anything I could ever imagine in the peaceful, normal world I lived in my previous life.
Even with his current strength, he doesn't feel absolutely safe in this world!
"Tell me your terms. How much money do you want? And... even if you defeat the Seraph and the mission isn't canceled, am I still obligated to keep hiring you?"
After a moment of silence, Jiang Bai glanced at Zhang Meng and then said noncommittally.
"Thirty million! We only need thirty million US dollars to protect Mr. Jiang until we repel the Seraphim's attack and confirm that they have abandoned their mission. As for the others, Mr. Jiang can rest assured."
"As you know, mercenary groups are somewhere between assassins and armies. In a sense, powerful mercenary groups are far more powerful than those weak and insidious assassins. If the Seraphim cannot do anything to you even with all their strength, then no one else will dare to take action, and this mission will come to an end. Even the Avengers Foundation will cancel the mission."
"Thirty million US dollars is indeed not a lot, at least compared to the amount that was paid to buy my life, it's much cheaper, I can agree to it. But what you just said, do I understand that as long as we defeat the Seraphim and make them abandon their plan, then the matter is over?"
Jiang Bai blinked and asked with a smile.
"Well, theoretically, that's how it is. If we defeat the Seraphim and force them to give up, no one will dare to take on this mission again, except... the Assassin's Guild."
Zhang Meng was an honest boy, and he answered confidently. However, when he came to the end, his face turned slightly red, and he said a completely new name.
"The Assassins' Guild!"
These words puzzled Jiang Bai and caused Xu Jie's expression to change slightly.
Before Jiang Bai could speak, Xu Jie interjected, "If it's the Assassin Alliance, that's a different story. Let's talk about the current Seraphim first. Aren't they our primary target? Zhang Meng, your price is too high. Can you lower it? You only have eighteen people in total!"
Chapter 329 Not a single one of them will escape!
Jiang Bai was curious about Xu Jie's reaction, but since he had spoken up, Jiang Bai didn't want to embarrass Xu Jie in front of Zhang Meng, so he didn't dwell on the matter and even kept quiet, sitting there watching with great interest as Xu Jie and Zhang Meng, two old comrades-in-arms, bargained.
"Expensive? Not expensive at all! Xu Jie, you know that we Hellfire have many missions every year and make a lot of money. If it weren't for getting revenge and dealing with the Seraph, we wouldn't have taken on this mission. Thirty million is already a very low offer."
"You need to understand that although the Seraphim have accepted this mission, they are not sure when they will set out. They have a mission period of a full year. If they don't set out for a day, we will have to stay for a day. If they don't set out for a month, we will have to wait for a month."
"It's even quite possible that we'll have to wait a full year, because we'll be protecting Mr. Jiang until the Seraphim abandon their mission. It's a long process, and during that time we can't take on any other missions. We'll have to keep all our personnel with Mr. Jiang, which would be a huge loss for us!"
"Thirty million, absolutely not less."
Zhang Meng argued his case forcefully.
"Don't give me that crap, Artillery. Protecting my boss is like taking a vacation. My boss is very strong; you're just there as a sideline. Besides, are you really protecting him? You're here to deal with the Seraph. My boss is already being generous by not asking for money for this opportunity, and you're asking for such a high price?"
"Who knows, the Seraphs might arrive next week. You can wipe them out in one fell swoop, and they'll abandon their mission. Then you can make tens of millions of dollars in a week or two. Don't you think this money is too easy to earn?"
Zhang Meng argued his case forcefully and raised the price on the spot, while Xu Jie countered with a lower price. The two argued heatedly over the specific amount, their faces turning red.
After arguing for more than ten minutes, Jiang Bai couldn't stand it anymore and acted as a peacemaker, generously raising the price from Xu Jie's 20 million US dollars to 25 million US dollars, which Zhang Meng reluctantly accepted.
Jiang Bai had Xu Jie give the other party a deposit of five million US dollars first, and then Zhang Meng took his leave.
Despite Xu Jie's attempts to persuade him to stay, saying he wanted to have a couple of drinks with his old comrades and catch up, and even asked Xiao Tian to accompany him, Zhang Meng left under the pretext of going back to prepare. Before leaving, he only said that their personnel would be in place within three days.
As for weaponry, due to China's unique circumstances, it will require a long process and gradual implementation.
If possible, I hope Jiang Bai will make an effort in this regard.
Jiang Bai readily agreed, saying it was no problem at all.
After he left, Jiang Bai sat on the sofa, waiting for Xu Jie to see Zhang Meng off.
A minute later, Xu Jie returned, and Jiang Bai asked, "Why didn't you let me ask about the Assassin's Alliance when we were talking about it?"
"Asking is pointless. He doesn't know much. In fact, not many people in this world know about the Assassin's Guild. Everyone knows that the Assassin's Guild is a cancer in the assassin world, one of the biggest cancers in the world. They only care about money, not loyalty. They have a large number of members, are elusive, and their assassination skills are unparalleled!"
"It is said that they have a long history and have committed many major crimes, such as the assassination of several presidents of Uncle Sam, which are rumored to be their doing."
"They dare to assassinate even the president, and have succeeded several times, which shows how formidable they are."
"He was known as the number one assassin for decades."
"Their headquarters, their personnel, and their strength have always been a mystery. Various countries have tried to wipe them out, but none have succeeded."
"They are too mysterious, there is no way to get started. So many people have only heard of them, but do not know who they are, where to look for them, let alone what their next move will be. So Zhang Meng does not know much, and I do not know much either. Asking them is pointless."
"However, I do know someone who has fought against the Assassin's Guild. If you want to ask, boss, you might as well ask him. He might know more."
Xu Jie smiled lazily.
"Who?" Jiang Bai asked curiously.
"Master Zhao." Xu Jie blinked and uttered the name that surprised Jiang Bai.
It was Zhao Wuji... He actually fought against the Assassin Alliance?
This left Jiang Bai speechless.
He didn't understand why he was a troublemaker and a troublemaker, and why his friends seemed to be the same way, each one with enemies all over the world.
Wu Tianxi was like this, Cheng Tiangang was like this, and even the sickly Zhao Wuji, whom everyone thought had disappeared for many years, was like this.
Damn it, there isn't even a single honest kid.
They're making enemies everywhere.
However, Jiang Bai did not call Zhao Wuji to ask anything, because this organization had nothing to do with him. Right now, the most important thing was to deal with that Seraphim.
The main reason is that these people have no fixed abode abroad. Otherwise, Jiang Bai would not have hired Hellfire at all. He could have gone out alone, found them, and wiped out all those bastards.
Now we can only wait for them to come, and that feels really bad.
Compared to these kinds of people, Jiang Bai prefers to confront those who are organized, have assets, have families, and have certain scruples. At least he doesn't have to worry too much about them recklessly attacking his people.
I chatted with Xu Jie for a while longer, telling him to prepare for what he was about to face.
We can't rely entirely on those eighteen Hellfire members. No matter how powerful they are, their abilities are limited. Overall, to deal with the Seraphim and protect the people around Jiang Bai, we still need to rely on Jiang Bai's own strength.
Xu Jie now has a force on his side, which, although not powerful, is more than enough to serve as bodyguards, and includes some retired elite soldiers.
After Xu Jie left, Jiang Bai picked up the phone and called Cheng Tiangang.
"Jiang Bai, do you even know what time it is?!" The phone rang several times before it was finally answered, and an angry voice came through immediately.
Although Cheng Tiangang had accepted Jiang Bai's favor and acknowledged Jiang Bai as a friend on the Taixi side last time, his tone of voice remained unchanged.
You can't blame him; that's just the kind of person he is.
"I know, but I have something to ask you. Do you know that because of you, I went to the West last time, and now someone is offering a hundred million US dollars to kill me!"
Jiang Bai said irritably.
Actually, he couldn't be sure if Khun Sa was behind it. Jiang Bai had made too many enemies, so who knew who the mastermind was? But for now, he didn't care about that and just assumed it was Khun Sa.
Who told him to be the prime suspect!
Moreover, if it weren't for Khun Sa, how could Jiang Bai have pinned this debt on Cheng Tiangang?
"What! Really?" Cheng Tiangang was also shocked when he heard this, and asked in disbelief.
"Isn't that obvious? Why would I lie to you about this? I've already received the news. Do you know about the Avengers Foundation? That's where the bounty was issued, and now the Seraph Mercenary Group has taken over."
Jiang Bai responded irritably, saying that even if he had a lot of free time, he wouldn't be so idle as to joke about this with Cheng Tiangang.
Of course, the fact that he tricked Zhao Xinhu into going to kill Cheng Tiangang was another matter entirely. For this, Cheng Tiangang even gave Jiang Bai a good scolding, but Jiang Bai didn't say anything back.
"Seraph? I know this mercenary group. They've been operating overseas, mainly in war-torn countries. They're not very strong in Asia. They once tried to enter our country, but were driven back by Sharp Knife and haven't dared to enter for many years. Now they want to cause trouble again?"
Cheng Tiangang is not Jiang Bai; he knows far more about this world than he does about the future. Naturally, he knows the name Seraph and what the Avengers Foundation does.
So instead of asking questions like Jiang Bai did, he went straight to the point.
"Oh, what did you think? Looks like you didn't really hurt them properly last time," Jiang Bai said irritably.
"If it really is Khun Sa, then it is indeed my responsibility. How do you want to resolve this? How can I help you?"
Cheng Tiangang is now acquainted with Jiang Bai and understands Jiang Bai's personality. He's the type who won't do anything without a reason, so Jiang Bai's phone call to him must have been more than just a casual conversation.
He felt responsible for this matter, so he didn't try to play games with Jiang Bai at all and directly offered to help him.
"I've already hired Hellfire, they'll be here soon, but their stuff can't get into the country yet, I think…"
Actually, smuggling this in isn't a problem; Jiang Bai is capable of doing it. The only issue is that he needs to report it to Cheng Tiangang to prevent any trouble if the Seraphim lunatics attack and Hellfire retaliates.
"In that case, their weapons definitely can't be transported in. If they need anything, I can help provide it. Their status in the country is equivalent to our police department's special agents. I will communicate this matter with the higher-ups. If the Seraphim people really dare to come, don't be polite, just take them down!"
"Let them know clearly that China is not another place, not a place where people like them can come and go as they please. Anyone who dares to commit a crime here, no matter who they are, will be met with the most terrifying punishment!"
"This time, don't let any of them escape. Tell the people of Hellfire not to hold back. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens!"
"Also, have Xiao Tian, who works for you, report the case tomorrow. I will personally oversee the organization of a special task force to provide comprehensive protection for you and those around you. Don't worry, it won't affect your normal life; it will be covert protection. The team sent will be the elite of the police department. I want to make sure that the Seraphim's people never return!"
Whether for public or private reasons, Cheng Tiangang could not escape this matter, nor did he intend to shirk responsibility. After a moment's thought, he delivered these few words to Jiang Bai in a forceful and clear tone.
He's much more capable than those "Hellfire" gang. They just wanted to repel the "Seraphim," teach them a lesson, get revenge, and make them abandon their mission against Jiang Bai.
But Cheng Tiangang had no intention of letting them leave at all.
According to Cheng Tiangang's instructions, none of these people will be allowed to leave if they dare to come!