Chapter Twenty-Nine: Lord Wei the Second

With prior experience, handling the cases of the other two girls became much easier. Even so, Old Ma spent two days on them, dedicating a whole day to each girl. On the third day, he insisted on resting to “regain his vitality,” but by the fourth day, having run out of excuses to delay, he reluctantly set out with Su Feiyong and the others.

Su Feiyong still didn’t reveal the purpose for inviting Old Ma, merely informing us that this time, Second Master Wei would be joining us. I was surprised; I hadn’t expected to meet the legendary Second Master Wei, whose wealth and influence were the stuff of rumor. Curiosity stirred in me about what this famed figure might look like.

Old Ma was puzzled as well. “Why’s he coming? Isn’t it enough to watch us toil? Does he want to experience it firsthand?”

“It’s Second Master’s own decision. We’re just relaying the message,” Su Feiyong replied.

Though we were finally on our way, Old Ma remained restless, stopping every few steps. It took us two days to get from Leizhou to Shenzhen. We had no idea about the itinerary or destination.

After a night’s rest, Su Feiyong took us to the dock the next day, where we boarded a luxurious yacht. I was utterly bewildered. Was this some sort of vacation?

Old Ma looked equally perplexed, though he quickly accepted the situation with a calm indifference. His demeanor suggested that strange people doing strange things was nothing out of the ordinary. Despite his ill-fitting appearance amid the yacht’s opulent surroundings, he soon adapted and even seemed to enjoy himself.

I had to admit, in this regard, I was not his equal.

In the salon on the main deck, three people were already seated—two men and a young woman. At a glance, it was clear they, too, had been invited. Their attire, like ours, marked them as outsiders in this world of luxury.

One man was older, around forty, tall and thin, with an air of arrogance that screamed “supreme ruler of the world,” though here, his haughtiness seemed out of place.

The other man was about thirty, scholarly and refined, wearing round glasses and a gentle, courteous smile that was polite without any hint of fawning. He seemed principled, inspiring a certain goodwill.

As for the young woman, she was even younger, barely over twenty, with a round face still tinged with youthful innocence and bright, lively eyes full of curiosity. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, just brushing her shoulders. She wore a white T-shirt under a short denim jacket and black trousers, giving her a neat, energetic look. The small decorations on her hair tie and the rose pattern on her T-shirt showed her feminine attention to detail.

The three sat far apart, suggesting they didn’t know each other. This puzzled me—if they’d been invited, did they possess unusual abilities like Old Ma? The tall, arrogant man I could believe, and the refined one seemed plausible, but the girl was about my age, perhaps even younger. Was she also some hidden master?

Upon seeing the refined man, Old Ma was surprised and walked over. “You’re here too!”

The man smiled politely. “Old Ma, long time no see. How have you been?”

Old Ma sat down beside him, unreserved. “I was fine, but coming here has ruined everything.”

The man smiled, offering no reply. Perhaps only Old Ma would dare say such things here. The yacht alone cost more than all of us combined. Second Master Wei’s legendary wealth was evident.

I sat next to Old Ma, observing the surroundings. In the center was a marble coffee table; through the large glass windows, the scenery outside was clear. The wealthy truly knew how to enjoy life. But I wondered what Second Master Wei intended by inviting us here. Surely not just for a holiday.

Old Ma and the refined man were old acquaintances, exchanging casual conversation.

The girl’s gaze fell on me. Perhaps she’d been feeling nervous and, seeing someone her own age, she moved closer, shyly introducing herself. “I’m Xiao Qingwan. What’s your name?”

“Wang Luo,” I replied warmly.

My friendliness put her at ease. “You came with Old Ma—are you his apprentice?”

She knew Old Ma, though he didn’t seem to recognize her. Old Ma was quite famous, it seemed. This proved she and I were not quite the same; even if she wasn’t a hidden master, she was certainly part of Old Ma’s world.

I nodded, then asked, “What about you? Were you invited by Second Master Wei?”

She hesitated. “Sort of.”

It seemed she had other reasons for being here. I asked, “Do you know what kind of person Second Master Wei is?”

Xiao Qingwan shook her head, admitting she was just as in the dark. She hadn’t met Second Master Wei, and had only just arrived on the yacht. She was told to wait here for his arrival.

With a hint of excitement, she said, “It’s my first time on a yacht. I’m glad I came.”

From our brief conversation, I could tell Xiao Qingwan was straightforward. I asked if she knew anything about the other two.

“You don’t know?” she was surprised, glancing at the refined man talking with Old Ma, thinking I should know them if Old Ma did.

I smiled wryly. “Actually, I’m just a beginner—this is my first time out with my master.”

She nodded knowingly and leaned in to tell me their backgrounds. The tall, skinny middle-aged man was called Zhuang Xingrui, whose abilities matched his temperament; he was quite famous in this field, though still far behind Old Ma. His advantage was his youth. The refined man was Gu Yangyu, a specialist from the Dream Interpretation Sect. His reputation was more modest, not because he lacked skill, but because dream interpretation was a single discipline—no matter how refined, its usefulness was limited.

It was like baking; even if you made a decorative cake, it was still just a cake. What intrigued me was the Dream Interpretation Sect and the art of seeking omens in dreams—what exactly were they?

I was about to ask more when Su Feiyong’s voice rang out, “Second Master has arrived.”

I turned to see Su Feiyong and Xu Guangyi standing respectfully aside as a young man entered. He was tall and slender, dressed in a black leather jacket, wearing sunglasses. His cold, handsome face carried an authority beyond his years, and his movements were crisp and decisive. Two sharply dressed bodyguards followed behind, radiating presence.

Even so, I was utterly shocked. This was the legendary Second Master Wei? He was nothing like I had imagined—not even remotely. I’d expected, if not a pot-bellied tycoon, at least a mature, successful man in his thirties. Instead, he was just a young man barely older than a boy, possibly younger than me!