Chapter 164: One Billion Commission
At the Zhuang residence.
“Xiao Cheng.” When Zhuang Cheng got home, he saw his mother talking with a noble-looking lady, whose eyes were red, as if something serious had happened.
Zhuang Cheng cautiously asked, “Mom, what’s going on?”
“Your Auntie Lin is here to ask for your help.”
Zhuang Cheng blinked, a bit surprised. “She’s asking me for help? What could I possibly help with?”
“Want to buy some elixirs? Lately, there have been fewer noblewomen coming to buy elixirs in person. This is something your sister usually handles—Chu Feng has left the matter of elixirs to her. Many noblewomen go to great lengths to get them. Some cry about aging, gaining weight, or their husbands cheating and never coming home. Others stretch distant family ties, calling themselves practically blood relatives. Some are willing to throw money around, offering triple or ten times the price.”
“Yunfei has gone missing. He might have been kidnapped,” Zhuang’s mother said.
Zhuang Cheng rolled his eyes and asked, “Are you sure he was kidnapped? Maybe he just got drunk at some party. There was a case before—some rich second-gen got hammered with friends, phone unreachable. His parents panicked, mobilized tons of people to search for him. After a whole day, they found him in a hotel, having a threesome. That guy already had a fiancée, who had joined the search, only to walk in on that scene. Super awkward.”
“He’s definitely missing,” Zhuang’s mother said.
Zhuang Cheng replied, “Then you should report it to the police!”
“We already did. But we’re worried it might be too late. Don’t you know a fortune-telling master? Could you ask him for help?”
Zhuang Cheng frowned. “That master might not give me face. Last time was just a coincidence.”
Su Manqing added, “Saving someone is a race against time. Just try. Didn’t you say that master likes money? As long as he can find the person and bring him back safely, your Auntie Lin is willing to offer one billion.”
Zhuang Cheng blinked. “Mom, how do you know the master likes money?”
Su Manqing frowned. “Didn’t you tell your aunt?”
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “Right, that’s how it was. The master does like money—he even asked Auntie for thirty million.”
Su Manqing looked at Zhuang Cheng. “Then hurry up and contact him.”
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “I’ll check if he’s available. He probably isn’t short on money now. Big Bro made several billion selling jade stones. He’s kinda floating these days, even thinking about stopping elixir sales.”
Su Manqing nodded. “Understood. Masters always have their own rules. I heard you met him online?”
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “Yeah.”
Su Manqing couldn’t help saying, “You’re really lucky! There are lots of people online claiming to be ability-users—nine out of ten are fake. And you managed to find a real one.”
Zhuang Cheng smiled. “Yeah, lucky me.”
After stepping out of his mother’s sight, he went off to the side and secretly called Chu Feng.
Inside the villa, Chu Feng looked at his phone thoughtfully.
Illya glanced at him. “What’s up?”
Chu Feng replied, “Zhuang Cheng says a woman lost her son and wants Manning’s help to find him.”
“Can he do that? Manning’s undocumented.”
“It’s not very proper… but that woman’s willing to offer one billion.”
Illya said without hesitation, “One billion? Let Manning go, then.”
A billion. Even though Chu Feng wasn’t hurting for money, a billion was still a lot. Who wouldn’t want more money? For that much, it’s worth taking a bit of a risk. Business had been slow lately, and living off savings wasn’t sustainable. Time to take action.
“I’ll go talk to Manning. If he’s willing, then we’ll let him handle it.”
Chu Feng thought to himself: People from Crescent Village are all lining up to come over too. I can’t show favoritism—I’ll have to bring them one by one to experience things.
Once they arrive, I can’t just keep them cooped up either. It’s best if they can find jobs and become self-sufficient. If Manning can pull this off and establish himself here, he might just become a role model for the others.
Chu Feng briefly explained the situation about finding someone to Manning, who readily agreed. In fact, if not for the language barrier, Manning would’ve gone out to find work a long time ago.
Chu Feng made a call to Zhuang Cheng and brought Manning to Zhuang Cheng’s apartment in the capital. Seeing Chu Feng, Zhuang Cheng couldn’t help but exclaim, “Teleportation really is fast!” He had just called his second brother a moment ago, and now the person had already been brought over.
Zhuang Cheng looked at Manning, puzzled, and asked, “Why is he dressed like that?”
Manning was wearing a full wizard outfit, complete with a tall pointed hat—he looked like he was cosplaying. Chu Feng’s expression was odd as he explained, “He looks more like a ‘master’ this way. Apparently, it was Gray’s idea. That kid must’ve watched too many cartoons. Manning is already all dressed up and seems to really enjoy it, so I didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm.”
Zhuang Cheng still looked unsure. “Really?”
He didn’t think this looked like a master at all—it was more like he was playing a game. Come to think of it, Halloween was just around the corner.
“When are we going to start looking—?” he began.
Chu Feng shook his head and replied, “That’s up to you to figure out. I’m only responsible for bringing him here.”
Zhuang Cheng frowned and said in disbelief, “You’re not handling the rest?”
Chu Feng nodded, “Exactly.” He was the boss, not a babysitter. “I’m a busy man. I can’t do everything myself. This is a hundred million we’re talking about!” A hundred million!
“Second Brother, isn’t this a bit careless?” Zhuang Cheng asked.
Chu Feng nodded again. “I know. A hundred million. But do I look like someone who’s short of a hundred million?”
Zhuang Cheng: “…”
That line was so annoying it made him want to punch Chu Feng. A hundred million isn’t a small amount!
“Are you showing off your wealth? Are you kidding me?!”
He’s a rich second-gen! And now Chu Feng was actually showing off his wealth to him? Rich people really are something else. On the surface, everyone thought Zhuang Cheng was wealthy, but in reality, he was flat broke. Even his pocket money had gone straight into Chu Feng’s wallet.
Chu Feng continued calmly, “Even though I don’t need that hundred million, Manning does. But if he fails the task, I don’t lose anything.”
Zhuang Cheng looked at him, troubled. “But I don’t speak his language. We can’t even communicate.”
Chu Feng nodded, “That’s your problem, not mine. Problems are meant to be overcome.”
He patted Zhuang Cheng on the shoulder. “Don’t be so tense. Manning can draw.”
Chu Feng looked toward Manning, who pulled out a sketchpad he carried with him and showed Zhuang Cheng a complicated character relationship chart.
Zhuang Cheng stared at it, thinking: Did Manning really draw this? It looks… kind of abstract.
Not only abstract—kind of strange.
“He can also identify directions,” Chu Feng added.
Zhuang Cheng: Why do I feel less confident the more Second Brother talks?
After giving a few instructions to Manning, Chu Feng vanished with Illya, leaving only Zhuang Cheng and Manning staring at each other. Zhuang Cheng rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Second Brother is really too much—always leaving things half-finished.
Manning, however, was looking at Zhuang Cheng with interest and in a good mood.
Although Chu Feng and Illya’s sudden disappearance made Manning a little nervous, he was still happy. He took it as a sign that Chu Feng trusted his abilities—that he could take on responsibility.
Manning was full of anticipation for this task.
He didn’t really understand how much a hundred million was, but Lin Zhihao had once told him that a hundred million could buy a mountain of pizza.
Manning figured it must be a lot of money. Lin Zhihao said that ordinary people here could earn enough in a day to buy two to three pizzas.
Before coming, Duoduo and Gray had all given him their best wishes and told him to treat them to a big meal once he completed his mission.
Shi Qi had her eyes on a few outfits but was too embarrassed to ask the boss, hoping she could borrow some money from Manning after he earned it.
Hughes wanted to buy a tank—for research.
Everyone had pinned their hopes on him. Manning had never had this much attention on him before. He felt a bit of pressure but even more excitement.
Chu Feng said he was a rare talent in the modern world.
Manning didn’t think he was all that amazing, but it still made him happy to be acknowledged by Chu Feng.
Seeing that Zhuang Cheng looked a little nervous, Manning clumsily tried to comfort him, “You… speak… here… word?”
Zhuang Cheng was surprised. “You know the local language?”
Manning shook his head. “Learned… a little.”
He was already a frequent visitor to this world. Back when Chu Feng left him at the villa, Manning didn’t just sit around—he studied a smartphone and spent his time learning the local language.
Though he hadn’t learned much, he could manage a few simple sentences—enough for basic communication.
A few words were definitely better than nothing.
“Let’s go,” Zhuang Cheng said.
Manning nodded, “Okay.”
Zhuang Cheng brought Manning to the villa. Su Manqing saw Manning’s outfit and gave him a strange look.
“Son… is this the ‘master’?” she asked hesitantly.
Zhuang Cheng nodded, “Yeah.”
Seeing his mother’s expression, he thought: Yep, this outfit really is a bit weird.
Su Manqing blinked and thought to herself: This master is dressed really strangely. Is he… cosplaying? But then again, masters are always different from normal people. A few odd preferences are probably normal.
Zhuang Cheng smiled, “He’s a fortune-teller. He can determine someone’s location through familial connections. He just needs to look at Madam Lin to know where Young Master Lin is.”
Su Manqing nodded, “Really? That’s an amazing ability.”
Zhuang Cheng gave a quiet “Mm.”
Su Manqing stood up and said, “Let’s go. Madam Lin has been waiting.”
Zhuang Cheng nodded, “Alright.”
