Chapter 1186: Want Some Crayfish?

"The banquet today is very enjoyable, don't you think... Mr. 'Li Fu'."

Chen Ling spoke with a smile.

Ying Fu slowly looked up, his eyes behind the black-rimmed glasses staring at the young man in the Tang suit. At this moment, the air around the two seemed to drop to freezing.

Even Yao Qing, who was silently swishing beef, looked up with a strange expression, looking back and forth between the sitting Ying Fu and the standing young man, his eyes full of confusion...

"If you've come to show me the posture of a winner, then you can go back," Ying Fu said indifferently.

"This game of chess is far from over. I won't lose forever... and you, you can't win forever either."

"I know what your purpose is for coming to the Wushan Conference."

Chen Ling’s pale red pupils, like a rattlesnake biting its prey, locked onto Ying Fu. "There are some people I can't look after, but if you dare to touch certain people... I will fight you to the end.

You know who I'm talking about."

Chen Ling was staring at Ying Fu the whole time, but for some reason, Yao Qing felt a slight tremor in his heart.

Hearing this, Ying Fu already knew the purpose of Chen Ling coming over specifically to say these things, but he didn't make any response to Chen Ling’s threat, instead slowly standing up as well.

The two figures stood face to face. Behind the simple black-rimmed glasses, Ying Fu’s gaze toward Chen Ling was as deep as an abyss.

"Fight to the end..." Ying Fu smiled faintly.

"You at this period are truly interesting... Cherish everything you have now. When everything you cherish leaves you, or becomes your enemy... I hope you can still maintain this spirit then."

After speaking, Ying Fu turned and walked toward the banquet exit.

Chen Ling was stunned.

Ying Fu’s words just now seemed like a counterattack to his "threat," but they also seemed to imply something else...

Chen Ling knew that because Ying Fu entered the era archive later, there was actually a time difference between them. The Ying Fu before him now was from several months in the future of the real world. If that was the case, Ying Fu’s words just now were definitely not aimless.

What on earth was he talking about???

Chen Ling had come to find Ying Fu with the intention of warning him not to take action against certain people, but Ying Fu’s counterattack had instead planted a seed of unease in Chen Ling’s heart...

Perhaps as Ying Fu said, no one wins forever, and no one loses forever. Chen Ling had won a complete victory at the banquet, but the other party’s parting words seemed to have made Chen Ling lose half a step, and the joy of victory vanished.

He watched the direction Ying Fu left in, lost in thought.

……

In the lobby of the Huixian Hotel, Ying Fu walked alone.

Since Chen Ling had taken the initiative to come up and talk to him at the banquet just now, it meant that Chu Changqing had already been taken away. Since that was the case, he wouldn't be blocked from entering or leaving the venue... As for the final speech by the 749 Bureau leaders, why would Ying Fu care about that?

Red welcome words scrolled on the screen. In front of the Huixian Hotel, Zheng Zhiqing and Fu Kun were still in a standoff with Shen Nan.

Shen Nan saw Ying Fu walking from behind and raised an eyebrow...

"Emp..."

Zheng Zhiqing saw Ying Fu coming out with a dark face and subconsciously wanted to say something, but immediately closed her mouth.

Ying Fu didn't even look at Zheng Zhiqing and Fu Kun, just glanced at Shen Nan indifferently.

"...Move aside."

Shen Nan didn't hesitate and turned to leave. Since Ying Fu appeared here, it meant Chen Ling had succeeded, and there was naturally no need for him to block them.

Ying Fu walked out of the Huixian Hotel and headed straight for the empty, deserted street. Zheng Zhiqing and Fu Kun exchanged a look and immediately followed...

"Don't follow me."

Ying Fu left that sentence without looking back.

Zheng Zhiqing and Fu Kun’s legs, which had been stepping forward, had to shrink back. Watching the figure gradually disappear at the end of the street, their expressions were unnatural.

"Is the Emperor angry...?"

"It's all your fault, you idiot! All you know is eating and watching dancing! The Emperor was staring daggers at you and you didn't react at all!!" Zheng Zhiqing kicked Fu Kun fiercely, furious.

"This... how can you blame me?? Wasn't it said that we were just responsible for sitting at this banquet and didn't need to worry about anything? Who knew someone would come out of nowhere..."

"Now it's all ruined. The person we worked so hard to snatch has been snatched away again. Everyone's work was for nothing!"

"Why are you losing your temper at me? It's not just my fault!"

Fu Kun spread his hands, looking quite innocent.

Zheng Zhiqing glared at him fiercely and turned to walk in the other direction of the street.

"Hey, where are you going now?"

"Are you brainless?? Of course, I'm going to the Lianhua Hotel! The Emperor told you not to follow him, not to stand there like a fool!! Now that the person has been snatched away, hurry up and find clues to see if we can snatch him back!!"

"Oh, oh, oh..."

On the deserted street,

Ying Fu walked slowly along the sidewalk. The dim streetlights reflected on the ground, stretching his shadow continuously.

No one knew what Ying Fu was thinking—was it the confrontation at the banquet, how to take action at the Wushan Conference, or perhaps the tricky things happening outside the era archive...

He didn't bring any subordinates, just walked alone. Everything around him was silent in the darkness, with only the distant Wushan standing among the lonely clouds.

I don't know how much time passed, but a burst of silver bell-like laughter interrupted his thoughts.

Ying Fu frowned and looked forward.

It was late at night after the banquet, and the shops on both sides of the street were almost all closed. Only a crayfish shop in the corner was still open. The flashing light sign illuminated half the street, and shadows were moving at the entrance, as if someone was busy inside.

Ying Fu wasn't interested in late-night snacks and continued walking forward.

"Big brother, want some cray—fish?"

Just as he was about to pass the shop, a little girl holding a menu suddenly jumped out from the entrance. She tilted her head, her two eyes smiling like crescent moons. The light from the shop shone on her, as if she were plated with a faint golden edge.

Seeing that familiar face and hearing that silver bell-like, energetic voice, Ying Fu was stunned.

He looked at the girl before him, and in a trance, A-Qian’s appearance slowly overlapped with hers...

The same age, similar build, seven or eight points of similarity in their features... At this moment, Ying Fu’s heavy thoughts seemed to stop. He just stared blankly at the girl, standing there like a statue.

The girl saw Ying Fu motionless and waved her hand in front of him suspiciously.

"Hello? Do you... need help?"

Ying Fu came back to his senses. He looked up at the brilliant crayfish restaurant sign above and the outdoor dining tables on the street, and remained silent for a long time...

"...Eat," Ying Fu nodded. "Bring me a bottle of beer too... Thank you."