A Good-for-Nothing

178. A Task (2)

Translator: Dragon Rider

He Zheng’s eyes slightly dilated. He had been completely in the dark on everything ever since he’d received that phone call. Looking at Li Zong who had always been working hard like a head of farm cattle, He Zheng asked in a curious and astonished tone, “You’re going with us to perform this task as well?”

Smiling, Li Zong patted the cushion he was sitting on and with that He Zheng naturally walked up and sat down beside Li Zong. Seeing that He Zheng didn’t even have a suitcase and was merely carrying a shoulder bag, Li Zong massaged his forehead. “They did tell you to bring your baggage when they informed you of this task on the phone, didn’t they?”

“They did.”

“Then where’s your baggage?”

“I didn’t bring any.”

Li Zong pulled a wry face. “Okay, you got me.”

This matter didn’t bother He Zheng at all. At the sight of Li Zong, he’d come to realize that this special task was probably not going to be easy. Without further ado, He Zheng asked, “What’s this special task about? I came here immediately after receiving the call, and I got pushed to this compartment by Zu Zhichong before I could ask any questions.”

Li Zong replied, “You’ve all passed the interview and your basic skills are up to standard. As luck would have it, a murder case happened in Hang City not long ago and SMB needs to send some men there to look into it, and Zhang Jingqiu could use some backup, so Xiang Hailou suggested we split trainees into two groups, one going to the south-west to join Zhang Jingqiu, the other following me to Hang City.”

Hang City was not really strange to He Zheng. Actually he had properties in that city. As regards whom he might met there, He Zheng had no worry about it whatsoever, for he knew Li Zong got his back.

“Who are the members of this group? I just saw Jin Qianlai and that jinx called Chen Qianlin.” He Zheng ground his teeth as he said Chen Qianlin’s name.

“You, Jin Qianlai, Chen Qianlin and Qiu Luo.”

“Just the four of us??? Where are the other fourteen? They all went to the south-west?”

Li Zong smiled, “The four of you are the most powerful ones of this batch of trainees. Your combined power should be enough to handle it.”

He Zheng enjoyed this compliment very much. Seeing there was nobody else around, he planted a kiss on Li Zong’s cheek. “That’s so sweet.”

Li Zong gave a rare smile.

While they were talking, someone stealthily poked their head around the door frame. It was Zu Zhichong, who had redone his bun and cut a fairly handsome figure.

“Chief, they’re all on board now. Should I call the other kids here? It was rather short notice, so I haven’t briefed them about the task yet.”

Li Zong inclined his head. “Bring them here.”

After a while, Zu Zhichong returned with Chen Qianlin, Jin Qianlai and some others. They were all trainees of this year’s Special Talents Training Program (STTP), but unlike what Li Zong had just said, there were more than four members.

The ones brought here by Zu Zhichong were all trainees unaware of the details of the task. Apart from the four people mentioned by Li Zong, there were also Wu Fangshuo the psychic and Chi Li the Jiangtou-caster.

Chi Li was a girl on good terms with Lan Bai. She’d been selected to perform this task with the others. It was not difficult to tell that she was a trifle nervous, for she’d been reservedly standing beside Wu Fangshuo since her entry.

“Sit down, please.” Li Zong appeared very mild, which to some extent eased Chi Li’s tension.

Chi Li nodded and all of them settled themselves in chairs or on the other bunk bed.

He Zheng, sitting beside Li Zong, suddenly said with surprise, “Where’s Qiu Luo?”

Li Zong wanted to answer him but paused, and with that Jin Qianlai said, “Isn’t he sitting right opposite me?”

Sitting opposite Jin Qianlai was a very well-featured man.

He Zheng was amazed. “Isn’t Qiu Luo a girl? At least that was the case the last time we met.”

Zu Zhichong let out a cough. “You’ve never heard of the name ‘drag queen’ before?”

Qiu Luo rose to his feet and reached out a hand at He Zheng. “Nice to meet you. I’m Qiu Luo. I’ve always been meaning to make your acquaintance. Occasionally I dress like a girl to attend a Comic-Con.”

‘All right. I guess this is what they say about ‘agreeing to disagree’, and ‘absorbing anything and everything’,’ thought He Zheng. In the past, when he’d been a playboy, some of his cronies had liked to have boys dress like girls to entertain them, and he’d never taken a liking to it.

He Zheng shook Qiu Luo’s hand.

Li Zong, however, was somewhat surprised to see that his flat-chested partner’s temper seemed to be a lot better than before, that he was no longer supercilious and condescending.

“Okay, let’s get down to business.” Li Zong let out a cough, and all others collected their thoughts, waiting for Li Zong to give them assignments.

After Li Zong filled them in on the case of the couple of college students, they were also startled and incredulous, and they had even more questions, which good-tempered Li Zong answered one by one.

When all trainees had been briefed on what to expect, Zu Zhichong told them to go back and have some rest.

The six people, after being informed of the details of the task, didn’t feel like staying in the compartment. What Supt. Li had just told them was virtually unbelievable. It widened their horizons considerably and also helped them get a general idea of what they might have to deal with during this task.