Chapter 73: Invitation (Second Update)

“Alas, the gun was confiscated.” On the way back, Nangong Moth let out a sigh. To distance themselves from the incident, they could only claim that the gun had been seized from Captain Spade.

“It was no easy feat to cover up our tracks! So what if you lost a gun? Would you rather expose your identity and get yourself thrown in jail?” Qin Tian rolled his eyes.

“It’s getting harder and harder to get a gun these days with all the strict regulations. Guns are the lifeblood of us assassins!” Nangong Moth pouted.

“You might as well stop being an assassin,” Qin Tian said after pausing to consider.

“If I stop being an assassin, are you going to support me? I still need to prove myself, you know! Besides, I have a whole family to feed!” Nangong Moth wrinkled her delicate nose. Though she said this, deep down she secretly hoped Qin Tian would answer, “Sure, I’ll support you.”

“Try to take fewer jobs. As for your adoptive parents forcing you into marriage—come on, it’s not the old days anymore. If you don’t like it, just refuse,” Qin Tian shrugged.

“It’s not that simple.” Nangong Moth shook her head. Her adoptive parents only wanted what was best for her, hoping she’d have someone to rely on in the future.

What’s more, if they formed an alliance through marriage with that influential family, her adoptive parents wouldn’t have to fear revenge from old enemies in their old age and could live out their lives in peace.

So, to repay her adoptive parents, Nangong Moth had only two options.

The first was to accept the arranged marriage, ensuring a peaceful life for herself and her family.

The second was to carve out her own path, becoming so formidable that old enemies would be too intimidated to seek vengeance.

All in all, Nangong Moth was more inclined toward the second option; she preferred to take the initiative rather than be passive.

“Give me your bank account information,” Qin Tian said.

“What for? Are you really going to support me?” Nangong Moth’s face lit up with delight.

“Keep dreaming! I’m just transferring you some money for now—you’ll have to pay me back in the future!” Qin Tian replied.

“Oh.” Nangong Moth’s reply was tinged with disappointment, but she gave him her bank account number.

This was Nangong Moth’s private, legitimate account—no fear of investigation.

Shortly after, her phone vibrated to notify her of a deposit. She opened the message and her eyes widened in disbelief—one zero, two zeros, three zeros…

Counting up: ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million, hundred million—a billion!

A full eight zeros! Five hundred million!

“Brother Qin Lei, where did you get so much money? Did you rob a bank?” Nangong Moth asked in shock.

“I don’t break the law,” Qin Tian said, knocking her lightly on the head.

“Then where did it come from? Five hundred million!” Nangong Moth rubbed her head, sticking out her tongue.

“Some fools gave it to me,” Qin Tian chuckled.

“With that money, you shouldn’t have to worry about daily expenses anymore. From now on, just take jobs that can quickly boost your ranking and skills. And remember, never kill those who don’t deserve it!” Qin Tian instructed.

“Brother Qin Lei, you probably have no idea how much it costs to run an assassin organization every month, do you?” Nangong Moth said with a peculiar expression.

“How much? Five hundred million isn’t enough for you?” Qin Tian asked.

“For organizations like ours, monthly operating and maintenance costs are around fifty million. If there’s a major upgrade in equipment, it can shoot up to a hundred million in a single month!”

“So, this five hundred million will only last seven or eight months at best,” Nangong Moth said with a bitter smile.

“Damn, is it really that much of a money pit? The investment is outrageous!” Qin Tian was speechless.

“But the returns are high. Take me for example—even a casual job brings in ten or twenty million. Getting five big jobs a month just about breaks even,” Nangong Moth explained.

“Forget it, just use it for now,” Qin Tian sighed helplessly.

“Thank you, Brother Qin Lei. I won’t be polite, then—I’ll try to spend it wisely,” Nangong Moth said with a bright smile.

“You’ll be heading back, right?” Qin Tian asked.

“I want to stay a few more days. That person will definitely send more assassins. I want to stay by your side and protect you,” Nangong Moth said, waving her small fists.

“No, it’s too dangerous!” Qin Tian refused decisively.

“I’m not weak, you know! Besides, I’m not their primary target,” Nangong Moth insisted.

“Then stay with the Jiang family and protect them,” Qin Tian said after a moment’s thought.

Although the mastermind’s target was him, there was still a risk that the Jiang family could be caught in the crossfire.

“You want me to be a bodyguard?” Nangong Moth’s eyes widened.

“If you want to stay, that’s the only way. Otherwise, you’ll have to go back,” Qin Tian said, spreading his hands.

“Fine! I’ll be a bodyguard!” Nangong Moth gritted her teeth.

The two of them grabbed breakfast, and by the time they returned to the Jiang residence, it was nearly ten o’clock.

As soon as they stepped inside, Jiang Tianxiang, Jiang Yingying, and Shen Xiaoqing were already seated on the living room sofa. Seeing Qin Tian enter, they all looked at him with concern—it was clear they’d been waiting for him.

“How did it go? What about the assassin?” Jiang Tianxiang asked.

“They got away. There were three separate waves,” Qin Tian replied.

“Three waves of assassins?” Jiang Tianxiang drew a sharp breath.

“Yes, and it’s pretty much confirmed now that I’m their target,” Qin Tian said.

“You? Who’d you offend?” Jiang Tianxiang frowned.

“I have no idea. But I’ve decided to move out. Until this matter is resolved, I won’t stay here at the Jiang family home,” Qin Tian announced. He’d thought long and hard about this and concluded it was the safest choice. If the assassins came, let them come for him—it was crucial no one else got hurt.

He couldn’t bear to see another tragedy, like the sniper Lin Jian sent, whose death still weighed on him.

“Move out? Absolutely not! It’s too dangerous to be alone!” Jiang Tianxiang objected.

“He’s right. Stay here. If things get bad, you can always hide in the bathroom until help arrives,” Jiang Yingying urged, glancing at Nangong Moth.

Shen Xiaoqing joined in, though her reasoning was a bit different—she protested that if Qin Tian left, she wouldn’t get to eat his cooking anymore, and the cravings in her stomach would “stage an uprising”!

Qin Tian couldn’t help but smile. In the end, after their collective persuasion, he chose to stay at the Jiang family home.

“By the way, while you were out, Tang Yiliu called. He invited you to a banquet,” Jiang Tianxiang mentioned.

“A banquet? What kind of banquet?” Qin Tian was puzzled. Why would Tang Yiliu invite him to a banquet? What was he up to?

“A young master from the capital has arrived—he’s the nephew of Qiu Lang, one of the Four Dragons of the Capital. To curry favor, Tang Yiliu and the others arranged a banquet. Every notable figure in the city has been invited,” Jiang Tianxiang explained.

“Tang Yiliu said that, as the owner of the Imperial Hotel, you’ve earned the right to be invited.”

The Four Dragons of the Capital? Quite the grand title.

Still, since they’d invited him, he had no reason to refuse. Besides, what could Tang Yiliu and his lot do—set him up?

Even if they did, what did it matter? He was already being hunted by assassins. As the saying goes, if you’re already covered in lice, you stop worrying about the itch; if troubles abound, what’s a few more?