Back to Liu Mingxi's side. This was her first time riding in a helicopter. Unlike the smooth, high-speed rush she had imagined, the noise was deafening, and the bumping and vibration were painfully obvious. Yet, it was wildly exhilarating, and Liu Mingxi's excited eyes darted all around.
Seeing this, Chang Kangsheng smiled and said, "If Miss Liu likes it, the Baili Group can gift you one."
Liu Mingxi froze as if struck by lightning, her eyes widening in silent shock, her jaw dropping in disbelief. "This... no way, are you joking?"
Hearing this, Chang Kangsheng quickly shook his head and said firmly, "The Baili Group never jokes! If you don't believe me, I'll have a word with the old master later, and I guarantee a helicopter will be delivered to you by the end of the day."
Liu Mingxi felt her mind go blank and violently shook her head in refusal. "No, no, absolutely not!"
At that moment, she desperately wished she could arrive already. For the second time today, she wanted to manifest a giant hat on the spot and pull it down over her head.
Damn, the ultra-wealthy really didn't hold back. Of course, what Liu Mingxi hadn't expected was that the extravagance didn't stop there.
After enduring a nerve-wracking ride, the helicopter finally descended and landed.
As Liu Mingxi stepped out with the attentive assistance of Chang Kangsheng, she saw several people already standing not far away, waiting for some time.
Liu Mingxi looked around with curious eyes. This appeared to be the central building in Guangshen City—the tallest commercial skyscraper around, giving off a distinct sci-fi movie vibe whose peak vanished into the clouds when she tilted her head back to look.
"This way, Miss Liu, please." Chang Kangsheng flashed a brilliant smile and made a welcoming gesture with his hand.
Liu Mingxi shifted her curious gaze toward the people approaching her and walked over.
The man leading them was a neatly dressed middle-aged man with graying temples, a steady and composed aura, and a smile on his face. He extended a hand toward Liu Mingxi and said politely, "Hello, Miss Liu. Welcome to the Baili Group. I am Baili Xin, the chairman of the group."
Following closely behind them were two entirely different figures, one plump and one lean. The plumper one wore a genuine, cheerful smile, while the thinner one sported a textbook professional grin. Both, however, shared the same look of covert, curious appraisal.
They had also followed their father out here completely clueless, told only that a guest of utmost importance was arriving and that they needed to put on their best behavior. If they could forge a connection with her, she would be their strongest backer outside of the Night Watchers.
Liu Mingxi's emotions were far beyond the scope of shock and excitement at this point. *Huh? What the heck?! The chairman?* What kind of insane luck had she struck today? She just killed a routine monster, and now the chairman himself showed up? Wow, talk about a jackpot.
She wanted to slap herself in the face right then and there. The legendary richest man in the world was standing right in front of her, and he had invited her here personally. A faint sense of pride began to bubble up inside Liu Mingxi. *Hehe, so superpowers can be used like this after all.*
But her enthusiasm quickly plummeted. As the old saying goes, sudden excessive hospitality always hides ulterior motives.
Why hadn't it crossed her mind *why* the illustrious Baili family would suddenly invite her over and wine and dine her? She had been entirely too eager for a free ride, completely overlooking the fact that receiving such lavish benefits from others surely meant they expected something in return.
Calming herself down, Liu Mingxi composed her features and returned to her usual demeanor. "Hello, Mr. Baili. I'm sure you must have a specific reason for inviting me here like this?"
Aside from her bizarre superpowers, there couldn't possibly be any other reason.
"Miss Liu is truly sharp. Let's head inside and talk; discussing business on a comfortable sofa is much better than standing out here!" Baili Xin wasn't annoyed at all by Liu Mingxi's directness; he simply replied with an unfazed smile.
Liu Mingxi nodded in agreement and followed them inside.
After a rather lengthy elevator ride, they arrived at a floor marked with the number 160. Stepping out, they were greeted by a luxurious, golden corridor paved with precious carpets, adorned with expensive porcelain, and lined with a variety of famous paintings along the walls.
Truly extravagant!
They walked all the way to a reception hall. The interior was massive. On either side of the wide, comfortable sofas stood smiling attendants carrying ceramic trays neatly arranged with fruit, while a gleaming golden table topped with decorative fresh flowers sat before the seating area.
Under Baili Xin's deliberate guidance, Liu Mingxi took a seat unhesitatingly in the main armchair.
Once all three members of the Baili family had seated themselves, Baili Xin finally spoke. "Miss Liu, allow me to introduce my two sons, Baili Tuming and Baili Jing."
Baili Xin gestured toward the two individuals sitting on the opposite sofa.
The two men put their utmost effort into offering polite greetings to Liu Mingxi, drawing upon everything they had ever learned.
Liu Mingxi nodded to acknowledge them, though the chubby one caught her interest—his facial expressions were remarkably animated.
"So, Mr. Baili, can you tell me why I'm here now?"
Baili Xin smiled and replied, "It's like this, Miss Liu. We have already witnessed your extraordinary abilities. I'm sure Captain Wei has already explained the strength of a 'Human Ceiling' to you..."
Every word he uttered served to emphasize just how formidable Liu Mingxi was.
"And?" Liu Mingxi clearly caught his drift. Was he asking her to be a bodyguard?
"As you can see, the Baili Group has stood tall in Daxia for so many years, controlling vast financial networks. Many people are green with envy, and we have numerous enemies. In particular, my son Baili Tuming is about to take over the Baili Group soon, and those enemies will surely seize the opportunity to strike. Therefore, during this turbulent period for the Baili Group, I hope you might lend a hand and safeguard the safety of our Baili family."
Baili Xin spoke slowly, his expression occasionally shifting to one of painful entreaty.
"Of course, offering money to someone of your supreme stature falls short of true respect, but wealth is ultimately all we have to offer. However, our Baili family also maintains a 'Forbidden Artifact Museum'; you may go inside later and choose whatever you like to your heart's content. Regardless of whether you accept our offer or not, we will have fifty billion RMB and a Baili Group universal black-gold card delivered to you, along with anything else money can buy, just to demonstrate our sincerity."
Beside him, Baili Tuming nodded in fierce agreement, blinking imploringly with a wronged pout, gazing at Liu Mingxi with undisguised eagerness.
"That's it?" She had been wondering what the big deal was—it was just acting as a bodyguard! Simply stepping in to help when they ran into trouble; how effortless was that?
What? They were paying *this* much?! Liu Mingxi stared in dumbfounded shock, her jaw dropping. She completely forgot about maintaining her calm image. What an incredible gig—how could she possibly say no?
Baili Xin, misinterpreting Liu Mingxi's astonishment as dissatisfaction, hardened his heart and added, "If you feel that isn't enough, I can also gift you a ten percent stake in the Baili Group, making you an honorary shareholder. You won't be required to report to the office, but you will hold all the rights of a group shareholder."
Liu Mingxi hurriedly waved her hands in refusal. "No, no, no! You misunderstood. I just meant—is protecting your safety really all I have to do?"
Baili Xin breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, it won't trouble you often. We already have Forbidden Artifact Wielders protecting us on a daily basis; we only need you to step in when we face major crises."
Liu Mingxi nodded and accepted the offer. "Alright then. You can forget about those shares—I have no use for them!"