The threat from the Qingyun Society did not simply vanish; instead, it quietly stirred up even more profound ripples in Chen Haotian's life. After leaving the bar, Chen Haotian's mind remained unsettled for a long time. Although the conversation that night had not erupted into direct conflict, he knew deep down that he had already been sucked into a massive vortex, and extricating himself would be no easy task. The forces behind the Qingyun Society were formidable; relying solely on his current abilities to contend with such an entity was practically impossible.
Yet, just as Chen Haotian was racking his brain over how to handle the threat from the Qingyun Society, fate seemed to play a joke on him.
"Haotian, do me a favor."
A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone—it was his college classmate, Zhao Yun. The voice was somewhat hurried, carrying distinct anxiety. Hearing this, Chen Haotian's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Zhao Yun was his good friend from university, straightforward in personality, the kind of person who never dragged his feet when doing things. Hearing his voice, Chen Haotian instinctively knew that whatever had happened this time was likely not simple.
"What is it?" Chen Haotian shifted his tone, quickly pushing aside his previous contemplation to focus entirely on the information coming through the phone.
"I've run into trouble at the company, and there are some things you might need to help me look into. It involves an investment project with some unclear forces operating behind the scenes. I know you're busy right now, but I really hope you can lend me a hand."
Chen Haotian frowned slightly, a trace of doubt welling up in his heart. The trouble Zhao Yun mentioned clearly wasn't trivial. As an investment manager at an emerging company, Zhao Yun had always been cautious, never easily dabbling in complex business battles, let alone asking for help without reason. Furthermore, his mention of "unclear forces behind the scenes" instantly reminded Chen Haotian of the various deeds of the Qingyun Society.
"Can you be more specific?" Chen Haotian couldn't help asking, his sense of vigilance growing sharper.
"I can't confirm everything just yet, but I've found out that a company called Tianxiao Group has been intervening far too much in our project recently. I've investigated through various channels and discovered that there seems to be someone behind this company connected to the Qingyun Society. You know how powerful the Qingyun Society is, especially with their extremely extensive layout in the business world, and Tianxiao Group also has deep ties with several business magnates. I'm worried that if we don't investigate this thoroughly as soon as possible, it will impact our company's future."
Chen Haotian instantly realized that the matter was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. If the Tianxiao Group mentioned by Zhao Yun was truly connected to the Qingyun Society, then the problem went far beyond mere business competition. This involved not just Zhao Yun and his company, but likely even deeper layers of vested interests. And he, perhaps once again, had become a party inadvertently dragged into the fray.
"Alright, I understand." Chen Haotian didn't ask any further, saying in a solemn tone, "Send me some clues, and I'll help you look into it."
Zhao Yun let out a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Thank you, Haotian. I know your current situation isn't simple, but the fact that you're willing to help me out—I really appreciate it beyond words. Once I have more detailed information, I'll contact you."
"Mn, no problem." Chen Haotian gave a brief response and hung up the phone.
After putting down his phone, Chen Haotian let out a long sigh, his gaze gradually turning cold. Originally, he had planned to lie low for a while and find an opportunity to shake off the entanglement with the Qingyun Society, but right now, it seemed he was already deeply plunged into this endless vortex. The Qingyun Society, Tianxiao Group, Zhao Yun—all these seemingly coincidental clues were gradually converging into a complex web, and he was nothing more than a helpless grasshopper caught in it, liable to be swallowed up at any moment.
Yet, behind all of this, Chen Haotian faintly sensed that a far more profound conspiracy was quietly fermenting. The Qingyun Society was not the sole enemy; to a certain extent, even they might merely be pawns in a much larger vortex.
The next day, Chen Haotian did not rush to make a move. Instead, he concentrated all his focus on a file in his hands—detailing the Qingyun Society, Tianxiao Group, and the various business figures involved. He didn't make too many waves on the surface, choosing instead to slowly infiltrate from behind the scenes.
His analytical train of thought was quite simple: since Zhao Yun mentioned that Tianxiao Group had ties to the Qingyun Society, investigating the background of Tianxiao Group could serve as a breakthrough point. Chen Haotian was not in a hurry to rely on his cultivation powers to solve the problem; rather, he preferred to uncover the true connection between the Qingyun Society and Tianxiao Group through information gathering and analysis.
That evening, Chen Haotian arrived at a quiet cafe. Several documents lay on the table, and sitting opposite him was a familiar friend—Han Lin, a former hacking genius. Han Lin had been Chen Haotian's classmate in university, entering the cybersecurity field after graduation. Although they had kept in touch very little lately, Chen Haotian knew that this friend's abilities far exceeded anything he could imagine.
"Brother Lin, help me look into something." Chen Haotian cut straight to the chase.
Han Lin was slightly taken aback, as if he hadn't expected Chen Haotian to seek him out under such circumstances, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled. "Haotian, what brings you here? What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?"
"It's regarding Tianxiao Group," Chen Haotian said in a low voice. "This company has recently had some commercial contact with a friend's company, involving very complex funds and backgrounds. I suspect there's a shadow of the Qingyun Society behind it. I want you to help me pull up some data on this company, and ideally find evidence linking it to the Qingyun Society."
Han Lin nodded, a flash of interest appearing in his eyes. "The Qingyun Society? Looks like you've caught their eye. Don't worry, the resources at my disposal are enough to get to the bottom of this for you. But you know, matters like this are best kept completely under wraps so they don't catch wind of our movements."
Chen Haotian took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand. We'll handle everything with caution."
"Rest assured, Haotian, I have my ways," Han Lin said, a hint of confidence lacing his voice.
At that moment, Han Lin's phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the incoming call number, his brow furrowing slightly in apparent irritation, but he still answered the phone. "Hello?"
A deep voice came from the other end of the line. Han Lin's expression gradually grew grave; he frowned slightly as if suppressing some emotion. "Make yourself clear, what's the situation? Understood. I'll handle it immediately."
After hanging up, Han Lin's expression turned exceptionally serious. "Haotian, some things are far more complex than we imagined. Behind Tianxiao Group are truly figures we dare not touch. Your investigation this time is probably not going to be simple."
A flash of alertness crossed Chen Haotian's eyes. "What do you mean?"
Han Lin took a deep breath and slowly began, "The Qingyun Society isn't our only enemy. Behind Tianxiao Group, there are even more powerful forces pulling the strings. This isn't just commercial competition; it's a much more complex game, and the levels it involves go far beyond anything we can imagine. You'd better prepare yourself—there might be even more trouble heading our way."
Hearing this, Chen Haotian felt a sudden tightening in his chest. It seemed his intuition had not been wrong: what he had gotten himself into wasn't merely a fight between the Qingyun Society and Tianxiao Group, but likely a large-scale power struggle spanning multiple domains. And he might already be standing at the very forefront of this game.
"I understand," Chen Haotian said in a low voice, his gaze turning resolute. "In that case, let's face the coming storm together."