aircannonsinc Chapter 928 Gu Bei
Chapter 928 Gu Bei
On the other side, the night deepened. Gu Nan stood by the window, looking at the dark night outside, his brows slightly furrowed. The yard was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind, but he was still uneasy in his heart, secretly thinking: If only I could have a reliable helper. After all, I have to go to the steel rolling mill to work during the day, and the things in the factory are complicated. From workshop scheduling to material inventory, I have to worry about everything. If something suddenly happens at home or in the courtyard at this time, there really is no one to help in time. I can't go to Director Tong Ren every time there is something wrong, right? If it happens too many times, not only will it bother him, but it will also easily attract criticism if it is spread that I have to rely on the Public Security Bureau Chief for support in everything.
He kept thinking over and over like this, and his eyelids gradually became heavy. The hard work and fatigue of the past few days made him feel a little exhausted. He fell asleep in a daze on the rattan chair by the window, but his brows were still furrowed.
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to light up, Gu Nan woke up after hearing the chirping of a sparrow outside his window. He rubbed his swollen temples, his mind still swollen with thoughts from the previous night. As usual, he silently recited the check-in routine he had never missed since crossing into this world—a habit he had maintained for years. This morning check-in was like a shot of tranquilizer, a source of stability and confidence he sought in this unfamiliar world.
But today, the system's notification sounded a little different. In the past, it had either rewarded practical items or improved skills, but this time, a single line popped up: "A top-tier bodyguard will be awarded."
Gu Nan was stunned for a moment, a little bit unable to believe his eyes, and he double-checked to make sure he was not mistaken. He wanted to summon them out immediately to check, but he caught a glimpse of Ran Qiuye and the child sleeping in the back room, and suppressed the thought. What if the bodyguard looked fierce and fierce, or was dressed too conspicuously, wouldn't it scare the mother and daughter?
When Ran Qiuye got up to prepare breakfast, Gu Nan specifically reminded her, "Qiuye, you and the child should stay home today. Don't go out to buy groceries. I'll bring them back after work. Things are not peaceful outside these days, so it's better to be safe."
Ran Qiuye smiled and helped him straighten his collar: "Don't worry, I know the seriousness of the matter. I'll stay at home to take care of the children, lock the doors and windows, and promise not to cause any trouble for you."
Gu Nan finally felt relieved, quickly ate a few mouthfuls of food, and headed out. As he reached the courtyard gate, he saw the beggars huddled in a corner, their eyes occasionally glancing into the courtyard—it was obvious they were sent to monitor him. Gu Nan ignored them, walking past with a blank expression, but his mind became even more resolute to get bodyguards in place as soon as possible.
Instead of going directly to the steel mill, he took a detour and went to the warehouse where vegetables were usually delivered to the factory. Apart from the delivery chefs, few people came here, making it a secluded and safe place.
Gu Nan walked into the warehouse, confirmed that no one was around, and carefully checked the doors and windows before silently chanting a summons. With a slight ripple of air, a figure appeared out of thin air before him.
Seeing the person clearly, Gu Nan couldn't help but feel a little surprised. This bodyguard looked to be in his early twenties, wearing an ordinary short coat, with a well-proportioned figure and ordinary appearance. He would be hard to pick out in a crowd, and he really didn't look like the legendary masters with extraordinary skills. He couldn't help but have a question mark in his mind and asked, "What's your name?"
The young man bowed slightly and said in a steady voice, "Master, I don't have a name yet. Everything is at your command."
Gu Nan thought for a moment and said, "Since you don't have a name, then from now on, you'll be called Gu Bei. Tell others that you're my brother. However, I need to test your skills first to see if you can withstand a few of my attacks. After all, you'll be protecting my family in the future, so you need to be very skilled."
Gu Bei raised his eyes to look at him, without the slightest hesitation in his eyes: "I will follow the master's orders. If my moves are out of line, please forgive me, master."
The warehouse was an old brick building, its walls so mottled that the yellow earth beneath was visible. The wooden windows, covered with yellowed paper, rustled in the draft. In the corner stood a half-man-high vegetable basket, its radishes freshly stained with mud, its leaves still drenched in morning dew. The air was filled with the damp, earthy aroma of fresh fruits and vegetables, mingling with the faint smell of mold in the corners, ebbing and flowing in the cramped space.
Gu Nan flexed his wrists, the crisp sound of his knuckles tapping against his palms resonating distinctly in the empty warehouse. Sunlight filtered through the holes in the window paper, casting tiny specks of light on the ground. These swayed gently in the wind, like stars falling in the dust.
"Watch out," he growled, lunging forward, his leather shoes crunching through the dead leaves on the ground with a soft, crunching sound. Using the vegetable basket as cover, he lunged sideways, his fist splitting the air, the gust of wind causing the nearby cabbage leaves to tremble as he charged towards Gu Bei's front door. This punch, condensed with the power accumulated from his marrow cleansing, seemed to clench even the air, emitting a dull, humming sound.
Gu Bei seemed to melt into the shadows around him. With a slight shift of his foot, his cloth shoes treaded silently on the blue brick floor. His body, like a paper boat on the water, slid half a foot in the direction of the fist's wind, just avoiding the sharp edge. At the same time, he flipped his wrist and slammed his elbow into Gu Nan's ribs with a powerful force. The movement was so fast that only a shadow remained, and the wind it created swept away a speck of dust hanging on the windowsill.
Gu Nan's heart tightened and he twisted his body hastily to dodge, but his ribs were still hit. He groaned in pain and his back hit the stacked vegetable baskets. With a "crash", the top basket overturned and the potatoes rolled all over the floor, making a "dong dong" sound on the blue brick floor. A sparrow on the beam was startled and flew up, hit the window paper and fell back.
Taking advantage of this moment of confusion, he leaned over and picked up a shoulder pole. The pole was made of old pine wood, with a luster of years. He swung it like a windmill, and the sound of the wind it created when it swept across made people's ears ring, and the vegetable basket next to it was blown so hard that it shook and groaned.
Gu Bei's eyes narrowed, and without flinching, he reached out and pressed the middle of the carrying pole. His hand landed on the rough wooden pole without making a sound. It seemed like a light, effortless touch, but Gu Nan felt a surge of force surging along the pole, like water plunging into a whirlpool. His strength was instantly sapped, and his wrist was so numb that he could barely hold the pole, his fingertips burning from the friction.
Before he could catch his breath, Gu Bei's foot was already in front of him—not kicking towards his body, but precisely kicking him in the knee. As soon as the soft sound of cloth shoes rubbing against fabric was heard, Gu Nan felt his knee go limp, as if the bones had been pulled out.
He fell to one knee with a thud, his knee hitting the concrete floor with a dull thud that made the dust on the ground jump. Sunlight shone through the window onto his face, and he could see fine beads of sweat rolling down his jawline, leaving a small wet mark on the ground.