Mr. Wang was truly a master of his craft; his methods were far superior to those of ordinary men. Finding someone like this—a person from the past, a foreigner—was as simple as taking a meal for him.

Zhou Huan was utterly stunned. He had expected finding this individual would take at least a week, perhaps longer, but they had located him almost immediately after starting the search. It was simply too fast.

Mr. Wang was clearly an old hand at this game. Noticing Zhou Huan’s surprise, he chuckled, “What’s wrong, surprised I found him so quickly? We have business interests in America, so finding someone there isn’t difficult. Americans are even more money-driven than us; give them some cash, and those private investigators will handle everything perfectly. Besides, we have contacts in the States too.” After speaking, Mr. Wang placed a hand on Zhou Huan’s shoulder. “Mostly, your brother Wang just wanted an excuse to take a trip to America. It’s been ages; the last time was over a decade ago, and things were nothing like they are now.”

“Oh, that’s true. I’ve never been to America. Time to break the fast this trip!” Zhou Huan played along with Mr. Wang’s suggestion. Then he noticed the bag Mr. Wang was carrying and asked, his eyes wide with curious confusion, “What do you have there, Mr. Wang?”

Mr. Wang looked at Zhou Huan. “Master Zhou, hurry and pack up. What I have is more than enough. Remember, you bring two people, and I’ll bring two. Six of us won't be too few. I’ve already bought the tickets, so go pack quickly!”

Seeing this, Zhou Huan turned and returned to his room, said goodbye to Xiao He, and then set off with Dongzi, Yang Xiaoling, and the violet jade gourd containing Xiao Shan’s spirit.

They headed straight for the airport. Mr. Wang brought his secretary and one bodyguard. That was perfect: two attendants, two companions. Once aboard the plane, Mr. Wang handed the file he’d acquired to Zhou Huan. “Take a look at this information. See if it’s the right person. I think it must be him, because I seem to recall seeing this face in one of the old historical photographs of Andong.”

Zhou Huan took the material from Mr. Wang and examined it closely. “I think so too. How much do we know about his background?”

“This data cost me a fortune from a private investigator; this is the man’s entire life story.” Mr. Wang handed the file over, but Zhou Huan was floored the moment he saw the curriculum vitae.

The resume stated the man was born in 1901 and died in 1993. He had been dead for over a decade! How could they possibly find him in America now? He immediately asked Mr. Wang, “This man is dead. Where are we supposed to look for him? It says Los Angeles, but L.A. is huge. What will we do when we get there?”

“Heh heh, don’t worry about that. I’ve arranged for that private investigator to organize a small investigative team for us. Rest assured, they will certainly find leads. I’m giving them three days. When we land, we’ll look around, have some fun, and wait for their report.” Mr. Wang was supremely confident; the only thing he never lacked was money, and in his world, money got things done.

Zhou Huan mulled it over for a long time. “That could work. Since we’re already on the plane, even if we can’t find him immediately, as long as we’re on the same continental plate, I have my own ways of tracking him down.”

“Oh? Master Zhou has other methods? Then what is there to worry about?” Mr. Wang asked casually.

Not long after, Dongzi’s phone rang. Without looking, they knew it had to be Da Luobo. The voice on the other end was loud, starting immediately, “Dongzi, listen closely to me, you are not allowed to mess around while you’re away, or when I get back, I won’t let you off easily!”

“Got it, got it. I’ll take good care of myself while you’re gone, taking care of myself is how I take care of my seniors!” Dongzi hadn't finished speaking when a slender hand reached out and snatched the phone away.

“Sir, the plane is about to take off. Please switch off your mobile phone.” Approaching them was a stunningly beautiful flight attendant. They always say flight attendants are mesmerizing, and indeed, Dongzi unconsciously powered down his phone while the voice on the other end was still nagging away.

Zhou Huan smiled watching the exchange. “Dongzi, remember this: there will be other chances to fly. Once you’re on board, turn off your phone. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Da Luobo will take excellent care of you when you return.”

“Brother, why does this crummy plane have so many problems? I only turned off my phone because of you and that beautiful girl just now. Otherwise, no one could have made me hang up. After all, Da Luobo and I will be apart for at least two weeks. Shouldn't we have a proper chat? Besides, you’re out here with Sister Xiaoling without any... well, you wouldn't understand how I feel.” Dongzi was actually getting philosophical now.

Zhou Huan laughed. “Really, Dongzi, why didn’t you bring Da Luobo along?”

“Exactly! Maybe I should go down and bring Da Luobo up!” Dongzi made a move to leave.

Just as Dongzi was about to go, another flight attendant approached with a gentle smile. “Sir, please take your seat. Your seatbelt is behind you; the plane is taking off shortly. If you need radishes, don’t wait until you’re on board; we only have light meals up here. If you require more, I can arrange an extra serving for you later.”

The attendant’s voice was soft and elegant, instantly soothing. Dongzi had been ready to get angry, but faced with such beauty, he became meek and followed her instructions, settling quietly into his seat.

This woman carried a captivating fragrance—an icy floral scent that brought a refreshing clarity to the nostrils. Yet, she was fair-skinned, her complexion like freshly fallen snow; her presence was like a sharp, biting wind that made people hesitate to move.

Zhou Huan sensed that this woman must be lonely in her daily life, though he wondered precisely what that scent was composed of.

Mr. Wang finally escaped the shackles of his company’s trivial affairs. He intended to thoroughly relax for the next few days, not even overlooking the scent emanating from this snow-white beauty. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and savored that intoxicating aroma.

Before long, the plane took off. The route was via Tokyo for a layover before heading to Los Angeles, so there was a stop midway. Several passengers bound for Tokyo disembarked, and a few Japanese passengers heading to Los Angeles boarded.

Zhou Huan and Dongzi naturally held no good feelings toward the Japanese; those people had historically been mortal enemies of the Chinese nation, never ceasing their antagonism.

The newcomers chattered amongst themselves in Japanese. Zhou Huan couldn’t understand a word, but based on his intuition and recognition of their attire, he had a strong feeling that at least one of them shared his profession—someone who spent their days handling the dead.

Among the boarding Japanese group, one man wore a traditional kimono and carried a battered old box strapped to his back. Visible inside the box were vials of liquid and rags. What caught Zhou Huan’s eye most was the cloth doll, the kind specifically used in Japan to commemorate the dead, tied to the top of the box. There were at least a dozen such totems dangling from its strap.

What? A colleague? Zhou Huan couldn't help but ask himself.

As this man took his seat, he glanced back at Zhou Huan. His seat was just one row ahead of Zhou Huan’s and separated by the aisle.

This man was accompanied by a large, burly individual who looked like a hired thug, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit and carrying a large trunk. Written on the trunk were the characters: “Dead Silence—Tomb!”

Seeing this, Zhou Huan was certain: these people were in the same line of work as him. What a coincidence! Why?

A short while later, the lonely flight attendant returned to assist the group of Japanese passengers before departing.

The flight was smooth. The Japanese group displayed no unusual behavior during the journey, but Dongzi was growing restless. Seeing Japanese people made him want to fight, but at least he knew the law; getting into a brawl with these men could lead to serious trouble.

The plane landed steadily at the Los Angeles airport. The Japanese passengers disembarked first, followed by Zhou Huan’s party of six. Upon exiting the aircraft, the private investigators, through some arrangement, were waiting right by the plane door to meet them.