Just as everything in Starfall City was settling into a smooth routine and Liu Hui was in high spirits, he suddenly received a call from Hu Xian'er in his office. On the line, Hu Xian'er informed him that an urgent matter had arisen at his parents' home, demanding his immediate presence.

Arriving at his parents' house with a knot of unease in his stomach, Liu Hui found the atmosphere indeed strange. His mother was weeping uncontrollably, constantly wiping away tears, while Hu Xian'er stood by, attempting to console her. His father, looking utterly lost, paced back and forth nearby, unsure of what to say.

Startled, Liu Hui quietly pulled his father aside and questioned him, "Dad, what on earth did you do to make Mom so upset?"

His father replied dejectedly, "Son, your mother’s state has nothing to do with me! I haven't done a single thing."

Liu Hui asked, bewildered, "If you didn't upset her, how could she possibly be like this? As far as I can recall, I've never even seen Mom cry this hard!" His father then whispered, "Not only have you never seen your mother cry like this, neither have I! This time, things have gotten serious—your mother's other son, Chen Lang, who is in America, has run into trouble."

Liu Hui started, asking, "What happened to Chen Lang?" His father replied, "Chen Lang is dead."

"Chen Lang is dead? How did he die?" Liu Hui was shocked. Although he shared almost no affection with this elder stepbrother, Chen Lang was his only full brother from his mother's side, and Liu Hui still felt some concern for him. Hearing the news of Chen Lang's death was a profound shock.

"It's reported to be suicide," his father stated.

"How could it be suicide? Chen Lang was the sole heir to the Amy Group, worth billions! And I was at least his solid backing—what in this world could possibly defeat him to the point of taking his own life?" Liu Hui questioned in astonishment.

"I don't know the details. Chen Lang's father, Chen Shaokang, just called; he only managed to tell your mother that Chen Lang had an accident before fainting from excessive grief. So neither your mother nor I know exactly what happened to Chen Lang," his father explained.

Liu Hui’s expression turned grave as he immediately contacted DeSheng.

"DeSheng, has there been an issue with Chen Lang, the heir to the American Amy Group?" Liu Hui asked.

DeSheng replied, "Boss, we just received word—Chen Lang committed suicide." Liu Hui roared in anger, "Don't you know my relationship with Chen Lang? How could you fail to notify me of such a major event?"

DeSheng sounded apprehensive. "Boss, we only just received this news. We were about to tell you immediately, but when we learned of it, we unexpectedly discovered that Chen Lang's death might be connected to that 'Professor.' So, we are currently compiling detailed information so that when we report to you, you can clearly understand the entire sequence of events."

Liu Hui said in shock, "How is the 'Professor' involved in this behind-the-scenes affair again? He really is a persistent nuisance. Alright, I know about this now—you must follow this lead immediately and investigate thoroughly. I hope you can find any trace of the Professor. As soon as you have any updates, notify me right away."

Liu Hui ended the call and approached his mother, saying, "Mom, please try to control your grief; don't be too heartbroken."

His mother wept, her face streaming with tears. "Son, even though I was separated from Langzi when he was small, he was always the one I worried about most over the years. Now that something has happened to him, I must go to America. I need to see him one last time, and I need to find out why my Langzi would commit suicide. He looked perfectly happy when he visited me a month ago; there was no sign he was considering suicide."

Liu Hui said, "Mom, please compose yourself. I will arrange for people to go with you to America. Their purpose in accompanying you is twofold: first, to ensure your safety—you know we have some ongoing conflicts with the American side. Second, to try and uncover the truth behind my elder brother's death; frankly, I don't believe he would choose suicide."

His mother said sorrowfully, "Son, I will follow your arrangements."

His father suddenly interjected from the side, "Son, I'm going to America too."

His mother countered, "That's my son, and it has nothing to do with you; why are you going?"

His father replied, "I'm going to America naturally to take care of you. Your son committed suicide, and what if you can't bear the blow and fall ill there? I will go with you, stay by your side to look after you, and you’ll have someone to talk to and vent to. Wouldn't that be better?"

His mother sighed weakly, "Then do as you wish!"

Liu Hui, however, knew the real reason his father was going to America: to prevent Chen Shaokang from being alone with his mother. They shared the mutual pain of losing a child, and his father feared that his mother might pity Chen Shaokang and choose to stay with him, never returning to Starfall City. That was why he was so eager to rush over, guard his mother constantly, and shoo away Chen Shaokang, that enormous fly.

Seeing his father's determination in matters of love, Liu Hui felt deeply ashamed. His father had only ever been truly good to one woman his entire life, always prioritizing her and fearing that someone else might steal her away.

And he, his father's son, who outwardly claimed fidelity, had simultaneously fallen for two women. Compared to his father, Liu Hui’s moral standing utterly paled.

Once it was confirmed that his parents were heading to America, Liu Hui immediately made arrangements, chartering a large aircraft to transport them.

Then, Liu Hui summoned Wu Yuanjia. He said, "General Wu, my parents are going to America for a funeral, and I am extremely worried about their safety during this trip. You know about the current friction between us and the American side; I fear someone might target them. Therefore, I hope you can equip them with the strongest possible security detail to ensure their trip to America is foolproof."

Upon hearing that the Boss's parents were traveling to America, Wu Yuanjia immediately snapped to attention and said, "Boss, rest assured. I will absolutely dispatch the best security personnel from our protection company to guarantee the safety of your parents."

Liu Hui showed hesitation, finally saying, "I trust General Wu’s capability to handle matters. However, the strongest among your subordinates are only at the peak of the Xiantian realm. We now have experts at the Divine level operating out there. If your personnel encounter a Divine-level expert, how are they supposed to cope?" After hearing Liu Hui’s words, Wu Yuanjia was left speechless. Having been in the security business for so many years, he was well aware of the existence of Divine-level experts and their formidable power. Asking him to use his current security staff to deal with those terrifying Divine masters was indeed pushing beyond his capabilities.

Liu Hui sighed internally, deeply feeling the current shortage of elite experts under his command at this critical moment.

Wu Yuanjia looked somewhat awkward, but suddenly, as if struck by an idea, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he spoke up, "Boss, this morning, a woman suddenly came to our company saying she wanted to see me. When I met her, she immediately produced a jade pendant... She said someone had given it to her and told her to seek me out if she needed anything. When I took the jade pendant, I realized it was the Qilin Jade Pendant that you had specifically instructed me to watch out for."

Liu Hui’s heart stirred. "The Qilin Jade Pendant has finally appeared? What is that woman's name?"

"She said her name is Yao Yao. She is in trouble back in the country and has come to seek refuge with me. She also mentioned that she wants to work here as an ordinary bodyguard," Wu Yuanjia replied.

"Seeing that sharp glint in your eyes just now, do you think this woman named Yao Yao has the capability to handle this security assignment?" Liu Hui asked.

"Yes, Boss. I greatly admire Yao Yao's strength. If she joins us, our security detail will have a much higher chance of success," Wu Yuanjia confirmed.

"Oh, is her strength truly that great?" Liu Hui asked curiously.

"Boss, when Yao Yao said she wanted to be a bodyguard here, I conducted a test of her strength. Ten of our experts at the peak of the Xiantian realm attacked her simultaneously, but she defeated them within a few moves. Moreover, from her performance, it seemed she was holding back," Wu Yuanjia recounted.

Liu Hui asked in surprise, "This woman is actually that formidable? Have you discerned her current strength level?"

Wu Yuanjia looked puzzled. "Based on my observation, Yao Yao's strength is still at the peak of the Xiantian realm. However, I don't know why, but her power seems far superior to that of a regular peak Xiantian expert. Upon later analysis, it's likely because her application of power is different from ours. She can precisely control every fraction of her strength and spot the flaws in others, which is why she could handle ten experts of the same realm simultaneously. So, I was thinking—if Yao Yao could also protect your parents, working in coordination with our other security personnel, we should have a decent chance of protecting your parents’ safety. Even if we ultimately encounter a Divine-level expert, we should have the ability to fight back."

"Precise control ability? It seems this Yao Yao has completely inherited the profound understanding of the ultimate mystery of power attained by that genius among mortals from the Cultivation Plane. Even though she is still in the Xiantian realm, she possesses incredibly potent strength—practically invincible among her peers. If she takes charge personally, she should be able to protect my parents’ safety!"

With this thought, Liu Hui said to Wu Yuanjia, "Go and call that Yao Yao over immediately. I need to ask her a few questions in person before deciding whether to let her protect my parents."

Wu Yuanjia left to contact Yao Yao. The reason Liu Hui needed to question Yao Yao personally was to use the mind-reading artifact, the Eye of Truth, to ascertain if Yao Yao was a spy planted by someone else to target him. Even though Liu Hui had essentially orchestrated her creation, he would not entrust the safety of his parents to her until her loyalty was proven.

After Wu Yuanjia left, Liu Hui called DeSheng in. The two held a long, private discussion in the office, after which DeSheng received his orders and departed to personally assemble a team to accompany Liu Hui’s parents to America. Ostensibly, they were to protect his parents’ safety, but secretly, they were to investigate Chen Lang’s death and track down the whereabouts of the “Professor.”

After DeSheng left, Wu Yuanjia returned, leading a slender woman. This woman had short hair and a refined appearance, but her expression was cold and indifferent to everything around her. Furthermore, the way she walked was incredibly natural; from her external appearance, there was no sign that she possessed any martial arts training.

Although the woman before him presented a massive visual change from Yao Yao four months prior, Liu Hui recognized her as the Yao Yao from that time immediately. The only difference was that the Yao Yao of the past was desperate and weak, waiting for heaven to rescue her. The Yao Yao of today, however, had her spirit contained—she possessed immense power. Liu Hui realized that after achieving her revenge, Yao Yao’s heart had become utterly calm, cutting off all her emotional fluctuations. To use a common saying, Yao Yao had stepped outside the confines of the mortal world, beyond the reach of worldly concerns.

Wu Yuanjia introduced them: "Boss, this is Yao Yao. Yao Yao, this is our Boss, Liu Hui."

Yao Yao turned her gaze toward Liu Hui, and suddenly, a flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes. She then stared fixedly at Liu Hui, saying nothing. Wu Yuanjia quickly nudged Yao Yao and said, "Yao Yao, this is our Boss. Say hello."

Yao Yao startled back to her senses. She expertly suppressed her own emotions and said, "Greetings, Boss!"

Liu Hui found it strange. When he first saw Yao Yao, she had been completely aloof. Although she still appeared cold now, Liu Hui detected a recent, violent emotional fluctuation that she had forcibly suppressed, though a slight trace remained.

Liu Hui said, "You are Yao Yao? General Wu says you are highly capable personally and willing to work for our company as a bodyguard. Is that correct?"

Yao Yao replied, "Boss, that is what I said, and you can be completely assured of my abilities."

Liu Hui stated, "You must know that a bodyguard requires not only strong personal ability but also excellent moral character. For instance, the commitment to never betray the employer, the willingness to step forward and take a bullet at a critical moment, and certainly no engaging in commercial espionage or selling out company interests—otherwise, one is not a qualified bodyguard. Can you commit to all of this?"

Yao Yao respectfully responded, "Boss, please rest assured. Although I am not trained as a professional bodyguard, I will continuously learn, and I believe it won't take long before I am fully competent for this job."

Liu Hui nodded. "It's good that you have the resolve. Go down with General Wu first, and await my work assignments."

Wu Yuanjia was slightly puzzled that Liu Hui only chatted casually with Yao Yao for a few words and didn't test her martial strength before letting her go. After all, when Liu Hui had previously told him to pay special attention to the woman who might come seeking him with the Qilin Jade Pendant, he assumed the Boss knew her. Yet now that they met, they acted as if they had never met before.

Yao Yao followed Wu Yuanjia to the door. As she pushed it halfway open, she paused. She turned back to look at Liu Hui and said meaningfully, "Boss, I am someone who always repays kindness. If someone treats me well and fulfills my deepest wishes, I will dedicate my life to completing the tasks they assign me."

Liu Hui was momentarily stunned. He didn't understand the meaning behind Yao Yao suddenly saying this to him. Did Yao Yao somehow realize that the old immortal from that night was him in disguise? It seemed unlikely, though. At that time, Yao Yao had no power, and the elderly image conjured by the magic mask was flawless; Yao Yao shouldn't have been able to recognize his disguise.

But what was the meaning of that statement she made just as she was leaving? Liu Hui felt a cloud of confusion fogging his mind, unable to grasp the true intention behind the words spoken by this intensely cold woman.

After pondering for a while, Liu Hui found no clues. He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Perhaps she just said that casually, and I'm taking it too seriously. I must be quite narcissistic!"

Saying this, Liu Hui opened the drawer beneath his desk and retrieved the mind-reading artifact—the Eye of Truth—attaching his spiritual sense to it to review the true thoughts he had forcibly extracted from Yao Yao's mind just moments ago.

After a long while, Liu Hui put the artifact down, feeling profoundly bewildered.

"What is going on? Yao Yao is not a spy sent by someone else, nor does she harbor any hostility toward me. But why, in her mind just now, was there a resolve to shatter her body into a million pieces for my sake? Am I really so overwhelmingly charismatic that merely a glance has completely conquered this seemingly utterly cold woman?"

After reading Yao Yao’s true thoughts, Liu Hui felt relieved, knowing Yao Yao was not an enemy agent and was trustworthy. But he couldn't fathom why her heart held such absolute loyalty toward him. Unfortunately, Liu Hui’s mind-reading artifact, the Eye of Truth, could only read five keywords. If he wanted to know more about Yao Yao's inner thoughts, he was helpless. He had no choice but to let the question linger.

Having confirmed Yao Yao's loyalty, Liu Hui decided to officially include her in the operation to protect his parents. He believed that with Yao Yao joining the team, combined with the experts under Wu Yuanjia, they would possess the strength to fight even if they encountered a Divine-level expert. After all, Liu Hui's security team had recently been equipped with a type of high-energy laser weapon. This weapon possessed extremely devastating power. As long as Yao Yao could tie up a Divine-level expert for even a fraction of a second, that expert would not escape the strike of the high-energy laser weapon and might even be eliminated by it.

Once the bodyguard arrangements for his parents were set, Liu Hui finally felt a great weight lifted from his chest. Yet, as he sat in his office contemplating any overlooked details for his parents' trip to America, the image of that poor woman, Yao Yao, resurfaced in his mind.

As he pondered, the faces of Yao Yao and Zhou Tengyun began to overlap in his thoughts, as Liu Hui saw many similarities between them: the same deep devotion to a loved one, the same ruin of their families, the same exceptional skill, and the same profound coldness. Slowly, an idea began to form in his mind.

Liu Hui grew increasingly excited as he thought it through. He immediately contacted Zhou Tengyun, who was far away in Africa, saying, "Third Brother, my parents are going to America, but I am not entirely confident in the abilities of the bodyguards I've assigned. You need to leave the African base immediately and rush to America to protect them for me..."