Chapter Fifty-Seven: Shen Qingdai

Inside the bedroom, Li Changqing sat on the edge of his bed, pondering the mysterious force he had felt yesterday. How could he make it appear again? Yesterday, it had emerged when he faced danger—was that the trigger?

He deliberated, then wrapped his hands tightly around his own neck. He applied considerable strength, and as time slipped by, a suffocating sensation began to creep up on him. The force returned!

Almost instantly, corpse energy radiated from his body, his eyes turned white, and sharp fangs appeared at the corners of his mouth.

“So it’s this easy?” he thought aloud, surprised.

He calmed his breathing, and gradually the force dissipated. Then, he tried strangling himself again, repeating the process. Again and again, he activated the power within him.

After a few tests, he calculated that the fastest he could summon the power was ten seconds. But there was a major problem: in a real fight, wouldn’t this look ridiculous? Would he have to call for a pause, then choke himself before battle? Just imagining it gave Li Changqing a headache. Still, embarrassing as it was, it remained the most convenient method for now.

From the gap in the living room door, Tang Xiaoyu secretly peeked into the bedroom, watching Li Changqing repeatedly strangle himself, only to emerge with a satisfied smile.

“It’s over! Li Changqing has really lost his mind,” Tang Xiaoyu thought with panic. Perhaps the blast yesterday was too much; maybe he hit his head when he was thrown by the explosion?

Should she arrange for him to visit a psychiatric hospital tomorrow? But no, this iron-willed man would never admit he was ill. People with mental illnesses never believe they’re sick.

After finishing his experiment and returning to his zombie state, Li Changqing took out a General Arrives Talisman. The power of the exorcism talisman had increased dramatically when infused with corpse energy—what about the General Arrives Talisman? If he infused it with corpse energy and applied it to himself, would it grant him a few days without needing to eat raw glutinous rice?

Holding the talisman, he hesitated, then opened the door to find Tang Xiaoyu squatting outside. “Why aren’t you watching TV? What are you doing out here?”

Tang Xiaoyu coughed, grasping for an excuse. “I was just about to ask if you wanted something to eat…”

“I’m about to apply this talisman. Keep an eye on me, and if anything goes wrong, tear it off,” Li Changqing instructed.

Tang Xiaoyu curiously examined the General Arrives Talisman. “What could go wrong?”

“That’s hard to say,” Li Changqing replied. The exorcism talisman’s power had grown tremendously with corpse energy; he had no idea what effect the General Arrives Talisman would have when strengthened.

There was a hint of anticipation in his heart.

Li Changqing took a deep breath and recited, “Welcome, General, to this place!”

As he chanted, he distinctly felt the corpse energy within him flow through his fingers into the yellow talisman.

Then, he pressed the talisman to his body.

No discomfort. No unusual sensation. It felt no different from using the General Arrives Talisman before.

Had it worked?

“Li Changqing, are you alright?” Tang Xiaoyu hovered nearby, worried.

With the talisman affixed, Li Changqing stood beside the bed, motionless like he’d been hit by a binding spell.

“Hey,” Tang Xiaoyu poked his cheek, but got no response.

Except for Li Changqing blinking at her frantically, he couldn’t speak.

Tang Xiaoyu quickly tore the talisman from his body.

“Whew,” Li Changqing relaxed all over.

“I didn’t expect it to be this powerful,” he muttered. “I can’t use this enhanced version carelessly.”

Tang Xiaoyu watched him in deep thought, concerned about his mental state. She wondered if she should trick him into visiting a hospital. But would he blame her for it?

…

The busy docks hadn’t slowed down with Boss Huang Chao’s disappearance. In truth, Huang Chao only visited sporadically; he wasn’t there daily. Without him, there were plenty of managers to keep the dock running smoothly.

That afternoon, five dock managers dressed in suits stood at the water’s edge, apparently waiting for something.

Soon, a luxurious yacht arrived from downstream. On the deck, a girl of about eighteen, dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, stood at the bow, bored, gazing at the river.

Her attire was simple, but her beauty was striking. She yawned.

A middle-aged man, over forty, dressed in a suit, approached her respectfully. “Miss Qing, we’ll soon arrive at Linjiang Dock. The staff have been told you’re Huang Chao’s niece, temporarily in charge while he’s away.”

The beautiful girl replied disinterestedly, “Where’s Huang Chao?”

“Missing. Perhaps the Thirty-Sixth Bureau in Nanlin City detected his activities,” the man said calmly. “Master wants you to find out who did it. Huang Chao was one of ours, and Master is furious.”

She glanced at him, intrigued. “If it really was someone from the Thirty-Sixth Bureau, would Father let me destroy them?”

“Miss Qing, that man named Bai is in the Thirty-Sixth Bureau. You mustn’t underestimate him,” the man warned softly.

She glared at him, turned, and walked back inside. “Let me know when we arrive. I’m going to change.”

Soon, the yacht docked.

The dock managers smiled broadly at the shore. They’d heard Huang Chao had been recalled by headquarters and a new manager was coming.

On the deck, the beautiful girl appeared, now clad in a lavish red gown with an ornate headpiece and white lace gloves. Like a royal princess, she slowly descended from the yacht, supported by the middle-aged man.

She greeted them warmly, “Hello, everyone. I’m Shen Qingdai. Please take care of me from now on. I don’t know much about dock operations, so I’ll need your guidance.”

The managers were stunned—this young woman was replacing Huang Chao? What was the company thinking?

Despite their doubts, they offered polite smiles, though inside, they felt contempt. What could a girl know about managing docks, or business negotiations? She was probably another spoiled heiress collecting a title and waiting for retirement. They’d seen this many times before.

After shaking hands with each of the five, Shen Qingdai seemed to read their thoughts. She smiled and casually pointed at one. “Hello, nice to meet you—you’re fired.”

The man was dumbstruck. Wasn’t she supposed to ask for their support, not fire him?

He’d worked at the dock for over ten years, a core manager.

“Miss Shen, you must be joking. I’ve worked here for over ten years…” he said, forcing a smile, hoping it was a jest.

“I don’t like jokes,” Shen Qingdai replied with a smile. “You’re fired. No reason.”

“Let’s go, Uncle Yun. It’s my first visit to Nanlin—let’s enjoy a stroll downtown.”

She turned and left, leaving the five managers standing at the shore, feelings mixed. The new boss would not be easy to serve.

It was a clear show of authority right from the start…

A luxury car waited outside the dock. Uncle Yun took the wheel, driving Shen Qingdai toward the bustling heart of Nanlin City.

Shen Qingdai gazed out the window and spoke softly, “Uncle Yun, do you think the man I fired will resent me? He probably has a happy family, a beautiful wife, children in school—he needs money.”

Uncle Yun smiled. “Miss, you’re new here. If you don’t establish authority, the staff won’t obey you. You did the right thing.”

Shen Qingdai shook her head sweetly. “No, you misunderstand. What I mean is, since he’s worked here for over ten years, he must know many of our secrets. Tonight, kill him.”