The Desert North War King returns home, tens of thousands of comrades see him off, local gangs tremble in fear and scramble to pay homage

Chapter One: A High-Paying Job

The long-distance green-skinned train slowly pulled into the terminal station - Zhonggang City. Lin Kun, dressed in street-market clothes and carrying a worn canvas bag, swaggered out of the station. As soon as he stepped out, he was surrounded by a crowd.

"Brother, need a room?"

"Come to our place, economical and affordable, with special services!"

"Brother, come with me, sis guarantees your satisfaction!"

……

Lin Kun turned around and immediately shuddered. The "sis" who kept saying she would guarantee his satisfaction was at least over fifty years old, dark, old and ugly. Even the gorilla in the zoo was more graceful than her!

Lin Kun quickly squeezed out of the crowd and made his way to the empty lot beside them where taxis were parked, then climbed into one.

"Young man, where to?" the driver asked with a warm smile, while a sly glint flashed in his eyes.

This driver had spent years working the train station area. At a glance he could tell Lin Kun was an outsider and a loser, and he was already thinking about deliberately taking a few detours to rip the kid off. Lin Kun handed over a slip of paper.

"Go here."

The driver took the paper and looked at it. His face instantly turned green, and the smile at the corner of his mouth quivered slightly. The paper read: Tianchu International Building, take Southwest Road, turn onto the elevated highway, total distance 13.2 kilometers...

Damn it, the distance was even marked out. How was he supposed to rip him off now!

At the same time, the driver was secretly surprised. What was this country bumpkin going to Tianchu International Building for? That was the headquarters of Tianchu Group, the leading listed company in Zhonggang City! On the way, he still could not resist asking, "Little brother, are you going to Tianchu Building, or somewhere nearby?"

"Just there."

"Oh, what are you going there for?"

"Work."

"What kind of work?"

Lin Kun did not answer right away. He turned and glanced at the driver, thinking this guy was pretty curious. But he was here to make money openly and honestly, so there was nothing to hide. The key thing was, he himself still did not know what the job was. Before leaving, he had asked Old Hu, and Old Hu only said he would know once he got there.

The driver smiled again and said, "Little brother, don't misunderstand. I have a distant relative's cousin who also works there, so I just asked. Tianchu Group is a big company, the pay there isn't low!"

"Yeah, the pay is indeed not bad." Lin Kun said with a smile, "Our leader told me, room and board included, at least ten thousand yuan a month, and the work hours are flexible too. I just don't know what exactly the job is."

"At least ten thousand yuan a month, and the work hours are pretty flexible..." the driver muttered, then turned back and sized Lin Kun up again. "Little brother, you're a veteran, aren't you?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Haha, that makes sense. That distant relative's cousin of mine is also a veteran. His current salary is about the same as what you said, and his work hours are pretty flexible too." The driver said with a smile.

"So what does he do?" Lin Kun suddenly perked up. The whole way here he had been wondering what kind of job paid at least ten thousand yuan a month, and now he could finally find out in advance.

"Security guard!" The driver said these two words with force and conviction, a look of envy spreading across his face. He had expected the young man beside him to be energized after hearing this, but instead Lin Kun immediately wilted.

Lin Kun roared inwardly: "Damn, are you kidding me? I came all this way just to be a security guard? I'm the War King of the Wolf Fang Corps of the Desert North Military Region! A War King becoming a security guard, wouldn't that make people laugh their teeth off! Old Hu... Old Hu, I'll get you for this!"

Seeing Lin Kun wilt, the driver tactfully stopped talking, but inwardly he was puzzled. Was this young man really so dissatisfied with being a security guard? But one had to know, a security guard at Tianchu Group was not someone who could just be hired casually. An ordinary security guard earned at most two or three thousand yuan a month in dead salary. A security guard at Tianchu Group got at least ten thousand yuan a month as base pay, plus additional performance assessment pay every three months, and counting other benefits, earned more than a golden-collar worker at an ordinary company!

Besides, could just anyone get into Tianchu Group as a security guard? An ordinary discharged soldier could not even dream of it. The minimum requirement was a cadre at the full company level, and one still had to pass layer after layer of screening and assessment.

The taxi stopped at the entrance of Tianchu International Building. Lin Kun got out. The building before him was magnificent, its polished glass stairs and facade glittering golden and brilliant under the sunlight. This was absolutely a landmark symbolizing the economic wealth of Zhonggang City, but in Lin Kun's eyes it was nothing special. He kept thinking to himself that he had definitely been played by Old Hu. Eight years in the military, three years as infantry, five years in special forces, surviving nine deaths and establishing countless glorious battle achievements, and at discharge he got only three thousand yuan in severance pay. There was no such rate anywhere in all of China. Old Hu said he would introduce him to a job, and it turned out to be just a security guard.

"Damn!"

Lin Kun cursed, and inwardly cursed Old Hu again. If not for the fact that this security guard's salary was still fairly generous, he would have already turned around and charged back to the Desert North, gotten two jin of C4 explosives, and blown Old Hu's little two-story red-brick house sky-high! Making me become a security guard!

"Sir, may I help you with anything?"

The security guard standing at the building entrance walked over on his own initiative and asked Lin Kun with a smile. It had to be said that the quality of the guards here was high. Even though Lin Kun was dressed like a migrant worker and a loser, there was not the slightest trace of contempt in the guard's eyes.

"Oh, I'm here to see someone."

"May I ask who you're looking for?"

"Wait a moment..."

Lin Kun reached into his back pocket again, and this time pulled out a crumpled business card. Reading the name on it, he said, "Chu Xiangguo."

"Chairman Chu, Chairman Chu!?"

The expression on the guard's face immediately became unnatural, and the way he looked at Lin Kun changed as well. How could the chairman of Tianchu Group, Chu Xiangguo, be someone a country bumpkin could just meet because he said so? Although he felt contempt inwardly, his high professionalism kept him from showing too much of it. After all, he had been a company commander in the military, so naturally he understood the words "never judge by appearances" better than ordinary people.

Lin Kun looked at the business card again and said, "Yes, that's him. It says here 'Chairman and General Manager of Tianchu Group.' Where is he? Take me to see him quickly, so I can get to work after."

The guard broke out in a sweat. The chairman of Tianchu Group, a man whose stomp could make the ground tremble in Zhonggang City and even throughout the three northeastern provinces, how could this "country bumpkin" say it as if he were just an ordinary person? Not a trace of honorific title, and did he not know that seeing Chairman Chu required an appointment in advance?

Seeing the guard stare blankly without answering, Lin Kun frowned slightly and asked, "What, is it difficult to see him?"

The guard immediately snapped back to his senses and said with a smile, "Sir, it's like this. Seeing Chairman Chu requires an appointment in advance."

Lin Kun waved his hand impatiently and said, "I don't have an appointment. Just tell him Old Hu sent me to find him, and he'll naturally come out to see me. If he refuses to see me, that saves trouble too, I'll leave right away!" He was already irritated inside, so his tone naturally came out a bit harsh.

The guard looked troubled and said, "Sir, you're putting me in a difficult position. Our group has rules. I don't have the authority to take you directly to see Chairman Chu, and even less authority to go see Chairman Chu directly. How about this: wait here a moment, I'll call my supervisor to ask for instructions, then my supervisor will ask his supervisor, then the supervisor's supervisor will ask Chairman Chu's secretary..."

Lin Kun interrupted, "Damn, that troublesome!"

The guard said, "No choice, those are the rules."

Lin Kun looked at the guard and said, "Brother, you've been a soldier too, right? We soldiers are all hot-blooded tough men. Can you really do such dawdling work? Forget it, I won't see Chu Xiangguo. I can't do this job. I'm leaving!"

He left just like that. Lin Kun turned, hailed a taxi and got in, leaving the guard standing there dumbfounded... What kind of situation was this? After all that, this kid was here to be a security guard? No, that's not right. To be a security guard, he should first interview with the security supervisor, and after passing, go to the HR department for an interview. Why did this kid go straight to Chairman Chu?

After thinking for a long time without understanding, Li Ding had no choice but to shake his head helplessly and treat it as having met a hotheaded fool.

Chapter Two: Two Jin of C4

Lin Kun originally planned to go straight back to the military base in the Desert North and teach that damned Old Hu a lesson. Tricking a dignified War King into coming to Zhonggang City to be a security guard, this grievance had to be settled no matter what. On the way to the train station, he had even played out countless scenes in his mind of Old Hu's little two-story red-brick house being blown sky-high, Old Hu's treasured premium Cuban cigars crackling and burning in the raging flames of C4 explosives, the rising thick smoke soaring into the vast Desert North sky like beacon smoke... Truly satisfying!

But when the taxi stopped at the train station entrance, he temporarily changed his mind again. It had been more than two years since he had played in a big city. Although Zhonggang City was only a second-tier city nationally, in the Northeast it was absolutely one of the top big cities, not to mention compared with the small towns around the Desert North.

Having finally come to a big city once, wouldn't it be a shame not to have a good time? Besides, with all those long legs, beautiful legs and little stockings on the streets, wouldn't it be a pity not to try one?

"Driver, I'm not getting off here. Take me to wherever is lively and fun in Zhonggang City."

"Alright."

The driver was naturally happy to take another fare, and cheerfully drove Lin Kun to the bustling commercial district in the city center.

After getting out, Lin Kun found a quiet place and called Little Wu. Little Wu had been Lin Kun's subordinate in the military, enlisting one year later than him and discharged one year later. Apart from being superior and subordinate, the two had a longtime bond of life-and-death friendship.

Lin Kun said into the phone, "Little Wu, help me prepare two jin of C4 explosives and make a big noise, best if Old Hu finds out."

Little Wu said, "If Old Hu asks, what do I say?"

Lin Kun said, "Just say I'm coming back in a couple of days to blow up his little two-story house."

Little Wu laughed and said, "Got it!"

After hanging up, Lin Kun smiled slyly at the corner of his mouth and muttered softly, "Old Hu, I'll be here having the time of my life, and you just sit in your little two-story red-brick house trembling with fear, hahaha!"

For Lin Kun, there was not much to do in the city during the day. Apart from crowds and liveliness in the commercial district and plenty of beautiful legs and black stockings coming and going, there was not much interest. He first found a random place to eat, then sat on the plaza in front of the mall, basking in the sun while enjoying the various beauties coming and going, just wishing the sun would go down quickly so he could go have a wild time at a bar.

Chu Xiangguo had just finished an important meeting and returned to his office when the personal phone he carried rang. The number showed "Old Hu." He immediately answered with a smile. Before he could speak, the other party's accusatory voice came through.

"Chu Xiangguo, you old bastard! Did you not properly receive the little ancestor I sent to you!"

Chu Xiangguo was baffled and said, "Old Hu, why are you cursing at me?"

"You're exactly who I'm cursing!"

Old Hu poured out his grievances on the phone. "Old Chu, I've been screwed over badly by you. That kid Lin Kun had someone prepare two jin of C4 explosives over there, saying he's coming back in a couple of days to blow up my little two-story house!"

Chu Xiangguo laughed and said, "Old Hu, you're exaggerating, right? I don't believe he really dares to blow up the little two-story house of the number one commander of the Desert North."

"That's because you don't know him. There's nothing this brat doesn't dare to do. Back then he even dared to hit the national leader's driver, let alone my little two-story house as the number one commander of the Desert North. Of course he'd blow it up if he said so!"

"So you can't do anything about him?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing! You've read the materials I sent you, right? No one in the country's four major military regions can control him. This kid is a born genius. I've been in the military for nearly forty years and have never seen such a formidable soldier. Now the East Turkestan separatists in the Desert North wet themselves just hearing his name. The drug lords on the borders of Vietnam, India and Myanmar kneel down in fear the moment they see him. Back when he hit the national leader's driver, the leader's number two bodyguard was right there, and he didn't even dare to fight him."

Chu Xiangguo was shaken. He had long since read the materials Old Hu sent. Because the contents were too exaggerated, he thought Old Hu had been bragging and making them up. Now, from Old Hu's tone, it seemed to be true...

"They're not something you made up?"

"Made up my ass! We've known each other for so many years, when have I ever bragged to you? If not for the fact that during the Vietnam counterattack you took a bullet for me, I wouldn't be willing to trick this kid into going to your place to be a father to your little grandson. Originally his discharge pay was three hundred sixty thousand yuan. To get him to go to you, I flat-out said it was three thousand. If he finds out later, I'm in even bigger trouble!"

At the end, Old Hu threatened through gritted teeth, "Chu Xiangguo, that kid Lin Kun is definitely still in Zhonggang City right now. If you don't calm him down and keep him from coming back to blow up my little two-story house, I'll lead the hundred-thousand strong iron army of the Desert North Military Region to Zhonggang City and level your Tianchu Building!"

"Hey, Old Hu, let's be reasonable. I haven't even seen the kid yet... Hello, hello, Old Hu?"

Beep, beep, beep

The phone went dead. Chu Xiangguo shook his head and smiled. "This old bastard, his temper hasn't changed one bit. He pulls out that hundred-thousand strong iron army at the drop of a hat. Ah, he's going to intimidate me for a lifetime!"

He pulled a file bag from the drawer and opened it to look. After a while, Chu Xiangguo smiled and said to himself, "Even Old Hu is afraid of this kid. Interesting... If he really is that formidable, I wouldn't mind really marrying my daughter to you, hehe."

"Secretary Qin, come here."

Chu Xiangguo picked up the desk phone and said. Qin Xue immediately knocked and entered. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt on top, a black narrow skirt below, and off-white high heels on her feet, a typical OL outfit. Coming to Chu Xiangguo's desk, she asked politely, "Chairman Chu, what are your instructions?"

Chu Xiangguo handed her a document containing only Lin Kun's photo and basic information, and said, "Give this to security supervisor Cai Dahe, have him find this person as soon as possible. No, better yet, you personally take people to find him, the sooner the better. Also coordinate with the airport, train station and bus station. Do not let him leave Zhonggang City."

"Yes, Chairman Chu."

Qin Xue left Chu Xiangguo's office with the document. While flipping through it, she called security supervisor Cai Dahe. "Supervisor Cai, this is Qin Xue. Immediately arrange a team of security guards with reconnaissance experience for me, the sooner the better."

After hanging up, Qin Xue stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, golden sunlight shining on her in a blaze of color. She was 1.7 meters tall, with a graceful figure and exquisite curves, and a cold, stunning face that any man would remember for a lifetime after one glance. Her aura was elegant and imposing. People who did not know her would think she rose to power on her looks, but that was completely wrong. Her abilities far surpassed her appearance, and she also had another identity unknown to others...

Baifengmen Dance Hall is located in the Southern District, the most bustling nightlife area of Zhonggang City. The Southern District faces the sea directly. Starting with the previous two mayors of Zhonggang City, great efforts were made to develop sea-view tourism centered on the Southern District. There are no polluting heavy industrial enterprises in the entire Southern District. What can be seen everywhere are neat skyscrapers and high-end residential communities, plus several distinctive tourist attractions. During the day it is full of visitors, and at night it becomes even livelier. This is the core area of nightlife in Zhonggang City, with more than twenty bars and dance halls including Baifengmen, plus countless KTV and other entertainment venues. Seventy percent of Zhonggang City's hotels are also located here, including more than ten local and foreign five-star hotels. Over many years of development, the rich nightlife of the Southern District has also become a key part of Zhonggang City's tourism landmarks.

In the first-floor hall of Baifengmen, dazzling stage lights flashed until people's eyes blurred, high-pitched DJ speakers roared like overturning mountains and seas, the dance floor was packed with people, and all kinds of crowds twisted their bodies crazily to the rhythm.

Lin Kun sat at the bar on the first floor drinking, chatting off and on with the girl behind the bar. This girl was not bad looking, but her makeup was too heavy. Although the curve at her chest was proud and perky, Lin Kun, with his discerning eye, could tell at a glance that besides deliberately squeezing, she had also padded things inside her bra.

When going out looking for a one-night stand, Lin Kun's requirements were actually not high. An average face was fine, but the figure had to be good, only then could it feel right. As for this girl in front of him, chatting with her was fine, but when it came to going out to a hotel for exercise, Lin Kun had not the slightest interest. First, her looks were uncertain. Who knew if she would be horrifyingly ugly after removing her makeup? Second, that fake chest.

His gaze lingered frequently on the beauties coming and going, but after looking for a long time he still had not found a suitable target. Either their looks and figures did not meet the standard, or they already had male companions. Lin Kun gradually became impatient, thinking to himself, maybe tonight he just was not lucky in love and would end up with no catch.

Just then, he suddenly saw a woman coming down the stairs from the second floor. She was holding the stair railing, staggering all the way, nearly falling several times, with several men following behind her who clearly looked like no good.

A normal person seeing this woman would definitely think she was drunk, but Lin Kun saw at a glance that she had been drugged, and the ones who drugged her were obviously the men behind her. Although Lin Kun rarely had the chance to go out for nightlife, he knew that such despicable tricks of drugging and raping young women were not unusual in nightclubs.

The woman stumbled toward this side, one step after another, not knowing whether she wanted to blend into the crowd or run toward the door. Because of the lighting, her face still could not be seen clearly, but her figure was quite good.

As the girl got closer and closer, Lin Kun's eyebrows twitched. He was conflicted about whether to step in and help. On one hand, he really did not want to cause trouble. There were too many such things in nightclubs, and he could not manage every one he saw. On the other hand, if he just sat there honestly, his conscience would not let him.

Before he could think further, the girl suddenly lunged forward and threw herself directly into his arms. The several men following behind the girl immediately gathered around with unfriendly expressions. Although they said nothing, the look in their eyes as they glared at Lin Kun clearly said: kid, don't you dare meddle!

Lin Kun sat still, the beer in his hand swaying slightly without spilling. His gaze lightly swept across the men's faces, without the slightest trace of fear.

One of them, a bald man, walked over and rudely yanked the girl up from Lin Kun's arms. The girl tried with all her strength to grab Lin Kun's clothes, but having been drugged, she simply could not hold on. In the instant she was pulled up, the girl's large, crystal-clear eyes were full of shimmering tears, looking pitifully at Lin Kun: "Save me..."

To be continued...