Gu Moqian’s searching eyes met his friend’s gaze. Before he could speak, Ye Cheng added on his own, "It’s about Ji Chuyang."
Gu Moqian’s eyes narrowed slightly, and then he lowered his head, looking at the contents of the email on the computer screen.
The first thing that came into view were a few photographs, all capturing the same scene: Ji Chuyang hastily walking out of the airport, heading toward a black car nearby.
Beside the car, four men dressed entirely in black and wearing black sunglasses stood straight, exuding an air of discipline that showed they were not ordinary bodyguards.
As Ji Chuyang approached the car door, one of the men in black promptly opened it for him. The camera shutter froze this moment, clearly capturing a rough, calloused hand extending halfway out from inside the car. The palm had a yellowish tint of hardened skin.
This suggested that the person inside the car had likely been handling some kind of weapon for years. A man with armed bodyguards dressed in black was anything but ordinary.
The last photo showed Ji Chuyang driving away in the car, but the license plate had been deliberately blurred, making the numbers illegible.
The email contained only these photos, with no accompanying text or explanation.
"Who sent this email?" Gu Moqian asked calmly.
"I had my people investigate, but they couldn’t trace the sender’s IP address. It’s apparent that measures were taken to conceal their identity from us," Ye Cheng replied.
Gu Moqian pondered silently without speaking immediately.
The sender of the email was unknown, which called the email’s authenticity into question.
"I know you’re doubting the credibility of the email, but my instincts tell me everything in it is real."
Ye Cheng’s expression turned serious as well. "I fear that Ji Chuyang knows he’s cornered and has no way out, which is why he turned to the Japanese mafia for protection. Those people are desperate criminals; becoming Ji Chuyang’s bodyguards for money wouldn’t be surprising."
Gu Moqian’s eyes darkened suddenly. Indeed, from the way those men were dressed and their aura, it wasn’t hard to guess their identity.
Would the Japanese mafia really assist Ji Chuyang merely for money?
Gu Moqian didn’t fully believe that.
The mafia had always held themselves in high regard; they wouldn’t extend a helping hand to a foreigner merely for a meager sum. There had to be deeper reasons behind it.
"I heard from Chen Ke that you’re going to Japan for business next Thursday. Are you planning to deal with Ji Chuyang there?" Ye Cheng suddenly turned his head to look at him.
"Yes," Gu Moqian admitted without hesitation.
"Old Mo, I have a bad feeling about this trip to Japan. Maybe... you should cancel your plans."
Gu Moqian let out a faint smile and shook his head. "No matter what connection Ji Chuyang has with the Japanese mafia, I won’t let him roam freely."
Ji Chuyang nearly killed him and Ji Wei—did he think fleeing overseas would allow him to escape retribution? How naïve.
"Alright then, just be extremely careful." Ye Cheng knew it was impossible to talk him out of it. He reached out and gave Gu Moqian’s shoulder a firm pat, his expression solemn.
Noticing his friend’s unusually grave demeanor, Gu Moqian chuckled softly. "Old Ye, you know I’ve been through countless perilous situations over the years. No need for that worried look. If there’s real danger, I’ll make sure to have you flown to Japan to take the bullets for me."
Ye Cheng knew Gu Moqian was intentionally making light of the situation, but deep down, his friend’s nerves were undoubtedly wound tightly.
In the past, Gu Moqian had always faced danger alone, calm and detached because there was no one he was tied to emotionally.
But now, he had someone he deeply loved.
Ji Wei was Gu Moqian’s armor. Yet, at the same time, she was also his greatest vulnerability.