Trillionaire's Slice of Life

Phoenix Bodyguard Company ultimately still rejected Chu Mo's invitation, which took him by surprise, but since he had already anticipated it, he didn't find it too hard to accept. Although Zhang Xiaoyan was very strong, even considered to be the strongest person aside from Jiang Tao and Fan Gao, her ambition was too great to be willing to work under someone else. Chu Mo didn't force her, as he valued his promises and never said one thing and did another. Having promised her, Chu Mo naturally kept his word. Fan Gao had already started to recruit powerful female bodyguards. As long as he was willing to spend money, he wouldn't have to worry about finding strong people. It may only take a month's time, and a brand new, even more powerful Phoenix Bodyguard Company would be established. Of course, apart from the affairs of Phoenix Bodyguard Company, what required Chu Mo's attention the most was the invitation from the Liu family of Zhongzhou. In mid-January, the day before the King of Fighters challenge, Chu Mo took a private plane out of Modu and finally arrived in Zhongzhou, a bustling and ancient city. Although not as prosperous as Modu, Zhongzhou also had a very long history. This city was the stronghold of the Liu family of Zhongzhou who, over decades or even centuries, had run it as tightly as iron. The underground King of Fighters competition that Chu Mo was to participate in was hosted by the Liu family. As one of the eight major families of Hua Country, with assets of one hundred ten billion, the Liu family wielded immense influence throughout the entire central region. Pastoral Manor was one of the important industries of the Liu family, and the King of Fighters competition was held there. In fact, the very first King of Fighters competition was held to stimulate the industries of Pastoral Manor and to make its name known. However, as the scale of the competition grew larger and the prizes richer, and with the connections of the Liu family, what was originally a third-rate competition gradually evolved into a top-tier event, naturally attracting more and more spectators. During the King of Fighters competition, the manor was closed to ordinary tourists. Only distinguished individuals or some invited VIPs could enter, and Chu Mo belonged to the list of invitees. He rested in Zhongzhou for one night and arrived at Pastoral Manor the next afternoon. Even though it was winter, the entire manor was bathed in the singing of birds and fragrant flowers, a scenery that appeared quite unique in the cold Zhongzhou. At the center of the manor was an open-air hot spring, which was said to have magical effects. Bathing in the hot spring not only relieved fatigue but was also said to be beneficial for health, as well as beauty and skincare. Of course, whether the hot spring really had such magical effects was debatable, but after being talked about for so long, it had attracted quite a few people to come and see for themselves. Only two people accompanied Chu Mo, one was the bodyguard team leader Fan Gao and the other was the head of the detective agency, Jiang Tao. These two could be said to be Chu Mo's right and left hands, his true confidants. With the two of them around, it was nearly as good as having a hundred ordinary bodyguards. The official start of the King of Fighters competition was at eight o'clock in the evening, and it was still early. Chu Mo came so early because of one person, Liu Manli, Hua Country's richest woman, the woman who had once introduced the second tallest building in Modu, Jinmao Mansion, to him. The two had previously met in an executive training program at Fudan University and later attended Fan Gao's eldest grandson Zhou Tianqi's wedding together. One could say they shared some history, and she too was invited to the King of Fighters competition. Being old acquaintances, Chu Mo had no reason to refuse her invitation. Chu Mo wandered around the manor for a while, then received a phone call. Upon arriving at an antique street, sure enough, he saw a familiar figure. Liu Manli, the chairman of Zhiyu Real Estate, at thirty-five years old, was the richest woman in Hua Country, and with a fortune of two hundred forty-five billion, was ranked fourth on Hua Country's rich list. This woman was still unmarried and was the dream lover of countless men. If any man could marry her, it would be like ascending to the heavens in a single step, skyrocketing their life forward by a hundred years or more without exaggeration. Protected by several bodyguards, Liu Manli, with her long wavy hair, appeared like a noble princess in her vintage dress, which made her seem more mature and sophisticated. The dark dress highlighted her fair skin. When she saw Chu Mo arriving, she moved forward on her own initiative. The design of her dress with straps and a cape made her skirt flutter as she walked, adding a fairy-like aura to her whole person. Chu Mo came to a stop, his gaze resting on the woman before him who possessed a slender waist that could be encompassed by a single hand and perfect waist-to-hip ratio, his voice tinged with a smile as he said: "Miss Liu, it has been quite some time since we last met at the banquet—over half a year, in fact!" Chu Mo's face was full of smiles as he extended his hand in greeting. Across from him, Liu Manli, often referred to as the richest woman in Hua Country, wore a likewise smiling face as she responded: "Mr. Chu, we are old classmates who sat together through school, and now it's like old friends meeting in a foreign land. How have you been, Mr. Chu?" At thirty-five, Liu Manli no longer possessed the coyness and rawness of a young girl. On the contrary, as the wealthiest woman in Hua Country with a net worth of 240 billion, she radiated an aura of decisiveness and ruthlessness. At Chu Mo's side, the longest serving among his followers was Zhan Bingxue, who now controlled the Bafang International Chain Hotel with a personal worth of over a hundred billion. Although Zhan Bingxue's presence was equally formidable, she might still be a notch below Liu Manli. Although this woman was smiling, her eyes gleamed with a calculating light, as if she were always scheming something. Chu Mo nodded with a smile as serene as the spring, making a welcoming gesture as he spoke lightly: "Pastoral Manor truly lives up to its reputation as the premier tourist destination in the central region. The Liu family has indeed claimed a treasure trove of feng shui. Here, not only do we find hot springs, but also the surrounding mountains shield us from the cold air, making the manor's temperature much higher than that outside. It's warm in winter and cool in summer, a rare find indeed." "With Mr. Chu's wealth, if you like this place so much, why not just take it over? Anytime you wish to come here in the future, it'll just be a word away for you, Mr. Chu!" Bodyguards including Fan Gao and Jiang Tao, six or seven top-tier protectors consciously stayed three steps behind the two. Chu Mo and Liu Manli walked shoulder to shoulder, and nearby was the famous hot spring, tucked away in a corner of which was a marketplace-like street. This short street, no longer than four or five hundred meters, was lined with a variety of quaint and curious items. Small things like hairpins and buttons, or antique jade, and even cotton candy were for sale—truly original and creative. Such a distinctive little street had become one of Pastoral Manor's signature features. Chu Mo and Liu Manli walked side by side on the ancient, nostalgic street. Around them flowed a stream of extraordinary visitors, unabashed. After a while, Liu Manli, who let out a soft sigh, suddenly said: "Mr. Chu, can you guess why I sought you out this time?" Upon hearing this, Chu Mo was not surprised. His gaze casually swept over the impressive woman beside him, his voice calm as he said: "Miss Liu is the second person to approach me of her own accord after the explicit suppression from the eight major families. The first was Lu from Magic Capital, and unfortunately, we did not reach a cooperation. As for Miss Liu, I believe, if nothing unexpected occurs, that we will end up in the same camp, together combating the eight major families."