THE REAL PROTEGE

The private plane hissed onto the tarmac like a dragon trying not to be noticed — sleek, silent, and coiled with latent power. Shanghai's skyline loomed ahead, a vertical symphony of glass, steel, and ambition. Bodyguards especially provided by Otako for Four Eyes and the children stepped out first, followed by Four Eyes, coat sharp, expression sharper. His glasses caught the neon glare, but his eyes were already scanning for surveillance — magical and mundane.

Behind him, the twins emerged — Kim Kim and Chin Chin, not quite two years old and already pulsing with cultivation energy that made nearby electronics flicker and airport spirits retreat.

Chin Chin's fox-spirit backpack twitched once, as if sensing the city's ley lines. Kim Kim clutched his sketchpad, its pages humming faintly with disguised battle formations and protective glyphs drawn in crayon.

The air around them shimmered with tension — not fear, but the kind of alertness born from too many secrets and too much power packed into too small a space.

"We're being watched," Four Eyes muttered, adjusting his collar.

Mrs. Xu didn't look up, but chuckled.

"Of course we are. You brought the twins."

Kim Kim grinned.

"We're famous."

Chin Chin corrected him.

"We're dangerous."

As they passed, the airport's ambient sensors flickered. A vending machine spat out three extra cans of chrysanthemum tea, then powered down with a sigh.

The passersby "!!!!"

Four Eyes "...."

Waiting outside was the Xu family's sleek, matte-black vehicle—an imposing, reinforced car that commanded attention while maintaining a low profile. As they climbed in, Four Eyes checked his messages. Still nothing from Ling Li. Just a timestamped note:

Arriving in Myanmar. Camp Phoenix inspection begins. Keep the twins out of trouble.

He sighed.

"Define trouble."

The twins exchanged a look — the kind that usually preceded ritual mischief or spontaneous summoning.

"We only performed a tiny ritual," Kim Kim said with a playful glint in her eyes, her mischievous smile betraying the guilt simmering beneath the surface. She twirled a loose strand of hair around her finger, trying to project an air of innocence as she stood before her father, hoping her endearing antics would shield her from the consequences of her actions.

"It was tiny," Chin Chin added.

"Just a blessing for the plane."

"And a curse for the snack cart."

Mrs. Xu turned slowly.

"You cursed the snack cart?"

"Just a little," Chin Chin said, holding her fingers apart to show a small gap. "It kept giving us seaweed chips," she added, making an aggrieved face.

Mr. and Mrs. Xu shared a warm laugh as Mrs. Xu gently playfully tousled Kim Kim's hair, while Four Eyes rubbed his temples, already regretting the day's itinerary.

"We're here to meet with the Shanghai office. You two will sit quietly, answer no questions, and touch nothing."

Kim Kim raised a hand.

"What if someone insults us or threatens us?"

"Then you smile politely and write their name down for later."

The car pulled into traffic, weaving through Shanghai's pulse — augmented billboards flickering luxury ads, drones zipping overhead like metallic sparrows, and somewhere in the distance, a temple bell rang. Faint. Real.

Four Eyes stared out the window, jaw tight.

Ling Li was halfway across the continent, inspecting the most volatile facility in their network. Meanwhile, he was stuck babysitting two mystical prodigies with a penchant for chaos and a bloodline that made spirits uneasy.

"This is fine," Four Eyes muttered, trying to comfort himself. "This is manageable." He tapped the pockets of his coat, knowing that all the notes Ling Li had given him were there, as if to give him reassurance.

The twins started to hum together in perfect harmony, their voices creating a deep, resonating vibration that filled the car. This unusual sound caused the dashboard lights to flicker rhythmically, as if responding to their melody, while a soft glow emanated from the protective amulet worn by both the driver and the bodyguard seated beside him. The amulet sparkled gently, casting a warm light across the interior of the vehicle. Fortunately, the trio was accustomed to this strange phenomenon, having encountered it numerous times before.

Mrs. Xu let out a weary sigh, the kind that hinted at the weight of the world resting on her shoulders, though her expression remained soft and considerate. "They're harmonizing again," she remarked, her voice laced with a mix of resignation and gentle amusement.

Four Eyes stood unmoved, the faintest curve of a smile playing on his lips. "We're going to need tea, better yet, a very strong coffee," he stated matter-of-factly, his brow furrowing slightly in thought. "And probably a lawyer," he added, as if each word carried the gravity of a well-rehearsed mantra in this peculiar setting.

Return to the Xu Conglomerate — Shanghai Office Arrival

The Xu Conglomerate headquarters rose like a monolith in the heart of Pudong —glass and steel forged into a fortress of modern power. It had evolved since Four Eyes last stood beneath it. The logo was sleeker now, the security tighter, and the energy inside pulsed with the kind of precision only Ling Li's team could engineer.

But the name etched into the building's core remained unchanged: Xu Chu Yan.

He was the man behind the myth —the CEO who vanished three years ago not for scandal or failure, but for something far more intimate and dangerous. He had walked away from boardrooms and balance sheets to become a father, a caretaker, and a protector. The empire he inherited from his father had nearly slipped through his fingers —until Ling Li stepped in, infused it with her own team, and rebuilt it in his name. Her team had run the company ever since, transforming Xu Corporation into the crown jewel of the Xu Conglomerate.

Now, after three years of silence, he was returning. And most of those inside had never seen his face.

As the car pulled up to the private entrance, the twins quieted. Kim Kim clutched her sketchpad tighter, sensing the shift in atmosphere. Chin Chin's fox-spirit backpack blinked once, its charm reacting to the tension in the air.

Mrs. Xu straightened her scarf, her lips pressed into a line of quiet resolve. Mr. Xu adjusted his cufflinks with ceremonial precision. Neither spoke. Both of them were also excited to see the company.