Chapter 23.2 Gilded Baby Corpse 05
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The next day, Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao set off for the capital’s Guangying Media Co., Ltd. as the personal bodyguards of He Tianna.
Guangying Media Co., Ltd. was one of the top ten talent agencies in the country, representing numerous big stars and talented actors. He Tianna was one of the most popular rising stars in Guangying Media, known as one of the “New Four Young Actresses.”
The company took He Tianna’s incident very seriously. So, they spent money to hire bodyguards through her agent. He Tianna knew that her situation couldn’t be solved just by hiring bodyguards, which was why she sought help from Han Ke.
Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao stood at the reception desk in the lobby. As people passed by, many would glance in their direction. Both of them had attractive appearances, leading many to speculate that they were new artists. Little did they know that they were actually there to be bodyguards.
The receptionist asked them to show their work badges, but the two of them couldn’t produce any.
Zhang Qiudao kept his head down, spraying pesticides, ignoring the receptionist’s request. Chen Yang had no choice but to step forward and smile. “We are the bodyguards of Miss He Tianna. We just started today and don’t have our work badges yet.”
The receptionist stared at Chen Yang’s face. His gentle tone instantly raised her initial favorable impression of him from eighty or ninety to a hundred. “Let me make a phone call. Please wait a moment.”
His gentle tone was enough to attract attention.
The phone call didn’t take more than two minutes. The receptionist said, “Please wait. Sister Jin Yang will send someone down to take you upstairs.”
Chen Yang nodded and thanked her gently. The receptionist blushed slightly and, while waiting with her colleagues in the lobby, began arguing about who was more handsome.
Zhang Qiudao’s ears twitched upon hearing the discussion behind him, nearly causing him to shake his hand and let his hero die in the game. He looked up at Chen Yang and met his calm gaze. “Brother Chen?”
“Seems like you really enjoy playing games?”
“Occasionally.”
Chen Yang pursed his lips. Within the two days of his interaction with Zhang Qiudao, he didn’t seem like someone who only played games occasionally. With one person being addicted to games and the other indulging in them occasionally, the future of their branch office didn’t look promising.
“Are you the gentlemen Mr. Han hired?”
The two turned around and saw a capable and beautiful urban woman standing behind them. She looked at Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao, showing a slight expression of surprise, but quickly regained her composure. “I’m Jin Yang, Tianna’s agent.”
Chen Yang: “I’m Chen Yang.”
“Zhang Qiudao.”
Jin Yang led the two upstairs and spoke as they walked. “I don’t know where Tianna found you two, but she must trust you. I hope you won’t disappoint her trust.”
Chen Yang had an intuition that this manager in front of him didn’t seem to like him and Zhang Qiudao very much. It felt like she… thought they were frauds. The surprised reaction upon their first meeting indicated her lack of trust in their abilities.
After all, Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao looked too young, one being a university student and the other having a baby face. It was normal for ordinary people not to trust them.
“We will be departing to Q City’s ancient town for filming in the afternoon, and the filming period will last for a month. You must stay close to Tianna at all times and ensure her safety. During this time, no matter what strange things you encounter, I hope you can keep them confidential. Tianna is extremely popular, and many paparazzi love to secretly photograph her. I don’t want any rumors about Tianna being involved in supernatural events to spread. Do you understand?”
Jin Yang gave straightforward instructions, though her words were not polite, they were understandable. After all, she was Tianna’s manager, and Tianna’s image took precedence in everything. Moreover, during this period, there were many rumors in the entertainment industry about celebrities raising little ghosts, worshiping Four-Faced Buddha, or seeking blessings from White Dragon King to change their luck. Once such rumors spread, their image would be greatly tarnished.
Even the highly acclaimed TV King, Duan, who had won numerous awards, had his endorsement deals and TV dramas withdrawn when videos of him being possessed by the little ghost he was raising circulated. His career and image plummeted to rock bottom.
Therefore, during this period, everyone in the entertainment industry was on edge, afraid of being associated with supernatural events.
Chen Yang understood the client’s request. Although Jin Yang’s words implied that they were only supposed to protect He Tianna, she did not believe they could resolve the imminent disaster looming over He Tianna.
Zhang Qiudao’s face turned completely cold, devoid of expression. Chen Yang thought he would sarcastically retort, but he remained silent until they met He Tianna.
Zhang Qiudao glanced at Chen Yang and said, “I’m not like Mao Xiaoli, who can’t control her temper. My professional ethics won’t allow me to push away four million.”
Chen Yang nodded, greatly appreciating his professional ethics.
When they saw He Tianna, they understood why Jin Yang didn’t trust them and had no good impression of them. It was because she had hired a celestial master herself, someone with the surname Cao, who appeared to be in his forties. His face appeared resolute, exuding a sense of righteousness. He was attired in a dark blue robe, cinched at the waist with a cloth belt, wore cloth shoes on his feet, and carried a cloth bag on his back.
The cloth bag was yellow with an octagonal pattern. This celestial master also had two disciples with him, dressed similarly.
It was evident at a glance that they were all celestial masters, and experienced ones at that.
Zhang Qiudao whispered, “They dress according to the standard.”
Chen Yang was astonished. “Is this the standard attire in the Celestial Master Community?”
If he didn’t know any better, he’d thought they had traveled back to the Republican era.
“It’s not the Celestial Master Community, it’s the standard attire of celestial masters in the film and television industry.”
Chen Yang instantly understood. In this day and age, everything relied on packaging, and even the Celestial Master Community was not exempt from it. However… “Are they really celestial masters?”
“They are indeed celestial masters. However, their level is probably not high.”
Chen Yang noticed the plaque on Celestial Master Cao’s waist. From a distance, he couldn’t clearly see the scriptures on the plaque, but it had a dark-colored tassel hanging from it. The color of the tassel was the same as that of Celestial Master Kou Xuanling’s plaque, which belonged to the dark-colored tassel of the Third Grade Five Thunders Celestial Master.
“Are their plaques fake?”
Zhang Qiudao glanced at it and confidently replied, “Yes. Tassels of different colors should never be mixed. His tassel even contains black.”
The dark color and black color were similar, making it almost indistinguishable. The dark color was a slightly reddish shade of black, which could still be discerned upon closer inspection.
“The Celestial Master Community despises frauds. Those who impersonate celestial masters out of greed without considering the consequences would never show any flaws in their deception. They belong to the low-level fakes. When you encounter them, there’s no need to hesitate, just report them to the police. As for celestial masters like Celestial Master Cao, their deception may show some flaws, indicating a certain level of skill, but it’s often an attempt to embellish their own spiritual achievements for the sake of livelihood. As long as their actions are only driven by financial motives and don’t harm lives, we generally do not intervene.”
“And now, we still won’t interfere?”
“But it’s different,” Zhang Qiudao spoke firmly, a hint of murderous intent showing on his youthful face. “Those who steal business don’t deserve moral considerations!”
Chen Yang stopped him. “Now is not the time to expose them.”
Zhang Qiudao was puzzled.
“We are just bodyguards, operating in the shadows. They are celestial masters protecting He Tianna, operating in the open. Those who wish to harm He Tianna will definitely focus on those operating in the open. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Nodding, Zhang Qiudao stared at Chen Yang with newfound respect. He had originally thought of him as a gentle and kind person, but now he realized there was a shrewd side to him as well.
Compared to Celestial Master Cao, He Tianna had more trust in the people introduced by Han Ke. However, upon seeing Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao, she couldn’t help but hesitate. Celestial Master Cao’s two disciples squeezed their way to the front of He Tianna, allowing Celestial Master Cao to display some of his skills.
Chen Yang lowered his gaze and stood with Zhang Qiudao on the outskirts of the crowd, unaffected by the situation.
Bored, Zhang Qiudao took out his phone and played with it while asking, “Xiaoli said that Brother Chen can read physiognomy?”
“A little.”
“Are there any suspicious people present?”
“Evrything’s quite normal.”
“Oh.”
Zhang Qiudao stopped asking questions and became absorbed in his game.
He Tianna glanced in their direction through the crowd, pondered for a moment, and then focused her attention on Celestial Master Cao. She trusted Han Ke and also had trust in Jin Yang. Whoever could save her, she would trust them.
“Tina, are you ready?”
The voice arrived before the person did. Everyone looked over and saw a tall, thin man standing at the door, calling out to He Tianna. Upon seeing him, He Tianna’s expression momentarily turned unnatural. Jin Yang pushed her forward a step, and only then did He Tianna manage to force a smile.
“Mr. Xiao Gao, what brings you here?” Jin Yang bypassed He Tianna and greeted Mr. Xiao Gao.
As the top agent from Guangying Media, even Mr. Xiao Gao couldn’t afford to show Jin Yang a displeased expression. However, when discussing matters with her, his gaze would occasionally drift in He Tianna’s direction.
“Tsk, pervert.”
Chen Yang turned to the girl standing beside him, whom he remembered was called Xiao Qian, one of He Tianna’s assistants. “Who is he?”
Xiao Qian looked at Chen Yang warily, but her expression softened after seeing his gentle and harmless smile. “He’s Gao Tianliang, the younger brother of the company’s CEO. People call him Mr. Xiao Gao. He’s a big pervert, always taking advantage of Miss Tianna. He’s also an investor and producer for this film project. He’s joining us on the trip to Q City. It’s a disaster, really.”
As they spoke, Gao Tianliang had already pulled He Tianna downstairs, and the other assistants, carrying the luggage, followed suit. Chen Yang stepped forward. “Let’s go.”
As bodyguards, the two naturally trailed behind He Tianna. Suddenly, a person rushed from around the corner and bumped into Gao Tianliang. Gao Tianliang cursed loudly, “Are you blind?”
Chen Yang caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that something seemed to be hanging out from Gao Tianliang’s collar. He focused his gaze and saw clearly as Gao Tianliang placed a pendant, resembling an amulet, into his collar.
“A Yin amulet?”
“Isn’t it a Buddhist amulet?” Zhang Qiudao also saw the pendant hanging around Gao Tianliang’s neck, but he thought it was a Buddhist amulet.
Chen Yang shook his head, confident that he hadn’t seen it wrong. “It’s indeed a Yin amulet.”
Yin amulets were a type of talisman from Thailand and belonged to the extreme opposite of Buddhist amulets. The process of making Yin amulets was quite sinister, often involving the use of corpse oil or parts of the remains of those who died in unfortunate circumstances. They were highly mysterious talismans.
There were many types of Yin amulets. The ones that attracted love and romance were called “Yan Tong,” while those for improving financial luck include the “Kuman Thong” or the more menacing “Luk Kok.” The Kuman Thong used for financial luck could be either good or evil. They were created by purifying the ashes of deceased children and empowering them with Buddhist rituals. They were inherently kind-hearted, and if the owner performed good deeds, they woul receive boundless blessings.
However, cruel practitioners create Yin amulets using the remains of unborn fetuses or those who died with deep resentment, without going through the purification rituals of Buddhism. They even resort to unethical means, cruelly killing young children or pregnant women to obtain the remains and make Yin amulets.
Typically, these types of Yin amulets were mischievous and vicious, and if one wasn’t careful, they could turn on their owners.
Chen Yang: “With corpse oil and black bones, it is indeed a Yin amulet.”
Zhang Qiudao instantly developed a dislike for Gao Tianliang. “He’s so wealthy, yet he still seeks financial luck. Greedy.”
Gao Tianliang’s Yin amulet wasn’t for attracting love and romance. The difference between amulets for love and financial luck was quite distinct. Therefore, it could be confirmed that the Yin amulet Gao Tianliang wore was for financial luck.
“But people in the entertainment and business industries are like this. The higher their status and wealth, the more they believe in these things. Without sincerity, one cannot be virtuous. Without establishing positive connections and accumulating merits, they all delude themselves into seeking external forces for effortless gains.”
Yin amulets were crafted by high monks using infant remains, with the purpose of establishing positive connections. They mutually assist each other— the amulet protected the wearer while the wearer accumulated merits by performing good deeds, enabling the spirits in the amulet to be reborn. Therefore, genuine Yin amulets must be bestowed upon those with affinity.
People like Gao Tianliang could not obtain authentic Yin amulets. The only way was to purchase the “Luk Kok” amulets made through unethical means.
They would eventually face repercussions.
Gao Tianliang, He Tianna, and a few assistants squeezed into the elevator. Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao were about to enter when the two disciples of Cao Celestial Master rushed over, pushing them aside and squeezing into the elevator to secure a spot. Celestial Master Cao walked in without even sparing a glance at Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao.
Chen Yang and Zhang Qiudao couldn’t get in, so they stood outside, watching the elevator doors close. Both of them remained composed and unaffected by Celestial Master Cao’s provocation. However, at the moment the elevator doors closed, Chen Yang’s expression subtly changed.
“Qiudao, we have another business opportunity knocking on our door.”
Zhang Qiudao paused his gaming actions and asked, “Tell me.”
“I just saw a baby spirit crawling on Gao Tianliang’s shoulder, almost reaching his neck.”
A baby spirit slowly climbed up from a person’s feet, onto the shoulder, and finally tightly wrapped around the neck. People would feel difficulty in breathing, and when the baby spirit got tired of playing, it suffocated them by covering their mouth and nose.
Zhang Qiudao opened Baidu and searched for Gao Tianliang, making an inference based on his wealth. “Fifteen million, to buy his life, fair and square.”
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