After finishing his explanation, Ren Yuanhao hailed a taxi and headed towards the auction house, following the address given by the system's lady.
Outside, the rain fell softly, like fine threads, hitting the window before being pulled into intermittent streaks by the wind.
Those fashion-conscious women had finally put on light jackets. The streetlights appeared hazy in the rain, like scrambled egg yolk.
The city within the rain curtain resembled an old, damp scroll painting. The lights were sparse and blurred, the leaves had fallen, and the tall buildings stood as the loneliest presences in the city, the higher they were, the more solitary they seemed.
The driver, seeing Ren Yuanhao cradling a cylindrical object, likely containing paintings and calligraphy, and observing his dejected yet rather handsome demeanor, guessed he was a young master from a fallen noble family, probably heading to the auction house to sell off his last possessions. He immediately felt a surge of disdain.
"Well now, little brother, are you off to sell your belongings?"
Ren Yuanhao paid no mind, or perhaps didn't hear him, leaning against the window and watching the city's nightscape speed by.
"Just a fallen young master, what's he so proud about?" the driver muttered under his breath, glancing into the rearview mirror. He completely failed to notice two figures standing in the middle of the road, waving at him.
"Driver, please focus on driving. You're about to hit people."
Ren Yuanhao spoke with a chilling indifference, which startled the driver half to death. However, relying on years of driving experience, he instinctively slammed on the brakes, thus avoiding hitting the two individuals.
The driver, pale with fright, was about to get out to berate the pair when they unexpectedly slipped into the car. Before he could utter a word, a gleaming knife was placed at his throat.
"Hey, hey, hey, boss, can we talk this over? I'll give you money, but I only have one life, boss~"
The man in the passenger seat simply said, "Drive."
"Yes, yes, yes. Where are you two bosses headed?"
The man in the passenger seat replied, "The auction house."
The driver thought to himself, This is truly bizarre. Three men with cold expressions are all going to the auction house. Could they be working together?
However, the other man sitting in the back seat immediately dispelled this notion.
"Hey, what are you holding?" The man in the back also produced a cold knife and held it to Ren Yuanhao's neck.
"An ancient painting," Ren Yuanhao replied.
"An ancient painting? You're going to the auction too?" a sinister glint flashed in the back man's eyes.
"Yes, I owe people tens of millions. This is something that can help me make a comeback."
Ren Yuanhao's honesty left the driver feeling helpless and sparked a strong interest in what he was holding.
Upon hearing this, the man in the back sneered, "What kind of trash painting is worth so much? Let Uncle have a look."
As he spoke, the man made to brazenly snatch the object from Ren Yuanhao's hands.
"Hold on? Ten thousand for a touch," Ren Yuanhao said expressionlessly.
The man in the back was stunned by Ren Yuanhao's words, then burst into laughter. He moved the knife closer to Ren Yuanhao's neck. "Please understand your situation. My knife is at your throat. If I make a mistake, your life is forfeit. Who do you think you are? Asking me for money? Ten thousand for a touch? Who do you think you are?"
"Your stance with the knife is all wrong. You probably haven't killed anyone, have you?"
Ren Yuanhao, with an equally cold expression, uttered chilling words that made the driver repeatedly apologize. After all, it was his car, and if a life were lost, he'd have to abandon it. His wife would surely give him hell.
With this thought, he quickly explained, "You two bosses, this young gentleman isn't having an easy time. Look at his eyes; he's probably a young master from a fallen family, or perhaps a patient who escaped from a mental hospital. Please, don't take offense with him, alright?"
"Mind your own mouth, or I'll stab you right here!"
The man in the passenger seat retracted his knife from the driver's throat, but kept it pressed against his waist. A single stab there could shatter his 'waist flowers' and ruin his lifelong happiness. The driver wisely decided that his life was more important than the car.
However, while he valued his life, others didn't. Ren Yuanhao then said, "The way you're holding that knife, you can't even defend yourselves, let alone kill someone. Anyone with a bit of skill could easily counter you. Then, they could claim self-defense and kill you. That would be quite amusing."
The man in the back was on the verge of flying into a rage, provoked by Ren Yuanhao. The knife was almost touching Ren Yuanhao's neck, its cold blade flashing with a faint blue arc in the light.
"If you dare say another word, I'll send you to see the King of Hell immediately."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Yuanhao moved forward instead of retreating, pressing his neck directly against the blade!
The blade pointed straight at his skin!
"Someone determined to kill has the aloofness of a lone wolf at the edge of a precipice in their eyes. You fled in disarray from Shuiyue Internet Cafe, stopped three cars, and no one paid you any mind. You felt completely ignored, so you decided to block a car with your bodies. But you didn't dare stop a luxury car, fearing it would escalate things, so you could only stop this taxi. You knew taxi drivers react quickly and would definitely prevent you from becoming roadkill. You want to rob for money but hesitate to speak, wanting to kill for wealth but lacking the courage. You are merely internet-addicted youths, dogs defeated."
Ren Yuanhao spoke as if he were stating something incredibly simple and easy to understand, but the driver's expression changed drastically. The man's vision, insight, reaction speed, and even the fearlessness reflected in his tone told everyone in the car: I am different from you!
"Wh-how could you see so clearly! Who exactly are you!"
The man in the back had become somewhat hysterical, but the knife did not dare move forward; instead, it retreated slightly.
"I am the person you are threatening. The auction house is probably just ahead. There are many people there, as well as guards and security. This taxi's window tint is ordinary, allowing people to see your actions clearly from all directions. The driver's dashcam has been on the entire time, and your every move has been recorded. Consider whether to leave immediately or stay here."
Ren Yuanhao was as indifferent as if he were discussing something that had nothing to do with him.
Upon hearing this, the two men assessed the situation and, terrified, hastily told the driver to brake, then fled in panic.
Ren Yuanhao brushed off his clothes and calmly said, "Driver, please continue driving."
The driver was now sweating profusely, as if the knife against his waist moments ago hadn't made him as afraid as he was now. Such a man, sitting in the back seat, was like a crouching tiger, his presence a prickle on his skin.
Fortunately, they were nearing their destination.