After arranging to meet Jin Yan at the dining location, I didn't change my travel plans. Instead, I separated Luo Tuo and Xiao Long.
Luo Tuo accompanied me to the dinner, of course, he wouldn't be at the table but would hide within the restaurant and wait.
As for Xiao Long and the others, they continued to follow the original plan, driving ahead to Longzhong, the closest place to Tongwei County, which is Dingxi City, to await our reunion.
It was fortunate that the experiences of the past year, where I learned from every setback, had fostered my rapid growth. The decision to have Luo Tuo accompany me to the dinner, though seemingly unintentional, had, in fact, saved my life!
...
On the way to the restaurant by taxi, I contacted Jin Yan in advance to ask if she had arrived.
If the intermediary wasn't present, my friend and I would be strangers meeting, a scenario I could only imagine to be incredibly awkward.
On the phone, Jin Yan's reply was that she had already arrived.
However, when I reached the designated location, a restaurant called "Ji Wei Ju," the private room that had been specified contained only a completely unfamiliar woman waiting for me.
Based on the information Jin Yan had revealed on the phone earlier, the woman in front of me was most likely her friend, Ji Ruyi.
Ji Ruyi was not old, appearing to be around twenty-two or twenty-three. She was tall, with fair skin and attractive features.
From a man's perspective, Ji Ruyi was a prime example of "high颜值 and good figure."
What was even more captivating was that starting from below her right collarbone, she had a tattoo of a delicate, luscious red rose.
The extending leaves and stem were likely hidden and growing on some mysterious peak.
Looking at it a few more times, one couldn't help but let their imagination run wild, wondering if the voluptuous, full snow peaks on Ji Ruyi's right side were what provided nourishment to this blooming red rose.
As I averted my gaze and regained a composed expression, Ji Ruyi had already gracefully walked over to me and extended her hand, politely saying, "Hello!"
"You must be Mr. Liang Kuan, the one Master Jin mentioned who, from last night's desperate situation, turned the tables, became the master, and achieved victory from defeat?"
"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Ji Ruyi, I am twenty-one years old, single... and unmarried!"
When saying the last two words, Ji Ruyi not only deliberately increased the pressure of her handshake but also, as she withdrew her hand, gently scratched my palm with her slender fingernails.
Another temptress who could stir the heart!
Caught off guard, I was instantly flustered by Ji Ruyi's move, my face flushing.
However, I quickly concealed my embarrassment with a smile.
After the polite greetings, Ji Ruyi gestured for me to sit.
I complied.
At this moment, although there were only Ji Ruyi and I in the large private room, the round lazy Susan table was already laden with cold dishes covered by plates.
It was evident that Ji Ruyi had arrived some time ago.
After sitting down, I looked at Ji Ruyi and politely asked, "Hello, Miss Ji! May I ask where Jin Yan is?"
At this point, I hadn't yet realized that the lunch today was actually a Hongmen Banquet targeted at me.
I had naively assumed that Jin Yan's previous words were just to lure me over, and she had no intention of coming herself.
The reason for her absence, I believed, was to create a one-on-one, private conversation space for Ji Ruyi and me without any outsiders present.
Unexpectedly, Ji Ruyi suddenly spoke, replying, "Mr. Liang, did Master Jin not tell you the truth?"
If I were to follow normal logic, upon hearing Ji Ruyi's words, I would undoubtedly be suspicious of her.
However, firstly, I was well aware of the unspoken rules of the martial world, and Jin Yan's hesitant demeanor on the phone was still vivid in my memory.
Secondly, while observing Ji Ruyi earlier, I had taken the opportunity to examine her carefully.
Whether it was her posture, her aura, or her long, fair hands, she displayed not a single characteristic of someone from the martial world.
In summary, Ji Ruyi was not a person of the martial world and possessed no inherent aggressiveness!
But...
What Ji Ruyi said next, however, dealt me a resounding slap in the face without me realizing it.
Seeing my silence, Ji Ruyi spun the wine glass in front of her and chuckled, "Mr. Chen Xiang, have you... heard of the Suo Ming Men?"
As soon as she spoke, my hair stood on end, and a layer of dense cold sweat broke out all over my back.
What caused me to feel such a prickling fear and deep unease was not the Suo Ming Men itself, but the fact that she had spoken my true name!
After regaining my composure, I immediately realized: Jin Yan had sold me out! The reason was unknown!
Someone had actually managed to enlist the most mysterious and unfathomable Suo Ming Men of the martial world to kill me. This meal... was a Hongmen Banquet!
Suo Ming Men, also known as Sha Men, like Qian Men, belonged to the Eight Outer Sects of the martial world.
Earlier, I had mentioned that the Eight Sects of the martial world were divided into the Inner Eight Sects and the Outer Eight Sects. Due to differences in local customs and regional cultures, the names of the inner and outer sects were not consistent.
However, if we were to speak of the Outer Eight Sects that were widely recognized by people of the martial world, they would be: Dao, Gu, Xiao, Feng, Qian, Wu, Xi, and Sha!
The last character, Sha, in the introduction to the Outer Eight Sects, referred to Suo Ming Men!
Even the most despicable Que Zi Men of the Three Sects engaged in activities like murder and arson, but their disciples adhered to one principle... regardless of the difficulty, they would only act once!
If successful, everyone would be happy; if unsuccessful, they would immediately withdraw with half of the deposit.
But Suo Ming Men was different. Once they accepted a mission, there was only one outcome.
An unending fight to the death!
Either the mission was successful and the target died, or the mission failed and Suo Ming Men would replace the person to continue the mission until success.
There was no third possibility! Absolutely none!
Of course, to engage Suo Ming Men, the cost was not a small sum, but an unimaginable amount!
Therefore, Suo Ming Men had become the sect with the highest appearance fee, the most mysterious presence, and the most brutal methods among the Eight Outer Sects of the martial world.
If Ji Ruyi was truly a member of Suo Ming Men, then her appearance meant...
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but steal another glance at her.
I saw Ji Ruyi staring at me with a smile, her eyes full of charm and affection.
No matter how I looked at it, she didn't seem like someone from Suo Ming Men; rather, she resembled the seductive charm of a Lan Hua girl.
Just as the atmosphere in the room plummeted to freezing point due to Ji Ruyi's words, with a "creak," a waiter pushed in a meal cart to serve the dishes.
Taking advantage of the waiter's arrival, I lit a cigarette.
The reason for smoking at this juncture was, on one hand, to calm my nerves, and on the other, to force myself to think calmly and devise a counter-strategy.