Chapter 28: Failed Acquisition

“Damn!” Geng Cang punched Jiang Kai. “Don’t drag me into this, you idiot! I don’t mind fooling around with you on my own, but if I take my little sister along and my parents find out, I’ll lose my allowance.”

Wu Jie and Feng Yiming nodded repeatedly, firmly insisting that no one else be brought along.

The three of them were so resolute now. In the future, once their families found out, they would still be beaten until they howled.

Jiang Kai shrugged. “All right!”

He hurriedly passed the good news on to Jiang Ye.

By then, Jiang Ye had already fallen asleep.

While Jiang Kai was making arrangements, the three men from the military were busy as well.

Late that night, the lights in the Military District’s offices were still burning.

Standing before his desk, Zhang Minghui gave the old general a flawless military salute.

“Reporting, General. The conditions for the third Qin Dynasty time-travel group have been confirmed. All participants must be owners at Yunxiang Residence. There are ten places.”

The pen in General Zhang’s hand paused. His sharp gaze pierced over the rim of his reading glasses.

“Is the information reliable?”

They had been one step behind the last time. They could not afford to be late again.

“Absolutely.” Zhang Minghui lowered his voice. “Jiang Ye said it himself in the group chat.”

The old general removed his glasses and tapped his fingers three times against the solid-wood desk.

Then he abruptly picked up the internal telephone.

“Put me through to Director Wang of the Logistics Department.”

When the call connected, General Zhang said only one sentence:

“Acquire ten properties at Yunxiang Residence in Hangcheng before eight tomorrow morning.”

After hanging up, General Zhang put his glasses back on and instructed Zhang Minghui, “Keep a close eye on him. Report immediately if anything arises that you cannot control. If he is in danger, act at your discretion.”

“Yes, sir!”

Zhang Minghui gave another military salute.

At three in the morning, the owners of the villas in Yunxiang Residence were gradually awakened by ringing telephones.

“Hello, this is Wang Jianjun from the Logistics Department of the XX Military District.” The voice on the other end was steady and powerful. “I apologize for disturbing you so late at night. The military urgently needs to purchase your property.”

The bleary-eyed homeowners were instantly wide awake.

“The military district?” Professor Liu, owner of Villa Three, trembled so badly that his reading glasses fell to the floor. “You mean… you want to buy my house?”

“We will pay the full amount, at twenty percent above market value.” Director Wang’s tone allowed no refusal. “The paperwork must be completed before dawn.”

Professor Liu nodded repeatedly. “All right, no problem. I’m leaving right away.”

No sooner had that call ended than Boss Zhang, the jewelry merchant who owned Villa Seven, received an identical one.

Irritated, Boss Zhang switched on the light and stared at the confidential number. He had not wanted to answer, but in the end, he picked up.

“Who is this? Why are you disturbing people’s sleep in the middle of the night?”

The moment he heard who was calling, every trace of drowsiness vanished. He became so excited that he could barely speak.

“You’re too kind! I’ll sell you the house for half—”

“No need.” Director Wang cut him off crisply. “The military does not take advantage of people.”

As soon as Boss Zhang ended the call, his young wife, still bleary-eyed, asked, “Who was it?”

Boss Zhang pointed upward. “Someone from above. They want to buy our house.”

“What?” His wife stared at him in surprise. “Why?”

“How would I know?”

His wife’s imagination began to run wild. “Could there be something special about our neighborhood?”

“No idea! Since they’ve asked, we need to hand it over immediately.” Boss Zhang turned to his wife. “Go back to sleep. I have to step out for a while.”

“At this hour? Where are you going?”

“They’re in a hurry. I have to deliver it to them now.”

While Boss Zhang was speaking with his wife, Ms. Lin, a returned overseas Chinese and the owner of Villa Twelve, was clutching the telephone with a trembling hand.

“It is my honor to contribute to the country! I’ll go get the property certificate right away!”

In less than an hour, all ten properties had been confirmed. Only the final transfers remained.

At 4:15 a.m., Director Wang’s phone rang for the first time.

“Director!” The voice on the other end was urgent. “Professor Liu’s car from Villa Three was rear-ended on the ring-road expressway. He lost consciousness and has been taken to the hospital by ambulance.”

Director Wang frowned. “Send someone to wait at the hospital. Make sure we obtain the property certificate at the earliest possible moment.”

He had barely hung up when the phone vibrated again.

“Director! Hello, this is Old Zhang, the owner of Villa Seven. My car broke down on the way. I’m by the roadside trying to hail a taxi. I may be a little late.”

Boss Zhang sounded apologetic.

He never would have imagined that something like this could happen.

The car had been running perfectly during the day, yet it had suddenly broken down!

What rotten luck!

Director Wang’s temple throbbed. “Don’t worry, Boss Zhang. I’ll send a car to pick you up.”

“No need to trouble yourself. I can take a taxi.”

“It’s not easy to find a taxi in the middle of the night. My people will be there shortly.”

“You’re too kind.” Boss Zhang hung up politely.

When the third call came in, Director Wang was signing approval slips.

“Hello, I’m the nanny of Mrs. Lin, the owner of Villa Twelve. Her car hit the landscaping at the entrance to the neighborhood! Both airbags deployed. She’s been taken to the hospital, so there may be a delay.”

Director Wang slowly set down his pen. Suddenly, he realized what was happening.

At that moment, a fourth call came through.

This time, it was Boss Zhou, the owner of Villa Nine.

“Director Wang, I’m terribly sorry. I had just left the house when my dog suddenly went berserk and bit me. I’m on my way to the hospital to get a rabies shot. Don’t worry—I’ll have someone from my family deliver the property certificate to you. It will just be delayed a little.”

One homeowner after another encountered all manner of accidents on the way over. Even Director Wang, slow as he was to suspect anything, realized that something was wrong.

He turned and seized the red direct line, then dialed a number.

“General.” The instant the call connected, Director Wang’s voice tightened. “Something has happened. The owners from Yunxiang Residence have been encountering one ‘accident’ after another on their way here. None of them is seriously injured, but…”

He swallowed.

“But I’m afraid we won’t be able to gather all the property certificates before dawn.”

There was three seconds of silence on the other end.

“Understood.” General Zhang’s voice was unnaturally calm.

He slowly removed his reading glasses. His gaze behind the lenses was sharp as a blade.

After a long silence, he suddenly set his pen down with a heavy thud.

So it was Jiang Ye…

General Zhang tapped his fingertips against the desk, his piercing eyes gleaming with cold intensity.

Something beyond the bounds of reason was intervening.

It was also warning them not to interfere too deeply.

An eerie silence settled over the office.

The distant sound of morning training bugles only made the room seem quieter.

“Notify all the owners that the transaction is canceled.” He rose slowly, the stars on his military uniform glinting in the morning light. “Let it be as though… none of this ever happened.”

Director Wang froze for a moment. “Understood!”

Although he did not know why the higher-ups had been so eager to acquire the properties at Yunxiang Residence, the series of accidents befalling the owners had revealed that something extraordinary was going on.

There was probably a tremendous secret hidden there. As for what it was, that was beyond the level of someone like him to investigate.