Futile Devices Scans

Xue Bao Tian asked around his circle of dubious friends and learned that hiring bodyguards should go through formal channels—professional, capable, and not the type to betray you.

There weren’t many security companies in Yancheng, maybe three to five of varying sizes, but one of them was extremely well-known, said to handle half of China’s high-end business.

Contrary to what Xue Bao Tian imagined, the company was located in a bustling commercial business district. Its corporate logo was eye-catching—an uppercase “Y” and lowercase “y” layered together in a staggered design. It actually looked quite artistic.

“Yanyue Security?” Xue Bao Tian twirled the pen in his hand into a neat flourish. “If you hadn’t told me, I would’ve thought your company was collaborating with Sanjin Tablets.”

The female receptionist pondered that for a moment, her face turning slightly red as she explained, “The logo comes from the initials of the company’s name.”

“I know.” Xue Bao Tian cut straight to the point. “Where are the bodyguards? Bring them all in so I can pick.”

He was used to picking hostesses in nightclubs, so he naturally assumed hiring bodyguards worked the same way.

The receptionist smiled professionally. “Mr. Xue, our company has a lot of business right now. There are only two bodyguards currently available.”

A bit disappointed, Xue Bao Tian reluctantly gestured for them to be brought in.

The phone lying on the solid wood desk vibrated. The receptionist said, “Excuse me,” unlocked the screen, glanced across it, then locked it again, looking even more apologetic.

“Mr. Xue, we just received word that those two available bodyguards have also been booked. We’re very sorry.”

Xue Bao Tian clicked his tongue, clearly displeased. “Don’t you people believe in first come, first served?”

The receptionist glanced at the employment contract he had spent over half an hour filling out, along with his crooked handwriting, and replied in a standard tone, “Perhaps their process was faster.”

Xue Bao Tian didn’t curse at women, so he swallowed the insult that rose to his lips.

Leaving empty-handed, he waited for the elevator. At the end of the corridor, a figure flashed past. Xue Bao Tian subconsciously narrowed his eyes—something about that silhouette felt familiar.

Who was that? He thought for a while. As the elevator numbers dropped from double digits to single digits, it suddenly clicked—the man was the one who had smashed a chair into the hotpot when he’d been cornered by Huang Zheng.

Someone that formidable, and he was also here to hire a bodyguard? Xue Bao Tian didn’t usually concern himself with other people’s business. The thought passed through his mind and was quickly dismissed.

Inside Yanyue Security’s office.

The man who had just walked through the corridor sat on a sofa with one leg crossed over the other, talking on the phone. “I’ve done what you asked—how are you going to thank me?” After hearing the reply, his expression turned serious. “Looks like he’s about to make a move. Call me anytime if you need help…”

After contacting several security companies in a row, all of them said the same thing—they were short on staff. Xue Bao Tian cursed inwardly and, in the end, could only find two bodyguards through a shady agency.

The more he looked at the two men, the more off they seemed—tasteless tattoos, exaggerated ferocity, slouched posture, and constantly shaking legs. They didn’t look like bodyguards at all, more like third-rate thugs.

Well, thugs were still fine. Xue Bao Tian wasn’t picky. In his mind, thugs and bodyguards were no different—both were vicious dogs you kept by your side. As long as you fed them bones, they’d bite whoever you pointed at.

But in just three days, Xue Bao Tian already had a headache. Whenever he got into verbal disputes, the two would immediately jump in physically—smashing stools, throwing bottles, turning minor arguments into serious feuds. Xue Bao Tian already had plenty of enemies, and thanks to them, he was quickly heading toward isolation.

That was still manageable—at least he hadn’t suffered losses. But tonight, when someone mocked their boss, the two started acting aggressively again. Unfortunately, the other party turned out to be tough and well-backed. The moment the opponent showed real menace, these two cowards backed down instantly—begging for mercy even faster than their own boss, nodding and bowing apologetically.

“The hell do I need you apologizing for me?!” Xue Bao Tian kicked one of them hard. Pulling his leg back, his narrow eyes suppressed anger and instead carried a smile as he addressed the tough opponent. “It was all a misunderstanding just now, brother. Let me apologize.”

After paying them, Xue Bao Tian dismissed the two. He wasn’t in a good mood. Driving around aimlessly, turning left and right, he only stopped when he hit a dead end. Looking around, he suddenly laughed.

His flashy sports car stood out starkly in a rundown old district. This place bordered the suburbs, with a mix of people, old apartment buildings and single-story houses interwoven together. The buildings were aged, the houses worn down. Tangled electrical wires hung under the eaves, and various TV receivers stood on rooftops. It was an area still awaiting official planning, commonly known as the city’s “band-aid.”

The night was deep, the streetlights dim, yet children were still playing under the faint light—flipping cards, playing marbles. Xue Bao Tian had played those games himself when he was young.

Pushing open the car door, the night breeze felt a little cold. He wrapped his coat tighter and went to the trunk to grab a bottle of alcohol.

Carrying the bottle, he walked over to the kids and nudged one of them with his foot. “Count me in.”

The child turned around and refused. “We don’t play with adults.”

Xue Bao Tian curled his lips. “With your lousy skills, when I was your age, I could’ve beaten you so badly you’d run home crying into your mom’s arms singing ‘Only Mom Is Good in the World.’”

Squatting down, he picked up a marble. “Watch closely—one shot, straight into the hole.”

Ten minutes later, Xue Bao Tian got beaten so badly he wanted to go home and find his mom.

Standing up, he brushed the dust off his coat. “Not playing anymore. What’s the point of being good at this? Can a marble flatten Taiwan? Go home and study!”

Carrying the alcohol, he crossed the street and ducked into a shabby little diner.

The place served conveyor-belt mini hotpot. A long oval table stretched all the way to the entrance. There were only two customers inside, stretching their necks to pick food from the conveyor belt.

Amid the rich, spicy aroma, Xue Bao Tian called out with a smile, “Aunt Ping.”

The woman, who had been tapping on a calculator at a small table, looked up. Seeing him, her eyes lit up with surprise. “Xiao Tian, you’re here.”

She was in her fifties, slightly plump, with a kind face. Pushing aside her account book, she warmly came over. “Why are you here so late? Haven’t eaten yet?”

“Haven’t eaten. I missed your hotpot.”

“You sweet-talker,” she laughed. “What’s there to miss about these vegetable skewers?”

“When I was young, I wanted to eat this but had no money. Every time, Aunt Ping and Uncle Cheng would treat me for free. Back then, I thought these vegetable skewers were the most delicious thing in the world. It’s still the same now—if I don’t eat them for a while, I start craving them.” Xue Bao Tian handed her the bottle of alcohol and looked around the small diner. “I brought a bottle for Uncle Cheng—where is he?”

“He went out to throw the trash and probably wandered off to chat at someone else’s place again. You know your uncle—thinks he understands everything, always giving advice to others every day, but he can’t even figure out his own life.” The woman gave him a light push. “Why do you always bring him alcohol? It’s so expensive, and he can’t even tell the difference.”

“Who says I can’t tell the difference? What Xiao Tian brings me is always good alcohol.”

The door curtain lifted, and a man in his fifties walked in. He had an honest face and sharp, lively eyes.

“Perfect timing, Xiao Tian. I haven’t eaten either—let’s have a drink together, just the two of us.”

“Alright.” Xue Bao Tian, unusually well-behaved, agreed with a smile. “I can’t hold my liquor well, Uncle Cheng—go easy on me.”

The soup base bubbled vigorously, steam rising and swirling, turning Xue Bao Tian’s pale skin slightly flushed.

A man who usually picked and complained even about delicacies now sat in a cramped little room, eating skewers that cost fifty cents each.

Though he spent his days in bars and nightclubs, he still couldn’t outdrink Old Cheng, who was already past fifty. With hot soup and water warming him, the alcohol quickly went to his head, and since this was the place where he felt most relaxed, the confusion in his heart slipped out before he realized it.

“Uncle Cheng, I have a… friend.”

Old Cheng smiled knowingly, a bit mischievous.

“Uncle Cheng, you may be old, but your heart isn’t—you know quite a few jokes.” Xue Bao Tian pulled out a cigarette, holding it between his teeth, speaking hesitantly. “It really is a friend. His… needs in that area are always unusually strong.”

Old Cheng’s surprised gaze traveled down from Xue Bao Tian’s face to below the table.

Xue Bao Tian clamped his legs together, took the cigarette out, embarrassed and annoyed. “It’s really not me—it’s a buddy.” He leaned over the table and asked in a low voice, “I want to work with him on something, but he’s always like a stud horse, affecting serious matters. I’m pretty troubled, Uncle Cheng. Is there any way to make him more restrained?”

Old Cheng took a sip of alcohol. “How old is he?”

“Young. Just over twenty, I think.”

“That’s normal. Young people who’ve just started experiencing things tend to have strong urges.” Old Cheng glanced at his wife and lowered his voice as well. “After a few years of marriage, it won’t feel fresh anymore—sometimes you’ll even want to avoid it.”

“So you mean…” Xue Bao Tian thought it over. “Let the novelty wear off?”

“Better to guide than to suppress. Let him find a partner—after a few days of fooling around, it won’t feel new anymore.”

“Oh.”

Xue Bao Tian drained the alcohol in his glass.

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