Future Masters in Modern Times

Chapter 21: The Tiger Emerges from the Mountains

Volume 2: The Siberian Training Camp The turmoil in the prison had finally subsided, but the matter was far from over. A tidal wave of soldiers surged into Lobestan Prison, surrounding it so tightly that not a single person could slip through. After all, this incident had become a major event that shocked the world. As for the prisoners’ future, one could only imagine how agonizing their days would be. However, none of this had anything to do with Zhao Wuji. Strictly speaking, as of that day, he was no longer a member of Lobestan Prison. Under the arrangements of the Adelaide siblings, he was already prepared to head to the Siberian Training Camp. Zhao Wuji had also reflected on his future goals—what he hoped to achieve in this era. The glory of his past life had sealed his extraordinary destiny, and in this life, he decided to fully enjoy life. Of course, the prerequisite for enjoying life was possessing sufficient strength; as for exactly what he would do, he would simply let things take their natural course. Early the next morning, a tense atmosphere pervaded Lobestan Prison, and a cold front from the north made the prison feel even more bitterly cold. Inside, military personnel—several times the usual number—patrolled the facility incessantly. Fully armed and hailing from all corners of the globe, they were the cream of the crop within the military. Now, they had all been deployed to Lobestan Prison, their eyes brimming with vigilance. The prison’s long-standing outdoor recreation time had been canceled, and all the inmates were confined to their cells. And on this very day, Zhao Wuji was set to leave Lobestan Prison. Outside Dolan’s quarters, a group of people stood in the biting cold wind. Before them, Dolan stood with several prison guards, looking somewhat uneasy. Dolan glanced at Adelaide, as if he wanted to say something but held back. Adelaide completely ignored his gaze; only Amanda, the housekeeper, stepped forward, patted Dolan on the shoulder, and said, “You should count yourself lucky, my friend. Thankfully, nothing happened to my young master. If anything had happened to him, I don’t think anyone could have withstood the wrath of the Du Pont family.” Dolan’s expression grew somber as he replied, “I understand. I suppose my transfer orders will be coming soon.” After such a major incident, Dolan clearly couldn’t expect to keep his job as warden. Fortunately, Amanda had kept her promise—she hadn’t skimped on any of the benefits she’d promised him. He was sure he’d be able to live quite well wherever he ended up. As he thought this, Dolan’s mood improved somewhat. “All right, let’s get out of here!” Adelaide urged, her gaze falling on Zhao Wuji standing nearby. Today, Zhao Wuji was wearing a form-fitting combat uniform that made his physique look even more imposing. And so, the group left Lobestan Prison. The moment they stepped through the prison gates, Zhao Wuji glanced back at the prison behind him. Within those towering walls, who knew how many prisoners yearning for freedom were locked away? And today, he had finally left this place. From now on, the sky was wide open for birds to fly, and the sea vast for fish to leap! Outside the prison, several armed helicopters were parked, including, of course, Colonel Maxdi’s own. As Adelaide and her party gradually approached, the doors of the armed helicopters suddenly swung open. Dozens of heavily armed soldiers stepped out and landed on the hard ground, with Colonel Maxdi leading the way. “Young Master Adelaide, Miss Catherine!” Colonel Maxdi stepped forward and called out, sounding somewhat anxious. He hadn’t expected so many incidents to occur this time when the Du Pont heir arrived at Lobestan Prison, but while still inside the helicopter, the sound of explosions had made him realize something was seriously wrong. He immediately contacted his country’s special forces to come to the scene—and he didn’t think this was overreacting in the slightest. As if that were an exaggeration! If something were to happen to the Du Pont heir, it would be a major crisis—no amount of mobilization would be excessive. However, when the special forces arrived, they simply couldn’t get in—not even they could. Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm. After the incident, none of the people who had rushed to the scene left; they all anxiously waited for Adelaide and the others to emerge unscathed. When they finally emerged, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Colonel Maxdi suddenly noticed a new face among Adelaide and the others—an Asian man with ordinary features but a rather attractive build. Could this be the target of the Du Pont family’s inheritance scheme? But he looked so ordinary. Colonel Maxdi was somewhat baffled. “Colonel Maxdi, thank you so much for your hard work. We’re truly sorry to have kept you waiting here for us!” Housekeeper Amanda said with a smile. But Colonel Maxdi dared not overplay his hand at this moment. It was one thing for them to thank him, but he was well aware of the proper demeanor he should maintain. “Not at all, not at all,” Colonel Maxdi said, his expression clouded with guilt. “Thank goodness nothing happened to the young master and young lady this time; otherwise, we really wouldn’t have known how to face you.” After saying this, Colonel Maxdi stole a glance at Adelaide’s expression. Her expression was calm and unreadable. That was fine; Colonel Maxdi didn’t have any particular expectations—he certainly wasn’t expecting the young master to express overwhelming gratitude toward him. Two Special Forces soldiers opened the doors of the armed helicopter. Just then, Zhao Wuji beat them to it and stepped toward the helicopter, taking a step forward as if to board. The two special forces soldiers’ expressions turned cold as they raised their arms to block him. In their eyes, Zhao Wuji was nothing more than a bodyguard—and an unqualified one at that. As a bodyguard, how could he board the helicopter before his employer had entered? Many people witnessed this scene. A barely perceptible smile flickered across Adelaide’s lips, its meaning unclear. Colonel Maxdi, on the other hand, wore an expression as if he were waiting for the show to begin. He was eager to see just what this man from Asia had that was worth the Du Pont heir making such a big fuss over. Facing the stares of so many people, Zhao Wuji remained unflappable. No matter the circumstances, he would never allow himself to be looked down upon. He had his own sense of pride—or perhaps, having grown up in a slum in his previous life, he carried a deep-seated sensitivity in his very bones, and the actions of these two soldiers had struck a nerve. Casting a cold glance at the two soldiers blocking his path, Zhao Wuji said in an utterly calm tone, “Move aside!” “WHY?” The two soldiers were taken aback—how could this bodyguard be so inconsiderate? Their expressions grew even colder, and they’d already made up their minds: if Zhao Wuji continued like this, they wouldn’t be so polite anymore. Without another word, Zhao Wuji casually bumped into the two soldiers with his shoulder—and then something utterly astonishing happened. As if they were weightless, the two soldiers were flung several meters away, tumbling off the helicopter and landing face-down on the ground, unable to get up immediately. “How is that possible!” Colonel Maxdi nearly shouted. Those two soldiers were from his country’s most elite unit—the Cheetah Strike Team. Under normal circumstances, they could take on nearly ten ordinary people, yet just moments ago, they’d been so effortlessly hurled that far by this unassuming-looking Asian man—and the crucial point was that he hadn’t even exerted much force. A look of apprehension instantly flashed across Colonel Maxdi’s eyes. This man was dangerous—not someone to be messed with! And just like that, Colonel Maxdi had made up his mind about Zhao Wuji. A burst of laughter suddenly rang out—it was Adelaide. Just moments ago, her expression had been as calm as a still lake, yet now she was actually laughing. “Colonel Maxdi, he’s not some bodyguard. In fact, we owe him a debt of gratitude for helping us out in prison,” Adelaide explained with a smile. “Exactly,” Catherine chimed in. “Zhao Wuji isn’t just a bodyguard—he saved our lives.” Colonel Maxdi’s expression grew somber; he hadn’t expected Zhao Wuji to have this kind of connection to the two Du Pont heirs. At that moment, the two soldiers on the ground struggled to their feet. They didn’t utter a single sound, and their gazes toward Zhao Wuji were filled with admiration. Just moments ago, a single gesture by Zhao Wuji—which had seemed like a mere tax collection to the others—had struck them as if they’d been hit by a speeding car. This man’s strength was simply astonishing. That was just how they were: though they might appear strong in the presence of the weak, the moment they encountered a true powerhouse, they would readily show admiration. That is the true nature of a soldier. Zhao Wuji stepped onto the armed helicopter and entered the cabin. The others followed in single file. After what had just happened, no one dared to underestimate or look down on Zhao Wuji anymore. As soon as Catherine entered the airport, she sat down next to Zhao Wuji, her beautiful eyes fixed on him, unable to look away. This man was so captivating, and the air of mystery surrounding him deeply drew Catherine in. Many people silently thought to themselves, “It looks like Miss Catherine has set her sights on Zhao Wuji.” The helicopter’s rotors began to spin, and the engine roared to life. A cloud of gray dust swirled up from the ground as the helicopter slowly lifted off, leaving Lobestan Prison behind. Everything on the ground began to grow smaller and smaller, gradually fading from view. Zhao Wuji closed his eyes to rest, but he sensed a gaze that kept lingering on him. He opened his eyes and saw that it was Miss Catherine. Zhao Wuji had a favorable impression of her; he could even sense something unusual in her gaze. In fact, Zhao Wuji was quite romantic by nature. He’d had his share of women in his past life, though the only one who truly held a special place in his heart was Yushi. This life, however, was a fresh start—everything from his past life had vanished into thin air. Since he’d decided to fully enjoy life in this new incarnation, that meant he wouldn’t be too resistant to women who took a liking to him. With that in mind, he met her gaze with a smile. Taken by surprise, Catherine blushed—a rare occurrence for her—and turned her face away, looking somewhat shy.