Chapter 56: Africa Warning
When Qian Wenhuan found out that Chen Chen was looking for him, he was overjoyed.
After all, he was the only person in Preston... No, the only person in the entire Blackwatch company who was of the same nationality as the boss.
The boss was looking for someone to confide in...
Qian Wenhuan had a good feeling about this. While he was on the way there, he was in such great spirits that he felt like his body was floating.
Even though he was off the clock, he did not feel like his time off was being occupied. He immediately drove to the meeting destination without even having time for lunch.
Chen Chen had invited Qian Wenhuan to a place called Franklin Shooting Club.
He was a bit perplexed as to why Chen Chen chose such a spot for their meeting. Then again, considering the firearms restriction in Mainland China, it made sense to want to enjoy some shooting action here in Switzerland.
Besides, men were born with a knack for shooting.
Qian Wenhuan had a firearm permit as well. He paid three hundred Swiss francs at the entrance and headed into the underground shooting club.
Between the flashing lights, skimpily dressed stripper, and the rowdy, alcohol-fueled guests, the main hall of the club might as well be a club.
All of the wildest pleasures in life could be found here.
The moment Qian Wenhuan walked in, he spotted Chen Chen sitting in the corner.
There was a saying that it was the quiet man on a stage full of dancers who tend to draw more attention.
Qian Wenhuan was not sure if that was why he was able to immediately spot Chen Chen. One thing he knew for sure was that Chen Chen was radiating a unique sort of aura amid the sea of the drunken crowd.
“Boss...”
Qian Wenhuan silently approached Chen Chen.
At the moment, Chen Chen was sitting in an una.s.suming corner in the main hall with a wine gla.s.s in hand. He silently observed everything before him.
In that instant, it was as if the world was split into two halves.
One half of it was full of alcohol, pa.s.sion, and l.u.s.tful desires. The other half was like a motionless pool of water, so depthless that there were no ripples to be seen...
“Boss, do you not like the atmosphere here?”
Qian Wenhuan asked a question in an attempt to break the ice.
“No, I’m just observing their lives.”
Chen Chen answered plainly.
Qian Wenhuan was slightly taken aback. He held his breath when he accidentally caught Chen Chen’s gaze.
In that instant, he suddenly had a strange sort of impression. He saw the young man before him who was no older than twenty years old stood atop the hall, looking beneath him.
No, he was not looking down at the hall.
It was the presence of a holy deity sitting atop, looking down at the world, and the mortal beings in it...
Qian Wenhuan felt the back of his shirt drenched in sweat. He felt as if he had been stripped naked, left vulnerable before the other person. He felt as if none of his thoughts belonged to him.
When Qian Wenhuan glanced at him again, he noticed Chen Chen’s eyes had returned to its usual l.u.s.ter.
They were still as depthless as they had ever been, but they did not terrify him the way they did before.
Was it all just a false impression or did he take a glance at the true nature of the young man?
Qian Wenhuan let his thoughts run amok, his mind was a mess. Without even realizing it, he had arrived at the underground shooting range with Chen Chen.
“Can you shoot?”
Chen Chen picked up a Glock 17 at the counter before turning his head and asked.
“Yes.” Qian Wenhuan hastily picked up a firearm he was familiar with, a Beretta M9. After the two bought enough ammunition, they rented a private training room.
“Qian Wenhuan, why did you come to Switzerland?”
Chen Chen suddenly asked when he stood on the platform.
“Uh...”
Qian Wenhuan’s first instinct was to tell him it had something to do with his dreams and whatnot. He changed his mind and just went with the truth when he thought of the pair of all-seeing eyes. “Because of the high wages.”
“High wages but the expenses are equally high.”
Chen Chen tried to lift his gun. He aligned his eyes with the sight and aimed at a faraway target.
When Qian Wenhuan saw Chen Chen’s posture, he realized that this was Chen Chen’s first time holding a gun.
“I’ve got no other choice. I just try to live frugally if the expenses are too high. I still manage to bring some home at the end of each month.”
Qian Wenhuan rubbed his head before giving a gentle reminder. “Also, Boss, if you’re holding the gun with two hands, you need to lean your upper body forward. Your left hand should be gripping the knuckles of your right hand...”
Chen Chen a.s.sumed the position which Qian Wenhuan had advised. He pulled the trigger.
“Bang!”
A dull ringing of a gunshot sounded. Thirty meters out, a black spot appeared in the center of the target.
“Nice!”
Qian Wenhuan exclaimed, “It’s not very often that you get to see such a perfect shot!”
“Would you like to make some quick money then?” Chen Chen made no response to Qian Wenhuan’s statement but instead followed with a question.
Qian Wenhuan was a bit surprised initially, then he nodded his head shyly. “Sure...”
“Bang!”
Chen Chen fired another shot and asked, “What’s your current salary?”
“Twenty thousand Swiss francs,” Qian Wenhuan quickly answered before adding, “Before taxes.”
“I can double that,” Chen Chen answered back, “But you’ll have to leave Switzerland. It won’t be easy, maybe even a bit dangerous.”
Qian Wenhuan fell silent.
What puzzled Qian Wenhuan was the fact that despite the constant gunshots, there only remained a single bullet hole in the target faraway.
Were all the other shots off target?
To avoid an awkward situation, he quickly retracted his gaze and pretended not to notice.
“Right, Boss.”
Qian Wenhuan thought for a moment before asking, “Boss, would you mind telling me what the job is so I can give it some consideration?”
“Sure. It’s not a tough job actually. It’s a good fit for someone of your personality.”
Chen Chen reloaded the gun and aimed at the faraway target again. This time, his aiming motion was far more practiced.
“I want you to go to Namibia and stand on the frontlines for me.”
“Na, Namibia...”
Qian Wenhuan turned pale. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s in the African region...”
“That’s right, just like Europe, Africa is a ‘sub-federation’ governmental body. Unlike Mainland China or North America which are both ruled under their respective united government.”
Chen Chen resumed firing and continued after finishing the barrel. “I want to invest in a nuclear power plant there. If you’re willing to go, then you’ll be made a part of the company’s African branch.”
“Boss, I need to think about this...”
Qian Wenhuan’s breathing seemed to have become heavier. He swallowed a large gulp to try to suppress his astonishment.
A nuclear power plant. The significance of this was immeasurable. If he could grab hold of this opportunity...
“No problem.”
Chen Chen put down the gun. The target thirty meters away began wheeling toward them automatically.
Qian Wenhuan was stunned when he saw the approaching target.
Without his knowing, the small hole on the target left behind by the first shot had doubled in size.
Could this mean...
Qian Wenhuan looked at the Glock in Chen Chen’s hand, then back at the target again. He was dumbfounded.