Chapter 2: Guard

Tang Xin arrived at the designated location and didn’t see her cheap father; only the butler was present.

The butler slightly bent his knees and smiled kindly. “Miss Eight, allow me to introduce the process of collecting your belongings. Before you leave home, you can collect goods from the warehouse with a total value not exceeding fifty thousand credit points. The goods are priced at market value, and you have the freedom to choose what you want. Additionally, you can select a subordinate trained by the Tang family as your guard, sign a contract, and leave with them.”

Tang Xin found the freedom quite appealing. She thought for a moment and asked, “Where will I be sent? What will I be doing there?”

A hint of curiosity flashed in the butler’s eyes. He had served the Tang family for over thirty years and had received many people, but very few had asked such questions before making their selections.

Most people eagerly rushed to the warehouse, spending their credit points on items they fancied without much consideration. They chose based on personal preferences without thinking too comprehensively. When they left the Tang family and found themselves in a difficult situation, many regretted their choices and the waste of credit points on useless items.

He once encountered an individual who went to the extreme, spending all their credit points on antique vases, luxurious items like golden-threaded chairs, and the like. Upon reaching a store, they found it completely empty, without even food, leaving them dumbfounded. To expedite the process, they had to sell the luxury items at a low price, resulting in a two-thirds reduction of their resources after buying and selling.

A small fraction of people first inquired about the situation, forming a rough plan in their minds. They selected resources according to their plans, creating a systematic approach.

It’s worth noting that those who paid such attention to detail typically did well for themselves.

The butler’s demeanor became even more respectful as he said, “The Tang family has holdings on many planets, and you can choose any of them to go to. You will be given a shop on that planet, and as for how to run the shop and what kind of business to engage in, it’s entirely up to you.”

Tang Xin immediately decided, “Take me to the warehouse.”

Tang Xin followed the butler and watched as he handed a waistplate to the guard, who checked it and allowed her entry.

As she entered the warehouse, Tang Xin couldn’t help but be amazed. The warehouse was extremely large, with no end in sight. The items were neatly organized by category and neatly arranged on shelves, with a dedicated manager for each area.

Tang Xin ignored everything else and went straight to the herb section. When she saw the familiar herbs, she breathed a sigh of relief—they looked exactly like the medicinal herbs from her world, even though they had different names.

To further confirm, she picked up a white jasmine plant and deliberately asked the middle-aged man in charge, “This flower is beautiful. What is it used for?”

Herbs were different; only those with some knowledge of medicinal herbs could work there.

The middle-aged man cheerfully replied, “Miss Eight, this is no ordinary flower; it’s a medicinal herb. Its roots and rhizomes can not only clear heat and reduce swelling but also treat boils, carbuncles, and snakebite poisoning caused by excessive heat in the blood. It’s the most common detoxifying agent.”

Tang Xin finally relaxed; the herbs’ effects were identical to her memory. Although she had a medical background and could easily relearn, using the knowledge in her mind was the best way.

Tang Xin continued to select a few medicinal herbs and inquire about their effects. After leisurely touring the entire warehouse for a while, she lamented to the butler, “There are so many good things here, but it’s a shame I can’t take them all.”

The butler wiped the sweat from his face. He had encountered selective people, but he had never met anyone who had spent two hours walking through the warehouse without selecting anything. He couldn’t help but wonder if the young lady had quietly memorized what was in the warehouse and how much of it there was.

On the surface, the butler respectfully said, “Miss Eight, the guards are waiting in the training arena. How about we go and choose a guard first? You can take your time with the selection.”

“Okay, lead the way,” Tang Xin agreed readily, giving her more time to consider.

In the training arena, three men and two women were standing under the sun, waiting silently.

One of them said, “Waiting for two hours like this seems like a show of authority for the future guard.”

Another person beside them added, “This new owner probably won’t be easy to serve. I wonder which unlucky soul will be chosen.”

“Among the four of us, let’s see who’s in for some bad luck. It’s not like Yan Hao, who’s already been preselected; he just came along to make up the numbers,” the woman mentioned with envy in her tone.

“What’s there to be afraid of?” The last person seemed particularly carefree. “There’s a three out of four chance of not getting chosen!”

The four of them chatted merrily.

Suddenly, a deep voice spoke, “Guard Rule Number Seven: Do not discuss the owner without reason.”

The others fell silent and stood at attention.

Someone silently grumbled in their mind, “What’s so special about being handsome? Always having that stern face, not even fearing frostbite for the owner.”

In no time, Tang Xin arrived at the training arena with the butler, and she curiously examined the five individuals.

The butler was about to start a brief introduction when Tang Xin waved her hand, saying, “No need, I’ll ask on my own.”

She strolled slowly to the far left, where the first person was a burly man who gave off a strong sense of security.

Tang Xin asked, “Genes? Rank?”

The burly man said gruffly, “B-level, fourth rank.”

The second person was a well-mannered young man who greeted her with a friendly smile and said, “Hello, Miss Eight.”

Tang Xin asked the same question: “Genes? Rank?”

“Genes: C-level, and I’m a third-rank martial artist,” he replied.

As she approached the third person, Tang Xin couldn’t help but hesitate…

Tang Xin was momentarily distracted. She herself was quite beautiful and was used to looking in the mirror, so she had a certain immunity to the labels of “handsome” or “beautiful” used by others. However, the man before her, in his mid-twenties, with a cold expression, still left her in awe with his looks. Upon closer examination, she noticed his tall stature and slender legs.

Before she could ask, a deep voice rang out, “B-level, fourth rank.”

Tang Xin was about to move on to the next person when her nose twitched, catching a faint, elusive fragrance. She suddenly grabbed the man’s wrist, placed his hand near her nose, and sniffed carefully.

If she wasn’t mistaken, this scent was…

Others discreetly glanced sideways, surprised by her actions.

The man with the icy demeanor remained unchanged, only furrowing his brows slightly.

Fortunately, Tang Xin sniffed and quickly released his wrist, then proceeded to the fourth person.

This was an elegant and charismatic woman who proudly stated, “C-level, fourth rank.”

Tang Xin didn’t say much and went on to the fifth person.

The young girl with a baby face smiled innocently. “Genes: C-level, third-rank martial artist. But I know a bit of medicine.”

After completing the round, Tang Xin fell into deep thought.

It has to be said that the people nurtured by the Tang family each have their own unique qualities. The burly man and the icy-faced man have good strength, clearly showing potential. The elegant woman, although her genetic level is lower, has a higher rank, indicating her hard work. The well-mannered young man and the young girl with a baby face are not as strong, but the former is approachable and could be good for business, while the latter has medical skills that can be useful in emergencies.

Tang Xin couldn’t help but marvel at the wealth of talent in the Tang family. Prosperity is not without reason. All five of these guards are capable, but their utility varies.

“Once I make my choice, you’ll inform him, right?” Tang Xin asked the butler for confirmation.

The butler nodded and said, “Yes.”

“Good, then I want him,” Tang Xin said decisively with her right hand.

The butler followed her gaze and couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. Out of these five people, why did she choose this one?

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you say anyone would do?” Tang Xin asked casually.

The butler cleared his throat and said, “Miss Eight, you might not be aware, but Yan Hao has already been preselected.” While speaking, the butler couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “This generation of Tang family descendants seems to be choosing guards based on looks. Whoever is good-looking gets picked.”

“Preselected?” Tang Xin searched her memories thoroughly, confirmed them, and then smiled. “Does my father know about this? Do the other senior family members know? I’ve never heard that guards can be preselected.”

The butler leaned in and whispered, “It’s the decision of Young Master Ten.”

Young Master Ten?

“Ten, Tang Ningyi?” Tang Xin recalled that Tang Ningyi, with A-level genes, a fourth-rank martial artist, eighteen years old, was considered the most talented among the younger generation of the Tang family. In secret, people said that the position of future family head was undoubtedly his.

The butler nodded. “Young Master Ten can only choose a personal guard two years from now. He was afraid Yan Hao might be selected by someone else, so he instructed me in advance. If someone takes an interest in Yan Hao, he hopes you’ll consider it a favor, given his status.”

Do a favor for him? That’s quite audacious.

“Since it’s not a strict family rule,” Tang Xin turned to the icy-faced man and said, “Yan Hao, right? It’s you.”

The other people had peculiar expressions. Knowing that Young Master Ten had already been preselected, Miss Eight didn’t change her choice. Miss Eight was quite bold.

Especially the young girl with the baby face; she had initially publicly stated that Yan Hao was the only one who couldn’t possibly be chosen. Now she had to face the embarrassment, as Yan Hao was indeed her choice.

The butler appeared somewhat flustered. “Miss Eight? Um, this might not be the best idea.” He tried to explain the pros and cons to her, wondering why she was so insistent on selecting Yan Hao.

Tang Xin chuckled lightly. “The butler’s analysis is quite sound. But from my perspective, it sounds like the butler is suggesting that if I have the confidence to withstand the retaliation of Young Master Ten, I can take him away.”

The butler forced a bitter smile. “Miss Eight, why would you want to be at odds with Young Master Ten? In the future…” Young Master Ten had A-level genes! In several generations of the Tang family, there was only one A-level. Previous A-level individuals had all risen to power, surpassing everyone else, to take over the Tang family.

Tang Xin raised an eyebrow, her reply laden with meaning: “Currently, my father is the head of the Tang family. The butler seems to be quite eager to show loyalty to Young Master Ten. Young Master Ten may have great talent, but his overbearing nature is causing a rift. Continuously playing this game may incur the wrath of the heavens and the people.”

The butler’s heart raced uncontrollably. Showing loyalty to Young Master Ten was a grave accusation. When the family head was in a good mood, he might brush it off with a smile. However, if he heard this rumor in a bad mood… the butler probably wouldn’t live to see Young Master Ten become the family head.

The butler had to relent, carefully offering a conciliatory smile. “Miss Eight, I spoke out of turn. It’s your right to choose whomever you wish. I’ll convey Young Master Ten’s words, but the final decision is yours.”

“I appreciate the butler’s good intentions,” Tang Xin replied with a smirk. “After hearing the butler’s words, I thought that the one with the best genes and the highest rank would automatically become the next family head. I’ve always believed that if that were the case, why would a group of people even need to go out? You could stay at home, get your genes tested, measure your rank, and easily select the family head. It’s so simple and convenient. Don’t you think, butler?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” the butler hastily agreed. “Miss Eight, your insights are exceptional, and you have your own ideas. There’s no need for me to analyze things. I overstepped.”

The butler wiped his brow, sweating profusely. “I will now arrange the contract for you and Yan Hao.”

Yan Hao’s icy expression remained unchanged, but he quietly clenched his right hand.