Chapter 357 - Forming the Shadow Guards
Whoever started it should end it. So if he wanted to save Nida, then he would have to look for Jiang Qinghan.
Although Nida tried to assassinate him twice, she was only being used. The mastermind, Master Qian, was arrested, and Su Tao no longer had any ill feelings for Nida after Bassoon helped him deal with Master Qian.
Thus, he gave a call to Jiang Qinghan. When the latter heard his intentions, she briefly hesitated and locked her brows together. "She is a dangerous person. Are you certain that you want to let her go?"
"Yeah, I have my reasons for letting her go." Su Tao knew that it wouldn't be easy for him to convince Jiang Qinghan. After all, the law was everything in her eyes, and anyone that violates the law had to be judged.
Since Nida has crossed her bottom line, then she had to be punished.
"I can't just let her go based on your words!" Jiang Qinghan knitted her brows and continued, "How about this, I'll try and talk to the special departments. If her case isn't connected to other cases, then there might be a chance to get her out."
Thus, they waited for half an hour, while Bassoon painfully buried his head while worrying about his sister's safety.
Humans weren't emotionless life forms like grass or trees.
The reason why Su Tao was willing to save Nida was due to the fact that their bond touched him.
Finally, Jiang Qinghan called back and sighed, "I've already cleared things up. Nida has no prior offense, and since you're dropping the charge as the victim, the other side has agreed to release her. How do you intend to arrange her? Send her back to Thailand?"
"I'll go pick her up!" Su Tao sighed as he continued, "A relative of hers is with me who wants to see her as soon as possible!"
"Alright, I'll come and pick you up in a bit!" Jiang Qinghan sighed. If she did not make an appearance, it wouldn't be easy for Su Tao to pick Nida up.
Otherwise, she would be sent back to Thailand according to the procedures.
After hanging up the phone, Su Tao was feeling expectant of seeing Jiang Qinghan. The last time they met was during the Chinese New Year, and he was wondering if his master has grown meatier.
Jiang Qinghan was excellent in every aspect except for the fact that she was too skinny. If she could grow a little more meat, her charm as a matured woman would grow stronger.
He and Bassoon came out from the side door due to the fans that clogged the main hall. After roughly ten-odd minutes of waiting, a jeep arrived and Jiang Qinghan leapt down from the driver's seat. She wore an ordinary black jacket, a beige sweater underneath, and blue jeans paired with a pair of red sport shoes. It was a style that made her look refreshing.
Looking at his master, Su Tao's heart uncontrollably throbbed and he tried to suppress the waves in his heart. He reminded himself that Jiang Qinghan was his master, and he couldn't have any profane thoughts for her.
When Bassoon saw Jiang Qinghan, he was also shocked by her charm.
"Get in. The journey will be slightly longer, and it will take about half an hour." Jiang Qinghan instructed as she opened the backseat door.
Bassoon went up while Su Tao opened the door to the front passenger seat with a smile. "I'll sit beside you so I can chat with you!"
With a smile, Jiang Qinghan did not say anything else but turned to enter the driver's seat. Sitting beside her, Su Tao pulled down the seat belt.
"Shasha has been constantly asking when you will be coming over!" Jiang Qinghan calmly said as she drove. "We all know about what you did in South Korea, and she's filled with admiration for you now."
"Her school has started, right? I'll find her tomorrow, then. She will be having her Senior High School Examination in the second half of the year, so she must be under great pressure!" The figure of Yan Sha appeared in Su Tao's mind. Although she has a similar appearance to Jiang Qinghan, their styles were different. Yan Sha was an overgrown kid, and she could be described as a Lolita. On the other hand, Jiang Qinghan was a domineering queen.
"Oh, right. Your martial arts hasn't dropped with how busy you are, right?" Jiang Qinghan suddenly asked with a stern tone.
"Why would it? I've been training daily, and I kept the teachings by my ears daily." Su Tao chuckled.
"Train for a day, and that's one day of work. Not training for a day is equivalent to ten days of slacking!" Jiang Qinghan recalled the words of her father when she was young and taught it to Su Tao. "I'll give you another month, then I will personally test you. If you're not up to my standards, then you will be punished."
After a brief stun, Su Tao realised that Jiang Qinghan has entered into the tempo of a master. Hence, he could only give her a promise of assurance, "Please, don't worry about it. I will definitely pay attention to my training, and I will not let you down."
With a complicated sigh, Jiang Qinghan's gaze flickered with a deep luster. "It's mainly not to disappoint the hope that Yan Sha's grandfather has for you!"
Hearing those words, Su Tao's face turned solemn as he nodded his head.
Things went according to what they've planned. The jeep arrived at the prison half an hour later. This was a prison that kept many special prisoners.
Jiang Qinghan was familiar with the personnel here, since she had personally sent over many prisoners from the various big cases she handled in the past.
After some paperwork, the three of them finally saw Nida. Although she seemed to have lost weight, her eyes were still flickering with splendor. Evidently, she was used to her life in prison.
"Nida!" Bassoon yelled with his eyes brimming with tears.
Nida reacted a while later. She never expected that Bassoon would come over from Thailand, not to mention that he even came with her enemy.
"Big Brother!" Nida called back with a smile and she spread her arms apart to hug Bassoon.
Through their brief conversation, Nida knew that her imprisonment has come to an end. When she learned that Master Qian had been arrested, and Su Tao had a method to resolve the latter's black magic, her eyes beamed. Looking at Su Tao, her eyes no longer held any vigilance against the latter.
But when she looked at Jiang Qinghan, she still couldn't help feeling a little timid. After all, Jiang Qinghan's interrogation method was deeply engraved in her heart.
"So, how are you planning to deal with this pair of siblings?" Jiang Qinghan asked curiously.
"They definitely cannot return to Thailand! There are still those loyal to Master Qian in Thailand, and they will surely suffer vengeance if they return." Su Tao already had his plan and continued, "I will get their residence permit done for them to work in the Three Flavour Hall. The Three Flavour Hall is still under the development phase, and we are lacking in manpower. As long as they're willing to take the job, I will give them a salary."
As Jiang Qinghan's face underwent significant changes, she sighed, "I never expected that you would be such a bold one!"
However, Su Tao did not tell Jiang Qinghan his real intention. He might have a heart of benevolence, but he's definitely not a foolishly good person. His intention was placed on those people that were loyal to Master Qian. With the latter under arrest, those subordinates would not be able to receive the antidote, and they would be facing the danger of death.
So he intended to make use of Bassoon to create a group of elites that were loyal to him.
If one has light in his heart, he wouldn't fear any darkness.
Su Tao has always been someone with a clear objective, and he knew what he wanted, which was why he had to strengthen himself.
Bassoon and Nida were two sparks, and they're not the same as Liu Jianwei and Xia Yu. He intended to have this pair of siblings work in the shadows as his hidden force for extraordinary times.
"Remember to come home and have a meal tomorrow!" Jiang Qinghan reminded when she dropped them off at the Three Flavour Hall before she drove off.
Under the shine of the light, her face was delicate yet domineering. She was akin to a star that descended from the sky.
"Alright, I'll cook tomorrow, and I'll bring the ingredients with me!" Su Tao smiled as he hollered back.
"Then, I'll be waiting for you!" Jiang Qinghan's voice faintly resounded as she continued, "The old man likes to eat your herbal chicken!"
After he watched the jeep leave, Su Tao sighed before letting out a smile and turned to Bassoon and Nida. "I welcome you both as members of the Three Flavour Hall. We are not master and servant, but siblings. If, one day, you guys feel that you aren't used to this place, you can leave freely as you want."
Both Bassoon and Nida kneeled and gave two kowtows in the direction of Su Tao. "Master Su, my sister and I will be your loyal slave from today onwards, and we solemnly swear that we will be sent to the eighteenth level of hell and reincarnate as beasts if we betray you!"
In Bassoon's view, Su Tao was akin to their second parent. Without him, he and his sister would still be living under Master Qian's abuse!
Su Tao immediately got down and supported Bassoon with a smile. "What I told you is the truth. The two of you are free, and you guys can leave anytime you want. No swear is needed, and if there's a need, I will help you."
Standing up, Bassoon looked at Su Tao with a complicated gaze. "Master Su, I would like to ask you for your help!"
Returning with a smile, Su Tao responded, "Alright. Tell me if there's any way I can help you!"
"I have a group of comrades back in Thailand, and they're like us, living under Master Qian's shadow. Since you can resolve the poison, I would like to ask you to free them from their pain." Bassoon earnestly begged.
"Sure, I can help you! But I have to be the one to resolve Master Qian's black magic poison, relying on medication can only delay the time of relapse." After a brief pondering, Su Tao added, "I will give you enough medicine to deal with the poison for the time being, and help you return to Thailand. If they're willing to come to China, I promise you that I will treat them."
Bassoon became emotional as he uttered, "You're practically a living Buddha!"
Even Nida's eyes were brimming with tears. She felt guilty for her mistake in the past. How could she attempt to assassinate someone so benevolent?
"We will become your loyal guards!" Bassoon solemnly declared as he continued, "Because you saved us!"
Su Tao was good at understanding others, and at the same time, he can also read the heart of others. He knew that Bassoon was speaking from the bottom of his heart. Because they have been living under the conviction of religion, their thoughts were simple. So the moment they decided to swear their loyalty, it would turn into faith, and they wouldn't go against it unless they died.
Naturally, there were exceptions, like how Master Qian used black magic to control their thoughts and actions. That sort of loyalty wouldn't last long.
Everything went as he had planned, with both Bassoon and Nida willing to be loyal to him.
Although he had the intention to make use of the two of them, he had also solemnly sworn in his heart that he would create an extraordinary life for them.