Chapter 10: Ten Shadow

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On the highway, the RV rushed southwest, and the high-quality stereo played the live concert album of "Zuolin and Li."

Yun Qianfeng occasionally sang along with some Cantonese lyrics that had nothing to do with attracting the attention of the girls behind him. It wasn't to impress them, as his singing could only drive people away, but mainly because he was too tired and exhausted.

After the initial excitement of driving the RV wore off, Yun Qianfeng noticed that the vehicle had many flaws. In short, the experience of driving it was genuinely exhausting. The off-road capability of the car was strong, but that meant it couldn't reach high speeds and remained wobbling around eighty.

Jiang Roujia lay on the bed in the back, her eyes looking out through a small opening.

"What are you looking at? Get some rest. Don't end up shouting yourself awake when it's your turn to drive."

When Yun Qianfeng called out to her, Jiang Roujia turned around and walked over, sitting in the co-pilot seat with a hesitant expression.

"What do you want to say? Don't hold back. Going on a long trip can easily make one irritable, and you don't need to be constipated."

Now that they were quite familiar with each other, they could exchange some casual jokes. After all, they had already experienced sharing the same bed and pillow, which was a test in itself.

"You're the one who's constipated."

Jiang Roujia wrinkled her nose in response, then lowered her voice and said mysteriously, "Yun Qianfeng, there's a black sedan following us all the way. When we entered the first service area, it followed us, and it did the same at the second service area. It's still tailing us now. When we accelerate, it accelerates too. Could there be some conspiracy?"

Yun Qianfeng glanced at the rearview mirror and saw an ordinary black Magotan, a common sight on the roads. He couldn't help but sneer, "You're being too nervous. If someone wanted to stop us from finding your brother, we wouldn't even be able to leave the city. Don't overthink it. Many cars on this route are probably just coincidentally going in the same direction as us. If you pay attention, you'll notice plenty of cars have been following us."

Not convinced, Jiang Roujia retorted, "Women's sixth sense is usually accurate. I think that car is indeed following us."

Yun Qianfeng chuckled at her uneasy appearance and said, "It's simple; let's try and find out."

Jiang Roujia became curious and asked, "How do we do that?"

Yun Qianfeng pointed to the road sign ahead and explained, "We just left the previous service area, and logically we shouldn't enter another one so soon. Now we'll immediately head to the next service area. If that car is still following us, then there might be something fishy. But if it's not, then your sixth sense is off this time."

"But here's the deal, if the car doesn't follow us, you'll take over driving for another four hours, and during our next stop at the service area, you have to give me a fifteen-minute shoulder massage. This driving is too exhausting."

Jiang Roujia nodded and said, "Deal. But what if the car is still following us?"4

Yun Qianfeng quickly responded, "If it's still following us, you don't need to drive for the next seven hours, and I'll give you a fifteen-minute shoulder massage."3

After they made the agreement, Yun Qianfeng gradually slowed down and drove into the service area.2

Once the RV was parked in its spot, Yun Qianfeng glanced at the rearview mirror and didn't see the car following them. He called out triumphantly, "Is it still following us? No way, right? Haha!" 

Jiang Roujia, like a curious mouse, was leaning by the window, but upon hearing Yun Qianfeng's laughter, she pouted and said, "I didn't see that car. Could it be that it's not really following us?"

Yun Qianfeng patted the steering wheel and laughed, "Alright, enough of that. Take over the driving now."

Saying that, he confidently left the driver's seat, making a gesture of invitation.

Jiang Roujia was willing to admit defeat gracefully, so she swiftly moved to the driver's seat. 

"I'll drive, I'll drive. It's not a big deal. You're just showing off."

Yun Qianfeng laughed heartily, stretched lazily, and was about to go to the back to rest on the bed.

However, happiness quickly turned into sorrow. His laughter hadn't subsided yet when Jiang Roujia suddenly bounced up from the driver's seat and pointed to the window, whispering, "It's still following us! Look, that car! Yun Qianfeng, I'm telling you, it's definitely following us. See how it's deliberately hiding behind that truck? That's why we didn't see it before."

Upon hearing this, Yun Qianfeng's laughter came to a halt, and his expression turned grim.

He knew very well that if what Jiang Roujia said was true, then that car was probably up to something.

"Lock the car doors from the inside, I'll go check it out."

He stepped toward the car door, feeling that things had been too strange lately, and he didn't know what the person following them was up to or if there was any danger involved.

Thinking about it, Yun Qianfeng turned back and tucked the dog-leg knife he prepared for the jungle trip inside his clothes, covering it up. However, as he hesitated, before he could get out of the car, the driver of the black sedan, who had been following them all along, got out of his car and walked over.

The driver had a rugged beard, wore black sunglasses, and had a thick gold chain around his neck. He held a large bead bracelet in his hand, and he was dressed in a black suit. He didn't look like a good person at all.1

Now Yun Qianfeng was truly at a loss. He looked at the bearded driver knocking on the door, and for a moment, he felt somewhat stunned.

The driver knocked on the door a few times, seeing no response from inside, he tapped on the window and shouted loudly:

"What's the matter, bro?" The bearded driver pointed to the top of the RV and said, "At the first service area, I vaguely saw a reflection on your car's roof. I wanted to tell you, but when I signaled with my hazard lights, you ignored me. I wanted to overtake your car to stop you, but my wife stopped me. She said there's a family speed limit rule. So I had to keep following you until you entered the service area. I wanted to tell you inside, but you two were as fast as rabbits and went into the supermarket.

I got curious and climbed up to take a look at your car roof, but there was nothing. I thought I must have been mistaken. However, just now on the road, I saw the reflection on your car roof again. I can't rule out the possibility of me being mistaken, but not telling you made me uneasy. I was worried that some kids were playing around or it could be thieves. Anyway, now that I've said what I had to, I'm going to drive ahead of you this time. I won't be following you anymore. Goodbye!"

Yun Qianfeng thanked the driver repeatedly and noticed a woman and a child stretching outside the Magotan while he had the chance, realizing it was just a chance encounter and not someone following them.

"Someone on the roof of the car?" Yun Qianfeng thought the possibility of two eye illusions was small. He quickly got out of the car and climbed onto the roof, and Jiang Roujia followed suit.

There was no one on the roof; only their camping gear tied to the roof rack, which they had prepared for their mountain trip.

Seeing no one, Jiang Roujia made a Sherlock Holmes expression and said in a serious tone, "That big-bearded guy was definitely following us. Then, he saw that his plan failed, so he made up a lie on the spot about someone on the car roof. I can't believe you believed him."

Yun Qianfeng didn't say anything; he reached into the bottom of the cargo and pulled out his hand, then opened the weather app on his phone, saying, "Today's temperature is only eleven degrees, and it's overcast. Try putting your hand inside the cargo."

Jiang Roujia hesitated and then put her delicate hand inside the cargo pile and immediately froze. "It's hot!"

Yun Qianfeng nodded and whispered, "Someone was indeed hiding on our car roof before. They might have taken advantage of the time when the big-bearded driver was talking to us to escape."

Jiang Roujia felt a bit scared and asked anxiously, "Who's following us? Why? Have we done something to offend anyone?"

Yun Qianfeng narrowed his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and said, "I can't figure it out, but if it's related to finding your brother, then we can't rule out the possibility that your brother's disappearance was intentional. It means danger will be with us from now on."

Jiang Roujia was alarmed and worried, asking, "What do we do now?"

Yun Qianfeng pointed to the driver's seat and said, "You drive, keep the RV door open, and I'll watch from below to make sure no one climbs on the roof. Then I'll catch up to you."

Jiang Roujia nodded and quickly went down to drive.

Yun Qianfeng followed behind the moving car to ensure no one got on board. He caught up with the RV a few steps later and entered the interior.

Jiang Roujia liked to drive fast, and soon she saw the black Magotan that alerted them before. Jiang Roujia floored the accelerator to overtake it and even gave a friendly honk as she passed by.

"Honey, you see there really is a silver reflection on his car roof. Look, he's making funny faces at us. Oh my goodness, I can't keep this to myself, I have to tell my buddy. Just let me drive up to 90, honey..."

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