Time.

Two days flew by in the blink of an eye.

Pang Cheng had already returned to the Yuyu Express Shop. With Qin Ling gone, Song Xiaoxi was now the only assistant besides the manager.

The two were sorting express parcels.

"Manager, do we have to deliver all these?" Song Xiaoxi asked, wiping the fine sweat from her forehead as she stared at the mountain of parcels piled before her.

Could they really finish all this in one day?

"Hmm, we’ve been swamped with missing persons cases lately, so things piled up," Pang Cheng nodded beside her.

After a pause, he added, "Xiaoxi, you’ll get used to it. This is normal here. Honestly, this is light compared to before. When that kid Qin Ling was around, he’d wrap it all up in just a few hours."

"Impossible!" Song Xiaoxi didn’t believe it for a second.

This massive pile could fill a whole small truck!

Finish it in a few hours?

She wouldn’t believe it even if it took half a day—or a full day.

No one could pull that off!

Unless he dumped everything or hired a bunch of helpers.

"Hey, don’t doubt it," Pang Cheng said. "When it comes to deliveries, I’ll admit—even old Pang here respects that kid. No idea how he does it."

Song Xiaoxi watched Manager Pang Cheng’s serious face, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes.

*Could this be true? Impossible, right?*

Delivering a truckload of parcels from all over town in hours? Only if he had clones and could fly!

Hesitating, Song Xiaoxi turned to Pang Cheng. "Manager… is there a chance Brother Qin’s disappearance is tied to how fast he delivered?"

"Hmm… First, I’m not doubting Brother Qin. But hearing this—it’s unbelievable. Could he have secretly hired help? And his vanishing act… maybe he went somewhere for that?"

"This…" Pang Cheng stopped sorting. He turned his bulky frame and sat heavily on a wooden crate.

*Slam!* He slammed his palm hard on the crate.

"Xiaoxi! Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that?"

"But…"

"But what?" Song Xiaoxi asked curiously, studying Pang Cheng on the crate.

*He seems angry. Is it because fewer hands make parcel distribution harder?*

"But, Xiaoxi—are you doubting old Pang’s competence?"

"Huh?" Song Xiaoxi was confused.

Pang Cheng continued, "I had the same suspicions. Tracked him once. But that kid Qin really delivers alone. He’s just a Half Step Yellow Rank martial artist—who’d help him? What faction would want him? I only took him in out of pity."

"And I’ve checked everything. With my reach in the Shadow Group, I’d know if a little rascal like him had secrets."

"…" Song Xiaoxi nodded. She understood his frustration now.

Pang Cheng had reached Heaven Tier Peak in his forties, rumored to be half a step into Grandmaster Rank. His status in the Shadow Group must be high.

Sent to Riversea to run a tiny express shop? Likely just a temporary assignment to hold down the fort.

How could such a man miss anything about Qin Ling?

Impossible.

She’d overthought it.

Song Xiaoxi shook her head at her silly idea—doubting a veteran officer’s control over his team? Ridiculous.

"But Manager," she pressed, "even so… why do you seem to dislike Brother Qin?"

Pang Cheng cursed under his breath. Seeing Song Xiaoxi’s shocked look, he cleared his throat.

"Ahem! Ignore that, Xiaoxi. That brat just gets under my skin!"

"You don’t know—he’s worth two workers, but it made him damn arrogant! He acts like the boss here, treating me like his errand boy."

"He gets the feast; I get the scraps. He takes the missions; I handle the mess."

"Like this Liu Clan girl kidnapping—you know about it. I’m used to such chaos. And don’t stress over Qin’s disappearance. It’s only been two days. He’ll probably bounce back unharmed any minute."

"Huh!?" Song Xiaoxi gasped. "That incident from the day before yesterday… happens all the time here!? Then… can I even handle Brother Qin’s role…?"

She worried.

From Pang Cheng’s words, this unseen Brother Qin sounded unreal.

Pulling off so much at mere Half Step Yellow Rank—and walking away fine? He must hide insane power. No wonder she called him senior!

"Don’t worry. I believe in you," Pang Cheng said, jumping down and patting her shoulder. "You’ll take his place now. Handle surveillance missions. Keep that kid from stirring trouble."

"Frankly, I hope he doesn’t come back this time."

"With him around, I’d lose twenty years of my life!"

Just as Pang Cheng finished, a male voice bellowed from outside the shop: "Fatso! I’m back!"

"…" Song Xiaoxi watched the manager’s face freeze.