Chapter 5: Bodyguard
"Brother, spare us, the robbery has nothing to do with us, it's all the boss forcing us." Seeing Lin Tian turn towards them, the remaining four lackeys quickly threw away their hammers. Their own boss couldn't beat him with a gun, let alone them.
Shaking his head, Lin Tian looked down on their cowardice. With such little courage, they still dared to rob. Just as he was about to knock them out too, a group of armed police officers rushed into the entrance of the mall. They were quite fast; Lin Tian nodded. Luxury malls usually have alarm systems, and it seemed someone had pressed the alarm.
Moreover, the mall had conducted several drills with the police, so their response was still very swift. It definitely did not exceed ten minutes. Unfortunately, their actions were still not as fast as Lin Tian's.
When the police arrived and saw the criminals either lying or squatting on the ground, they were all dumbfounded. Which "hero" was so formidable that in just a few minutes, with the other side armed, they had taken them all down? They had thought it would be a fierce battle.
"Get the injured security guards onto the ambulance." The leading officer reacted quickly too. They had ambulances ready in case there were critically injured people. He had checked the security guard who was shot, luckily, no vital parts were hit.
"Elder Han, hello, we are troubled by this incident again," Elder Han said, approaching the leading officer.
Captain Liu turned around and saw Elder Han. A look of surprise appeared on his face, which then turned to respect. He warmly shook Elder Han's extended hand, excitedly saying, "It turns out to be Elder Han, what brings you here?"
Elder Han was accustomed to the respect from others and did not bother with pleasantries. He laughed and said, "I came to see the mall. Just now it was all thanks to that young man; he has very good skills. I'm not exaggerating, he's the best I've ever seen. You don't know, just now..."
Order was restored on the first floor of the mall, and everyone looked at Lin Tian with admiration. Captain Liu, who was talking with Elder Han, also glanced at him with respect from time to time.
Especially a few of the beautiful salesgirls, who were whispering about him.
"Look how handsome he is, so amazing, having him as a boyfriend must feel very safe."
"His skin looks so healthy, he must be very strong. Not like the creamy young men these days, so pale and effeminate, as soft as noodles."
A few bold girls even winked and made eyes at Lin Tian, making him feel like he was being watched by a pack of wolves.
At this moment, Lin Tian had no time to entertain the flirtations from the young girls; he was surrounded by a group of security colleagues, bombarded with all sorts of curious questions until his head almost burst.
"Colleagues, let's return to our posts, Elder Han is watching. Also, we'll find time later to visit our two injured colleagues," Lin Tian suggested as he couldn't keep up with the barrage of curious questions from his colleagues. He had to use Elder Han as a shield—other people's enthusiasm was too much for him to handle.
Realizing their oversight, all of them gave Lin Tian thumbs-up signs out of respect and returned to their workstations.
Captain Liu finished his conversation with Elder Han and walked towards Lin Tian. Captain Liu reached out and firmly shook Lin Tian's hand, sincerely saying, "The bravery of our youth deserves praise, you are a role model for all citizens. How about we arrange an interview for you? To promote the spirit of your valiant struggle against the vicious criminals."
"Haha, Captain Liu, let's skip the interview, and if you want to publish a news story, just say it was mainly due to Captain Liu leading the police comrades in a united effort to capture the criminals intelligently. As for me, best to leave me out," Lin Tian quickly and politely declined, giving the spotlight to Captain Liu. What a joke, if he himself appeared in the newspapers, surrounded by citizens every day, how could he have any peace?
"This..." Captain Liu and Elder Han were both slightly surprised, for Lin Tian had just handed over this great achievement to Captain Liu so easily—such a steady young man was rare indeed. However, Elder Han was even more satisfied with Lin Tian's performance, finding himself liking the young man more and more. Young and capable, yet not seeking the limelight, calm and collected—a true rarity.
"Good, good, very good. Later, Captain Liu will need to take a statement, so you just cooperate with the police officers. I have to take care of some after-event matters, but we will meet again very soon, hehe." Elder Han patted Lin Tian's shoulder happily and quickly left.
Meeting again soon, what did that mean? Lin Tian was somewhat puzzled. Even if he was skilled in fighting, he was just a security guard, far removed from these influential figures. Shaking his head, he followed Captain Liu to give his statement, feeling thankful for the ride in the police car; otherwise, the blazing sun could have caused him who knows what trouble on the way back.
After bidding Lin Tian farewell, Elder Han did not go to take care of the after-event matters; such minor things could be handled by his subordinates. Instead, he headed directly to the headquarters of Xiao Group. His journey was smooth and unobstructed, and upon reaching the top floor office, he knocked and entered.
The office was simple and bright. Sitting behind the desk was a charming lady, dressed in a plain-colored dress, with long willow brows and phoenix eyes, her skin delicate and her complexion radiant, not at all looking like someone who had become a mother.
This was the actual helm of Xiao Group—Mrs. Xiao. Her name was Li Xinyi, but since her husband's death, she preferred to be called Mrs. Xiao. As the old saying goes, a widow's doorstep is oft fraught with trouble; it was a reluctant decision.
"Oh, it's Elder Han. Seeing your cheerful demeanor, could it be that something good has happened?" Mrs. Xiao saw Elder Han, gestured for him to sit, and asked with a smile.
Elder Han waved his hand, indicating he did not intend to sit, and said cheerfully, "Young Madam, I won't sit. Haven't you been looking to hire a bodyguard for the Second Miss recently? I found a suitable candidate today—an employee from our company. I've already asked someone to send his information to your email."
He was an elder of the Xiao Family, and despite the old master and the young master no longer being present, Elder Han still referred to her as "Young Madam." Mrs. Xiao knew Elder Han did not give recommendations lightly, so she was a bit curious about the man he recommended. She opened her email and carefully read through the information.
"Name: Lin Tian, Gender: Male, Age: 18, Orphan, Birth parents unknown, raised by an old barefoot doctor from a young age, said old man is deceased. Education level: middle school graduate, attended half a year of high school but dropped out, currently working as a security guard at Xinyi Mall during the day, and as a waiter in a bar at night…"
The information was very ordinary, and Mrs. Xiao frowned slightly after seeing it, saying uncertainly, "Elder Han, this..."
"Do you feel that Lin Tian is just a very ordinary person, hehe, the matter is like this..." Elder Han recounted the robbery at Xinyi Mall earlier in the day in detail.
"What? You're saying he can block bullets!" Mrs. Xiao stood up in shock, an incredulous look on her face.
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. I suspect he's an Ancient Martial Artist, practicing the long-lost Golden Bell Divine Shield; otherwise, how can you explain the bullet-blocking? I can tell that he stepped in to block the bullets to prevent stray shots from injuring others. His character is irreproachable. You should know if it were a powerful Desert Eagle, even the Golden Bell Divine Shield might not withstand it," Elder Han analyzed.
"According to what you're saying, this young man's abilities and character are both top-notch. However, the notice for hiring a bodyguard has already been sent to various security companies. If we decide on him privately, it might affect the Group's credibility." Mrs. Xiao was always decisive in her actions, but this time she hesitated. Ancient Martial Artists were not something money could easily buy.
"Young Madam, rest assured, I have already arranged everything. The security companies are after money as well. As long as we offer some benefits, they will wisely choose to keep silent," Elder Han spoke confidently.
"Sigh, that's secondary. The main issue is that Xuanxuan is willful and capricious; she has already scared off several bodyguards. I hope this will be the last time." Mrs. Xiao spoke of her daughter with eyes full of affection yet a face showing helplessness.