thefictionvixens Chapter 145 Heading North to Jinshan
Chapter 145 Heading North to Jinshan
Chapter 148: Heading North to Jinshan
After a week of carefree indulgence on Malibu Beach, Lin Yan finally felt a slight fatigue in his spiritual sense. Seven consecutive days of fully extending his spiritual sense, meticulously observing and perceiving the vast and unpredictable power of the sea, would be mentally exhausting even for a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The happiest of all was Xiao Qi, who was having a blast, always at the forefront, practically draining its last ounce of energy. Even Lin Yan would have a hard time dragging it back from the crest of a wave or the beach. Its snow-white, round, puppy-like appearance, combined with its (self-proclaimed) majestic surfing posture, successfully made it a star of Malibu Beach. Every day, countless bikini-clad blondes with snacks and sausages would come over to feed it, just to hold and pet this adorable little guy. Xiao Qi, being a glutton, naturally accepted everything, catering to anyone who offered its food. Lin Yan let it be. Anyway, Xiao Qi was already intelligent and would never suffer a loss. Watching it strut around the beach with its bloated belly every day, Lin Yan couldn't help but laugh.
In order to buy himself three days of rest, Lin Yan used a carefully roasted spirit beast meat as a "bribe" and successfully reached an agreement with Xiao Qi: rest for three days, then play its favorite "map-catching" game, and then take it out on an adventure.
For the past three days, Lin Yan had spent almost all his time on the recliners and soft beds at the Laurel Manor, truly living a life of utter relaxation. Of course, he didn't forget to remind Wang Yuling to keep her promise to Xiao Qi about roasting spirit beast meat. Three days later, Lin Yan felt refreshed and fully recovered.
He picked up Xiaoqi and carried her to the lawn of the manor, saying, "Little guy, this time we're not going far, just traveling around California. Here's what we'll do: I'll write down a few fun places in California on slips of paper, toss them into the air, and whichever one you catch in your mouth, that's where we'll go, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoqi realized that the game was more challenging than the map-catching game, and immediately started yelling excitedly, wagging her little tail like a propeller.
Lin Yan took out paper and pen, wrote down several important cities or attractions in California, and crumpled them into balls. He casually tossed the balls into the air above the lawn, and Xiao Qi leaped up like a small white cannonball with a powerful push of its hind legs, accurately catching one of the balls in its mouth.
Lin Yan took the crumpled paper, damp with Xiao Qi's drool, unfolded it, and couldn't help but chuckle. He ruffled Xiao Qi's hair and said, "You've got a good eye for things, heading straight north. Alright, brother will take you to San Francisco to see Chinatown!"
Having decided on the destination, Lin Yan went to consult Lin Gang and Lin Er. Unexpectedly, Lin Er refused, and asked Lin Yan for instructions: "Young Master, I may have to return to Hong Kong first."
Lin Yan frowned upon hearing this: "What happened?"
Lin Er quickly explained, "Young Master, don't worry, it's nothing serious. There are two main things: First, the Hong Kong Lin Group is now the central hub of all your plans. Boss Lin Yi is extremely busy, so I should go back and share the burden. Lin Yi said that although he's busy, everything is under control. He didn't want to disturb your vacation, so he just asked me to convey his greetings and report to you that the first five-year plan is progressing smoothly across the five continents, and everything is proceeding according to plan. Second, I've been handling the interpersonal relationships in Hong Kong. This time, the Bao family is celebrating the birth of their son, and they'll be holding a full-month celebration soon. I must be there for such an important occasion. So... I have to go back first. We'll see you again when you return to Hong Kong for the New Year, Young Master."
Lin Yan pondered for a moment. The business in Hong Kong and around the world was indeed the foundation, and it couldn't be lost. It would be good for Lin Er to go back and oversee things. He nodded in approval: "Alright, then you can go back first. Be careful on the road, give my regards to Lin Yi, and also prepare a generous gift for the Bao family."
That evening, Lin Yan summoned Lin Er to his study and gave him a secret mission. He took out a specially made tracking talisman, leaving a clear spiritual imprint on it, and instructed Lin Er: "After you return to Hong Kong and finish your official business, secretly go to the banks of the Mekong River in Myanmar. Use this talisman to find those six 'escaped fish' that I deliberately let go, and then... clean them up thoroughly, do it cleanly. After that, go to the Golden Triangle region and investigate carefully to see if anyone is still secretly growing poppies. If so, find out who is behind it and deal with them yourself." A cold glint flashed in Lin Yan's eyes; he deeply abhorred drugs.
Lin Er's expression hardened, and he solemnly accepted the talisman: "Understood, young master, rest assured, I guarantee to complete the mission."
The next morning, Lin Er took a flight to Hong Kong. Lin Yan, along with Xiao Qi and Lin Gang, drove their pearl-white Cadillac Eldorado north to San Francisco along the famous California Highway 1.
The distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco is approximately 600 kilometers (about 370 miles). Instead of the faster Inland Interstate 5, Lin Yan chose the stunningly scenic Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1. This road winds its way between steep cliffs and the vast Pacific Ocean, and is considered one of the most beautiful highways in the world.
The car drove out of downtown Los Angeles and headed north along the coastline. On one side was the boundless blue Pacific Ocean, waves crashing against the rocks and splashing up white spray; on the other side were rolling mountains and luxurious villas scattered among them. Xiao Qi was initially very excited, clinging to the car window, sniffing the sea breeze, and barking at the seagulls flying by. But after a while, it became restless and started rolling around in the spacious back seat, sometimes pawing at Lin Gang's arm, sometimes trying to bite Lin Yan's hair, being quite mischievous. Lin Yan had to occasionally give it small treats or talk to it using his spiritual sense to keep it quiet.
Along the way, they passed through several charming towns and viewpoints. In Santa Barbara, they took a short break; this city, with its Spanish colonial architecture, is known as the "American Riviera," with its red-tiled roofs, white walls, and lush greenery—a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. Continuing north, they passed through Big Sur, the heart of Highway 1, a rugged and breathtaking stretch of road with stunning scenery. Giant redwood forests rose from the cliff edges, shrouded in mist, creating a scene of ethereal beauty. They stopped again on the Monterey Peninsula, visiting the famous 17-Mile Drive and admiring iconic landmarks such as Lone Cypress and Seal Rock.
After driving for most of the day, as the sunset began to paint the horizon red, their car finally crossed the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Crossing the bay, the city built on rolling hills—San Francisco—came into view. The undulating streets, the Victorian architecture, and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, its warm red silhouette against the twilight, were all so different from the flat, expansive city of Los Angeles.
"Awoo!" Little Seven seemed to sense the atmosphere of the new city as well, and became excited again. It put its front paws on the car window and curiously looked at the new city it was about to explore.
Lin Yan looked at the unique city before him and smiled slightly: "Alright, Xiao Qi, we've arrived in San Francisco."