"Welcome to China, Sky Yun."
In a air plane, a young man with a normal black shirt and jeans sits on a passenger seat with headphones in. His face, although covered with huge sunglasses is clear to everyone that he is extremely handsome.
The air attendant looked at him with rosy cheeks, she knew that this man since the airline's manager had called her to pay special attention to him in particular.
He took a flight from England to China on first class, and with the call from her manager telling her to serve this man with the best of her abilities shows that this man has influence in higher places.
"The plane is landing, so please be comfortable as we land."
As soon as she said that, the man removed his headphones and in a calm and soothing voice said,
"Thank you…"
Her face burns up quickly as soon as she heard his voice. Throughout the long journey, he has not opened his mouth nor changed his deadpan expression once, this sudden thank you caused a huge wave within the air attendants' heart.
"You-you're welcome…"
She then turned away and ran off to the staff's suite within the air plane.
'Back to China huh'.
Although his face has a deadpan expression, his mind was currently in turmoil. He has not been in China for 10 years, he was abandoned by his family at the age of 17 and was picked up by an old man within the slums of Shanghai. He was then taught in the arts of guns and swordsmanship. He worked within a mercenary organisation run by the old man and had taken over 1,000 missions.
After a mission in England which was to protect a foreign ambassador within his trip to England, he had then received a message from the old man to return to China and call him immediately for his next missions' detail.
As he was in deep thought, the airplane had landed and everyone within the first class had stood up and gotten off.
He took a taxi and went towards his hotel, which was located within Shanghai's tourist district.
'I don't think anyone still remembers me huh'
It has been 10 years since he was in China, he had a different last name and lived a life perhaps many envied. But that soon changed when his family kicked him out.
'Kicking out is a funny term, perhaps expelled seems appropriate'
At the time, he felt like his world was crumbling, his mother's dead cold eyes piercing through him as an allegation against him which was false had spread.
He had a father, mother and a little sister. His mother loved him dearly and he had a little sister aged 10 to take care of.
His father however, despised his own son.
As the taxi driver alerted the man that his journey had ended, he snapped out of his nostalgia and quickly went to the hotel he had booked before.
As soon as he came to his room, he then opened up his laptop and called the old man.
RING RING
As soon as the ringing stopped, an old man's face with a fedora appeared. He had grey hair and beard, with glasses and had an already lit cigar in his mouth.
"Oh~ it's you Yun'er. You got my message, right? This mission is pretty good I must say, but before that let me tell you about this girl with huge racks I just saw walk pass me now she…"
As soon as he called, the old man already started on random nonsense. Sky Yun was not a talkative person at all, he just wanted to know the details and get started with the mission at hand.
"Old man, you talk too much… Details and clues about mission please."
The old man suddenly turned silently. His face in deep thought as he looked at Sky Yun.
"Young man, this isn't some quick mission you can easily finish and continue to the next."
The old man sighed, his face sunk in deep thought as he slowly continued what he wanted to say.
"This is a mission designed for you to retire, because the contract between us has ended young man."
Sky Yun eyes widened, he completely had forgotten the contract he signed years ago when he had joined with the old man's company.
"It's been 10 years since you have been with me, and although you don't like to think about your past it is time you have a normal life. This life we currently lead only leads 2 ways and you are someone that doesn't deserve such a horrible fate."
The old man puffed a huge smoke from his cigar.
"The mission is simple, there is sword hidden deep within China that myth states could rip mountains apart with a single slash. This sword is something that many don't believe in however some individuals claim that it does exist.
If this sword exists, and someone with ill intention does get a hold of the sword, will mean the end of the world as we know it."
The old man's cold look pierced Sky Yun's eyes.
"This mission, is important to some but worthless to many. Focus on building a normal life and if fate has it and you do hold possession of the sword. Do contact me, for this sword is better destroyed rather used in the current society today."
Sky Yun looked at the old man with a complicated expression, for he did not realise that this perhaps could be the only time that both could speak to each other as boss and subordinate.
Sky Yun regards the old man as a father, and now that his father has given him the chance to lead a normal life is something that he should both respect and be pleased about.
However, leaving the old man was something difficult for him. Before he had joined with the old man, he had no goals, he was left empty with his family abandoning him on the cold streets of Shanghai.
But this time is different.
"Old man, thank you for being with me for a decade. You truly are a father to me"
Sky Yun, with tears in his eyes bowed towards the old man. The old man was in complete shock, for he has never seen Sky Yun since he has worked for him shed a tear nor bow towards anyone ever.
"Young man, live a life and have a family. Do not forget the morals I have taught you throughout your training."
The old man also shed a tear, for he knew that this man he considers a son must live a life that he can't be apart of.
The call ended after both finished with saying goodbye, Sky Yun then lied on his bed with red eyes thinking on what type of life he shall lead for the rest of his days.
'To start a normal life huh'.
He does not know how to have a normal life, but from countless cultures from different countries he remembered something he wanted to start if he retired.
'Let's open a coffee shop…'
A coffee shop is a place where many individuals come and drink a cup of coffee without outside distractions nor noise. It's a peaceful hub for those who want to remove their mind from the outside world.
This is what Sky Yun believes a coffee shop is.
He opened his laptop, and searches for shops to buy across Shanghai in particular.
He used to live in Beijing, and although he had given up on revenge towards his family years ago, he still has a resentment that perhaps could never be removed for the rest of his life.
'Oh, shop to buy near Shanghai University?'
To open a coffee shop near a university allows Sky Yun to have customers and earn some revenue rather than opening in a desolate area with close to no one coming to the store at all.
He closes his laptop, with the coffee shop's location in his mind now he can rest. He has went through too much today, with him on a impossible mission to retrieve a mythical artefact to then realise that his contract with the old man has ended, he needs a rest to clear his mind.
As he closes his eyes, he remembers a fateful night many years ago.
Thank you for reading the first chapter of 'Hidden Artefact'.
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"Chen Yun, you are a disgrace to this whole family and its generations before! Therefore, as the head of this family, you are hereby expelled from the Chen Family and must live out the rest of your life without the name Chen!"
Chen Yun looked at the man in front of him, his big stature and menacing appearance might cause many to be in fright when they come in contact with this man.
However, this man isn't a stranger towards Chen Yun. This man is his father, Chen Long.
Chen Long was the head of the infamous Chen Family of Beijing, they control most of China's shipping industry, and has created countless individuals considered as the new head of their generation.
He had only one son and one daughter, his daughter was a child and therefore he had unrequited love for his daughter, despite his cold demeanour. However, Chen Yun his only son, the kid who will take over the throne after he is gone from this world; was a disgrace to his eyes.
Chen Yun didn't have any good qualities, he couldn't lead nor had the charisma to do so. He was a quiet child who was bullied constantly throughout his school years. By the age of seventeen, he still was someone that Chen Long considered to be weak and feeble.
However, his wife, Yang Su loved Chen Yun nonetheless, and although Chen Long hates his son, he must accept him as part of the family or else, the Su family will not partner with them.
One day, an incident occurred when the young miss of the Lin family was sexually harassed by someone.
This hooded person was identified to be 17 years of age, and had a cut across his neck.
Although the identity of the hooded person was not found, Chen Long had decided to plant all the evidence on his son 'Chen Yun' so that the next in line was someone worthier.
Chen Yun was his flesh and blood, but Chen Long did not care. He only wished for the Chen Family to rise up as the most powerful family in Beijing.
In the middle of the night, as an inspector, sent from the Lin family, came to check the Chen Family's grounds to see if the perpetrator was here, Chen Long ordered someone to leave a scar on Chen Yun's neck, whilst he was asleep.
The inspector was someone that the Lin family had asked to help, but little did they know that the inspector was someone the Chen Family had a good relationship with, and was ordered to plant everything on Chen Yun.
When Chen Yun woke up he was taken to a room with countless people from both the Chen and the Lin family, except for the daughters of each family. Chen Yun's mother, father, the head of Lin family and his wife were present.
He knew he was set up the second he was told, before he could speak, his mother screamed.
"SHUT UP! I CARED AND LOVED YOU LIKE A SON YET YOU DO THIS? HOW DARE YOU!"
Chen Yun loved his mother, from childhood to now she has never hated him for anything and believed him for any wrong doing others did to him.
In the dark world he lived in, his mother was his light and hope.
Now that she has abandoned him, he had no one left. His heart shattered when he heard this, he was sentenced to banishment, as the Lin family had decided to then stop the charges.
He left the Chen Family in embarrassment, with no family and money in hand, he travelled to Shanghai.
He was left on the streets of Shanghai alone, sleeping in alleyways he had resigned to his fate. However, one fateful night occurred.
As Chen Yun was pickpocketing for money so that he could eat, he met a strange old man with a fedora.
His teeth, although a few lost was filled with shine as if the gods were shining upon it.
The old man stared at Chen Yun and laughed like a mad man for a while, and after a brief talk on who Chen Yun was and why he was there, the old man gave Chen Yun a ultimatum.
"Young man, you truly are a forsaken child! But I got a deal that perhaps you might want…"
"Come work for me! A contract between me and you for 10 years. After 10 years of service with all the money you earn from this you can start a proper life from then on. Agreed?"
The contract, and the bind between an old man and the former Chen heir was created. For the next 10 years, Chen Yun had taken the old mans last name, Sky, and became a man many feared across the underworld known as the 'Lonely Swordsman', a man who took no mission as a group and killed countless with the blade he acquired from the old man years ago.
Sky Yun wakes up after the long dream, his flashbacks were a daily occurrence with most being bad and a few being good. This sort of life he had chose was something that perhaps both saved… and cursed his life.
He then got up from his bed and had a shower, he packed his bags and headed towards Shanghai's University to check out the coffee shop for sale.
As soon as he arrived after leaving his bags at a hotel near the university, he was then approached by an elderly couple.
"Are you the young man that wishes to buy our shop?"
The old man asked, with a weak voice.
After years of experience in the field, he learnt to tell if someone is dying. The old man, although able to talk had only a few months to live and the wife beside who also seemed to have a few months to live.
"Yes, please tell me the price of this shop"
He went straight to the point; Sky Yun took out a notepad and pen whilst waiting for the offer.
"50,000 RMB, young man can you afford this price?"
"Yes, here is a cheque."
The old man was at first shocked to see a man in his late twenties being able to afford such a pricey shop.
Without explaining, he then took out the cheque and the elderly couple took off.
All the furniture and other items within the shop before were taken out leaving an empty shop with nothing in it.
Sky Yun had hundreds of millions in his bank from countless missions. Some wish to spend it on luxury and others useful items, but Sky Yun did not spend much at all. His food and clothes were relatively cheap and his weapons were given to him by the old man.
With the amount of savings, he has acquired, he could buy a huge skyscraper, refurbish it and still have money left.
Sky Yun looked at the future coffee shop and remembered that this is his new life from now on. He removed the scarf he has never taken off when outside, and revealed a tattoo across his neck with a quote written on it, in a unique font.
'Alone in the dark world'
Something he had made during his first mission, he felt he was alone in the dark world and perhaps he still is today.
Perhaps that could change one day.
Perhaps… One day
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