Chapter 59: Setting Out

Jiang Ye returned to Aiyi Travel Agency, put down his black backpack, and took out paper and pen from the drawer to write a checklist. Yang Fang’s WeChat message popped up.

After reviewing the list, he forwarded it to Lin Ru.

Just as he put down his phone, the glass door of the travel agency was pushed open, and a crisp chime of wind chimes echoed through the room.

Hearing the sound, Jiang Ye looked up and saw a young man in his early twenties standing against the light. He had a healthy, wheat-toned complexion, and a sharp buzz cut that made his facial features even more rugged. His broad shoulders and narrow waist filled out a simple T-shirt, making him stand straight and tall. Just standing there, he exuded the refined vigor of someone tempered by military service.

"Hello." Jiang Ye put down the checklist in his hand and greeted him.

Wang Zhengqing stepped into the travel agency, swept his gaze around the room, and finally let it rest on the young man in front of him. The other person had delicate facial features, a thin-framed pair of glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, and shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, giving off an air of scholarly refinement.

"Are you Jiang Ye, Tour Guide Jiang?" Wang Zhengqing cut straight to the point, his voice low and powerful.

Jiang Ye nodded slightly. "Yes, I am Jiang Ye. How can I help you?"

"My name is Wang Zhengqing. Liu Zhendong referred me. We contacted each other before, and I'm here to sign up for the Tang Dynasty tour group," Wang Zhengqing stated his purpose.

When mentioning the two words "Tang Dynasty," Wang Zhengqing hesitated for a fraction of a second.

Upon learning that the newcomer was one of the five members, Jiang Ye warmly invited him to take a seat.

"Regarding the trip to the Anxi Protectorate in the Tang Dynasty, did he make everything clear to you? If there is anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me." While speaking, Jiang Ye took out the contract from his black backpack.

Wang Zhengqing was about to nod, but still couldn't help asking, "Can we really time travel? Can we really go back one thousand two hundred years?"

Jiang Ye nodded. "Yes."

Wang Zhengqing fixed his gaze on Jiang Ye and nodded. "Where do I sign?"

Jiang Ye pointed his finger at the signature line. "Just write your name here and here, and press your fingerprint."

Just as the two of them lowered their heads to sign the contract, the glass door of the travel agency was pushed open once again. The wind chimes made a crisp collision sound, swaying gently in the breeze.

Jiang Ye looked up at the sound and saw three vibrant teenagers walking in one after another.

The leading teenager was particularly striking. He wore an exquisitely tailored designer casual suit that accentuated his tall and slender figure. He walked at the very front with one hand in his pocket, his chestnut-short hair glowing healthily under the sunlight, and a subtle diamond stud earring in his left ear shimmering faintly with every step.

His two companions behind him were similarly well-dressed and radiant. As the three of them stood together, the entire travel agency seemed infused with an aura of youth.

Jiang Ye smiled and stood up to greet them. "The three of you must be Chen Xuelin, Tong Yi, and He Xu, right?"

Chen Xuelin gave a casual acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping across the somewhat outdated front desk, the chipped wooden counter, the slightly yellowed world map, and the old-fashioned floor-standing air conditioner that hummed softly.

He frowned slightly and exchanged a puzzled glance with the two companions behind him.

This kind of travel agency was obviously a small establishment struggling just above the subsistence line.

He simply couldn't understand why his old man had made such a big fuss, insisting that he come here to sign up for some Tang Dynasty tour group.

If he refused to join the tour group, he was even threatened with having all his credit cards frozen.

This directly pinched his lifeline, leaving him with no choice but to comply.

As for He Xu and Tong Yi, they were also arranged by his old man—childhood playmates whom he rarely saw now that they had grown up.

Bringing all three of them here this time left not only him completely baffled, but the other two looking equally clueless.

Jiang Ye invited the three of them to sit down. "Your families should have made things clear to you. The place we are going this time is the Tang Dynasty, more than 1,200 years ago. If there are no issues, just sign on this document."

Hearing these words, the three of them were completely speechless.

Listen to what you are even saying.

Going to the Tang Dynasty of 1,200 years ago, and you call that having no issues?!

That is the biggest issue of all, for goodness' sake!

Upon hearing Jiang Ye's words, Wang Zhengqing raised his gaze to look at the three youths. From their conversation, it wasn't hard to tell that these three youngsters had been sent here by their families.

His gaze lingered on Chen Xuelin; judging by his attire and styling, this was clearly someone who didn't lack money.

The son of a high-ranking official, a young master from a wealthy family...

A voice in Wang Zhengqing's heart told him that perhaps they really would travel back through time to the Tang Dynasty.

Tong Yi lacked any initiative of his own. "Young Master Chen, should we sign or not?"

Chen Xuelin gritted his teeth, picked up a pen from the side, and spoke in a resentful tone, "Sign! Do you guys dare not to sign? Hmph, no matter how good-for-nothing I am, I'm still my dad's only son. He wouldn't be heartless enough to send me away to have my kidneys harvested."

Harnessing his trust in his old man, Chen Xuelin signed his name.

Seeing that Chen Xuelin had signed, Tong Yi and He Xu had nothing left to hesitate about and obediently followed suit, signing their names as well.

When He Xu pressed his fingerprint and Chen Xuelin paid the tour fees via QR code scanning, the system's chime sounded.

"When are we leaving?" Chen Xuelin asked.

"7:00 PM."

This was the latest departure time issued by the system.

Hearing this time, Wang Zhengqing couldn't help but raise his eyes to look at Jiang Ye.

Chen Xuelin, Tong Yi, and He Xu widened their eyes in shock, disbelief written all over their faces.

What kind of underworld departure time was this!

A day trip scheduled to depart at night—anyone unaware would think they were taking a detour to the underworld.

Jiang Ye sent a text message to Yang Fang. Upon seeing the departure time and location, Yang Fang felt like she had boarded a pirate ship, prompting her to call her cousin Wu Xiaoshi once again.

With the contracts signed, Jiang Ye looked at the four people before him.

"It's still early. The four of you can go out and look around first, just gather at the entrance of the travel agency by 6:30."

Wang Zhengqing nodded; he planned to go home to check on his parents first and rush back in the afternoon.

As for Chen Xuelin, he took Tong Yi and He Xu to find a nearby internet cafe to team up and play games.

Jiang Ye stayed behind in the travel agency to receive the supplies.

Two hours later, items were delivered one after another. Jiang Ye had unlocked the system's 18-seater van in advance.

Since there were few people this time, everyone would squeeze into the front rows, while the middle and rear seats were entirely reserved by Jiang Ye to stack supplies.

Heading to the Anxi Protectorate for the first time, Jiang Ye wasn't sure where exactly they would land, nor what the Anxi garrison needed most. He could only follow standard procedure and bring more essential items like rice, flour, grain, cooking oil, weapons, and medicine, while bringing only small quantities of other daily necessities.

After all, the space in the vehicle was limited, and the system's storage compartment was only one square meter in size, just enough to hold a few small items.

As twilight deepened, Wang Zhengqing was the first to tread through the evening glow to arrive at the travel agency.

Not long after, Yang Fang hurried over, carrying an understated cloth bag.

Just as the clock hands were about to point to seven, Chen Xuelin and the two others arrived at the travel agency entrance right on the final second as promised.

"Everyone is here. Let's set off." Jiang Ye led the group toward the seemingly ordinary Coaster minibus.

The van doors opened, and the NPC Driver Wang dispatched by the system appeared punctually in the driver's seat.