The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

It was the same sealed box that Long Ao had taken out earlier.

Chen Guan's gaze fell on the box and paused for a moment.

"Open it and take a look." White Tiger nodded with his chin toward the box.

The coffin remained unmoved.

"This is the one you gave to Long Ao."

It's not a question, it's a certainty.

Baihu raised an eyebrow, his expression showing a hint of admiration.

"He reacted quickly. When that kid Long Ao ran into me today, he insisted on returning this thing, saying he felt unworthy of it and embarrassed to take it. I argued with him for a long time, but in the end, I had no choice but to take it back."

He paused for a moment.

"However, what he didn't know was that this demon core was never intended for him in the first place."

Chen Guan raised his head.

Baihu leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Now it's returned to its rightful owner." The white tiger patted the sealed box. "This is for you."

Chen Guan looked at the box on the table and remained silent for a few seconds.

This broken demon core is a veteran actor.

It was fought over and snatched from the Tower of Ten Thousand Demons, then inexplicably ended up in Long Ao's hands, and now it's placed in front of him again.

The last one who ran to three different places was named Lü Bu.

"What are you going to do for me?"

Chen Guan was instinctively wary; anyone offering unsolicited kindness was either up to no good or a thief. He didn't believe that the white tiger had come specifically to offer him warmth.

"What tier is your Lightning Cheetah?"

"Fifth tier".

"Fifth tier." White Tiger repeated the number, his tone tinged with regret: "At your current rate of progress, it's very difficult, almost impossible, for it to advance naturally. The Lightning Cheetah's limit is what it is."

Chen Guan did not deny it; it was true. However, he guessed that Bai Hu's next sentence would be "but."

"However, there is still the path of mutation."

"Moreover, it's not just a simple rank increase. The core of a tenth-tier Void Beast retains high-purity spatial attributes, and your Lightning Cheetah already has a talent for speed."

"After the two are combined, its teleportation distance and reaction speed will experience a qualitative leap."

"Once successfully combined, its future is limitless; even I dare not be certain about its future."

Chen Guan did not accept the cake, waiting for what was to come.

The White Tiger wasn't in a hurry.

He took out another apple, this time without biting it, and twirled it in his hand twice.

"Of course, I'm not doing charity work."

State your conditions.

The white tiger tossed the apple up into the air and caught it steadily.

"Do me a favor."

"What busy?"

"No rush." ​​Baihu put the apple back on the table, stood up, walked to the window, and opened it a crack.

The cold winter wind squeezed in through the cracks, stirring up a few pieces of paper scattered on the table.

He stood with his back to the coffin, looking out the window at the quiet night view of the Tsinghua University campus.

Baihu didn't rush to continue. With his back to Chen Guan, he rested his hands on the windowsill, as if looking at the night view, or as if waiting for something, striking a pose.

Chen Guan did not urge him.

The silence between the two lasted for about ten seconds before being broken by Baihu himself.

"Chen Guan, do you remember what I told you?"

Which one?

Baihu didn't turn around, his tone casual as if he were just chatting about the weather.

"Things before I became successful."

Chen Guan leaned against the headboard and recalled for a moment.

Baihu didn't tell him much, and moreover, Baihu did mention his past once, which was quite unusual.

However, Chen Guan didn't really believe it, as Bai Hu had such a good reputation.

"I remember," Chen Guan said.

Baihu turned around, leaned against the window frame, crossed his arms, and the cold winter wind blew in from behind him, lifting the hem of his coat.

"That's good, you have a good memory."

He tilted his head slightly, a smile playing on his lips, but there was something indescribable in that smile.

"My former employer, he has a name."

"What's your name?"

Baihu didn't answer immediately. He picked up the apple he had just put down, twirled it in his palm, and then put it back.

Have you heard of The Thieves Circus?

Chen Guan's fingers paused on his knee for a moment.

The Sky Thief Circus.

He had certainly heard of that name before.

These are some of the most prominent gray organizations in the world, active for decades, and all they do is engage in shady dealings.

They stole historical relics and treasures, looted ancient tombs, and even raided several nationally restricted areas.

The most outrageous thing is that after each successful heist, these people would leave a circus-style invitation on the spot, with their logo printed on it: a horse hanging upside down on the moon.

Arrogance to the core, just like the person in front of me.

"I've heard of it."

He knew it.

How could Baihu possibly become an ordinary circus clown? Even when his strength is lacking, his inherent arrogance and conceit will not change in the slightest. He has only become stronger, not changed into a different person.

"Then you should also know that this group has been silent for many years."

"Um."

Baihu nodded and continued to explain in detail.

"I joined the Youth League at the age of thirteen and followed the old leader for ten years."

"I've stolen quite a lot of things and traveled to quite a few places. Later, we went our separate ways. I went on my way, and the rest of us went on theirs."

Chen Guan didn't interrupt, but listened quietly.

Baihu rarely brings up his past, so the fact that he's talked so much about it today must not be because he suddenly felt like it.

"Wait a moment," Chen Guan said.

Chen Guan sat on the edge of the bed, his hands on his knees, looking at the white tiger.

"You said you joined the Youth League at the age of thirteen and followed the old leader for ten years."

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

"I remember the last recorded activity of the Sky Thief Circus was twelve years ago. Twelve years ago, when you left, the circus had already stopped taking on any missions."

The white tiger turned its head, somewhat surprised.

"Have you checked?"

"common sense."

In order to investigate the Guiyuan Group, Chen Guan did a lot of research on these criminal organizations.

"Common sense?" Baihu repeated, then chuckled, "Alright, I guess you have a lot of extracurricular knowledge."

"You're right. When I left twelve years ago, the group had already disbanded. To be precise, it didn't disband; the old leader disbanded it voluntarily."

Chen Guan did not respond.

Baihu placed the apple on the table, then pulled his fingers back, crossed them, and rested them on his lap.

"If you've ever met that old man, you'd probably find him quite interesting."

He paused.

"He's not tall and doesn't speak loudly. If you saw him for the first time, you'd think he was an old man selling juggling tricks on the street."

"But what actually happens?"

"Actually?" Baihu tilted his head. "Actually, he's probably the best thief I've ever met."

His gaze fell on the ceiling, as if he were searching for a long-forgotten memory.