Looking at the smiling man in front of her, Mei Xue couldn't help but admire his courage.
He actually dared to come alone to their base—without even bringing that powerful butler of his.
She didn't know how Gu Yan had found this place, but she only hoped he would leave as soon as possible.
Her expression remained calm, though there was a clear note of urgency in her voice.
"So? Say what you want to say, then leave."
"No rush."
Gu Yan spoke casually as he picked up his chopsticks. "I'll talk while I eat. I didn't even have time for breakfast."
He took a bite of the egg fried rice, nodding slightly in satisfaction.
"It's decent. Still a bit worse than mine, though."
Mei Xue glanced toward the kitchen. After confirming no one had heard him, she lowered her voice.
"You'd better be careful. The others aren't as easy to talk to as I am."
Easy to talk to?
Gu Yan looked at her in surprise.
Which 'easy' person tries to kill me the first time we meet?
That said, compared to the descriptions in the original novel, Mei Xue really was considered one of the more humane ones.
Gu Yan shrugged.
"Alright, alright. This is your territory, after all."
"Then I'll be straightforward."
He ate as if chatting about something trivial.
"Change of plan. We meet at the police station at eight tonight."
"The situation is simple. Xiao Lin has been arrested and taken in, but he's a martial artist—and the young master of the Dragon King Palace. Someone will definitely bail him out."
"You released the shadow slaves this morning, turning all those people into corpses."
"That kind of framing might disgust Xiao Lin, but it won't really hurt him."
"At most, it delays his release."
"That's enough."
Gu Yan smiled faintly.
"We wait until night."
"After all…"
He took another bite of rice and looked at Mei Xue.
"You can only fight at full strength at night."
Mei Xue frowned.
Damn it… having all my secrets exposed really is uncomfortable.
Gu Yan continued calmly.
"And what you need to do isn't fight him to the death."
"You don't even need to test his full strength."
"What you need to do is the first thing I told you."
"That is—get something from Xiao Lin."
"Or at least force him to reveal it."
Mei Xue already had a vague idea forming.
"What is it?"
Gu Yan pointed to his neck.
"There's half of a jade pendant hanging there. He keeps it hidden under his clothes."
"Half a jade pendant?"
Mei Xue was puzzled.
"That's it?"
"That's enough."
Gu Yan finished the last bite of fried rice and warned her calmly.
"Don't try to fight Xiao Lin head-on."
"He's not someone you can deal with right now."
"Even at night."
Mei Xue clenched her fists.
Her voice carried disbelief.
"My combat strength in the dark rivals a master. Even if I can't defeat him, I can at least force him to reveal his full power."
"How could it be as bad as you say?"
Gu Yan smiled.
"Oh."
Then he stood up and walked toward the counter.
That single word said everything.
It made Mei Xue inexplicably irritated.
—
"Six yuan in total."
The middle-aged man in sunglasses gave a professional smile as Gu Yan paid.
Before leaving, Gu Yan waved toward Mei Xue.
"Goodbye, Miss Mei~"
Ding—ling—
The door closed behind him.
Mei Xue frowned slightly.
That tone… that name…
This guy was really too good at acting.
The manager suddenly chuckled.
"Mei Xue, you seem quite familiar with that secular-world man."
She sighed lightly.
"Just an acquaintance."
She didn't understand Gu Yan at all—and couldn't guess what he was planning.
"I understand."
The manager's tone turned serious. "But don't indulge in romance."
"It would delay the master's plan."
"?"
Mei Xue frowned.
"Manager, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"Inexplicable."
She turned and walked back into the kitchen.
That man was the master's nominal husband—though she couldn't understand what the master saw in him.
The manager shook his head.
Too blunt.
Still, that man had no cultivation at all. If he truly got involved in the ancient martial world, it would be disastrous.
Those two…
Probably won't end well.
—
Meanwhile.
Jianghai City Police Station.
Interrogation room.
Xiao Lin sat in the chair, hands clasped.
Across from him sat Chen Yingyin, documents in hand, expression cold.
"Name?"
"Xiao Lin."
"Age?"
"Twenty-four."
"Gender?"
"Can't you see—"
Bang!
Chen Yingyin slammed the table.
"I'm asking the questions."
Xiao Lin wanted to cry.
He felt utterly wronged.
He hadn't done anything—why was he being interrogated like a criminal?
If not for his master's repeated warnings to obey secular law, he would've left long ago.
Still…
This woman named Chen Yingyin was quite beautiful.
Staying a little longer didn't seem so bad.
Seeing her expression darken, he coughed lightly.
"Male."
Her impression of him worsened instantly.
She spoke coldly.
"Did you injure Wang Yulan in Yulin Community this morning?"
Xiao Lin froze.
Wang Yulan?
Combining everything, a realization struck him.
"Yes."
His fists clenched.
Sister Yulan… called the police?
"I didn't mean to hurt her," he hurriedly explained. "I was just—"
"Shut up!"
Chen Yingyin's eyes burned with anger.
"Do you know your punch almost killed her?"
"If not for Gu—someone sending her to the hospital…"
"She'd already be dead!"