Moreover...

"Do you think it’s just foreigners who have issues? Throughout history, there haven’t been few insiders who’ve turned traitor. As long as there’s enough profit, the cost of buying off a foreigner might be used to turn several times more of our own people."

Though it wasn’t appropriate to laugh, Jiang Chen couldn’t help but suppress a chuckle.

"Mind your words."

"I’m just stating the facts."

Cao Jinse remarked calmly, "Every nation is the same; some people risk their lives and bear the burdens moving forward, while others rack their brains trying to hold them back."

Jiang Chen smiled without speaking, silently continuing his meal.

Princess Cao has never been a blind patriot.

She is actually very clear-eyed.

The ancestors said that knowing oneself and the enemy would ensure victory in every battle.

It’s not just about knowing the enemy; knowing oneself comes first.

"Since wildfires can’t be fully extinguished, let’s look at it from another perspective."

Jiang Chen swallowed his food and suddenly said.

"What perspective?"

Cao Jinse looked at him.

"I believe others will also send spies here, right? We’ve been playing with strategy and military tactics for thousands of years; we shouldn’t lose to anyone in this. Since it’s difficult to investigate over here, why not start from the outside—it might turn out to be much easier."

Cao Jinse remained silent for a while, then intriguingly asked, "Can you help?"

Jiang Chen’s chopsticks didn’t pause, as if it was nothing, "I can’t provide major help, but I can still offer a bit of my modest strength."

————

Full and satisfied.

Jiang Chen walked out of Apang Palace with Princess Cao.

"These days you haven’t been resting well?"

She was truly impressed by this guy’s energy.

"Going to pay respects to our Bodhisattva Guanyin."

Darkness succeeded darkness, last night seemed like just a blink ago, Jiang Chen exhaled a deep breath, "Together?"

The favor of saving one’s life deserved repayment.

Upon hearing about finding Lan Peizhi, Cao Jinse didn’t say any more, just shook her head, "What would I go for."

Jiang Chen was surprised, "Really? Still holding a grudge?"

"Heh."

Cao Jinse gave a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, then stepped away, waving her hand without looking back.

Women.

Truly magical creatures.

Sometimes, like the proverb, accommodating as a minister; other times, like a child.

Watching Princess Cao get into the car, Jiang Chen headed toward the parking lot.

After the Green Wing Bat King, the White Eyebrow Eagle King and the Golden Lion King also successfully escaped danger.

However, they were only free from life-threatening situations; their injuries were very serious. Fortunately, they were robust, unlike ordinary people...

There’s no point in this comparison.

If they were ordinary people, they would have been hacked to death long before reaching the operating table.

Injuries involving bones and muscles take a hundred days to heal; conservatively estimating, the three will lie in the hospital for several months and might not be able to perform physical labor for a long time afterward.

But no worries.

Their mission is complete, and after discharge, they can return to Korea and enjoy a carefree, luxurious lifestyle.

Alive and out—the reward is generous.

Boss Jiang has never been the type to back out on a promise.

This time, he’s not sitting on the fence.

After all, if he gets thrown off again, his body won’t hold out.

Jiang Chen parked the car and chose to enter through the main door.

Around eight-thirty, not too late; the housekeeper of this courtyard hadn’t gone to bed.

Of course.

Last time when Boss Jiang climbed the wall, he claimed no one responded to his knocking—what the truth was, only he knew.

After the door opened, there were no words exchanged; Jiang Chen merely smiled slightly.

The ordinary-looking middle-aged woman didn’t lead the way, instead making a gesture for Boss Jiang to proceed as he wished upon opening the door.

It doesn’t matter.

Without discussing familiarity, at least a person who has been here multiple times recently shouldn’t get lost.

"Youth doesn’t know the taste of sorrow, loves to ascend high towers. Loves to ascend high towers, forces the expression of sorrow to craft new words. Now knowing fully the taste of sorrow, hesitates to speak it out. Hesitates to speak it, but utters how cool and refreshing an autumn day..."

The strategy has changed.

He’s begun reciting poetry.

And it’s fitting, to be honest.

Without realization, the scorching summer has quietly passed, and a cool breeze blows at night.

Regrettably, the song is lofty but the audience few, confidants are hard to find.

Jiang Chen strides and sings, yet no answer comes.

The light is on inside the room.

Proving someone should be there.

Jiang Chen walked into the main hall where he had drunk foot bath water, but still, no one appeared.

If no one is there.

The woman guarding here would certainly inform, so where did everyone go?

Thus, Jiang Chen started searching everywhere, even the side rooms were not spared.

Of course.

Before entering, he knocked.

He saw that wooden sword again, hanging dust-free on the wall, but still, he found no trace of Guanyin.

He then went to the backyard but remained empty-handed.

Jiang Chen returned to the main hall in the courtyard.

He looked around.

The night was as quiet as water.

"Slap!"

There were still mosquitoes.

Jiang Chen reached into his pocket, planning to use some technology, but before he could take out his phone, he suddenly heard a voice.

"Are you looking for me?"

It came from above!

Could it be true, the ability to fly and disappear into the earth?!

After a century-old agreement, those who wield swords wield swords, those who transform wings transform wings, those who become invisible become invisible, and he was still struggling with his beginner’s kung fu?

Jiang Chen looked up abruptly, fearful of seeing someone sitting on a floating lotus platform, with a huge halo behind them.

But fortunately.

The world was still normal.

The person was merely sitting on the rooftop.

But sitting on the rooftop in the middle of the night?

That seemed a bit unusual too.

Jiang Chen walked a few steps into the courtyard, then turned around, for a broader view, so he could see the woman on the rooftop more clearly.

"Why didn’t you make a sound earlier?"

He was sure the way he was walking around like a lost fly was fully observed by her.

Thankfully, his character withstood the test; he hadn’t lingered too long in others’ quarters, hadn’t even gone inside—just a glance to confirm whether anyone was there, or else he might not have fared well tonight.

A gentleman should be cautious in solitude, a gentleman should be cautious in solitude.

Important things should be said twice, ideally three times, but let’s not pad with words.

"This seems to be my house."

Lan Peizhi let her hair fall down again, gently swaying with the evening breeze in a pure white outfit, sitting up high, merging with the moon.

This scene was touching.

Jiang Chen looked up, said nothing; not that he had nothing to say, but he simply... didn’t want to ruin this atmosphere, wanting to admire it a bit longer.

Lan Peizhi lowered her eyes.

The Bodhisattva lowers her brow.

"Why are you sitting on the rooftop?"

Jiang Chen asked.

"I sit where I want to sit."

No disturbances, no joy nor anger.

Indeed.

This was her home.

A private space.

Not to mention sitting on the roof; even standing on the roof is within her rights and freedom.

"Come down, it’s inconvenient for me to talk to you like this."

"You speak, I can hear you."

Hmm.

She could hear, but last night was quite an activity, constantly looking up and straining his voice was quite taxing.

"Can’t we communicate like normal people?"

Jiang Chen said with a wry smile, still looking up.

The woman on the roof seemed ethereal, unmoved, purer than moonlight.

"Isn’t climbing walls something you’re good at?"

Jiang Chen’s smile turned wryer, then he looked away, saying nothing, turned around, and walked out, seemingly leaving in a huff. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

The night returned to its silence.

A few minutes later.

A shadowy figure sneaked into the courtyard, stumbling, carrying a ladder.

No doubt.

He must have borrowed it from someone’s aunt.

Lan Peizhi watched quietly as he set up the ladder and then gazed into the distance again.

Last time he climbed the wall.

This time he actually got onto the roof.

And next time?

Jiang Chen wasn’t worried she’d kick him off since it was her suggestion. Blood Guanyin aside, her trustworthiness was worth more than gold.

Gold after all isn’t guaranteed, it could be fake.

"Did you cut corners on this roof?"

With the help of tools, Jiang Chen successfully climbed onto the roof, like walking on thin ice, being very careful, afraid of breaking the tiles.

If he slipped and fell, he’d definitely end up with the Three Dharma Kings.

"Crack!"

Consider yourself warned.

The sound underfoot made Jiang Chen freeze in place, not daring to move.

"How much do you weigh?"

"One hundred and fifty pounds."

"These tiles can only bear fifty."

Fifty?

"What a joke. You only weigh fifty pounds?"

Jiang Chen wasn’t fooled.

No matter how slender and delicate Blood Guanyin was, she still had some flesh, about ninety pounds at a guess.

Fifty pounds?

Does he believe he’s Qin Shi Huang?

Lan Peizhi continued gazing into the distance, lightly smiling, "You know, I practice Qi Cultivation."