Hearing that Lin Feng and Qiao Beiming’s identities were so impressive, Ming Yue quickly stood up and said, "Um, please have a seat, you two. Thanks to Ye Xiu, the entire nation recognizes me, so I can only live in a humble place like this. I hope you don’t mind."

Lin Feng sat down nonchalantly, waving his hand. "It’s fine. I’m not that particular."

Qiao Beiming, however, was not as casual as Lin Feng. After sitting down, he scrutinized Ming Yue and asked, "Since you hold a grudge against Ye Xiu, why hide out in Nanjing? Don’t you know that Ye Xiu is also here?"

Ming Yue gave a bitter smile. "You may not be aware, Mr. Qiao, but ever since Mutou Bingyuan taught me the Evil Technique and my collaboration with the Tiansha Association against Ye Xiu failed, he has treated me like a tool. He drags me wherever he goes and forces me to do all his dirty work."

The most perfect lie is woven from the truth, a principle Ming Yue knew well.

Qiao Beiming’s eyes, sharp as knives, stared at her, but he couldn’t see through her. He asked, "You saved the Princess and have been lurking by her side. Was that also a mission Ye Xiu gave you?"

Ming Yue frowned, using the gesture to mask her panic. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Qiao?"

Kristina chimed in, "Mr. Qiao, are you suspecting Ye Xiu arranged for Ming Yue to be with me? That doesn’t make any sense. I was attacked by Huang Quan. How could Ye Xiu possibly have known where Huang Quan left me and sent Ming Yue to rescue me in time?"

What a godsend... Ming Yue thought.

As a seasoned conspiracy theorist who doubted everything, Qiao Beiming said, "No one can guarantee that Ye Xiu isn’t one of Huang Quan’s people. Our undertaking is too important; we absolutely cannot have outsiders among us. Since you claim you weren’t sent by Ye Xiu, are you willing to undergo a test?"

"Bring it on!" Ming Yue shrugged, completely unflustered.

"Good!" Qiao Beiming nodded and said to Lin Feng, "Hypnotize her!"

Lin Feng nodded. "Ming Yue, look into my eyes."

Ming Yue did as she was told and saw Lin Feng’s pupils suddenly turn a deep purple. The next moment, she felt as if her soul had left her body, her expression and gaze turning vacant.

Lin Feng glanced at Qiao Beiming. Seeing him nod, he asked, "Ming Yue, who sent you to approach the Princess?"

"No one sent me," Ming Yue said robotically.

Lin Feng, Qiao Beiming, and Kristina exchanged a look. Lin Feng and Qiao Beiming seemed satisfied with her answer, and Kristina breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Feng continued, "What was your purpose in approaching the Princess?"

Ming Yue replied in the same wooden tone, "When I rescued her, I didn’t know she was the Princess of the Golden Family. After I learned her identity, I hoped for her protection. She is the only one who can rescue me from Ye Xiu’s clutches."

Lin Feng looked at Qiao Beiming.

The latter pondered for a moment before saying, "There are no flaws. She can be trusted."

Kristina smiled. "I already knew about the grudge between Ye Xiu and the Ming Family. I’ve also seen Ming Yue’s photos online; she wouldn’t lie to me."

Lin Feng and Qiao Beiming nodded.

Lin Feng deactivated his Purple Pupil. The next moment, Ming Yue blinked as if waking up, her face a mask of panic. "You... what did you do to me?"

Her acting was stellar, perhaps even surpassing that of a professional actress like Li Ran. In reality, Ye Xiu had long ago placed a ward on Ming Yue that made her immune to hypnosis. Everything that had just happened was part of her act.

"Congratulations on passing the test," Lin Feng said with a smile. "From now on, you’re one of us."

"Oh!" Ming Yue nodded, her face betraying no unusual emotion. As a business elite trained in psychology, she knew better than to show any emotional fluctuation in front of an expert like Qiao Beiming. The slightest change could arouse his suspicion.

"Mr. Qiao, what are your plans now?" Kristina asked, changing the subject.

"Gather everyone who has infiltrated Nanjing. We’ll head to Unparalleled Mountain together," Qiao Beiming said.

"Absolutely not!" Kristina refused decisively. "If a large group moves into the mountains together, we’ll be discovered by scouts from Huang Quan and the Restorer Alliance."

"That’s exactly the point," Qiao Beiming said with a cold smile.

Realizing Qiao Beiming wanted to bait them, Kristina agreed, "Alright then."

And so, Lin Feng sent out a mass text. In less than an hour, over two thousand warriors from the Eternal Kingdom who had infiltrated Nanjing gathered on the street outside the hotel. Led by Kristina, Ming Yue, Lin Feng, and Qiao Beiming, they headed for Unparalleled Mountain in a grand procession, making no effort to hide their movements along the way.

However, everyone’s nerves were stretched taut, on guard against a potential ambush from Huang Quan and the Restorer Alliance.

But in the end, nothing happened. They reached Unparalleled Mountain completely unscathed.

"How strange. We made such a spectacle of ourselves, there’s no way Huang Quan and the Restorer Alliance didn’t know. Why didn’t they make a move?" Standing on the summit of Unparalleled Mountain, Qiao Beiming was completely bewildered.

"Perhaps it’s because there are so many of us this time. Huang Quan and the Restorer Alliance couldn’t gauge our true strength, so they didn’t dare to act rashly," Kristina suggested.

"Now we are exposed while they remain in the shadows. We’re at a serious disadvantage," Lin Feng said, chewing on a blade of grass.

Qiao Beiming turned to look at Ming Yue, who stood behind Kristina with her eyes downcast and her expression neutral. "Ming Yue, what’s your take on the situation in Nanjing?"

"Just speak your mind. We don’t consider you a servant," Kristina encouraged.

Ming Yue nodded and thought for a moment before saying, "Ye Xiu is a master strategist. I think you should hear his opinion first."

Kristina was taken aback. "Ye Xiu is just a thug. I’ve never seen any sign of him being a strategist."

"Ye Xiu returned to the country less than two months ago, and in that time, he has run circles around all his enemies from the past decade, including the Ye Family, the massive Long Family, and countless rivals in the medical field. This is proof of his strategic mind," Ming Yue explained.

Kristina remained skeptical. In her impression, aside from his superb medical skills and formidable martial prowess, Ye Xiu was useless in every other regard.

Qiao Beiming’s interest was piqued. "I’m actually quite curious about Ye Xiu. His two wives are raising hell on Biluo Island. Any man who can handle women like that is certainly no ordinary person."

「It was already past one in the morning.」

Ye Xiu lay in bed, reading Ming Yue’s text message over and over. This Qiao Beiming and his so-called plan intrigued him.

Just then, a message arrived from You Ming: "Mo Luo and Dizang have successfully infiltrated Biluo Island with their men."

Ye Xiu’s eyes lit up. "How long will it take you to take over the Eternal Kingdom’s network?"

Along with their men, Mo Luo and Dizang had also brought You Ming’s ’treasure’ to Biluo Island.

You Ming replied, "A matter of minutes!"

"Good. Paralyze the Eternal Kingdom as soon as you can."

You Ming replied, "You got it!"

Ye Xiu put his phone away, ready to sleep. Just then, he suddenly heard faint footsteps approaching his tent. Then, he saw Li Ran, wrapped in a Black Cloak, creeping furtively inside.

What does this woman want?

Ye Xiu feigned sleep. He then heard the rustle of clothes being removed, and a moment later, Li Ran slipped under his blanket, leaving Ye Xiu utterly dumbfounded.