Chapter 76

Chapter 39: Casual Killings

　Coincidentally, just as Bai Ling finished speaking, Yuan Xiaoling’s mobile phone buzzed. She hastily picked it up to check.

　[Lock Love Blaze: Ten years ago, on one fateful day at work, a coworker was accidentally caught in a machine due to a malfunction, resulting in severe amputation and lifelong disability.]

　Yuan Xiaoling’s little heart skipped a beat.

　This marked the beginning of the White family’s connection with the Murong family, as Bai Ling had shown her the documents last night.

　[Lock Love Blaze: It was purely an accidental workplace injury. We wanted to sue the factory for compensation but were refused. They claimed it was his own operational error and employed some tactics.]

　Back then, we encountered a great benefactor, Mr. Bai from the White family, who was willing to sponsor us to hire a lawyer for litigation.

　Mr. Bai… Is he Bai Ling’s father?

　Yuan Xiaoling sneakily glanced at the white-haired maiden beside her, only to be caught red-handed.

　”What’s wrong?” she asked.

　”No, nothing’s wrong, I’m just reading a story.”

　She’s driving, so it’s better not to have emotional fluctuations, thought Xiaoling.

　[Lock Love Blaze: But finding a lawyer wasn’t smooth sailing. Although the Hai Tian Yi Se Chamber of Commerce wasn’t officially established yet, connections among various families already existed. We couldn’t find any lawyers willing to go against Yunhai Company. Eventually, we managed to find one, but he’d already been bribed, tricking us into a certain failure.]

　That evening, dispirited, we walked back, pondering how to help that person, unaware that disaster was just beginning.

　We, who had never left our village or factory all our lives, truly realized the world’s harsh reality for the first time.

　[Lock Love Blaze: I still have some things to do. You go ahead and busy yourself. We’ll continue later with this final story about sharks.]

　Bai Ling was driving when she suddenly felt a sorrowful gaze beside her. Turning her head, she saw the blonde-haired maiden pitifully looking at her.

　”What’s wrong? What did he say?” Bai Ling asked. “What’s the plan?”

　”Not finished,” Yuan Xiaoling bitterly said, “He said we’ll continue later.”

　”…Alright, we’re almost there. Come in with me first.”

　The Dongshan District of Tianhai City isn’t entirely barren; some good places have been developed into scenic areas, developing quite well.

　Xiangshan Tea House is one such place.

　Bai Ling parked at the foot of the mountain, standing at the entrance of the mountain path, glancing upward.

　”One-third.” She said.

　”One-third what?”

　”About one-third of all the spiritual energy manipulators’ strength under the Hai Tian Yi Se Chamber.”

　Yuan Xiaoling understood. Since Bai Ling only displayed fourth-tier power at Hai Tian Grand Hotel, the chamber didn’t take it too seriously.

　To have one-third might still be due to her being the sole survivor of the White family.

　”How does this number sound?” The blonde-haired maiden quietly asked.

　”Great, casually mine.”

　Bai Ling omitted the word ‘kill’ and made a throat-slitting gesture with her hand.

　”Let’s go.”

　Today, most of Xiangshan Tea House’s guests have been replaced by Murong Yi’s people. At this moment, he and a girl sat in a pavilion, brewing tea in a small pot.

　”She messaged saying she has arrived,” Yi Jie told Murong Yi, “and will be coming up soon.”

　Murong Yi poured a few cups of tea and asked her a question, “Would you feel conflicted betraying your friend?”

　”No, no,” Yi Jie quickly waved her hands, “we aren’t really friends anyway. She gave me a bad check and asked me to do her bidding. There’s no real bond. Besides, those who adapt are the wise ones.”

　The girl chatted cheerfully, feeling very relaxed. Murong Yi, however, frowned and didn’t join her in laughter.

　He had a small doubt – if you aren’t friends, why does she trust you enough to call you and expect you to come?

　Feeling somewhat uneasy, Murong Yi picked up his mobile phone and called someone halfway up the mountain.

　”Wu Bian, be cautious and probe her true strength first.”

　”Understood.”

　In the small tea pavilion halfway up the mountain, the long-haired man put down his phone: “Mr. Murong wants me to figure out her background.”

　Opposite him, a spotted-faced man chuckled sinisterly: “Isn’t he being overly cautious? We’ve brought so many people, even you and me together, and he’s still being careful.”

　His name is Xiong Mian, a fourth-tier spiritual energy manipulator with reinforced foundation stone rock abilities and the main force in this ambush operation.

　The long-haired man is Wu Bian, a precious inner stone perception-type spiritual energy manipulator.

　His ability allows him to perceive roughly besides investigating specific powers by touching something the target touched within ten seconds. Compared to low-level perception users whose vision shows only light spots when someone is slightly stronger, his ability is like heaven and earth apart.

　He assists, Xiong Mian leads the attack, and dozens of third-tier spiritual energy manipulators provide support. Everyone believed surrounding a fourth-tier spiritual energy manipulator would be foolproof.

　At this moment, Bai Ling and Yuan Xiaoling arrived.

　”Guests, please hold on,” Wu Bian stepped forward and said, “please drink this cup of tea before continuing upwards.”

　”I won’t,” Yuan Xiaoling placed her hands on her hips and declared confidently, “who knows what you’ve put in it? If I drink just because you tell me to, am I stupid?”

　Wu Bian was momentarily stunned.

　He expected the girl might refuse, but not this straightforwardly.

　”The tea is absolutely fine. You can inspect it yourselves. Of course, not drinking is also fine,” Wu Bian forcibly pushed the teacup over.

　Not drinking is fine, but you’ll touch it, right?

　Bai Ling looked at him playfully, making Wu Bian’s heart race as if his thoughts were seen through.

　How could that be possible?

　”Our boss is waiting for us upstairs,” Bai Ling glanced toward the direction of the mountaintop, “right?”

　”That’s correct,” Xiong Mian replied.

　Once they ascend the mountain, they’ll enter the trap immediately. There’s no escape route on the mountain.

　Bai Ling gave a mysterious smile, lightly touched the teacup, then pulled Yuan Xiaoling straight up the mountain.

　Wu Bian wasn’t calm. That final deliberate action unsettled him greatly, as if she truly knew his intentions.

　”What are you spacing out for? Aren’t you supposed to be ‘careful’?” Xiong Mian shouted to wake him up. “Get to work.”

　Then he took out a communicator and issued orders to the “army” on the mountain:

　”They’re climbing the mountain. Everyone prepare for battle. Activate the traps.”

　Putting down the communicator, Xiong Mian’s facial muscles twitched into a grin: “Two delicate little girls, rushing up the mountain at a friend’s beck and call, how naive and cute. Today, let’s give them a proper lesson, right, Wu Bian?”

　No response.

　”Wu Bian?”

　Confused, Xiong Mian turned around and found the tea pavilion empty. The cup used by Wu Bian lay shattered silently on the table — marking that he’d already used his ability.

　Stepping out of the pavilion, he finally spotted Wu Bian’s figure — the man was fleeing downhill like his life depended on it, ignoring his disheveled hair as if running late meant losing his life.

　”Wu Bian! Why are you running!”

　Wu Bian ignored him and kept fleeing.

　”Damn.”

　At this point, there’s nothing he can do about it. Clearly, Xiong Mian hadn’t given much thought to why his companion acted this way.