LWGP - Chapter 89
Chapter 89: The Brick-Hoarding Maniac
Fighting again was impossible, mainly because she couldn't be beaten.
Late at night, across a table, she sat there in a standoff with a group of people.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, as if a battle could break out at any moment.
But in the end…
Zhao Shanxiao used the silver spear he had just summoned in a feigned attack to poke his friend's corpse on the ground.
"The ground is cold, get up. What kind of look is this? You're making Miss Wang feel awkward."
A great man knows when to yield and when to stand firm, not sweating the small stuff.
Jiang Kaikai, truly worthy of being Zhao Shanxiao's friend, continued to play dead upon hearing this.
An embarrassed Zhao Shanxiao glanced at him, then turned to Wang Jiu. "He's not from Village 443, so it's not easy for him to revive. He's probably just scared of you, Miss Wang. Why don't we have a proper talk?"
As he said this, he felt an inexplicable sense of disgust. Just ten-odd minutes ago, he had also said he wanted to have a proper talk with her, only to turn around and sign a slave contract.
If they had another "proper talk," he probably wouldn't even be able to afford underwear.
Unfortunately, while he was eager for another round of negotiations, Wang Jiu was toying with the Homestead and didn't respond directly. She just poked Jiang Kaikai's corpse on the butt with her blade.
"Get up for a sec. I need to ask you something."
Jiang Kaikai was afraid of her and scrambled to his feet, asking tremblingly and cautiously, "What can I do for you, sister?"
"How do I eat your Homestead? You must know. Teach me."
"…"
You want to eat my Homestead, and you want me to give you instructions on how to consume it?
Isn't that too cruel?
However, because her words carried a hidden meaning, Jiang Kaikai said with a mournful face, "You can ask the System."
"No, you're right here. Why should I ask the System? That would be so impersonal."
What the fuck!
Jiang Kaikai said awkwardly, "It's like a big fish eating a small fish. Just merge them, and the System will automatically pop up with a prompt to devour it."
Wang Jiu tried it, and sure enough, a system prompt appeared, asking if she wanted to devour the smaller Homestead.
Of course, she confirmed it.
With a gulp, the large Homestead merged with the small one… Wang Jiu noticed Jiang Kaikai's eyes were a bit glazed over, as if he were expecting something.
Expecting something?
It's already been eaten. Is there still room for negotiation?
Wang Jiu was lost in thought when she suddenly felt the merging process get stuck.
System prompt: "Devouring process complete. Randomly consumed 20 square meters."
This? It works like this?
"20 square meters? There's a random mechanic like this? I thought it would be all in one go."
Jiang Kaikai could barely contain his joy. "Yes, that's how the devouring gameplay works."
Wang Jiu: "What are you so happy about? I'm not giving it back to you just because I couldn't eat it all."
Jiang Kaikai's expression froze. "Then… then you?"
Wang Jiu attempted a second merge. "The System just reminded me that after the first devouring, I have to wait a month for the second. It's a long road ahead, but I'll finish it eventually. After all, your Homestead isn't that big."
It wasn't big, but having something was better than nothing. Even if he didn't have a place to sleep, he still needed to place his Garden Fields.
Jiang Kaikai desperately wanted his house back, but he knew it wouldn't be that easy.
Zhao Shanxiao knew he couldn't play dumb anymore. He also knew his friend had been dragged into this because of him today. "What if Kaikai hands over all the things I put inside to you, Miss Wang?"
Wang Jiu didn't reply.
Zhao Shanxiao took a deep breath and continued, "That special Reputation item, I'll give it to you as well. Please, let him off the hook."
Jiang Kaikai was shaken. "Lao Zhao, you?"
Since he had gone this far, Wang Jiu smiled. She used her blade to lift the red underwear from the table and presented it to Zhao Shanxiao.
The atmosphere instantly relaxed.
It was like finally paying a medical bill that had been overdue for days. Director Wang was back in professional mode, displaying the warmth of an angel in white.
"Actually, it's still usable after a good wash, right, Mr. Zhao?"
Her words were full of meaning.
Zhao Shanxiao: "…"
Jiang Kaikai had no choice but to open his Homestead and pour out a pile of things. These were all items Zhao Shanxiao had stored there before making his move, in order to preserve his foundation.
Compared to the actions of Qiao Xuejing and the others, the two brothers' behavior was understandable. But it was clear that the one surnamed Zhao was far more cunning, planning every step and even preparing for the worst-case scenario by hiding his best items in his friend's Homestead. Even if he was defeated, he could still make a comeback.
Look at him. Compared to him, the seemingly ferocious Liao Luo was much more simple-minded. Of course, that was also related to him not having a friend with a Homestead.
It was just that Zhao Shanxiao never expected Wang Jiu to see through his plan.
He had lost fair and square, but it still stung.
However, while Zhao Shanxiao's items didn't seem numerous, they were all top-quality.
One Puppet, seven basic Skill Books he couldn't use, one Class Skill book, 25 Strengthening Stones, two Puppet Cards, a special scroll that emitted a halo, five Garden Fields, ten bags of seeds…
It was like defeating a boss. There was a lot of loot, and all of it was useful. But why didn't he use the Class Skill book?
Class Skill books had no restrictions.
Zhao Shanxiao, with a straight face, said flatly, "Holy Light is for healers. I have no plans in that direction. Although I'll definitely have to learn it in the future, it requires 100 Spirit to learn, and I don't have enough."
He probably had less than 100 Spirit after learning Double Arrow and Shocking Chant. He could learn them, but not Holy Light.
Although he didn't want to be a healer, he was holding onto it. Whether he saved up Spirit to use it himself after getting a Homestead, or sold it, it was an incredibly precious resource. And now, and now!
This Holy Light wasn't a rare high-damage skill, but its high Spirit requirement suggested a low drop rate, making it quite rare.
Wang Jiu then picked up the special scroll, examined it, and raised an eyebrow. "No wonder you wanted the silver growth-type equipment on me so badly. You wanted to use this Upgrade Scroll on it."
At this point, there was nothing left to hide. Zhao Shanxiao admitted it. "My own is only bronze. Upgrading it to silver felt like a waste. I was thinking of getting the silver one from you and upgrading it to gold. If I did that, my future prospects would be greatly expanded."
His logic wasn't wrong; he was very ambitious.
Wang Shu calculated that if his Master had really been PKed by him tonight, with the Reputation, Homestead, and growth-type equipment, this guy's strength would have at least tripled.
No wonder he took the risk.
Unfortunately, his Master was too vicious. When it came to being black-hearted, she was on another level.
Just the Holy Light and the Upgrade Scroll were enough to be a pleasant surprise for Wang Jiu, not to mention that Zhao Shanxiao quickly traded over the item that could plunder a killer's Reputation. In exchange, Wang Jiu traded the Homestead to Jiang Kaikai.
The deal was done.
Afterward, Wang Jiu sat down, picked up her chopsticks and spoon. "Alright, let's eat. See you tomorrow morning, bright and early."
Zhao Shanxiao and Jiang Kaikai couldn't tell if they were relieved or pained by the loss. In any case, the latter had also dropped a bunch of items when he was killed—Strengthening Stones and Skill Books, just not as high-end as what Zhao Shanxiao had lost.
Wang Jiu sat down to eat, and Zhao Shanxiao and Jiang Kaikai were free to go, but the others were not.
They had to come out one by one to pay up. Not daring to approach Wang Jiu, they went to the prosperous and kind-looking Wang Shu.
Poor Wang Shu couldn't even eat a proper meal, busy as he was collecting money.
He Ruguang, Chu Xiangsui, and the others were uneasy, afraid that Wang Jiu would settle scores with them separately. But to their relief and anxiety, Wang Jiu completely ignored them.
It was clear she only extorted those she deemed valuable. She couldn't be bothered with the other trash.
He Ruguang saw Qiao Xuejing sitting near Wang Jiu, eating and not looking at him. His heart was filled with complex emotions, but he still remembered how she had shot him dead with a single arrow not long ago.
The apocalypse was the apocalypse. A goddess was still a goddess, high and mighty.
While eating, Wang Jiu sorted through her gains. The so-called strength in numbers meant that with everyone dropping a bit of equipment, Skill Books, and Strengthening Stones, it all added up.
Her 300 inventory slots were full. Before killing Jiang Kaikai, she had even been forced to trade 20 pieces of bronze equipment to Wang Shu to make space.
Now, a large pile of bronze equipment was listed for sale, bringing in 35 gold. In total, there were 55 basic Skill Books. 40 were usable, while the remaining 15 were Charge, Evasion, and Heal, which she kept.
"In another two or three days, the period where Mastery skills are unpopular will probably be over. It'll be harder to collect them then."
System: "In your era, many people have played games and have gaming concepts. They might not be unaware of the future impact of Mastery skills. But elites are rare, and the mediocre are countless. Few can unleash the power of Mastery skills in the early stages. At level 4, a 30% boost is indeed terrifying, but right now, not many can even fill all five skill slots. Look, even with you two leading them, Wang Shu and Dao Dao hadn't filled theirs before, let alone others."
At level one, a 5% boost was a drop in the bucket. Active skills, however, had great utility and could secure immediate benefits, whether for monster grinding or fighting. It was a personal choice.
Even Zhao Shanxiao had Charge. It was clear that very few people dared to commit to four Mastery skills.
It all came down to one's self-assessment.
Wang Jiu casually defined this choice with a single sentence, "To put it bluntly, in a game, you can think long-term. But in a real apocalypse, everyone can only focus on immediate survival."
Exactly. That was the logic.
"So, you chose four Mastery skills with that in mind, right?"
When the System asked, Wang Jiu didn't answer. No answer was a tacit admission.
She was certain that most people would choose active skills early on, creating a lot of competition and making them hard to level up. So she chose four Mastery skills, planning to use her "money" power to brute-force their levels up in the early stages. After all, leveling up basic Skill Books was a huge grind. It was impossible to do it alone; you had to rely on the masses.
So as long as she had the funds, her early-game foundation would be solid.
However… leveling from 4 to 5 required 32 books. She hadn't maxed out a single Mastery skill!
Leveling Heavy Strike from 3 to 4 required 16 books, and she hadn't managed that either.
It was too difficult.
With the Skill Books sorted, Wang Jiu also collected all the turkey loot from the team's inventory.
This was her harvest alone; the others didn't get a say.
This level 9 bronze boss in the wild wasn't as lucrative as a dungeon boss. Judging by the experience it gave Wang Jiu, it was only half as much.
The value of the loot was probably also about half.
If it had been a wilderness invasion, the rewards would likely have been much greater.
Wang Jiu took a look and organized all of her income from the night.
Account balance: 128 gold, 70 Strengthening Stones, 8 Puppet Cards… 10 Garden Fields, 25 bags of seeds, and so on.
Group battles had their benefits. With two hundred people, small amounts added up. She was rich, so rich.
The first pile was resources for characters, the latter for the manor. Wang Jiu figured that even with the extra 20 square meters, ten Garden Fields would make it feel crowded.
Suddenly, Wang Shu noticed Wang Jiu glance at him. "Master, what's up? Do you want more? I'll get you more rice."
"No need, I'm not done eating yet." Wang Jiu couldn't bring herself to say she was thinking of killing him to swallow his house. She looked away and continued to manage her resources.
After eating half a bowl of rice, Wang Jiu swept up a large batch of cement. She also glanced at the Bricks on the market and noticed that the quantity was much lower than before, and the price was one copper coin per Brick. Someone else was likely hoarding Bricks just like her.
She remembered that when she used to buy them, it was one copper for 15 Bricks. The price had now increased 15-fold.
She currently had 220,000 Bricks in her inventory, which she had been buying intermittently throughout the day. Now, having earned another large sum of gold, Wang Jiu instantly bought out all 780,000 Bricks on the exchange, spending 78 gold coins in one go. After the number of Bricks in her inventory reached one million, her cement supply also reached a massive fifty thousand bags.
She put the remaining 50 gold into a skill book buy order.
She spent money like water.
Her gold balance was empty again, with only 50 silver coins left.
Could you believe how much she spent?
Even the System was speechless.
After this series of operations, the 100-plus gold she had just earned was gone. Of course, if the skill book buy order didn't go through, the 50 gold would be returned.
However, the equipment she had listed was still selling, so subsequent income would replenish some of it.
In any case, her spending habits were insane, probably more terrifying than even the top-tier big shots.
System: "Are you hoarding so many Bricks to resell them?"
Good grief, she was the one driving up the price of Bricks.
After this buyout, the next wave of listings would surely see a massive price hike.
That's how market economics worked.
Wang Jiu: "No, for my own use. It's a high-demand item to begin with. And even if I can't use them all, I won't let others use them."
System: "!"
It understood. This black-hearted woman. A 100-square-meter Homestead obviously didn't need that many Bricks, but her ambitions clearly went beyond a mere private Homestead.
She planned to hoard Bricks herself to suppress the development speed of other people's manors!
One million Bricks! Even with so many players now, the market shortage was immense. By driving the price of Bricks so high, even if the big shots were willing to pay, it would mean a massive drain on their funds.
One copper per Brick? Soon, they probably wouldn't be able to afford one for ten copper. Because by the time low-level players had Bricks, mid-level players would probably be starting to acquire manors. At most, they would use the Bricks themselves and would be unlikely to sell them to others.
By then… the big shots in desperate need of Bricks would probably be banging their heads against the wall!
Because any big shot would surely have their sights set on a Territory.
And the number of Bricks needed for Territory construction was absolutely astronomical.
She was prepared, steady as a mountain, while others would have their progress crippled by her.
Thus, her advantage would emerge, giving her the qualifications to compete with the big shots in the long run.
Wang Jiu's meddling indeed alarmed players across all nine major districts.
The ignorant just wondered why Bricks had suddenly become so valuable and held onto them even more tightly. They weren't stupid, after all.
Those with a bit of insight immediately sensed their importance.
Those who had gotten a Homestead and were secretly laughing in their sleep, preparing their funds to develop quietly, were now coughing up blood.
In short, the top-tier big shots might not have a Homestead yet and were unaware of the role Bricks played.
Those with Homesteads knew, but they didn't necessarily have the money to sweep up many Bricks. After all, they still had to spend money on equipment and skills, because this inconspicuous Brick had already had its price jacked up by someone before the game even loaded.
And now, you couldn't even buy one with a 5-copper buy order!
Which bastard did this! It must be those capitalist big shots, ptooey! They monopolized capital in the old world, and now they're doing it again in the new world. Aren't they afraid of their ancestors' graves being struck by lightning!
The top-tier big shots, who were unfairly blamed, had schemes as deep as the sea. They had already sensed the key issue and had a premonition that their grand ambitions might have been thwarted.
Who did they suspect? Who could possibly have the funds to pull off such a massive market sweep? Of course, it had to be others of their kind.
"So much capital, and a Homestead… this person is a grave threat."
"Could it be that old thing! Dammit! Shameless as ever!"
"Who is it? Who? Which one of my enemies is it?"
"A devil, a devil. This person will definitely become my rival."
"Where did this brick-hoarding maniac come from? Haven't they lived in a house for eight hundred years?"
"Who has a Homestead? Tell me…"
The situation was changing rapidly. The big shots were adaptable and soon began to target some of the lucky ones.
Sometimes, a Homestead didn't have to be obtained by luck.
It could also be won through bloodstained weapons.
The slaughter began.
The RNG Gods trembled in fear.
This was a war over real estate.
"Don't make me sound so bad. I drove up the price of Bricks, so ordinary people who can't use them early on and can only kill small monsters can sell them for funds to support their families. Isn't that a good thing?"
"If saving a life grants a holy light, the radiance on my body could shine all the way from here to America, you believe that?"
As Wang Jiu spoke, she was moved by her own words. In any case, she herself believed it.
A storm was brewing across the globe.
The System said no more. The globally recognized brick-hoarding maniac had already started eating mantis shrimp. When it came to eating, both she and Qiao Xuejing were slow and deliberate, very well-mannered, and a pleasure to watch. However, they heard a commotion from Wang Shu's side.
Wang Shu: "What are you doing! Damn, that's a huge bowl!"
He was questioning Liao Luo.
Liao Luo, however, was perfectly justified, holding a washbasin as he stood by the pot. "Don't I have to risk my life for her tomorrow? If you don't even let me eat, I won't have any strength tomorrow."
Wang Shu frowned and called out to Wang Jiu, "Master…"
Wang Jiu glanced over. "Let him be."
In that case, Wang Shu didn't care anymore. It was just a bit of food; it wasn't like they couldn't afford to feed him.
But unexpectedly, Jiang Kaikai came over next, and then that respectable Mr. Zhao also came over with a bowl.
They looked as if they had been so thoroughly exploited that they were determined to eat her entire pot of food.
The bowls in their hands were all quite large.
Wang Shu and Dao Dao grew anxious: This shameless bunch.
Wang Jiu wasn't bothered by this. As she was about to finish eating, a person slowly walked out of the surrounding darkness. Bathed in the warm light from the fires on both sides, he walked alone under the surprised gazes of many. His face was handsome and gentle, but his temperament was as cold and sharp as a steel sword hanging on the wall of a solemn temple.
He was too dazzling.
You couldn't find another man like him in all of Luoyang.
But strangely, at a time like this, he was actually walking towards that Demon King?
Didn't they see that Liao Luo had grabbed a bowl of food and hidden far away?
But the person approaching her actually walked right up to her side.
Wang Shu wanted to stop him, but when he saw the man's face, he froze, quite surprised.
He had seen this person before, but what was he doing here?
"Xie Lu."
Before the approaching man could speak, he heard Wang Jiu call out his name without even turning her head.
Xie Lu raised an eyebrow and, deciding to just go with it, strode directly to Wang Jiu's side.
Qiao Xuejing, who was enjoying her meal, grew curious. It wasn't that she hadn't seen talented young men from all over, but in her opinion, this man's appearance and bearing were the best she had ever seen.
Judging by his looks and aura, he seemed to have a military air about him.
And listening to her team captain's tone when she called his name, it seemed quite gentle.
Of course, it wasn't as if she hadn't been gentle when calling other men before.
But she was always especially ruthless when she struck.
While Qiao Xuejing's thoughts were racing, Xie Lu was also surprised. He stood beside her, watching her quiet and graceful manner as she ate with her chopsticks and spoon. "You knew I was here all along?"
"I remember your scent." Wang Jiu's sense of smell had always been keen. Back in the laboratory, she had smelled a bright, sunny scent of soap on this young man, even though his appearance was more on the handsome side.
His temperament, however, was very upright.
For some reason, he reminded her of people like the Old Lady.
People like them had no darkness in them.
Wang Jiu said this casually, but to others, it sparked the imagination, especially as the fair face of this handsome and stern young man showed a hint of embarrassment, which he tried to cover with a calm demeanor.
"I have something to discuss with you."
"Mm, go ahead. Have a seat."
Wang Jiu lightly tapped the chair beside her, gesturing for him to sit.
"No need, I'll leave after a few words."
"Are you short on people?"
Xie Lu was a soldier and naturally didn't like to beat around the bush, so he got straight to the point.
Qiao Xuejing, who had been expecting some romantic affair, was surprised.
But Wang Jiu didn't seem surprised at all. She just asked in return, "Which kind of 'short on' are you asking about?"
What other kind could there be?
Having been teased by Wang Jiu before, Xie Lu subconsciously took a step to the side, creating a bit of distance.
A safe social distance.
"I'm asking if you're short on people for a dungeon, not that kind of meaning." Xie Lu's temperament grew even colder.
Wang Jiu glanced at him, then turned her face away, her fingers toying with the porcelain-white spoon as if playing with something.
"Then what kind of meaning did you think I meant? That I'm short on men late at night? So that's how you see me. It's not the first time."
"No, I didn't mean that. I apologize." Xie Lu was extremely unskilled at discussing such topics with Wang Jiu and was determined to steer it back to the right path. "If you're going to run a dungeon, I can join."
Even Wang Shu was surprised by how proactive he was.
Isn't he from the military? His presence in Luoyang was strange enough, but now he was actively asking to join?
Could it be… could it be that something improper happened between him and his Master when they were locked in the laboratory that day?
Wang Shu was filled with gossip, his eyes shining like 3000-watt light bulbs.
"I am going to run a dungeon, but I can't add you."
Xie Lu's sharp brows furrowed. "Why?"
"You're strong. I'm not confident I can get a higher Participation."
Xie Lu suddenly understood something from her words—she could see his attributes.
His eyes flashed. Xie Lu said, "Don't you have the Slave White Paper? I don't need to take any items."
What the fuck! Eagerly asking to be enslaved?
If this man wasn't involved with Wang Jiu, they would die of disbelief!
Liao Luo and the others all craned their necks to look.
"That won't work either." Wang Jiu's rejection was still just as decisive.
Xie Lu didn't speak, just looked at her thoughtfully, as if trying to figure out her reason for refusing him.
Fortunately, Wang Jiu quickly gave him an answer.
"You're different from them."
Wang Jiu pointed at the three men—Liao Luo and the others—sitting on the ground eating.
"There's no difference. I can accept it." Xie Lu's will was firm, as if he were eager to be abused, which thoroughly disgusted Liao Luo and the other two.
Zhao Shanxiao sized up Xie Lu. He had a feeling that this person was very powerful, far more powerful than them.
Could it be… that this Wang Jiu was really afraid he would suppress her Participation? But he had already said he didn't want any items.
Did this woman have a benevolent side too?
Amid everyone's confusion, Wang Jiu finished eating, put down her chopsticks and spoon, and leaned to the side, resting against the armrest. She asked Xie Lu with great interest, "You're younger than them, more handsome than them, and stronger than them, yet you're actively offering yourself up. For an old auntie like me who's getting on in years and hasn't been in a relationship for a long time, that's very dangerous. Don't you know that yourself?"
Between adults, such topics were actually quite normal. If it were before, she might have been more reserved, but now that the Old Lady wasn't around, she seemed very casual.
But as soon as she said this, the atmosphere changed instantly.
The faces of Zhao Shanxiao and the other two, who had just been trampled and humiliated by someone's parallel comparisons, turned very ugly. The look in their eyes as they watched Wang Jiu and Xie Lu had only one meaning: Damned couple!
Qiao Xuejing choked and coughed a few times.
Xie Lu truly never expected Wang Jiu to be so… so… he couldn't quite describe it. What she showed on the surface was never to be trusted.
He composed himself. "Since you're unwilling, then let's forget it. In the future, you don't need to use such jokes to refuse me. It's not good for you."
Although he was young, his thinking was very mature. He didn't use this to criticize her, but rather offered it as a kind reminder.
"In the future? So you'll look for me again next time?" Wang Jiu's eyes were deep. Her originally pure and desireless appearance, because of her words and expression, always carried a hint of playfulness.
Having been teased by her several times, Xie Lu, being a young man after all, felt a bit annoyed. He glanced at her. "Rest assured, unless absolutely necessary, I won't look for you again."
He would have to find another way.
Just as he thought this and turned to leave, and Wang Jiu made no move to stop him, intending to clear the dishes and go back to her Homestead to tinker with some things, Xie Lu suddenly strode back before she could even get up.
Wang Jiu was genuinely surprised.
Had the necessary moment arrived already?
But she saw Xie Lu ask her in a strange, displeased tone, "My little uncle asked me to ask you why you didn't add him as a friend."
Wang Jiu: "???"
"Friend? Oh, I just hit level 10. I was busy eating and haven't had a chance to look into the friend system yet. But how does he know I'm level 10?"
She flipped through the interface and indeed found a new social system, with friends being one of the sections.
There were over twenty friend requests lying there.
"There aren't many level 10s right now, but there's a system announcement for everyone who reaches level 10. He probably just happened to see it, so he wanted to add you."
"There's no point in adding him. How could he have the nerve to bother you? He's being so unreasonable, and you just indulge him?"
Wang Jiu closed the friend page, having no interest in looking through the request list.
Xie Lu was a bit surprised. "You're not adding him?"
He had known since he was young that this little uncle of his was a prodigy, even though he was the one who received all the praise publicly.
But this Wang Jiu seemed to particularly dislike him.
"No need. I'm not a social person, and I don't have many friends." Hearing Wang Jiu say this, Xie Lu was inclined to believe her. But then he suddenly frowned, as if annoyed. He flipped his palm, and a luminous tablet appeared in his hand, which he handed to her.
"He's as persistent as a catfish spirit. If you don't accept, he'll keep pestering me. You reject him yourself."
Xie Lu had been unable to handle this person since childhood, so he could only pass the buck to Wang Jiu.
Wang Jiu glanced at him, reached out, and took the tablet to open it.
She tapped it a couple of times.
"I deleted him for you. Doesn't that solve the problem?"
Then she handed the dishes to Wang Shu, stood up, and gave the tablet back to Xie Lu.
Xie Lu took the tablet in astonishment, but she didn't let go. He just heard the woman say one thing.
"It's not like that voice message had to be played out loud. Are you that concerned about my contact with your little uncle?"
Before Xie Lu could say anything, she didn't wait for an answer and walked away on her own, her steps leisurely and composed.
Xie Lu turned to watch her retreating back, a strange expression on his face.
It seemed like she was toying with romantic dalliances, but he had just had an epiphany—she had seen through his true purpose and was using flirtation to allude to the military he represented and the circle his little uncle represented.
On the very first day, the central authorities had already begun to make their moves in the local regions.
Unfortunately, she was impervious, unwilling to engage with either side. But she also seemed quite tolerant, having no intention of exposing his identity, which was why she used this attitude to tactfully refuse him.
As expected, taking shortcuts with her wouldn't work. He would have to find another way.
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