Who Can Guard Against a Thief Forever?

Li Banfeng set Zhuo Yuling's severed head before Lu Xiaolan, telling her to come out. Lu Xiaolan was no fool. Li Banfeng had killed Zhuo Yuling, and the other two fifth-tier masters were nowhere to be found—in all likelihood, they had died at his hands as well. She knew she was no match for Li Banfeng. Right now, taking even a single step beyond the border of her plot meant certain death. She refused to come out, but Li Banfeng was confident he could lure her. "Thousand Deliberations of the Fool: fret over gains and losses." Staring at Zhuo Yuling's head, Li Banfeng believed Lu Xiaolan couldn't possibly remain rational. She was bound to be furious, and fury was bound to breed hesitation and inner turmoil. As long as she felt conflicted, she could not escape the technique of the Thousand Deliberations of the Fool, and she would inevitably make a choice that favored Li Banfeng. Lu Xiaolan looked at Zhuo Yuling's head, her gaze drifting blank for a moment. This was her birth mother. The mother who had dedicated her entire life to grooming her into a professional assassin. The mother who, no matter how much Lu Xiaolan suffered as a child, had never once softened her heart toward her. First she had married Lu Xiaolan off to Ma the Fifth, then married her to He Jiaqing, and later, for the sake of the Red Lotus, ordered Lu Xiaolan to assassinate He Jiaqing's own mother! Seeing Zhuo Yuling's head, Lu Xiaolan did not hesitate in the slightest. She chose not to go out. Since she wouldn't come out, what was Li Banfeng supposed to do? Force his way into the newland and pick a fight with Qiu Daxiang? Qiu Daxiang was a local spirit. What tier was a local spirit? Probably tenth tier? A fifth-tier Dwelling Cultivator plus a fourth-tier Journey Cultivator made nine tiers, just slightly short of tenth tier. And with two Fool Cultivator techniques, that ought to count as second-tier cultivation. If you added those all up... Forget it. As crazy as Li Banfeng could be, he had no desire to provoke Qiu Luoye right now. After all, the two of them shared a life-and-death bond. Li Banfeng's life had nearly ended in his hands. But what was he to do about Lu Xiaolan? She was just going to hole up on this plot of land. How was he supposed to guard against her? *** He Jiaqing touched his button and replied to Ling Miaoying, "Are you sure it was that friend of mine who killed Zhuo Yuling?" "Lu Xiaolan said she saw Li Banfeng holding Zhuo Yuling's head with her own eyes." "What about Fan Baoxing and Cui Lisheng?" "Still completely out of contact. Most likely they died at your friend's hands as well." "Impossible. He couldn't have done that alone. He must have set an ambush beforehand." Ling Miaoying didn't think so. "Jiaqing, I handled this matter with extreme secrecy. There's no way word leaked beforehand, and that friend of yours is no divine fortune-teller; he couldn't have prepared for everything so thoroughly. If you ask me, you've underestimated his cultivation level. He has the Xuansheng Red Lotus in his possession—there's no telling what tier he's reached by now." "What tier? You ought to know—you fought him yourself." "I know he was below me, but I had the advantage of a sneak attack back then. His cultivation right now might already have surpassed the fifth tier." "Are you dreaming? He's been in Puluo Province for less than a year!" "Perhaps he put serious effort into the Red Lotus." He Jiaqing was utterly confident in his judgment. "That isn't something sheer effort can solve. He might have used the Xuansheng Red Lotus, but certainly not much. The price is far too steep—he couldn't possibly withstand it." Neither spoke for a long time. Ling Miaoying had no wish to keep arguing, while He Jiaqing pondered his next move. "Have Lu Xiaolan keep watching from her plot. Let her find a chance to cast hooks into Zhengjing Village." "Jiaqing, Zhuo Yuling just died. Making Lu Xiaolan do this right now hardly seems appropriate." "There's nothing inappropriate about it. Originally, that mother and daughter didn't even have a place to set foot. If you hadn't stepped in to introduce them, she never would have made it up Iron Sheep Mountain, let alone become a stronghold chief today. People like her don't need our sympathy." "I don't feel sorry for her. I'm worried she'll botch the job. I keep feeling that friend of yours isn't simple. It'd be best if I kept an eye on things personally." "You can't go. Everything in Lüshui City depends on you, and this matter isn't worth dividing your attention. The new movie is about to wrap up shooting, and we can't afford any slip-ups there. Puluo Province's film industry has to belong to you alone. We've invested so much capital into this production—it must be a blockbuster." Ling Miaoying was very confident about this. "No need to worry about that. I've already arranged everything." *** The new movie He Jiaqing mentioned was called *Bloodblade Detective*. It wasn't a single film, but ten. Ten films, each an hour and a half long, with a continuous storyline and a consistent cast. In the Outer States, this was commonplace—to put it plainly, a television drama series. But in Puluo Province, most people had never seen a TV series in their lives, nor did they even have the concept of one. If this series succeeded, it would mean Ling Miaoying had pioneered an entirely new domain of cinema, providing a crucial opportunity for Ling Family Pictures to completely monopolize the film market. He Jiaqing knew how much profit this domain could yield, and he knew that beyond mere profit, it held even greater value. Certain plans had been disrupted, but the crucial steps could not tolerate the slightest mistake. Three days before the movie's premiere, He Jiaqing contacted Ling Miaoying specifically. "Is the promotion all in place? If you feel it's not quite ripe yet, the release can be pushed back a few days." "It's all in place. On premiere day, every major family will send representatives to show their support." "I'm not worried about the families. I'm worried about those peers in the business. Loath to lose their livelihoods, they might try to cause trouble." "I have people inside every film company in Puluo Province. Whatever moves they make, nothing escapes my eyes. Jiaqing, don't fret over this. What we really should worry about is Lu Xiaolan. There's been no progress on her end at all. Zhengjing Village is an iron wall—Madam Bagworm Moth serves as guard, and plenty of anomalies help patrol the perimeter. Lu Xiaolan can't sneak in at all." He Jiaqing chuckled. "A thief can plot for a thousand days, but who can guard against a thief for a thousand days? Just have Lu Xiaolan keep watching. That old friend of mine isn't the patient sort either. Let's see how long he can hold out." The two cut the connection, and Ling Miaoying hurried to prepare for the press conference. *Bloodblade Detective* had indeed caused quite a sensation. Even before the conference began, newspaper reporters packed the reception hall of Ling Family Pictures. Once the lead actors arrived, flashbulbs and clicking shutters never ceased. Several reporters crowded around the female lead, Xiao Xiufei. One asked, "As a former singing queen starring in such an epic film series, did you feel immense pressure from all sides?" Xiao Xiufei nodded. "There certainly was pressure. *Bloodblade Detective* was filmed over an entire year. During production, I heard many voices of doubt and even questioned my own abilities. Here, I would like to offer special thanks to all my colleagues at Ling Family Pictures. They gave me confidence and courage, allowing me to persevere through this arduous journey and earn an achievement I will be proud of for the rest of my life." Another reporter asked, "It's rumored that you have some very daring performances in this film. Would you mind sharing a few details with us?" Xiao Xiufei shook her head. "Before the official premiere, I will not disclose any details. That is professional integrity, as well as my duty to the film company. I only hope everyone will appreciate my performance in the movie through an artistic lens." Yet another reporter inquired, "During a scene opposite male lead Zhou Changhong, rumors say the two of you turned fiction into reality. Is this news true?" Xiao Xiufei offered an unfazed smile. "I can only tell you that Mr. Zhou and I were utterly devoted in every single scene. We both got very deep into character." "You just said 'very deep,' correct?" Xiao Xiufei answered with absolute certainty, "Yes. Very deep." The clicking of camera shutters surged into another frenzy. The other reporters who hadn't gotten a chance to ask questions also captured the juicy headlines they wanted. In truth, those reporters asking questions had all been arranged by Ling Miaoying; the publicity stunt was exactly what he wanted. After interviewing the male and female leads, it was time to interview the producers. A reporter asked, "We've heard that theaters in some remote regions are already screening pirated copies of *Bloodblade Detective*. Is that true?" Ling Miaoying smiled. "Here, I can state with absolute authority that piracy of *Bloodblade Detective* is entirely impossible. Only a single film reel of the ten movies has been kept, and duplication will only begin the day before the official premiere. Furthermore, I would like to remind our peers in the industry: if you wish to collaborate with Ling Family Pictures, I, Ling, welcome you anytime. But if you have designs against Ling Family Pictures, I advise you to rein in your horse at the edge of the cliff and back off as soon as possible." The press conference concluded, and the reporters dispersed in droves. Li Banfeng put away his camera, pulled his brim low, and left the film company. This wasn't his first visit. This time he was disguised as a reporter; last time, a set builder; and the time before that, a meal deliveryman. He Jiaqing had made a good point: who could guard against a thief forever? *** That evening, He Jiaqing lay motionless in bed while a nursing orderly changed his urine bag. Chen Changrui stood outside the hospital room door, without stepping inside. He Jiaqing knew Captain Chen was just outside the door. Maintaining a constant pretense in the presence of a high-tier Scrying Cultivator was no easy task. As luck would have it, Ling Miaoying chose this exact moment to reach out. The button on his chest trembled faintly. The orderly couldn't tell, but if Chen Changrui observed closely, he would certainly notice. To answer, or not to answer? If he answered, he would likely be eavesdropped on by Chen Changrui. If he didn't, the button would keep trembling like this, and the moment Chen Changrui caught the slightest sound, He Jiaqing would be exposed. What the hell could it be that you had to contact me right now? After a moment of torn indecision, He Jiaqing tapped the button with lightning speed. The orderly noticed nothing, but Chen Changrui pushed the door open and stepped inside. He had heard a sound. The orderly was startled. Recognizing Chen Changrui, he said, "Officer Chen, it's so late, what are you..." Chen Changrui smiled. "Carry on with your work. I just came in to look." He Jiaqing lay in bed, completely motionless, showing not the slightest abnormality. In his ear came Ling Miaoying's voice: "Jiaqing, something terrible happened. My company caught fire. We couldn't save the film reels. Everything is destroyed." He Jiaqing wanted to kill someone. He Jiaqing's heart was bleeding. He Jiaqing wished he could drag Ling Miaoying out and chop him to pieces on the spot! Yet right now, he couldn't move. Not only could he not move, he couldn't show any expression whatsoever. Neither his cheeks nor the corners of his eyebrows could twitch in the slightest. Ling Miaoying kept talking frantically: "Jiaqing, what do we do now? I know this was my negligence, but give me an idea at least. Jiaqing, say something..." He Jiaqing remained completely still. How agonizingly hard that was!