It was Ye Changming again, and Lu Zixun squinted his eyes, looking at this enigmatic man in front of him, unsure of what he was truly up to.
On the other hand, Wang Duli seemed not at all surprised by the appearance of Ye Changming.
He nodded, greeted, and gestured toward the chair in front of him.
When Xiong Kang left earlier, Wang Duli hadn’t put the chair away.
At first, Lu Zixun thought Wang Duli was just too lazy to tidy up, but now it seemed that experience really does count for something.
Without any restraint,
Ye Changming nodded slightly as he took a seat, smiling at Wang Duli, "Uncle Wang, there is a small flaw in your plan, but I can offer a little help."
His gaze fell on Lu Zixun, and Ye Changming smiled warmly, "After all, Lord Cat is still in a weakened state and can’t afford to get hurt."
These words sounded like concern, but the more Lu Zixun listened, the more he felt something off, silently observing Ye Changming with a cold gaze.
Ye Changming didn’t show any displeasure at this, always smiling at Wang Duli.
"Tan Ye is unpredictable and difficult to thoroughly understand; using Lord Cat as a lure or pretending to defect will arouse Tan Ye’s suspicion."
With hands gesturing towards himself, Ye Changming’s eyes twinkled with an obscure light, "But I am different. I can bring Tan Ye here with me, all we need is for Uncle Wang to leak a false message."
With a sidelong glance, he looked at Lu Zixun.
The corners of Ye Changming’s mouth lifted in a subtle, enigmatic smile, "For example, suggesting you’ve already entered the Crimson Land?"
The more Ye Changming spoke, the more Lu Zixun felt an uneasy sensation growing inside him.
It wasn’t until Wang Duli spoke that Lu Zixun realized where this sense of unease came from.
"Are you suggesting promoting Xiong Kang to an S-class to welcome the induction into the Crimson Land?"
"Exactly, you’re sharp, Uncle Wang."
With a discreet compliment, Ye Changming nodded and continued, "Once Tan Ye sees the red light, he will naturally assume Uncle Wang has left human society, and his guard will be lowered a few notches, don’t you think so?"
Just as Lu Zixun thought that Wang Duli would agree,
Wang Duli simply shook his head and chuckled, "Xiao Ye, Xiao Ye. Do you really think I wouldn’t know what you’re plotting inside?"
His gaze as sharp as a sword, Wang Duli looked up at Ye Changming with an unfriendly expression.
Colour draining from his smiling face, Ye Changming looked puzzlingly at Wang Duli, "Uncle Wang, what do you mean by that? I am genuinely considering humanity’s best interests."
It was then that Lu Zixun finally understood why he found Ye Changming increasingly displeasing to look at.
Because the expression on that guy’s face was nothing but a mask, a fake smile that naturally made him uncomfortable.
"I don’t need to spell it out for you; you’re well aware," Wang Duli stated as he tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the sofa, "As for how to lead humans into the Crimson Land, Jade Emperor Mountain doesn’t need to make such a big fuss."
As the smile vanished, Ye Changming’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at Wang Duli, and with a light chuckle, he said, "Uncle Wang, I just thought of another way, just didn’t remember it in the moment."
The cold expression on Wang Duli’s face disappeared, replaced once again by his usual benevolent demeanor.
Looking at the room, now transformed into a scene of uncle’s kindness and nephew’s filial piety, Lu Zixun couldn’t help but sigh at the thespians at play.
Squatting to one side, intently studying the performance of the two men, Lu Zixun stayed silent, listening through the entire process.
The second method was also very simple.
It involved something that Tan Ye needed from Ye Changming. By using that item as bait, Tan Ye would surely come.
Once Tan Ye stepped into the area of the Two-way Transfer Talisman, Wang Duli could take him into the Crimson Land.
After that, the two of them discussed the details carefully and finally reached a consensus, sharing a smile.
"Xiao Ye has really grown up."
Leaning back on the sofa, Wang Duli let out a long sigh, "Now, he has a better grasp of the details than this old man."
With a humble smile on his face, Ye Changming waved his hands repeatedly, "It’s all thanks to the good teachings of Uncle Wang in the past. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to prepare."
"Go ahead, I’ll contact you if there’s anything."
Ye Changming, elusive as ever, disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye.
Wang Duli’s face, which had been all smiles, fell into a deep sigh, his eyes filled with a sense of loss.
"Elder Wang, what’s wrong?"
Hearing the sigh, Lu Zixun looked up at Wang Duli, puzzled.
Wang Duli raised his hand to pat Lu Zixun’s head and pursed his lips, "I didn’t expect Ye Changming to plot against me. It’s rather unexpected."
Thinking back on the conversation, Lu Zixun felt there was nothing wrong...
Seeing Lu Zixun’s bewildered face, Wang Duli explained, "Jade Emperor Mountain has been without a master for many years, and the Seal of Authority has been with me. When I return to the Crimson Land, even with the Purple Mansion, my situation will be dangerous."
"At this time, if Xiong Kang follows me in, you can imagine our situation, I need not say more."
Eyes narrowing, Wang Duli’s expression turned serious, "And once Xiong Kang leaves, the situation that was just stabilizing will crumble in an instant, and you..."
Pointing at Lu Zixun, Wang Duli smiled meaningfully, "Ye Changming’s goal is not just Tan Ye, but also you."
Lu Zixun was stunned for a moment, raising his paw to point at himself, "Me? Elder Wang, are you sure you’re not mistaken, why me?"
"The reason I’m not quite sure of, but I suppose it has to do with Yue Sichen."
With an indecipherable look in his eyes, Wang Duli calmly stated, "As the love child of a human and a member of the Insect Clan with Gifted abilities, where do you think she can survive in either camp?"
The words were on the tip of Lu Zixun’s tongue, but he did not speak them.
Considering the current fiery hostility between humans and the Insect Clan, Yue Sichen, a half-blood, would be unwelcome on either side.
"Think she would be rejected?"
With a light chuckle, Wang Duli shook his head, "Still too young. Such a person is naturally excellent spy material."
After mulling over Wang Duli’s words for a while, Lu Zixun finally had an epiphany. It seemed to make sense.
"The gift of the Blood Worm Queen."
With a meaningful sigh, Wang Duli patted Lu Zixun’s head, "Alright, let’s not talk about this. Didn’t we just mention Little Yin? I have something I want to discuss with you. After you hear it, it will be your decision to make."
As Wang Duli narrated the issue, Lu Zixun’s expression became more and more grave.
In the end, he sat straight up, a cat perched in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, until dawn broke.