Chapter 24: Aren’t You Afraid This Is a Trap?

Qin Fang looked at Father Xu with a touch of sympathy, clenching her fist as she spoke with ruthless determination, “Then, Father, hurry up and get rid of her. Pin a crime of evading rural assignment on her, so that even in death she’ll never have a chance to clear her name.”

Her murderous intent was no less than Father Xu’s. As if afraid he wouldn’t be thorough, she added, “Su Liang and I are already at the point of engagement. I can’t let her ruin things for me. Besides, I’ve heard that Su Liang’s father is likely to be promoted in the military.”

That single sentence was enough for Father Xu to understand. Qin Fang’s meaning was clear: once Su Liang's father advanced, the insider information she’d gain after marrying into the Su family would be even more valuable. These were future accolades that must not be destroyed by Xu Lin. Enlightened, Father Xu immediately vowed, “Don’t worry, I won’t let Xu Lin jump out and ruin your good fortune. Just give it a day or two, and I’ll send her to the King of Hell myself.”

“Then I’ll leave it in your hands, Father.” Qin Fang finished with a bright, smiling hug around his arm, her sparkling eyes brimming with stars. To anyone witnessing their exchange, who wouldn’t say Qin Fang was a doting daughter?

To ensure Father Xu would give his all, Qin Fang quietly painted a few grand visions and shared some hard-won inside information from the Qin family. With these new pieces of intelligence, Father Xu was even more satisfied—see, wasn’t he clever for laying the groundwork over a decade ago?

After coaxing Father Xu until his heart was bursting with joy, Qin Fang finally left, glancing back with every step, her face full of filial affection that made Father Xu’s heart swell with pride. See, there’s nothing like one’s own flesh and blood, so close and affectionate.

Outside the shabby courtyard where the white-haired old man lived, Xu Lin squatted for half the day without noticing anything unusual. She was just about to leave when she spotted a man so plain-looking he would vanish unnoticed in any crowd, carrying a bag of garbage.

This man was exceptionally unremarkable—his features, his height, everything about him was ordinary. Normally, Xu Lin wouldn’t have spared a glance at someone so nondescript. Yet, by chance, the man acted suspiciously; as he neared the dilapidated courtyard, he glanced around furtively. It was clear he was up to no good.

Xu Lin shifted her attention to him, watching as he tossed the rubbish, clapped his hands as if dusting them off, and turned to leave. Strangely, just as the clapping stopped, a cough sounded from within the courtyard. Xu Lin had been crouched there for ages and hadn’t heard the old man cough even once—how could she not be suspicious? She immediately focused her attention.

The man, hearing the noise, scanned his surroundings quickly. Seeing nothing amiss, he changed direction, walking close to the courtyard wall. Absent-mindedly, one hand brushed the crumbling wall, then deftly retrieved a wad of paper from a crack and swiftly clenched it in his palm.

Hidden in the shadows, Xu Lin couldn’t help but marvel—these people were bold, making contact and exchanging information in broad daylight. Did they not fear being discovered?

The man, having secured the note, left immediately, winding through several alleys until he vanished. Were it not for Xu Lin’s experience in tailing people, she’d have lost him.

Ultimately, the man reappeared in a large communal courtyard. As he returned, the residents greeted him:

“Brother Zhang is back! Didn’t work today, huh? Can you even manage half a month of work in a month?”

“Little Zhang, perfect timing—help me split some firewood later, will you?”

“Little Zhang, when will you pay back the money you borrowed from my family?”

Some greeted him warmly, others with sarcasm, and some came to collect debts. One person, having greeted him, carried a basin of water out, glanced around, and dumped the water outside.

From the atmosphere and actions, everything seemed perfectly normal, no different from any other communal courtyard.

Xu Lin thought for a moment, affixed an invisibility talisman to herself, and quietly slipped into the yard, hiding in a corner to observe.

Zhang Qian nodded in greeting as he made his way to his room. Once inside, he unfolded the note, and his brow furrowed.

To use a gun at the Kyoto Machinery Factory’s residential compound—what was the old man thinking? Even a silenced weapon was risky; any gunfire could be identified by an experienced ear. The machinery plant was a key facility, under special protection—who knew if sharp eyes in the families were already watching everything closely.

It was far too risky.

Zhang Qian shook his head as he read. Fortunately, the note contained more than one plan—there were options for knockout drugs and poison spray. For dealing with a mere young girl, knockout drugs alone would be enough. Confident, he burned the note and stepped outside.

He stood at the door, looked around, and coughed lightly before calling out to an old man lounging in a deck chair, “Grandpa Wang, is there much firewood to split? I’m in a hurry today and can’t be delayed—maybe you could find someone else to help you?”

Grandpa Wang, basking in the sun, was displeased. He turned and grumbled, “Busy, busy—nobody’s busier than you. I think you just don’t want to help me out. Look at you, so stingy—why don’t you just laze yourself to death?”

With that, he picked up his chair in disgust and spat, “Bah, you bring bad luck. Stay away from me, or you’ll infect me with your laziness.”

He then moved his chair to the main gate of the courtyard, where he could lounge and keep an eye on everyone coming and going.

Xu Lin watched, unable to decide if this was a quarrel or a performance. That spot was indeed the perfect vantage point.

Zhang Qian apologized, but slipped into the central room. Soon, the woman who had dumped water, the sarcastic dark-faced man, and the young man brewing medicine all followed. In no time, four of the five adults in the yard had gathered inside, with only Grandpa Wang left on sentry at the gate.

Xu Lin was stunned—she’d suspected Zhang Qian, but hadn’t expected the entire courtyard to be involved. Luckily, she’d sneaked in invisibly; if she’d stayed outside to watch, she’d have learned nothing.

Inside, the four gathered around a table. Zhang Qian quietly explained the mission, then said, “The old man’s orders this time are strange—just to deal with a little girl, yet we’re deploying our strongest assets. Does that seem normal to you?”

The woman wiped her hands on her apron, saying nothing. The dark-faced man pinched his nose in distaste at the medicinal smell. The young man, thin as a monkey, rolled his eyes in approval.

No one responded, and Zhang Qian’s brow creased. He couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong with you all? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“What’s there to say? Orders come down from above, we just carry them out,” the woman muttered.

“Exactly. What’s the point in talking? Will it change the mission?” the dark-faced man chimed in, his voice muffled.

The young man nodded slightly in agreement.

Zhang Qian felt a pang in his chest—these people were impossible to manage. Still, he couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you afraid this is a trap?”

At this, the dark-faced man was the first to retort, “What’s the use of fear? Would you dare refuse the assignment?”