Why did you provoke me?

Yu Meng shrugged. "Who knows?"

Nian Nian looked at her suspiciously, "You really don't know?"

"How would I know what he's thinking? Are you misunderstanding me?"

Niannian turned and left, saying, "I'll go take a look. If there's any benefit, I'll contribute too. Don't leave me out."

Secretary Wu returned to his office, closed the door, and then turned on the intercom again. "Jing San, I've asked for permission. They are only allowed to use what they want to seduce their bone-drawing masters. As for the others, they are subordinates and there's no need to pay them any attention."

Secretary Wu pondered for a moment, then said, "Once things are done here, go and cause trouble at the Zhou family. Just don't actually hurt anyone. After all, Nangong Tianshou and we still have a cooperative relationship, and this matter was tacitly approved by the higher-ups. Your goal is to prevent the current reclusive families from venting their anger on the Zhou family. Do you understand?"

Jing San was startled. It turned out that this was a power struggle at the top, and they had inadvertently helped out.

After thinking it through, he quickly replied, "I understand, Secretary Wu. There's something I'd like to ask. Is the reward we agreed on really true?"

"When did the sect's rewards become a joke? Of course they're real."

But what you're doing now seems unrelated to the mission, doesn't it? You brought this upon yourselves. If you do it well, that's to be expected. If you don't, can you afford the consequences if the sect tries to solve the problems for you later?" Secretary Wu's tone was serious, and his words were impeccable.

Jing San remained silent. He knew they had acted impulsively this time. "At the time, we didn't think much about it. We just felt pathetic and made the decision on impulse. But now it seems the result is alright."

Jing San's tone made Secretary Wu laugh in exasperation, "You think it's alright? Why are you texting me? Are you trying to act first and ask for my permission later, so I'll take the blame later?"

"Absolutely not," Jing San denied outright. "We just wanted to know the sect's thoughts so that it would be easier for us to proceed in the future."

Secretary Wu tapped his fingers on the table in front of him. "I just want to know, who gave you the audacity to provoke a reclusive family?"

"No comment. Unless she says so herself." Jing San stated her position, but also indirectly reminded Secretary Wu that this person had been in contact with Secretary Wu.

Secretary Wu was actually aware that they didn't have much control over the trainees after the third wave.

They all survived various periods and were able to withstand that mad state, so their own strength must have been very strong.

This is why Yu Meng set up an assessment for the third wave of trainees.

The assessment itself is not difficult, but demanding loyalty is. If you agree, it means you will be bound by the sect in the future. However, you have the opportunity to refuse, as long as you fail the assessment. Those who come for the assessment have already resolved the alien lines in their minds; they are already free.

At first, Secretary Wu didn't understand Yu Meng's purpose in setting up the assessment. After thinking about it for a few days, he still didn't quite understand Yu Meng's intention, so he had no choice but to shamelessly ask Yu Meng.

Yu Meng also explained the reasons: the first batch of trainees mainly came from the original Jingchuan base, and they already had a sense of belonging to Jingchuan. The second batch consisted of their relatives and friends; with the first batch of trainees here, they were also stable.

As for the third and subsequent batches, most of them came because of its reputation. They all came with a testing mentality. Some of them were malicious and might even think that if they gained an advantage, they would leave quietly.

Yu Meng didn't have any intention of expanding or strengthening the sect. She just thought that with more people, it needed a name to make it easier to manage. Besides, with the all-powerful Secretary Wu, she wasn't too worried.

Secretary Wu felt a bit aggrieved listening to Jing San's words, but there was nothing he could do. After all, the other person had eventually reported it to him. If he had concealed it and then the problem had finally come to light, he wouldn't have known what had happened, and that would have been the worst outcome.

Finally, Secretary Wu asked if any of the ten men were injured and if they needed help. Jingchuan refused each time.

Secretary Wu sat in his chair, lost in thought, when a soft knocking came from the door. "Uncle, I'm coming in."

Secretary Wu quickly composed herself. This was a difficult person to deal with.

"Come in."

Niannian poked her little head in, "Did I disturb your work?"

"Just say what's on your mind. We're not strangers," Secretary Wu said, his face full of helplessness.

"Um, I just wanted to ask, is what Jing San and the others are doing now contributing to the sect? Is there a reward?"

"To make a contribution? This is a disaster. If the hidden families unite, we won't even know how we died."

"Oh, is it that serious?" Niannian's tone was hesitant. She couldn't tell that her fourth sister was in a difficult position.

"It's very serious. I don't know who gave them the audacity to provoke a hidden family. Those families have been passed down for hundreds of years, with countless trump cards and connections that we can't even imagine. They only need to send out a vague message, and countless people will do things for them. Correspondingly, countless people will also suffer. They won't even know why. What's worse, some people use this as a pretext to settle their own enemies."

Niannian blinked repeatedly. "But we don't know who they are! How can we avoid them?"

Secretary Wu noticed Nian Nian's guilty look and knew that she wouldn't have cared so much if she hadn't been involved.

"So, when you're out in public, you must keep a low profile and be willing to give way," Secretary Wu said earnestly.

"Wouldn't that be a huge loss?" Niannian couldn't understand.

"You can't afford to offend them, yet you still insist on confronting them head-on. Wouldn't that just make you suffer even more?" Secretary Wu paused, looking at her with exasperation. "I didn't say you couldn't retaliate behind her back. Aren't you supposed to be smart? Do I need to explain this to you?"

"I knew Uncle was the best to me. I just got back and I'm a little tired, so I'm leaving now. I'll come visit Uncle again later." Niannian left like a gust of wind.

Secretary Wu wiped away non-existent sweat, finally managing to fool the young girl away.

Secretary Wu took the folder and prepared to work, but in her heart she was wondering what Niannian had given Jing San that made them so bold.

If Secretary Wu asked about Yu Meng and Qing Yuan's experiments, Yu Meng wouldn't hide anything, but since he didn't ask, she wouldn't rush to tell him. Therefore, Secretary Wu truly didn't know anything about the Green Silk Alien.

Let's talk about how Nangong Tianshou was forcibly invited to have tea by the fake fairy.

In fact, both of them knew what kind of tea they were drinking; they were just sitting there waiting for the outcome.

The fake fairy was not stingy and actually brought out some good tea. Seeing that Nangong Tianshou had a gloomy face and didn't say anything, he wasn't annoyed.

"We've known each other for so long, don't you know me? I have no interest in human lives. Although I joined in the fun, I really had no ill intentions."

Nangong Tianshou nodded. "The old folks say there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names. No malice? I don't believe you for a second."

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Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As the story unfolds and spring arrives, I thank you for accompanying me through the old year, and welcome you to embark on a new journey together.

Wishing everyone a happy new year.

Wherever the eye goes, there is a path; wherever the heart desires, there is a response.

In the new year, may you not be slaves to your work, but rather the dark horses of your own lives! Live up to your youth, gallop forward, and go for it!