Why did you provoke me?

Jing San barged in without even knocking. Zhang Zhen remained calm, effortlessly storing the lines into his mind.

"What's up?"

Jing nodded, then recounted what they had seen, including the lame man's last words.

Zhang Zhen frowned at them. "A few words have scared you?"

"No, it's that he can pull out a small bag anytime, anywhere," Nian Nian emphasized. "Have you ever seen anyone like that in Kyoto?"

Zhang Zhen shook his head. "I've spent my whole life cultivating and rarely go out. After I finished my training, I was sent to the front lines. I really don't have much experience."

Jing San looked at Niannian and said, "This person is definitely an extraordinary individual. Should we tell Teacher Yu? I always feel that the appearance of someone like this here is a variable."

"I'll message Fourth Sister right now. Do you have any photos? I'll send them to her." Niannian turned on her voicemail.

"Who would have thought he was such an extraordinary person? We weren't prepared at all, and we didn't even get a photo taken." Jing San slapped his thigh in regret.

Seeing their tense expressions, Zhang Zhen also sensed the danger.

He tapped the table. "According to him, if we consider the worst-case scenario, we're already in their encirclement, but they haven't made a move because one factor hasn't been determined. But if he goes back and confirms that factor, then the strangulation could come at any moment."

Jing San and Niannian looked at him at the same time. Zhang Zhen continued without pausing, "Teacher Yu received the news and is coming this way. He won't be here anytime soon. Our best option is to break out of this encirclement. If we're capable, we can fight back. If not, we'll just have to run for our lives."

Jing San and Niannian remained silent, knowing this was the worst possible outcome. Zhang Zhen spoke again, "Then where we can escape to is the question."

Jing San looked at Niannian, "Where to?"

Niannian frowned as well. "The guild hall is definitely out of the question. Where else can we go?"

After thinking for a while without finding an answer, she looked at Chang Chen and asked, "Are we destined to lose?"

"Not necessarily, but we can't avoid this issue; it's a way out."

"Sigh," Niannian said, hanging her head, "Should I ask Fourth Sister? But I'd lose face if I did that."

Zhang Zhen tapped the table again to draw their attention. "There's one more thing. Which direction are you planning to go? You should start preparing now. You have to leave within an hour at the latest."

"So urgent? Isn't that unnecessary?" Jing San asked, frowning.

"When that cripple left, he told Si Jiu to hurry up and leave, which was a hint he was giving. I thought about it, and that's the only possibility."

"Hurry up and decide which way to go?" Niannian stood up. "Fourth Sister said she's coming this way again."

"Shall we go and meet up with Teacher Yu?" Jing San said softly, looking at Niannian.

"What if Fourth Sister can't handle it either? If we lure the enemy there, won't that harm Fourth Sister?" Niannian didn't want to harm Fourth Sister.

Listening to their conversation, Zhang Zhen suddenly asked, "That cripple insisted on confirming whether there were any women around. Are they waiting for Teacher Yu?"

"what?"

Jing San and Niannian were both surprised.

"What are you thinking? Why would they be waiting for Fourth Sister?"

Chang Chen sighed, "I just suddenly had this idea, for no reason. But I think that's the real reason."

Niannian stared at Zhang Zhen for a long while. "Your intuition has never been right, has it?"

Zhang Zhen looked at Niannian seriously, "No, I saved at least two lives thanks to it."

Niannian sat down again. "Don't talk, let me think."

We didn't conceal our presence when we left, and the only clue we could find in the records was this Feng County. If someone is watching us from inside the guild hall, then everything we're going through is intentional, and I will definitely tell Fourth Sister all of this. But knowing my personality, I might not listen to anyone else's advice, and in the end, Fourth Sister will come. We... we've become the bait to lure Fourth Sister here.

Niannian muttered something under her breath, which Jing San and Zhang Zhen couldn't quite hear, but they watched as Niannian's face turned pale and she broke out in a cold sweat.

"Niannian, what are you thinking about? Tell us, and we'll analyze it." Jing San's voice was gentle, afraid of upsetting Niannian.

Niannian sat there and suddenly burst into tears; she had been being willful. If she weren't here, Fourth Sister would have a reason not to come.

As soon as Niannian started crying, both men stood up, looked at each other, and gestured for the other to go and comfort her.

"I've made up my mind, let's go back." Niannian wiped away her tears, without explaining why.

"Okay. Let's make the arrangements." Jing San and Zhang Zhen said at the same time.

……

When Yu Meng received Niannian's message, they were resting in a small roadside inn.

Yu Meng looked at the dirt road outside, which was full of potholes. She stored the little black cat in her mind, which prevented any problems from arising.

She didn't think too much about it; this was a distorted world, and all sorts of strange people and things were not unusual. If someone told her that those people could cultivate immortality, she would believe it.

But she still noticed what the cripple said.

Jing San and Niannian are not weak. He is an extraordinary person and should have noticed this, but he still said that people would die, which means that the enemy is very strong.

But then they tell Si Jiu to escape quickly, which means they're not ready yet. What about time? How long can Si Jiu escape?

Yu Meng's mind was racing. This should be the time he sent out the message.

Those people should know his identity, so there will definitely be a car to pick him up.

Yu Meng took out the map, marked Niannian's location, and also marked her own location.

Looking at Niannian's location, we can deduce which route the lame man will likely take. Where is the enemy's rendezvous point?

Yu Meng stared at the map, time seemingly standing still. Her mind sketched out various plans, then rejected them, then rewrote them, then rejected them again. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she finally saw a complete encirclement.

Jing Er stood to the side, breathing very softly. Teacher Yu had been staring at the map for half an hour. He didn't understand what Teacher Yu was doing, but he knew he couldn't disturb Teacher Yu at this moment.

Yu Meng let out a long sigh. She marked several locations on the map. Then she handed the map to Jing Er, "Can you understand it?"

Jing Er shook her head and handed the map to Yu Er, "Take a look."

Yu Er watched for a while, then asked, "Teacher Yu, do I understand? Do I need to go to that blue spot?"

"Yes, at our speed, how long would it take us?"

"If we park the car and don't stop, it will take a whole day and night."

Yu Meng nodded. "Go and prepare the gasoline and dry rations now. We'll set off in a bit."

Yu Meng sent another message to Xiao Wen, instructing them to bring the most powerful long-range weapons and go to a location that the enemy would take if they retreated.

After arranging everything, Yu Meng waited quietly.

She never thought she would lose. Whether it was her alien-like features or her fighting skills, she was not inferior. Most importantly, she was not rigid and would not hold back when it came to fighting to the death.

After all, ninety percent of Niannian's methods were taught to her by her.