Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Ye Xiao continued, "I've checked the location. We'll take action right in front of the bridge. Cars will stop there, and the crowd will disperse. The commotion will only be on the bridge and won't spread into the street."

Shen Sheng was somewhat surprised, as Ye Xiao's idea coincided with his own, but he still handed over the prepared plan, brief and concise:

"I have a plan, and I would like to ask Lord Ye for his consideration. There is no problem with taking action at the bridge."

"But besides that, we also need to deal with the signals first. We need to take care of one signalman at each end of the bridge and cut off the transmission. Then we need to push forward to prevent them from returning to their units immediately."

He paused, then continued:

"Once the signal is lost, the formation will be slowed down by half a beat. Lord Ye can take advantage of that half beat to seize the goods. My subordinates and Yan Quan will each press on one side. The bridge is narrow and the carts are scattered, making it difficult for them to quickly regroup."

He stopped speaking as soon as he finished, and he really only presented the proposal without saying a single extra word.

Yan Quan's lips twitched, like a piece of iron scraping wood:

"This plan sounds promising, but I wonder if Lord Ye... has the skill and courage to do it."

Having said that, he didn't continue to provoke them. No matter how unwilling he was, he didn't dare to actually cross the line.

Ye Xiao glanced at Yan Quan but didn't reply. Instead, he turned his gaze back to Shen Sheng and asked a question that, though soft, was like a nail striking iron:

"Your plan assumes the signal is only held by two people at either end of the bridge, right?"

Shen Sheng's eyes narrowed, but he remained respectful: "Please enlighten me, Lord Ye."

Ye Xiao spoke calmly, yet stated the difference very directly:

"Set up a signalman at each end of the bridge; this direction is correct."

"The mistake is that you've mistaken it for a clean break."

He raised his hand and pointed to the invisible bridge outside:

"A truly experienced team will not only have the signal held by two people; there will always be a hidden third one."

"And the hidden third party is the most important one."

"The other two signalmen, who are actually in the public eye, are also keeping an eye on that third person."

Shen Sheng paused for a breath, almost imperceptibly, and for the first time, genuine surprise appeared in his eyes. This was something that could not be achieved with sufficient intelligence; it required ample experience, judgment, and observational skills.

Ye Xiao then said:

"Not a moment can be wasted in the operation; we must get the goods and leave as quickly as possible."

"Given Du Wanjun's personality, at the slightest sign of trouble, his first reaction wouldn't be to chase after the goods, but to recruit people and establish a strong position."

"We can let him set up the formation, and we should let him set it up... but we can't let it be set up too quickly or too neatly, otherwise we'll be surrounded, and then forget about robbing the caravan, we might even lose our lives there."

Yan Quan's eyelids twitched, stunned by the words of the boy in front of him. He hadn't even started to act yet, but it was as if he had foreseen everything. His back teeth clenched involuntarily.

Ye Xiao looked at him, his voice not loud, yet it held its own in the empty courtyard:

"Being able to fight is a good thing."

"But you must remember to act according to plan. None of us are a match for Du Wanjun. He is only one step away from achieving the perfection of bone forging."

Yan Quan was about to retort, but considering Du Wanjun's power, he swallowed the rest of his words:

"At your command!"

Shen Sheng then presented a second plan, which was noticeably more cautious and more like a request for instructions:

"Then my second plan should be more in line with your thinking, sir. What do you think of it? ... Instead of dealing with the signalman first, let's deal with the third person."

"When changing positions in front of the bridge, whoever is most likely to speak first, and whoever stands inconspicuously but is closest to the formation, must be the third person... I can handle that."

"As soon as he makes a move, his men will subdue him immediately. At that time, even if the signalmen at the bridgehead and the bridgehead want to blow the whistle, they will be half a beat too late, and the formation will be difficult to close."

Ye Xiao went through it in his mind and nodded: "This one works."

He clearly defined the division of labor, speaking calmly and deliberately, as if reviewing an account:

"Shen Sheng, you just need to keep an eye on that person; you don't need to worry about anything else."

"Yan Quan, don't go ahead to scout. Be responsible for holding back the second-in-command of the team. The opponent is far stronger than you, so remember, don't think about winning this battle. Just stall for time and prevent him from turning the back of the team into a line."

Yan Quan paused for a moment, wanting to say he could win, but instead uttered two words:

"clear."

Ye Xiao finally uttered the most weighty sentence upon himself:

"I'll be in charge of picking up the goods."

"Remember, besides getting the stuff, you also need to make people mistakenly believe that the Giant Shark Gang did it."

Yan Quan frowned, and finally asked in a low voice:

"What should we do? Call them by their names right there?"

Ye Xiao shook his head, his tone even colder:

"Calling out names is the dumbest thing to do; no one will believe it... Misunderstandings need to be based on evidence."

He took out a piece of thick hemp rope from his sleeve. The end of the rope was tied in a tight knot with a thick eye and a strong grip.

"The Giant Shark Gang has only one habit: they stick to their knots. This is something they use regularly. If we accidentally leave it behind, when Tianyuan Escort Agency investigates, they'll pin it on them first."

"If we encounter an accident along the way and have to call for help, we should call out like a giant shark."

Shen Sheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately understood the key point:

"The shark knot wasn't left on the spot, but rather 'accidentally' left behind during the retreat?"

"right."

Ye Xiao nodded and said, "When you're making a move, speed is everything. When you retreat, take advantage of the chaos to tuck the rope into a place where it 'should be seen,' making it look like it was accidentally dropped. The more inconspicuous it is, the more real it will look."

Shen Sheng lowered his head: "Yes."

Yan Quan didn't press the matter further. He was still somewhat resentful, but not so strongly, and replied, enunciating each word clearly, "Yes."

"Everything is proceeding according to plan; I don't want anyone to act on their own initiative."

Ye Xiao gave the two of them a deep look before concluding with, "Let's go."

The three were discharged from the hospital.

The fog grew thicker, and the lights seemed farther away.

At the street corner, some people laughed, and some people cursed.

Yan Quan landed on the right rear, and his gaze toward Ye Xiao was no longer just one of suspicion, but rather as if he were reassessing the situation. Even if this young man lacked strength, it seemed that he hadn't simply risen to power through connections; at least his planning abilities were not bad.

Shen Sheng followed to the left rear, always maintaining a half-step distance, his manners impeccable, like a shadow. He stayed neither too close nor too far, acting as both protector and watchful eye.

"etc."

After turning two alleyways, Shen Sheng called out softly and pulled an inconspicuous cloth bag from the shadows at the base of the wall, as if it had been placed there long ago.

He moved slowly and deliberately, first separating out three old coarse cloth jackets, then handing out a hood and a strip of cloth to wrap the sleeves of each jacket.

"Only by changing it can we be absolutely sure of everything." Shen Sheng's voice was very soft.

Ye Xiao didn't say much; this was part of the plan.

He raised his hand and pulled the cloth up to the bridge of his nose, covering half his face. With the coarse cloth covering him, the entire silhouette and cuffs were swallowed by the fog, leaving only his eyes visible.

The three set off again.

Ye Xiao walked at the front, his steps unhurried yet steady as if nailed into a crack in the stone.

Outside the alley, the sound of wheels gently began. It wasn't loud, but it was like the first gong of a new beginning.

The fog pressed down on the bridge like damp cotton; with each step, the sound was swallowed up by the cracks in the stones. The ditch beneath the bridge was narrow and dark, and the sound of the water was barely audible.

Ye Xiao led Shen Sheng and Yan Quan, walking swiftly along the wall, avoiding people and taking detours.

The key tonight is not to leave no trace, but to be fast and accurate.

A quicker pace means more leeway and room for maneuver; a more precise approach means less potential for future troubles and failures.