One person: Starting with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, his grandmaster uncle emerges from seclusion.

Xiao Zizai, who had been sitting on the sofa reading, suddenly stopped his finger on the page.

He slowly closed the forensic medicine book.

Xiao Zizai turned his head and looked at Zhang Chulan.

My breathing involuntarily became a little heavier.

"Chu Lan".

Xiao Zizai's voice was very gentle, and even carried a rare fervor.

"You just said... that Nathan Island is full of... internationally wanted criminals who are not protected by any secular laws?"

"Ah, yes."

Zhang Chulan suppressed his laughter and put on a worried expression.

"Brother Xiao, you have no idea, that place is practically a scumbag shelter."

"Murderers, arsonists, human experimenters, psychopaths... all sorts of despicable scoundrels roamed the island, and nobody cared about them."

Hearing the words "running all over the place" and "no one cares" makes me feel disgusted.

Xiao Zizai's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He closed his eyes contentedly and took a deep breath.

His expression was exactly like that of a gourmand who had been starving for three days and three nights, who suddenly heard that there was a top-notch all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant ahead!

"Amitabha……"

Xiao Zizai suddenly opened his eyes and stood up from the sofa.

He walked up to Zhang Chulan, clasped his hands together, and spoke sincerely:

"Brother Chu Lan, it's fate that we've met."

"Since this journey is so dangerous, and you and Miss Feng are both young, there are bound to be some shortcomings in our care."

"How about... I accompany you on this trip?"

Xiao Zizai's smile grew even more amiable.

"I'll take care of all the rough and tiring work."

"We will not allow those filthy things to offend Master Tian Shu's eyes. What do you think?"

They've taken the bait!

Zhang Chulan was overjoyed.

When going to a godforsaken place like Nathan Island, who wouldn't want to bring a fully-leveled, free super bodyguard?

Although Brother Xiao is a bit of a freak, he's incredibly strong, and dealing with those scumbags is a perfect fit for him!

But Zhang Chulan is a qualified actor.

Instead of agreeing immediately, he looked hesitant, waved his hands repeatedly, and began to back away.

"Oh dear, Brother Xiao, this won't do, this won't do!"

Zhang Chulan frowned, looking frustrated.

"Who are you? You're the backbone of our Nadu Tong East China region!"

"You are a high-ranking local official. How can you leave your post without the approval of headquarters?"

As Zhang Chulan spoke, he pointed to the closed conference room door behind him.

"Besides, don't you know Chairman Zhao's temper? Cross-border and cross-regional operations involve a lot of complicated procedures! If he finds out that I secretly took you to Nathan Island..."

"Wouldn't Chairman Zhao skin me alive?"

"This is difficult, really too difficult." Zhang Chulan shook his head repeatedly, making a gesture as if he was about to back down.

Looking at Zhang Chulan's hesitant and evasive manner.

The man with the black tube next to him bent down to pick up the dagger, and his lips twitched involuntarily.

The moment this kid sticks his butt out, Black Pipe knows what kind of shit he's about to take.

This is shameless; it's clearly blatant price gouging!

Xiao Zizai was an extremely intelligent person, and he could easily understand the subtext in Zhang Chulan's words.

What are the regulations for each region?

What's wrong with Chairman Zhao's temper?

In the eyes of this number one lackey, Zhao Fangxu wouldn't utter a sound as long as Master Tian Shu said a word!

This kid is asking for something in return.

"This is difficult..."

Xiao Zizai nodded and echoed his sentiments with great understanding.

Then.

He slowly reached his hand into his inside pocket.

Xiao Zizai moved very quietly, and after groping around for a moment, he took out a small wooden box.

"Brother Chu Lan."

Xiao Zizai handed the wooden box to Zhang Chulan and gently lifted the lid with his thumb.

A very faint sandalwood scent mixed with some strange herbal aroma was released instantly.

Inside the box lay three pills, each the size of a longan and covered with dark red patterns.

"Brother, I don't have much savings either."

Xiao Zizai looked at Zhang Chulan, his tone still gentle, but his eyes revealed a tacit understanding:

"This is the 'Great Rejuvenating and Protective Pill', a secret recipe from the inner hall of the Shaolin Bodhidharma Academy. The entire Shaolin Temple can only produce a few batches every ten years."

"This thing cannot bring the dead back to life, but as long as a person has a breath left, eating one can forcibly lock the heart meridian for twelve hours without it dissipating, and can also forcibly raise the depleted true qi to its peak in a short period of time."

"This is a lifesaver. When you're out and about, it's always good to have an extra layer of protection."

Xiao Zizai pushed the wooden box forward:

"Brother Chu Lan, do you think these few pills might alleviate the difficulty you face in applying for the necessary paperwork from Chairman Zhao?"

Chapter 247 Wang Ye's Deliberate Seclusion and Ascetic Cultivation

"oops!"

Zhang Chulan's eyes widened instantly.

With a speed that was almost blurry, he snatched the wooden box from Xiao Zizai's hand.

He immediately closed the lid and quickly stuffed it into his pocket.

In a fraction of a second, the embarrassment and frustration on his face transformed into righteous indignation and deep brotherhood!

"Brother Xiao! What are you saying!"

Zhang Chulan grabbed Xiao Zizai's hand and shook it hard twice, his eyes reddening.

"What's with all the formalities? Rules are rules, but people are flexible!"

"To ensure my advisor's safety during his travels, and to uphold world peace and justice, let us brothers unite as one, and our strength will be unbreakable!"

"Don't worry about Chairman Zhao, leave it to me! Even if I, Zhang Chulan, have to debate with everyone, I will definitely apply to headquarters for a spot to accompany you on an international trip!"

"Then, thank you very much for your kindness, Brother Chu Lan."

Xiao Zizai smiled with satisfaction, sat back down on the sofa, and continued reading his book.

At this moment, he was in a very good mood and even hummed an unknown Buddhist melody.

Black Pipe, who witnessed the entire dirty deal, was completely stunned.

He looked at Zhang Chulan, who was leaning against the wall again, patting his pockets with a smug expression, and then at Xiao Zizai, who had a Zen-like smile on his face.

"Old Xiao..."

The clarinet's tone was filled with utter astonishment:

"I always thought you were a ruthless killer who had transcended base desires."

"I never expected this... You, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, have actually learned to bribe and use back channels?!"

"Your image of being all-merciful and compassionate has completely collapsed today."

Xiao Zizai turned a page of his book, didn't even look up, and replied slowly and deliberately:

“Brother Guan is attached to appearances. Money and elixirs are all external things. You use external things to exchange for the supreme opportunity to liberate the most evil in the world.”

"This is called bartering, which follows the law of cause and effect. How can it be considered bribery?"

"..."

Black Pipe rolled his eyes dramatically and shut up completely.

If you take these lunatics too seriously, you'll go crazy sooner or later.

……

The corridor had only been quiet for a short while.

"Click".

The door, which had been closed for more than three hours, finally opened.

The representatives of the extraordinary individuals from various countries gradually walked out.

These powerful figures, who wielded immense influence in their respective territories, all wore obvious signs of fatigue.

Some were pinching their brows, others were loosening their ties.

Clearly, this closed-door meeting about resource allocation and compromise was more mentally taxing than a real fight.

Ron and Lilia walked ahead, talking in hushed tones, without even glancing at the employees in the corridor, and headed straight for the elevator.