CHAPTER 349: CHAPTER 236: HOW CAN YOU GUARD AGAINST A THIEF EVERY DAY?

Li Banfeng placed Zhuo Yuling’s head before Lu Xiaolan, telling her to come out.

Lu Xiaolan wasn’t foolish. Li Banfeng had killed Zhuo Yuling, and the other two Fifth-Layer masters had disappeared, most likely also meeting their end at Li Banfeng’s hands.

She knew she was no match for Li Banfeng; if she stepped out of her plot of land now, her death was certain.

She refused to emerge, but Li Banfeng was confident he could lure her out.

The Fool’s Thousand Concerns technique often made one fixate on potential gains and losses. Gazing at Zhuo Yuling’s severed head, Li Banfeng believed Lu Xiaolan couldn’t possibly remain rational. She would surely be outraged, and her anger would lead to indecision.

Once she wavered, she wouldn’t escape the Fool’s Thousand Concerns Technique; she would certainly make a choice that favored Li Banfeng.

Lu Xiaolan looked at Zhuo Yuling’s head, her gaze becoming scattered.

This was her biological mother. The very mother who dedicated her life to training her into a professional assassin. The mother who never showed mercy, no matter how much Lu Xiaolan suffered during her childhood. The mother who first married Lu Xiaolan to Ma Wu, then to He Jiaqing, and later forced Lu Xiaolan to assassinate He Jiaqing for the Red Lotus!

Seeing Zhuo Yuling’s head, Lu Xiaolan didn’t hesitate for a moment – she chose not to leave.

If she didn’t come out, what could Li Banfeng do?

Force his way into New Land and fight Qiu Daxiang? Qiu Daxiang is a Local Deity. What level is a Local Deity? Tenth Layer, probably? A Fifth-Layer Home Cultivation plus a Fourth-Layer Traveling Cultivator sums to Nine Layers, slightly less than the Tenth Layer. I also have two Foolish Cultivation Techniques, which should be equivalent to a Second-Layer cultivation level. If I add all that up... Forget it.

No matter how mad Li Banfeng was, he currently had no desire to provoke Qiu Luoye. After all, they had a life-and-death bond—Li Banfeng’s life had nearly ended at Qiu Luoye’s hands once before.

But what to do about Lu Xiaolan? If she just stayed put on this plot of land, what method could he use to handle her?

...

He Jiaqing fiddled with a button and replied to Ling Miaoying, "Are you sure it was my friend who killed Zhuo Yuling?"

"Lu Xiaolan said she saw Li Banfeng holding Zhuo Yuling’s head with her own eyes."

"What about Fan Baoxing and Cui Lisheng?"

"They’ve been unreachable so far. I presume they also died at the hands of your friend."

"Impossible. He couldn’t have done this alone. He must have set up an ambush beforehand."

Ling Miaoying didn’t share this opinion. "Jia Qing, I handled this matter very covertly. There’s no way information could have leaked beforehand. Your friend isn’t a Diviner. He couldn’t have prepared for everything so thoroughly. I actually think you’ve underestimated your friend’s cultivation level. He possesses the Mysterious Red Life Lotus, and now it’s unclear what his actual level is."

"You, of all people, should know his level, having fought him."

"I know he was below me then, but I had the advantage of a surprise attack. His cultivation level might have already surpassed the Fifth Layer."

"Are you dreaming? He hasn’t even been in Puluo State for a year!"

"Perhaps he’s put a lot of effort into the Red Lotus."

He Jiaqing was very confident in his judgment. "This isn’t something mere effort can solve. He might have indeed used the Mysterious Red Life Lotus, but not much. The cost is too great; he simply couldn’t withstand it."

The two fell silent for a long moment. Ling Miaoying didn’t want to argue further, while He Jiaqing pondered his next move.

"Let Lu Xiaolan continue to watch the plot of land. When an opportunity arises, have her try to set hooks in Zhengjing Village."

"Jia Qing, Zhuo Yuling just died. Is it really appropriate to have Lu Xiaolan do this now?"

"There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Originally, she and her mother had nowhere to call home. If it weren’t for your introduction, she would never have made it up Iron Sheep Mountain, let alone become a Fort Master today. People like her don’t deserve our sympathy."

"It’s not that I sympathize with her; I’m worried she’ll mess things up. I still feel your friend is no ordinary man. It would be better if I supervised this personally."

"You can’t go. You’re needed for everything in Greenwater City, and this matter isn’t worth your distraction. The new movie is about to wrap up; we can’t afford any mistakes there. The film industry in Puluo State must belong solely to you. We’ve invested so much in this film; it has to be a big hit."

Ling Miaoying was very confident about this. "Don’t worry about that. Everything is arranged."

...

The new film He Jiaqing mentioned, titled "Blood Blade Detective," wasn’t just one movie, but ten.

Ten movies, each an hour and a half long, with a continuous plot and a fixed cast – quite common in Outside Provinces, essentially a TV series.

But in Puluo State, most people had never seen a TV series, nor did they even have the concept of one.

If this series of films were successful, it would mean Ling Miaoying had pioneered a whole new cinematic field, which was also a critical opportunity for Ling Family Film Industry to completely dominate the movie market.

He Jiaqing understood how much profit this field could generate and knew that beyond the financial gains, it held even greater value.

Some plans had gone awry, but the key steps couldn’t afford the slightest mishap. Three days before the movie’s premiere, He Jiaqing specifically contacted Ling Miaoying.

"Is all the promotion in place? If you feel the buzz isn’t strong enough, we can delay the release for a few days."

"Everything’s in place. On premiere day, all the major families will send people to show their support."

"I’m not worried about the major families, but I am concerned about our competitors. They won’t give up their livelihoods easily. I’m afraid they’ll try to cause trouble."

"I have my people in the Puluo State movie companies. Any move they make won’t escape my notice. Jiaqing, don’t worry about this. The real concern is Lu Xiaolan. There’s been no progress on her end. Zhengjing Village is as solid as a rock, supported by the Straw Moth Lady, and with numerous Strange Monsters on patrol, Lu Xiaolan simply can’t infiltrate it."

He Jiaqing laughed. "There’s a saying: ’One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days.’ Just let Lu Xiaolan keep watching. My old friend isn’t the patient type. Let’s see how long he can hold out."

The two ended their communication, and Ling Miaoying hurriedly prepared for the press conference.

"Blood Blade Detective" indeed caused quite a stir. Before the press conference even started, newspaper journalists had packed the Ling Family Film Industry’s reception hall. After the main actors arrived, flashes flared and shutters clicked incessantly.

Several journalists surrounded the leading actress, Xiao Xiufei. One reporter asked, "As the former Singing Empress, do you feel pressure from all sides for playing the lead role in such an epic movie series?"

Xiao Xiufei nodded. "There is indeed pressure. ’Blood Blade Detective’ was filmed over an entire year. During the process, I heard many voices of doubt, and I even doubted my own abilities. At this moment, I would like to extend my special thanks to all my colleagues at Ling Family Film Industry. They gave me confidence and courage, allowing me to persist through this arduous journey and making me worthy of an achievement I can be proud of for a lifetime."

Another reporter asked, "It’s rumored that you have some very daring scenes in this movie. Could you reveal any details?"

Xiao Xiufei shook her head. "Before the official release, I won’t reveal any details. It’s a matter of professional ethics and my responsibility to the Film Industry Company. I only hope everyone will appreciate my performance in the movie with an artistic eye."

Yet another journalist asked, "In a scene with the leading actor Zhou Changhong, it’s said that things got a bit too real between you two. Is that true?"

Xiao Xiufei smiled faintly. "All I can tell you is that Mr. Zhou and I were both very committed in every performance, and we both got deeply into our roles."

"You just said ’very deeply,’ is that correct?"

Xiao Xiufei confirmed decisively, "Yes, very deeply."

The camera shutters erupted in another flurry, and the reporters who didn’t get a chance to ask questions still captured the key information they wanted.

Actually, these particular journalists had all been arranged by Ling Miaoying, precisely to create this kind of buzz.

After interviewing the lead actors, it was time to interview the production side.

A journalist asked, "We heard that some remote theaters have already begun showing pirated versions of ’Blood Blade Detective.’ Is this true?"

Ling Miaoying smiled. "I can responsibly tell you all that there is no possibility of ’Blood Blade Detective’ being pirated. We have only kept a single master negative for all ten movies, and duplication will only begin the day before the official release. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind my peers: if you wish to collaborate with Ling Family Film Industry, I am always ready to welcome you. If you’re thinking of scheming against Ling Family Film Industry, I advise you to pull back from the brink and cease your efforts immediately."

The press conference ended, and the reporters gradually dispersed.

Li Banfeng put away his camera, pulled his hat brim lower, and left the film company.

This wasn’t his first visit. This time he was disguised as a reporter, the time before as a set worker, and the time before that as a food delivery person.

He Jiaqing was right; one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days.

...

That evening, He Jiaqing lay in bed motionless while the nurse changed his urine bag. Chen Changrui stood outside the hospital room door, not entering.

He Jiaqing knew Captain Chen was outside. With a high-level Peeping Cultivator so close, maintaining a disguise constantly wasn’t easy.

As luck would have it, Ling Miaoying sent a message at this very moment.

The button on his chest trembled slightly. The nurse didn’t notice, but if Chen Changrui were to observe carefully, he would definitely spot it.

Answer it or not? If I answer, Chen Changrui might overhear. If I don’t, the button will just keep trembling. If Chen Changrui hears even the slightest sound, I’ll be exposed. What on earth could be so important that she has to contact me right now?

After a moment of hesitation, He Jiaqing swiftly touched the button.

The nurse didn’t notice, but Chen Changrui pushed the door open and entered; he had heard the faint sound.

The nurse, recognizing Chen Changrui, was startled. "Officer Chen, you’re here so late..."

Chen Changrui smiled. "Go about your business. I just came to check in."

He Jiaqing remained motionless in bed, showing no abnormality.

Ling Miaoying’s voice reached his ears. "Jiaqing, there’s trouble! My company’s on fire! The master copies weren’t rescued—they’re all destroyed!"

He Jiaqing felt murderous. His heart was bleeding. He wished he could drag Ling Miaoying out and chop her to pieces right then and there! But he couldn’t move. Not only could he not move, he couldn’t show any expression. Not a flicker in his cheeks or a twitch of his brow.

Ling Miaoying kept talking, "Jiaqing, what should we do now? I know I was negligent, but please, at least give me an idea... Jiaqing, say something..."

He Jiaqing didn’t move an inch.

This was incredibly difficult!

PS: He Jiaqing’s acting is quite good. It’s uncertain what kind of scene will unfold when he meets Ban Feng.