Stranger Danger

"Maybe this Moon Princess is someone from the Profound Moon Dynasty, but that does not necessarily mean that the Profound Moon Dynasty is involved. Who knows, she could be a traitor just like Yuan Budong, right?"

Ye Qing assured Jin Wanliang with a smile when he saw his worry. "So relax, Scion Jin."

"I sincerely hope you're right, senior."

Jin Wanliang saluted Ye Qing before asking another question, "Oh right, when did you start plotting against my parents?"

"Since a long time ago. It's possible that your parents caught the city lord's eyes since the first time they entered the City of No Return."

Hua Ling answered, "However, we only started executing the plan five years ago. While Jin Manshan and Ming Yueying were entertaining themselves and relaxing in the City of No Return, we commanded the Mud Morphs to spy on them and copy their personality in secret. At the same time, we performed our own investigations and injected them with all the personal information, interpersonal relationships and more that we've collected as memories."

"Jin Manshan and Ming Yueying were no ordinary people, and Gold Island is a critical territory. That is why we carried out every step with the utmost caution to ensure that everything will go perfectly. Unfortunately, despite having come up with the perfect plan and prepared for years, you ultimately managed to see through our deception at the last moment, scion Jin."

"Hmph! You sure spared no effort!"

Jin Wanliang harrumphed, though he really felt fear and trepidation inside. He did not think that the city lord of the City of No Return had plotted for years to subvert Gold Island. Their deep patience and disturbing intelligence could only be described as terrifying.

They might have succeeded if not for Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou.

"It sounds like this is not the first time you've done something like this," Feng Qingyou remarked teasingly.

"An astute deduction, miss." Hua Ling was clearly more respectful toward Feng Qingyou. "We have done this many times in the past, and our methods are not restricted to just the Mud Morphs. We have dispatched men to disguise themselves as another, used secret arts to put certain targets under our control, kidnapped, killed and more."

"Hmph! No wonder you were able to accumulate so much wealth in just the span of decades! They're all blood wealth!" Jin Wanliang taunted.

Hua Ling smiled uncaringly and replied, "Those who kill and set another person's home on fire wear a golden belt. You cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. Dare you say that the wealth Gold Island makes is perfectly clean, Scion Jin?"

"But of—"

Jin Wanliang had just opened his mouth when he recalled that the very things that made Gold Island what it was today were stolen from another. He immediately deflated.

Hua Ling saw this and smirked a little.

"Why are you smiling?" yelled an embarrassed Jin Wanliang.

Hua Ling shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just tugging the corners of my lips, that's all."

"Enough." Ye Qing cut off Hua Ling and Jin Wanliang. "Our first priority right now is to rescue Jin Manshan and Ming Yueying."

"You're right, senior." Jin Wanliang recovered his wits and felt a bit ashamed at his loss of composure. "What should we do then?"

Ye Qing replied without hesitation, "We infiltrate the City of No Return and directly combat the root of the problem, of course."

"W-what? Don't you think it's a little too risky?" Jin Wanliang exclaimed in surprise. Maybe he was overthinking this, but the idea of the three of them running straight to the enemy's headquarters and fighting their whole gang seemed... unwise.

It was one thing if the City of No Return was a utopian paradise as they advertised themselves to be, but no, it was a dragon's lair. Not including the small fries, the four envoys were either Great Truemen or Great Grandmasters, whereas Star and Moon Deputy Lords were both Half-Sages. They weren't ordinary Half-Sages either. The former was the world-renowned Holy Son of the Floating Light Celestial Island, and the latter seemed to be a royalty of the Profound Moon Dynasty. They were all powerful warriors in their own right.

Finally, there was the mysterious city lord of the City of No Return whose strength and identity were completely unknown. Ye Qing was extraordinary, sure, but was hesurethey were rescuing his parents and not delivering themselves to their enemy's doorsteps?

"It will be fine. This is a rescue mission, not an annihilation mission. There is no need to engage the main bulk of the enemy."

Ye Qing assured him. "Besides, we have Hua Ling's aid, and they have no idea that we're coming. If we are careful, we should be able to rescue your parents without trouble."

"Right!" Jin Wanliang slapped himself on the head. He could not believe that he had forgotten about the Wealth Envoy.

If before rescuing his parents from the City of No Return was like fishing for a needle in the seaandshining a beam of light straight at his enemy's face, now it was a different story.

Despite Hua Ling's claim that she was just the city lord's tool, there was no denying that she was an influential figure in the City of No Return. She must know where her parents were kept at, and she should be able to provide them with various conveniences. If all went well, they should be able to rescue his parents easily and without clashing head-to-head against the city lord.

This meant that the danger level of this mission was much lower than it appeared to be.

And once his parents were rescued, it was the City of No Return that should watch their back, not them.

Jin Wanliang saluted Ye Qing and praised from the bottom of his heart, "Your wisdom knows no bounds, senior. This junior is impressed."

"Actually, I think Scion Jin's worry isn't completely senseless."

Suddenly, Feng Qingyou spoke up, "Hua Ling's assistance would make this rescue mission a lot easier, but that is no reason for us to be careless. After all, the city lord of the City of No Return is no ordinary foe. Who knows if he has a backup plan or other arrangements?"

"Miss Feng is right."

Hua Ling added, "The city lord is as enigmatic as he is cautious and paranoid. He always prepares for the best case scenario and the worst case scenario whenever he does something."

"Therefore, it is not impossible that he has already found out about the Mud Morphs' deaths. Assuming I'm right, he would have assumed the worst and prepared the best possible countermeasures already."

"I see." Ye Qing rubbed his nose. Out of all of them, Hua Ling was the one who knew the city lord the best. If she thought that the city lord would know that they were coming, then she was most probably right.

In that case, this rescue mission would turn into a suicide mission.

Of course, neither he nor Feng Qingyou were slouches themselves. Who could claim that they couldn't turn the tables against their foe despite everything? However, it would definitely be a hard fight.

Caught off guard, Jin Wanliang asked worriedly, "What should we do then?"

Ye Qing looked at Feng Qingyou. "You have a solution, right Qingyou?"

Knowing Feng Qingyou, she must have had an excellent solution in mind already.

"Indeed, I do."

Seeing that everyone was looking at her, Feng Qingyou curled her lips and answered, "Yuan Budong."

Ye Qing's eyes lit up. "Ah! The sandpiper and clam goes to war, and the fisherman claims it all. Yes, that is a good idea."

"Huh?"

Jin Wanliang and Hua Ling exchanged glances with each other. What did Yuan Budong had to do with the sandpiper, the clam, or the fisherman? They understood the idiom of course, but what did it actually mean?

Ye Qing looked at Jin Wanliang and asked, "Scion Jin, I need you to do something for me."

"Just say the word, senior."

"I want you to head to Floating Island and seek out Island Lord Yu. Tell her that we have a favor to ask of her. Tell her to inform Floating Light Celestial Island that Yuan Budong is the Star Deputy Lord of the City of No Return."