Wen Li already knew that Zongzheng Huangyue wouldn’t have revealed the entire mission plan. She likely only told Jiang Nianyao that they were playing a game among fellow disciples, and whoever lost had to wash the others’ socks.
Leaning back in her chair, Wen Li scanned everyone. “As long as you don’t reveal the true objective of the mission and simply present it as a game where the loser has to wash the winner’s socks, it works. When fiction is treated as truth, truth also becomes fiction. A mixture of the real and the fake is always the most convincing.”
“Jiang Nianyao was pestered by the three of you. Do you think she didn’t notice anything? Who likes being played like a fiddle? Old Four was the fourth to appear, and by meeting her with total honesty, she caught Jiang Nianyao’s interest. Even if Jiang Nianyao wasn’t initially interested in her, the three of you pestered her so much that she became curious. You all just paved the way for her.”
“...”
Upon hearing Wen Li guess her methods, Zongzheng Huangyue looked up, her dazed expression flickering with a hint of pleasure. It was the joy of having her Master understand her thoughts and knowing she was worthy of her Master’s notice.
The trio who had been questioning things fell silent as soon as Wen Li spoke.
Xie Tinglan narrowed his eyes, suddenly realizing what Yao Dai had said about Zongzheng Huangyue observing everyone’s moves. Her appearing fourth was quite a deliberate choice. No, if Hua Cishu were included, she was actually the last—the fifth.
She might have planned this strategy from the start, waiting for the four of them to ruin Jiang Nianyao’s favorability. It was even possible that their failure had been part of her calculations...
But could this person truly have planned such an intricate sequence of events within just a few hours of Master giving the mission? She was only in her teens. Could she really possess such scheming depth despite not having lived for over a hundred and ninety years like him?
Yao Dai turned her spear toward Hua Cishu.
“Then what about him? What part did he play in this? He’s the one who crushed my and Old Six’s pills. It would’ve been fine if he just didn't sabotage us, but why would he help you?”
“Dumbass.”
Before Zongzheng Huangyue could speak, Hua Cishu let out a cold sneer. “His crushing your pills was also part of her plan. With me drawing your fire, she was free to approach Jiang Nianyao without interference.”
These idiots. During the final hours of the mission last night, they had actually spent the whole time lying in wait for him across Tingyin Pavilion. They had wasted their time trying to throw Gu Linshu into his cave dwelling to frame him. If he hadn't discovered the stranger upon his return and realized they were setting him up, he really would have killed the boy.
Fortunately, he had been uneasy and went to find Zongzheng Huangyue. She took one look and recognized Gu Linshu. It was obvious he had been treated like a fat sheep and robbed by Xie Tinglan’s group. Originally, Hua Cishu wanted Gu Linshu to publicly accuse the three of them of theft, but the boy was so useless that he was terrified by Xie Tinglan’s true form. What a waste.
This confirmed Xie Tinglan’s suspicions. His dark eyes locked onto Zongzheng Huangyue.
“So, right from the beginning, after Master assigned the mission, you sought out Old Five to cooperate. You waited for him to sabotage our plans, making us so furious that we lost our logic and focused entirely on making trouble for him.”
What a move. Luring the tiger from the mountain, watching the fire from across the river, and letting the snipe and the clam quarrel so the fisherman could reap the benefits.
Brilliant.
Though he disliked being the target of Zongzheng Huangyue’s various schemes, Xie Tinglan had to admit that her craftiness and strategic planning were second only to Wen Li among those he had met.
Yao Dai, Xin Jiuxian, and Gu Linshu also realized the truth.
Yao Dai looked at Hua Cishu, her voice icy. “You’re so arrogant; I’m surprised you’d actually cooperate with someone.”
“Don’t assume everyone is as stupid as you. I have no cultivation. With all of you blocking me, there was a ninety percent chance I’d lose. Since I was going to lose anyway, why not cooperate with the smartest person? I also really want to see you wash my socks.” Hua Cishu sat there, looking up lazily, the malicious smile on his face remarkably similar to Wen Li’s when she was up to no good.
Though he wasn’t afraid of offending anyone, he wasn’t so stupid as to insist on standing alone as an island. Otherwise, how could he have survived among the Demon Race all those years with no cultivation?
Yao Dai, Xie Tinglan, and Xin Jiuxian finally realized that this brat had been making enemies on purpose. Of course, he truly wasn't afraid of being anyone's enemy, but he did it to lower everyone's guard. He wanted them to look down on his lack of cultivation and not worry about him or suspect his motives, only to step on everyone when it actually mattered!
Zongzheng Huangyue and Hua Cishu had known each other before, but this was their first time cooperating. Huangyue had taken the initiative to find him, and he had intended to work with her. Both understood each other’s hidden depths.
The two of them had teamed up to toy with the other three!
Everything was clear now.
Even the expressionless Xin Jiuxian furrowed her brows, feeling like her brain was about to overheat. Why was it so complicated? It was just a mission.
Gu Linshu silently glanced at everyone’s expressions. He really wanted to say that if he hadn’t shown up, there might have been four people played for fools, including himself.
He had to admit, Fourth Senior Sister’s schemes were indeed the most formidable. He was no match for her.
“Alright, it seems you all understand now. Any other objections? If not, I’ll announce the mission results,” Wen Li nodded casually. As expected, letting the six villains cluster together and scheme against each other was far more effective than raising them separately.
See? In just the first mission, everyone’s mindsets and depths had been exposed quite a bit—both their strengths and weaknesses.
They had learned a lot from one another, which promoted mutual growth.
How could villains who were capable of opposing the protagonists of providence not be smart? They simply lacked the luck—the providence—that the Heavenly Dao bestowed upon the protagonists. But that was fine. This time, she was on their side. She was their providence.
“Wait.”
Xin Jiuxian’s expressionless face showed a hint of confusion. “Even if Jiang Nianyao disliked us, she shouldn’t have dared to swallow a pill given by a stranger just for the sake of a sock-washing bet.”
She was physically weak and her father, the Beast Taming Sect Master, doted on her. She wouldn't easily entrust her life to a stranger.
Everyone looked at Zongzheng Huangyue again.
She seemed to have long anticipated their doubt, saying calmly, “Because I took Hua Cishu’s Qi-Replenishing Pill and presented it alongside mine in front of Jiang Nianyao. I let her choose between the two. Before she swallowed hers, I ate the other one myself. We both blocked our sense of smell.”
As for how she got Jiang Nianyao interested in the game in the first place, that came down to her eloquence and her talent for manipulating the human heart.
The other five besides Wen Li—including Hua Cishu—hadn’t expected that she wanted his pill not just to give Jiang Nianyao a choice to put her at ease, but to eat it herself!
Even if she blocked her sense of smell, the psychological impact was still there. Who knew if Master had used real ingredients for those chicken-manure-flavored Qi-Replenishing Pills? Given her sinister methods, it was hard to say. This was truly a double-edged sword.
Wen Li chuckled with amusement. “Weren’t you afraid the pills I gave you were poisoned? You’ll eat anything.”
Zongzheng Huangyue had naturally considered whether the pill was poisonous, but that didn't matter. Her lips curled slightly, an aura of absolute control quietly emanating from her.
“Even if it was poison, I still won. Master is here; what do I have to fear?”
With those words, everyone besides Wen Li gained a new level of understanding toward her. As long as she could win, she would use any means necessary, even putting herself on the line.
Yao Dai finally understood. She understood why Xie Tinglan had told her to be careful of Old Four after playing cards in the canteen. This person was not only cunning but also ruthless; she would even plot against herself, let alone others.
Rate on N.U.
