Chapter 208

"Didn't I just say that the truly ethical Liu School all abide by the three rules of not stealing and the five rules of not robbing? Our targets are those unscrupulous merchants, local bullies, and underworld bosses who are rich but heartless and harm the local area. This is also a way of helping the weak and upholding justice, and we share the same philosophy as the Mo Xia. It's just that the Mo Xia uses rigid methods, while we Liu Xia use flexible methods. The two paths lead to the same goal."

"But I've never done anything like this before, and it sounds very dangerous. If I get caught, it might implicate my family. It's definitely not a good idea..."

Zu Jiangchun is backed by a large business guild, and even if she is captured, her Lineage will step in to ransom her, so she won't be in danger. But Liu Qingqing comes from an ordinary single-parent family. Not to mention being captured, just being exposed as a person could lead to endless retaliation. After all, the targets are all wealthy, powerful, and influential figures. Even if she doesn't care about herself, she has to consider her mother.

"What are you afraid of? If anything happens, Yaozu Jewelry Store will vouch for you. It's true that once you're discovered after infiltrating the enemy's lair, you'll be surrounded by enemies on all sides. But as long as you don't get discovered, isn't that enough? And if you are discovered, you can just escape in time, right? The skills of a wanderer lie entirely in stealth and escape. Forcing a bloody path through is not our style. 'Quietly I leave, just as quietly I came; I wave my sleeves, not taking away a single cloud.' That's the style of a wanderer. The enemy doesn't even know when we arrived, so what danger could there be?"

"Well, if we don't take anything with us, wouldn't we be returning empty-handed?"

"That's just a metaphor, don't take it too seriously. That phrase is used to describe the freedom and stealth of us wanderers. In reality, when it comes to safety, the Mo Xia's approach of directly attacking and killing people is far more dangerous than ours. It's just that everyone's attention is diverted by the Mo Xia's bold style, ignoring the huge casualty rate associated with this approach. If there were data to investigate, it would be found that the casualty rate of the Mohist Knight Guard is more than five times that of our wanderers."

"Even the wisest can make a mistake, and a general is not immune to death on the battlefield. Once a defeat is made, it will be a catastrophe."

"Just control the number of times you strike. We're phantom thieves, not thieves. We don't even care about ordinary stuff; it has to be rare treasures. We don't steal people's things every day. We identify our targets, devise infiltration plans, and escape strategies if we're discovered. We only strike after we're absolutely certain everything is foolproof. Even the wisest can plan a thousand times. We won't do it a thousand times in our entire lives. It's perfectly safe. Look at me, I'm a living example. I've never been caught before," Zu Jiangchun.

Si Ming objected. "Didn't you not get the better of me and Murong on the train that time?"

Zu Jiangchun said irritably, "That's just a failed operation at most. In the end, you didn't manage to keep me here, did you? How to escape unscathed is also a major lesson for the Flowers. We're not like those Red-Clad Ones who think about dying together with the enemy. So join us without worry, and I'll guide you into a whole new world! Or perhaps it's not impossible for us to join forces and become a phantom thief duo, becoming idols admired by the world?"

Si Ming: "Is this duo called the Cat's Eye Sisters?"

"Shut up!"

Zu Jiangchun glared fiercely, but when it came to her lifelong pursuit of being a phantom thief, she didn't care about trivial matters like owing favors.

"Theft is illegal, it's not a good thing..."

Liu Qingqing still couldn't accept this extraordinary idea.

"Our targets are all lawbreakers; this is called fighting evil with evil, which aligns with the Mo Xia's philosophy of fighting violence with violence!"

"We're not stealing; we're robbing the rich to help the poor! We're not thieves; we're just transporters of wealth!"

"Accelerating the circulation of wealth is essential to enabling those who get rich first to help those who get rich later, ultimately achieving common prosperity. It's like a water tank divided into two spaces by wooden planks, with different levels. Only by removing the planks or making a hole can the two sides be leveled."

"The vast majority of those who get rich first are unwilling to help those who get rich later; they only strive to protect their own interests. Therefore, we should help them lead the way to prosperity. This is an extremely noble ideal!"

Zu Jiangchun forcefully clenched her fist and spoke with a powerful voice, looking just like an orator.

Si Ming yawned, completely ignoring what was being said, Murong Qing listened carefully, so she couldn't help but frown. "Is it only through theft that the rich can help the poor get rich?"

"If not by stealing, then surely not by robbing? In this world, only the rich rob the poor, not the poor rob the rich. As the Daoist School say, 'The way of man is to take from the poor to give to the rich.'"

Who are the poor?

"Whoever is poor is a poor person."

Where do poor people get money?

"The rich can even scrape off a sliver of flesh from a fly's leg, let alone a human being? One kidney costs 200,000, two kidneys cost 400,000, corneas, lungs, bone marrow, heart... every part of a human body is a treasure. Just being alive is worth millions, how can you say you have no money?"

Murong Qing silent. Although it sounded like the other party was talking nonsense, she couldn't find an undeniable mistake for it.

After a long pause, she finally spoke, "Your Yaozu Jewelry Store is obviously owned by wealthy people, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's why I'm working hard to help those who are less fortunate to become wealthy," Zu Jiangchun said without the slightest hesitation.

Those who can afford jewelry and antiques worth hundreds of thousands, millions, or even tens of millions are undoubtedly wealthy. Although some ordinary families grit their teeth and painfully spend their savings to buy a ring or piece of jewelry, their contribution is too small, and they are not poor either. From this perspective, Yaozu Jewelry Store is indeed robbing the rich.

Besides, Lineage business and personal ideals are two different things. It's not like Zu Jiangchun personally founded Yaozu Jewelry Store. Criticizing her from this angle is undoubtedly just arguing for the sake of arguing. Perhaps some people would do that, but Murong Qing is not that kind of person, so she has nothing to say.

Having convinced a reasonable person gave Zu Jiangchun a lot of confidence, and she was about to press on and continue to persuade Liu Qingqing when Si Ming interrupted her, "The Fayun, 'Plan for defeat before planning for victory.' If you and Qingqing fail in your operation and are captured, you will be safe with your status as the young lady of a jewelry store, but how can you guarantee Qingqing's safety?"

"As I said, Yaozu Jewelry Store will also guarantee her safety."

"How can you guarantee it? Is Yaozu Jewelry Store something you can decide on your own? You want to protect Qingqing, but your father disagrees, and the other Lineage members disagree too. Can you force Yaozu Jewelry Store as a guarantor? Don't say it's impossible. Qingqing isn't a member of your Lineage; she's an outsider. How much is your Lineage willing to pay for an outsider?"

Zu Jiangchun were instantly gripped tightly. Although she wanted to say that every industry has its dangers, and that their line of work was much safer than being a member of the Mohist Knight Guard, she couldn't use such an unconvincing reason to persuade the other party to join.

"... Once I become the head of the family and have the power to speak, you'll agree, right?"

Si Ming, "At least there's no apparent reason to object, so it's just a matter of personal preference."

"Preferences can be cultivated gradually, right? Liu Qingqing, is that her name? Let's appreciate the great achievements of those famous figures in history... Where are they?"

Coming to her senses, Zu Jiangchun realized that Liu Qingqing was nowhere to be seen in the room, and she hadn't even noticed when she had left.

Si Ming, "While you were giving your long-winded explanation about how the wealthy can help the less fortunate, she went back to her room to rest."

"How can you say that? Does that mean you haven't heard any of the valuable ideas and theories of our Liu School?"

Zu Jiangchun sighed first, then quickly regained her composure and exclaimed excitedly, "This kind of elusive skill, this talent that allows her to leave right in front of you without being detected, is absolutely the most suitable talent for the Liu School. This is a gift from heaven to the Liu School; she will definitely become someone like the Mohist School's Grandmaster in the future!"

No matter how much Zu Jiangchun wanted to persuade Liu Qingqing to join the Liu School, by the next day, she still had to prioritize her mission. The meeting with Shi Kelang was a private matter, and although she could bring guards, the number of guards could not be too large.

As the supervisor, Si Ming was not required to participate in the mission and was naturally excluded. He Qichang was too young, and as a guard, he would inevitably give people an unreliable impression. On the other hand, Murong Qing and Liu Qingqing, although they also had the disadvantage of age, had the advantage of gender. As a woman, Zu Jiangchun had several female guards she trusted, which would not arouse suspicion.

The two accompanied Zu Jiangchun into the meeting hall, a magnificent religious palace that was clearly newly built. There was still a faint smell of paint in the hall. Famous paintings hung on all four walls, and the various carvings in the room were all by School of Names, with a lifelike artistic feel, giving people a solemn and majestic impression. The other furniture and decorations were also top-notch, with not a single cheap item.

In terms of sheer luxury, this palace is probably the most extravagant on the island.

Shi Kelang was a very attractive middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a square face, and a chiseled appearance. At first glance, he even seemed quite righteous. Even without saying a word, his appearance alone was enough for Murong Qing to understand why this man could bewitch so many followers in just a few months. His appearance was very trustworthy. If one hadn't read the information beforehand, it would be hard to imagine that he was actually a cult leader who incited trouble and plotted evil deeds.

According to the information collected by Mohist Knight Guard beforehand, Shi Kelang was originally a graduate of a regular university, majoring in medicine. After graduation, he worked in the proctology department. Because of his excellent performance, he was promoted to attending physician in just four years. Since then, he has always been diligent and conscientious, gained the trust of his superiors, and had a harmonious relationship with his colleagues. Few people disliked him.

This ordinary middle-class elite suddenly submitted his resignation to the hospital, broke up with his girlfriend of many years, and sold his house, left the city where he worked, and cut off all contact with his friends.