"Looks like I needed to venture deep into the heart of the Raging Wave Mountains and trace this back to its source."
Meng Chao thought for a moment before telling Ai Lei, "If Horizon truly had the ability to build a Secret Base deep within the Raging Wave Mountains without anyone noticing, then their influence must be far greater than we imagined.
"Even the security director they openly sent out to gather intelligence possessed peak Earth Realm strength. The armed forces hidden within that Secret Base must be even more formidable.
"So there was no need for you to infiltrate Horizon with me. Dragon City's network was where your talents would be better put to use.
"I needed you to handle a few things."
When Ai Lei first heard that Meng Chao intended to infiltrate alone, she grew a little nervous. She thought this Golden Thigh she had finally managed to cling to was about to shake her off and go it alone.
But when she heard that Meng Chao had tasks for her, she nodded eagerly. "Please give your orders, Senior. Ai Lei would brave boiling water and tread on fire without hesitation!"
"There was no need to brave boiling water and tread on fire. It was just your old trade—I needed you to investigate a few matters for me."
After pondering for a moment, Meng Chao said, "First, keep a close watch on the struggle between the Blue Alliance and the Nine Corporations over the National Cultivation Act and the Northern Advance Plan.
"I wanted you to collect all the news. You couldn't overlook even the slightest rustle of the wind or stir of the grass. Don't worry about the information being too vast and disorderly. More often than not, the truth was hidden in the details."
Ai