Lu Dashan did not take the teacup. He reached over to the fruit plate on the desk and picked up an apple. The peel scraped against the edge of the plate with a rasp.
He bit off a large chunk. The crisp crunch rang out unusually clearly in the study.
"With all the time this is taking, I might as well stake out near the exhibition hall and find a chance to steal the exhibit..."
"You're still as impatient as ever." Bai Zhenyun smiled and shook his head. He picked up his own teacup, took a sip, and continued.
"Steal it? You know how tight the exhibition hall's security is. There's a Cultivator guarding the entrance, surveillance cameras inside, and once the alarm is triggered, investigators from the nearby Ability Management Bureau can arrive within ten minutes.
"If we force our way in, let alone stealing the exhibit, we might not even make it out in one piece."
He set down his teacup and lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertips. "My steady approach is the optimal solution. Although we'll have to wait two more days, this will minimize the risks and give us the highest chance of success.
"Have you forgotten that mission two years ago? We nearly got caught because we were too eager to act."
Lu Dashan chewed on his apple without arguing.
He thought back over Bai Zhenyun's operations these past years. It was true that Bai Zhenyun always spent a great deal of time laying the groundwork, but he always managed to complete the missions smoothly in the end, without ever making a mistake.
He tossed the apple core into the trash can with a soft thunk, then raised a hand to scratch his close-cropped hair. His tone softened slightly. "Fine, I'll listen to you...