Simple and Brutal Method

Simple and Brutal Method

Upstairs, Xu Zhi knocked on Shen Jinwen's door. They briefly agreed on a little signal for when they came looking for each other: four knocks, three quick and one slow. Nothing particularly rigorous or complicated.

Shen Jinwen quickly came to open the door. When she saw the large gray dog following beside Xu Zhi, she instinctively took a step back, then realized it might be like the snake. "Is this your new pet?"

"Yes." Xu Zhi nodded and led Doggie inside after Shen Jinwen stepped aside.

After Xu Zhi sat down on the sofa, Shen Jinwen, just like last time, poured her a cup of mineral water in a clean paper cup.

The water had been cut off now. Shen Jinwen went out almost every morning to search for supplies. Fortunately, more than half the city's residents had left, while supplies could not be taken away at short notice. There was no lack of supplies for the time being; there were at least three small shops in the neighborhood alone.

But unlike last time, Xu Zhi took a sip after accepting the cup, even though she was not thirsty.

Seeing Xu Zhi drink, Shen Jinwen's expression relaxed slightly. She sat across from Xu Zhi and asked, "Did you come to see me about something?"

Xu Zhi set down the cup and nodded. "Yes. There's something very troublesome."

"You probably heard that broadcast too. What do you think?" Xu Zhi asked for Shen Jinwen's opinion first.

"It's a trap," Shen Jinwen said with certainty.

Then, as if she had realized something, she looked at Xu Zhi and softly asked, "You came to me because of that?"

Seeing that she understood, Xu Zhi stopped laying the groundwork and asked directly, "I'm planning to kill them. I need your help. I won't have you take the risk for nothing. In exchange, I'll tell you the information you want to know, and I'll have my pets help you hunt three cores you need."

"I think you know too that keeping them around is no good. This isn't just about working for me. If you want to survive in this city, you'll have to face them sooner or later. If we cooperate now, at least you'll have a powerful teammate."

It was not that Shen Jinwen did not understand the logic. She simply knew there was a gap in strength between her and that group of lunatics. To be honest, although she was an extraordinary being, her ability was not particularly strong. It had not even pushed her combat ability beyond that of an ordinary human. She truly could not imagine what help she could provide Xu Zhi.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked directly.

"Be bait."

Xu Zhi did not hide it from her.

"I need you to lure those lunatics out of Affiliated Middle School."

"You know those guys are stupid. Someone must be commanding them. You lure a group out of Affiliated Middle School, and I'll deal with the intelligent one inside."

"My Doggie will assist you. It's a decent fighter and a fast runner."

It was a simple and brutal plan. Xu Zhi had initially thought of something more complicated, but Little One's upgrade made her feel that things could be simpler.

"Then how will I know whether you succeeded?" Shen Jinwen asked.

Xu Zhi shook her head. "We have no way to contact each other while separated, and I'm not sure whether the other lunatics will change after that intelligent one dies."

"But I can always tell where my dog is. After I deal with the one inside Affiliated Middle School, you've seen my snake. It will come find you and help you kill the remaining lunatics."

"So all I can do is wait, while making sure I don't die before your reinforcements arrive," Shen Jinwen summarized.

"Yes." Xu Zhi nodded.

She knew it was a somewhat "harsh" deal, because Shen Jinwen would need to risk her life. Xu Zhi did not mind if she bargained; she could raise the number of cores.

But she had not expected Shen Jinwen to agree without much hesitation.

"When do we start? How do I lure them out? What if I get intercepted along the way?"

Shen Jinwen asked several questions.

"My two pets will go with you. They can make sure you won't be intercepted. Just cause some trouble at the entrance of Affiliated Middle School to draw those lunatics out. Doggie has quite a loud voice."

"If only one or two come out, kill them or wound them and let them report back. In any case, we need enough of them to come out. After that, you just need to escape with Doggie."

"If there's no problem, we'll set off in two hours. Before then, I can tell you the information you want to know."

"Okay." Shen Jinwen nodded.

"Before that, can I ask why you agreed so readily? Even if they threaten the area nearby, you're alone. You could leave and find another safe place. There's no need to risk your life like this." Xu Zhi leaned forward slightly, looking at Shen Jinwen with curiosity.

Shen Jinwen lowered her eyes and hesitated for a moment. "I just don't want to leave this place."

She said no more, but Xu Zhi knew that was enough.

It seemed this place was special to Shen Jinwen. Perhaps that was also why she had not chosen to leave Cloud City?

"All right, what do you want to know?"

"Information about my attribute, the uses of cores, and extraordinary abilities."

Shen Jinwen did not hold back. She asked three crucial questions in one breath.

Xu Zhi blinked, then made a request first. "Close your eyes. You can only open them when I say so."

Though Shen Jinwen was somewhat puzzled, she had now established a preliminary relationship of trust with Xu Zhi. Closing her eyes for a moment was nothing.

Once she closed them, Xu Zhi used [Eye of Secrets] to confirm that the flame in Shen Jinwen's heart was indeed pale blue.

"All right."

After Shen Jinwen opened her eyes, Xu Zhi told her everything about [Winter] in a certain tone. When she finished, a faint look of realization appeared on Shen Jinwen's face.

"So attributes are actually like this?"

Xu Zhi looked at her. "What did you think they were like before?"

Shen Jinwen said, "Wind, fire, water, wood, lightning?"

"So cheesy! Uh, no, so traditional!"

Even after being mocked, Shen Jinwen did not get angry. She merely smiled.

"Anyway, that's your attribute. As for the uses of cores, there's only one I know of right now: eat them."

"However, eating cores is quite dangerous. As for exactly how dangerous—"

"I've already told you some very important information. Consider that a down payment. The rest can only be paid after our cooperation is over."

Xu Zhi left her hanging. She felt she had already been more than fair by giving so much information in advance. As for the rest, she would decide how much to tell Shen Jinwen based on her attitude during their upcoming cooperation.

She was not worried at all that Shen Jinwen would take the information for free. After all, killing her would be effortless.

Having Doggie follow Shen Jinwen was both protection and assistance, as well as surveillance and a threat.