Lure the Enemy In

After leaving Qing Mo's residence, Datou and Heizi were unable to calm down for a long time.

"Datou... do we... do we really have a chance to join the Desert Iron Mercenary Group?"

Heizi followed behind Datou, his voice full of excitement.

"Yeah! I never expected things to take such a turn for the better!" Datou let out a long breath, his face filled with longing for the future.

"Heizi, this disaster turned out to be a blessing in disguise! Good thing we never joined that heartless Poison Dragon Mercenary Group!"

Whenever Datou thought of the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's miserable state in Stone Desert City, he felt a lingering chill of fear.

If they had truly become members back then, they probably would not even dare step outside now.

"Still," Datou's expression quickly turned solemn again, "we shouldn't celebrate too soon. Brother Qing Mo gave us an opportunity, sure, but whether we can seize it depends on our own abilities.

Right now, the most important thing is figuring out how to get that idiot Luo Yi out."

"Right, right, right. Business first." Heizi nodded repeatedly. He had never been one for ideas, so he habitually asked, "Datou, what do you think we should do?"

"Let me think..." Datou stroked his chin, his brow tightly furrowed as he fell into thought.

That idiot Luo Yi had nothing in his head except women and showing off. Tricking him would not be difficult.

The key was how to make the mercenaries standing guard lower their guard and bring Luo Yi out.

"Forget it, I'm done thinking! We'll take it one step at a time!"

After pondering for a long while without coming up with anything, Datou gritted his teeth. "Anyway, Brother Qing Mo said it doesn't matter if Luo Yi has other people with him. Let's go check things out first!"

Having made up their minds, the two headed straight for the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's headquarters.

Two guards leaned against the gate in bored silence.

"Stop! Who goes there?!"

The moment Datou and Heizi approached, the guards barked sharply, their gleaming spears blocking the way.

"Hehe, brothers, don't be nervous. It's us."

Datou plastered on a smile and bowed repeatedly.

The guard squinted at them for a long time before recognizing them. However, his face showed no friendliness as he impatiently waved them away.

"I know it's you two. It's already night, and there are orders in the group: no visitors. Come back tomorrow if you have business."

"This..."

Datou froze. In the past, with their relationship with Luo Yi, they could enter through these gates whenever they pleased. When had they ever been treated like this?

"Brother Guard, do us a favor."

Still unwilling to give up, Datou took out several gold coins from his robes and tried to slip them over. "We really have urgent business to discuss with Young Master Luo. Look..."

"Cut the crap! Get lost!" Not only did the guard refuse the coins, he thrust his spear forward. The sharp tip nearly touched Datou's nose. "Can't you understand human speech? Scram!"

"Don't, don't, don't! Brother Guard, don't be rash! We're leaving, we're leaving!" Datou was scared out of his wits. He grabbed Heizi and scrambled away to the side.

"Hmph!"

Only after seeing them retreat did the guard snort and withdraw his spear, still cursing under his breath. "Damn bad luck! Every stray cat and dog thinks they can come sniffing around here!"

The other guard complained as well. "Exactly! I've had enough of this humiliation these past few days! Everywhere we go, people point and whisper behind our backs, calling us oath-breakers and shameless scum. Damn it, I'm just a gate guard. Who did I ever provoke?"

The more the guard thought about it, the angrier he became. When he saw Datou and Heizi peeking around furtively in the distance, his anger surged even higher, and his gaze became increasingly vicious and murderous.

Seeing the look in their eyes, as though they wanted to skin them alive, Datou and Heizi dared not linger. They hurriedly turned and ran, only stopping to catch their breath after rounding a street corner.

"Pah! That was terrifying!" Datou spat in the direction of the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group. "So what if they won't let us in? Did they have to be so nasty about it? Just as expected, there isn't a single decent person in the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, from top to bottom!"

"Then... what do we do now?" Heizi's face was full of worry. "We can't even get through the gate. Doesn't that mean we can't complete the task Brother Qing Mo gave us?"

"Yeah, this is going to be troublesome." Datou frowned as well.

"How about... how about we wait until later tonight and sneak over the wall?" Heizi suggested.

"No!" Datou rejected it without a second thought. "Wasn't the lesson we got from sneaking into Brother Qing Mo's house enough? We were lucky last time, and Brother Qing Mo showed mercy. If the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group catches us this time and mistakes us for assassins or thieves, they'll hack us to death on the spot!"

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Heizi was so anxious he was nearly crying. "If we fail the task, forget joining the Desert Iron Mercenary Group—even our lives won't be safe!"

"Don't panic, don't panic! Let me think, let me think..."

Datou frowned deeply and paced back and forth in agitation, his mind racing.

Suddenly, inspiration struck. He stopped short, and his tightly furrowed brow instantly relaxed.

"Got it!"

"What did you get?" Heizi hurriedly asked.

"Come here!" Datou excitedly grabbed Heizi and pulled him close, quickly whispering into his ear.

"You go back to Brother Qing Mo right now. Tell him the plan has changed—we can't get through the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's gates, so we need him to cooperate with us and put on a show!"

"Put on a show? What kind of show?" Heizi looked utterly baffled.

"Ah, you really are hopeless!" Datou smacked him on the head in frustration, then lowered his voice and explained in detail.

"Go tell Brother Qing Mo to send people to the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's gate first thing tomorrow morning. Not many, just two or three. Tell them to say... say they aren't convinced. Why should their brothers die while these people get away without a thing happening to them? Anyway, they just need to make trouble and demand that Luo Tai and Lin Qi come out and apologize!"

"Huh? Isn't that sending them to their deaths?" Heizi's expression changed drastically.

"Listen to me first!" Datou glared at him. "Of course they won't get to see Luo Tai, because Luo Tai will be going to the Mercenary Association tomorrow.

The guards will definitely stop them and curse them out. That's exactly the effect I want! Then the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's people can pretend they've suffered unbearable humiliation and have a huge argument with the guards at the gate. The bigger the commotion, the better. Ideally, they'll draw half the city over to watch!"

"And then?" Heizi seemed to understand a little.

"Then, while the gate is in chaos and everyone's attention is drawn there, I'll climb in over the back wall!

The Poison Dragon Mercenary Group is already like a startled bird. Once trouble breaks out at the front gate, security at the back will definitely relax!

After getting inside, I'll go straight to Luo Yi and tell him the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is causing trouble here to distract them because they discovered a gold-sand mine!

Brother Qing Mo and the others are planning to dig up that gold-sand mine, then go to Desert City and hire Grand Battle Master-level experts to assassinate his father, Luo Tai!"

"With Luo Yi's brainless personality, the moment he hears that, he definitely won't be able to take the provocation. He'll howl and rush out! Then I'll pretend to stop him, saying his father forbade him from leaving. That'll only make him more eager! Then I'll go with the flow and say, 'Young Master, I know a small path that can avoid the people at the front gate. We can leave from there and catch them off guard!' Then I'll lead him over there!"

"Th-then... will that work?" Heizi stared in astonishment, feeling that this plan was practically flawless.

"It'll definitely work!" Datou said confidently. "Remember, your task is to tell Brother Qing Mo my plan exactly as I said it. Then stay right by his side, and deliberately leave some marks behind. Once I lead that brat Luo Yi out of the city, you can wait over there and close the net!"

"Oh, oh! I understand now!" Realization dawned on Heizi, and excitement appeared on his face.

"As expected of Datou. A big head really is smarter!"

"Go now! Remember, make sure you explain everything clearly!"

"Got it!"

Heizi answered and, without further hesitation, turned and left.