Chapter 138 Like-minded (Third Update)
The young Knight's expression changed instantly upon hearing this. "Commander, are you going to torture our Intelligence Agency?"
He was genuinely a little surprised; how could the New Army be so arrogant?
"How rare," Jeff grinned sinisterly, "Guess how many government officials have died at the hands of the New Army?"
"Don't you understand such a simple thing?"
"I understand!" The young Knight nodded repeatedly; he was genuinely frightened. The Intelligence Agency was no stranger to this kind of thing.
What he doubted was the other party's determination to do this, not their ability.
"Good that you understand," Jeff laughed happily. "See, I love dealing with young people because you're sensible!"
"Now, tell me more about this kid, Little Wu!"
He stopped the young Knight, and various forms of pressure were applied, all within the tens of thousands of square meters of military camp.
But strangely enough, it seems like nobody really noticed him.
As evening fell, another group of explorers returned, mostly female warriors, who chattered excitedly.
The people from the Youthful Splendor Martial Academy have returned, including Manna's acquaintance, Instructor Siya.
The two only exchanged a brief glance; the newly returned team needed to rest and there was no rush for pleasantries.
In the blink of an eye, Instructor Hong had been gone for four days, and on the fourth night, he still hadn't returned.
Instructor Siya, however, came over with two female Knight to chat with Manna.
Their main topic of conversation was Hong Yan's outburst that night.
The society of Liang was patriarchal, and the situation of female warriors was much better, but there was still no absolute equality.
As female martial artists, they were proud of Instructor Hong's deeds and talked about them for quite a while.
This topic inevitably touches on the grudges within the Weird Domain, and with some gossip added, it's quite lively.
The youngest female Knight Ailin, and she rarely spoke.
But that's not surprising, she looks to be only in her early twenties, still a relatively young age.
She was even more beautiful Cynthia, and had a somewhat aloof air about her.
Wu Youren was very self-aware; he didn't participate in the women's conversations, and occasionally went out of the room to get some water or something.
Suddenly, Manna raised her voice slightly, " Little Wu, can you explain that trigger mechanism? Ailin wants to know the details."
Wu Youren had to give them face, so he had no choice but to go out and explain.
To his surprise, Ailin's understanding of mechanisms was far superior to that of the average person.
She was usually very quiet, but once she started talking about something that interested her, she couldn't stop.
The two spoke in hushed tones, but their conversation grew increasingly lively as they took turns exchanging words.
Later, the other three girls were a little surprised. Siya exclaimed, "I really didn't realize Ailin could be so talkative."
Manna smiled to herself, thinking to herself that she hadn't expected Little Wu to be so eloquent.
Wu Youren has always given the impression of being taciturn, but this is not his true personality; he simply wants to protect himself.
He didn't talk much when he was with Cynthia, partly because he was worried that saying too much would lead to mistakes.
But when it comes to technology, he has no such reservations.
He figured out all the institutional knowledge he had on his own, and his level was only passable, so there was no need to worry about leaks.
Ailin's skill level wasn't particularly high either, a little lower than his, but her knowledge was more systematic.
The Youthful Splendor Martial Academy has a high proportion of female martial artists, and therefore places a greater emphasis on this aspect of knowledge.
His interactions with Ailin were also helpful to Wu Youren; he genuinely didn't reject them at all.
Sometimes, it's not enough to just talk about the ideas, design, and structure of an organization; you have to draw it on the ground with a twig, or even demonstrate it with a physical object.
The conversation lasted until late at night.
The two were still enjoying themselves, but it was too late. Not only would it disturb others' rest, but it would also easily cause gossip.
The next morning, Ailin actually came again, as if she had gotten a taste for it.
However, since Wu Youren was resting inside, she could only chat with Manna for a few words before leaving.
It was nearly noon when the young man from Jin finally came out. Manna said with a half-smile, "You've stolen the beauty's heart."
In this environment, gossip among men and women is the most popular thing, and no one finds it offensive.
You're alive and well today, but you might be dead tomorrow. We need to talk about things that make people relax, right?
Wu Youren didn't mind, saying it was just a technical exchange, a mutual learning and improvement.
Manna, however, said that Instructor Siya told her that Ailin was also the quiet and reserved type at Youthful Splendor.
The implication she was making was that he might actually have some ideas.
The key point is that Ailin became Knight at the age of nineteen, which is quite outstanding among female warriors.
Don't you know my situation? Wu Youren could only respond with a wry smile.
In the afternoon, some people from the City Guard Bureau came looking for us. The two sides had made contact in the Weird Domain.
The person who came this time was specifically looking for Wu Youren, and wanted to discuss with him techniques for dealing with government agencies.
After all, many people have noticed what happened last night.
Wu Youren politely declined, saying that he was just an amateur, good at communicating privately, but as for other things... well, forget it.
Ultimately, the City Guard Bureau is different in nature, bearing obvious traces of government authority.
Moreover, he doesn't want to live in the spotlight.
The City Guard Bureau weren't angry; they chatted with him for a while before leaving.
Half an hour later, people from the Earl Shengming's Residence arrived again, this time bringing a book about materials, which they gave to the young man from Jin.
Setting up mechanisms always requires different materials, which can be considered a matter of matching the right materials.
Wu Youren didn't want it, but the other party made it very clear that what's past is past.
The other party hoped that he would not mention this matter again in front of Hong Da.
The request was so simple it was almost humble, and the fact that Wu Youren insisted on refusing it only showed that he hadn't let go of the matter.
He could only accept the gift, indicating that unless something new happened, he would never lie again.
Then the other party suggested that if you need any material assistance, you can contact them and we can work together to find a solution.
After all, Anping Trading had previously intended to invest in the teenager, which can be seen as a continuation of their previous goodwill.
During their conversation, Ailin appeared briefly in the distance, then disappeared again.
Faced with the humility of the Earl Shengming's Residence, Wu Youren actually felt as if he were a "close minister of the emperor".
In addition, he had a sense of déjà vu – it really was the same old business approach.
After the other person left, he couldn't help but sigh, "The world inside and outside the Weird Domain are two completely different faces; they don't match up at all."
"That's normal," Manna said dismissively. "Which powerful family doesn't have some dirty secrets behind its back?"
"I was being naive," Wu Youren nodded, flipping through a book as he asked, "Didn't Hong Da say when he'd be back?"
"I didn't dare ask," Manna stuck out her tongue, "But Luo Xi said he would send a few more Knight over."
Before Hong Yan left, she had expressed a similar sentiment. Her outburst that night, while satisfying, had also made her many enemies.
hatred.
Others dare not target her, but if the other four enter the Weird Domain again, the potential risks will increase significantly.
However, at this moment, the process of recruiting martial artists from Red Pine would indeed be difficult.
The area associated with Red Pine is Suotu, known for its eerie atmosphere. Since both involve killing ghosts, why not come to Bellflower Mountain?
The area produces many strange creatures, and importantly, their condition is stable; over there, there are too many unpredictable factors.
Sending Knight here would open a floodgate, and it would be difficult to stop once the floodgates are opened. The Martial Academy will definitely take this into account.
"Then let's just keep waiting," Wu Youren said nonchalantly. "The environment here is quite friendly to me."
A slight smile appeared on Manna's lips. She was roughly aware of the boy's previous experience at Red Pine.
She had never imagined that life as a proton would be so stifling.
After thinking for a moment, she spoke, "Did you notice Ailin appear briefly just now?"
Wu Youren looked up at the sky. "It's going to rain."
"She's a girl, and she's already been very proactive," Manna shook her head. "Her circumstances are better than Red Pine's."
o
"No," Wu Youren shook his head and fell silent again.
As evening approached, a light autumn drizzle began to fall, and the military camp suddenly became quiet and deserted, with far fewer people visiting each other.
Ailin did not visit again; perhaps it was due to a woman's modesty?
Strangely enough, this thought popped into Wu Youren's mind as he flipped through the book.
He shook his head slightly, a bitter smile creeping onto his face: What's wrong with me? Am I just craving something more luxurious now that I'm well-fed and clothed?
The autumn rain continued the next day, and a warning came from the Suspended Bell Mountain Weird Domain: unusual activity had occurred, and outside assistance was advised.
All the units in the military camp responded, which was semi-mandatory; even the New Army sent six people in.
When the soldiers who were mobilizing passed by Wu Youren and Manna, they hesitated for a moment, but then left.
However, those who didn't leave couldn't be too relaxed either; the overall atmosphere was off.
At the very least, it's not appropriate for Wu Youren to stay indoors all the time—in these extraordinary times, it's best not to test human nature.
He stared blankly at the fine rain, his mind wandering.
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out beside him, "I also like the rain, shall we take a walk in the rain together?"
"No, it's autumn, the rain is chilly," Wu Youren said without even turning his head, "It's easy to be affected by Weird Qi."
" The City Guard Bureau is looking for me," Ailin said softly, "It involves the defense of Tianjing, so I didn't dare say much."
"Me too," Wu Youren nodded slightly.
The next moment, a thought flashed through his mind, "You graduated and want to go to the City Guard Bureau?"
Although the other party is Knight, they haven't graduated yet. For a student who has graduated from a mid-level Martial Academy, being able to go to the City Guard Bureau is already quite good.
The City Guard Bureau of Tianjing, in particular, is naturally a cut above other places.
The City Guard Bureau is mostly made up of ordinary people and Knight Apprentice, but Knight are also a highly sought-after position!
As for where the graduating Knight can go, there are many options available.
There are plenty of people who can go to some remote, impoverished place and become a deputy constable or something similar.
The Great Liang is said to have 300,000 Knight, but the gap between Knight is wider than Knight can imagine.
Sister Hua is Knight, and the young men under her command are also Knight. Those who want to go to the City Guard Bureau but cannot are still Knight!
"I haven't decided yet," Ailin replied hesitantly. "My family wants me to go to the Treasury Agency or the Construction Bureau. Which do you think would be better?"
Chapter 139 Digging a Hole (Fourth Update)
Are the major ministries chosen randomly? Wu Youren was somewhat speechless. "They really have to meet certain criteria."
"However, the Construction Bureau? No wonder you studied mechanical arts; it must be a tough place there, right?"
"We could consider managing materials and inventory," Ailin replied casually, "We won't be going to the construction site that often."
Wu Youren, who was in charge of logistics in the engineering department, provided accurate translation.
What kind of family do they come from? No wonder they look down on the position in the City Guard Bureau; do they even need to?
Unfortunately, these two positions are unlikely to be of any help to him in leaving Liang.
Only the City Guard Bureau could offer some convenience, but the other party didn't even consider it.
No wonder Manna said that this woman's conditions were slightly better than Cynthia's.
Wu Youren could only shake his head, "I don't understand these things very well either. All I think about all day is killing monsters and dealing with humans. It's too tiring!"
"That's what I think too," Ailin nodded in agreement. "Killing monsters makes a lot of money."
Killing a ghost could be fatal! Wu Youren shook his head speechlessly; this was a girl who had been spoiled by her family.
His gaze then turned to the raindrops ahead. "It's not very safe now. You and your companions should be careful."
Women are generally considered to be perceptive, so she should have been able to understand his subtext: that he wanted the Youthful Splendor Martial Academy to band together for mutual support, right?
However, Ailin didn't seem to notice, and instead smiled faintly, "You have Instructor Xia watching over you here."
Instructor Xia'erzi showed up two days ago, making a special trip to see Manna, and said that if there was anything, she could contact us.
Was that what I meant? Wu Youren was somewhat speechless.
Then, Ailin spoke up again, "That triple-locking mechanism you mentioned yesterday can't be used in certain extreme situations."
"Then we don't need it," Wu Youren said, though he hadn't intended to say more.
"Strong winds or rapid currents can cause uneven stress—but mechanisms are meant to be used."
"There are many extreme environments; we need to select the appropriate ones, not what you want to use!"
This is precisely the difference between the academic school and the unorthodox school.
He felt that those words were already quite disheartening, especially since the other person's family was well-off and they had high aspirations.
However, Ailin's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this. "That's exactly the kind of suggestion I wanted to hear from you. Can it be improved?"
Your sense of boundaries is just lacking! Wu Youren instinctively wanted to refuse.
Keeping distance from people has become almost an instinctive reaction for him.
But considering the reactions of the City Guard Bureau and Earl Shengming, he felt that simply refusing them didn't seem like a good option.
What's meant to happen will happen; he might as well expose some of his "weaknesses" appropriately.
For example, they are easily tempted by women.
At the very least, it gives us a key area to focus our defense on.
Once you understand this, the next steps are simple: don't take initiative, don't refuse, don't take responsibility—don't make any promises!
For the next two days, the continuous autumn rain continued to fall intermittently.
Manna was somewhat worried that the strange events in Suotu Town might undergo significant changes and have some impact on Hong Da.
Hearing the silvery laughter beside her, she turned her head to look.
The young female Knight covered her mouth, her eyes full of laughter.
The boy not far away had clear eyes and a more relaxed physical state.
Manna felt a little curious. Didn't Siya say that this girl was very reserved?
Could it be because Little Wu didn't deliberately keep people at arm's length?
If that's true, then the allure of Jin youths to women is terrifying, isn't it?
If it weren't for the frequent facial paralysis, and if he were even slightly more robust—it's unimaginable.
She was starting to believe a rumor that the boy had been sent to Red Pine because Princess Yongning was a likely candidate.
Otherwise, given his background and wealth, he might not have even been able to leave the hostage residence.
Manna was initially skeptical of the rumor. Wu Youren was indeed handsome, but surely not to that extent?
But now it seems that this is indeed a possibility.
At this moment, Ailin is explaining to Wu Youren the organizational structure of the Treasury Agency.
How can you laugh about something like this?
However, a hint of confusion—or perhaps a trace—was revealed in the clear eyes of the Jin boy.
Wu Youren felt somewhat helpless; how could their relationship have progressed to this point in just a few days?
This was still because he didn't deliberately try to please the other party, taking the concept of "not taking the initiative" to the extreme.
To be honest, Ailin didn't show him any affection; it's just that their conversations were no longer limited to the traps and mechanisms.
She really wanted the boy to give her some advice on which department to join after graduation.
Although they hadn't even touched hands, there was this strange feeling—like they were doing career planning before getting married?
Wu Youren said he didn't know about those two departments, and that it was up to him to decide, while also considering his family's opinions.
Ailin's reaction was: You don't know? Then let me tell you!
The relevant governance structure of the Liang government was a blind spot for the hostage from the Jin state.
For Wu Youren, the Treasury Agency and the Construction Bureau were two departments with virtually no chance of having any interaction with him.
However, precisely because it's not very useful, the more he knows, the less alarmed those in the know will be.
The second of the four no's principles is "no refusal".
In fact, it's never a bad thing to know more about these things; knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle.
Given Wu Youren's status, he would never again have such an opportunity to openly understand the structure of the government.
He listened silently, not asking questions about anything he didn't understand.
He would only ask questions if he heard certain details that might affect the other person's career development.
Based on his behavior, even if someone with the Life and Death Knot had listened in the entire time, they wouldn't have sensed anything unusual—at least that's what he thought.
However, this attentive listener made Ailin very happy.
Unfortunately, Wu Youren didn't offer any decent suggestions until the very end.
Ailin wasn't annoyed; for the speaker, having someone willing to listen attentively was already a pleasure.
Even a blind man could sense her affection for the boy.
"Which departments would you like me to join in the future?"
"I am not you," Wu Youren shook his head first, hesitated for a moment, and then carefully chose his words.
Everyone has their own aspirations, and I can't put myself in your shoes, but if I had to choose, I would prioritize three points----
"High pay, low workload, and close to home!"
What a perfect family man! Even Manna, who was listening in, couldn't help but nod slightly. No wonder he's from the Jin!
It's really hard for men from Great Liang to do this—even Wu Youren gets so many strange looks when he grows vegetables!
I just don't know if Ailin will like this one?
Most women in Liang would definitely prefer this kind of family-oriented man.
However, many women admire strength, and this is not uncommon among female martial artists: it's normal for them to attach themselves to the strong, right?
Even the usually aloof Ailin's eyes sparkled slightly upon hearing this, revealing a hint of light. "That's a good suggestion."
Women may admire strength, but admiring strength and being family-oriented are not entirely incompatible, are they?
She was clearly interested. "Then what do you recommend?"
"I have no suggestions," Wu Youren emphasized again, "You need to consider your own needs."
"So—" Ailin for a moment before speaking, "What do you think of the Doctor?"
"A doctor is someone who draws on the strengths of many and offers advice," Manna surprisingly explained.
Because she was certain that the hostage from Jin was unaware of these intricacies, "Possessing little power but holding a prestigious position."
Similar to empty talk— Wu Youren automatically translated, "The money probably isn't much!"
"I don't have any preference; whatever you think is suitable is fine. Remember to discuss it with your family."
Ailin frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "This position is not easy to get into. Can you give me some advice?"
After a pause, she added, "Stop making excuses and say something useful."
A beautiful woman is still a beautiful woman; even her complaints have a touch of coquettish charm.
"Me—give me a suggestion?" Wu Youren was taken aback, and hurriedly shook his head, "I have no one in the court!"
"It doesn't necessarily require connections in high places," Ailin shook her head. "Finding some highly respected elders or nobles would also be fine."
"You're really putting me in a very difficult position!" The boy was completely speechless.
Manna almost burst out laughing when she heard this. You made that request to him—that would be more appropriate in the Jin!
However, she eventually spoke up, saying, "A PhD from Red Pine used his suggestions as a stepping stone."
"Hmm? That's something to consider!" Ailin looked at the boy. "Give me a good suggestion—you're so smart!"
The two had been discussing the layout of the traps for the past few days, and she was very confident in the other's intelligence.
"I—" Wu Youren was on the verge of tears, "Offer advice to your court?"
He knew nothing about the customs and traditions of Liang, and was completely ignorant of basic policy matters.
If it were truly possible, he would only offer one suggestion: release hostages from other countries and send them home!
But this suggestion was a complete trap for Ailin —strictly speaking, she could never agree to it.
However, since the other party had already gone this far, he could no longer pretend to be mute.
Wait a minute—a scam? His eyes darted around slightly.
In that position, he's nothing more than a talker, and the third of his four principles is "no responsibility."
Wu Youren steeled his resolve, "Then let me just make a suggestion, like—tax reduction?"
"Wow!" Manna, who had been hoping to hear what ideas the boy could come up with, rolled her eyes upon hearing this. "You really dare to say that!"
However, Ailin's attitude was different. After thinking carefully for a moment, she shook her head, "I'm afraid it's impossible."
One of her targets was the Treasury Agency, as she had a relatively clear understanding of Liang's tax situation. "The national treasury is currently empty!"
"It is precisely because of this emptiness that we need to reduce taxes," Wu Youren replied solemnly.
"Many Knight I know don't have a fixed business; they have to make a living by fighting and killing."
"Is it fair to them after all that hard work to beat the Knight?"
(4 chapters, 12,000 words. Please subscribe, vote with monthly tickets, and recommend this page.)