An Unexpected Olive Branch

The next day at noon, Lu Qinghe went to town to buy salt. He walked slowly, feeling like he was being watched. Just as he left the town, a person emerged from the woods by the roadside.

It was that Deacon Han from yesterday. He wasn't wearing his official robes; he had changed into a gray cloth robe.

"Brother Lu," Deacon Han said in a low voice, "Shall we speak in private?"

Lu Qinghe gripped the cloth bag tightly, looked around, and followed him into the woods.

"Don't be nervous." Deacon Han took out a wine flask and took a sip. "There are too many people around during the day, so some things are not convenient to say outright."

He paused. "Your answer yesterday was flawless. Very good."

Lu Qinghe remained silent.

"But mere caution is useless," Deacon Han's tone turned serious. "The Cloud Mist Sect has overstepped its bounds. Black Stone Mountain is imperial territory, not their backyard. The higher-ups are very displeased."

"If the empire wants to intervene, it needs solid evidence." He took a half-step closer and lowered his voice, "We need knowledgeable locals to help keep an eye out and provide some information."

Lu Qinghe's palms were sweating.

"For example," Deacon Han stared into his eyes, "How many men did the Cloud Mist Sect lose at Black Stone Mountain? What exactly were they looking for? And that prisoner, young, with a special Martial Soul... the more detailed the information, the better."

"If the information is useful, the Inspection Office will not treat us unfairly. We can handle any unnecessary trouble. If we need any favors from the government in the future, we can also consider it."

The words were spoken bluntly.

Lu Qinghe's throat tightened. "Lord Han, I'm just a farmer..."

"I know you don't know much," Deacon Han interrupted him, "But you have connections within your family, or among your acquaintances. Pass on a message for me."

He said, word by word, "The Empire's stance on the border is to curb the excessive expansion of sectarian power. Whoever contributes to this matter is a friend of the Empire. The Empire will not stand idly by when its friends are in trouble."

This last sentence almost makes it clear.

"I've delivered the message." Deacon Han a step back. "You can decide for yourselves. I'll meet you at the old teahouse at the east end of town in three days. If you have any 'insider information' to share, find me there."

He finished speaking, turned around, and left, his gray robe quickly disappearing into the woods.

Lu Qinghe stood there, the wind whistling against his face like blades. His knuckles were white from clenching his fists.

Inside the main room, the oil lamp flickered fiercely.

Lu Qinghe repeated what he had said verbatim. After finishing, he took a sip of cold tea.

The room was deathly silent.

Mo Chen suddenly stood up. "Bullshit! They're using us as pawns!"

Shen Moxin twirled the temple of her glasses, her face pale. Mr. Wen stroked his beard and sighed, "It's like trying to get something from a tiger..."

Lu Yuan remained silent. He tapped his index finger repeatedly on the wooden table.

"The benefits are obvious." He finally spoke, his voice steady, "By leveraging the power of the Inspection Office to counterbalance the Cloud Mist Sect, the chances of rescuing Lin Xiao will be much greater. We might even be able to obtain temporary 'legal' cover."

He paused, and the knocking stopped.

"And the price?" He raised his eyes. "Hand over the information about the ' Soul Marrow Essence '? Expose our personnel composition? Be tied to the Imperial war machine, used and then discarded?"

Each problem felt like ice shards hitting me.

"How much intelligence should we give them? If we do, will they take advantage of us? Will they betray us too? How can we ensure we won't be abandoned after we've served our purpose?"

No one can answer that.

Mo Chen sat back down, panting heavily. Shen Moxin took off her glasses and rubbed her temples.

"Cooperation is negotiable," Lu Yuan said slowly, "But we can't hand over the initiative entirely to them."

His gaze fell on the void, as if he were examining Soul Power model.

"We need a 'custom-made' intelligence report. The content must be carefully selected. It must meet their needs, arouse their interest in and put pressure on the Cloud Mist Sect, but it must not expose the core secrets."

He explained clearly, "For example, reveal that the Cloud Mist Sect suffered greater losses than rumored, causing internal disputes. Imply that what they were looking for was related to the abnormal earth vein Soul Power, but don't specify ' Soul Marrow Essence.' Regarding the prisoners... mention that the Mutated Martial Soul have great potential, but don't mention their names or abilities."

"More importantly, the boundaries must be clearly defined." Lu Yuan's eyes sharpened. "In the first contact, only provide these vague but crucial pieces of information. See if they continue to pressure us or are genuinely willing to make limited exchanges. At the same time, we need to set up an 'exit mechanism'—if the wind turns against us, immediately cut off contact and relocate."

"How do we cut it off?" Mo Chen asked in a muffled voice.

"Messages must be transmitted anonymously and in a covert manner." Lu Yuan looked at him. "How's the prototype of the short-range triggered communication tool you made before coming along? Can it achieve one-way, one-time transmission, and be difficult to trace?"

Mo Chen's eyes lit up. "I've got a lead! Using Soul Power ripple resonance to trigger a one-time recording stone... I can give it a try! As long as the Soul Power fluctuation characteristics aren't caught on the spot, it'll be hard to catch!"

"Okay." Lu Yuan nodded. "Let's use this. For the first reply, we won't meet in person. We'll transmit the 'customized' intelligence to the agreed location using this method. We'll see how he reacts afterward."

He looked at Lu Qinghe: "Father, go to the old teahouse in three days. Don't actively seek him out; just have some tea there. If he's truly interested in cooperating and satisfied with the information we've provided, he'll come back to you. Then, see what price he offers before deciding on the next step."

Lu Qinghe nodded emphatically. "Okay."

"This is dancing on a knife's edge." Shen Moxin put her glasses back on, her voice hoarse. "One wrong step, and there's no going back."

"I know," Lu Yuan said calmly, "But do we have any other options now?"

Silence fell over the room again. The oil lamp crackled and popped.

Passively hiding is a slow death. Actively siding with one side might lead to an even faster demise. Therefore, maneuvering between the two major powers, exploiting their contradictions and needs, can create a sliver of room for maneuver...

This might be the only treacherous path that looks like a way out of this desperate situation.

A more complex and dangerous scheme began in the dimly lit main room. Both sides were probing, weighing their options, and gambling that the other's needs outweighed their greed.

The stakes were Lin Xiao's life, and also that tiny spark of hope that had just been ignited, called "Spark."