Section 110: Fragile Yet Resolute

“Loyalty requires a reason; betrayal does not.”

“Human energy is limited, but desire is boundless.”

“Most people, most of the time, are not in a state of reflection.”

Lin Feirui sat there, brows tightly furrowed, reviewing the notes she had made over the past few days.

“Dart is back,” Hua Kai said as she sat beside her, leaning close. “It seems they’ve reached an agreement.”

Lin Feirui let out a soft sigh.

“I absolutely support you,” Hua Kai whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek and taking her hand. “Trust me, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side.”

Lin Feirui said nothing, pulling her close.

“Actually, the conditions he proposed aren’t bad,” Hua Kai nestled into her arms. “No need to worry. If we can strike at the Yellow Turban main force, gathering fifty thousand generic points won’t be hard, maybe even more. We could even buy some gear from him. For now, temporarily working a few scenes for him is fine; we can start fresh after leaving. What are you worried about?”

“It’s not that simple,” Lin Feirui shook her head. “I know the conditions aren’t excessive, but something feels dangerous.”

“It’s like something bad is about to happen.”

“Then should I kill him?” Hua Kai suddenly sat up. “Even if it costs me my life, I won’t let him harm you!”

“Then we’d both be dead,” Lin Feirui said. “It’s just a feeling. The surveillance over the past few days shows he keeps his promises. We collaborate for now, survive, and leave the scene later. Isn’t that the solution?”

That should have been the case.

They had suffered a defeat, which should have been disastrous. Even though this enemy had been lenient before, she was prepared for the possibility of a sudden betrayal.

In the end, despite harsh words, their terms were quite generous. Joining his team and fighting for him to earn generic points as ransom—conditions that should have been satisfactory. Yet why did her heart remain so conflicted?

Even if the Wuzhou faction lost some personnel, it wasn’t a huge problem. Hongdian and Dart would definitely recruit some, but since they had misjudged the situation before, and with Hua Kai present, some would choose to stay. They could bring in fresh recruits on that basis.

They could sell the mobile team space back at the auction house, even at a discounted price, and it could be used again in the next scene’s bloody rain. Everything could start anew...

As she contemplated this, Zhou Suyan leaned in. “Huahua, are you switching today?”

“Oh.” Hua Kai spat out a black stone and handed it to Zhou Suyan, who swallowed it.

Then, amid a hazy shimmer, their faces began to swap. Hua Kai would continue to monitor that person, keeping watch for any unexpected developments...

Everything was normal, nothing amiss. The man’s appearance was ordinary, slender in build. She didn’t want him...

Not even a little.

He wasn’t her subordinate, not a weakling to be toyed with or trampled on. His gaze held interest for her, but he controlled his desires. From his words, he was a political animal who didn’t take emotions seriously.

Making such a man submit was nearly impossible.

She had to restrain herself. Men who couldn’t be casually manipulated were dangerous; she couldn’t allow herself to be interested in someone like that, couldn’t repeat past mistakes, couldn’t fall once more...

Such a person was suited to him. She glanced at Hua Kai beside her, then at Zhou Suyan.

Silly, thoughtless women without demands—cooking, pouring tea, sweeping floors, warming the bed. Those were the extent of his requirements for a woman. Would she ever stoop to such things?

Ha, don’t be ridiculous.

“He seems to have sent someone to find you,” Ling’er’s voice broke through as Lin Feirui made her decision. “No link with Hongdian has been found. But...”

Trying to pressure me through the Hongdian pact, huh? She stood.

“You are excellent, successful, you have won. But some things are simply impossible. I can accept people like Hongdian leaving in this way. But I will never bow to you.”

With that resolve, she made her way to Wang Luo’s camp.

At the entrance, she saw many gathered inside. Wang Luo was speaking, though she caught only fragments—it was the usual rhetoric, preaching grand principles.

“In short, during this expedition, I do not want any remnants of the Han army or landlords left in this area. Tomorrow, I will judge a few; the rest, you can handle at your leisure. Above all, make the people satisfied.”

“I won’t impose many restrictions on your actions. If you wish, you may occupy nearby counties. If defenses are strong, then forget it for now. Make sure everyone trains and learns to read and write. Once we defeat the Yellow Turban main force, our numbers should expand again. I don’t want a shortage of officers then.”

She stepped inside, overhearing these orders given to the officers left behind.

It was rare to see someone like him who cared about the natives. Though he would only be here a short time, and these were all virtual people, he took it seriously.

Expansion—that was the approach of the team he built. He solved conflicts by expansion, enlarging the force through victory, not demanding too much from his subordinates’ abilities or ideologies, but diluting the original power through growth. Ha ha ha, this space is far from the simple place you imagine.

This was no ordinary world, where human capabilities varied little. In this space, once bloodlines changed or one possessed high-level authorized gear, they could legitimately disregard others as mere mortals. No matter how large your team, they could wipe you out with a mere wave of the hand.

As she pondered this, several officers approached from behind. Ignoring her, they bowed before Wang Luo.

“Has the ferry crossing been dealt with?” Wang Luo asked from behind a crude, ugly wooden table, his voice still somewhat immature.

Tch! No taste at all, she scorned inwardly.

“Yes, my lord,” the lead officer replied. “Under the prisoners’ persuasion, they agreed to surrender. All the boats have been preserved.”

“Excellent!” Wang Luo praised. “I hereby commend you. The ferry soldiers will be split and assigned to various camps.”

“My lord,” the officer hesitated, then spoke up. “We wish to cross the river with you.”

“Heh heh.” Wang Luo chuckled. “Glory and achievement do not come all at once. I want to take you, but you know this place better and are capable. I don’t trust others as much.”

Ha! Lin Feirui nearly laughed aloud.

This phony praise—only a fool would believe it! Only these few simpletons before him would fall for it.