Chapter 62: Courage Commendable

Ling Wu was not too surprised, merely sighing lightly: "What else?"

"Damn!" The Fool said again: "Is this the reason you gave last time for why we could cooperate? Boss, you really don't make a sound until you stun everyone with a single move!"

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

Then came two faint explosive sounds, somewhat sharp and piercing; they were gunshots.

Ling Wu looked at the computer screen and frowned slightly: "What are you doing?"

"Hello?"

"Speak."

The voice on the other end of the phone grew quieter: "Blow their ship up for me..."

After about half a minute, the Fool's voice reappeared on the phone; he drawled, his tone somewhat annoying: "Are you very worried about me?"

"Just took care of a few pieces of trash sent by your senior brother."

Ling Wu asked: "He wants to catch you?"

"I can't stay in the Federation for even a moment longer. Your senior brother, the dignified Federation Council Chairman, actually laid out a massive dragnet for a small fry like me, saying he wants to bring me to justice—he doesn't care about your face at all!" The Fool looked at the mushroom cloud rising in the distance and let out a "wow": "Clearly, everything I do is for the benefit of the Federation."

"I didn't kill anyone or set any fires, I really don't understand why they gave me the title of International Number One Wanted Criminal."

Ling Wu couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense and went straight to the point: "What did you do this time?"

The Fool's tone was very innocent: "Just intercepted their armory, that's all."

Ling Wu gave a sharp critique: "A talent."

"Hehe." The Fool was still chattering on: "You wait, I'll smuggle myself over immediately to help you blow up the Empire."

Truly criminal.

Ling Wu was speechless: "Really... thank you."

The Fool: "You're welcome, you're welcome~"

"I just remembered, a piece of news I told you last time was wrong. It's not that your arrival in the Empire is nearing your teacher's knowledge; he knew from the very beginning when you arrived."

Ling Wu's tone was calm: "Mm, I already met that Deputy Director of the Seventh Division of the Intelligence Bureau."

"Then why didn't you say so before." The Fool raised his volume: "Are you playing with me?"

Ling Wu: "It's that I didn't think you were that stupid."

Even if he could hide his tracks as well as possible, he couldn't possibly hide them from both the all-powerful Federation Council Chairman and the Marshal at the same time, not to mention he had been missing for a year.

The destination went without saying.

After a long silence, Ling Wu commanded in a stern tone: "Xi Huaizhi, return that batch of weapons exactly as they were, do you understand?"

"Do you think you're handling things properly? Not to mention that I'm not currently in the Federation, even if I were, I couldn't protect you. You smuggled yourself into the Empire—do you want to spend the rest of your life in a foreign land?"

The Fool's real name is Xi Huaizhi, a Federation citizen.

Xi Huaizhi was born into a Thief Family, becoming famous at a young age; he came and went without a trace and was hailed internationally as the "Miraculous Hand Master Thief." Countless people hated him to the bone, and they posthumously gave him an unpleasant nickname: "International Number One Wanted Criminal."

Originally, Xi Huaizhi intended to make the name "Miraculous Hand Master Thief" completely famous, so he stole from the Federation Council Chairman. As a result, he not only capsized in the gutter but also returned all the money he had obtained.

From then on, a generation of great thieves was forced to fall!

It was also at this time that he met Ling Wu.

Xi Huaizhi spent a few years in prison. The Federation high-level officials took a fancy to his skills and had him perform meritorious service to atone for his crimes, so they threw him to Ling Wu for discipline, where he followed along to learn various skills.

To this day, Xi Huaizhi still doesn't understand how Ling Wu, who was so young at the time, could carry such an aura of a superior in every gesture, making people shudder.

Especially every time he heard him call his full name, it was like a switch had been flipped, making him want to kneel down.

Xi Huaizhi immediately gave in, coaxing him: "I'll return it immediately, but what if Pei Ziying won't let me go! Ahhhhh... am I going to have to eat prison food again?"

Federation Council Chairman Pei Ziying.

Ling Wu: "That's not enough."

Xi Huaizhi trembled: "What's not enough?"

Ling Wu: "Behavior like yours is grounds for a military tribunal and execution by firing squad."

Xi Huaizhi was listless: "Oh well."

"I'll think of a way for you." Ling Wu's tone was somewhat amused: "Haven't you saved up a lot of money over the years? Atone for your crimes by taking it out and using it as the Federation's weapons development fund."

Two seconds later.

A shout came from the other end of the phone: "Damn!"

"Ling Wu, you're in cahoots with Pei Ziying and the others! You're just picking on me like a sheep to be sheared! Last time you made me pay a fine, and it turned out to be used as military spending. This time the weapons research and development costs have to come from me too!!!"

Xi Huaizhi felt like he had returned to the pre-liberation era in one day, his eyes going dark: "Then I might as well just die."

Ling Wu laughed: "Then wait to be executed."

"I'm reminding you not to act without using your brain."

Xi Huaizhi quickly compromised: "Fine, fine, if the money is gone, I can earn it again. I can't really die, can I? And leave you alone in the Empire to fight this lonely battle?"

His tone quickly returned to seriousness: "After I finish handling the Federation's affairs, I'll come over to help you immediately."

"You killing one person or two people could be a coincidence, but what about four or five? Can that still be a coincidence?"

"No matter how seamless it is, these people all have one thing in common: they come from prominent families and participated in that incident back then. Plus, your sudden return is suspicious to begin with. How could Jin Liangjin not see that those people were killed by you?"

"You are taking revenge, and you will be exposed sooner or later. Have you thought about how you will leave the Empire after your revenge?"

Xi Huaizhi also only learned about Ling Wu's mother by accidentally overhearing a conversation between Pei Ziying and Ling Wu, but he didn't know the details clearly.

This matter could be hidden from anyone, but it could not be hidden from Jin Liangjin.

As one of the masterminds behind the death of Ling Tingwan back then, Jin Liangjin knew best why Ling Wu had returned.

He had patiently woven a cage, waiting for Ling Wu to walk into it obediently.

Ling Wu did not refute, but instead said meaningfully: "Was there a part of my plan that intended to hide it from Jin Liangjin?"

"You, you..." Xi Huaizhi was horrified: "Then what do you want to do?"

Ling Wu immediately stated her position: "He who chases the deer and sees a rabbit must show restraint; he who chases the deer and sees a mountain must be broad-minded."

If one does not show small restraint, one will disrupt great plans.

"He is merely waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to pressure me into submission, or perhaps an opportunity to take action against me, but it will not endanger my life. I only need to step down the stairs he has provided and take the opportunity to reach a cooperation to gain his trust."

"Jin Liangjin will cover for me regarding the subsequent matters."

Xi Huaizhi heard alarm bells ringing loudly.

He felt that things were not looking good.

Just as he wanted to say something, the ship's alarm sounded, a warship quickly pulled alongside, and before Xi Huaizhi could react, a man walked out from the opposite warship.

Xi Huaizhi cursed under his breath, why was it him!

He hurriedly hung up the phone.

On the warship.

Pei Ziying was wearing a crisp, dark gray suit, walking over with composure; his gold-rimmed thin-framed glasses made him look refined and noble, his sharp contours were somewhat cold, his gaze was distant and indifferent, and he exuded the mature and steady aura of someone in a high position. He raised the Colt M1911 pistol in his hand and aimed it at Xi Huaizhi's head: "Commendable courage."