Chapter 896: 493 The Reason (Part 2)

She didn't know Li Ang was eyeing her rear with predatory intent, nor that her every move had been exposed; after exchanging a few words with the bandit girl, the female journalist ended up chatting freely with her.

"I remember, when your brother first entered the VIP cabin, he fired a shot at the overhead panel, right?"

After recalling the earlier scene, the female journalist asked curiously:

"That shot stunned all the passengers, but later, Li Ang checked and said both of you were holding toy guns—so how did the panel shatter?"

"Because I prepared a ball of rubber clay mixed with glycerin ester."

Though she desperately wanted to get to the serious matter, seeing the journalist's face brimming with curiosity, the bandit girl could only sigh and explain:

"That stuff explodes when it vibrates—miners often use it to blast rock. I stole a little from the mine and mixed it into the clay, then secretly stuck it onto the panel when we were stowing luggage."

"My brother's gun was a toy, but it could still fire marbles. All he had to do was aim and shoot the clay ball—the thin glass panel would shatter from the impact, looking exactly like it had been shot."

So that's how it happened…

With her doubts resolved, the journalist's face lit up with satisfaction, then, perhaps due to her professional habit, she couldn't help but press further with eager curiosity:

"By the way, how did you come up with this idea? Did someone teach you?"

"No one taught me—I figured it out myself…"

Though her heart was frantic to negotiate terms, Li Ang's earlier words had exposed her secrets and left the bandit girl with heavy psychological pressure.

Unable to approach Li Ang directly, and with the journalist as her only lifeline, the bandit girl forced herself to suppress her urgency and patiently submit to the interview:

"My whole family were miners from Cheshire. That's one of Krok Kingdom's floating crystal mining zones—I grew up watching them mix glycerin ester with medicinal clay to blast rock, so I learned a bit from them."

"You're amazing!"

Clearly fond of this cute, sweet-talking little girl, the journalist affectionately patted her head and continued softly:

"Besides your brother, are there any other family members?"

"There was a grandmother…"

At the journalist's question, the bandit girl's expression darkened slightly, then she answered with cold eyes:

"But she's probably dead by now—her lungs were full of dust drifting from the floating crystal mines. By the time we escaped, there was nothing left to save her."

Oh…

Unprepared for such an answer, the journalist's face froze slightly, then she murmured with faint regret:

"I'm sorry… I didn't know it was like that…"

"It's fine. We've already accepted it."

"…."

If you've already accepted it… then why did you hijack the airship?

Seeing the stubbornness in the bandit girl's eyes—the kind only children possess—the journalist fell silent, then turned to Li Ang with a pleading gaze.

Is she telling the truth? If so, can you spare them? Let go of their hijacking?

What? Why are you looking at me like that?

Annoyed by the journalist's gaze, Li Ang—who had been testing the lie with his ram's horn—glared at her irritably.

I'm the good guy here! Don't make it sound like I'm some heartless monster determined to kill them! I never said I'd do anything to them from the start, did I?

…

To be moved by something like this…

Noticing the silent exchange between Li Ang and the journalist, the bandit girl bit her lower lip slightly, then clenched her fists tightly and lowered her head, whispering:

"I don't know what you're after, but if you're looking for the Krok Royal Palace, I'll stay and help—if you let my brother go."

"No! I won't agree!"

Hearing this, the bandit brother finally snapped. He shoved his butt up hard, lifting his upper body, and shouted in agitation:

"We agreed—you…"

"Take a break."

Shoving a handkerchief into the bandit brother's mouth to physically silence him, Li Ang pulled over a crate, sat down, and pressed his throbbing temple as he asked:

"Let me piece this together… To sum up: Krok Kingdom mined floating crystals in your hometown, turning you into orphans. You barely escaped the mines, and now you want revenge against Krok Kingdom—is that right?"

"Yes."

At Li Ang's words, the bandit girl nodded, then gritted her teeth with hatred:

"I read in books that Krok Kingdom is sealed off to the outside world—almost impossible to enter by land. Aside from a few irregularly open seaports, only airships can approach it."

"After discussing with my brother, we sold the two small pieces of floating crystal we stole when we escaped, bought airship tickets and these supplies, and planned to avenge Grandma and everyone from Cheshire!"

It matches what I guessed…

Li Ang rubbed his brow. Though his soul vision confirmed the bandit girl spoke truthfully, he still frowned and pressed further:

"How long have you been out of Cheshire?"

"More than two years."

"Then why didn't you seek revenge back then? Why only now?"

"Because we didn't know how."

After recalling, the bandit girl explained:

"We lived in Ximux Town, just outside the capital, not far from the boarding tower. Last month, when rebels attacked the boarding tower and burned the airships, we could see the hundred-meter fireball from our home—that's when I thought of a way to get revenge."

"…."

So your revenge idea came from me…

After asking a few more questions and finding no inconsistencies, Li Ang sighed inwardly, beginning to question the world's intent behind orchestrating this hijacking.

The bandit brother's ridiculous antics could never kill him—but the bandit girl's tragic story? That was another matter.

If he dug up more—say, uncovered Krok Kingdom's hidden atrocities—and then, unable to resist meddling, he got dragged into a massive mess, he might actually get killed.

…

"Let's talk about something else first."

After cutting the bandit girl's ropes, Li Ang, his head still aching, asked:

"I now know why you hijacked the airship. But how do you plan to find the location of the Krok Royal Palace?"

"…."

Hearing Li Ang's question, the bandit girl hesitated slightly, then didn't answer immediately—instead, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a thin, bony arm covered in dense, deep blue-black blood spots.