"One of them is a former Rainbow Wing member, and the other is a Catastrophe Level Time Series superpower user. Isn’t that enough to take on this mission?" Zhuge Hui said. "Besides, we don’t need them to take down an entire White Crow Travel Brigade. That’s unrealistic; we just need them to keep an eye on those bandits for us."

He tapped the mahogany table and chairs with a folded fan. "Once we resolve the issue with the Nian Beast, the White Crow Travel Brigade will no longer have any opportunities."

Lin Xingshi rubbed his chin. "I’m not doubting their abilities, but there’s no need to owe them a favor."

"A favor? Since we are sheltering them, we might as well charge a protection fee." Zhuge Hui shook his head. "This group can’t help for free, and besides, we’ve paid quite a price ourselves."

"Oh, how come I wasn’t aware that you’ve paid such a huge price?" Ke Qirui smiled.

"Miss Ke, it’s still a hassle for us to be constantly investigated, both openly and secretly, by people from Rainbow Wings."

Zhuge Hui paused. "Moreover, Su Wei was also involved in that Deserted Island incident. Although he has recently resigned as president and vanished, Rainbow Wings knows Su Wei was previously the president of the Exorcist Association, so naturally, they would suspect us. After all... the only ones who can hide the power of Blue Arc and Ghost Bell inside the association is us, Lake Hunting."

Ke Qirui’s expression slightly changed, although she wanted to stop them from further involving the Gu Family in danger, what they said was true: since they were under Lake Hunting’s protection, they had to pay a price.

"Captain, what do you think?" Zhuge Hui asked.

"You’re right, but..." Lin Xingshi looked down at the table, hesitant to speak.

"I also think there’s no need to ask outsiders for help. If the captain has said so, why are you all still chattering?" Zhou Jiuya said impatiently, not even bothering to open his eyes.

Zhuge Hui pointed at him with the folded fan. "Hey... you, the culprit, don’t speak! You don’t have a say here. If it weren’t for my strategies during every critical moment, we would have been wiped out long ago."

"The parties involved are right outside." Ke Qirui chuckled, even she, an outsider, couldn’t help but intervene, "Why don’t you just call them in and ask for their opinions?"

"Let’s do that then." Lin Xingshi stopped holding his chin and sighed. "Call Mr. Gu and Miss Mai in, let’s ask for their opinion."

"Should have done it sooner?"

Ke Qirui said helplessly as she stepped towards the office door, opened it, and lifted her gaze from the pipe.

The hallway was empty, the floor bathed in a hazy morning light. In the distance, one could hear the sound of the sea. A vertical fan faced the wall, slowly turning.

She glanced at Gu’s three people, chatting by the wall.

Gu Zhuo Case crossed his arms, lost in thought, Gu Qiye stared dazedly out the window, and Su Zimai was bowing her head, browsing Weibo again. As soon as this family of three had a moment of idleness, they’d fall into this state, as if collectively infected with depression.

Probably if you opened their heads, you’d find the same person inside at that moment.

"Gu Wenyu, you truly have a heavy burden of sin..." Ke Qirui sighed inwardly, her expression naturally darkening.

In fact, she quite admired Black Cocoon; after discovering he was Gu Wenyu, her feelings became even more complex. She had been played around by a high schooler and, until the end, hadn’t known what was on his mind.

Moreover, she couldn’t understand why a high schooler would be associated with an organization like the Salvation Society... But Gu Wenyu was dead, and her questions would never be answered.

"Did you pass on the message to them, captain?" Su Zimai asked with her hands behind her back, looking up.

"Yes, they already know that the brigade is in this city." Ke Qirui replied absentmindedly.

"Then can we leave?" Su Zimai continued to ask. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

She no longer wanted to stay in this aristocratic mansion for another second. Every second she felt out of place and was eager to find an excuse to slip away. "My dad and brother haven’t had breakfast yet, I fear they’ll starve! Look, they’ve become so skinny!"

Saying that, she slapped Gu Qiye’s toned leg muscle with her left hand and Gu Zhuo Case’s muscular arm with her right, squinting at Ke Qirui.

Ke Qirui looked at her exasperatedly, thinking your brother and dad are skinny? Even the world champion of wrestling would be picked up and tossed around by them, right?

Gu Qiye chuckled lightly, thinking, Sis, are you suggesting that not having breakfast could starve two Catastrophe Level beings to death?

"Speak up, captain!" Su Zimai lowered her face and stared at Ke Qirui.

"No, you can’t leave yet." Ke Qirui shook her head. "Our Captain Xingshi wants to talk to you. If convenient, please step into the office."

"Looking for us?" Gu Qiye raised an eyebrow, pointing at himself and then at Gu Zhuo Case.

Ke Qirui silently nodded.

"Alright, then dad, you come with me." After a moment of silence, Gu Qiye glanced at Gu Zhuo Case, and they communicated with a look.

With that, he walked into the office first, without much expression on his face, while Gu Zhuo Case frowned and followed. Su Zimai looked suspiciously at Ke Qirui, then quickly trailed behind them into the office.