What’s the point of saving face? It’s just a burden.
It’s much better to exchange it for tangible benefits.
Zhao Xinghua cried his heart out, pulling every member of the Fourth Bureau—top to bottom, above ground and underground—into his sob story.
Listening to him, Zhouzhou couldn’t help but feel like she was the backbone of the entire operation. It sounded like the entire Fourth Bureau were all relying on her!
Her lips twitched slightly.
How could it be that exaggerated?
Sure, she was good, but the other uncles, aunts, and brothers and sisters in the Fourth Bureau were also incredibly skilled. They handled their missions on their own just fine and didn’t need her assistance at all.
Uncle Zhao was just getting better at acting as he got older.
Who could he have learned it from?
Who else but her, the drama queen herself?
At this point, the Fourth Bureau was just shy of becoming an acting troupe.
Ye Lingfeng shook his head, cleared his throat, and said, "Alright, stop fooling around. Let’s talk business."
Hearing this, Zhao Xinghua instantly stopped his wailing and straightened up. "Alright, tell me—what’s your plan to deal with Luke?"
If it weren’t necessary, he wouldn’t want to go head-to-head with Luke. After all, the man had the backing of A Country, and taking action against him would inevitably bring trouble.
But since Luke dared to target Ye Lingfeng, they couldn’t just swallow their anger.
Swallowing grievances wasn’t the Fourth Bureau’s style.
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If you dared to mess with them, you’d better be ready to lose your head!
Zhouzhou thought the same.
Her expression grew serious. "Uncle Zhao, here’s my plan..."
She explained their strategy in detail.
After listening, Zhao Xinghua’s furrowed brow eased. "Not bad, this might actually work. But are you sure it’ll go smoothly? Won’t anyone notice something’s off?"
Zhouzhou shook her head confidently. "Nope, my Big Brother is a genius!"
Thinking of Qin Ren’s skills, Zhao Xinghua nodded. "Alright then, let’s go with your plan. If you need anything, just let me know."
Zhouzhou wasn’t shy about it and immediately handed him a list. "These are the components my brother needs. Please have them ready by tomorrow."
Zhao Xinghua glanced at the list and couldn’t help but grimace. The items weren’t particularly hard to find, but they were all quite expensive.
He looked at Zhouzhou and asked, "Be honest with me—is this really for Qin Ren, or are you just trying to save money and make me pay?"
In response, Zhouzhou flashed him a bright smile but said nothing.
At that, Zhao Xinghua understood everything.
He rolled his eyes and turned to Ye Lingfeng, grumbling, "Look at the daughter you raised! Just as much of a money-grubber as she was as a kid!"
Ye Lingfeng gave him a calm glance and said leisurely, "What’s the problem? If you don’t like it, we can always go to Commander Jin."
With that, he grabbed Zhouzhou and pretended to leave.
Zhao Xinghua hurriedly stopped them, scowling. "That’s not what I mean! I was saying it’s a good thing! She’s frugal and resourceful—how wonderful!"
By the end, his words were practically squeezed through gritted teeth, but he still managed to force a smile.
Zhouzhou beamed even brighter, patting Zhao Xinghua on the shoulder. "Uncle Zhao, don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere! No matter who tries to poach me, I’ll stay with the Fourth Bureau for life!"
Zhao Xinghua huffed. Honestly, it wasn’t like anyone else could afford to pay her such a high salary.
Beyond her salary, there were bonuses, and she always managed to bring back extra spoils from her missions, which he didn’t require her to turn in. Where else could she find a boss like him?
Fine, he was just worrying for nothing. He’d been afraid she’d leave, but in reality, she had no intention of going anywhere.
If anything, it was him who constantly feared she’d be poached and ended up getting extorted by her every time.
Looking at the list in his hand, Zhao Xinghua couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly.
Oh well, she’s a treasure. It’s better to keep her happy and here than to constantly worry about her being snatched away.
With that thought, he couldn’t help but shed a tear of resignation. Over the years, he’d been completely manipulated by this father-daughter duo.
He was the one paying them, so how did he end up being bossed around?
Resigned, he looked at the two of them again and ultimately gave up resisting.
Fine, let them win.
He stomped off in a huff. Seeing his reaction, Zhouzhou innocently blinked and said, "Uncle Zhao, once Luke is taken care of, I’ll have cleared out the top 100 on the list! Are there any new big bad guys worth dealing with lately? I can take care of them too."
Hearing this, Zhao Xinghua’s face lit up with joy. His smile grew so wide his eyes nearly disappeared. "Zhouzhou, you’re amazing! We’d be nowhere near where we are today without you!"
Over the past decade, the Fourth Bureau’s mission success rate had hit an all-time high, while their casualty rate had dropped by 70%. While this was partly due to their rigorous training, Zhouzhou’s contributions accounted for at least half of the success.
Her talismans and formations were incredibly effective.
Who said ancient methods were outdated? They were high-level techniques that most people simply couldn’t master.
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With a gem like her, he’d willingly hand over his entire savings if it meant she’d stay!
Any dissatisfaction he’d felt moments ago evaporated completely.
Money was just money—how could it compare to the lives of his team?
"I’ll get everything ready and deliver it to you by tomorrow morning. Let me know if you need anything else!" he said, full of enthusiasm.
Zhouzhou grinned even wider and nodded earnestly. "Thank you, Uncle Zhao! You’re the best!"
She really meant it.
Zhao Xinghua gave her a knowing look and left, grinning from ear to ear.
Zhouzhou was in high spirits, too.
Hehe, another expense dodged!
Ye Lingfeng looked at her with amusement and lightly tapped her forehead. "Can’t you pick on someone else for a change?"
He was starting to feel sorry for Zhao Xinghua.
Zhouzhou shook her head. "But no one else is as rich as Uncle Zhao."
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to switch targets—there just wasn’t another sheep as fat as this one.
She then added, "Uncle Zhao doesn’t mind anyway."
If she ever left, he’d be the one who’d be upset.
Ye Lingfeng glanced at her and couldn’t argue. She had a point, though he couldn’t help but feel a little sympathy for Zhao Xinghua.
Ah, the man had truly endured a lot over the years.
But then again, what could they do? They were just that good.
He tousled Zhouzhou’s hair, a smile tugging at his lips.
---
Days turned into weeks. Qin Ren hadn’t been home for ten days straight, and Zhouzhou was also out early and back late every day, occasionally handing Zhao Xinghua a new list.
Though Zhao Xinghua grumbled about it, he never once slacked off, ensuring everything she requested was prepared promptly.
That little miser might be tight with money, but her work was undeniably top-notch.
Finally, Zhouzhou sent them a message asking everyone to gather in the lab.
Skinny Monkey and the rest rushed over immediately.
At last, they’d find out what Zhouzhou had been working on.
When they arrived and pushed open the door, they saw a figure turn around.
It was... Luke?!