Seeing the puzzled, even suspicious, expressions on everyone's faces, Ye Lan explained, "Strictly speaking, playing esports is just a sideline for me. Hacking is my main profession, so it's not difficult to explain how I managed to find the map of the Chixiao Sect, is it?"
"Miss Ye Lan's abilities have been witnessed by us, the Ji brothers. We completely trust you."
The Ji brothers bowed with clasped fists.
Those who had participated in the infiltration of the Dongfang family's aerial fortress had no doubt whatsoever about Ye Lan's capabilities.
"Little girl, you must understand that this place we are in now is a forbidden area. Who would dare to trespass here? You can even obtain a map of a forbidden area. I, Dongfang Ji, admire you."
Dongfang Ji glanced at Ye Lan, as if seeing her younger self, commanding and extraordinary.
"Thank you, Elder, and everyone. Since you all trust me, then look here again." Ye Lan pointed to the area on the screen she had outlined with a thin red line. "These ten areas are divided by strength, gradually moving upwards to form a pincer movement towards the center. The ten areas are somewhat like the Ten Courts of Hell. The center is their meeting place, with a subtle 'stars surrounding the moon' formation. However, remember, this is not the lair of that old fox. His lair is here."
Ye Lan's fair and slender fingers pointed directly south. "This is the Li Fire position, a place where only the Sect Master has historically been able to tread. And this position happens to be at the apex of the 'stars surrounding the moon' formation. This means the shortest straight line between two points must pass through the meeting location and directly into the Li Fire position."
Others were a bit bewildered, but Dongfang Ji understood perfectly. "In other words, the other four teams, acting as support, if they alert the disciples, only need to feign an attack and create a stir, making them believe they are surrounded and causing them to scatter, thus having no time to pay attention elsewhere. This will help us strike at the heart of the enemy."
"Precisely. In warfare, the highest strategy is to undermine the enemy's plans."
"With Miss Ye Lan's explanation, the entire plan has become clear." Ouyang Shuo stroked his silver-white beard in the lamplight, feeling even more awe for this young girl in his heart.
However, even so, Ye Lan's expression did not ease. She scrolled the screen down again, and all the markings disappeared. Everyone was confused, and then Ye Lan spoke again:
"Of course, what I have described is an ideal scenario, formulated based on the assumption that the enemy fully falls for the trap. Naturally, there are many unpredictable situations. When that happens, do not panic, do not get flustered. I will always be here to guide you continuously until the plan is completed."
As Ye Lan finished speaking, the plan was complete. Everyone began to file out of the cave one by one. Gradually, only the three women and Ren Yuanhao remained in the cave.
"I feel like I'll be useless soon. I can't help with anything. Ye Lan, you've stolen all the glory. Sister Lanni can at least be a bodyguard. What about me? I can only hide in a corner like a fat cat nibbling on chips and spicy snacks."
Yang Lingxue sat in a dimly lit corner, her negative energy overflowing, as if covered by a heavy dark cloud.
Ye Lan and Shen Lanni chuckled softly. "Not at all. Without you, the foodie, to keep us company, imagine how nervous we'd be if it were just the two of us."
"Hmph, so I'm just a mascot."
At these words, even Ren Yuanhao couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hey, they can laugh, but is it a bit much for you to laugh? Hey, I'm talking to you, I~"
In fact, Yang Lingxue kept talking to fill the silence because she was more nervous than the others, trying to alleviate her inner fear by eating an endless supply of chips and speaking non-stop.
"I'm leaving. You all must be careful. After all, this is a forbidden area. Although the place is hidden, but~"
Before Ren Yuanhao could finish speaking, Shen Lanni interrupted him, "Hurry up and go. If you keep talking, aren't you afraid we won't let you leave?"
As they spoke, Ye Lan sent a map to Ren Yuanhao's phone.
"Yuanhao, this is the map of the Black Water Prison. I've marked the exits of all the mazes. Be careful with everything."
...
After Ren Yuanhao left the three women, he covered the cave entrance with vines and weeds before starting to circle back in the opposite direction.
After walking for about ten minutes, the path ahead gradually disappeared, replaced by black rocks jutting out from the mountain. A few more steps forward, at the corner, the mountain wind swirled upwards, and the dense pine forest rustled. Below was a bottomless valley, carrying a faint smell of decay, perhaps from animals that had accidentally fallen off the cliff and rotted.
"It really seems a bit dangerous."
Ren Yuanhao checked the time. It was only half an hour before 11 o'clock. He then looked up at the endless mountain peak and the scattered rocks, a sense of fear creeping into him.
He smoked half a cigarette to bolster his courage, then gathered his true qi to his feet and leaped, landing effortlessly on the first jutting rock.
Vines grew wildly, hanging down and clinging to the mountain. Initially, they looked like long snakes. As he climbed higher, his courage grew. The black birds nesting on the cliff face, unaware of anyone appearing in their territory, were startled and flew away, flapping their wings.
The bird droppings, carried by the mountain wind, were quite unpleasant for Ren Yuanhao. However, as he climbed higher, the vines and birds became fewer. Instead, the black, shiny rock faces, like sharp swords, pierced the sky.
And then, Ren Yuanhao suddenly saw a black shadow rapidly approaching him!
At first, he thought it was a snake or an animal that had fallen off the cliff. However, when it was about ten meters away, he realized it was a man in black!
"Trespassing into the Chixiao Sect in the dead of night, you have quite the audacity, boy!"
— Holy crap, have I been discovered? Is the plan going to be scrapped so soon?
Ren Yuanhao did not reply. He spun around, using the rock face to his advantage, and flipped clockwise, creating some distance between himself and the man. However, the man seemed to defy the laws of physics. Without any apparent support, right before Ren Yuanhao's eyes, he overcame gravity and inertia, and in an instant, flew back to his side!
"If you don't answer me soon, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
As the man spoke, he drew a pitch-black long saber. The edge of the blade, like the winding ridgeline of a snowy mountain, cut through the air, leaving a long white streak.
Ren Yuanhao gathered his qi and moved quickly, trying to create distance. But every time he leaped two steps, the man also leaped two steps. Despite using all his skills, he could only barely keep pace with him.
Unbeknownst to Ren Yuanhao, the man's heart was filled with shock. It had been a long time since he had encountered someone who could match his speed.