Mu Anxiao had thoroughly analyzed Ouyang Ye. As she had said, if she hadn't completed the task within the allotted time, he would have been furious and killed her immediately. If he couldn't kill her, he would have found his own ways to destroy her. Therefore, after hearing her words, he didn't know what to say because he had indeed thought that way.
"..." He cleared his throat, then stared directly at Mu Anxiao for a few seconds before truthfully admitting, "That's right, that's exactly what I was thinking. But don't be so absolute about it. You..."
"Since you think that way, you'll naturally do unbelievable things. Boss, how about this," Mu Anxiao gathered her courage and stared intently at Ouyang Ye's face, "If you don't want to give me this silver needle, then forget it. Right now, you can kill me with one strike or one palm." As she spoke, she straightened her back, feigning a determined look of someone ready to face death.
At this moment, Ouyang Ye couldn't understand Mu Anxiao. He didn't know if she was brave, truly scared of him, or if she was using her actions to intimidate him, to show him that she wasn't easy to bully.
In any case, all sorts of thoughts flooded his mind. Looking at Mu Anxiao, he frowned, "Cao Gen, do you think I would kill you?" he asked intentionally.
Mu Anxiao gave a wry smile, "That depends on your mood, Boss. I can't say, and I wouldn't dare to guess your thoughts, because the more I guess, the harsher you'll be with me." As she spoke, her eyes darted away.
Unexpectedly, Mu Anxiao's evasive glance was caught by Ouyang Ye. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Cao Gen, what are you forcing yourself for? I'm telling you, I won't make a move on you now. You," he pointed at Mu Anxiao, "stop wasting my time with idle chatter here. Hurry up and think of another way. I won't give you this needle." With that, he turned away.
Immediately, Mu Anxiao's mind raced. As Ouyang Ye was about to leave, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm, "Since that's the case, then take my life. Without this needle, I can't make that kind of poison." She said, tilting her head to stare at the back of Ouyang Ye's head.
Following that, Ouyang Ye became impatient. "Cao Gen, are you finished?" he said, still turning to look at Mu Anxiao. Unexpectedly, at that very instant, their gazes collided. At the same time, the image of Mu Anxiao dressed as a woman flashed before his eyes. His brow furrowed, and he immediately placed his hand over Mu Anxiao's, "Who exactly are you?" His mind was in a turmoil.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao knew this was not the time to be nervous. And as far as she knew, as long as her spiritual energy didn't leak, Ouyang Ye wouldn't be able to tell who she was. Thinking this, she looked down at her single hand covered by Ouyang Ye's. In a rough voice, she said, "Boss, whose shadow have you seen on me again?" As she spoke, she deliberately furrowed her brow to distort her facial features.
Then, Ouyang Ye suddenly came to his senses and said, "Don't talk nonsense. I didn't see anyone." He looked embarrassed and removed his hand.
Mu Anxiao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Boss, it's not that I'm being bothersome. It's just that I have this habit of not giving up until I achieve my goal. You..."
"It's 'until you achieve your goal'," Ouyang Ye corrected coldly, still turning back.
The silver needle, seeing Ouyang Ye turn to look at Mu Anxiao again, grew anxious. But Mu Anxiao was in the open, and it was in the dark. It thought that no matter how much it said, Ouyang Ye might not believe it. Helpless, it could only remain silent, waiting for Ouyang Ye's response.
"Yes," Mu Anxiao nodded, gathering her courage, her expression firm and serious. "Since childhood, I've had a stubborn streak within me. Once I choose something, I have to accomplish it. I simply don't give up until I achieve my goal. Anyway, I've said it all. You either take my life or give me the needle. Boss, you choose." She said, widening her eyes.
This matter, from its occurrence until now, had already taken some time. And Ouyang Ye had never spoken so much for a silver needle before. However, after communicating with Mu Anxiao for so long, he had done some reflection. On one hand was his important achievement, and on the other was the person who was supposed to help him achieve it. To choose between the two, he wanted both. But now that Mu Anxiao had pushed it to this point, if he continued to disagree, Mu Anxiao would definitely not back down.
In helplessness, he lowered his head to look at the silver needle in his hand, thinking that exchanging one achievement for another should not be a loss.
At the same time, the silver needle sensed hesitation in Ouyang Ye's eyes. For its own safety, it could no longer care about anything else. "Master, she can really hear me. She wants to kill me. Don't believe her words, Master. You have to believe me." It began to struggle in Ouyang Ye's hand.
Ouyang Ye frowned and coldly said, "Don't move." Then he looked up at Mu Anxiao, who stood silently opposite him, and asked, "Why aren't you talking anymore?"
Mu Anxiao thought that interrupting the silver needle once or twice was not strange, but interrupting it repeatedly would definitely arouse Ouyang Ye's suspicion. So this time, she was more mindful. "It's struggling like this, it must be talking to you, right?" she said, giving a slight smile.
Seeing Mu Anxiao so calm, Ouyang Ye asked coldly, "Aren't you afraid it will speak ill of you?" He said this intentionally, wanting to confirm the silver needle's words.
Unexpectedly, Mu Anxiao put on a surprised expression. "It can also speak ill of me? Boss, what did it say about me?" she asked, looking down at the silver needle which had stopped struggling.
Ouyang Ye believed it to be true and said, "It said you can hear it talking." As he spoke, he met Mu Anxiao's eyes, trying to discern something from them.
"I can hear it talking," Mu Anxiao said, then laughed inexplicably. "Boss, if I could hear it talking, do you think I would still be talking so much nonsense with you? Of course, I've made myself very clear. If you believe it, I can't do anything about it. Who asked it to spend so much time with you?"
"Let's not talk about that. It said you wanted to kill it," Ouyang Ye said coldly, beginning to scrutinize Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao remained calm. "Everything has its sacrifices. To be honest, I smelled the important components of the poison within the silver needle. As the saying goes, you can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a cub. If you kill me, it's a great loss. But conversely, if I kill it, it's a great gain for you, Boss. Think it over."
"You..."
"Of course, if you kill me now, the General will definitely lock onto you immediately. Do you know why?" Mu Anxiao intentionally began to scare Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Seizing the opportunity while Ouyang Ye was asking, Mu Anxiao deliberately leaned her body downwards and said, "I took that beating unjustly. And while I was being beaten, I accidentally let slip that I knew you. Honestly," she chuckled, looking down, "they let me go only out of consideration for you. If I suddenly die, do you think they won't expose you?" She finished with a fake smile.
Ouyang Ye listened to Mu Anxiao's words, was stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter.