“At worst, we’ll go with a three-seven split on future collaborations!” Joey Nibel William conceded.
The Hidden Tribe was a truly intractable obstacle. Due to its unique geographical location, all modern machinery was unable to enter. Even if it could, the magnetic field interference there would disrupt various military systems, making it impossible for them to conquer the Hidden Tribe.
Otherwise, the Hidden Tribe wouldn’t have existed like a hidden paradise for over a hundred years.
“Since…” Qing Mu Ye sighed deeply. “Since Prince William has spoken, it’s not for me to refuse.”
“Hahaha, good, hahaha…” Joey Nibel William threw his head back and laughed, his face beaming with joy.
And so,
After waiting for over half an hour, Frake Street, Meng Jing Wei, Xiao Cheng, Antina, and others saw Joey Nibel William with his arm slung over Qing Mu Ye’s shoulder, the two emerging from the living room like best buddies.
This sight startled everyone.
Meng Jing Wei looked over and met Qing Mu Ye’s gaze. They exchanged a look, and she smiled.
Ever since arriving at Grinton at nine, Meng Jing Wei had been pondering what leverage Qing Mu Ye possessed to negotiate with Joey Nibel William.
After racking her brain, she finally arrived at the answer:
The mineral resources of the Hidden Tribe.
This was the industry that Country C coveted the most but could not forcibly seize.
…
Upon leaving Antina’s castle, Qiao Ziqian and Old Mrs. Qing joined them in the car.
Seeing Qing Mu Ye, Old Mrs. Qing happily took her grandson’s hand and fussed over him. “Hahaha, grandson, Grandma missed you so much. Those people just now were so fierce, they scared me to death.”
Everyone in the car developed dark lines on their foreheads.
Grandson?
It sounded more like Old Mrs. Qing was scolding him.
Suffering from dementia, Old Mrs. Qing acted like a child, sometimes mistaking Qing Mu Ye for himself, sometimes for Qing Kang Yu. She would hug his arm one moment and pinch his cheek the next.
Qing Mu Ye sat beside Old Mrs. Qing, his face filled with helplessness, yet he could do nothing.
Qiao Ziqian sat in the passenger seat, while Meng Jing Wei sat in the row behind. She kicked the back of the passenger seat. “When do you plan to keep this up?”
Caught off guard, Qiao Ziqian’s eyes darted around, his mind racing as he dared not answer Meng Jing Wei’s question.
“Do you think you’re being perfectly undetectable?” Meng Jing Wei, tired of watching him pretend, reminded him, “Don’t you know there’s a surveillance camera on the large tree outside the Qin Xin Residence?
Because the evergreen tree at the entrance was lush with foliage, it perfectly concealed the camera, causing Qiao Ziqian and Qing Kang Yu to completely overlook it when they were conversing outside.
Later, after discovering suspicious individuals outside the Qin Xin Residence, Meng Jing Wei had the entrance surveillance footage retrieved, coincidentally spotting Qiao Ziqian and Qing Kang Yu.
“Jing Wei, let me tell you, this little fool isn’t foolish at all. He’s very clever.” Coincidentally, Old Mrs. Qing interjected.
That statement almost made Qiao Ziqian furious.
He rubbed his face, feeling the frustration of a failed deception. “Since you know, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Meng Jing Wei tilted her head towards Qing Mu Ye sitting beside her, nudging him with her arm. “You tell him.”
Qing Mu Ye glanced at Qiao Ziqian, his lips, a straight line, pulled at the corners. “I was giving you a chance.”
“What chance?” Qiao Ziqian asked.
“What’s between Qing Kang Yu and me is our business. And you love Tang Wan Xing, ultimately not making a move on Jing Wei, which shows you’re not a bad person. This was just a test. If you had made a move on anyone during this period, I wouldn’t have tolerated your existence.”