Li Qianfan had meticulously planned this moment for a long time.
He was not only using Jiao Yin but also Murong Mingyuan.
Li Qianfan had anticipated everything: the impulsive Murong Mingyuan charging headlong into the forbidden zone, her capture by the enemy, the enemy's knowledge that she carried the "Qianfan Special" ghost fire branding which would prevent them from molesting her, and so on.
This was also why he had quietly apologized to Murong Mingyuan before hiding.
The Rhode family would treat Murong Mingyuan as a crucial bargaining chip, thus they would not only refrain from mistreating her but would also provide her with the best accommodation and food.
For Murong Mingyuan, this trip to Blackwater Forest would be nothing more than a nerve-wracking excursion.
Li Qianfan would not overthink it.
Even.
He hadn't even thought of Jiao Yin before he passed out.
Because he knew very well—
What Jiao Yin would do next after he angrily chased after Murong Mingyuan.
It would be nothing more than to promptly record the scene of him chasing and upload it online.
This would serve to prove her innocence (It wasn't me who asked Li Qianfan to go into the forbidden zone), and also to inform the world that he had charged into the forbidden zone.
This also signified that Jiao Yin's mission to lure Li Qianfan to Blackwater Forest had been successfully completed.
Next, Jiao Yin only needed to wait by the warning sign like a stone waiting for her husband, for Li family members to pick her up.
Beautiful Jiao had accomplished her mission!
As her video was uploaded—
Countless people were shaken!
Dragon Ruins.
The cold moon shone brightly above the main entrance, the temperature was below minus ten degrees Celsius, and patrol personnel occasionally walked by at irregular intervals.
As the patrol personnel walked past, though their steps did not falter in the slightest, they would subconsciously glance at the two girls who had been kneeling there since the morning.
They remained like statues, kneeling in a place where the wrathful Vajra gazed down.
No food.
No water.
They just knelt there foolishly yet stubbornly, their minds serene.
Footsteps approached.
Su Ziyu, with white frost still clinging to her long eyelashes, instinctively moved her pupils and looked up.
Yang Xiao, dressed in a white robe, walked over with Bai Hong and Xiuzi.
"Grandmother—"
Su Ziyu forced a smile and asked with a trembling voice, "Why are you still not resting?"
Yang Xiao answered without answering the question, "Qianfan has already breached the outer defenses of Blackwater Forest."
Su Ziyu closed her eyes.
Although she had already anticipated this, hearing the confirmed news still brought an indescribable pain.
Was it pain?
No.
Was it pride?
No.
It was—
A resonance of mixed emotions, including pain, pride, heartache, and sorrow!
Mo Hongti, who had been holding Su Ziyu's arm all along, spoke, "Grandmother, will Qianfan be in mortal danger?"
Yang Xiao replied truthfully, "The battlefield situation is constantly changing. Bullets have no eyes. When the enemy suffers heavy losses and determines that they cannot capture Qianfan alive, they will have no choice but to kill him. After all, no matter how important a bargaining chip is, it is not as important as one's own life. Moreover, the enemy has already dispatched hundreds of additional troops specifically to deal with Qianfan!"
Su Ziyu asked, "Then what should we do?"
Yang Xiao looked up, gazing in the direction of Blackwater Forest.
After a long pause, she softly uttered a single word: "Wait."
Yes.
Currently, there was no other option but to wait.
Yang Xiao said again, "But I believe my eldest grandson will definitely return safely."
This was said to comfort them.
In fact, even Yang Xiao herself lacked much confidence!
After all, she knew better than anyone that the battlefield situation was constantly changing, and bullets had no eyes.
Even though Li Qianfan's original 209 had been activated, making him immune to the severe cold, and he had made extensive preparations beforehand, he was still a single soldier!
He was flesh and blood!!
When the enemy suffered heavy losses and their own lives were threatened, they would certainly change their strategy from capturing Li Qianfan alive to killing him (at the very least, they would replace the bullets with ones that had more lethal power).
"Grandmother, you should go rest early."
After a period of silence with Yang Xiao, Su Ziyu said softly.
Yang Xiao asked, "Are you still here?"
Su Ziyu replied, "We want to wait for news of Qianfan's safety."
Yang Xiao asked again, "What if the news doesn't come?"
Su Ziyu honestly shook her head, "I don't know."
She didn't say that if Li Qianfan died, she would follow him to the grave.
This was what Yang Xiao admired most about her.
"Alright, you wait here, but don't hurt yourselves, otherwise Qianfan will be heartbroken."
After saying that, Yang Xiao turned to leave.
Bai Hong and Xiuzi, however, stayed behind.
They silently draped two thick overcoats over the two girls.
The crescent moon hung like a hook!
This was England—
Green Rhode was speaking on the phone with Rhode, the head of the Rhode team: "Have you still not found Li Qianfan's whereabouts?"
Rhode replied cautiously, "I have dispatched a full fifty people, seven hunting dogs, and over ten drones to search repeatedly by car within the eastern defense zone. So far, there has been no trace of him. It's as if he has suddenly entered another dimension from within the defense zone."
Jessica, sitting next to Green Rhode, couldn't help but ask, "He didn't leave any footprints in the snow?"
Footprints were the most obvious clues in snow tracking.
Moreover, the Blackwater Forest at night was bathed in moonlight, with no strong winds or heavy snow, so why not?
"He is quite cunning."
Rhode replied, "After chasing Murong Mingyuan for a hundred meters, he only stepped on her footprints to move forward. Therefore, we could only see a single set of footprints, and couldn't even determine when he suddenly disappeared by overlapping footprints. Because at that time, we didn't dare to deploy drones for reconnaissance. Furthermore, we withdrew all personnel for fear that he wouldn't venture into the outer defenses. In short, he fully exploited our extreme desire for him to take risks and the conditions we indirectly created for him."
"Heh heh."
Green Rhode chuckled, "But there is one thing, no matter how cunning he is, he cannot avoid."
The extreme cold!
The extreme cold of over minus thirty degrees Celsius in the Blackwater Forest region was something no one could avoid.
Especially when Li Qianfan went out chasing, he was wearing only a thin layer of thermal clothing and was doing indescribable things with Jiao Yin in the tent.
Green Rhode added, "According to the most reliable intelligence, Li Qianfan was afraid of the cold after recovering from his illness in Las Town (this reliable intelligence, of course, was provided by Jiao Yin). If we search patiently, he cannot hide for long. Unless he completely freezes, he will eventually have to reveal himself."
Rhode replied, "Understood. I will dispatch additional personnel again."
Green Rhode instructed, "When you dispatch additional personnel, be even more vigilant of the western front. I still worry that Li Qianfan is playing a feint with us."
"Understood."
Rhode replied, "Both the eastern and western fronts are guarded by four masters from the War God Hall. Moreover, the newly added eighty elite troops from the navy and army are also on high alert on the western front. Our defenses are truly like the highest level of iron walls!"
Next.
Jessica frowned, listening intently to the conversation between the two Rhodes.
For some reason—
Perhaps it was an intuition from deep within that was reminding her: "My father is not as simple as the two Rhodes describe. Just wait, he will give you the biggest surprise."
The phone call between the two Rhodes ended.
Green Rhode smiled, "Jessica, I think we can proceed with the fourth round of negotiations with Zhao Tingshan."
Jessica asked, "Shouldn't we wait a little longer?"
"No need to wait."
Green Rhode waved his hand, "I can guarantee that Li Qianfan cannot hold on much longer. Perhaps in the next second, Rhode will call to report the greatest news. Our energy can now be shifted towards promoting the 'Enlightened Ones'."
He paused.
His eyes turned sinister, "Especially the Rusted Bronze Cross, we must find it and retrieve it! By any means necessary, regardless of the cost."
To find the Rusted Bronze Cross—
On the day of the incident, everyone, including Langni and Mason, was being investigated.
Although Green Rhode was well aware that there was a 99% chance that the White Du bird had taken the cross, he would not let go of the 1% probability that an insider had stolen the cross during the chaos, while he utilized all his available resources to search for the White Du bird's whereabouts!
At the same time—
This was the Eastern Land!!
In the early morning hours.
Su Nanyin, accompanied by Mao Mao, watched the video for the eighth time.
She then picked up the encrypted telephone receiver and dialed.
Soon, the call connected.
Li Wujiang's tired voice came through clearly from the receiver, "I am leading people, moving at the fastest possible speed to circle around to the southwest of Blackwater Forest. We estimate that we will arrive at the designated location in 12 hours. You must guard the house carefully. I suspect the Dark Web might try to cause trouble during this opportunity."
"Don't worry about home."
Su Nanyin asked, "How many people do you have with you?"
Li Wujiang replied, "Twelve people."
Su Nanyin then asked, "Are they all from the 800 Emperor's Valley?"
Li Wujiang replied, "Apart from those from the Emperor's Valley, people from other places cannot be casually deployed. Especially the three overseas teams like Changkong, whose emergency dispatch might reveal fatal weaknesses."
Su Nanyin frowned, "A dozen people, is that enough?"
Li Wujiang remained silent.
Su Nanyin thought for a moment, "Follow your plan. I will squeeze out some more people to provide you with maximum support."
The call ended.
Su Nanyin quickly dialed again.
As soon as the call connected—
She said in a deep voice, "Qin Zhou! I hereby order you to lead the second squad of the Dark Blade and rush to the western front of Blackwater Forest! Assist Manager Li in a pincer attack against the enemy reinforcements!"