Yong'an, the Ning Residence.
"What, Fan Da sent you to help me?" Zhou Jiao, puffing out his beard, exclaimed, "This is clearly asking me to help you!"
"Young Master, you come and go as you please, and I can't control you. But you can't expect me to openly deploy the Eagles to do your bidding, can you?"
Ning Lang watched from the side, smiling without a word.
Both of them understood Fan Lei's personality too well.
He valued brotherhood and was protective of his own.
It was impossible for him to stand by and watch Li Zhonglou get into trouble, but with national laws and regulations in place, the Eagles couldn't directly participate in such matters.
Although Tian Shan was a suspect, that was a matter for the Public Security Bureau.
Unless an official order was issued, the Eagles had no involvement.
He had been busy cooperating with the Huizhou Public Security Bureau to investigate foreign spies, an investigation that was initiated because of repeated assassination attempts on Li Zhonglou by the person named Huang Dongcheng.
As a result, he had been kept here and couldn't leave.
Naturally, he harbored some resentment.
Seeing Fan Da send Li Zhonglou out again this time, it was clear that he was expected to be at their beck and call, so naturally, he couldn't use the Eagles' name.
Fortunately, Zhou Jiao had known Fan Lei for a long time, otherwise, he might have suspected this guy was Fan Da's illegitimate son.
He was just too doted upon.
"Zhonglou, rest assured, my eight thousand men in Yong'an will keep a constant watch. As soon as there's any stir, you'll be notified immediately," Ning Lang said without hesitation.
When it came to finding someone like Tian Shan, underground forces were definitely more effective than the police.
Since Tian Shan had been injured in the eye, he must be filled with hatred. If he didn't kill Li Zhonglou, how could he possibly leave?
However, with Shen Yishou and Lin Zhendong stationed in Qin Province, Tian Shan wouldn't dare to stay, even with ten times his courage.
After all, Lin Zhendong was a divine being who could calculate his location using the Plum Blossom divination.
As for Shen Yishou, he held a grudge against Tian Shan for breaking his leg.
Yong'an was the capital of Huizhou Province, and it was only about a hundred kilometers from Qin Province, with convenient highway access.
If Ning Lang were Tian Shan, he would likely hide in Yong'an to recuperate and wait for an opportunity for revenge.
"Brother Ning, I entrust everything to you." Li Zhonglou clasped his hands in thanks.
"I also admire Xu Lie's character, and his suffering naturally makes me feel obligated," Ning Lang nodded.
He had only met Xu Lie once, but he genuinely admired his straightforward and upright nature.
It was strange, but people often found their best friends to have personalities that were the opposite of their own, yet not conflicting.
Ning Lang had always considered himself a frank person, but his circumstances had gradually forced him into becoming a shrewd mastermind.
If he hadn't, he would have died long ago, but deep down, he envied and liked those who were unreservedly upright.
Xu Lie was the most typical example of such a person.
As for Li Zhonglou, it was strange that even now he couldn't grasp Li Zhonglou's personality. It was like a huge mystery; you thought you had peeled back the outer layer, but in reality, there was still an abyss within.
Xu Lie and Li Zhonglou were as close as brothers, and Ning Lang's relationship with Li Zhonglou was also that of close friends.
Naturally, he couldn't stand by and do nothing.
As for why Fan Da doted on Li Zhonglou so much that even he felt a bit jealous, he couldn't figure it out and didn't bother to.
"You three, don't just talk. Come and have some sunflower seeds. I just roasted them," Jin Jing said, carrying a basin of white seeds. She was wearing an apron, appearing every bit the housewife.
Li Zhonglou looked astonished, "You... you're not content being a young madam and are restless?"
"She fired all the maids and cooks herself, and she cooks every day. Zhou Jiao has been hanging around here recently because he likes Jin Jing's cooking," Ning Lang explained with a smile.
"Sister-in-law's cooking is truly top-notch!" Zhou Jiao reached out his hand and grabbed more than half of the seeds without ceremony.
Li Zhonglou quickly grabbed the rest, "Leave some for us."
Seeing the three men laughing and scrambling, Jin Jing discreetly withdrew.
Li Zhonglou smiled and glanced at her. He had always felt that this woman had extremely high emotional and intellectual intelligence.
Although he didn't know why her ex-husband was like that, the fact that she had completely captivated Ning Lang meant she was not to be underestimated.
Ning Lang probably understood this too, and as long as she didn't have malicious intentions, it was understandable if her actions were meant to protect him.
"Let me tell you, just having Ning Lang help you is useless," Zhou Jiao said, cracking sunflower seeds and pontificating, "Once you find the person, how will you kill him?"
"My subordinates, although quite skilled, are far inferior to you in combat. Do you expect them to gang up and kill Tian Shan?"
"What if the plan backfires and you end up losing everything? How will you deal with the homicide if it happens?"
This was also what he couldn't understand about Fan Da's intentions. How many people could he bring with him while investigating spies in Yong'an?
Including himself, there were only four people, just an action team.
Now, with Li Zhonglou, it was still less than ten people. Tian Shan's strength was unknown, but Li Zhonglou knew Shen Yishou's strength. Five people wouldn't even be enough to tickle him.
And they expected to get revenge?
It was enough to get himself killed, but those soldiers also had parents.
"You don't need to worry about that. I won't let them go to their deaths. Strength has never been the decisive factor. Let's find the person first," Li Zhonglou's eyes were sharp, and confidence emanated from his bones, "I have my own plans for everything!"
A head-on confrontation would undoubtedly lead to defeat, not victory.
But he wasn't Xu Lie and didn't have the habit of fighting to the death.
He certainly wouldn't let the Eagles soldiers die for him.
Seeing him like this, Zhou Jiao, though full of curiosity, refrained from asking.
He couldn't see through Li Zhonglou either, and after being with Fan Lei for so long, he couldn't even see through Fan Lei.
Of course, he had once thought he understood them, but now, with Li Zhonglou's current move, he felt he couldn't see through them anymore.
What exactly were Fan Da and Li Zhonglou up to?
Couldn't they just say it clearly? Must he rack his brains so much?
After staying for dinner at Ning Lang's, Li Zhonglou, unable to bear it further, decided not to stay at the Ning Residence but returned to the Han Palace.
There were two reasons for this.
Firstly, with Zhou Jiao at Ning Lang's, there were too many people. If he were Tian Shan, he wouldn't rashly make a move.
By staying at the Han Palace, he intended to use himself as bait to lure Tian Shan into making a move.
Secondly, he needed to earn money for Shen Yishou. Ten million in half a year was the target, and he was running short of funds. To protect his mother and wife at all costs, this money was essential.
Upon returning to the Han Palace, Xiao Yun was waiting for him in the hall.
Beside her was a young man with a cynical expression, his eyebrows conveying arrogance and self-importance.
Seeing him arrive, Xiao Yun said nothing and went up to hug Li Zhonglou as a form of comfort.
She had already learned about Li Zhonglou's situation from Lin Ying and knew that words were useless.
The young man looked Li Zhonglou up and down, his eyes filled with disdain. After the two separated, he asked contemptuously, "Sister Yun, is he the Li Zhonglou you spoke of, the one who's so incredible?"
"He just looks like a complete loser."
"He actually expects me to help him?"
His words were filled with naked contempt.
"Shut up, Xiao Da, I warn you. You are my brother, and he is also my brother," Xiao Yun turned and glared angrily at the young man, saying sternly, "If Li Zhonglou so much as loses a single hair while he's in Yong'an, I'll hold you accountable!"
Hearing the word "family rules," Xiao Da stiffened, his scalp tingling.
His animosity towards Li Zhonglou intensified.
"Sister Yun, I appreciate your kindness, but I don't need police protection."
Li Zhonglou glanced at Xiao Da once and then uttered words that shocked and infuriated him.
He had disguised himself specifically before coming, dressing like a young hoodlum. How could Li Zhonglou see through his pretense at a glance?