After Qin Siyang finished asking his question, he gave a faint smile and looked at Zheng Mubian.
Zheng Mubian was still sitting upright, posture rigid and straight.
But the hands resting on his knees had unconsciously begun to clasp together tighter and tighter.
The look he gave Qin Siyang was intensely probing, like a hunter searching for a nest, determined to dig out his prey.
Qin Siyang remained calm and composed, leaving Zheng Mubian with nothing to gain.
Zheng Mubian then shifted his gaze to Chu Baxing, "Baxing, was this something you told student Qin?"
Chu Baxing shook his head, "No. My relationship with him isn't that good."
Zheng Mubian took a deep breath and looked back at Qin Siyang, "So, the idea that I could teach you how to turn ordinary people into Sequence ability users was entirely something you deduced on your own?"
"Chief of Staff Zheng, didn't I already explain my reasoning to you?"
"But it was a little too accurate."
"There's nothing accurate or inaccurate about it. I was just guessing in the direction of what I need most right now. How to solve the manpower problem has been giving me a headache for a long time. I didn't expect that Chief of Staff Zheng could actually solve this biggest headache for me."
Zheng Mubian was rendered silent by Qin Siyang's words.
After thinking alone for a long while, he laughed twice, "Student Qin, you really do live up to your name."
Qin Siyang looked at Zheng Mubian curiously, "The first time you said that, it was politeness. The second time, it was praise. What does it mean this time?"
"It's a sigh."
Zheng Mubian looked at Qin Siyang and again said nothing for a long time.
Yet Qin Siyang seemed to see a trace of depth in Zheng Mubian's gaze.
At the same time, Qin Siyang's mind was also racing, plans turning over again and again as he mapped out what came next.
After a long while, Qin Siyang spoke first, "Chief of Staff Zheng, something this important, we should talk about it another day. Compared to that, I'd like to understand the deal between the Chu Legion and the Zhao family…"
Just as Qin Siyang was about to change the subject, Zheng Mubian spoke decisively, "Since you've already guessed it, then I'll tell you directly how ordinary people become Sequence ability users."
"Wait a moment," Qin Siyang didn't let Zheng Mubian continue, "Chief of Staff Zheng, are there no conditions for telling me how ordinary people become Sequence ability users? I'm afraid that after you tell me, the price you ask of me will be too high for me to pay. So we'd better settle everything clearly first before moving on."
Zheng Mubian said frankly, "There were conditions originally. Now, there are none."
"There's no such thing as a free lunch."
"Our conversation just now made me think you're worth it."
"Does Commander Chu agree?"
"Before I came, the Commander told me to handle all matters of contacting you at my own discretion."
"But Chief of Staff Zheng…"
"Stop dragging this out," Zheng Mubian waved a hand and cut Qin Siyang off, "Qin Siyang, I just praised you. Don't start playing tricks with me now!"
Qin Siyang looked astonished, "What does Chief of Staff Zheng mean by that?"
"Hmph! What do I mean? When it comes to brains, I admit I'm not as good as you. You've got a bit of a demonic edge. But when it comes to schemes, I've been rolling around in the mud for decades. I'm not going to throw my back out in front of you. You think I don't know what you're thinking?"
"Chief of Staff Zheng, I really don't understand."
"Then I'll spell it out!", Zheng Mubian's brows knitted tightly, "After you guessed that there's a way to turn ordinary people into Sequence ability users, your attitude did a complete one-eighty. You clearly said recruiting soldiers was your biggest headache, yet you kept dodging and refusing to let me tell you the solution."
"You're thinking that since I can tell you this method, it means quite a few people know it. You think you can go ask Zhao Longfei, or ask someone else, and still get the answer you want. There's no need to owe me or the Chu Legion a favor."
Listening to Zheng Mubian, Chu Baxing's face was full of disbelief.
'How is that possible?'
'Just a few sentences, and there are that many twists hidden inside?'
'Is Zheng Mubian overthinking it?'
But when he turned to look at Qin Siyang, he saw Qin Siyang give an awkward smile and say nothing.
The confusion in his heart instantly turned into shock.
Zheng Mubian's tone turned cold and authoritative, "Qin Siyang, having a sharp mind is your strength. But remember this. Don't calculate everything too precisely."
"The confirmation that there exists a way to turn ordinary people into Sequence ability users came from my mouth. Then you should talk it through with me to the end. That's the most basic rule."
Hearing this, Qin Siyang felt helpless inside.
'Rules?'
What rules did military people ever really have.
If the person sitting across from him weren't the controller of a major power, how could they possibly pressure him like this.
Qin Siyang truly didn't want to owe the Chu Legion a favor.
Because from beginning to end, every interaction had left him with a poor impression of the Chu Legion.
Today's conversation with Zheng Mubian was no different.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Chu Xiao'ang and Zheng Mubian were domineering in exactly the same way.
But Chu Xiao'ang had said before that fists determined the right to speak.
Qin Siyang could only silently nod, forcibly accepting this favor from the Chu Legion.
Zheng Mubian continued, "You might think this information could be easily obtained from someone else."
"But I can tell you plainly that although quite a few people know about this matter, it definitely does not include the Zhao brothers."
'Something Zhao Longteng and Zhao Longfei don't know?'
Qin Siyang lowered his brows, putting on a look of listening attentively.
But inwardly, he didn't take it seriously at all.
'Zhao Longfei, that peeping maniac, is no simple character.'
The more familiar Qin Siyang became with Zhao Longfei, the more Zhao Longfei's casually revealed capabilities amazed him.
The last time they raided Li Tianming's place, Zhao Longfei even knew about Zhang Kuang being assassinated, a detail only a handful of people would be aware of. Let alone the military's large-scale movements involving hundreds or thousands of people at a time.
Qin Siyang now even believed that within the entire safe zone, as long as more than three people knew about something, the Zhao family probably knew it too.
Zheng Mubian's understanding of the Zhao family was far too shallow. Arrogant to the extreme.
Did he really think the Zhao family was just a gang that kept its head down and played meek inside the safe zone?
Between the lines of Zhao Longfei's words, there were many secrets within the Zhao family that even Zhao Longfei himself didn't know. Maybe in the shadows, the Zhao family had already formed a Sequence ability force, waiting for the right moment to act.
As if sensing Qin Siyang's silent doubt, Zheng Mubian gave a contemptuous smile and added, "You look like you don't believe what I'm saying? If the Zhao family knew how to turn ordinary people into Sequence ability users, how could they have spent all these years burrowing underground, being suppressed everywhere in the open, instead of directly establishing a Zhao-character Corps?"
Qin Siyang continued to lower his head, not letting Zheng Mubian see his expression.
He helplessly curled the corner of his mouth, feeling that Zheng Mubian's words all pointed to one thing. He, and perhaps even the Chu Legion, had seriously misjudged the Zhao family's strength.
Looking down on others only plants the seeds of destruction. Treating a power this lightly was bound to make someone stumble sooner or later…
'Wait. Something feels off?'
Qin Siyang's gaze suddenly froze.
Zheng Mubian was a fierce figure who had survived life and death in the Chu Legion and occupied the second-in-command position. He had even just talked about his own seasoned scheming. How could he possibly make such a rookie mistake of underestimating an enemy?
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