[Bonus chapter]40th Break: Narcissistic 

Meng Xing's eyes narrowed when he heard what Qiu Si said. "Even after you tortured him?" he asked.

Qiu Si nodded in affirmation. "En. He said that he will carry the secret to his grave." He answered.

"What did you do, then?" Meng Xing asked as he sipped his tea.

"I told him that we can negotiate with Lin Ze to not kill him." Qiu Si answered.

"And?" Meng Xing asked.

"He believed it." Qiu Si shook his head. "He then told us that the content of the crystal bottle can cure all illnesses, and can revive even the dead." He said.

"Oh?" Meng Xing's brow raised in surprise. "Do you believe it?" he asked.

Qiu Si shook his head. "I am not sure, until I see it with my own eyes." he answered. "Qiu Yi also didn't believe it."

Meng Xing smirked. Of course, there is no such thing that is easy to gain in this world. Cheap things are easy to get, and so are lies.

Qiu Si saw that their boss didn't get angry, and so he continued. "So, Qiu Yi and I told him that even if Lin Ze can let him go, but the Writhing Snake can't." he said.

Meng Xing chuckled. "How can the Writhing Snake let him go?" he asked. "Not only his mission failed, but he also exposed himself." He said. "And, he also let another member of theirs die due to him." he added when he recalled that person that Lin Ze killed after he found him sneaking around the Yang family's inn.

"En." Qiu Si nodded in agreement. "But, this Ah Yu didn't believe us." he said.

"Why?" Meng Xing asked, feeling surprised. "Is he so narcissistic that he thinks no one will kill him?" he asked.

Qiu Si paused when he heard what Meng Xing said. This made him recall Ah Yu mistaking that Lin Ze will take him as a concubine after Ah Yu heard them tell Lin Ze that they will give him to Lin Ze. Indeed, Ah Yu is really narcissistic. "… maybe." He answered.

But, Meng Xing of course is not stupid to think it this way. He could sense that this Ah Yu, who maybe is a narcissist, must have something that could make him act such way. "Why does he think that the Writhing Snake won't kill him?" he asked.

"He said that the Writhing Snake values him so much that he was the one they have chosen for this important mission." Qiu Si answered.

"Oh?" Meng Xing's brows raised, feeling interested.

This mission is very important, indeed, since many practitioners from jianghu snuck inside the capital, at the risk of breaking the balance between the palace and jianghu. Even though the emperor would be angry, but hey, they only snuck inside the capital and did nothing. It was someone who killed Wen Liao, not them. So, the emperor can't move his hands against them yet. Even Jin Peng was killed by someone from jianghu. Well, Jin Peng was also from jianghu despite his roots are in the capital. But Jin Peng was already removed from the Fang family's tree, so his head can't be counted.

Thus, they only have to find the person who killed Wen Liao. Both the emperor and the practitioners have this same goal, for the former wanted to restore the peace in the capital and give justice to Wen Liao. While for the latter, they wanted to take that crystal bottle that is rumored to be able to cure any illnesses, and even could revive someone from death.

"Did Ah Yu say why he was chosen?" Meng Xing asked.

Qiu Si started. He could guess what Meng Xing is thinking. Then, he recalled that other member of the Writhing Snake that Lin Ze killed. The Writhing Snake even sent someone to help Ah Yu… it seems that Ah Yu is really telling the truth?

"No." he shook his head.

This damn Ah Yu's mouth is really tight as a clam (stubborn).

"But, Qiu Yi told him that he was already caught by us." Qiu Si continued. "Even if we didn't catch him, nor Lin Ze won't kill him, but he (Ah Yu) already lost his usefulness." He said. "As boss said, not only he failed his mission, not only he blew out his cover, but he also made the Writhing Snake Gang lose another member." He said, referring to the person that Lin Ze killed.

Meng Xing is silent.

"Qiu Yi also added that even if it won't be us or Lin Ze, he will still be killed, that is by the other practitioners who are hiding in the capital." Qiu Si said. "This is to reduce their competitors." He said.

Meng Xing nodded in agreement. "Then, did he finally say why the Writhing Snake values him?" he asked.

"No." Qiu Si frowned. "He just remained silent after that." He said.

Meng Xing's expression is thoughtful. "This Ah Yu seems very loyal to his gang even after his death." He said.

Qiu Si nodded in agreement. When he and Qiu Yi told Ah Yu that Lin Ze will kill him, he got scared and so he told them a lie in order to keep his life. But, when they told him that his gang will kill him, he resisted. It seems that he is really loyal to the Writhing Snake Gang.

Meng Xing saw Lin Ze came out. "Send a letter to Jiang Xu and ask him about the recent movements in jianghu, aside from this crystal bottle." He spoke. "If he asks about our capture of Ah Yu, don't mention to him that we already know about this crystal bottle. Just tell him that Ah Yu didn't tell us anything, and that we only capture Ah Yu because he is disrupting the peace of the capital by acting as a ghost in the Yang family's inn." he told Qiu Si.

"Yes, boss." Qiu Si nodded in understanding and left without even sparing a glance to Lin Ze, who is approaching them.

Lin Ze looked at Qiu Si and his eyes narrowed. But, his attention is still on Meng Xing. "Meng Xing." He called.