Miss Jiang, Which Layer Are You On?

"Lu Nianxin is a good choice, but there's also the risk of alarming the enemy," Jiang Xiaoci tilted her head slightly, offering her opinion. "We're still uncertain about the abilities that Liu Wenbo and the person behind him possess. Acting too rashly could provoke a reaction that puts us in a situation we can't control."

"Likewise, they're also unsure of our capabilities and don't know how much we've uncovered. So, they probably won't let Liu Wenbo expose himself too early."

"Given the current situation... the best course of action is to avoid interfering with Liu Wenbo for now," Jiang Xiaoci continued after a pause. "If Liu Wenbo had the ability to directly affect you, he probably would have done so by now. If you haven't noticed anything unusual, it means he doesn't have that kind of power yet."

"He likely needs some kind of information or a specific medium to reel you in, to observe you in person... We just need to ensure he doesn't get access to that medium while we keep a close watch for any signs of weakness."

Jiang Xiaoci's approach was steady and cautious. Whenever Mike's life was at stake, she didn't take chances. She preferred to control the situation, using stillness to counteract any hasty moves.

"The more eager they are for results, the more likely they'll slip up," she said calmly.

"Wait!" Mike suddenly interrupted, his brow furrowing. "Xiaoci, aren't you missing something?"

"If I'm right, the current situation is this: we know Liu Wenbo is a problem, but they don't know that we know."

Mike took a deep breath. "Based on their apparent intention to leave Liu Wenbo in play, he's a pawn, meant to lure others into probing the cause of his madness. If we don't investigate, won't that essentially tell them we know Liu Wenbo is compromised?"

Mike often felt that thinking through these situations was a burden. But with his life at risk, he had no choice but to strain his mind.

"Sir." Jiang Xiaoci sounded surprised. "You're so clever to have thought of that so quickly!"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Mike blinked, realizing something was off. "Do you have a different plan in mind? Have I gone in the wrong direction again?"

"Not exactly," Jiang Xiaoci smiled softly. "Your idea is right. If we play along with their scheme, we could draw out their intentions. But we'd be taking a bigger risk, since we'd be walking straight into their trap. A small misstep could turn their fake plan into the real deal."

"As you said, by not investigating Liu Wenbo's behavior, we'll signal to them that we already know there's something wrong."

"Exactly," Mike murmured as he absorbed her words. "If they know we've figured them out, they'll either pull Liu Wenbo out of the game or confront us directly to see what we know. Either way, our chances improve while we avoid unnecessary risks."

Jiang Xiaoci's approach was sound. Mike remained silent for a moment, pondering her strategy.

If they chose not to investigate Liu Wenbo, they would deliberately expose the fact that they were aware of his issues, forcing their enemy into a dilemma: either retreat or engage.

"If they retreat, it's no loss to us. We've only lost some information, but at least we've secured ourselves for now. If they stay... well, that's when we'll start seeing more cracks in their plan," Mike concluded.

Jiang Xiaoci's analysis had always been on point, but Mike couldn't help but feel the pressure. It wasn't easy to outmaneuver an opponent this skilled.

"Ugh..." Mike winced, rubbing his temples. "Xiaoci, how can you be so sure they'll play according to your plan?"

"Sir, if they don't, they won't be a threat anymore," Jiang Xiaoci replied quietly. "I'm calculating how they'll win. A true player doesn't make moves that lead to defeat. If they have any tricks up their sleeve, I'll know soon enough."

Mike thought about it for a moment, then exhaled sharply. "So, you're saying they'll keep Liu Wenbo around, even if we've exposed this information?"

Jiang Xiaoci nodded softly. "Exactly."

Mike cursed under his breath. "Damn it, why does it feel like I'm stuck in a chess game with no way out?"

He felt a pang of sadness. He didn't like this path, but it seemed like it was the only option.

"This world is always like this," Jiang Xiaoci said gently. "Fate makes us do what we least want to."

She paused as if deep in thought before continuing. "But don't worry, sir. We're all supporting you."

"Xiaoci, why did you stop there for a moment?" Mike asked, sensing something was off.

Jiang Xiaoci smiled, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Oh, someone came to ask how to handle a shelter. Something about it being called 'Merciless'."

"What did they do that made you take charge?"

"It wasn't a big deal. I sent them to Captain Chen for handling."

Jiang Xiaoci suddenly looked toward the direction of Xinchang, a meaningful smile on her lips. "That Chen Xun... he's quite interesting."