**Chapter 206: Preparing the Plan**
After Lu Liangting left, the convenience store fell silent, leaving Zhao Mingyue as the sole employee. She tidied up the empty bottles on the table, casually tossing them into the trash bin, and wiped the table with a tissue before returning to work behind the counter.
During the day, she was the only staff member in the store, with Li Tianan covering for her when she wasn’t around. If things got tough, they’d just close up. According to Li Tianan, he wasn’t in it for the money; there were other reasons behind running a convenience store.
Sitting behind the counter, Zhao Mingyue fiddled with her rabbit plush toy.
“The Gatekeeper organization is pretty shady, lacking some clear stances. This definitely counts as chaotic evil.”
Just by hearing their name and knowing what they usually do, one might assume they’re a bastion of justice, guarding the Ghost Gate to keep the evil spirits from harming people.
But a closer look reveals they’re far from the benevolent facade they present.
This group is badly managed and has too many selfish motives. They might be morally bankrupt, yet they use their learned skills to hurt others. Take An Tianhe, for example; he utilizes his underlings, the wicked spirits, to carry out dastardly deeds. The number of people who died at their hands far exceeds those who’ve faced the true horrors of the Ghost Gate.
Yet, Zhao Mingyue didn’t want to dwell on it. After all, these folks aren’t an official organization or a charity. Essentially, they’re akin to the Ghost Domain.
“These folks are really despicable. They’ve managed to twist even Lu Liangting’s sunny disposition. They’re no different from the Ghost Domain. No wonder the Store Manager jotted down so many names on those lists for us.”
Zhao Mingyue stretched lazily, peeking outside to see no customers around. Resting her elbow on the counter, she propped her chin up with her hand, her eyelids drooping as she fought off sleep.
“Yue Mei, what do you think those people want with Lu Nianqiu’s ashes? It’s not like Nianqiu has been gone for ages. Will they not even let the dead rest in peace?”
“They want Lu Nianqiu’s soul.” The rabbit plush toy’s red eyes glinted with an eerie light. “They must have been trying for ages, but since they haven’t found it, Lu Nianqiu’s soul is crucial for them, prompting this desperate move.”
“That makes sense! Lu Liangting’s family is wealthy. If they release his father, the repercussions will be severe, just like the Store Manager said. In that world, the Lu family can’t intervene, but life goes on, doesn’t it? If they meddle with reality, they’ll end up behind bars or worse—assassination! Even these guys can’t handle that.”
“This matter pertains to An Que. Even if it’s not directly him, it involves people of equal rank.”
“Elaborate a bit; I’m having trouble keeping up, Yue Mei.”
“Simply put, it’s a task assigned by the high-ups like An Que, cascading down through layers until it reaches its current state.”
“Layered assignments? So they handed it off to underlings who then sought others?”
“Exactly.”
“Does this lead have any significance?”
“It’s about messaging.” The rabbit plush toy lowered its head and pointed a padded arm at Zhao Mingyue’s phone on the table. “Contact Chen Yunshi and have her wait at that park this afternoon.”
“Got it.”
·
·
Two o’clock in the afternoon.
The weather today is not great; dark clouds hang overhead, threatening rain at any moment. The air is damp, and a refreshing breeze cuts through the July heat, making it feel pleasantly cool. The forecast predicts a downpour in three hours.
The park nearby is deserted, with hardly anyone in sight.
“You really dared to come here? Aren’t you afraid Bai Yu will stab you?” The Thousand Eyes Godmother materialized beside Chen Yunshi as a head formed from black mist, her features clearer than before.
“Bringing you here at this hour with not a soul around? If someone went on a killing spree, there wouldn’t even be a witness.”
“And you couldn’t clarify via text, insisting on waiting for me to spill the beans. There’s definitely something suspicious about that. Why don’t we just skip this? Who cares about An Que or whatever? Wouldn’t it be nice to live somewhere no one knows us, dear?”
“Am I not enough for you?”
Chen Yunshi looked as immaculate as always, in a sleek, form-fitting black dress that accentuated her curves, her long curls casually draped behind her, held with a hair tie that didn’t give off a clumsy vibe. From her neck’s necklace to her crystal earrings and rimless glasses, her aura was elevated.
But ironically, her perfectly done-up face didn’t match her current expression, which was twisted in an irritable scowl.
“Qian Mu, quit being insane. If Bai Yu wanted to k*ll me, she would’ve done it last night instead of letting us live to this point.”
“Oh wow, calling Bai Yu by her name makes you sound close! But you’re right. However, Chen Yunshi, have you ever considered why Bai Yu hasn’t made a move on you?”
Qian Mu leaned in closer, whispered in Chen Yunshi’s ear. “That’s because she doesn’t see you as a threat—who could respect someone so weak and timid?”
“You’re like a diode amongst everyone else, flaunting your superiority like a queen.”
“And with someone like Bai Yu, you drop from your lofty throne into a docile little sheep.”
“Okay, okay, not a diode; let’s say it’s a difference in image. There’s only one Bai Yu in this world.”
Chen Yunshi grit her teeth, hating the fact that she couldn’t nail this j*rk.
“Shut your mouth!”
“Oh dear, I won’t say another word. Bye bye!” The Thousand Eyes Godmother vanished in an instant, and Chen Yunshi’s expression shifted as she lifted her gaze, spotting three figures on a nearby bench, seemingly staring at her because of her earlier outburst.
Feeling like facepalming, Chen Yunshi hastily walked over.
“It’s fine, I wasn’t speaking to you.”
The three people—one ranked first on the list, another third.
If they were still in their previous identities, it would have definitely sent shockwaves to see these two sitting together for a relaxed collab discussion.
Even now, if anyone found out that the Doctor and the Dragon Lady were teaming up, they wouldn’t sleep a wink at night! But on a bright note, at least she was temporarily allied with these two weirdos.
“Is this meeting really necessary here?”
The Dragon Lady removed her sunglasses, maintaining her mature look despite her youthful attire. “We do have something to discuss. The Doctor and I just outlined the basic framework of our plan, and it’s a rather intriguing one.”
“This plan is of utmost importance and affects a lot.”
Implied distrust lingered in her words, but Chen Yunshi understood.
“It relates to An Que?”
“Yes.”
“That works for me. I don’t need anything else, just this guy’s life. If you’re worried about trust, feel free to ask me anything you need. Whatever I can help with, I will. This plan won’t leak from my end.”
Crossing her arms, Chen Yunshi stated, “I have no contact with anyone else for now, especially not Nightmare. She came looking for me three weeks ago, and I have no idea how she figured out my identity. Regardless, she was pitching a collab, which I declined.”
Nightmare was the Doctor’s sworn enemy, and given her strength, she posed the biggest threat. Clearing her name was essential.
“Mingyue,” the Dragon Lady turned, beaming. “Share your plan with Teacher Chen. Just the gist will do; she’ll understand.”
“Sure.” Zhao Mingyue rummaged in her bag for a notebook containing the outline she drafted at lunch.
She briefly detailed her plan to Chen Yunshi, who, upon hearing it, couldn’t help but shift her gaze slightly.
It was a massive plan—hardly astonishing.
The catch? It was Zhao Mingyue who proposed it, and even the Doctor had no objections.
Before she could respond, the Thousand Eyes Godmother popped out of nowhere.
“This plan is perfect! Well done, little sister.”
“If you want to use my power, feel free.”
“If An Que discovers I left Eternal Life Village, he’d definitely have a hilariously interesting expression.”
“I wonder if he’ll send someone to persuade me to let go of my grudges, or play dumb and surround me with a group to ambush me.”
The Thousand Eyes Godmother was keen to see how it unfolded, although she had a pretty good guess.
She tried to reach out to ruffle Zhao Mingyue’s hair, only to be blocked by Bai Yu’s blade. The Thousand Eyes halted, chuckling, “My bad, my bad! I mean no harm; I just think this girl has certainly outdone me back in the day.”
“An Que won’t catch on to anything, will he? Isn’t he supposed to know you well?” Zhao Mingyue whispered.
“No worries. If he truly understood me, he wouldn’t have escaped from Eternal Life Village.” The Thousand Eyes Godmother’s gaze drifted elsewhere. After a pause, she added, “By the way, I’ll head to the address you’ve given me tonight. Leave two people alive to carry the news back; don’t worry about revealing my identity.”
“As long as those two pass the message to An Que, he’ll surely connect the dots that it’s me. It’ll save us all time, don’t you think?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Chen Yunshi shot a glare at the Thousand Eyes Godmother before turning to leave.
If it were up to her, she would rather not be involved with Bai Yu or the Dragon Lady.
Once Chen Yunshi was gone, the Dragon Lady plopped herself squarely between Bai Yu and Zhao Mingyue.
“This dude seriously hasn’t changed one bit.”
“Need me to step in tonight?”
“Our little male protagonist’s really been put through the wringer, forced to kneel.”
“I thought he’d go berserk instead; turns out he came looking for you.”
The Dragon Lady wrapped her arm around Bai Yu’s as Zhao Mingyue looked on in shock.
“You’re my backup, the woman who’s got my back, right?”
