This was the worst mistake ever! How could I have agreed to Wang Zhan's request? Wasn't I supposed to hate him? How did I suddenly become his subordinate?

What the young man didn't know was that if he had read a bit more, he might have understood why his relationship with Wang Zhan had become so bizarre. After all, some ancient books passed down from ancient times contained records of such dynamics. The records stated that if a pet behaves abnormally, its owner will most likely be more normal than any other individual. This is a highly probable occurrence. The problem was, if the pet became normal under the owner's domestication, then there was a high probability that the owner was, perhaps, extremely abnormal. In other words, either the pet was unbearable to look at, or the owner was.

That's why the once-frenzied young man was now behaving so seriously.

Of course, now that the reminiscing was over, it was clear that the stage now belonged to Wei Daoming and Edward. Anyone familiar with Wang Zhan's special status would understand that the existence of these two was far from as simple as it appeared on the surface. Perhaps with different phrasing, people could more quickly and clearly understand their identities: Manipulators of Fate! And now, their fate-manipulating hands were undoubtedly focused on Wang Zhan.

Of them, Wei Daoming was more upright and approachable, making it easy for people to draw near him. Edward, on the other hand, with his cold aura and expressionless face, tended to make people subconsciously want to keep their distance after just one glance.

Thus, Wei Daoming looked at Wang Zhan, whose mental power was still strong, but he didn't mention any details of the mission he had given Wang Zhan, nor any of its broader implications. Instead, he chuckled lightly and said, "Rest assured! With me here, absolutely no one can harm Yao Yao unless they step over my dead body. However, I'm afraid you'll have to endure this a little longer. We're still figuring out a way for you to leave here smoothly, though the process is a bit convoluted. You still need to wait..."

At that moment, a peculiar light flashed in Wang Zhan's eyes, and then he nodded indifferently.

But in a place unknown to anyone, in the depths of this young man, 'Wang Zhan's,' heart, he was muttering, Why does it seem like there's a problem no matter how I look at it? This was the first impression Wei Daoming gave him.

Of course, this wasn't a problem he should have been considering; it was a problem for Wang Zhan himself. So, when 'Wang Zhan' looked at Wei Daoming, despite the suspicion in his heart, he nodded and smiled inscrutably, leaving no flaw to be found.

For a moment, Wei Daoming's gaze also held a profound meaning, as if he had long since seen through Wang Zhan's scheme. The two looked at each other. Although few words were exchanged, it suddenly felt as if the air itself carried a hint of unspoken understanding, and things grew tranquil.

However, one couldn't imagine what kind of expression Wei Daoming would wear if he ever found out that he had, surprisingly, expressed his emotions to the wrong person.

Then it was Edward's turn.

After all, Wei Daoming hadn't really wanted to see Wang Zhan at this particular time. The timing was very sensitive; visiting Wang Zhan, whether for Wang Zhan's sake or his own, wasn't a good thing at all. It might even unexpectedly create more unforeseen complications for them both. Edward, however, was much simpler. He was here on a mission, and his past interactions with Wang Zhan had always been straightforward, never evasive. So, between them, there was naturally no friendship to speak of; instead, it seemed more like a routine matter, albeit a concise and effective one.

Therefore, once Wei Daoming had finished his conversation with Wang Zhan and it was Edward's turn to sit before him, Edward got straight to the point without any pretense. "I'm not curious, nor do I want to know what you've been through. However, there's one thing that might genuinely be part of your calculations: right now, you're actually very safe."

At this moment, a hint of admiration gradually appeared in Edward's eyes before quietly vanishing, unnoticed by anyone—not even by the young man sitting directly opposite him. A Martial Emperor is still a Martial Emperor. You might indeed be able to deceive them, but never expect to see through their secrets.

Then, Edward continued, "So, some people behind me are very interested in meeting you. Of course, not in prison; the timing isn't right. Perhaps you'll need to prepare for it when the time comes."

Whether Wang Zhan would consider it, or agree or disagree, was not within Edward's scope of consideration. In fact, after Wang Zhan was saved by the Federation's Big Four, he had gone directly from being a promising student of the Federal Martial Arts Academy to a mere tool. In other words, Wang Zhan had no right to resist!

But, as Edward finished speaking, the young man's expression subtly hardened. Edward assumed he was reluctant, little knowing that the young man had his own plans. Thus, the two could only gaze at each other.

And then... the air gradually grew colder, as if a frigid current had been mixed into it. Only when the Sun rose might this strangeness dissipate. Therefore, both men remained silent, each waiting for the other to back down and surrender.

However, these abrupt words instantly made Yao Yao's expression change. She wasn't a fool! So she naturally understood that the 'Wang Zhan' before her wasn't the real one. The problem was, Edward also didn't know that the young man he smugly assumed was before him had long since been swapped out for the real Wang Zhan. And precisely because of this, Edward's words seemed all the more genuine and, to Yao Yao, incredibly revealing.

For instance, why was there such strong pressure in Edward's words? Why was he so certain that Wang Zhan would agree to his invitation? Clearly, as Yao Yao had seen through it at a glance, it was quite simple. Behind Edward's words, there definitely lay some hidden secrets concerning Wang Zhan and the Federation's Big Four. And this secret had to be closely related to Wang Zhan, and it had to be the reason why Wang Zhan had ended up in his current situation. Moreover, Yao Yao was certain that this secret was definitely not something Wang Zhan had entered into voluntarily; rather, it carried an overwhelming air of coercion. Whenever she thought of that once-radiant young man having no choice but to bow his noble head before these people, involuntarily suppressing his own fiery spirit... Yao Yao felt entirely ill at ease! Why?! Why should the man she admired have to learn to bow his head before these people? Why... why could she, Yao Yao, only stand by and watch, powerless to do anything but be a spectator?

And so, the more Yao Yao thought about it, the more suffocated and aggrieved she felt. It even showed on her face, a coldness directed entirely at Edward.

Fortunately, Wei Daoming noticed this in time and quickly made a subtle gesture to Yao Yao, signaling her to remain calm. Therefore, Yao Yao bit down hard on her silver teeth. After the faint indentations vanished almost instantly, she finally quieted down.

As for 'Wang Zhan,' who had already revealed his true colors (literally, 'fox's tails') to Yao Yao, he surreptitiously glanced at her reaction. Seeing that although her face showed unwillingness, she didn't immediately refute anything, he finally breathed a sigh of relief internally.

I can tell this old fellow in front of me is by no means easy to deal with, 'Wang Zhan' thought. His eyes seem to hold the image of mountains of corpses and seas of blood; he looks at everyone and everything with a kind of condescending scrutiny. That alone is enough to prove his strength is absolutely terrifying! I can even imagine that if such a person were to truly erupt, I would be utterly annihilated, with no place left for my corpse!

Thus, Yao Yao's reaction immediately became the young man's only way to figure out the answer, and through it, he successfully understood the choices available to him. And this, in fact, was also one of the tasks the real Wang Zhan had assigned him.

Of course, because when Wang Zhan was in the Ming State Underground City, he hadn't had much time for such matters, and time was precious, fleeting in an instant. That's why he had carefully instructed the young man: if he were detained within the Federation, then his best course of action, being unfamiliar with the real Wang Zhan, was to do little and say little, acting according to the circumstances. Furthermore, he was absolutely not to meet or be alone with anyone other than Yao Yao or Qin Ying.

Evidently, all of this had once again proven Wang Zhan's unfortunate predictions correct. If Yao Yao hadn't been present today, it was quite possible the young man would have had his bones ground to dust and his ashes scattered; it would have been a near-fatal outcome.

Therefore, the young man, having understood this, continued to remain silent. Then, just like the real Wang Zhan might have, he fixed his gaze—devoid of any aggression, yet unyielding—on Edward, who clearly couldn't be bothered to explain anything.

One has to play the act out fully. Whatever the relationship between Edward and Wang Zhan, they clearly didn't get along; that was the bottom line.

So, after another minute or two of silence, the young man finally nodded impassively, his face showing not the slightest hint of helplessness or anger. "Fine," he said. "I'll find you after I get out."

As for which Wang Zhan would be the one to find him... that wasn't my problem. It would all depend on the arrangements of the real Wang Zhan, who was off enjoying himself somewhere, who knows where.

Regardless, once 'Wang Zhan' agreed, the coldness on Edward's face finally dissipated somewhat, as if their past enmity had been completely resolved. Even the air seemed to soften a little.

It was rather abrupt, and quite ironic...

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