noffsinger Chapter 149 Obedience Test
Chapter 149 Obedience Test
Ji Xing opened his eyes and sat up straight, but anyone with eyes could see that his complexion was still very bad.
“I dreamt of my mother.” Ji Xingyi took a slight breath: “There was someone in the water, it must have been a woman.”
Zhou Jue looked shocked: "Did you get a good look at her face?"
“She was underwater, I couldn’t see her, but her hands were small, they were a woman’s hands.”
Ji Xingyi didn't just identify the woman by her hands; he also remembered that the woman underwater had wrapped her arms around him from behind, and she had soft breasts.
But he couldn't say that.
Jiang Lin dislikes it most when others touch her things.
Thinking of this, images from the dream uncontrollably surfaced in Ji Xingyi's mind.
Jiang Lin said he was dirty, and Jiang Lin said he needed to wash himself clean.
“Xingyi?” Jiang Lin touched Ji Xingyi’s forehead.
After only two sentences, the man broke out in a cold sweat.
"It's nothing." Ji Xing shook his head, then looked up at Zhou Jue again: "I'm sure it's a woman."
“Alright!” Zhou Jue brought over several teacups and placed them at Jin Lushan’s residence, Qingshui Inn, Xishui Inn, and Song San Niang’s boating spot.
“Look, if you connect these locations together, you’ll find…” Zhou Jue placed the last teacup upside down at the location of the Three Lives Bridge: “It’s right here!”
Zhou Jue scanned the crowd: "I have a few strategies, please help me analyze them. The four of you participating in the Fan Beauty Contest, so focus on preparing for the competition. The rest of us will split up and act separately."
"First of all, the proprietresses of both Qingshui Inn and Xishui Inn are Song Erniang. The clue I found is that Song Erniang and Song Sanniang from the pleasure boat are sisters. The Qingxi tea that Song Erniang delivers every morning is a clue. Qingdai, the pleasure boat lady, died a violent death last night. We think we can arrange two teams to follow these two."
"Secondly, the Three Lives Bridge is a key location, and it would be best if someone went into the water to re-explore it."
Zhou Jue: "Finally, there's Jinlu Mountain, which is the most dangerous. But it's a place we have to go to. I plan to take someone there tonight. Does anyone want to come with me?"
Zhou Jue's tone was not harsh; he politely sought everyone's opinions.
"I'll go with you." Jingkang was the first to answer. Yang Yizhou was a little anxious, but was intimidated by Jingkang's eyes.
Having served in the army for many years, Jingkang exuded an imposing and righteous aura as he stood there. He took the initiative to extend his hand to Zhou Jue and smiled, saying, "Since you have chosen to join, I believe in you."
Wang Zhe was captivated by Jingkang's heroic spirit and immediately stood up straight, saying, "Then I'll go and follow the landlady!"
Yang Yizhou curled his lip, thinking that this big oaf was also going to break into the Jin residence at night, but it turned out he was just a coward with a strong exterior but a weak interior.
Jingkang patted Yang Yizhou on the shoulder: "Go and follow Song Sanniang!"
Yang Yizhou's eyes widened: "Why?"
Jingkang: "The flower boats travel by water, and you know the way best here, so you won't easily lose track of people!"
Chen Jiangqiao: "I don't trust Wang Zhe to handle things."
Wang Bo gritted his teeth: "I'm going to the Three Lives Bridge. I must find Qingya!"
“Okay!” Zhou Jue nodded, and told his other teammate to go with Wang Bo so that they could look out for each other.
In the end, only Jiang Lin was left, and Zhou Jue turned his head to look at him.
Jiang Lin stood up: "I'll go to the Jin residence with you, but not tonight."
Zhou Jue asked, annoyed, "Why?"
“Jin Lushan has many servants, and they are all in the mansion at night. It seems like everyone is asleep, but in reality, that's when the defenses are at their tightest. I think it's safer during the day.” Jiang Lin wondered if these people had watched too many TV dramas or what, because they all seemed to want to be night owls.
Su Yuning asked, puzzled, "But it's so bright during the day, it's too easy to be discovered."
“It’s precisely because it’s broad daylight that people are more relaxed. The best time is during the early morning shift change.” Jiang Lin chuckled. “If we could create some noise to lure Jin Lushan out, that would be even better.”
Zhou Jue nodded: "And the noise must be significant."
“He’s the mayor, we can set fire to the town. Let’s burn down half the town and see if he panics.” Jiang Lin’s lips curled up slightly, as if he were wearing a devil’s horn.
"That makes sense!" Su Yuning's eyes lit up: "We can steal oil tonight and set it on fire as soon as it's light!"
"These NPCs scare us every day! This time they've burned the entire Qingxi River dry!" Wang Zhe shouted excitedly, clenching his fist and raising it high: "Burn, burn, burn it all!"
Chen Jiangqiao hurriedly covered Wang Zhe's mouth: "Damn it, keep your voice down! Don't let the people in the inn hear us!"
Wang Zhe: "Holy shit, don't you fucking put your finger in my mouth!"
Chen Jiangqiao was furious: "You shut the hell up, do you think I'd put my mouth up like that?"
Everyone was amused by the two of them.
Even Guo Xinwen couldn't help but laugh. Watching the group of people working together, she seemed to see hope for life again.
The gloom that has been hanging over the players is gradually dissipating.
After the general discussion, Zhou Jue kept a few people behind to discuss the details. Jiang Lin first took Ji Xingyi back to the room to rest. When they reached the corridor, Jingkang, who had caught up from behind, called out to them.
Jingkang took a brown paper bag out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Ji Xingyi.
When Ji Xing opened it, he saw that it contained bright yellow ginger candy.
“My daughter refuses to take medicine when she is sick, so we always keep some candy at home.”
As Jingkang said this, a smile unconsciously appeared on his resolute face. He stepped forward and patted Ji Xingyi on the shoulder, saying, "Xingyi, try something sweet, and you won't feel so bad."
Ji Xingyi sensed the older man's kindness, and a slight smile finally appeared on his pale face: "Thank you."
Jiang Lin's eyes flickered slightly. After returning to her room, she locked the door and asked casually, "When did you become so familiar with Jingkang?"
"No, we just exchanged a few words before." Ji Xingyi looked at the bag of ginger candy. His mother never cared whether he took his medicine or not, let alone used candy to coax him.
"Then he still calls you Xingyi?" Jiang Lin walked up to the man and took the entire bag of ginger candy from his hand.
Feeling the weight disappear from her hands, Ji Xingyi was slightly taken aback and looked up at Jiang Lin.
"When did you become so trusting of others?" Jiang Lin chuckled.
Ji Xing felt a sense of familiarity with the scene before him; memories kept flashing through his mind. Fine beads of sweat appeared again on his forehead, which he had just wiped dry.
That night, Mi Lan knocked on their door, seeking cooperation.
After the boy left, Jiang Lin asked him.
"You don't seem to have this attitude towards Chen Jiangqiao and Liu Yangyang?"
"When did you become so trusting of others?"
Ji Xingyi had forgotten how he had answered back then. Looking at the young man in front of him now, he realized that the smile on Jiang Lin's lips never reached his eyes.
So Jiang Lin didn't kill Mi Lan for points as he previously thought?
Ji Xingyi's lips trembled slightly, and her already pale face looked even worse.
"Kill either him or him, and I'll forgive your hesitation just now."
Jiang Lin bent down and tenderly brushed the man's sweaty hair aside: "Are you still feeling unwell?"
Once again, a kaleidoscope of images appeared in Ji Xingyi's eyes.
"You can kill me too, since I can be resurrected anyway."
"Am I pressuring you? I'm giving you two choices."
"Kill me, and Mi Lan won't die; I can be resurrected. You can choose the happy ending you desire. Happiness, fulfillment!"
Compliance test?
Ji Xingyi's muddled mind caught this piece of information, making him unable to control the trembling in his shoulders.
Jiang Lin risked her life to force him to make a choice, so was all of this a test of obedience?
Ji Xingyi kept blinking, unable to tell whether the liquid running down his cheeks was sweat or tears.
I felt that even breathing was painful and unbearable.
Jiang Lin looked flustered and quickly knelt down to help the man who was about to fall.
"Kouichi!"
Ji Xingyi, enduring the pain, gripped the young man's arm tightly, gasping for breath as he pleaded, "Don't kill him..."
Jiang Lin's pupils dilated in shock: "What are you talking about?"
Ji Xingyi was soaked to the bone, just like three years ago. He struggled to get closer to the young man in front of him, touched Jiang Lin's lips, and pleaded, "I'm yours... please don't kill him..."