Chapter 441: I Have a Method
Yang Haoran's reminder was not without reason. After all, the existence of a restrictive barrier couldn't be judged by its surface alone. It was like people; those who smiled weren't necessarily truly happy, and those who cried weren't necessarily truly in pain. If one only looked at the surface, they might end up suffering a great loss.
"From your analysis, it sounds like if we want to enter the manor, we'll have to go through the front gate," Ye Zhiqiu asked.
"Do you have a better idea? " Yang Haoran didn't answer Ye Zhiqiu's question, instead asking one of his own.
"A direct assault. Anyone who dares block my path, I'll kill them," Ye Zhiqiu said in a deep voice.
Hearing this, Yang Haoran glanced in surprise at Ye Zhiqiu beside him. At this moment, Ye Zhiqiu's face was filled with murderous intent, and an unconcealable anxiety shone in his eyes.
"A direct assault, huh, hehe. You can't even sense the restrictive barrier, so how can you sense how many enemies are inside the manor? Are you so sure there are only those five Demon Hunters in the manor? If some of them aren't in the manor right now, that'd be fine; dealing with them would be much simpler. But if all five of them are in the manor right now, and perhaps even other formidable guests are visiting, do you think a direct assault would result in their deaths, or ours? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu took a deep breath, trying to forcibly suppress the turmoil within him, but the effect was not obvious.
"I can tell you care about her deeply. If that's the case, why not bravely face yourself instead of tormenting yourself?"
Yang Haoran hadn't intended to say this, but seeing Ye Zhiqiu's current state, he couldn't help but offer a reminder.
"Brother Underworld Official, don't mind him, he's just crazy! " Bai Xue scoffed.
This time, Ye Zhiqiu didn't bicker with Bai Xue. He gazed at the manor, his expression incredibly complex, the anxiety in his eyes even more intense than before.
Although Ye Zhiqiu had brusquely rejected Yang Haoran's words, a great ripple had nonetheless stirred within his heart.
"I actually don't want to meddle in your affairs, but your current state isn't a good sign. If you can't calm down a little, I'm afraid you'll cause us a lot of trouble in our next move."
Yang Haoran's reminder made Ye Zhiqiu take another deep breath. If he hadn't sealed the power fluctuations within his body, he would have genuinely wanted to open his independent space, pull out a case of beer, and chug several cans at once.
Yang Haoran didn't provoke Ye Zhiqiu further, and he also stopped Bai Xue from seizing the opportunity to get in another jab.
A moment later, Ye Zhiqiu's emotions had stabilized somewhat, though the anxiety in his eyes remained evident. However, compared to earlier, his current state was already quite good.
"With your powerful senses, can you detect how many power fluctuations are within the manor? " Ye Zhiqiu asked.
"The distance is too great, and with the restrictive barrier isolating it, I can't tell," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
Ye Zhiqiu was silent for a moment, then thought about it and gritted his teeth, saying, "How about I find a way to sneak in and scout out the situation?"
Hearing this, Yang Haoran shook his head, rejecting Ye Zhiqiu's suggestion.
"In your current state, sneaking in would only mess things up. Besides, how would you even get in?"
Ye Zhiqiu's face was grim, his brows tightly furrowed, and he said nothing more.
"I think we could wait outside for them," Bai Xue suggested. "The manor has a barrier, so maybe they'll drive the target out of the manor."
"People accustomed to spatial teleportation rarely choose to travel by car unless absolutely forced to, or if they just want a leisurely drive. Although the manor is enveloped by a barrier, temporarily dispelling it before tearing open space for teleportation isn't difficult and wouldn't delay them much. Furthermore, not all restrictive barriers affect spatial teleportation. What if they have some special method to teleport out of the manor without affecting the barrier? Wouldn't we be waiting outside in vain then? " Yang Haoran explained.
Bai Xue thought for a moment and decided that Yang Haoran's analysis wasn't without merit.
"How about I just find a way to sneak in? What do you think, Brother Underworld Official? " Bai Xue asked.
"You? " Yang Haoran glanced at Bai Xue beside him, then asked with a smile, "How do you plan to sneak in?"
"Well, hehe, of course, I'd take off my mask and use my beauty to charm the handsome guards at the manor entrance. Those five Demon Hunters certainly won't be guarding the entrance, so I'll pretend to be an acquaintance of the manor's owner. While I can't guarantee 100% success, it's not entirely impossible either. After all, I have some confidence in my abilities," Bai Xue said with a seductive laugh, removing her mask to reveal her exquisitely beautiful face.
"It's too dangerous for you to go in alone. After all, we don't know the current situation inside the manor. If you accidentally expose yourself, your situation would be perilous. We might not even be able to rescue you in time. Once you fall into their hands, it goes without saying that you'd definitely become their upcoming New Year's gift," Yang Haoran said.
As he spoke, Yang Haoran's expression subtly shifted. He seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
When Bai Xue heard Yang Haoran's words, she had been about to boast about her own beauty, but she happened to witness the change in his expression.
"Brother Underworld Official, have you thought of something? " Bai Xue asked curiously.
Yang Haoran nodded, his smile deepening.
"What you just said reminded me. Perhaps I have a method that could work."
As his voice fell, Yang Haoran turned his gaze to Ye Zhiqiu and asked, "You mentioned earlier that these five Demon Hunters don't know what your relationship with that demon is. Are you really certain?"
Ye Zhiqiu didn't know what Yang Haoran was planning, but he grimly nodded, once again giving Yang Haoran an affirmative answer.
"I'm certain."
"Do both you and the demon know these five Demon Hunters? " Yang Haoran continued to ask.
"Yes, we know them, but only superficially. Although we're all Demon Hunters, our values differ, so we're not on the same path at all. We rarely interact," Ye Zhiqiu replied.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then continued, "Let me ask you one more question. Since you know these Demon Hunters, why didn't you just spend a large sum of money to trade for the target from them directly back then? That would have been both safe and hassle-free. Why bother looking for me?"
Ye Zhiqiu shook his head, then said, "If I could have traded for her, why would I go to such great lengths? I inquired about it before I sought you out and learned that none of the five of them had any intention of trading the female demon away. Instead, they collectively decided to use her as a gift to curry favor with the branch association. It was virtually impossible for me to obtain her from them."
"If the benefits were sufficient, wouldn't they be tempted? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
In Yang Haoran's view, as long as the benefits were sufficient, there was no reason for the other party not to be tempted. However, after a brief thought, he understood why this path wouldn't work for Ye Zhiqiu.
Because Ye Zhiqiu was not wealthy.
As expected, Ye Zhiqiu's next words confirmed his suspicion.
"Of course, sufficient benefits would move them. The key is that I can't offer them anything appealing enough. The Demon Pill I promised you was already on credit. Do you think I could produce something that would tempt them? " Ye Zhiqiu said.
"Couldn't you also get credit from them? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"Those five wouldn't fall for that trick. Giving the female demon to the branch association provides immediate benefits and could even influence their future development. Do you think they'd give the female demon to the branch association, or agree to let me buy her on credit and hand her over to me instead?"
"Furthermore, I'm notorious in our circle for not being interested in women. If I suddenly spent a fortune to acquire a female demon from them, it would also arouse suspicion. But that's secondary, after all, it wouldn't be difficult to explain. The main issue is simply that I'm too poor."
After Ye Zhiqiu's explanation, the plan in Yang Haoran's mind matured further.
"You haven't specifically discussed trading for the female demon directly with the five of them, have you? " Yang Haoran continued to ask with a smile.
"No, the information I got was all from indirect inquiries. I didn't directly approach the five of them," Ye Zhiqiu replied.
"Alright then, I have a plan. See if you think it'll work."
As he spoke, the smile on Yang Haoran's face deepened, and his eyes curved into crescent moons. His smile looked both radiant and benevolent, like the warm sun of spring.
However, those familiar with Yang Haoran knew well that beneath that sunny smile, sharp daggers lay hidden.
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