160: (Additional update) Come on, little friend Zhuang Sanming

Night fell, and it was the selection area for the Axe Gang.

The afternoon training had ended, and dinner was over. The two coaches didn't seem to intend to stay at the training ground any longer and returned to their dorms one after another.

Zhuang Sanming took the opportunity to wander around outside. To avoid drawing attention, he even brought along his 'minions.'

"Big Brother, where are you taking us? Is there something important we need to do?" Tao Erbao rubbed his hands, seemingly excited.

Zhuang Sanming lightly coughed twice and said, "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. Just follow me."

"Alright!" The more he said that, the more Tao Erbao felt that what they were about to do was extremely important.

Otherwise, why wouldn't Big Brother let him ask?

Zhuang Sanming was too lazy to explain so much to them. After two days of getting along, he had seen through these people. No matter how seriously he tried to explain to them, in the end, they would only believe what they thought in their hearts.

So, Zhuang Sanming simply gave up. If he didn't explain, perhaps they could imagine things themselves. In any case, as long as it didn't delay his business, it was fine.

"You guys, be quiet later. Disperse to different places. If anyone comes, quickly make a bird call to notify me. Understood?"

Zhuang Sanming instructed them.

"Understood!" The four replied in unison, all looking quite reliable.

But Zhuang Sanming knew they weren't reliable at all.

However, it didn't matter, as long as they dispersed and didn't all cling to him.

"Alright, scatter!" Zhuang Sanming said in a low voice.

The four then went in different directions, observing if anyone suddenly approached.

This time, Zhuang Sanming didn't plan to check the tin houses again but observed other areas.

He had been here for less than two days and hadn't even seen the entire selection area yet.

"Huh?"

Zhuang Sanming was about to walk behind the tin houses to see if there were any other buildings, when he suddenly noticed a group of black ants on the ground near his feet.

The night was deep, and if he hadn't been focused, it would have been difficult to spot these ants.

He immediately stopped, afraid of stepping on them.

If it had been before he met Ximen Chuifeng, he wouldn't have even noticed when some ants appeared under his feet.

But now, he understood that ants should not be underestimated.

So Zhuang Sanming squatted down, looked at his surroundings, and after confirming there was no one else, he quietly asked, "Were you sent by Uncle Ximen to deliver a message to me?"

After speaking, he regretted it. Ants couldn't understand what he was saying.

And these ants might not even be sent by Ximen Chuifeng.

However, just as he was about to stand up and move forward, another group of ants appeared in front. They all held up their antennae, collectively carrying an envelope.

Zhuang Sanming: !!!

Oh my goodness, no way, this actually works?

Truly worthy of Uncle Ximen!

Zhuang Sanming quickly took the envelope in his hand. It read: Urgent, Zhuang Sanming, read quickly.

That urgent?

Zhuang Sanming hastily tore open the envelope.

Inside were a few lines of text:

【You have been hired by the Alchemy Hall of the Guild! The employment notice has been sent to your home and is currently held by Su Duo. The Alchemy Hall awaits your reply. If you wish to work for the Alchemy Hall, take this letter and leave the selection area. Anyway, the Valley Master of Hundred Flowers Valley has successfully infiltrated the Axe Gang, so your line is not as important.

If you do not plan to go to the Alchemy Hall, please burn this letter after reading.】

After reading the contents of the letter, Zhuang Sanming's expression became unusually solemn.

Yes, being hired by the Alchemy Hall did not excite him in the slightest.

"Why now of all times?"

"Why?"

Zhuang Sanming asked himself two questions in a low voice, then let out a deep sigh.

He pulled out a lighter from his pocket and, without hesitation, burned both the letter and the envelope in his hand.

He watched them slowly turn to ashes.

This Ximen Chuifeng, to say such nonsense as 'take the letter and leave the selection area'—he clearly knew it was impossible for him to just leave!

Zhuang Sanming knew that he might usually like to play little tricks, but he understood the principle of being loyal to a task entrusted to him.

A promise made must be kept.

Becoming an employee of the Alchemy Hall was indeed a very important matter for him, even one that could determine the direction of his entire future.

But how could he leave at this critical moment?

The plan was at a crucial stage; how could it proceed without him, the planner??

Damn it.

Precisely at this moment... The ashes of the burned letter drifted away with the wind, as if they had never existed.

Zhuang Sanming sighed deeply again, then prepared to stand up.

As a result, he saw another group of ants appear before him, carrying another letter.

Zhuang Sanming: ???

His legs were almost numb from squatting.

He took the letter from the ants. Nothing was written on the envelope, but after opening it, there was a lot of content inside:

【Little friend Zhuang Sanming, if you are seeing this letter, it means you have successfully 'burned after reading' the previous letter.

Since you have decided to continue with this plan, I will share the intelligence I currently possess with you.

First, little sister Su Duo has successfully placed an order with the Bingyan Office and safely returned to the Su Family. Although she went to the forest with the mercenaries, she found nothing.

However, the Crimson Flame Ants discovered a lot.

After the mercenaries arrived in the forest, they didn't rush to fulfill the order little sister Su Duo placed. Instead, they first captured several Five Thunder Rats.

That's right, the Five Thunder Rats that aren't strong in attack but are extremely resilient. The Five Thunder Rats they captured were all Tier 1 to Tier 3.

The Crimson Flame Ants asked some of the ants in the forest. According to them, the Five Thunder Rats in the outer perimeter of the forest used to be very numerous. Rats, after all, have strong reproductive capabilities, with several in a litter, and they always prefer to gather in dark, damp places, rarely seen by humans.

However, recently, many of the Five Thunder Rats in the outer perimeter have mysteriously disappeared. Their current numbers are at least one-third less than before.

I investigated, and the period they mentioned coincides precisely with the time after the Beheading Agency in the Wall disappeared overnight and the Bingyan Office took its place.

Although I haven't yet found out what they are capturing these Five Thunder Rats for, I reasonably suspect that they might be using these resilient Five Thunder Rats as experimental subjects.

I will continue to investigate the specifics, and I will also relay this information to Xiong Mao and the others, so you don't have to worry.

Keep up the good work, little friend Zhuang Sanming. With us here, your plan will surely be completed successfully.】