Chapter 240 The Decoy Plan

Ling Xiaoning swallowed hard.

That fish gut dagger was something he had coveted for a long time. It was said to be forged by an ancient master craftsman using exotic iron; it was short and capable, sharp enough to sever a hair in the wind. Even more rare was how incredibly light the blade was—a perfect match for his "Wind Chasing Steps" and close-quarters combat skills. However, the contribution points required to redeem it were substantial. He had been working himself to the bone saving up for so long, and yet, he was still short by a margin.

If this mission could truly succeed, as the bait, his contribution points would surely be considerable...

Chen Mu added at the right moment.

"For the details of the disguise, you can ask Miss Shen for help. She is meticulous and should be able to cover things up properly."

Ling Xiaoning struggled, his expression shifting uncertainly.

Temptation and shame fought fiercely in his mind. He looked at the red wedding dress on his body, thought about that cold-glinting weapon, then glanced at Chen Mu's face—which was inexplicably convincing—before taking a peek at Wan Chongshan's pleading eyes.

The desire for the weapon, and the youthful sense of loyalty deep in his heart—refusing to show weakness in front of his companions—ultimately prevailed.

Ling Xiaoning gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and shouted with his neck stiffened, as if ready to face death.

"Fine! I'll do it! But it's agreed, I get the lion's share of the contribution points! Also... no one is allowed to tell anyone about this, especially don't let Brother Lu know!"

A trace of a smile flashed extremely quickly in Chen Mu's eyes, and he nodded.

"Naturally."

The plan was initially set, and everyone's spirits lifted. Wan Chongshan was so excited that his lips trembled slightly, as if he saw a glimmer of hope for saving his sister.

Shen Suning pulled Ling Xiaoning aside.

"There is no time to lose; I will prepare the necessary things now. We have some basic cosmetics, hairpieces, and clothing here. Xiao Ning, come with me. I'll take your measurements first to see how to make adjustments."

Ling Xiaoning wore a bitter expression, like a duck being driven onto a perch, and followed Shen Suning to the side room reluctantly.

Only Chen Mu, Feng Qing, and Wan Chongshan were left in the room.

Seeing that things finally had a direction, Wan Chongshan slowly exhaled the turbid air that had been stifling his chest for so long, his spine relaxing a bit.

At least they were no longer like headless flies, bumping around in the dark.

He had just breathed a sigh of relief and was about to speak when he was interrupted by Feng Qing's calm voice.

"There are a few more questions."

His voice was low. He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Chen Mu and Wan Chongshan.

"First, how do we quietly find out who those girls were matched with? Asking with great fanfare will surely alert the enemy."

"Second, a young woman suddenly appearing, anxious to get married in Kaoshan Village—how do we explain her background? A strange face suddenly appearing and wanting to get married would make anyone suspicious."

"Third, and the most important point: even if the previous steps succeed, how do we know when that thing will come? One day, two days, or do we wait for ten days or half a month? Flag-bearer Cheng only gave us three days. Once three days pass, whether there is a result or not, we must return to the department to report. If the monster doesn't move by then, we won't just return empty-handed; we might also completely expose our intentions and alert the enemy."

Three questions, each more realistic and thornier than the last.

The fire of hope that Wan Chongshan had just ignited was dampened by this basin of cold water, and his expression sank again.

Feng Qing was right. Just having bait is useless. How do we make the bait appear naturally where the hook should be? How to ensure the fish takes the bait within the time limit—that is the real problem.

Chen Mu was silent, his eyes lowered as if staring at something. After a long while, he raised his head to look at Wan Chongshan, his voice dropping very low.

"Brother Wan, is the village chief reliable?"

Wan Chongshan was stunned for a moment, then nodded heavily.

"Absolutely reliable. Uncle Wang has been the village chief for over twenty years. He is upright and very kind-hearted. My parents died early, and my sister and I were taken care of by him often when we were young. This time, with the trouble in the village, he's been more anxious than anyone."

Chen Mu nodded slightly upon hearing this. He stood up and walked to the window, listening for any movement outside. After confirming that no one was spying, he turned and walked back to the table.

"Since that's the case, let's do this..."

His voice dropped very low, almost to a whisper. Wan Chongshan and Feng Qing subconsciously leaned closer, their three heads almost touching.

Chen Mu did not describe a grand blueprint; he simply connected the seemingly scattered links in the simplest way. Wan Chongshan's eyes brightened as he listened, nodding from time to time.

Feng Qing remained expressionless but listened with full attention, occasionally flashing a faint look of approval at critical points.

"...The key is time."

Chen Mu concluded, knocking lightly on the table.

"We can't afford to wait, and we can't wait passively, so we must give it a reason to act as soon as possible."

"What reason?" Wan Chongshan appeared a bit impatient.

Chen Mu was about to answer when the door to the side room was suddenly pushed open with a creak. Shen Suning walked out first, a trace of fatigue on her face. She stepped aside and whispered,

"Alright, take a look."

The three of them cast their eyes toward the door.

A figure shuffled out, looking a bit awkward. A high-collared coarse cloth garment covered their neck—it was an old dress that Wan Xiao Yuan usually wore. It was slightly loose on the figure, but it perfectly concealed the boy's relatively sharp masculine lines. Their hair had been let down and combed neatly, braided into a thick, shiny black plait at the back of their head, the tip tied with a faded red ribbon.

Their face had obviously been carefully modified; a layer of very light powder was applied to cover the somewhat rough skin of the young man, their eyebrows were trimmed thinner, and a touch of lip stain was applied to their lips.

Under the light, if you didn't stare too closely, at a glance, they really looked like a shy, not-yet-grown rural girl.

Wan Chongshan looked at the person in front of him, his sister's usual appearance flashing in his mind. His nose stung, and he quickly turned his face away, taking a deep breath.

Feng Qing remained the same, looking the figure up and down twice before nodding, concise as ever.

"It can deceive those who aren't familiar."

Shen Suning took two steps forward and said softly, "This is all I could do in a hurry. It should be fine to look at from a distance during the day."

Chen Mu walked to Ling Xiaoning. Ling Xiaoning subconsciously backed away, then forced himself to stop, stiffening his neck, though his eyes drifted elsewhere.

"Look up."

Ling Xiaoning raised his face unwillingly. Under the light, the modified face indeed had fewer sharp edges, possessing more of a girl's softness, but his eyes were full of discomfort and shame, which ruined the overall effect.

"The eyes are wrong."

Chen Mu pointed out the crux directly.

"Don't stare at people like that, and don't look around. Look down at the ground or your own toes. If someone talks to you, just nod or shake your head. If it's absolutely necessary, answer briefly with a breathy voice, pretending to be shy and timid."

Ling Xiaoning tried to do as he was told, lowering his eyes so his gaze fell on his skirt. The awkwardness was reduced by more than half, and he took on more of the shyness of an unmarried girl.

"Walk a few steps."

Ling Xiaoning gritted his teeth and recalled the gait of the village girls he had seen during the day. He tried to take a step; it was a bit stiff at first, but he slowly adjusted, learning to lighten his steps and shorten his stride. Although it wasn't graceful, it was no longer the big, open stride of a man.

Chen Mu nodded, finally approving.

"That's it. Remember, you are now Liu Jinniang who came to visit relatives, the village chief's distant niece. Your parents are dead, you are lonely and shy, and you don't like to talk to others. If it's not necessary, try to stay at the village chief's house and show your face as little as possible."