290: Chapter 290 It will come in handy sooner or later

Han Jingyang crouched down and patted Zhang Pengxiao's cheek: "I can't tell, you have quite a few people pleading for you, and they're all big shots."

Zhang Pengxiao didn't know what Han Jingyang was thinking, so he could only answer tremblingly: "This is all due to Zhang Dahai's influence. I'm just a small fry like a dog, not worth mentioning..."

"Really?"

"Really, I, I'm just a little fox borrowing the tiger's might. Actually, I don't have any real skills of my own; I just rely on pulling strings and sucking up. Without Zhang Dahai, I'm nothing."

"I don't believe it. Someone as powerful as Zhang Dahai, how could he entrust such an important matter to a piece of trash like you? Wouldn't that make Zhang Dahai a piece of trash who can't judge people well?"

"This, this..."

Han Jingyang stopped smiling, stood up, and said coldly: "Zhang Pengxiao, I'll give you half an hour to confess what you've done and what Zhang Dahai has done. You know what I want. Remember, half an hour."

Then he said to the Lin Yuelan sisters: "You two watch him downstairs and record every word he says. If he doesn't cooperate, feel free to use any means necessary, dead or alive. Also, Xiaoyue, aren't you skilled in underworld traversal? If you can, just kill him, extract his soul, and make him confess. Let him know that death is not the end."

After saying that, he led Liu Jing and Shi Xiaoya straight upstairs.

Liu Jing still led the way, carrying her war blade.

Shi Xiaoya brought up the rear, gripping her katana.

As soon as they went upstairs, they saw a woman kneeling at the top of the stairs.

It was that fit little woman, Yang Jinyuan.

Yang Jinyuan was still in the same outfit, kneeling on the ground with her hands supporting her and her forehead pressed to the floor, perfectly displaying her beautiful back and waist curves.

From Han Jingyang's perspective, the curves were quite wonderful, especially the straight line of her spine—long and straight, extending directly from the back of her neck to her buttocks—a specimen-level form.

Her physical curves were equally wonderful, winding and undulating from her shoulders down to her thighs, showcasing the unique, soft beauty of a woman to the fullest.

Coupled with her revealing, tight-fitting outfit, she looked even more charming.

Han Jingyang's breathing became rapid immediately.

After his physical strength improved, his reactions in this regard became even more intense; it was an uncontrollable bodily instinct.

Shi Xiaoya sensed Han Jingyang's reaction, snorted softly, stepped forward, swung her katana, and struck down.

"Slap—"

The katana struck Yang Jinyuan's cheek solidly.

Half of Yang Jinyuan's cheek collapsed instantly, half of her teeth fell out, and even a section of her gum was broken.

Yet, the woman endured it without a sound. After swaying a bit, she continued to kneel as if nothing had happened, completely ignoring the teeth and blood dripping from her collapsed mouth.

Shi Xiaoya raised an eyebrow: "Tough enough!"

As she spoke, she raised the katana again.

Han Jingyang reached out to stop Shi Xiaoya and said calmly: "Get up."

Yang Jinyuan stood up silently, keeping her head lowered and standing there motionless.

Han Jingyang scanned the room: "Bring out all the dharma instruments you brought. Not a single one can be missing."

Yang Jinyuan busied herself in the room with her head down, quickly bringing out a pile of odds and ends, and finally took a jade pendant off her neck.

Han Jingyang scanned it again and nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad, you're very honest. In consideration of your cooperation, you may leave. I won't kill you."

Yang Jinyuan's eyes widened in shock and joy. Her remaining half-face was full of disbelief; clearly, she didn't believe Han Jingyang would let her leave so easily.

Han Jingyang nodded.

Yang Jinyuan was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to thank him, not even forgetting to bow to Liu Jing and Shi Xiaoya, then quickly ran out and soon disappeared.

Shi Xiaoya frowned: "Hubby, I don't care about other women, but you can't touch a dirty woman like this."

Han Jingyang pinched Shi Xiaoya's rounded nose tip: "You're so jealous. In your heart, am I just a garbage bucket that accepts anyone?"

"Of course not."

"That's right."

"Then why did you let her go?"

Han Jingyang smiled: "A woman like this will come in handy sooner or later."

Shi Xiaoya was confused: "What do you mean?"

Han Jingyang explained gently and patiently: "This woman is not weak in strength, her character is not bad, her will to survive is extremely strong, and she has a ruthless drive to never give up until she achieves her goal. She can go all out, and she will definitely make something of herself in the future."

"But isn't this a potential threat? The more powerful she is, the greater the threat to us."

"No, no, no, there's a difference. Some people are a threat, while others are different. Like the Japanese, who fear power but don't cherish virtue, their trait of admiring the strong is carved into their bones—the harder they are beaten, the more docile they become. This island frog is about the same. Even if she hides deep hatred in her heart, as long as her strength doesn't exceed ours, she won't dare to bare her fangs at us; she will only wag her tail at us like a dog."

Shi Xiaoya realized: "Hubby, you mean..."

"Knowing is enough."

"Hehe, Hubby is brilliant."

Han Jingyang smiled.

Actually, there were other intentions, but there was no need to say them out loud, and they couldn't be explained because they were discovered using Qi Observation.

Then he pointed to the pile of odds and ends on the ground: "Pack them all up."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

"Are they all dharma instruments?"

"Not necessarily, but they are definitely valuable things—either gold or silver, or jewelry and jade. There are also quite a few antiques. I don't know where that old guy got so many good things," Han Jingyang said, patting the bronze square ding with animal mask patterns that was still burning agarwood: "Especially this guy, if you get caught with it, you'll be eating lead."

"Taiwan has quite a few good things."

"Hmm, if there's a chance, we'll go for a stroll there," Han Jingyang said as he began to dismantle the formation in the room.

In the eyes of others, this formation could be said to be extremely hidden; most of the dharma instruments maintaining the formation were hidden very secretively.

But in his eyes, it had no secrets at all.

It could be seen at a glance.

He ran up and down a few times, dismantled all the dharma instruments maintaining the formation, and clapped his hands: "Alright, there's nothing valuable left here. Get ready to retreat."

Shi Xiaoya suddenly asked in a low voice: "Hubby, you have other calculations, right?"

Han Jingyang snapped his fingers with a chuckle: "Smart. I'm watching Zhang Dahai's reaction."

"You mean..."

"Yes, since Zhang Dahai knows the situation here, he should have taken more actions immediately, instead of just finding people to plead for him."

"Besieging a point to strike reinforcements?"

"No, no, no. Wiping out those few reinforcements won't hurt Zhang Dahai's foundation at all; it might not even count as scratching his skin," Han Jingyang shook his head, looking up toward the direction of Quancheng's city center, his gaze deep and firm: "I want to see Zhang Dahai's attitude."

Shi Xiaoya continued: "The more and stronger the people who come to rescue Zhang Pengxiao, the more Zhang Dahai values this matter; conversely, Zhang Pengxiao is dispensable."

Han Jingyang shook his head again: "No, no, no. Zhang Pengxiao is not important at all. What's important is..."