Chapter 131
Just as Zi Xu was about to rage at Zi Yi, her phone rang.
Zi Yi said, "He's calling."
After which, she answered the call and walked away to one side.
A serious voice sounded on the other end. "I've sent some bodyguards over. They'll be arriving there shortly.
Zi Yi smiled in response. "Thanks, I'll treat you to a meal when you return."
The moment she said that she heard knocking sounds on the door.
Zi Xu walked over to open the door. When he saw several robust-looking men in black suits, he was frightened as he asked, "What are you doing?"
One of the bodyguards said with a straight face, "Our boss ordered us to pick up Miss Zi."
"You..."
Zi Yi looked at Zi Xu who had stiffened from nervousness and said to Lu Jingye with a carefree tone, "I'll be hanging up first."
She walked over after she hung up the phone.
With a darkened expression, Zi Xu said, "My daughter won't be leaving with you."
"Then we have no choice but to intrude."
The moment he said that, a few other bodyguards had restrained the bodyguards Zi Xu brought along with him.
Based on their speed, it was obvious they had been well-trained.
"What are you doing?" Zi Xu raged. "Do you believe that I won't call the police right now?"
Having said that, he took out his phone with the intention to call the police.
However, before he managed to punch in the numbers, his phone was snatched away.
The bodyguard revealed traces of murderous intent. "Mr. Zi, we are only here to pick up Miss Zi. Please refrain from any unnecessary behavior. Otherwise..."
His expression turned stern following that.
Zi Xu's body suddenly trembled.
The bodyguard turned to Zi Yi and said, "Miss Zi, please."
Zi Yi walked over to Zi Xu's side and with an indifferent tone, she said, "Dad, this friend of mine doesn't have a good temper. Since you said that you would leave me to fend for myself, you better not interfere in my matters. Otherwise, I have no idea what would happen."
Zi Xu looked at her and furiously shouted, "Didn't you say you were going to your grandfather's? Why are you involved with people from the underworld!"
"Even you don't dare to go to grandfather's place to get scolded. Do you think I'd dare to?"
While Zi Xu turned red from anger, Zi Yi left along with a few bodyguards.
Zi Xu looked at the departing group of people and felt angry, anxious, and regretful.
If he had not lost his temper at her back then, she would not have gotten involved with those people from the underworld.
"Boss, let's call the police." One of Zi Xu's bodyguards spoke up.
"No, the police cannot get involved."
If news that his eldest daughter was involved with the underworld was to spread out, he would really lose all the face he had.
...
After Zi Yi left the hotel with the bodyguards, she had them leave first.
She then phoned Lu Jingye the moment she got in her car.
When the call connected, Zi Yi asked him with a pleasant tone, "Lu Jingye, what did you tell my dad?"
Lu Jingye recounted what he said to Zi Xu. "You are under my care and he doesn't have to worry. The money has already been spent and if he wants it back, he should look for Ouyang Ming himself. Ouyang Ming has been in a pretty bad mood recently and is currently looking for a punching bag, so I told him to think twice."
The smile on her lips deepened. "And?"
"I don't have a good temper."
Zi Yi directly laughed out loud.
She never expected that Lu Jingye would say such threatening words.
Zi Xu was selfish, timid, and cared about his face. He had concluded that Lu Jingye was from the black triad and he definitely would not dare to look for him.
Zi Yi suddenly recalled what she had said to him, that she would treat him to a meal. "When you return, I'll prepare soup for you. I'm good at this."
She had researched ancient Earth's tonic soups in the past and it seemed like the best type for men would be those that strengthened their yang energy.
She felt that she should return and flip through ancient medical books to find out the various cooking methods for preparing soups.
Chapter 132
Zi Yi thought that this was all Lu Jingye had done. It was only in the future did she know that he had also sent someone to warn Zi Xu to stay away from her.
Of course, that was a story for another day.
Just as she wanted to return after hanging up, she saw a pink car parked in front of her when she looked up.
The door opened and Qin Yuqiao leisurely stepped out.
Zi Yi's lips curled up when she saw the woman approaching her.
This woman is rather well informed.
Knock! Knock!
Zi Yi lowered her windows.
Qin Yuqiao smiled and looked at her. "What a coincidence. I didn't expect we would meet each other here."
Zi Yi looked at her thoughtfully. "It's indeed very coincidental."
Qin Yuqiao was unaware that Zi Yi had discerned her intentions and she continued to speak. "I'm really sorry for the previous incident. I originally invited you to attend a banquet at my house, I didn't expect something to happen all of a sudden, and I had no choice but to cancel it."
Having said that, she glanced around the neighbourhood and pointed at a high-class tea shop nearby. "As an apology, let me invite you for afternoon tea."
Zi Yi pursed her lips. Qin Yuqiao's intentions were so obvious, she would be an idiot to agree to have afternoon tea with her.
"I'm not free."
Qin Yuqiao never expected Zi Yi's rejection to be so clearcut. She felt displeased deep down and she quickly revealed a sad expression. "You must be angry with me. I've tried calling you for the past few days but I couldn't get through. Have I offended you in any way?"
Zi Yi narrowed her eyes. This woman's tone of voice and expression... it's pretty good.
Zi Yi suddenly felt interested. She wanted to see what she would say and do.
Qin Yuqiao had never encountered someone like Zi Yi who was stubborn and could not distinguish good from the bad. However, she had already prepared herself when she came today. "I've also invited your Fourth Cousin. I heard that you haven't met those from your grandfather's side for a long time. Could it be that you don't even wish to meet your Fourth Cousin?"
"Fourth Cousin?"
Zi Yi tried to recall who was the original owner's Fourth Cousin. After thinking for a long time, she only knew that she studied drawing and had been travelling around the world for these few years to draw.
It could be said that except for the original owner's particularly strict grandfather and four uncles who hated her, she had no recollection of other family members. She had only seen their information in a stack of paper.
Just then, Qin Yuqiao's phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and answered the call while looking at Zi Yi. "Xiangling, I'm in the Palace Hotel's vicinity, you can come over. Coincidentally, your cousin is also here, let's have afternoon tea together!"
Having said that, she disconnected the call, placed her hand on Zi Yi's car windows and stared at her.
Zi Yi glanced at Qin Yuqiao's hand with an indifferent expression. However, she did not get out immediately.
Her grandfather's family lived in the capital and several of her uncles were also teaching at Metropolis University. She would encounter them in the future when she studied there and it would do her no harm to meet that cousin of hers right now.
Qin Yuqiao and Zi Yi maintained their posture where one stood outside and one sat inside the car. After ten minutes passed, a white-coloured car finally stopped at the edge.
A graceful, slim figure dressed in a qipao, who also had her long hair pinned up by a hairpin, alighted from the car.
The woman excluded an aura of a scholar. Coupled with her face that was similar to a hibiscus flower, she appeared beautiful and gentle.
"Xiangling, you're here."
"Qiaoqiao." Dou Xiangling and Qin Yuqiao greeted each other, and she looked towards the exceedingly beautiful girl sitting in the car. With a gentle gaze and a faint smile, she called out. "Cousin Yiyi."
Zi Yi was suddenly at a loss on how to deal with someone like her. In the end, she could only nod with a wooden expression.
Dou Xiangling had heard of this cousin of hers. She always felt that she was not inherently bad. When she saw Zi Yi's reaction, she maintained her smile. "Cousin Yiyi, if you are free, do join us for afternoon tea."
Zi Yi agreed to her invitation.
However, as soon as they left, someone who pretended to pass by her car had swiftly stuck something on her door handle.
Chapter 133
Gan Lin Xuan teahouse was situated in the bustling downtown. Upon entering, the interior decor would give off a feeling of elegance and tranquility.
A faint scent of tea and cakes wafted in the air. There was a performance platform located in the middle, where a woman dressed in flowy, immortal-like clothing played the guzheng.
After they sat down in a private room and placed their orders, Qin Yuqiao smiled and said, "I believe you two haven't seen each other much despite being cousins. It's a rare chance where you two can meet, so you should have many things to say."
Dou Xiangling looked at Zi Yi who was sitting next to her with her lips pursed in silence. She then faintly smiled and said, "I've been following my teacher around abroad these few years and rarely returned to China. Indeed, I haven't had many opportunities to get in touch with Yiyi."
Having said that, Dou Xiangling subconsciously asked in doubt, "I remember Yiyi should be taking her college examinations this year and there are only a few days left before the examination date. Why is Yiyi in the capital?"
The moment Dou Xiangling asked, Qin Yuqiao stared at Zi Yi.
Qin Yuqiao knew the reason why Zi Yi was in the capital. She also knew why she had not taken the college entrance examination, but she deliberately kept it to herself.
Zi Yi took a sip of the steaming scented tea before her and said, "I don't intend to take the college entrance examination with everyone."
Qin Yuqiao immediately asked, "Why? Could it be that you don't intend to go to college?"
Ziyi shot her a glance. "Who said I'm not attending college?"
Qin Yuqiao covered her lips and chuckled as she thought to herself, "Your family has already prepared a slot for you in a college, of course, you won't need to take the examination." She acted as if she had seen through her intentions, but did not expose it.
Immediately after, she directed a question at Dou Xiangling. "Xiangling, you are now so famous in the painting and calligraphy industry. When will you be opening an exhibition?"
"This is still under preparation." Dou Xiangling wanted to know more about Zi Yi and so, she asked, "Yiyi, what hobbies do you have?"
"Racing cars."
A trace of surprise flashed past, but Dou Xiangling felt somewhat vexed. She knew nothing about racing cars and it seemed like she could not converse with Zi Yi about her favourite topics.
Qin Yuqiao did not figure out Dou Xiangling's thoughts. She merely smiled and said, "Xiangling, Yiyi is very skilled in racing. In the International Racing Competition held a few days ago, she defeated the most powerful international racers and won the championships."
"Is that so?" Dou Xiangling felt inexplicably proud of Zi Yi. "Yiyi is really amazing."
The remaining conversation was basically of Qin Yuqiao praising how skilled Zi Yi was in racing. Her tone of voice was as if she herself had become Zi Yi's fan.
Dou Xiangling listened in all seriousness and would look at Zi Yi from time to time to praise her.
In the end, Zi Yi was the only one who ended up having afternoon tea.
The trio sat in the private room for almost an hour. Zi Yi checked the time and said to Dou Xiangling, "I'll be heading back first."
Dou Xiangling and Qin Yuqiao looked at her concurrently.
Qin Yuqiao still had other plans for her today and she hastily said, "Yiyi, why are you going back so early today? Let's go out and play later."
Zi Yi looked at her and suddenly asked, "Are we shopping?"
"..." Qin Yuqiao felt that Zi Yi was implying for them to go shopping. At that time, she still had to spend money. Qin Yuqiao sneered deep down but appeared generous as she nodded on the surface. "If you like it, shopping sounds good too."
Zi Yi looked towards Dou Xiangling.
Dou Xiangling could discern that Zi Yi was in no mood to shop, and her attitude towards them was neither warm nor cold. In the end, she said in consideration. "I think Yiyi has other matters to attend to. Why don't we arrange to meet another day instead?"
She added, "Yiyi, can I get your contact number too?"
Zi Yi nodded and gave Dou Xiangling her number.
Dou Xiangling wrote it down, and the trio went out of the teahouse together as they headed for their cars.
However, the moment they reached their cars, Zi Yi's hand suddenly stopped halfway.
She felt something on the door handle.
Zi Yi turned to look at Dou Xiangling. "Let me ride in your car."
Chapter 134
When Zi Yi said that, both Dou Xiangling and Qin Yuqiao were surprised.
Deep down, Qin Yuqiao felt an inexplicable distaste.
They only met once and yet they had already become intimate. Yet, her wallet had been bled heavily that day from purchasing clothes and shoes worth millions for Zi Yi, and yet she was still distant from Zi Yi.
Zi Yi reached her hands out towards Dou Xiangling. With her beautiful phoenix eyes, she stared at her. "Cousin, give me your car keys. I'll drive."
Dou Xiangling subconsciously handed the keys over.
The two then headed for the white-colored car.
"Hey..." Qin Yuqiao called out. "Xiangling, Yiyi, where are you going?"
While she said that, she fished out her keys and hastily headed for her car.
"Let me tag along."
Dou Xiangling glanced at Zi Yi, but Zi Yi remained silent. She merely went for the driver's seat, opened the door, and sat inside.
After Dou Xiangling fastened her seatbelt, Zi Yi said, "I drive rather fast, please do inform me if you cannot take it anymore."
Immediately after she said that, she drove off.
Qin Yuqiao who followed behind her could only look on helplessly as the car in front of her drove further away from her. She could only hit her steering wheel out of anger.
While driving, Zi Yi checked the rearview mirror. Soon, she saw a car following them.
She curled her lips and said to Dou Xiangling, "Sit tight."
Following that, she stepped on the accelerator to the maximum. On the busy road, she swerved left and right. Very soon, she left the street.
After she had shaken off the car following them, Zi Yi asked, "Are there any art galleries that you know of in the vicinity?"
"Yes."
"Tell me the address. I'll send you there."
Dou Xiangling saw Zi Yi's expression and seemed to have connected it to something. She passed her an address first, before asking out of concern, "Yiyi, are you being followed?"
Zi Yi did not expect her to figure it out so quickly. She did not conceal anything and responded with an affirmation.
Dou Xiangling wanted to say something, but Zi Yi interrupted her.
"It's not convenient for me to shake them off with you around."
Dou Xiangling frowned slightly and asked again, "Do you know who they are?"
"I know. I won the championships in the International Racing Competition. There are many people who are jealous of my winnings."
Dou Xiangling no longer said anything, but the frown on her face deepened.
Soon, Zi Yi sent Dou Xiangling to the art gallery. She originally intended to alight from the car but Dou Xiangling stopped her and said, "Yiyi, you should drive my car. Be careful."
Zi Yi thought for a moment and nodded.
After Dou Xiangling alighted and saw Zi Yi driving away, she hastily took out her phone and made a call. "Brother, hurry and send some bodyguards to trace my car... I can't explain it well right now, but just hurry up. Otherwise, it'll be too late."
Zi Yi drove the car towards a remote street, and after numerous twists and turns, she arrived at a relatively serene riverside.
There was evidently more than one party following her. The moment she stopped, several cars had arrived at her location.
Zi Yi quickly alighted and glanced at those cars. With a curl of her lips, she headed for the forest by the riverbank.
She continued walking until she was out of the woods and arrived at a wide beach.
Soon, those following her had caught up.
Zi Yi turned around and looked at them with an expression of indifference.
One of the men spoke up. "Miss Zi, please come with us."
"What if I say no?"
"Then I can only apologize in advance."
Having said that, the man walked towards her.
Clearly, he wanted to force her.
Just as Zi Yi was about to take action, she heard the sounds of an object piercing through the air.
Chapter 135
Zi Yi tilted her head and a sharp weapon streaked past her. With the sound of an object hitting the target, the weapon pierced into one of the men's shoulders.
The man pressed against his shoulders and his expression instantly became twisted in suffering.
"Ugh..."
Those men immediately increased their vigilance and surveyed their surroundings.
Just then, a man walked out from the nearby forest.
"I'll be taking this person."
His appearance was ordinary, but those eyes of his were filled with chilliness. Due to those eyes, the hostility he radiated had intensified.
"Who are you? How dare you snatch someone invited by our boss? I think you're sick of living!"
"We'll know who is sick of living shortly."
After that, the man swiftly attacked.
A one-against-many fight had instantly unfolded.
Zi Yi retreated to a safe distance to spectate their fight.
Clearly, the lone guy was more skilled. However, it was unknown who would win.
After spectating for a while, Zi Yi's ears had detected another group's arrival.
They were a man and a woman. First, they glanced at those engaged in a fight before looking over to Zi Yi.
They approached Zi Yi in a short time.
The woman pressed a knife against Zi Yi's waist and threatened. "Don't scream, come with us."
Zi Yi looked down at the knife on her waist and her eyes turned cold. "What if I don't follow?"
Having said that, Zi Yi swiftly moved and hand chopped the woman's wrist, causing it to be temporarily numb. She then seized the knife and slashed it against her opponent's hand.
Blood gushed out like water out of a floodgate.
"Argh..."
The man's expression changed at the sight. He shouted angrily, "How dare you hurt her. I'll kill you!"
His hands formed into claws and aimed towards Zi Yi.
She evaded by bending backward. When her upper body was almost parallel to the ground, she threw the knife in her hands.
"Ugh..."
After sticking the knife into the man's waist, Zi Yi straightened herself and stared at them coldly.
Shock and disbelief flashed past their eyes.
The initial group engaged in a fight were also looking at Zi Yi blankly. For a moment, they seemed to have forgotten their objectives.
Zi Yi turned and shot them a smile. The next second, a small hidden weapon appeared in her hand. While those men's pupils contracted, she pulled the trigger.
Bang bang bang...
Bam!
Their knees went soft and all of them knelt on the ground.
At the same time, expressions of suffering could be seen on their faces.
Zi Yi put away the hidden weapon. Looking at them coldly, she said, "Return and inform your bosses. If they want bad luck to befall them, go ahead and send people to capture me; also, you better not move within ten minutes. I've applied something on those hidden weapons and your blood vessels will burst with the slightest movements."
She turned away immediately after she said that.
Those kneeling on the ground looked at her departing back view. Some had wanted to give chase but started to wail miserably instead.
"Wuuuuu..."
Zi Yi clicked her tongue. Did they think she was lying to them?"
She left the forest, got in the car, and drove towards the city.
Not long later, several cars drove over.
Zi Yi tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Just as she wanted to step on the gas, she discovered one of the cars beeping.
The horn was not ear-piercing and clearly, the other party had good intentions.
Zi Yi soon reduced her speed and those cars stopped in front of her. Very soon, the doors of the car in the middle opened. Dou Xiangling and another handsome man dressed in a white suit, alighted and approached her.
Their appearance was rather similar and evidently, the man was one of Zi Yi's cousins.
"Yiyi, are you alright?"
Dou Xiangling had a worried expression. The man standing beside Dou Xiangling sized her up with a cold expression.
"You're that cousin who pissed off grandfather and almost caused him to have a heart attack, right?"
Chapter 136
Zi Yi had a habit. For those who disliked her, she would never beg or think of ways to change their mindset.
Especially because this was trouble caused by the original owner, so it doesn't concern her in any way?
In the face of her cousin's coldness, she merely nodded with indifference and answered Dou Xiangling, "I'm fine.
She unfastened her seatbelt and alighted from the car.
"Yiyi, what are you doing?"
"Returning the car to you."
"There's no need, you don't have any form of transport right now. You can drive my car back."
She hesitated for a moment and asked, "Yiyi, why don't you return with us?"
Zi Yi shook her head.
Dou Xiangling wanted to say something, but Dou Zerui warned her with a stern expression, "I don't care if you mess around outside. But if you dare use our name to cause trouble, don't blame me for being rude."
"Brother, why are you saying this?" Dou Xiangling looked at Zi Yi out of concern. "Yiyi, you..."
Zi Yi narrowed her eyes and revealed an indifferent expression. "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving first. I'll get someone to drive the car back to the art gallery you stopped at earlier. Remember to pick it up."
Having said that, she stepped on the gas and drove away to her home.
"Yiyi..."
"Why are you calling for her?"
Dou Zerui held her back. "Have you forgotten how grandfather's condition declined? People like her can't differentiate good from the bad. No matter how well you treat her, she won't appreciate it."
"Brother, I can feel that Yiyi is not such a person."
"How is she not? If she wasn't, how could she have done such things to anger grandfather?"
"Yiyi is still young."
"Young? Ha... You claim that she's young, but that father of hers definitely isn't. Doesn't this reflect his wild ambition? You better cut off all contact with her. Otherwise, that selfish uncle of ours will cling onto our Family again like a leech."
Dou Zerui was worried that this was a plot of Zi Xu's, deliberately making use of Zi Yi. After all, in his mind, Zi Xu was a vile person who would do something like that.
As for that cousin of his, she was a puppet brainwashed by the Zi Family.
Dou Xiangling frowned unconsciously. She still did not believe that Zi Yi was bad.
...
When Zi Yi drove back to Lu Jingye's residence, the housekeeper was anxiously standing in the yard waiting for her return.
The moment he saw the incoming car, he hastily went over.
Once the car door opened, the housekeeper asked with concern, "Miss Zi, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Zi Yi passed him the car keys. "Get someone to deliver this car to Xi Ci art gallery and inform the owner of the place that this is Dou Xiangling's car."
"I understand."
The housekeeper took the keys, called over a servant, and instructed him to deliver the car.
Zi Yi headed inside and the housekeeper, who followed behind her, said anxiously, "Miss Zi, did you encounter a few groups who wanted to take you away?"
Zi Yi tilted her head and looked at him.
The housekeeper explained. "The few bodyguards Second Young Master sent over had discovered that you hadn't driven your car. They went to check it and discovered that it was tampered with.
"I'm fine."
She did not have any intention to elaborate further and directly headed for the second floor.
The housekeeper looked at her back view, thought about it, and decided to call the Second Young Master.
After Zi Yi went upstairs, she quickly investigated who the people were behind the attack today.
Sometime later, Zi Yi sneered as she looked at the name list of the masterminds. "Let's play."
While she said that, she rapidly tapped on the keyboard.
Very soon, a series of codes had generated various types of viruses.
In less than a minute, those bosses who sent people to 'invite' Zi Yi had received a phone call concurrently.
"President, our R&D department was hacked and all the confidential information was leaked."
For a period of time, several large automobile companies fell into panic.
Chapter 137
Deep in the night, Zi Yi's phone suddenly rang.
It was an alarm sent by the robots. Zi Yi suddenly opened her eyes, sat up, and glanced at her phone.
Several red dots were displayed on the screen.
The red dots each indicated an individual who broke into her house.
Zi Yi's expression darkened and she snorted. She pushed the quilt away, got dressed, and headed outside.
Was there ever going to be an end to this? Why are they here again?
Just as Zi Yi came downstairs, the housekeeper came out from a passageway. "Miss Zi, what are you doing?"
Zi Yi never expected the housekeeper to be so sensitive. She said, "It's nothing. I couldn't fall asleep, so I'm going out for a walk."
After that, she continued walking outside.
How could the housekeeper possibly believe she merely went out for a walk? It was the dead of night right now and something must have happened. He immediately tagged along.
Zi Yi did not comment when she saw the housekeeper following her.
Zi Yi asked, "Do you have any means of transportation that doesn't produce much noise?"
"Yes, there is. Miss Zi, please hold on while I fetch them for you."
The housekeeper headed elsewhere.
After a while, he took out two electric scooters.
"Miss Zi, will this do?"
Zi Yi nodded and took one of them.
The housekeeper asked again, "Miss Zi, do you need me to call a few bodyguards to tag along?"
"There's no need." She stood on the scooter having said that. After the housekeeper opened the villa's iron gates' electric lock, both of them rode on their scooters and went out.
It was currently around 1 a.m. The surroundings were originally rather serene, and in the middle of the night, it was even quieter. The sound of the slightest bit of movement could spread far and wide.
She modified the scooter while they traveled. After a while, she said to the housekeeper, "I'll make a move first."
Immediately after, her scooter seemed to have been installed with a booster. In a split second, it had traveled far away.
The housekeeper looked in shock. He almost lost his balance and fell down, but he managed to correct himself and hastily sped up and followed along.
Zi Yi stopped in the vicinity of her villa. She found a hidden spot before taking out her phone and tapped on it.
Very soon, the lights in her house were turned on. At the same time, sirens sounded.
Within minutes, sounds of a struggle could be heard in the front yard.
Zi Yi saw her robots fighting against those men in black through the screen with a cold gaze.
As she continued watching, her brows furrowed together.
She saw another man in black with his face painted coming out of the inner courtyard. There was even a laser gun in his hand.
Due to materials constraints, the robots she had produced were unable to withstand laser guns. Once laser guns were used, the robots would turn into scrap metal.
"I dare you to touch my robots!"
Zi Yi put away her phone, took out her hidden weapon, and ran towards a wall. At the edge, she kicked the wall and jumped on it. After that, she shot out a few of her hidden weapons at the man with a laser gun.
The man had quick responses. After dodging those hidden weapons, he aimed the gun at her.
Zi Yi jumped down the wall. While she avoided the gun, she released several hidden weapons at him once again.
Unexpectedly, that man had once again evaded everything.
Very soon, they were engaged in a fight.
Zi Yi asked in a deep voice, "Who are you?"
That man did not answer her. A gun appeared in his hand and he shot at her.
Zi Yi swiftly evaded and immediately determined that this group of men were not here to capture her.
Another bullet came at her. At that moment, with the sounds of a whip piercing through the air, a whip coiled around her waist. Immediately after, it had dragged her several meters away.
When the whip released its grip on her, Zi Yi saw that familiar masked man descending from the skies and fighting against those men in black.
Chapter 138
The masked man and the man with the painted face exchanged dozens of moves. Probably because the painted man could not deal with the masked man, he suddenly took off his belt.
Unexpectedly, it was a flexible sword.
Two types of weapons collided in the air, producing bone-chilling sounds.
Zi Yi raised the hidden weapon in her hands and aimed at the painted man.
Whoosh~
Ding!
The painted man managed to block it, but it had also provided the masked man an opportunity.
Whip!
"Ugh..." The painted man held his injured right hand and quickly retreated. Taking two steps back, he turned and fled.
The masked man swiftly gave chase.
Zi Yi however, did not give chase. Instead, she looked at those men in black who were being overwhelmed by her robots and said with a deep voice, "Make way."
The robots swiftly moved aside after receiving the order.
Zi Yi aimed the hidden weapon at their legs.
After the sounds of objects flying out were heard, the killers were struck on their knees and ended up kneeling on the ground.
At the same time, the housekeeper's worried voice could be heard from outside the front yard. "Miss Zi, are you alright?"
The housekeeper quickly walked over.
When he saw the several killers, his expression changed, and he immediately called for the bodyguards using his phone. Concurrently, he came over to Zi Yi and checked her up and down.
"I'm fine." Zi Yi headed towards the inner yard after that.
The masked man and the painted man had entered the inner yard and so she had to go and take a look.
The housekeeper looked at those killers kneeling on the ground with painful expressions on their faces, then at Zi Yi who was heading inside. With an expression of worry, he said, "Miss Zi, don't go in first. Wait for the bodyguards to arrive."
"It's fine. There shouldn't be anyone inside. Help me by standing guard and watching those people."
After which, she walked away.
When she arrived at the inner yard, it was in complete silence. She continued to head towards the living room.
The living room doors were closed. Before this, she had installed several traps here.
She walked to the door, raised her hand, and knocked twice. The sounds of the household robots moving were heard.
After a while, the robot came and opened the door for her.
Zi Yi asked, "Did anyone come in?"
The robot answered, "Master, no one came in."
Zi Yi breathed a sigh of relief. She did not want to change the furniture all over again.
However... if they did not enter the living room, where did they enter?
Zi Yi turned around and surveyed her surroundings.
Very soon, she discovered signs of fighting at the pavilion.
She swiftly headed over.
The pavilion was located on the left side of the inner yard. There was a rockery and pool beside it. The rockery was very close to the wall and it was likely that they had left the premises from there.
Zi Yi took out her phone to check the surveillance. Just then, whipping sounds could be heard outside the wall. Shortly after, the whip hooked inside the rockery and in the next second, the masked man jumped inside with the help of the whip.
Zi Yi met gazes with him. She put away her phone, quickly walked over to his side, and asked, "You are Lu Jingye's little brother?"
The masked man did not answer her question. Instead, he said, "There's something those killers want in your villa. It's best to look for it."
Zi Yi frowned at his words. "What is it?"
She had lived here for several days and those robots had already checked the whole courtyard upside down. How could there be anything?
Just as Zi Yi wanted to ask what item it was, she saw the masked man flinging his whip over the wall and quickly jumped away.
Zi Yi heard the incoming footsteps and turned around.
The housekeeper had come over with several bodyguards.
"Miss Zi, those men have been taken away."
Zi Yi nodded and suddenly asked, "Housekeeper, what kind of person is Lu Jingye's younger brother?"
Chapter 139
The housekeeper never expected Zi Yi to ask about Lu Yunxiao. He was stunned for a moment and seemed to be thinking of something. In the end, he looked at Zi Yi with a complicated gaze. "Miss Zi, why are you asking about Third Young Master?"
Zi Yi gave him a strange look and said, "He was here just now."
The housekeeper was unaware that Zi Yi had uncovered the masked man before. His expression turned strange for a second before he frowned. He then said to Zi Yi with a serious tone, "Miss Zi, have you seen wrongly? Our Third Young Master would never have come here."
Zi Yi looked at him. She felt that he did not want her to know too much.
However, she still asked another question, "Does Lu Jingye's younger brother use a whip?"
This time, the housekeeper paused for several seconds before he nodded, "Yes."
After he answered, he added on. "Miss Zi, it's getting late. Why don't you go back and rest first? I'll arrange for someone to keep watch here." Evidently, he did not wish for her to pry.
"No, I will stay here tonight."
Zi Yi knew the housekeeper was deliberately changing the subject and did not ask further. She turned and headed for the living room. Since the masked man said those men were here in search of something, then she had to find a way to locate it first.
"Miss Zi, it's not safe here." The housekeeper followed behind and anxiously said, "If you're worried, I will arrange for more bodyguards to keep watch."
"You can go ahead with the arrangement, but I'll be staying here tonight."
Zi Yi was very firm in her stance.
While they spoke, she entered the living room. When she saw the housekeeper still following behind her, she stopped and turned to face him. "Rest assured. Those people have been captured and you've also brought along so many bodyguards. I'm sure nothing will happen tonight."
"This..." The housekeeper found it hard to continue insisting. He looked at Zi Yi heading upstairs and simply decided to give Lu Jingye a call.
He had recounted the events to Lu Jingye, but he received an unexpected response from him. "Arranging for more bodyguards to keep guard will do."
After that, he hung up the call.
Since the Second Young Master has spoken, it meant that he had his arrangements.
The housekeeper finally felt assured deep down.
Zi Yi did not head for her bedroom when she came up. Instead, she went towards the computer room.
She quickly brought up all the surveillance cameras in the villa. At the same time, she commanded all robots to search every corner of the courtyard.
After half an hour, she still did not find anything suspicious.
Zi Yi held her chin with one hand and thought. "If there's really something hidden, where would it be kept?"
The basement.
The moment that idea came to mind, she quickly gave instructions to the robots.
The basement was currently being expanded and there were building materials placed all around it. Everything that was kept inside was also taken out.
Several robots quickly scanned every inch with special scanners. After a while, a beeping sound came from a robot.
Zi Yi threw away the mouse and quickly went downstairs.
The original basement's entrance was behind the staircase in the living room. Due to the reconstruction, Zi Yi had them seal the entrance here and change it to one of the other wing rooms beside it.
She walked to one of the wing rooms. Suddenly, she felt someone approaching from behind and hastily turned around.
"Lu Yunxiao?"
The masked man did not answer her. Instead, he looked at the door in front of her.
Zi Yi clicked her tongue and thought that this man was not as cute as Lu Jingye. After which, she turned around and opened the door.
With one in front and one behind, they entered the basement.
Zi Yi spoke up. "My robots detected something in the basement, but it should be located underground."
Soon, they reached the basement.
Zi Yi directly walked towards the area where her robots were encircled, with the masked man tagging along behind her.
Chapter 140
The both of them arrived at the area the robots had encircled.
The robots moved out of the way.
Zi Yi asked, "Where's the item that was detected?"
One of the robots pointed to the ground. "Master, one meter underground."
Zi Yi looked at the tiled ground, then at the masked man. "Do we dig?"
The masked man took out a dagger, squatted down, and stuck his dagger into the cracks. After he observed for a while, he asked, "Can your robots detect if there is anything dangerous underground?"
Zi Yi asked her robots, and one of them replied that there were no dangerous elements.
Once again, she turned towards the masked man, and she received a nod from him.
Zi Yi ordered one of the robots, "Dig up here. Be careful not to damage the item inside."
"Yes, Master."
The robot's arm soon transformed into a drill, which drilled into the ground. Shortly after, it turned into a shovel as it rapidly dug out the soil below.
Looking at the soil piling up quickly on the ground, the masked man looked at Zi Yi with an unexpected gaze.
Zi Yi noticed his gaze and tilted her head to look back at him.
The masked man immediately turned away while his lips formed into a line.
Zi Yi found his actions puzzling.
Very soon, the robots stopped.
Zi Yi and the masked man walked closer at the same time and looked into the pit.
"A box?"
The masked man unleashed his whip and the box rolled into his hands.
The box was made of wood and there was a combination lock on it.
Zi Yi looked at the combination lock and said with certainty. "This type of lock should be a special type of password. Moreover, the password would change every time."
The masked man's outstretched hand stopped in the air.
She added, "The exterior of this box is wood, but there's definitely other special materials used inside. It's those types where the contents would be destroyed if the box was opened with external force."
After that, she looked at him and said, "If you tell me who you are, I'll open this for you."
The masked man glanced at her and said nothing. He put the box in his pocket and turned to leave the basement.
"..."
Zi Yi narrowed her eyes and a fierce glint streaked across them. "If you're not Lu Jingye's little brother, leave the item behind."
The masked man paused, turned to look at her, and with a deep voice, he asked, "If I'm his younger brother, you'll let me go?"
Zi Yi curled her lips. "Of course."
His eyes darkened, but he did not admit it as he continued to head upstairs.
"Hold it!"
Zi Yi was unhappy about it. She took out her hidden weapon and aimed at his back. "If you dare to take another step, don't blame me for being rude."
However, an even quicker hidden weapon struck her in the very next second. She discovered that she could not move.
The masked man stopped in his tracks, turned around, and said to her, "I've hit your acupuncture point. It will automatically be released in five minutes."
Zi Yi widened her eyes. "Acupuncture point? You know ancient kung fu?"
"Yes."
After he gave her an answer, he continued to walk away.
Zi Yi looked at the tall departing figure and a glimmer of light flashed through her eyes.
She learned of ancient kung fu from the Museum of Ancient Earth History in the past and had always wanted to study it. However, too much time had passed and it was already lost during the later years on ancient Earth. As a result, she never had the opportunity.
She never expected she would encounter someone who was knowledgeable about it. All of a sudden, she became excited.
Five minutes later, she quickly ran up to check the rockery, then towards her computer room. She wanted to find out who that man was.