I recounted the main points of my dream from last night to Zheng Bingbing. Xie Bi'an didn't waste words; everything he said was practical.
"So... are we now people of the Yincha Prefecture?" Zheng Bingbing stammered as she took the token belonging to her and, like me, tried to hang it on her waist.
Just like me, she could hang it securely, and pull it off.
"Yaoyao can't take hers off, which means this token is unique to you and me," I explained.
Bingbing then tried to take mine off. With a slight effort, she could indeed remove it. It seemed that "Yincha" were not entirely restricted by this.
"But if we become Yincha, what exactly do we do? We won't have to catch ghosts, will we? I'm most afraid of ghosts, spirits, and immortals!" Zheng Bingbing frowned, as if complaining about getting on my "pirate ship."
"You've already met an immortal," I consoled her. "They're quite cute. Ghosts and spirits are probably not as terrifying as you imagine. Why don't you go upstairs and rest? I'll handle breakfast."
"Alright..." Bingbing got out of the car and went upstairs with Yaoyao.
I called Chen Lu. She hadn't woken up yet, nor had she washed. She had been staying with me at Qipanshan these past few days. I knew that after waking up, she would spend at least half an hour applying makeup before leaving. I decided not to wait for her and went out for a stroll myself. Besides, Yaoyao would soon take the Chen family elsewhere to lie low. As the intermediary between the demon clan group and the Chen family, it was better for Chen Lu to be present. After all, last night, I felt Chen Lu's father had noticed something strange about our group. The way he looked at us was already a bit peculiar.
I drove my Pajero out of the villa complex. The eastern sky was dimly lit, while the western sky was still dark. At this hour, only breakfast places would be open. Time was of the essence, so I decided to get breakfast.
There were few cars on the road, so I drove slowly, scanning the street for breakfast options. I saw a few steamed bun shops and small eateries selling soy milk. However, treating the Commander to such humble establishments seemed inappropriate. I continued driving. After about a kilometer, I finally found a decent-looking breakfast place called "Wan Zhou Tea House." It had a budget hotel upstairs and a self-service buffet on the first floor, which also served as a breakfast restaurant for external customers.
I went inside and looked around, finding it acceptable. Then I called Zheng Bingbing, asking her to come over as well.
Not long after, Zheng Bingbing arrived on a shared bicycle. She said that Yaoyao and the Chen family had already woken up and were preparing to relocate.
"Did Chen Lu mention where they're going?" I asked.
"She wanted to say," Bingbing chuckled, "but Yaoyao didn't let her. She's worried that if Maluo Sha has any connection to Mohe, they might threaten us by revealing their location. Yaoyao said it's easier to save just the two of us. If they were captured too, no one could save them."
I couldn't help but admire Yaoyao's meticulous planning. When I was with her, perhaps for my own development, Yaoyao would always ask for my opinion and let me make decisions. But when she was in charge, even when I wasn't present, I could imagine her commanding the eight demons with an air of "none can compare to me," even a bit "arrogant." After all, she was once a Manchu general who commanded the elite tiger and wolf army of an empire. Perhaps "accomplished in both civil and military arts" wasn't enough to describe her overall capabilities.
"Bingbing, you go inside and find a seat. I'll invite Lord Ma," I said.
"Okay, by the window, or inside?" Bingbing asked.
"... A private room!"
What exactly does Eighth Master like about Bingbing? Besides her agility, cute personality, and good looks, I always feel she's a little naive!
Bingbing entered the breakfast restaurant. I sat on the bench by the entrance, meant for delivery drivers, pretending to be on the phone. In reality, I pressed the button on the back of the token, held the token to my phone, and put it to my ear as if receiving a call. Since the sound from the token wasn't loud, it could be used like a speakerphone in a quiet place. However, in the noisy environment by the street, I had to hold it to my ear.
"Hello, who are you looking for?"
To my slight disappointment, it was a male operator.
"Commander Ma," I said. Among the eight commanders, she was likely the only one with the surname Ma.
"Understood. Wu Xiaoqi, please wait."
I noticed that different operators addressed us differently. The previous female operator called both Zheng Bingbing and me "Your Excellency." This male operator called me "Xiaoqi." Xiaoqi and Your Excellency—it felt like a significant demotion.