Lin Xi shook her head, "But my orders are to escort you to safety. I don't agree with you risking your life like this. What if the Shanhai demons decide to go all out and just... finish you off?"
"If they wanted to finish me, they would have done it already. A living Bai Ze in their hands would be far more useful, wouldn't it? A hostage!" I said. This was undoubtedly Yaoyao's deduction, which was why she had "placed" me with Long Yue so confidently.
Lin Xi pondered for a moment, then nodded, "You're absolutely right. In that case, I'll forward your suggestion to headquarters."
I nodded and sat down on the sofa in the hall. Lin Xi went aside to make a call. Just then, Yanan and Ni Tai Mei returned from hunting.
"Xiao Mei, I'm sorry, you have to leave now. We need to relocate," I said. From Lin Xi's conversation, I had a rough idea of headquarters' stance; they still wouldn't allow me to return to Long Yue's side.
"I... I'll go with you!"
"No, it would put you in danger. I... I am the Bai Ze, after all. Can I give you an order, and you'll listen?" I chuckled.
"Of course, I will!"
"Then I order you to lie low in this city. When the time comes, you must go through fire and water for me!"
"Yes!" This time, she didn't stutter.
Lin Xi finished her call and shook her head at me regretfully.
"Alright," I sighed, "I'll be downstairs in ten minutes."
"I need to go up and pack as well," Lin Xi said as we, along with Yanan, entered the elevator.
Yanan went to our previous floor first to clean up any traces of demonic transformation.
Lin Xi and I went to the top floor. She entered her room to pack, while I returned to 707. Upon opening the door, I found the room surprisingly tidy. Clearly, Chen Ke had cleaned it. Yet, she hadn't left, but sat quietly on the sofa, looking at me like a schoolgirl, seemingly waiting for my return.
"Why didn't you leave?" I asked.
"I have something to tell you."
"Speak," I began tidying my belongings. There wasn't much, mainly wanting to pocket the hotel charger.
"I want to join you," Chen Ke said, standing up.
"Heh heh, is it because of that five million?" I laughed. "No need. You should go back and take care of your sister properly."
Shen Xingyue had explicitly told me not to recruit new members casually. That's why I hadn't taken in Xiao Mei, even though she was willing. Sha Wuji was different; he was an independent force, and the elder brother of a tiger demon, so his assistance was natural.
"No, my sister has parents to look after her. They have pensions, and with the money you gave, it's more than enough. But I owe you this favor, and I must repay it on my sister's behalf." Chen Ke said earnestly.
"How will you repay it? By being my personal maid?" I asked.
"That's not out of the question, but I have a skill that you might find useful." Chen Ke said.
"What skill?"
"Actually, I'm a makeup artist."
"...And then?" I asked. I wasn't a male celebrity who needed a personal makeup artist to maintain a polished appearance at all times.
"Please, look at my face."
I stopped and stared at Chen Ke's face. She held a few fine needles, obtained from who knows where, and pricked them into the back of her head.
"Whoa! Don't hurt yourself... oh, acupuncture, right?" I saw her fingers move and understood that the needles weren't weapons or dangerous objects.
So, I continued to watch her face. Something miraculous happened!
As she manipulated the needles, the muscles in her face began to contwist noticeably, and not just in one place. Her forehead, cheekbones, corners of her mouth, and cheeks all changed. In a short time, she had transformed into a completely different face!
"You're... a transformation technique!" I exclaimed, surprised. I had seen similar methods in movies, but I never imagined they were real.
Chen Ke, now with a different, beautiful face, smiled at me. It didn't feel awkward at all. I even suspected that the face I had seen earlier might not have been her original appearance.
"That's right, it's a transformation technique. It's a craft passed down from my mother's side of the family. My mother told me that I should only reveal this skill when I met someone worthy of entrusting my life toβ but don't misunderstand, Mr. Wu. I'm not asking you to entrust your life to me. Rather, you solved my sister's life's problem, so on her behalf, I present this skill to you."
"How will you give it to me? Isn't this very difficult to learn?" I circled behind her head. She had already removed the needles. Watching her technique, it was extremely precise. I reckoned if I tried, I'd end up accidentally stabbing myself to death. After all, that's the back of the head, leading directly to the brain. Stirring needles inside would... I remembered doing that to a frog in biology class to kill it!
Chen Ke raised an eyebrow. "Of course, it's difficult to learn. That's why I've decided to offer myself as a package, for you to use..."