Once, I wanted to be a good person

Although her clothes had no patterns, when worn by her, it seemed like the most noble attire in the world.....

........

Upon personally welcoming Lan Bing to the main hall and gesturing for others to leave, Fang Ze didn't beat around the bush. While motioning for Lan Bing to sit down and chat, he opened his mouth to inquire, "Bing, are you here for the Mortality-Shedding Fruit?"

He paused, then rephrased, "No, I should say... is this Mortality-Shedding Fruit yours?"

Hearing Fang Ze's words, Lan Bing first nodded and then shook her head. She said, "I am indeed here for the Mortality-Shedding Fruit. I want to advance to Mortality-Shedding. But... this Mortality-Shedding Fruit isn't mine, it's yours. Only if you agree, can I use it."

Fang Ze:...

Fang Ze didn't get tangled up in Lan Bing's words. His brain spun rapidly as he continued to ask, "So if I give you this Mortality-Shedding Fruit, what will happen?"

Lan Bing said expressionlessly, "From now on, I will be yours."

Those ambiguous words almost left Fang Ze momentarily unresponsive. He still had to think for a bit before he understood Lan Bing's meaning: Using his own Mortality-Shedding Fruit would mark her, so in the eyes of the outside world, Lan Bing would be seen as his ally.

From now on, Lan Bing and he would share glory and loss together.

However... the reverse is also true.

So thinking about this, Fang Ze couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Bing, do you have any enemies? Or have you offended any bigwigs?"

Lan Bing shook her head, "No."

Fang Ze asked again, "Is your background peculiar? Do you bear a deep-seated blood feud?"

Lan Bing shook her head again, "No, I don't."

Fang Ze asked again, "Do you have an incurable disease? Something that would require a huge amount of money and resources?"

Lan Bing glanced at him, and Fang Ze suddenly felt a chill all over, as if he was about to die untreated....

He shivered and then said, "Then... why aren't you advancing with the Bai Family, but instead choosing my family?"

This time, Lan Bing was silent for a while before she slowly said, "I don't know either."

Fang Ze believed her words.

So, Fang Ze also fell into silence....

His brain spun rapidly, cautiously speculating in his heart...

'Old Mr. Bai also dotes on the director, but... doesn't want the director to get entangled with the Bai Family....'

'Is he worried that Lan Bing will implicate the Bai Family? Or is he worried that the Bai Family will implicate Lan Bing?'

For a moment, Fang Ze couldn't figure out what Old Mr. Bai really wanted to do.

But no matter what, at this critical time, he gained a Mortality-Shedding level expert, and as the director of a powerful department like the Security Bureau, it definitely seems like a win.

And aside from these utilitarian thoughts, just considering Lan Bing's previous kindness to Fang Ze, he couldn't refuse her.

So thinking about this, Fang Ze didn't hesitate any further, he picked up that Mortality-Shedding Fruit and handed it to Lan Bing, then said, "Then... welcome Bing to join our Si Family."

Lan Bing looked at the Mortality-Shedding Fruit in Fang Ze's hand, her eyes fluctuating, not knowing what she was thinking. After a moment, she reached out to take the fruit and then said softly, "Thank you."

After speaking, she looked up at Fang Ze and asked, "Is there an extra Quiet Room?"

"It would be better if that Quiet Room had rivers, streams, or glaciers."

.....

An hour later, Si Family Manor, Villa No. 10.

"Quick! Quick!"

"This way! This way!"

Over a hundred guards carrying ice bags weighing over a hundred pounds, exhaling a chilling mist, dashed towards Villa No. 10, dumped the ice blocks, and then returned to continue moving.

By this time, the entire Villa No. 10 had been completely turned into a sea of ice and snow. The whole villa was covered with ice blocks, exuding cold air everywhere.

And at this time, beside Villa No. 10, Fang Ze, Hei Yu, Hei Po, Black Bull, and others were standing on the roof of the adjacent Villa No. 9, watching Villa No. 10.

Fang Ze stood at the forefront with his hands behind his back, while looking at the icy mist rising, curiously said, "When you guys broke through, it didn't seem to be such a big commotion?"

"Is it you guys who are not capable? Or is Bing not capable?"

Hearing Fang Ze's words, Hei Po and Black Bull, standing behind Fang Ze, exchanged a glance. Then Hei Po coughed and said, "Director Lan's method of breaking through, this old woman has indeed never seen it."

Black Bull clumsily scratched his head and said, "I feel quite capable myself."

Upon hearing this, Hei Po jabbed him with her Fox Head Staff.

Fang Ze observed their small actions with amusement, then said, "Let's wait and see. Bing is prudent, but now being so high-profile, it doesn't seem so simple."

Soon, as the three of them chatted idly, dozens of tons of ice had been transported to the surroundings of Villa No. 10. Perhaps because there was so much ice, the originally luxurious villa had been entirely wrapped, turning into something like an ice castle.

After all this, the exhausted guards began to withdraw in an orderly fashion, clearing the transportation routes.

Seeing this, Fang Ze and the others couldn't help but straighten up and stand quietly on the roof of Villa No. 9, waiting for Lan Bing's breakthrough.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes.....

As time ticked away, just when the four of them were starting to feel numb from waiting, suddenly, a loud phoenix cry resonated in the dark sky above the Provincial Government!

That phoenix cry was completely different from Lan Bing's style; it possessed unparalleled dominance and a sharpness that shot straight into the heavens.