Ding Dachui and Ge Laosan had positioned people outside to keep watch, but this was completely useless against the new boss.

The new boss had placed capable people who could give timely warnings, but—

Warnings seemed useless too.

This was a military camp. Everyone here was loyal to that girl. Even if they discovered her, what could they do?

The new boss couldn’t fly away even with wings.

Would she become desperate like a cornered dog and fight to the death?

Ding Dachui looked at the woman with concern, only to see her eyes filled with anxiety, completely devoid of their previous luster—was the new boss afraid of that girl?

That girl was quite formidable. During that brutal ambush, she hadn’t shown the slightest fear, calmly tending to the wounded. Though she noticed something unusual about their identities, she pretended not to know and still dared to use them as guards—

If the new boss was playing a long game to catch a big fish, then wasn’t this girl boldly inviting wolves into her house? Was she confident she could capture them all at once once they were inside?

This girl was quite shrewd. Previously, she hadn’t questioned them much, even ignored them. Yet as soon as the new boss arrived, she immediately targeted and blocked the door.

Was she about to expose them?

Was the new boss so afraid because she feared the deal wouldn’t go through?

Though Ding Dachui’s mind raced through all these thoughts, it was just for an instant. The girl’s voice came again, now at the entrance of the tent.

The sneeze could only serve as a warning, but couldn’t stop her.

“Uncle Dachui? Are you there?” The girl’s voice was clear and polite. “May I come in?”

What difference would it make if it weren’t convenient? They couldn’t hide in the tent forever.

Ding Dachui glanced at the new boss, who seemed to have lost her soul, motionless and silent—surely the new boss was devising a clever plan.

“Ah, Miss.” Ding Dachui stumbled over his words, then took a deep breath and said, “What brings you here?”

“So you are here, Uncle.” The girl’s voice was cheerful, and her next words were, “—Then I’m coming in.”

As she spoke, the curtain was lifted.

The girl walked in with a smile, her gaze sweeping over the three people inside—

Ding Dachui’s body stiffened, while the frozen new boss suddenly turned around, her back to the girl.

The girl’s gaze happened to fall on her back.

“Uncle, you have a guest?” she asked, her eyes curious.

Strange, Ding Dachui felt like he was imagining things, but the new boss seemed to be trembling.

“Well, actually, yes.” Ding Dachui could only continue, trying to compose himself.

A good blade must not only kill but also know how to talk.

An excellent hunter, when faced with difficult prey, shouldn’t think about running but should step forward—that might provide a chance for survival.

Ding Dachui took a deep breath, stepped forward, looked at the girl, and blocked the new boss, turning passive into active: “Miss, what brings you here?”

Chu Zhao smiled, tilting her head slightly to look past him at the woman standing with her back turned, and casually made up an excuse: “I heard Uncle had visitors, so I came to see.”

Her expression then became solemn.

“Uncle, you and your companions saved my life, so your guests are also my honored guests.”

With that, she bowed to the woman.

“This humble one greets the guest.”

This bow seemed to startle the woman, who suddenly turned around.

“No.” She said, grabbing Ding Dachui’s arm. “I’m not a guest, I am… looking for… my husband.”

Husband… Ding Dachui’s body froze, feeling as if the arm she grabbed had been dislocated.

Chu Zhao’s expression showed sudden realization—so this was Uncle’s wife who had come looking for him.

“—A-Zhao.”

Xiao Man’s voice came at that moment as she burst in with the cold wind. Seeing the woman standing beside Ding Dachui, her whole body stiffened, and her voice became strange.

“What are you doing?”

She had specifically avoided Xiao Man, but hadn’t expected to be discovered so quickly. Chu Zhao smiled, looking at the girl whose face and body were tense.

“Xiao Man, you’ve come at the right time,” Chu Zhao said, holding Xiao Man’s arm. “Uncle Ding’s wife is here.”

Uncle Ding’s. Wife.

Xiao Man stiffly looked at the woman opposite.

Everyone in the tent, except for Chu Zhao and A-Le, became very strange, but Chu Zhao didn’t find it odd at all. Instead, she revealed a knowing smile.

She had been keeping an eye on these hunters serving as guards. Although she hadn’t spoken much with them, after observing for so many days, she was more certain that these people were local bandits.

She certainly trusted Xiao Man, but also wanted to help her. Xiao Man had used necessary means to recruit these bandits in her time of need. Now that her crisis was over, these bandits found themselves in danger—trapped by her, trapped by the military camp.

They were bandits after all, and if pushed to desperation, they might resort to destructive actions.

Especially today, when she had spoken with the military officer, she saw the two bandit leaders—it was easy to identify who the leaders were among this group—exchanging glances with suspicious expressions. Sure enough, they soon hid away to whisper among themselves.

She needed to move forward no matter what. To avoid trouble on the journey, it was best to cut through the confusion quickly. Everyone should be clear with one another, speak openly, renegotiate terms, and then they could work together with one heart. So she simply came to confront them directly.

She hadn’t expected to stumble upon this special situation.

Chu Zhao examined the woman beside Ding Dachui. The woman was dressed like a hunter, her face covered so her appearance wasn’t clear. And noticing her gaze, the woman seemed nervous and afraid, lowering her head even more—

Just a shy older woman.

No need to be so nervous.

Cutting to the chase, Chu Zhao looked at everyone and said: “I know your identities.”

With these words, everyone’s expressions became even stranger.

Not giving them time to think, Chu Zhao continued: “But this isn’t a big deal, I—”

She looked at Ding Dachui, his wife, and Ge Laosan.

“I’m also concealing my identity.”

She said with a smile.

“Xiao Man concealed your identities from me, but I guessed. Xiao Man also concealed my identity from you, and you can’t guess it.”

“So don’t be nervous. Since we all have our own identities, we’re even.”

After she finished speaking, the expressions of those in the room became even more peculiar, except for Madam Ding, who kept her head down so her face couldn’t be seen. The others seemed to both understand and not understand at all—

“What exactly do you want?” Xiao Man waved her hand, dispelling the annoying confusion, and grabbed her. “If you have something to say, tell me directly—”

Chu Zhao held her hand: “Xiao Man, before, you needed their help, so you were the one to speak. Now I need their help, so I must speak personally.”

Xiao Man bit her lower lip, glanced in Ding Dachui’s direction—then quickly looked away, turning her head with a snort: “What’s the difference?”

“It’s about sincerity,” Chu Zhao said, looking at Ding Dachui again. “Uncle Ding, you should know that I need to go to Yunzhong Commandery, but the road ahead is even more dangerous than that night, so I need to convince you all to face the danger with me.”

So that’s what she wanted to discuss, Ding Dachui thought. Today, not only would someone arrive unexpectedly, but they would also have to hear the same conversation twice.