“What can I do for you, Young Master?”

Gang Zi instantly switched into “work mode,” his focus razor-sharp.

Ming Kai shook his head in exasperation. “Can you stop calling me ‘Young Master’ all the time? I’ve told you countless times—we’re friends, close friends who’ve risked our lives together! Just call me Ming Kai.”

“Young Master, please don’t make it so hard on me,” Gang Zi said with a wry smile, then lowered his head and fell silent.

Ming Kai knew there was no changing him, so he shook his head again and said, “Forget it, forget it—call me whatever you like. But there’s something I’m going to need your help with next.”

“Go ahead, Young Master.”

“Gang Zi, I need you to make a trip to An Cheng!”

“An Cheng?” Gang Zi raised an eyebrow, then asked, “So you’ve finally made up your mind to take action against that woman?”

Ming Kai shook his head.

Gang Zi frowned, puzzled. “Then what is it you want me to do?”

“I want you to protect Yueyue for me!”

“The Young Mistress?”

“Yes!”

“But isn’t the Young Mistress already in Ning City? She’s staying in the house west of Jiang Feng’s estate. Why on earth are you sending me to An Cheng…?”

Before he could finish, Gang Zi seemed to catch on and leaned in closer to Ming Kai. “Are you saying our Young Mistress is about to head to An Cheng? Has she already started making plans to settle accounts with that woman?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?” Gang Zi asked.

Ming Kai casually picked up a chess piece, held it up to the light for a moment, then said slowly, “The sister I personally trained—of course I’m sure!”

“So then…”

“We won’t interfere.”

“Young Master?”

“For years, I kept thinking that as long as my wings were strong enough, I could shield everyone I cared about under them,” Ming Kai said, squeezing the chess piece in his hand and letting out a sigh. “But after that incident that year, I finally realized: I’m not a god. There are many things in this world beyond my control, and one day I’ll have to leave them behind, never to care for them again. At that point, they’ll be like lambs led to the slaughter!”

Gang Zi didn’t interrupt.

But Ming Kai paused, memories of that fateful day flooding his mind uncontrollably, still leaving him shaken. After a long while, he turned to Gang Zi and said, “That’s why the ideal situation is for each of them to be able to protect themselves, to see clearly no matter the circumstances, and to always know how to look out for themselves!”

Gang Zi listened quietly.

Ming Kai tossed the chess piece back onto the board and looked at Gang Zi with a gentle tone. “So this time, I’m only asking you to keep an eye on Yueyue from the shadows. In truth, with her current strength, maturity, and resourcefulness, I have complete confidence she can handle that woman just fine.”

“I understand. I’ll pack up and head out later.”

Without a second thought, Gang Zi agreed.

Ming Kai reached out and patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks for your hard work, brother! In my whole life, I haven’t owed much to anyone—except you…”

“Young Master, please stop with the formalities! You yourself said we’re good friends, good brothers. Do good brothers and good friends really need such polite talk? Besides, I’ve owed you plenty too—if anything, it’s I who owe you far more,” Gang Zi said with a hearty laugh.

After laughing, he suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice to ask Ming Kai, “Young Master, I just thought of something—may I ask?”

“Go ahead.”

Ming Kai gave a slight bow.

Gang Zi immediately broke into a sly grin. “Young Master, if the Young Mistress goes to An Cheng, that Jiang kid will surely follow. He may not be tough as nails, but he packs a hell of a punch. If he ends up in An Cheng, could I…?”

End of Chapter 168: Counterattack 94