Chapter 54: Midnight Conversation Between Sisters

Indeed, at this moment, Lan Ji was actually locked in combat with Chen Long, Hou Qiang, and the other three burly men! And she was fighting all five of them single-handedly, with stunning ferocity!

Having changed into a new outfit, Lan Ji looked utterly different from the woman who had just been chatting with Wang Xinyou. The sight left Wang Xinyou completely dumbfounded. She was finally witnessing Lan Ji’s true abilities.

“He Tian, why aren’t you doing something?” Wang Xinyou asked, adding “brother” after his name, as she always did when seeking his help or asking him to teach her techniques. She wanted to move closer for a better look.

“Don’t worry about them. Focus your attention and listen to me carefully,” He Tian said in a low, steady voice. “In the future, when you encounter trouble, no one will provide you with a quiet, undisturbed setting. So, in chaotic situations, you must remain unmoved and concentrate. This is something you must master.”

“Oh!” Wang Xinyou stole another glance at Lan Ji before turning her full attention to He Tian, listening to every detail intently.

Having already learned one technique, Wang Xinyou understood very well that these detailed points were truly the key—the core to mastering the move quickly and efficiently.

In fact, what He Tian was teaching her might appear on the surface to be merely a series of moves and postures, but at its heart, it was all about the techniques of exerting force. The so-called moves were just a façade. As He Tian instructed Wang Xinyou, he gradually stripped away those superficial layers, focusing solely on the essential techniques. He guided her simply and directly, teaching her how to apply these techniques in any circumstance.

That was his true objective.

Wang Xinyou also liked this approach very much. With her background in freestyle fighting, integrating these force techniques into her own combat system naturally and swiftly boosted her fighting abilities.

He Tian watched Wang Xinyou as she practiced over and over. At every mistake, he would immediately interrupt her, scolding her sternly and without mercy.

In these moments, He Tian seemed utterly ruthless—there was no other option but to do as he said.

Upstairs, in her study, Wang Xinmeng stood at the window, watching He Tian and Wang Xinyou in the courtyard below. Seeing her younger sister practice with unwavering seriousness, never refuting He Tian’s harsh corrections, Wang Xinmeng’s face bloomed with a smile.

Wang Xinyou had expressed her wish to learn, and though Wang Xinmeng had opposed it before, it was useless. Now, with such a good teacher as He Tian, Wang Xinmeng no longer needed to object. Perhaps, with He Tian’s guidance, Wang Xinyou really could become a fighting expert—and with that, at least, she’d have some means to protect herself, making her safer in the face of sudden crises.

Wang Xinmeng sighed softly to herself. Since Old Hu arrived three years ago, the Wang family had changed dramatically. It felt as if countless eyes outside were watching her and her sister at all times. This made Wang Xinmeng ponder—if the threats were only her father’s enemies, wouldn’t killing her father have satisfied their vendetta? Why were they still so intent on harming the sisters?

Moreover, Wang Xinmeng didn’t believe for a second that these people lacked the ability to take their lives if they truly wanted to. Before He Tian arrived, perhaps she trusted Old Hu, but since He Tian’s arrival—and especially now, seeing Lan Ji single-handedly suppressing Chen Long and his men—Wang Xinmeng realized there were masters in the world far beyond her imagination.

So, she had her own suspicion: perhaps their enemies’ true objective wasn’t to take the sisters’ lives at all, but something else entirely. Yet, no matter how she wracked her brains, she couldn’t figure out what that hidden purpose might be.

Old Hu, too, was watching—though not He Tian’s instruction, but Lan Ji’s one-against-five battle with Chen Long’s group. He wasn’t surprised by Lan Ji’s formidable fighting skills. In fact, he was certain that hand-to-hand combat might not even be her strongest suit. Yet, even so, she could defeat all five men without any real trouble.

After observing for a while, Old Hu confirmed that Lan Ji possessed no internal energy—she was a true, ordinary expert, just like himself. Not all Dragon Group agents cultivated internal energy; those who did were assigned to the Dragon Scale Squad, and Old Hu wasn’t among their ranks. Still, this hardly diminished his own strength.

Now, with Chen Long and his team distracted, Old Hu was all eyes and ears, remaining vigilant for the villa’s security.

After finishing the lesson with Wang Xinyou, He Tian returned to his room. Wang Xinyou, after showering, knocked on Wang Xinmeng’s door. She had made up her mind—no matter what, tonight she would get her sister to tell her everything. She was tired of being kept in the dark; it was suffocating.

“Xinyou, what are you doing?” Wang Xinmeng was surprised to see her younger sister in pajamas.

“Sis, we haven’t chatted in ages. Let’s sleep together tonight,” Wang Xinyou announced, not waiting for a reply as she walked straight into the room.

Wang Xinmeng looked at her younger sister, immediately sensing something was up. Back during her strict high school supervision, Wang Xinyou could barely stand spending extra time with her, let alone taking the initiative to share a bed.

Shutting the door, Wang Xinmeng watched as her sister scrambled into her bed. She couldn’t help but laugh.

“Go to sleep—we have important things to do tomorrow. We must make this endorsement a success,” Wang Xinmeng said, climbing into bed beside her.

“Are you serious? Sis, I came to talk to you, and you’re just going to sleep?” Wang Xinyou protested.

“Alright, what is it?” Wang Xinmeng turned to her.

“What’s the secret between you and He Tian? Why do you always listen to him?” Wang Xinyou asked.

“Because he makes sense! Take moving, for example. The security at Longhai Gardens is famous. If we move there, at least home will be a place to relax, no matter what happens outside. I have no reason to object,” Wang Xinmeng replied with a smile.

“No way! Even if someone makes sense, you’d never allow anyone to speak to you in a commanding tone. You’re my sister—how could I not know you? But with He Tian, you listen to everything he says…” Wang Xinyou stared at her. “You must be hiding something from me. Sis, don’t tell me you’ve fallen for He Tian?”

“How could that be? Don’t be ridiculous. But what about you—be honest with your sister, have you fallen for him?” Wang Xinmeng saw right through her sister’s little secret.

How could she not notice? She was her sister, after all. Still, Wang Xinmeng wasn’t about to discuss this directly. Now that Xinyou had brought it up, she might as well seize the opportunity.

“Sis, what are you talking about?” Flushed, Wang Xinyou protested, her secret exposed.

“Am I wrong?” Wang Xinmeng pressed. “I get it—He Tian is exceptional and handsome. But do you really know him? His identity, his background—do you know any of that? You need to learn to control your emotions.”

“Sis, why are you like this? I don’t care about his identity or background. If I like him, I like him. If I don’t, I don’t. Why worry about so much? Doesn’t it exhaust you?” Realizing she’d strayed from her goal, Wang Xinyou quickly steered back. “Let’s drop this. I just want to know what you and He Tian are hiding from me. I have to know tonight! Please, sis, tell me.”

“There’s really nothing.”

“Sis!”

“Sleep.”

“I’m not sleeping! If you don’t tell me, I won’t let you sleep tonight!”

…

Meanwhile, He Tian sat cross-legged on his bed, circulating his internal energy again and again, working to strengthen it bit by bit. After completing eighty-one cycles, he lay down to rest with his eyes closed.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Come in, Lan Ji,” He Tian said, a slight smile on his lips.

Lan Ji entered, closed the door, then snapped to attention and saluted with the utmost seriousness and fervor. “King He!”

“Relax! I’ve already told you, here, you need to let go of your former identity. Even when it’s just the two of us,” He Tian said, sitting up and gesturing to a chair. “Sit down.”

Lan Ji returned to normal and took a seat.

“All done with them?” He Tian asked.

“It’s handled. Combat, mechanics, tactics, skills—they’re no match for me. I’m their leader now,” Lan Ji replied with a smile.

“That’s to be expected,” He Tian replied, not at all surprised. He’d been confident from the start that Lan Ji would succeed.

“These five are loyal enough, but we can’t trust them completely. Just keep an eye on them. After we move, you’ll lead the five and make sure the surveillance and defenses around the villa are impeccable. Tell me if there’s anything you need. Also… open the case at your feet. Take what’s inside. Remember, if anyone tries to harm Wang Xinyou while you’re protecting her, you may use your firearm. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility. But be judicious—remember, this is China, not chaotic Africa.”

Lan Ji opened the long case, and her eyes immediately lit up. She paid little attention to the compact pistol and other gear—the long sniper rifle was what she truly cared about.

This was her favorite weapon of all…