Chapter 11: Love Is A Battlefield

“You failed?”

The bookstore owner said with seemingly reproach, as he sat up straight and gazed at Ji Zhixiu.

Ji Zhixiu took a deep breath and nodded, muttering with anger and disappointment. “Yes, I failed…He escaped, with his current whereabouts unknown. I’ve already sent people to search for him but they haven’t found any clues yet.”

This situation seems kinda serious, Lin Jie frowned as he thought to himself.

He had specifically done an online search on Ji Bonong and his Rolle Resource Development Company over the past few days. Lin Jie had heard of the company prior to this and knew that it was a large company that monopolized Norzin’s lower district resource development sector and had many subsidiary brands including jewelry, cosmetics and foodstuff under its banner.

After researching, Lin Jie found out that this company appeared to have some tight relations with Norzin’s administration. The company didn’t just monopolize the lower district’s resources, it had the only rights to recruitment of people in the lower district.

Besides this company, coming into contact with lower district personnel was strictly prohibited for others. The greatest punishment for offenders was life imprisonment and even their family would be banished to becoming followers of the Church of Pestilence.

The uniqueness of Rolle Resource Development Company could be seen from all this information. And Bonong’s only daughter, Ji Zhixiu, was undoubtedly a high-born and aloof young lady.

Such a lady with a grand background and numerous suitors had actually been cheated this badly by a scumbag. Furthermore, she didn’t seem like a weak person herself. Thus, Lin Jie determined that the man must have been in quite a high position himself. There might also have been criminal accomplices involved which resulted in Ji Zhixiu unable to find him and enact her revenge.

Indeed, there’s definitely something criminal involved!

In Lin Jie’s opinion, such a scumbag aiming to cheat a girl’s feelings and fortune wasn’t any ordinary swindler!

He put on a reassuring smile and pushed a cup of hot tea across. “Calm down, don’t worry. Tell me what you’ve done to him these past few days?”

Clearly, this young lady before him had suffered a setback, causing her to doubt herself. Lin Jie knew that it wasn’t an appropriate time to put on a strict stance.

Previously, he had used “compelling” words to urge on Ji Zhixiu’s resolve for revenge. But now, he felt it was best to pacify her first.

That scumbag running away meant that Ji Zhixiu’s act of revenge was a significant success, however, his escape led to Ji Zhixiu’s resolve being slightly shaken.

Still, this wasn’t something too worrying. Given the power of her family, it was quite improbable for the scumbag to thoroughly disappear and the current situation was merely temporary.

Now, Ji Zhixiu seemed to be clutching at straws by coming to seek out Lin Jie for guidance. But from a different aspect, this was also a good thing.

It meant she had already become reliant on Lin Jie’s chicken soup. Lin Jie would be able to help stabilize this customer’s mental state as long as he worked on it a little more!

The strategy Lin Jie employed now was to have Ji Zhixiu recall each step of her revenge plan and from there, gradually relieve herself of the distress and regain her self-belief once more.

Ji Zhixiu’s heart missed a beat when he noticed the bookstore owner’s creased brows.

Oh no, is it because of my failure? Will he choose another person instead? Anxious thoughts rapidly flooded Ji Zhixiu’s mind, making her feel even more panicked than when Heris had escaped.

Fortunately for her, Lin Jie’s smile returned soon after and he had poured her a cup of tea just like the previous time.

She heaved a silent sigh of relief.

Phew, hopefully this means forgiveness and approval! He’s probably asking for a report on my actions and wants me to self-reflect.

Ji Zhixiu accepted the cup of tea. Gazing into the brown liquid, she uttered, “I fought with him continuously for two days. Although he had a huge superiority, I too became much stronger after receiving your guidance and beat him into a continuous retreat.”

“Yesterday, after paying a huge price and a ruthless assault of more than five hours, I managed to successfully destroy his headquarters…”

“However, it was only then that I realized he had abandoned his comrades and fled alone because he was aware he wasn’t my match. Now, I realize that I had grossly underestimated him. Things developing so smoothly was basically a warning that something is wrong.”

She raised her head in remorse. “I’m sorry Mr Lin, I got complacent.”

“No, it’s alright. It isn’t your fault,” Lin Jie said while maintaining his smile. However, he took a sip of tea to conceal the slight twitch on his lips.

Why does it feel like… something is off?! Haa… But it’s said that love is like business and business is a battlefield. So by simple substitution, love is a battlefield. This young miss is used to using business terms so the way she expresses herself is a little… strange.

Ha, hahahaha.

And didn’t that Ruen fellow call her “boss”? Looks like this young miss might be playing at being in a secret society or something like that. It’s easy for children of powerful families to develop such a habit.

Mm…this makes more sense. What she means is that she battled with that scumbag over three days, perhaps a lover’s spat, in court, or maybe even a more physical and bloody process.

The scumbag probably has his own accomplices, maybe a wingman, or a side chick and neglected Ji Zhixiu with their help. But all of them were caught in Ji Zhixiu’s line of fire.

However, Ji Zhixiu only understood that this crafty scumbag had actually prepared an escape route for himself—sacrificing his accomplices to save his own hide!

So it’s like this…

Lin Jie nodded and cleared his throat, “I can totally understand if it’s like this.”

Only

Ji Zhixiu felt a tad delighted but she controlled her expression and asked cautiously, “Do you have any advice?”

As the two conversed, Ruen stood at the side with nothing to do. Out of habit, he used the corner of his eyes to survey this bookstore.

This was a professional habit of his built up over the years of being an information peddler. After becoming a hunter and joining the White Wolves, Ruen had specifically helped Heris with gathering information.

Although he wasn’t an expert in combat, he was a true intelligence professional and even had contacts and eyes within the Truth Union!

He might have surrendered to strength and adopted a modest stance, but deep down, he had his own pride.

There was practically nothing in Norzin City that he didn’t know.

He had even gotten his hands on an intelligence report that only a small number of people knew about——”Faceless Black-scaled Man” Wilde was currently in Norzin City!