Chapter 1476: Taking the Initiative
The tragic deaths of Clive and others brought different degrees of shock to Charles and Nagano Yoko.
Charles understood only one thing: he had fallen for Ye Fan’s trap. Without realizing it, Ye Fan had colluded with Boss Zuo and others, leading to abject failure and resulting in immense losses and casualties.
Regarding this, Charles could only resign himself to fate. Even if he felt unwilling, what could he do?
The ironclad facts weighed heavily on Charles, but he could only grit his teeth and swallow the bitter pill.
Nagano Yoko had a different reaction. The fake map fragments were an intentional bait she had planned.
The fact that Boss Zuo and others became the target of many, sparking fights and confrontations among other forces, was part of the plan.
However, she never expected Ye Fan to collaborate with Boss Zuo to set such a trap, leading to the tragic deaths of Clive and others, for which Nagano Yoko could not entirely absolve herself.
Nagano Yoko wanted to see Boss Zuo dead, but now, Ye Fan’s side had grown stronger, leaving her feeling very disappointed. The plan failed, and the fake map fragments were already known by Ye Fan and others, an unforeseen sudden change.
Nagano Yoko could easily understand this. If she couldn’t grasp this truth, she would be quite useless.
Originally, Ye Fan’s side had already gathered enough information to distinguish between real and fake map fragments, an undeniable fact.
An overnight storm passed in the blink of an eye, and the sudden downpour quietly ceased.
Ye Fan, Zhang Lu, and Yang Shu discussed their next plans.
"We have killed the invading enemies, which is a huge victory and will undoubtedly cause great harm and intimidation to the enemies," Yang Shu said. "It can be expected that the enemies lurking in the shadows are huddled in a corner licking their wounds."
"That might not be the case; perhaps the enemies are gathering their strength for revenge. With their arrogance, they can certainly do this," Zhang Lu interjected. "Moreover, we’ve only dealt with the major foe with Clive’s group, while Charles remains hidden, coupled with a strong lineup behind Siguxiu, leaving us no time to relax."
"We will defend against incoming attacks and handle the situation accordingly. As long as all the enemies hidden in the shadows don’t unite against us, we have enough time and energy to deal with any incoming threats," Ye Fan said calmly. "With the power in our hands, we can handle crises without worrying too much about unexpected changes."
"Through our contact with Boss Zuo and others, we have established some rapport," Zhang Lu said, looking into Ye Fan’s eyes. "As you said, you owe Boss Zuo and others a favor, and they have helped us tremendously. Although we didn’t get the real map fragments, eliminating a powerful enemy is more valuable."
"Boss Zuo and others have indeed been working hard for this so-called favor," Yang Shu said softly. "The instructor has promised this favor, but Boss Zuo and others may not necessarily see it that way. After all, they wanted the map fragments as a pledge of allegiance. Since they cannot obtain the map fragments now and have established a major enemy, the chance of acting again is minimal. They can only remember the instructor’s sincerity and work with us."
Truth be told, being able to fight alongside Boss Zuo and others was the result Zhang Lu and Yang Shu hoped to see.
Boss Zuo and his group were also happy to do so, considering this joint battle a honor.
"Their overall strength is not bad, and if used appropriately, they can play a very important role," Ye Fan acknowledged.
Boss Zuo and his group naturally were not with them. They were discussing the matter of whether to stay or leave.
"We need manpower now, so let’s have Boss Zuo and the others stay. They have this intention, after all," Zhang Lu decided firmly. "We might as well join forces against Siguxiu, since they’ve already provoked Boss Zuo. We cannot stand idly by, considering Boss Zuo fell into Siguxiu’s enemy camp due to cooperation with us."
"Facing the upcoming crisis together with Boss Zuo’s group benefits both parties, creating a win-win situation," Yang Shu agreed with Zhang Lu’s stance, welcoming more allies.
"Let them stay and continue cooperating with us. We are familiar with Boss Zuo’s group, so as long as we trust them, there are no issues," Ye Fan said.
"Boss Zuo and his group will be very pleased to hear this," Zhang Lu smiled. "We’ll set it aside for now; what’s most important is what we do next."
"What are your thoughts?" Ye Fan surveyed Zhang Lu and Yang Shu.
"We follow your lead," Yang Shu said, thinking for a moment before adding, "I feel we can’t let Siguxiu go easily; we must teach them a lesson."
"Taking the initiative is the best approach, without a doubt," Ye Fan said. "But there’s one issue to keep in mind. Our goal is the map fragments, and obtaining them is a challenge."
For Nagano Yoko and Charles in hiding, Ye Fan currently couldn’t find effective ways to strike.
But for Siguxiu, who is out in the open, there’s no need for courtesy.
"Our intel doesn’t have information on this matter; we only know Siguxiu keeps a suitcase close," Zhang Lu said with frustration. "Based on Boss Zuo’s actions, perhaps the map fragments aren’t on Siguxiu’s person. It’s a puzzling situation; if we don’t solve it properly, trouble will surely follow."
"When it’s time to act, we must act, rather than waiting passively for chances. Sometimes we must create opportunities ourselves," Ye Fan mused.
"Do you have a plan?" Yang Shu was interested immediately.
"Seize Siguxiu quickly. If the map fragments aren’t with him, we press for clues; even if we can’t find any, it’s understandable since Siguxiu has people behind him," Ye Fan said. "If the map fragments are indeed on him, then we obtain them."
"When do we act?" Zhang Lu asked eagerly.
"No more delays; it will be tonight," Ye Fan decided.