Chapter 150 - 102: Jiang Mu’s Behind-the-Scenes Master

Chapter 150: Chapter 102: Jiang Mu’s Behind-the-Scenes Master

"He was also involved in the Han family’s recent incident. You know, Madam Han was an important pawn you had in place, and he just went and destroyed her..."

"Does he dare disobey?"

The woman sneered, her voice chilling. "That punk thinks just because Shen Wanhai’s entire family is dead, no one knows his dirty little secrets?

How naive!

Never mind anything else, the Sound Stones he plundered from the Shen family are just a small fraction of the total."

As she spoke, she opened her palm.

In an instant, a lustrous Sound Stone materialized in her palm.

The next moment, the conversation between Jiang Mu and Madam Shen echoed from within the Sound Stone:

"Darling... listen to me. You need to leave Hu State first thing tomorrow morning... The City Defense Array is about to fail..."

The voice was unmistakably Jiang Mu’s.

A chill ran down Young Master Zhao’s spine as he listened.

’This master from the Red Umbrella Sect is terrifying,’ he thought. ’Her methods are incredible, her reach inescapable.’

’Who knows how many other officials in the Great Qing Dynasty’s imperial court they have by the throat.’

’Even me...’

A bitter feeling welled up inside Young Master Zhao.

All because of a moment of weakness, an inability to keep it in his pants, he’d been forced onto this sinking ship.

He was terrified at first. But when the Red Umbrella Sect never contacted him, he started to think they’d forgotten about him, and a secret joy bloomed in his heart.

But then his uncle was appointed the new Prefect of Hu State, and this woman had shown up.

This gave him a clear picture of the Red Umbrella Sect’s methods.

First, they cast a wide net.

They plant countless "sleeper agents" like him.

These agents lie dormant, waiting.

Then, once the time is right, or when a person becomes useful, they’re immediately "activated."

He also knew that the Red Umbrella Sect’s original target had been his uncle. But his uncle was an upright and cautious man, so they could never find a way in.

So the Red Umbrella Sect had targeted him instead.

His uncle was childless and had always treated him like his own son.

At this thought, Young Master Zhao’s heart filled with regret and guilt.

Fortunately, they had promised that as long as he obediently passed along intelligence, they wouldn’t harm his uncle.

"But you’re right," the woman said. "He’s a young man. We can’t let him get too arrogant. He needs to be taught a lesson."

The woman casually tossed the Sound Stone to him.

"Teach him a lesson first. Something to make him remember his place. Lest he forget who his true master is, and what his role is."

Young Master Zhao caught the Sound Stone, his face clouded with confusion. "Am I supposed to take this and threaten him with it?"

"No."

The woman shook her head. "Have the woman, Ruyan, do it. Arrange for her to ’accidentally’ find this Sound Stone. You should avoid getting directly involved, so you aren’t exposed."

Young Master Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

He was genuinely terrified of facing that madman, Jiang Mu.

But the woman’s next words stunned him.

"Have Ruyan take this and give it directly to the Demon-slaying Bureau."

"Give it to the Demon-slaying Bureau?"

Zhao Wenchang was baffled. "My lady, why? Isn’t this... throwing Jiang Mu to the wolves? If he’s taken down because of this, what good does that do us?"

The woman gave a faint smile.

"The Red Umbrella Sect doesn’t keep useless people. This will be a test of his abilities."

"If he can overcome this crisis on his own merit, it proves he’s worth investing in. From then on, we won’t be stingy with the resources he’s due."

"If he stumbles and ends up in prison..."

"Then I’ll personally break him out of jail and give him a chance to come crawling back to be my dog. After all, he’s a talented man. It would be a waste."

Young Master Zhao understood.

’The Red Umbrella Sect’s leadership must see Jiang Mu’s value,’ he realized. ’They want to invest heavily in him and make him completely one of their own.’

’So they’re testing him first.’

’To see if the punk has what it takes, if he’s worth betting on.’

’If he can turn things around even in a hopeless situation like this, it means he’s exceptionally talented and must be groomed for a key role.’

Besides, Young Master Zhao believed...

...the leverage the Red Umbrella Sect held over Jiang Mu wasn’t just this single Sound Stone.

Still, Young Master Zhao had his concerns.

"What if... what if after his identity as a mole is exposed, he decides to go down swinging and becomes our sworn enemy?"

"Hahaha..."

The woman burst out laughing as if she’d heard the funniest joke in the world.

She stared at Young Master Zhao with a sinister gaze, as if looking down at an ant.

"Do you know what Cultivators desire most?

Resources!

Once he’s kicked out of the Demon-slaying Bureau, all his cultivation resources will be cut off. The righteous sects won’t have him, and no other factions will dare take him in.

In this whole wide world, only my Red Umbrella Sect can allow him to continue cultivating, give him the resources he wants, and offer him sanctuary!

When that time comes, what other choice will he have but to acknowledge me as his master?"

"Besides, we can always use a honey trap. A man’s greatest weakness will always be a beautiful woman’s embrace.

And even..."

She licked her red lips, a strange, bewitching light flashing in her eyes.

"If necessary, I could even step in and ’play’ with him myself."

Young Master Zhao frowned.

"But I’ve heard he’s a changed man. They say he doesn’t touch women anymore. A honey trap probably won’t work."

Hearing this, the woman laughed even more heartily.

"A changed man? Haven’t you ever heard the saying?"

"What saying?"

"A dog will always go back to eating shit!"