Suddenly, the Zhou family became the center of attention, with various powers trying to gain insights into the secrets of the Litchi Villa. Unfortunately, Zhou Huajin was as clueless as them.

"Zhu Rongwei is dead?" Commander Zhao wasn't shocked upon hearing the news early in the morning, but he was curious about the cause. Watching a video, he was left in deep contemplation.

"I never expected the central authority to possess such an artifact. With this in their arsenal, who'd dare to act recklessly? Those planning against Marshal Shao are delusional if they can't even get this intel."

His deputy reported, "Li, Zhu Rongwei's right-hand man, has been captured."

"Let him be caught. He knows many secrets. It's an opportunity to get everything out. Xu Yintian surely has evidence. The Zhu lineage might be uprooted, which is favorable for us."

"Aren't you worried he'll come for you in the end? You've conspicuously stayed out of the limelight during all this." As the military commander, he hadn't made his stance clear. There were concerns about repercussions, especially if their true target wasn't just the Zhu family.

While Commander Zhao's interactions with certain individuals remained a secret, there was a chance that the other party had special intel. The next target could be...

"Don't overthink it. I have no feud with him. At worst, I'll be accused of lax governance. But we should make a gesture. Send an invitation; I'll host them at Fan Que Tower tonight."

The adjutant felt the arrangement was inappropriate, but he refrained from commenting. He dutifully delivered the message, only to be denied even entrance to the main gate. Su Ting'er simply stated the person wasn't home and dismissed him.

Such a response not only raised his suspicions, but also Commander Zhao's. He mused, "Could Su Daqiang be overly arrogant? We've never gotten along well."

"Should I try again later?"

After pondering, Commander Zhao replied, "I'll personally visit this afternoon. I'm also curious about what's truly going on inside the Litchi Villa." What concerned him most was the whereabouts of the mysterious troops that moved without trace. How had they entered Yang City without his notice? It deeply unsettled him.

Zhou You shared the same questions, "Where did your men go last night? It's hard to believe that hundreds of them just disappeared. And that black box they used - was it also taken? It surely caught many eyes, and they might be targeted because of it."

Shao Qi chuckled lightly, "They won't find it. Not just their insiders know about digging tunnels. And they'll never guess where the tunnel entrance is."

"Did they leave the city?"

Shao Qi shrugged, "If they're not outside, where else in the city would they hide? The black box was a one-time tool. I mentioned it was experimental; otherwise, a mere group of five thousand wouldn't warrant such a powerful device. It's a loss, really."

Considering the cost, Zhou You also felt it was a waste. While they couldn't take on five thousand men, based on last night's scenario, they could potentially capture the leader and disrupt the enemy's plans, albeit with difficulty.

"Stop worrying about them. Focus on choosing your weapon. Many dream of being in Master Fan's forging chamber. Look at their envious eyes!"

Zhou You was elated, but he was indecisive. Every item in Master Fan's chamber was a masterpiece, yet he felt none suited him. And he could choose only one. If nothing caught his eye, he'd take raw materials and have Master Fan craft something personally.

After learning Shao Qi was Master Fan's disciple, he had a different idea, "We have plenty of high-grade materials. As the senior disciple of a master smith, wouldn't you showcase your skills and craft a weapon for me?"

"Do you trust me?" Shao Qi, though known by the title, wasn't publicly acknowledged. Zhou You might be expecting too much.

"Why not give it a shot? What's the worst that could happen?"

Shao Qi sized him up, stroking his chin, "It's only right to craft for one's own. But I need to think about what would suit you best. Choose something here for now, and I'll take my time crafting yours."

Zhou You agreed and was about to make a choice when a chilly voice from behind remarked, "What? Not impressed with my creations?"

Turning around quickly, Zhou You hastily explained, "Not at all! Master Fan, your creations are exceptional. I just want to find the perfect fit. As for Shao Qi, I've never seen him forge. Aren't I just motivating your disciple to be more diligent?"

"True. He's been quite lazy. It's embarrassing. What a waste of a disciple's spot."

Shao Qi sarcastically added, "I wonder who was so eager to take me as a disciple in the first place."

Master Fan cleared his throat, diverting Zhou You's attention to his collection, "How about this knife? I spent a month engraving the dragon patterns on its handle. Someone offered 150,000 points for it, and I still couldn't part with it."

Shao Qi interjected with a critique, "It's flashy but not practical."

"What about this bow? The bowstring is crafted from a high-grade mutant Sea Serpent's tendon. That single tendon is invaluable, especially since it's from one of the apex predators of the sea. Acquiring even a small piece was a stroke of luck. It's among my proudest creations."

The bowstring was indeed impressive, but Zhou You already possessed a meteorite crossbow. The crossbow bolts from his weapon were far more lethal than the regular iron arrows paired with this bow, making it more efficient for him.

Shao Qi candidly commented, "The arrowhead is too ordinary for such an exquisite bowstring. It's like 'all bark and no bite'."