Back at the inn, Lu Sheng had already returned.
Seeing Ye Fan enter, he quickly stepped forward. Just as he was about to speak, Ye Fan raised a hand to stop him.
"Be careful of eavesdroppers. Come to my room."
Ye Fan glanced behind him.
With the Great Elder's abilities, he wouldn't suspect Ye Fan himself. Therefore, he would definitely send someone to follow him. If any suspicious activity were discovered at this moment, all previous efforts would be in vain.
Lu Sheng nodded and followed Ye Fan back to the room.
"How did the matter go?"
After closing the door, Ye Fan asked in a deep voice.
"Don't worry, Brother Ye. I've installed over a dozen listening devices in their rooms. This is, after all, Taiping Town. Although I dare not say I can control everything here, everyone still gives me some face. Especially against these outsiders, no one will stop me," Lu Sheng said with a proud smile, clearly indicating that the matter had proceeded smoothly.
"Good, Brother Lu, you handled this beautifully."
Ye Fan was full of joy, surprised by Lu Sheng's capabilities.
However, as he said, in Taiping Town, Lu Sheng did indeed have some influence.
"What do we do next? Wang Sheng is in our hands. If we don't leak any information to them, they probably won't believe us, and it will only increase our suspicion," Shen Bao asked with a frown at this moment.
Having come from the law enforcement, he understood these matters better than Ye Fan and the others.
"Naturally, we have to provide them with some clues. Otherwise, how can we get money from them?" Ye Fan's lips curved into a cold smile, and a chilling glint flashed in his eyes.
How could he easily let go of such a golden opportunity? If he didn't heavily con the Great Elder and the others, how could he justify his meticulous planning?
"Brother Lu, go and spread the word that the Dark Alliance kidnapped Wang Sheng, and that the Dark Alliance is colluding with City Lord Lin. Therefore, the mastermind behind this is Lin Yue. Remember, express it subtly and don't be too obvious," Ye Fan said with a cold laugh. What he wanted was for the Great Elder and Lin Yue to suspect each other. Only then would a rift form between them, allowing him to reap the benefits.
If they were united, how could he find an opening?
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Lu Sheng pondered for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Brother Ye, this move is brilliant. I'll arrange it immediately."
Lu Sheng's face was filled with joy, even his brows showing excitement. He then hastily left the room to make arrangements.
Only Shen Bao maintained a somber expression. "This plan seems flawless, but once Lin Yue and the Great Elder speak, they can immediately clarify their relationship. At that time, the suspicion will still fall on you."
As expected of a top-notch law enforcement officer, Shen Bao's analysis was logical. However, upon hearing his words, Ye Fan did not show the slightest surprise. Instead, he smiled and shook his head.
"What? Am I wrong?" Seeing Ye Fan shake his head, Shen Bao asked in confusion.
Ye Fan slowly stood up and walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back.
"If it were someone else, perhaps what you said would happen. But both the Great Elder and Lin Yue are old foxes. Such people will not believe these things. The simpler the logic, the less they will trust it. This is what they call 'extremes meet'." Turning his head to look at Shen Bao, he continued, "Therefore, as long as the message can be spread, letting the Great Elder hear that Lin Yue was the one who acted against Wang Sheng, then no matter how Lin Yue explains, the Great Elder will have some doubts. For us, these doubts are enough."
Ye Fan looked into the distance with a meaningful gaze, his eyes growing colder.
Seeing Ye Fan's demeanor, Shen Bao finally nodded. Although he did not agree with Ye Fan's idea, Ye Fan's grasp of human nature was beyond his reach.
The next morning, news of the Dark Alliance kidnapping the second young master of the Heavenly King's Mansion quietly spread through Taiping Town.
"Great Elder, this is Taiping Town's gossip king, Zhang Hao. You can ask him anything," Ye Fan said, pointing to Zhang Hao, smiling at the Great Elder in the same hotel.
The Great Elder's face was grim, his cold eyes fixed on Zhang Hao, as if trying to see through him. A terrifying pressure instantly spread throughout Zhang Hao's body. Even though Ye Fan had already instructed him clearly, he still felt his heart race.
"Aren't you going to tell the Great Elder what you saw the night before last?" Seeing Zhang Hao seemingly intimidated by the Great Elder's presence, Ye Fan suddenly shouted. This reprimand immediately pulled Zhang Hao back from his fear, and he coughed a few times.
"Esteemed sir, I can give you the information, but you know that people like me walk on a tightrope. A single mistake can lead to a fall and utter destruction. I have made a living selling information all these years. The matter you wish to know is of great importance, and the people involved are beyond my ability to provoke. Frankly, if I tell you their identity, I will likely have to flee to the ends of the earth, and Taiping Town will be an impossible place to stay. Therefore, the remuneration I require will be very high." Zhang Hao recited the explanation Ye Fan had given him word for word.
Hearing Zhang Hao's words, the Great Elder frowned slightly but still spoke indifferently, "As long as the information you provide is reliable, money is not an issue."
Zhang Hao's demand was reasonable. On the contrary, if Zhang Hao had stated the information directly without any request, he would have been disbelieved. After all, this matter involved too much; anyone would want to receive a substantial reward for it.
Receiving the Great Elder's affirmative reply, Zhang Hao smiled with satisfaction and raised one hand. "I want this amount."
"Five million? Are you crazy? Just for a piece of information, you dare to ask for five million? Why don't you just die?" Before the Great Elder could speak, the middle-aged man beside him flew into a rage, shouting angrily.
Hearing the middle-aged man's scolding, Zhang Hao snorted disdainfully. "Esteemed sir, I am risking my life to deliver this message to you. This gentleman speaks like this, I must ask, do you think your second young master is not worth five million? Or, does someone among you not care about his life or death, or even wish for him to die?" Although Zhang Hao had been stunned at first, he had now recovered. Having followed Lu Sheng for so long, he had encountered all sorts of people and had long since developed a sharp tongue.
Faced with Zhang Hao's questioning, the middle-aged man's expression darkened, and he wanted to retort but was speechless.
"That's enough. You have no business here. Get out," the Great Elder roared, his face suddenly turning grim.