As the saying goes, “nothing beats dumplings for food, and nothing beats a sister-in-law for fun.” It was only natural for those men to set their sights on the Fourth Boss’s woman.
While the Fourth Boss is away, find his wife and…
hehehe…
She didn’t think such things wouldn’t happen.
So Jiang Pengji boldly tested the waters.
Sure enough, the expressions of several men subtly changed.
She memorized all their characteristics, thereby securing “evidence.” Based on her observations, the Fourth Boss had a notoriously explosive temper, and she couldn’t rule out a habit of abusing women.
Men, especially those in places like this, were sometimes quite complex and contradictory creatures.
While coveting other people’s women, they were also fiercely possessive of their own.
How could a brainless bandit with a strong sense of ownership tolerate the idea that all his brothers had played around with his woman?
Given his temperament, the possibility of a violent fallout was very high.
In summary, impulsiveness is the devil.
If you leave the house without your brain, you’d better remember to control your temper.
“Alright, I’ve finished speaking.
You can now rest in peace and go meet your bandit brothers in hell for a happy family reunion.”
System: “…You’re just so kind-hearted, wasting your time to make sure he dies in peace…”
Jiang Pengji: “Wrong.
I’m wasting my time so he understands exactly how stupidly he’s dying.”
System: “…”
Damn it, he’d be better off dying with his eyes open!
System: “Host, are you really not considering finding a domineering Emperor to unlock your ‘Overbearing’ attribute and save your three views with a pure love story?”
She had exploited every piece of information available, whether through deliberate manipulation or desperate bluffs.
Her goal had been crystal clear from the start.
Jiang Pengji’s actions, from beginning to end, proved that she had been plotting this entire operation to annihilate the bandit stronghold the moment she woke up.
Even though they had only been working together for half a day, the System was genuinely a little worried about such a host.
“Keep nagging, and I’ll kill an Emperor just to show you.”
Jiang Pengji frowned impatiently.
Having an uncontrollable, noisy sparrow in her head was simply infuriating.
The System immediately fell silent as a chicken.
At that moment, the only viewer who had been quiet for a long time, Unlucky Stowaway, silently sent a bullet comment.
Unlucky Stowaway: Streamer, isn’t this a really easy way to mess up the game?
If you really thought about it, Jiang Pengji’s logic was full of holes.
If she messed up, her ending would be…
hehehe.
But…
the thought of this murder-streaming streamer made his hands tremble on the keyboard.
Streamer V: This kind of reasoning is just a bold guess, carefully verified.
Rather than saying I deduced it, it’s more accurate to say those idiots practically handed it to me.
As for whether I’ll mess up?
The thrill is in the risk.
If I were 100% correct every time, it would be so boring.
It’s like walking a tightrope in the sky.
The rush of knowing a single misstep could send you plummeting from heaven to hell is intoxicating.
Streamer V: To deceive your opponent, you first have to deceive yourself.
You have to make them believe every word you say is pure, unadulterated truth.
Because while you’re observing them, they’re also observing you.
If you’re careless, you’ll get counter-played.
Jiang Pengji had once met a companion who also enjoyed these twisted little reasoning games.
That was the only time she’d ever failed, getting counter-played by them.
Afterward, she learned her lesson and seriously reflected until she found the root cause of her failure.
System: “…”
It felt like it had accidentally chosen a Host with some seriously twisted psychological tendencies.
Damn it, is she even cut out for palace intrigue?
Unlucky Stowaway: “…”
Caught completely off guard, it felt like being lectured by a seasoned criminal expert.
After delivering the final blow, Jiang Pengji stepped out of the blood-soaked room.
Next…
she had much more important matters to attend to.
“You…
you…
Liu Xi, what exactly are you trying to do?”
A group of noblewomen waited anxiously in the back hall.
Wei Jingxian and Shangguan Wan, the closest of the two, comforted each other as they waited in desperation.
Outside, there was nothing but the howling wind.
Even the bandits’ footsteps and their lecherous, obscene taunts had vanished.
Yet they dared not leave.
They could do nothing but fight off their drowsiness, terrified to make a single move.
Only when Liu Lanting approached them like a savior, announcing they were finally safe, did they all let out a collective sigh of relief.
However, before they could even weep with joy, Liu Lanting suggested they move.
“This place is a bit cramped.
Let’s find a larger space.
You’ve been living in terror all day; it’s time you got some proper rest.”
System: “…I have a bad feeling about this…
My whole body’s covered in goosebumps.
You’re not being this kind for no reason…”
Jiang Pengji kept her head slightly lowered, leading the way.
Under the cover of night, a faint smile touched her lips.
Not bad, she thought, mentally praising the System’s quick instincts.
Quick on the uptake.
When the System realized Jiang Pengji was leading the group back to the very room where the chaotic brawl had just occurred, it would have turned blacker than ink if it had a face to show.
Though the noble ladies found the choice strange, none dared object.
Liu Lanting had saved them, and her figure—now drenched in blood—was terrifying.
They followed her, their hearts pounding with trepidation.
But they would soon regret their compliance.
Even before stepping into the dim room, the overwhelming stench of blood drained the color from their faces.
When they accidentally stepped on the severed limbs of the bandits and slipped, the women erupted in continuous screams, some even breaking down in tears.
Creeak—
Jiang Pengji shut the door and lit the oil lamps one by one, forcing them to see the room’s contents in full, horrific detail.
And so…
the screams grew even louder.
Tsk.
If anyone approached this bandit stronghold right now and heard such blood-curdling shrieks, they’d probably think a swarm of female ghosts had gathered here.
Her gaze fell upon Wei Jingxian and Shangguan Wan.
Seeing that their faces were merely pale and their expressions still composed, she didn’t speak up to stop them.
Only after they had screamed their fill did Jiang Pengji begin to toy with her dagger, her cold eyes fixed on the group of noblewomen.
“You all know exactly what I intend to do…” She straightened her disheveled collar, then used a strip of fabric from her remaining cloak to pull her long hair back and tie it into a simple knot.
“We’re all intelligent people here.
There’s no need to spell things out too plainly.”
Jiang Pengji had seen Liu Lanting’s memories.
This era was far more cruel to women than to men.
She felt that reclaiming her identity as a woman would be a terrible bargain.
Besides, Liu Lanting had her reasons for cross-dressing, and being exposed now would only bring her trouble.
To ensure a thorough resolution, Jiang Pengji decided to seize this perfect opportunity—with time, place, and people all on her side—and have a chat with them.
“Are you threatening us?” one of the young noblewomen asked, her face pale with disbelief.
“Yes,” Jiang Pengji admitted shamelessly, a smile playing on her lips.
“If this isn’t a threat, what is it?
Flirting?”
The women’s expressions turned utterly ghastly.
The System couldn’t help but cover its face.
This one-sided slaughter was too brutal.
Good grief, Jiang Pengji!
If you’re so damn good at bullying little girls, why don’t you go fight in the imperial palace instead?!