The two of them scrambled out of the banshee’s cave, drenched and exhausted, but finally out of danger.
Qilin let out a deep breath and released Wang Cang Hai’s hand.
Wang Cang Hai lowered his eyes slightly, glancing at his now-empty hand.
He didn’t say anything.
He simply withdrew his hand as well.
Qilin grinned. “Thanks for saving me.” Then he patted his chest confidently and said, “I’m Zhang Qilin. What’s your name?”
Wang Cang Hai turned his head to look at Qilin.
He remained silent for a long time.
After calming his emotions, he finally answered, “My name is Wan Bao. I’m the accountant for Wan San’s household.”
Qilin’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re a Wan?” He looked around the cave. “Isn’t this place supposed to be a secret base for the Zhang family? What are you doing here? And why did you fall into the banshee’s cave?”
Wang Cang Hai replied evenly, “I came looking for my employer, Wan San. He disappeared six months ago while on a business trip with the Zhang family’s clan leader.
“I have two friends in the Zhang family. They brought me here, to the Zhang clan gathering at the bottom of Qing Ze Lake, saying I might find clues to Wan San’s whereabouts.
“Earlier, when I heard people calling you their clan leader, I followed along in secret.
“That’s when I saw the Zhang family’s deputy clan leader, Zhang Pei Shan, commit murder.
“My family has been in the maritime trade for generations. I’ve learned techniques for holding my breath and swimming silently.
“When Zhang Pei Shan stormed over in a fury, I hid myself among the stalactites and held my breath.
“He didn’t notice me.
“I overheard him say, ‘You are not the Zhang clan leader.’
“So now I have a question for you—
If you’re not Zhang Qi Ling, why were you impersonating him?”
His words were a mix of truth and misdirection—just enough to eliminate Qilin’s suspicions, while subtly turning the interrogation back onto him.
Qilin instantly protested, “I wasn’t impersonating Zhang Qi Ling!”
He nearly blurted out the truth—that he was Zhang Qi Ling, just not the Zhang Qi Ling of this particular Zhang family.
But at the last moment, he held his tongue.
Instead, he dodged the topic and said lightly, “I was just passing through.
“I happened to run into a bunch of thugs who were planning to kidnap someone—that person being none other than Wang Cang Hai, the famous Lord Wang.
“You’ve heard of him, haven’t you?”
Wang Cang Hai nodded slightly.
Qilin continued, “They mistook me for their clan leader and dragged me into this whole mess.
“When I heard that their deputy clan leader was the mastermind behind kidnapping Wang Cang Hai, I figured I might as well snoop around and see if he had really been captured.
“Also, I wanted to know what the Zhang family was really up to at this gathering.”
Wang Cang Hai asked, “If you knew these people were dangerous criminals, why risk your life meddling in their affairs?”
Qilin flashed a bright, mischievous grin, his white teeth gleaming.
“Because I admire Wang Cang Hai.”
Wang Cang Hai was caught completely off guard.
His mouth opened slightly, as if struggling for words.
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