Taking advantage of the wind, Zhao Ya floated effortlessly, arriving outside the courtyard he had visited during the day as if weightless.
There were no guards in the courtyard, and Zhao Ya landed on the roof ridge like a snowflake.
The room was lit, and faint voices could be heard inside.
Zhao Ya crouched down, pressing his ear to the roof tiles, listening intently.
Indeed.
He heard Yang Bin speaking inside.
"Sigh, I couldn’t pay the rent again this year. I really feel guilty in my heart."
"Master, you shouldn’t blame yourself too much. It’s not something you intended. You did your best. I believe the heroes from the Azure Dragon Temple won’t give you a hard time because of it." Someone comforted.
"Though it’s true, I can’t put my mind at ease. With everyone’s support, I’ve been acting as the steward of Nandian Town, yet for over ten years, I haven’t even been able to pay the rent. Outsiders only see our glamorous facade, but who knows the hardships behind the scenes?"
By the end, Yang Bin’s tone was low, almost on the verge of tears.
"Master, please don’t say that. Everyone sees what you’ve done for Nandian Town over the years. No one will forget your kindness."
"Sigh, if there was someone to take over, I would have resigned long ago." Yang Bin said helplessly.
Hearing this conversation inside, Zhao Ya’s lips curled into a slight, cold smile.
If one didn’t know the truth, hearing Yang Bin’s words would surely be moved, believing him to be someone dedicated to the interests of the people.
But after the incident at the Mi Family Inn, Zhao Ya had already seen Yang Bin’s true colors.
This person was cunning and calculating, a deeply hidden villain.
Yet Zhao Ya couldn’t help but admire him.
Because deceiving people is easy, but to deceive people while always wearing a mask is difficult.
Zhao Ya was absolutely confident in his Body Technique and Lightweight Skill, especially on such a snowy night. Yang Bin couldn’t possibly notice his arrival.
There was only one explanation.
That Yang Bin habitually acted even when no one was around.
This was terrifying.
Because it requires extremely deep scheming to be able to do such a thing.
Zhao Ya listened for a while longer, realizing that the people inside weren’t saying anything new, just repeating the same few phrases.
Even though he knew Yang Bin was acting, Zhao Ya didn’t go down to expose him.
Because Zhao Ya understood that if Yang Bin dared to be so brazen, he must have been well-prepared.
Even if he went down, he wouldn’t find any useful clues.
Although killing Yang Bin would be easy for Zhao Ya,
what Zhao Ya wanted wasn’t Yang Bin’s life, but to uncover the darkness of Nandian Town and obtain the rent.
Only then could he break the situation.
Though gaining nothing, Zhao Ya wasn’t disheartened. He had already known the outcome before he came.
After all, to deceive under the watchful eyes of the Azure Dragon Temple for so long, even with backing, Yang Bin was by no means an easy opponent.
Thinking of this, Zhao Ya’s mind moved, deliberately striking a roof tile, making a crisp sound before swiftly flying away.
At this time in the house, Yang Bin and a subordinate were conversing.
Upon hearing the noise from the roof, the subordinate’s expression changed drastically, but he didn’t dare stop speaking, only signaling to Yang Bin with his eyes.
Their meaning: someone is on the roof.
Yang Bin was well aware of this, but he remained unperturbed, sitting there calmly, not even changing his tone of voice.
It was only after a long time, when he was sure there was no one on the roof, that Yang Bin stopped speaking and then smiled silently towards the window.
The smile carried a trace of disdain.
He knew that the Zhao Ya who came during the day wouldn’t easily give up, so he deliberately staged such a scene at night.
He believed that after hearing his "righteous and moving" words, Zhao Ya would know how to retreat with dignity.
"To think you can fight me, you’re still too naive."
Of course, these were words Yang Bin said silently in his heart.
His face showed no sign of it, even putting on a look of compassion.
"Sigh, with such heavy snow, who knows how many poor and helpless people will suffer tonight." Yang Bin sighed.
His subordinate looked at him with a complex expression.
Because even his subordinate sometimes couldn’t tell whether Yang Bin was acting or not.
Zhao Ya didn’t know this, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care.
At that moment, he was following the scent of herbal bait all the way.
During the day at the Mi Family Inn, he had secretly planted herbal bait on Lian Hao, finally putting it to use now.
Soon, he arrived in front of an estate located in the northwest corner of Nandian Town.
Compared to the courtyard where Yang Bin lived, this estate was much more opulent.
While it couldn’t be called ornate, it was certainly a luxury mansion in the small town of Nandian.
Moreover, even from beyond the courtyard walls, Zhao Ya could hear the occasional footsteps and the panting of dogs inside.
Clearly, this estate had night watchmen and guard dogs.
This would indeed be a tricky problem for an ordinary thief.
Because dealing with people is manageable, relying on the cover of night makes it easier to evade them.
But dogs have extremely keen hearing and smell, especially trained guard dogs.