Chapter 136: Taking It the Wrong Way

Indeed, although Mi Wu looked simple-minded and had a stutter, he was no fool. From Mi Li's perspective, following Tang Mubai could only be a gain, even if it meant being a mistress or a secondary partner. Of course, Mi Wu did not write these thoughts down. What he wrote to Tang Mubai was that his sister, Mi Li, although disabled, was a genius—an all-around computer prodigy. She was highly proficient in both hardware and software. If Tang Mubai took her in, he would never have to worry about computer-related matters again. In other words, his sister was extremely useful and would not be a freeloader.

This piqued Tang Mubai's interest. He stepped aside and told Mi Wu to wheel Mi Li to the computer.

"Hmm, let's start with something simple. Can you hack into the official website of the Martial Security Bureau?" Tang Mubai asked with a smile.

"Th-this..." Mi Wu wiped the sweat from his face, looking troubled. "Is... is that... okay?"

Mi Li remained silent, keeping her head lowered.

"Are you afraid to do it, or can't you?" Tang Mubai pressed. "You said your sister is a computer genius. If she only knows how to use a computer for basic tasks, she's no genius. Sure, developing or cracking software counts, but I don't need that. You heard me right—I want a hacker! If your sister has hacking skills, I can recruit her into my mercenary group, and she won't even need to go beyond the city walls. If she can't, it’s fine; I can still keep my promise to help you find someone to care for her—a nanny will do. But in that case, I will only provide a monthly allowance and nothing more. So, can she hack or not?"

"I can!" the previously silent Mi Li suddenly spoke up.

Though her voice was faint, Tang Mubai heard her clearly. "Good. Then start. Hack into the official website of the Red Leaf City Martial Security Bureau. Just stay inside for three seconds; that’s enough to avoid them tracing the address back here."

"That's impossible," Mi Li whispered, contradicting him with a hint of confidence in her voice.

Tang Mubai smiled, saying nothing. Mi Wu also fell silent, watching his sister operate the computer with swift movements. Despite her frail, claw-like fingers, she moved across the keyboard with incredible speed. She downloaded two programs and then tapped away rhythmically. Two minutes later, all the classified data from the Martial Security Bureau's backend appeared on the screen.

Tang Mubai scanned the files, had Mi Li copy a portion, and then logged out.

He clapped his hands and smiled. "Not bad, not bad. On behalf of the Miracle Mercenary Group, I invite you to join us. Our benefits are: no signing bonus, but we provide food and board, and we can help you grow stronger. Furthermore, since you aren't a professional martial artist, you won't need to head out into the wilderness for hunts."

"W-willing... of... of course I'm willing!" Mi Wu exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement.

"Your sister needs to answer that for herself," Tang Mubai said, looking at Mi Li.

The girl lowered her head again and remained silent for a long time. Seeing this, Mi Wu grew anxious. "Mi... Mi Li... q-quick... say yes!"

"Only if my brother comes too," Mi Li murmured. "I'm not going anywhere without him."

*Tsk.* Tang Mubai shook his head. It was a stalemate.

"Y-you..." Mi Wu was so frustrated his face turned purple. He tried to speak, but his stutter prevented him from getting the words out.

"Enough, stop pressuring her," Tang Mubai said. "Since Mi Li wants to stay with you, tell me the details about the book that bald guy is looking for. If the situation isn't too complicated, I don't mind helping you out." He meant it; Mi Li's hacking skills were quite impressive. If the forces behind Mi Wu were manageable, he wouldn't mind intervening.

"Th-thank you!" Mi Wu expressed his gratitude before picking up the pen to write.

The bald man was looking for a Buddhist scripture called the *Sutra of Reincarnation*. Mi Wu had no idea if such a book existed in his home. The bald man claimed his father had taken it from someone years ago and that the original owner wanted it back. Mi Wu had torn his house apart looking for it, but found nothing. His father had passed away ten years ago without leaving a word, so even if the book really was in his father's possession, no one knew where it was hidden. Yet, the bald man refused to believe him and kept forcing Mi Wu to hand it over. In desperation, Mi Wu had planned to entrust Mi Li to Tang Mubai and then seek a way to take the bald man down with him.

Tang Mubai's heart skipped a beat as he read the conclusion. He couldn't help but scold, "Take him down with you? Do you really think that if you die, the people behind him will leave your sister alone?"

"Th-this..." Mi Wu was stunned, sweating profusely. "Th-then... what... what should I do?"

Mi Li was also terrified, looking up with panic-stricken eyes. "Brother, I won't let anything happen to you!"

"I... I..." Mi Wu waved his hands, struggling to speak.

"Enough," Tang Mubai interrupted. "We need to find them and get to the bottom of this to find a proper solution."

"G-good..." Mi Wu nodded. "I... I will go find..."

"Not you, I will," Tang Mubai said with a faint smile. "You don't need to worry about the rest; I'll handle it. Now, you need to decide: are you joining my Miracle Mercenary Group?"

"Huh?" Mi Wu was stunned. Mi Li also looked up, her eyes filled with shock. They were in the middle of a life-or-death crisis, yet Tang Mubai still wanted to recruit them? Was he really that generous?

*Could it be that Tang Mubai has taken a liking to my sister?* Mi Wu’s mind spun. Mi Li felt dizzy as well. As she regained her composure, she lowered her head, her cheeks turning slightly pink. She couldn't think of any other reason. After all, they were at a dead end with nothing to offer—nothing except her hacking skills and her own innocence. If Tang Mubai were thinking rationally, he wouldn't take on such a dangerous mystery just for a hacker. He must be interested in her!

For a moment, both siblings misinterpreted the situation. Mi Li felt a mix of shyness and joy.

They were completely unaware that Tang Mubai’s heart had started racing the moment he saw the name *Sutra of Reincarnation*. He had obtained three books from the secret box left by Hu Zonghan, which also contained the *Cloud-Rolling Hand* and *Tai Chi*. The last one was exactly the *Sutra of Reincarnation*. Whether the book the bald man was searching for was the same one or a second volume didn't matter. What mattered was that he was looking for it. And if he was looking for it, it meant that either he or the people behind him knew the secret of the *Sutra of Reincarnation*.