Miss Beautiful C.E.O and her system

By the time they reached a nearby village, both Ling Qingyu and the man breathed a sigh of relief. The presence of humans soothed their hearts. The frightening cries of nature seemed to fade, replaced by the softer sounds of rustling branches and grasses swaying to the wind's rhythm.

The layers of trees thinned as signs of human activity increased. As expected of humankind, nature couldn't withstand their playful intrusions. All natural elements had either dissipated or been destroyed by human interference. The village's houses were built on wooden pillars above the ground.

Ling Qingyu recalled reading about this type of construction; it allowed the houses to be moved short distances. A group could easily lift and transport them.

Among these pillar houses, she also spotted a few courtyard types made of concrete and brick. These clearly belonged to the wealthier families. Yes, whether due to tradition or because the people hadn't fully embraced modern life, families tended to stay grouped together. More children also meant more labor, which was essential in regions where education wasn't highly prioritized.

This way of life was hard to change, even as times moved on.

Though the sky had darkened, the villagers were not yet asleep. It was still early. Candlelight and clusters of light bulbs lit up the entire village, creating an enchanting glow. Ling Qingyu gazed at the lively scene, filled with distant chatter and laughter.

To avoid detection, they had to pass through the village without alerting anyone. She glanced back to see if the wolves had followed. Her concern wasn't baseless; Athena reported that the wolves had trailed them for a while before stopping and returning to their territory, deterred by the presence of humans.

Ling Qingyu marveled at the wolves' territorial awareness. They were so persistent. If not for her initial surge of killing intent, she wondered if the two of them might have been dragged into a pointless fight.

Her partner shuffled closer and knelt down. Ling Qingyu spoke, "We'll go around the village."

"Roger. One by one or together?" the man asked.

"No need for overwatch. I've already scanned most of the area. There's no immediate danger."

"Alright, your call."

Ling Qingyu nodded. The two conversed with green glows hovering over their eyes from their night-vision goggles. The length of the goggles caused their head movements to appear awkward. Ling Qingyu rose and began to move around the village, with the man following quietly behind her.

When they crossed over the main road passing through the village, the dogs became agitated and started barking in their direction. One barked, then another, and soon a chorus of barking spread across the village. Villagers stepped out of their houses, murmuring to one another, wondering why the usually calm dogs were now so riled up.

No one realized that two 'strangers' were approaching the village and circling around to their next destination. If these 'strangers' had malicious intentions, no one in the village would have survived. Ling Qingyu glanced back one last time before disappearing into the darkness. The man smiled bitterly. Animals were indeed too sensitive.

They completed their stealth maneuver without any real mishaps. Their only mistake might have been not staying farther away, but they needed to move quickly. Tang Ziyi had already informed them of changing positions. Once Ling Qingyu and her partner reached a certain point, they would have to separate and continue on their own.

The rest of the operators were proceeding according to their objectives.

"Too many poppy fields, right?" Ling Qingyu murmured softly.

"What else? The whole village's livelihood depends on the drug trade. Their production drives the local economy," the man replied.

Ling Qingyu felt conflicted. Should she destroy these fields in the hope of cutting off the drug supply, knowing it would lead to a material crisis for the villagers? Morally, she wanted to eliminate the source of the problem. Ethically, she didn't want to ruin the lives of the families who depended on the trade. They weren't the main culprits; they were simply responding to market demand.

Besides, the fields could always be replanted. Spirit Fox wouldn't be operating here long enough to completely eradicate everything.

"Well, even if we wanted to cleanse them, it's not our call right now. Let's move," she said, picking up the pace.

After a while, they spotted a small warehouse and a workshop. A trail forked from the main road to this area. Fences surrounded the perimeter. Judging by the wear and tear on the structure and the faded paint, it looked abandoned. However, a dim light seeped through the gaps, and a modified white minibus painted a different picture.

Now what, circle around again? Just kidding—they didn't want to waste more time. Ling Qingyu and the man crouched and observed for a few seconds before deciding to pass through directly. There were no dogs or sentries. They could easily stride across without compromising their stealth. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire

Both of them grumbled about the large area the fences covered. If the villagers had abandoned this site without maintaining it, it could have been a hideout or storage for opium to be traded.

The two leapt over the fence and continued their path. Suddenly, Ling Qingyu raised a fist to signal a halt as her ears perked up. She turned, looking at her partner with a helpless expression. The man shrugged and asked, "What is it this time?"

Thanks to her martial arts training and study of the secret sutra, Ling Qingyu's physical abilities were greatly enhanced, including her hearing and vision. She could hear the sounds from inside the warehouse clearly. Though the words were muffled, the tones told her everything she needed to know.

A carnival was going on inside. She heard the cries and moans of women and the malicious laughter of men. Not just one or two, but a whole group. Rapid moans, cries of pleasure, and intermittent, rhythmic sounds—every adult knew what that meant.

Ling Qingyu's lips twitched. She hadn't expected the villagers to be so bold. Never underestimate rural life; they were more open-minded than city dwellers. Or maybe the easy access to drugs was the cause. Drugs could make people do daring things.

"You'll never guess what I just discovered," Ling Qingyu muttered, shaking her head.

The man waited for her to continue, but she stopped, listening more intently as the language used was that of Country C. When she caught what the men were discussing, her eyes turned cold. The sudden drop in temperature around her startled her partner. Ling Qingyu's green goggles seemed to blaze with an unholy light, like a demon summoned from the depths.

In his eyes, her expression was fierce and terrifying. "Hey… Kirin…" he called out cautiously.

"I'm sorry," she replied, her voice icily calm. "We might be delayed for a bit." Ling Qingyu flicked her radio on. "Kirin to Kilos, Kirin to Kilos."

"Kilo 1," Tang Ziyi replied instantly.

"Kilo 1, Kirin has encountered an issue that needs fixing. We might be a bit late."

"Kirin, it doesn't matter; all elements are camping and waiting until everyone's asleep. We have time. Please report what you've found." Tang Ziyi's tone lost its usual lightness; she knew Ling Qingyu was serious from her voice.

"I've got some bastards to deal with."

"Is it necessary?" There was a pause. When Ling Qingyu didn't immediately respond, Tang Ziyi added, "Copy that. Do as you see fit, but do not compromise our presence. Clear?"

"Understood," Ling Qingyu replied.