33 Cooperation

"Mr. Gu, we meet again." In the darkness, the woman’s voice was raspy, as if rubbed against sandpaper.

"Fable?" Gu Zhixu’s expression remained unchanged.

Qiao Yuyan walked slowly behind the wheelchair. Looking at Gu Zhixu’s legs, a meaningful smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I had no idea I was so capable—breaking Mr. Gu’s legs."

"An expedient measure; please forgive me."

"But I feel like I’ve lost out," Qiao Yuyan said with a hint of laughter, her tone devoid of any real dissatisfaction.

"To express my apologies, I am willing to compensate you, Ms. Fable," Gu Zhixu said. "How does that sound?"

"Let’s talk about compensation later," Qiao Yuyan waved her hand. "I’ve come to see you this time to propose a collaboration. Is Mr. Gu interested?"

"Let’s hear it," Gu Zhixu said, slowly unbuttoning his jacket. "However, could you please take the gun away from my head first, Ms. Fable?"

"My apologies, professional habit." Qiao Yuyan holstered the weapon and continued, "I’ll offer Mr. Gu a piece of intelligence: at 4:00 a.m. tonight, if you shift your course 8 nautical miles to the west-southwest, what do you think?"

Gu Zhixu, who had been about to stand up, paused. After a brief moment of thought, he asked, "Are you looking to rescue the young prince of Sari?"

"Mr. Gu is truly well-informed," Qiao Yuyan acknowledged.

Gu Zhixu downplayed the matter. "That is hardly a secret."

He realized in an instant why Fable had approached him. Everyone knew Fable had broken his leg and assumed he wanted her dead, but only the two of them knew the truth behind that incident.

Qiao Yuyan asked, "Then, is Mr. Gu willing to do me this favor?"

Shifting 8 nautical miles was no great task, but Gu Zhixu did not agree immediately. Instead, he countered, "What information does Fable have for me in return?"

Qiao Yuyan casually dropped a name: "Wang Hongzhi."

"The eldest son of the Rongsheng Group chairman?" Gu Zhixu frowned at the mention of the name.

The Rongsheng Group was currently in decline, and this sole legal heir to the Wang family was notorious in the outside world as an utter good-for-nothing. What was so special about such a person that Fable would use him as a bargaining chip?

"Yes," Qiao Yuyan replied, saying not a single word more.

"Is he the one collaborating with my third uncle?" Gu Zhixu asked, suddenly recalling the only point of intersection between himself and Fable.

"I don’t know what Mr. Gu is talking about," Qiao Yuyan laughed slyly.

"Fair enough." Gu Zhixu smiled faintly, unsurprised. With Fable’s capabilities, she must have long since discovered the tampering with the file folder.

Before Qiao Yuyan could speak, he took the initiative: "The Gu Corporation plans to purchase an island in the near future. To select the most suitable one, the *Far Voyage* will approach several target islands at dawn for inspection."

Dealing with a smart person was always efficient. Qiao Yuyan nodded in satisfaction. "Then I’ll give you one more piece of information: Liang Feng is a distant cousin of Wang Hongzhi’s wife."

As soon as she finished, a gust of wind stirred behind Gu Zhixu, followed by total silence. He instinctively looked toward the window; the curtains fluttered in the sea breeze, and starlight shimmered over the midsummer ocean. The dressing room was empty; he was alone.

He regained his composure, smiled slightly, and pressed the communication button on his wheelchair. "Come in."

He stood up from the wheelchair and walked to the wall to flip the light switch. The illumination dispelled the darkness, revealing a clear, bright room, as if everything that had just happened were a mere hallucination.

Before long, Yang Wen opened the door and walked in. "Do you have any orders, Mr. Gu?"

"Fable was on the *Far Voyage*," Gu Zhixu said bluntly.

Yang Wen was startled, but he quickly calmed down. Thinking about how Fable could come and go from the Gu family’s properties as she pleased, sneaking onto the *Far Voyage* did not seem particularly difficult. He pondered for a moment before asking, "What did she want?"

"To negotiate a deal," Gu Zhixu said, briefly recounting the encounter. "The person collaborating with my third uncle is Wang Hongzhi of Rongsheng."

"Wang Hongzhi? Is that reliable?" Yang Wen asked skeptically. "Isn't it said that the Dark Web doesn't easily sell out its clients?"

They had previously tracked the trail only as far as the second eldest of the Gu family before the lead went dead. Later, when they tried to buy the client's identity for a high price, GSC had flatly rejected their request. Their investigation had stalled, and he hadn't expected such a sudden breakthrough. The information had come so easily that he was suspicious of its authenticity.

"What if they angered GSC?" Gu Zhixu chuckled. "Though I don't know what Wang Hongzhi did, few who get tangled up with my third uncle are particularly bright. Besides, Fable didn't technically 'sell' the information."

Yang Wen caught on instantly. Fable hadn't taken a cent; she had simply mentioned a name as if making small talk. Any other deductions were their own, meaning Fable hadn't violated any agreements. He recalled Gu Zhixu mentioning a collaboration and asked, "What does Fable want you to do?"

"Nothing major." Gu Zhixu walked into the living room. A massive nautical chart hung on the wall, densely marked with various routes, islands, and oceanic regions. He pointed casually to several small islands in international waters and instructed, "Tell the captain that the Gu Corporation intends to purchase an island, and have him steer close to these targets for a preliminary inspection."

"Understood," Yang Wen nodded immediately. Seeing the creases in Gu Zhixu’s clothes, he reminded him softly, "Mr. Gu, the auction starts in five minutes. Your aunt has been waiting downstairs for quite some time."

Gu Zhixu nodded. "I’ll change and be down shortly."

Meanwhile, back in her room, Qiao Yuyan was sitting on the edge of her bed, asking about Gu Zhixu. "Isn't Gu Zhixu the son of one of the three Gu brothers?"

When she spoke to him earlier, she had heard him refer to the second Gu brother as "third uncle." By that logic, his father should not be the man currently recognized as the eldest of the Gu family, but rather someone older than the three brothers.

"Yes," Bellen replied briefly. "The four Gu siblings are the children of the former chairman and his second wife. Gu Zhixu’s father was born to the first wife."

"No wonder," Qiao Yuyan muttered, curious. "Gu Zhixu and the three brothers are like oil and water, yet he seems quite decent to that aunt of his."

"There is simply no conflict of interest," Bellen said, her patience wearing thin. "Stop gossiping and get some rest."

Based on their current speed, there was less than five hours left until the scheduled operation. Qiao Yuyan would have to dive at least two nautical miles through the sea, and a fierce battle awaited her afterward. Yet, she still had the energy to gossip about the internal affairs of the Gu family—truly a troublesome child.

"Alright, goodnight, Mama Bellen." Qiao Yuyan lay down on the bed and fell asleep in a second.