Travel through Teyvat and spend your life with Linghua

Chapter 171: More than exposed

After hearing this, Xinyang nodded slightly to show his agreement.

At that moment, Zuo Mu, who had been silent until then, suddenly looked up as if struck by thunder. A glimmer of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he raised his voice and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Editor-in-Chief, it's me! Please, save me!"

Seeing this, Xin Yang couldn't help but snort coldly. Although the sound was soft, it carried an undeniable majesty. He stared at Zuo Mu expressionlessly and said coldly, "Humph, you really know how to cause me trouble! At this point, do you still have anything to say?"

Facing Xinyang's sharp questioning, Zuo Mu lowered his head like a frightened rabbit, not daring to meet Xinyang's gaze or even breathe. His lips moved tremblingly, and he stammered in a voice that was almost pleading, "Editor-in-Chief, I really know I was wrong. I can't go with them. Please have mercy on me and save me..."

Meanwhile, several Qianyan soldiers standing nearby noticed that Zuo Mu and Xin Yang were acquainted, and their faces expressed embarrassment. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do. One of them couldn't help but scratch his head, muttering to himself, "What...what should I do?" They knew their duty, but they didn't want to offend Xin Yang or Gan Yu behind her.

Just when they were feeling torn about this, another Qianyan Army soldier seemed to have thought of something and quickly said before Xinyang could speak: "Well... the situation is this. We have just reported the situation here to the headquarters in detail, and someone will be here soon to take over and deal with this matter. But please rest assured, this is just a formality. We will just ask a few simple questions. If we don't find any problems, he will be released immediately." There was a hint of respect in his tone, hoping to gain Xinyang's understanding.

Xinyang patted the Qianyan Army soldier on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I know your rules. But can you wait a little longer? We have some personal matters that need to be resolved, and it's quite urgent. Can twenty minutes be okay?" The Qianyan Army soldier hesitated for a moment and finally nodded.

Soon Mo Yu brought Ji Fang to the port.

"Editor-in-chief, I've brought Boss Ji Fang here." Mo Yu said.

Ji Fang was still as high-spirited as ever. "Boss Xinyang, you're really quick to find him so quickly."

Xin Yang explained, "I'm so sorry, Boss Ji. The situation is special, so I have to ask you to come here in person."

"Saki, now that everyone is here, let's talk."

Zuo Mu's body trembled more violently, and he stammered, "I... I was possessed by a ghost. I saw that the manuscript was well-written, and I couldn't find any similar books on the bookshelf, so I concluded that it was a manuscript. I thought of taking it for myself, just in time to make a name for myself in the new branch. I really know I was wrong. Boss Ji, Editor-in-Chief Xinyang, please forgive me this time."

Ji Fang snorted coldly, "Let you go? Do you know how much trouble your actions would have brought to our Wanwen Collection if we hadn't discovered it in advance?"

Xinyang frowned and said, "Zamu, you disappoint me so much. Shenzi recruited you into Yaedo because he valued your talent. I never thought you would do such a thing."

Zuo Mu burst into tears: "I regret it, I really regret it, I will never dare to do it again."

Mo Yu asked, "Then when you first entered Yaedo, you published the work, did you write it yourself?"

Saiki hesitated for a moment and then said, "That was a work I prepared with my best friend. However, due to the Eye Hunter Order, he passed away when our work was almost finished. So I completed the remaining plot by myself. As expected, the book was warmly welcomed upon its release. However, it was not written by me alone after all. Since then, I have been unable to produce any good works, so I had evil thoughts."

After hearing what Zuo Mu said, everyone fell into a brief silence. Xin Yang sighed slightly and looked at Zuo Mu with a complicated expression. "Zuo Mu, I didn't expect there was such a story behind you. But this can't be an excuse for your mistakes."

Ji Fang crossed his arms and shook his head. "Saki, you had a good start, but you went astray. Now you must take responsibility for your actions."

Ji Fang looked at Xin Yang and asked, "Boss Xin Yang, what are you going to do?"

Xin Yang pondered for a moment and said, "You must publicly apologize for this matter, compensate Wanwen Collection for its losses, and leave the branch hall."

Ji Fang interrupted, "Forget about the compensation. After all, we didn't suffer any losses. An apology will be enough."

"Boss Ji is very generous. I hope this incident will not affect our future cooperation." Xinyang took the initiative to shake hands.

Ji Fang also extended her hand and said, "I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

Xinyang and Linghua sent Jifang away from the port together.

Mo Yu looked at the embarrassed Zuo Mu in front of him and said with emotion: "Zuo Mu, if you had confessed all this earlier, perhaps you wouldn't have ended up in this situation."

Zuo Mu was very disdainful. "Hmph, what's the point of confessing earlier? Do you think I'm Xinhua, who can easily produce such shocking works? Or do you think I'm you, who can just do some publicity and think I've done my job? I am me, and I have only this little ability. How can I survive in Yaetang if I don't plagiarize? This time she came to Liyue and only left me, the author, here. Isn't her intention as the Son of the Eightfold God obvious enough?"

Mo Yu was shocked by Zuo Mu's words. "You...how can you say that? I even thought you had repented and was ready to help you plead with the editor-in-chief, but you actually..."

"Hahaha, I need your help? That was Xin Yang who was here just now. Would he let me go if I didn't say that? I need him to avoid these Qianyan soldiers. Anyway, from today on, I am no longer a member of Yaedo. I warn you, don't get in my way."

Saki slowly stood up, stretched his body, and then turned around, ready to leave. However, at this moment, Xinyang and Linghua happened to return with a few Qianyan soldiers. They saw Saki about to leave and called out to him.

When Zuo Mu heard the call, his body suddenly stiffened, and his face quickly changed into a flattering smile: "Mr. Editor-in-Chief, you see, I'm making preparations right now. I'll go to the Wanwen Collection Office and apologize in person!"

Xin Yang looked at him expressionlessly and said coldly, "There's no rush to apologize. You should first cooperate with the Qianyan Army."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Mu was instantly panicked. He looked at Qian Yanjun standing beside him with horror and stammered, "Why...why are you still arresting me? I told you everything before, why won't you let me go? Editor-in-Chief, please save me!"

Xin Yang frowned slightly and said with a hint of doubt, "Qian Yanjun just wanted to ask you a few simple questions, but you look so scared. Do you have something to hide?"

Zuo Mu's face turned extremely ugly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. He pointed at Xin Yang and shouted angrily: "Xin Yang, well, it turns out you have been deceiving me all along! Even if I die, I will definitely take you with me!"

Before he finished speaking, Qianyanjun, who was standing nearby, saw that the situation was not good. Fearing that Zuomu would do something extreme, he rushed forward and held him down firmly.

Xin Yang was bewildered. He walked up to Zuo Mu and said in a deep voice, "Zuo Mu, what do you mean by this? When did I ever cheat you? The Qianyan Army is just doing their job. If you have no guilt in your heart, why are you so panicked? Or have you done something else?"

Saiki struggled hard, his eyes filled with anger and despair. "You and Jifang worked together to set up a trap, just to force me here, and then let the Qianyan Army patrol here. I just want to make a place in this world, why are you all against me?"

The more Xinyang listened, the more confused he became, so he went back to the headquarters with Qianyanjun to interrogate him.