Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1229 - 410: Zhao Family Makes a Move, Joy and Inferiority, A Father’s Love, the Old Xiang Family’s Pride

While the Zhao Family might hold their own against some, facing Xu Ning was nothing short of courting disaster.

Zhao Long's initial instinct was to drop the matter. A little hardship for his niece wouldn't ruin her chances of finding a fine partner later on. Yet, the desperate gaze from Zhao Bao tugged at his resolve, leading him to relent. He shut his eyes briefly to steady himself, then lifted his head and queried, "What's the story with that Ji Jiang girl? Have you not attempted to reach out to her? Perhaps there's an angle through her?"

Dealing with Xu Ning and Xu An was utterly futile, leaving Ji Jiang as their sole avenue.

Yet no sooner had Zhao Long posed the question than the distressed looks on Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao's faces revealed they'd already considered leveraging Ji Jiang.

Essentially, they were equally stumped by Ji Jiang, prompting their visit to the eldest brother for guidance.

"Ji Jiang... Ji Jiang..."

He bowed his head, pondering deeply while repeating her name a few times, before a sudden realization struck. Raising his eyes in astonishment, he exclaimed, "Is this Ji Jiang perhaps connected to Ji Hong, the one who just advanced in Bashang?"

Their reactions hit Zhao Long like a blow, causing his sight to blur momentarily.

In Great Xia today, those with top-grade Battle Body aptitude were exceedingly rare—fewer than 20 verified in total. Thus, the emergence of one in Bashang City early that September circulated rapidly, reaching even Zhao Long's ears amid his duties in distant Long Mountain.

"That Ji Jiang is actually Ji Hong’s own younger sister."

"You've given me one hell of a problem! A top-grade Battle Body who's freshly enlisted as a reserve in the Dragon Martial Army—what exactly do you expect from me, little brother? To compel her sibling to abandon Xu An?"

Upon Zhao Long's pointed retort, Zhao Bao unexpectedly stayed quiet, merely fixing his elder brother with expectant eyes that spoke volumes.

Zhao Long's fury boiled over into bitter laughter, leaving him utterly speechless.

"Big brother, this newly emerged top-grade Battle Body—his future growth is far from guaranteed. Do we truly have to dread him so much? Ji Hong and his sister hail from the old Mud Slope times, but their parents died young, leaving them without strong backing. Their recent breakthrough to Cold Resistance Level alone proves how tough their existence has been..."

Though Zhao Hu's temperament burned hot, his thoughts ran sharp and detailed. He'd probed into Ji Hong and his sister's past beforehand. Noticing Zhao Long's ire cooling considerably after his spiel, he pressed on swiftly, "Coercion is out of the question—if we stir up trouble, we'll lose all footing—but luring him with hefty rewards to back off willingly might just succeed. Ji Hong boasts impressive potential, yet he's newly advanced and without allies. Dangle sufficient contribution points before him, and who could blame him for biting?"

Bribe!

When Zhao Long absorbed his second brother's suggestion, a spark of intrigue lit his features.

Truth be told, as Zhao Hu pointed out, talent alone demands resources for advancement in cultivation, and superior gifts often crave even greater supplies. Should Ji Hong and his sister lack patrons, they'd be desperate for contribution points right now.

Noting the allure dawning on Zhao Long’s expression, Zhao Bao chimed in at once, "Big brother, should Ji Hong consent to his sister stepping away from sabotaging Yuanxiu’s wedding, I'll gladly provide five hundred thousand contribution points, delivered in one lump sum!"

Zhao Long pondered in quiet at his third brother's declaration.

An amount like five hundred thousand contribution points struck as staggeringly vast, even among the trio. Crucially, it underscored Zhao Bao's deep investment in his daughter's union.

Zhao Yuanxiu served as both Zhao Bao’s child and his own niece. Refusing to contribute as her uncle would smack of negligence.

"Fine, we'll give it a shot, but you two stay out of it completely—I'll handle all talks with Ji Hong, got it?"

"Yes, big brother!"

Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao echoed back together, their countenances beaming with delight.

"I've got less than two hours before departure. As a Dragon Martial Army reserve, Ji Hong's likely gearing up to leave too. We'll head straight to their barracks to track him down."

"That's unnecessary, big brother—I spotted him moving toward South City on my way in. We can seek him out there right away!"

This revelation clarified things for Zhao Long; they'd arrived with a plan. Having committed to intervening, he offered no more objections, briefed Vice Commander Lu Sheng, and trailed Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao straight to South City.

South City, Zeng’s Summer Clothing Workshop

In the serene rear chamber of the store, Ji Hong, arrayed in gleaming golden armor, took a seat as his sister Ji Jiang beside him clutched a curved, crimson jade pendant, grinning like a fool. She kept glancing at the tiny "Jiang" etched on the blood jade's face, her visage radiating bliss and smugness.

Observing his sister's entranced expression, Ji Hong felt a twinge of jealousy. "You look truly content now, huh? That Blood Agate Jade goes for 2000 contribution points per tael from the Camp Supply Department. Yours seems around half a pound, specially crafted by the Craftsmen Department—easily valued at 15000 or more. Xu An knows how to impress."

"Hahaha, I was certain Brother Xu wouldn't disappoint me!"

Ji Hong joined in her merry chuckles at the sound of his sister's exuberant mirth. He reached out to tweak her cheek playfully, feigning, "See what a gem my sister is—Xu An would regret passing up such a stunning and skilled bride. He'd search high and low with a lantern and still come up empty."

"Hahahaha..."

Ji Jiang's giggles swelled even brighter under her brother's teasing.

Right then, as Ji Hong bid farewell to Ji Jiang, Xu An rushed over.