At the Yuezhou Sanatorium, He Jiaqing suddenly opened his eyes. A strange aura had appeared, apparently not too far from the hospital. Who has come to the Outside Provinces? Am I overthinking this? Could this aura be related to "Zhao Xiaowan"? He Jiaqing wanted to go out and investigate, but just then, the door to his sickroom was pushed open, and Captain Chen of the Dark Star Bureau entered. The doctor was describing He Jiaqing’s condition to Captain Chen. Despite some recent issues, He Jiaqing’s condition showed no signs of improvement. Captain Chen was not particularly interested in the medical details. His gaze remained fixed on He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing didn’t dare to move recklessly; Old Chen was a high-level Peeping Cultivator. The window was closed, yet a faint breeze seemed to have crept into the sickroom. It was an aura. Old Chen also sensed this inexplicable aura and turned his gaze towards the window before looking back at He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing complained inwardly. What does this mean? Does he suspect me? The two faced off for a moment, and then the strange aura disappeared. Xiao Zhenggong had someone take "Zhao Xiaowan" away and immediately sealed her. After Old Chen left, He Jiaqing hurriedly contacted Wan Jinxian. "Has ’Zhao Xiaowan’ really been captured?" Wan Jinxian changed his tune. "I’m still tracking her with all my efforts." He Jiaqing was startled. "What’s gone wrong?" Wan Jinxian sighed. "I was tricked. Luo Zhengnan used Lizard Skin to deceive me. I obtained the ancient renowned spear, Cloud Jiao, and mistook it for ’Zhao Xiaowan’." "Who exactly has ’Zhao Xiaowan’ now?" He Jiaqing asked calmly, his tone making Wan Jinxian even more nervous. "She should still be with Luo Zhengnan." "Where is Luo Zhengnan?" "He should still be at the Iron Gate Fort." "Still at the Iron Gate Fort?" He Jiaqing let out a laugh, a laugh that made Wan Jinxian shiver for a moment. He Jiaqing said no more and broke the connection. If I’m not mistaken, Luo Zhengnan has already arrived in the Outside Provinces. That aura just now was very likely emanating from him. Inside the villa, Xiao Zhenggong hosted a banquet to reward Luo Zhengnan. "Old Luo, this drink is to you! In our gang, you’re the only one who’s truly capable!" "Thank you for your high regard, Gang Leader Xiao!" Old Luo raised his glass and drained it in one gulp. Xiao Zhenggong ordered his men to keep bringing wine and dishes, heaping praise upon praise, but he didn’t mention a single word about the Deputy Gang Leader position. What does he mean by this? He signed a Contract Book. Xiao Zhenggong is from Puluo State; he should know the weight of a Contract Book. Indeed, Xiao Zhenggong was from Puluo State, but he had lived in the Outside Provinces for too long. He knew that the People of Puluo State valued Contract Books, but he had also learned a few techniques in the Outside Provinces for dealing with them. For example, there was adaptability, exploiting loopholes, and those handy phrases: "In principle... From a logical standpoint... But in reality..." In principle, according to the Contract Book, once the job was done, Xiao Zhenggong was to make Luo Zhengnan the Deputy Gang Leader. From a logical standpoint, Luo Zhengnan had indeed accomplished the task and delivered "Zhao Xiaowan" into Xiao Zhenggong’s hands. But in reality, the position of Deputy Gang Leader was no small matter. It concerned the rise and fall of the Gang and required great caution. It wasn’t just about merit; a comprehensive assessment and long-term deliberation were necessary. Could Luo Zhengnan understand these things? Yes, he was a fashionable fellow. But could he accept such an outcome? No. He was a man of Puluo State. For the People of Puluo State, a Contract Book was an unshakable entity. Luo Zhengnan didn’t want to stay a moment longer and returned to Medicine King Valley that very day. Zhu Junlong, the general manager of the Tea Mountain Hotel, visited He Jiaqing in the hospital, bringing him a bouquet of flowers. After Zhu Junlong left, He Jiaqing, when the caregiver wasn’t looking, clenched a petal in his hand. Through the petal, He Jiaqing heard Zhu Junlong’s voice. "Jiaqing, I just received intelligence. Young Gang Leader Xiao Zhenggong of the Jiang Xiang Gang has obtained ’Zhao Xiaowan’." He Jiaqing glanced at the caregiver, who, unable to hide her fatigue, had fallen asleep. He Jiaqing continued to question Zhu Junlong, "Is the information reliable?" "The information comes from a mole within the Jiang Xiang Gang. We’ve paid him quite a bit, so it should be reliable." So the news has spread this quickly? Is Xiao Zhenggong that careless? Did the news come from someone close to him? He Jiaqing had planted many moles within the Jiang Xiang Gang but had yet to penetrate Xiao Zhenggong’s inner circle. Who else could it be? Could it be Old Luo? What was his reason for doing this? Could it be because Xiao Zhenggong didn’t honor the reward? It didn’t matter who spread the news, but it was imperative to obtain "Zhao Xiaowan’s" Soul as soon as possible; otherwise, certain matters would become difficult to handle. I don’t want to keep lying here either. He Jiaqing pinched his chin, thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and smiled. This might be a good opportunity to test Xiao Zhenggong’s mettle. He Jiaqing said to Zhu Junlong, "Go find a suitable candidate to invite Gang Leader Xiao for a cup of tea." A cup of tea? An abduction? Zhu Junlong worried he had misunderstood. "You mean, abduct the Young Gang Leader of the Jiang Xiang Gang, the Deputy Captain of the Dark Star Bureau?" It sounded like an impossible mission. But He Jiaqing didn’t think so. "What do you mean ’abduct’? How could we possibly do such a thing? If word got out, wouldn’t our reputation be ruined?" Zhu Junlong was somewhat puzzled. "Then what do you mean?" "I’m telling you to invite him over for a cup of tea, ask him a few questions, and then kill him. That way, this matter won’t get out, will it?" Zhu Junlong understood He Jiaqing’s meaning but still felt the task was too difficult. Since He Jiaqing had put it that way, he would naturally create a suitable opportunity for Zhu Junlong. After returning to the hotel, it wasn’t long before Zhu Junlong received a message from He Jiaqing. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝕟𝕖𝕥 Tonight, the Dark Star Bureau was scheduled to inspect the black market in the Flower Lake District, and Xiao Zhenggong himself would lead the team. Inspecting the black market was a routine operation for the Dark Star Bureau. Sometimes it was a genuine inspection; other times, it was just a formality. With Xiao Zhenggong leading the team, it was certainly just a formality. He wasn’t in the mood for a serious confrontation with the black market. He had already notified the black market’s Shopkeeper in advance; tonight was just for show. This was indeed a golden opportunity. During such routine operations, Xiao Zhenggong wouldn’t bring many people, nor would he be heavily guarded. Zhu Junlong summoned a Hermit and a Fighter. The Hermit was a Home Cultivator named Duan Xiangwen, at the Fifth Layer Cultivation. The Fighter was a Martial Cultivator named Zhong Guoshu, also at the Fifth Layer Cultivation. Zhu Junlong explained the situation, and both men agreed immediately without asking further questions. He Jiaqing was their sworn Brother. If he called, they wouldn’t hesitate, even if it meant going through fire and water. Besides, this wasn’t a matter of life and death. According to Dark Star Bureau intelligence, Xiao Zhenggong was merely a Third Layer Combatant. Zhong Guoshu believed he alone would be sufficient for the task. Zhu Junlong cautioned, "Still, it’s better to be safe. Jiaqing cares a lot about this, so we must take it seriously." The Hermit was not skilled in social interactions; Duan Xiangwen was unwilling to communicate with Zhong Guoshu, who, in turn, felt that bringing Duan Xiangwen along was superfluous. Fortunately, Zhu Junlong was prepared. He was very familiar with the black market and clearly explained the tactics and ambush locations, even taking them to survey the area beforehand. At 11:58 p.m., the black market opened on time. The so-called black market wasn’t an open-air market stall. Even with connections in high places, they wouldn’t dare operate so blatantly. On Yiping Road in the Flower Lake District, there was a Cultural Palace. It had been rented out for the night, supposedly for a private movie screening—this was the black market’s location. The Cultural Palace had a theater, a very traditional one from the last century. The chairs were hard and could be flipped up; audiences entering and exiting were always accompanied by the CLACK-CLACK-CLACK of seats. Though dilapidated, the theater was quite large, with an upper and lower level, and private boxes on the sides. Those unfamiliar with the black market might wonder why anyone would come to watch a movie in a Cultural Palace that had been abandoned for years. The curious might even venture into the theater for a look. Could one enter without a ticket? Yes! The screen showed classic films from the eighties and nineties, and the audience typically consisted of a sparse twenty to thirty people. Once inside, don’t rush to do business. If you’re there to buy something, first find a seat in the back rows. Avoid the first five rows, and watch the movie intently for about ten to fifteen minutes. If the film was a martial arts movie, it meant the sellers were mainly dealing in Weapons. If it was a comedy, most sellers were dealing in Magical Treasures. If it was a romance, most were selling medicinal herbs. If it was a romance that couldn’t be shown in mainstream theaters, then Elixirs were for sale. If it was an action movie, the situation was special. Most present would be Middlemen, capable of arranging Guide Tokens, falsifying identities, or hiring bodyguards and assassins. After watching for about ten minutes, a vendor carrying a tray of snacks would approach and ask what you wanted to buy. The correct response was to buy water—not a soft drink, just plain water. Buy a bottle of water. Then, holding it, go to the first five rows and sit next to an audience member. You could then begin to talk to a seller. The two must maintain the appearance of watching the movie. The seller would name their goods, and the buyer would listen. If interested in a deal, they would go to a private box on the second floor for detailed discussion. While negotiating, the water bottle should be placed by the door to prevent interruptions. Once a deal was struck, the buyer shouldn’t rush to pay. First, go downstairs and call out for water, waiting for the snack vendor to come up. In front of the snack vendor, the buyer would pay, the seller would present the goods, and ten percent would be given to the snack vendor as Hua Hong. Why give the snack vendor so much money? Because he was the black market Shopkeeper, and this was his rightful site fee. Could you bypass him and deal privately? You could. But you mustn’t let him find out. Furthermore, if you received counterfeit goods or fake money, or if you were double-crossed, the Shopkeeper would take no responsibility. The Shopkeeper had been informed in advance, so tonight, no sellers appeared at the Cultural Palace. Many buyers came, but they didn’t see the snack vendor, and with the first five rows empty, they didn’t know whom to approach. Amidst this deadlock, Xiao Zhenggong entered alone. Having agreed it was just a formality, Xiao Zhenggong brought only Light Bulb and a newcomer named Ming Xing, intending to take a quick look, ask a few questions, and leave. No business was being conducted there tonight, and watching a movie wasn’t a crime. Xiao Zhenggong, unwilling even to open his mouth, simply instructed Light Bulb and Ming Xing to ask a couple of questions and write a report to conclude the matter. He found a seat in the back row, yawned, and waited to wrap things up and go home. A man approached Xiao Zhenggong and asked in a hushed voice, "Are you selling water here?" Xiao Zhenggong frowned, glanced at the man, and chuckled. "Are you sick? I don’t even want to arrest you, and you’re serving yourself up on a platter?" The man replied, "Not sick." As his words fell, a sharp dagger jabbed into Xiao Zhenggong’s ribs. "Come with me. Don’t move, and don’t talk." The attacker’s movements were swift, precise, and left no trace. Witnessing this, Xiao Zhenggong asked, "Are you a Martial Cultivator?" The man pressed the knife a little harder. "I told you not to talk." Xiao Zhenggong laughed. "You tell me not to talk, and I should just obey? Why do you think so highly of yourself?" PS: Just how good is the Young Gang Leader, anyway?