At Yuezhou Third Hospital, He Jiaqing's eyes snapped open.

Something had appeared. Not inside the ward, but not too far from the hospital.

Who came to the Outer Province?

He didn't know if he was overthinking it, but could this domineering presence be related to "Zhao Xiaowan"?

He Jiaqing wanted to go out and investigate, but before he could, the ward door was suddenly pushed open, and Captain Chen of the Dark Star Bureau walked in.

The doctor began explaining He Jiaqing's condition. Although there had been some recent developments, there were still no signs of real improvement.

Captain Chen showed little interest in the diagnosis. He simply stood there, watching He Jiaqing in silence.

He Jiaqing didn't dare move recklessly, because Old Chen was a high-level Spycraft Cultivator.

The window was closed, yet a faint breeze seemed to drift into the room. It wasn't real wind. It was the ripple of that domineering presence.

Old Chen sensed it as well. He glanced out the window, then slowly turned his gaze back to He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing groaned inwardly, What's the meaning of this? Are you suspecting me?

The two faced off for a moment, then the strange domineering presence vanished. Xiao Zhenggong had someone take "Zhao Xiaowan" away and immediately sealed it.

***

After Old Chen left, He Jiaqing quickly contacted Wan Jinxian.

"Did you really get Zhao Xiaowan?"

Wan Jinxian hesitated, then changed his answer. "I am still tracking it with everything I have got."

He Jiaqing frowned. "What happened?"

Wan Jinxian let out a long sigh. "I was tricked. Luo Zhengnan fooled me with lizard skin. The ancient spear I obtained, Cloud Flood Dragon… I mistook it for Zhao Xiaowan."

"Then who has Zhao Xiaowan now?"

He Jiaqing's voice remained calm, but that calm only made Wan Jinxian more uneasy.

"It should still be in Luo Zhengnan's hands."

"Where is Luo Zhengnan?"

"He should still be in Iron Gate Fort."

"Still in Iron Gate Fort?" He Jiaqing let out a soft chuckle, and the sound alone made Wan Jinxian's heart skip.

He Jiaqing said nothing more and cut off the connection.

If his guess was correct, Luo Zhengnan had already reached the Outer Provinces. And that domineering presence he felt earlier was likely because of him…

***

In the villa, Xiao Zhenggong hosted a lavish banquet to reward Luo Zhengnan.

"Old Luo, a toast to you. In our gang, you are the only one who truly gets things done."

"Boss Xiao! Thank you for your praise!" Old Luo raised his cup and drained it in one go.

Xiao Zhenggong kept the wine flowing and the dishes coming, praising him again and again. Yet from start to finish, he never once mentioned the position of deputy gang leader.

What is the meaning of this? Luo Zhengnan thought. He signed a contract.

Xiao Zhenggong was from Puluo Province. He should have understood the weight a contract carried. However, he had spent far too long in the Outer Provinces.

He knew that people from Puluo Province valued contracts. But in the Outer Provinces, he had learned how to deal with them differently.

There was flexibility. There were loopholes. And there was that familiar phrase: In principle… in theory… but in reality…

In principle, the contract was clear. Once the task was completed, Xiao Zhenggong was supposed to appoint Luo Zhengnan as the deputy gang leader.

In theory, completing the task meant Luo Zhengnan had earned that position.

But in reality, the position of deputy gang leader was no small matter. It concerned the rise and fall of the gang. It could not be decided based on merit alone. It required careful deliberation and long-term planning.

Could Luo Zhengnan understand all this? Yes, he could. He was someone who kept up with the times. But could he accept such an outcome? No.

He was from Puluo Province. To the people of Puluo, a contract was inviolable.

Luo Zhengnan didn't want to stay even a moment longer. That very day, he returned to Medicine King Gully.

***

The next morning, Zhu Junlong, the general manager of Tea Ridge Hotel, came to the ward to visit He Jiaqing and brought a bouquet of flowers.

The moment he was gone, He Jiaqing made his move. He waited until the caregiver stopped paying attention, then quietly pinched a flower petal between his fingers.

Zhu Junlong's voice came through the petal. "Jiaqing, I have just received some news. Xiao Zhenggong, the son of the Jiangxiang Gang's leader, has obtained Zhao Xiaowan."

He Jiaqing glanced at the caregiver. The person was already asleep, too exhausted to stay awake any longer.

He Jiaqing continued, "Is the information reliable?"

"It came from one of our informants inside the Jiangxiang Gang. We have paid them quite a bit, so it should be reliable."

The news spread this fast? Was Xiao Zhenggong really that careless? Or did someone close to him leak it?

He Jiaqing had planted quite a few informants within the Jiangxiang Gang, yet none of them had made it into Xiao Zhenggong's inner circle.

Then who else could it be? Old Luo? Why would he do that? Could it be because Xiao Zhenggong failed to honor the reward?

It didn't matter who had leaked the information. What mattered was that He Jiaqing had to get Zhao Xiaowan's soul. Otherwise, certain matters would become much harder to handle. He didn't want to stay here any longer.

He Jiaqing pinched his chin and thought for a moment. Then his brows lifted slightly, and a faint smile touched his lips. He might as well use this opportunity to see how powerful Xiao Zhenggong really was.

He Jiaqing said to Zhu Junlong, "Find a suitable candidate and invite Boss Xiao over for a cup of tea."

A cup of tea? Is he hinting that we kidnap Xiao Zhenggong? Zhu Junlong wondered if he had misheard.

"You mean… kidnap the son of the Jiangxiang Gang's leader? The deputy captain of the Dark Star Bureau?"

It sounded like an impossible task.

However, He Jiaqing didn't agree at all.

"Kidnap?" he said. "Why would we ever do such a thing? If anyone found out, it would be terribly bad for our reputation."

Zhu Junlong looked slightly puzzled. "Then… what do you mean?"

"Just invite him over for tea. Have a little talk, ask a few questions… and then kill him. This way, no one else will know about it.

Zhu Junlong understood him perfectly well now. That, unfortunately, was the problem. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it was too difficult.

Since He Jiaqing had said as much, he would naturally arrange the perfect opportunity for Zhu Junlong to act.

Not long after Zhu Junlong returned to the hotel, a message from He Jiaqing arrived.

The Dark Star Bureau will be going to the Flower Lake District to investigate the black market tonight. Xiao Zhenggong will lead the team for the investigation.

Investigating the black market was a routine task for the Dark Star Bureau. Sometimes they carried out real inspections; other times, it was little more than a formality.

With Xiao Zhenggong leading the team, it was clear this would be the latter. He had no intention of clashing with the black market head-on.

He had already informed the boss in advance. Tonight, they were simply there to take a look.

This was indeed a good opportunity. During such routine operations, Xiao Zhenggong wouldn't bring many men, nor would he travel under heavy guard.

Zhu Junlong summoned two men: a Hermit and a Combatant. In the Outer Provinces, these were the terms used for Homebound Cultivators and Martial Cultivators.

The Hermit was named Duan Xiangwen, a level five cultivator. The Combatant was Zhong Guoshu, also at level five.

Zhu Junlong explained the matter, and the two agreed immediately without asking a single question.

He Jiaqing was their brother. Not the sort of brother you shared a meal with once or twice, but the kind you had gone through life and death with. If he called, they would come. Even if it meant charging through mountains of blades or wading across seas of fire, they wouldn't so much as blink.

And besides, this job hardly sounded dangerous. According to the Dark Star Bureau's records, Xiao Zhenggong was only a level three Martial Cultivator. Zhong Guoshu was quite certain he could even deal with him alone.

Zhu Junlong reminded them, "Better safe than sorry. Jiaqing takes this matter very seriously, so we must do the same."

Hermits were not known for their social skills. Duan Xiangwen had no interest in speaking to Zhong Guoshu, and Zhong Guoshu felt there was no need to bring him along in the first place.

Fortunately, Zhu Junlong had prepared well. He knew the black market inside out. He explained the plan in detail, pointed out the ambush positions, and even brought the two of them to scout the area in advance.

At eleven fifty-eight that night, the black market opened right on time.

A so-called black market was not simply a row of stalls set up along the street. Even with powerful backing, no one would dare make it that obvious.

On Yiping Road in the Flower Lake district stood a cultural center. Tonight, the whole venue was booked out, just to watch a movie. In actuality, this was where the black market was held.

Inside was a cinema, the kind that seemed to belong to another century. The seats were hard and could be flipped up, and whenever people moved in or out, a clatter would ripple through the hall.

The place was old and worn, yet surprisingly large. It had two levels, with private boxes lining both sides.

Anyone unfamiliar with the black market might find it strange. This cultural center had been abandoned for years, so why were people still coming here to watch movies?

Curious onlookers might even step inside to take a look. Was it possible to enter without a ticket? It was indeed possible.

On the screen, a classic film from the eighties and nineties was being shown. The audience was sparse, usually no more than twenty or thirty people scattered throughout the hall.

After entering the cinema, no one rushed to do business. Those who were truly there to buy would first find a seat in the back rows, avoiding the first five rows, and watch the film for at least ten minutes.

If the movie was a wuxia film, it meant the sellers that day were dealing in weapons. If it was a comedy, then most were selling enchanted artifacts. If it was a pornographic film that proper cinemas wouldn't show, then pills were the main goods of the day.

If it was a gunfight film, then the situation was a little different. Most of those present were intermediaries. Some could arrange travel permits, others handled fake identities, and some brokered deals for bodyguards or assassins.

After about ten minutes, a snack vendor carrying a box on his back would approach and ask what to buy. This was rather common in old cinemas.

The correct response would be to ask for water. Not a drink, but plain water.

Once the bottle was bought, it was not to be opened. It had to be carried, untouched, all the way to the front five rows. They should then take a seat next to another viewer. Only then could they negotiate with the buyers.

Both parties kept their eyes on the screen, watching the flickering film. The seller would quietly list the goods. The buyer would listen without turning their head.

If interest was shown, the buyer would stand at just the right moment and slip away to a private box on the second floor.

During negotiations, the water bottle would be placed by the door to prevent interruptions.

Once the deal was settled, payment wasn't made right away. The buyer had to go downstairs and call out, "I want water!"

Then they would wait for the snack vendor to arrive. The payment could only be made in front of the vendor.

When the seller handed over the goods, he would take ten percent of the payment and pass it to the snack vendor.

Why would they give the snack vendor so much money? Because the snack vendor was the one who ran the black market. He had set the whole thing up, so he deserved his cut.

Of course, there was another option. The deal could be done in private, without involving him at all. As long as he didn't find out, it was allowed.

In addition, this black market's operator bore no responsibility if a buyer ended up with counterfeit goods or if the seller got fake money or if an ambush happened.

This black market operator had received news in advance, which was why none of the sellers showed up at the cultural center tonight.

Quite a few buyers had arrived, but there was no sign of the snack vendor. The first five rows were completely empty, and no one knew who to approach. As the stalemate dragged on, Xiao Zhenggong entered alone.

This investigation was meant to be a formality. Xiao Zhenggong had brought only two newcomers, Lightbulb and Star, to take a look, ask a few questions, and leave.

There was no real business tonight. Watching a movie wasn't illegal, so Xiao Zhenggong didn't bother saying much. He simply had Lightbulb and Star ask a few casual questions and write up a report to wrap things up.

He found a seat in the back row, yawned, and waited for it to be over so he could go home.

A man walked up to Xiao Zhenggong and whispered, "Do you sell water?"

Xiao Zhenggong frowned, glanced at the man, and laughed. "Are you insane? I am not even planning to arrest you, and you are handing yourself over to me?"

The man responded, "I am perfectly sane."

As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp dagger pressed into Xiao Zhenggong's ribs.

"Come with me. Don't move, and don't make a sound."

The strike was swift, precise, and without a trace. Seeing this, Xiao Zhenggong asked, "You are a Martial Cultivator?"

The man pressed the blade a little deeper. "I told you not to make a sound."

Xiao Zhenggong laughed. "I should keep quiet just because you told me not to speak? What makes you think you are that important?"

Author's Note:

PS: Honestly, how capable is Boss Xiao?