Chapter 139: 139, Leave a way out

A crowd gathered around the wondrous landline phone, even Xiao Yu's sister came to join the commotion.

"How does this contraption work?" Ren Xiaosu asked curiously, noting the array of numeric buttons, yet no instruction manual accompanied it.

"Look at the string of numbers on Huozhong Company's flyer," Wang Fugui pointed to the pamphlet. "Perhaps we simply dial them in sequence?"

"It should be," Ren Xiaosu replied. "Six Yuan, why don't you try?"

Though all were intrigued by this novel device, Ren Xiaosu still indulged Yan Liuyuan, letting him have the first turn.

Under everyone's expectant gaze, Yan Liuyuan dialed a random sequence—they could not use Huozhong Company's number, so they guessed.

Yet after dialing, there was no response at all!

Yan Liuyuan looked up at Ren Xiaosu: "Brother, nothing happened."

"Let me think," Ren Xiaosu said. "We must have erred. The Huozhong Company's number is eight digits, so we need to dial eight digits too."

At that moment, Chen Wudi emerged from the backyard, curious. "Master, what are you all doing?"

Ren Xiaosu's eyes lit up. "Come here, disciple. Do you know how to use this?"

Though Chen Wudi lived in a mental hospital, he understood basic operations, though whether phones existed there was another matter.

"Let me see," Chen Wudi glanced at it. "It's a telephone."

With that, Chen Wudi lifted the receiver, and they realized the handset had to be picked up.

He dialed a random number, and after a few clicks, a voice crackled through: "Who's this?"

Chen Wudi, full of bravado, declared: "I am the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven!"

"Madman!" came the retort.

*Click.* The other end hung up.

Ren Xiaosu smacked his lips, marveling that the voice had precisely discerned Chen Wudi's nature even through the phone—telephones truly were magical.

Chen Wudi, enraged, wanted to call back and curse, but forgot the number he had just dialed...

"Come on, Six Yuan, try it," Ren Xiaosu chuckled.

With eager anticipation, Yan Liuyuan dialed again. After two clicks, a middle-aged man's voice answered: "Who is this?"

In that moment, Yan Liuyuan felt as though he had opened a door to a new world. He politely said, "Uncle, hello."

The voice on the other end paused. "Who are you? Do you have business?"

"No, just testing the phone. I just learned to use it, sorry to trouble you," Yan Liuyuan spoke truthfully.

"Well, no harm done," the man hung up.

Holding the receiver, Yan Liuyuan looked at Ren Xiaosu. "Brother, this phone is magical. The person on the other end feels like they're right here."

"Mhm," Ren Xiaosu nodded. "Don't try anymore. It's not good to disturb others."

Just then, the phone rang. Ren Xiaosu hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

A voice on the other end droned: "Do you need a small loan..."

The speaker rattled on incessantly, leaving Ren Xiaosu and the others bewildered. They couldn't grasp what the other was saying. Ren Xiaosu faltered. "I don't understand what you mean."

After a two-second silence, the voice said, "I mean, we can lend you money."

"How much interest?" Ren Xiaosu asked, startled.

"Three fen per yuan," the voice replied.

Ren Xiaosu laughed. "Isn't that usury?"

The voice on the other end suddenly shouted, "Boss, someone called us usurers!"

Another voice took over. "Young man, watch your words. We're not usurers."

Ren Xiaosu laughed heartily. "Three fen interest still counts as usury. Among all merchants, you're the most heartless for practicing it."

Honestly, Ren Xiaosu had assumed everyone within the Barrier lived in peace, but now it seemed some industries were less than clean.

The voice grew somber. "Do you know who I am?"

Ren Xiaosu was puzzled by the familiar tone—had he heard this voice before? He countered, "Do you know who I am?"

The voice paused. "Who are you?"

"I am Yan Linfeng of Xicheng District!" Ren Xiaosu declared.

After a brief silence, the voice said, "I'm Yan Linfeng of Xicheng District too..."

Ren Xiaosu: "..."

It turned out not everyone who announced their name was the same person—he had encountered another Yan Linfeng!

No wonder the voice sounded familiar!

*Click.* Ren Xiaosu hung up. He had found Yan Linfeng disagreeable during his last visit, hoping to provoke a confrontation by revealing his name, never expecting to meet the same person.

Surely Yan Linfeng didn't know who was calling now. Even if he did, Ren Xiaosu wasn't afraid—after all, the Barrier was gun-free, and aside from Li's Consortium's army, he feared no one.

"We should engage with such local powerhouses," Wang Fugui said. "Yan Linfeng seems to dabble in gray industries, with his own network. I think knowing such people will help wherever we go."

"Mhm," Ren Xiaosu nodded. "Next time he comes for a consultation, chat with him more."

"Got it," Wang Fugui agreed. "Our black medicine will spread its effects tonight. No need for promotion—word of mouth alone will open the market!"

Hearing this, Ren Xiaosu felt a pang. He tore up Huozhong Company's flyer and said, "About me and Chen Wudi being transcendents, don't spread it. Keep an eye on Chen Wudi—don't let him wander off and cause trouble."

He figured Luo Lan wouldn't leak Chen Wudi's transcendence, but Jiang Wu's students were unpredictable. Always prepare for contingencies.

At that moment, Ren Xiaosu recalled the note Yang Xiaojin had slipped him. The other party was right—multiple forces intertwined here, making the 109 Barrier a place of endless complications. He didn't know why, nor how many factions were involved.

All he could do was protect Yan Liuyuan and the others.

"Old Wang," Ren Xiaosu instructed. "I'll list some items. See if you can procure them directly. Remember, don't buy them all at once—split the purchases."

Ren Xiaosu was preparing an escape route, a last resort.

During the Jingshan incident, he had stolen a crucial skill from Yang Xiaojin: advanced bomb-making.