Chapter 313: Each with Their Own Intentions

Chapter 313: To Each Their Own Designs

Night fell.

Zhao Changhe changed back into the attire of Wang Daozhong, smeared the yellow grease back onto his face, and returned to Yang Qianyuan's post station.

Well, the black horse was still being well cared for, and no one had dared to touch it. Not bad at all.

The lights were still burning bright within the station. Yang Qianyuan was pacing back and forth anxiously, and strangely enough, he had actually dressed himself back into the young gentlemanly guise from his original wanted poster. He had meticulously shaved his beard and tidied his hair, no longer the rough fellow he had seemed when they first met.

Upon seeing the return of Wang Daozhong, Yang Qianyuan looked as if he had laid eyes on a long-lost relative, rushing forward to greet him: "Senior, where have you been..."

Zhao Changhe gave him a strange, measuring look, then reverted to an expression of cold indifference: "What, does this seat's whereabouts concern you?"

"No, no, not at all," Yang Qianyuan said with a placating smile. "Something happened at that brothel; the proprietress was assassinated! It just so happened that you had left, Senior, so they suspect you were an accomplice and are searching high and low. Someone saw me bringing you to that street, so they came to question me."

Zhao Changhe looked at him askance. "And what did you say?"

Yang Qianyuan replied, "I had no choice but to reveal your identity, Senior. I told them this was Senior Wang Daozhong, and that if you wished to kill a mere brothel proprietress, why would you go through the trouble of eavesdropping next door? Naturally, it could only be a coincidence... Please do not blame me, Senior, for only your prestigious reputation could silence them. This matter naturally had to be reported to you the moment you appeared, otherwise I could not bear the blame..."

Zhao Changhe sneered. "I wager you did not stop there."

Yang Qianyuan smiled apologetically. "Indeed... after all, you sat next door listening for so long, Senior, so it was hard to brush them off. I told them that you were actually after that young gentleman, and that you had most likely left to pursue him. Only then did they believe me... Perhaps someone will come tomorrow to ask you about the gentleman's whereabouts."

Zhao Changhe's expression darkened with displeasure. "I fancied her, but I didn't get a taste."

These words were spoken with genuine sincerity, his regret so palpable that it rang truer than pure gold.

Yang Qianyuan observed his expression carefully. "If you favor such tastes, Senior, shall I find a beautiful youth to serve you?"

"This seat is tired, we shall speak of it later." Zhao Changhe made a move to head upstairs to rest.

Yang Qianyuan hurriedly said, "Senior, Senior, our gang leader wishes to request an audience with you..."

Zhao Changhe flared up in anger. "A mere junior dares to disclose my name without permission. I was too lazy to settle scores with you, and yet you persist?"

"Calm your anger, Senior, calm your anger, and hear me out." Yang Qianyuan looked left and right, lowering his voice: "Lately, our Money Gang has had conflicts over properties with the Yukun Gang. We have agreed to a negotiation over wine tomorrow at noon... In truth, our gang leader does not wish to negotiate; he wants to consume the Yukun Gang entirely. As long as we rise up and kill Tian Lingzi during the banquet, the others in the Yukun Gang will be nothing to fear, and we can likely absorb them..."

Zhao Changhe said coldly, "Trivial matters of mice and men, what have they to do with this seat?"

"There is something you do not know, Senior. The Yukun Gang possesses many rare treasures. Though they claim to be backed by the Thieves' Sect, there is no actual proof. It is highly probable that they are merely a channel for the Thieves' Sect to fence stolen goods. However, even the Thieves' Sect would not possess so many strange and bizarre things—where would they find so many items to steal? Therefore, we all suspect that the Yukun Gang may have secretly mastered a hidden realm within the Kunlun Mountains, using the guise of fencing goods for the Thieves' Sect to actually sell the yield of their hidden realm. Our gang leader has his eyes on this potentially existing realm."

Zhao Changhe's heart stirred slightly. "So you mean to say this hidden realm can be shared with this seat?"

Seeing that Wang Daozhong was indeed interested, Yang Qianyuan let out a breath and smiled. "Our gang leader said that if you are willing to take action, Senior, you may take one item from the yield of that hidden realm at your pleasure..."

Hearing those last words, Zhao Changhe's expression changed abruptly. His gaze turned piercingly cold as he stared at Yang Qianyuan. "Does your gang leader take this seat for a beggar?"

In truth, Leader Qian had never said those last few words; he had said that the yield of the hidden realm could be taken at the senior's pleasure.

When the message passed through Yang Qianyuan, those few words were added, and the meaning changed entirely.

If the real Wang Daozhong were here, the insult he would feel would be beyond measure. Fortunately, this was Zhao Changhe; what did it matter to him if Wang Daozhong was insulted?

Yet he heard Yang Qianyuan sigh. "Leader Qian is somewhat stingy; such is his temperament, please do not mind him, Senior... If I could make the decision, it would only be right to offer the entire hidden realm to you..."

Zhao Changhe looked at him with a half-smile. "With just you, when will it be your turn to make the decisions?"

Yang Qianyuan lowered his voice even further. "With your support, Senior, it would be easy."

Truth be told, with an expert of the Earth Rank backing a mere neighborhood-level gang, one could support an infant to become the leader. It would not even require overt support; just making others think you favored someone would suffice. Zhao Changhe instantly understood what this fellow was plotting, finding it thoroughly amusing.

You have been here for less than a year, and you are already pondering how to use this opportunity to eliminate the gang leader and take the seat yourself...

This place is too damn sinister; what kind of wicked people are these?

Seeing that the words had reached this point, Yang Qianyuan pressed his voice lower still: "If I could receive your favor, Senior, I am willing to hand over all the earnings of the Money Gang to you. From now on, the Money Gang will be at your disposal, serving as your eyes and ears in this city..."

"Does this seat care for the meager pickings of a tiny gang in the east of the city? Eyes and ears? How many people do you even have to call yourselves eyes and ears?"

"There are quite a few people... mainly because many have deep roots here and know the city inside out." Seeing that Zhao Changhe still appeared uninterested, Yang Qianyuan finally gritted his teeth. "If you favor the masculine wind, Senior, I can scour the city for you, even if it is, it is..."

Holy shit?

Zhao Changhe was utterly astonished, finally understanding what this fellow meant by changing back into his gentlemanly attire.

A truly ruthless character; the Money Gang had truly brought a demon into their house...

However, you are the target Chichi wants to capture. No matter how ruthless or enduring you are, you are destined to spark no flames.

Zhao Changhe said indifferently, "Go back and report to your gang leader. Tomorrow, this seat will tag along to have a look. As for anything else... we shall see when the time comes."

...

The next day at noon.

East of Kunlun City, the Chen Family Restaurant.

In conflicts between martial world gangs, arranging a banquet for negotiation was a common affair. Of course, it was common knowledge that during such negotiations, flipping tables, drawing blades, and fighting until blood flowed like a river was perfectly normal. Both sides had made countless preparations beforehand.

Tian Lingzi had held a meeting in the dead of night, while Leader Qian had turned his thoughts toward Wang Daozhong.

The Poison Spider was more likely the oriole lurking behind, intending to sit back and reap the spoils.

A mere conflict in a corner of the city revealed the jockeying of multiple factions, as well as internal political maneuvering; it could almost be seen as a miniature epitome of the martial world.

Since making his debut, Zhao Changhe had seen many such things. He knew this was the martial world, but it was not the martial world he loved in his heart. Fortunately, Chichi was by his side this time. Amidst the schemes and perils he disliked, there was that touch of tenderness and warmth, and so the wind and snow became refreshing.

Following Yang Qianyuan to this banquet, what he theoretically had to do was quite simple.

Others thought he was helping the Money Gang deal with Tian Lingzi, and Yang Qianyuan even anticipated that he would casually slaughter the disrespectful Leader Qian along the way to help him ascend the throne.

In reality, he was helping the young witch beside Tian Lingzi to ambush the Poison Spider. As for whether to kill Leader Qian or not, that was another matter; Yang Qianyuan, on the other hand, was to be captured alive and taken back.

However, the moment he stepped into the restaurant, the owner came forward to greet him: "This must be Master Daozhong! Chen Yi greets you, Master, and hopes for your kind patronage."

The owner was also fair-faced and refined. It seemed that Master Daozhong's preference for the masculine wind had spread across Kunlun overnight, and by the looks of it, it was already starting to spread further outward... Seeing the owner lean in, others exchanged knowing winks, though Heaven knew what they were imagining in their minds.

Sure enough, Master Daozhong was greatly pleased. "The owner has a fine bearing, unlike the crooked melons and split dates everywhere else that are eyesores to look at."

Heaven knew he was truly at ease in his heart. Just from this name and this gesture of taking the initiative to come up and greet him, he knew that this was his true collaborator for this venture, Ying Wu's line.

The Willow Earth Stag was not a professional intelligence operative and there were many things he could not fathom, but Ying Wu's people were different.

Just as the two seemed to be casting amorous glances at each other in mutual admiration, Chen Yi's warning brushed past his ear: "Leader Qian has separate external reinforcements, and Tian Lingzi is suspected to be in cahoots with the Poison Spider from the start. Not a single one of them is good; remember never to trust them lightly."