145: Sudden choice

“Damn it, making me expend so much effort, it better be a big catch!”

Jiang Hanwen began a new round of surveillance. The woman, named Fang Jie, was a silk merchant who owned two textile factories and was quite influential.

From a textile boss to a madam, this identity was truly hard to guess.

The old method: buy a house, bug it, and see if this woman had a lover.

This time, worried about a similar Qi Induction expert, Jiang Hanwen chose a location over two hundred meters away and, instead of using Spells, painstakingly dug with a dagger, prioritizing extreme patience and caution.

For three full months, he not only dug to the woman's house underground but also discovered two tunnels beneath her house, entirely inlaid with rigid black iron stone.

One tunnel led directly to Shang Xian’s house, which was understandable; men, after all, are easily swayed by women, it's just about that third leg.

As for the other one, that was far, spanning five hundred meters to a place Jiang Hanwen had never considered—a mastermind different from all his previous guesses.

Heaven rewards the diligent. With his ear pressed to the earth, Jiang Hanwen finally got lucky once, detecting news of an operation.

“Are we still going to act? Is that person truly reliable?” This was Fang Jie’s voice.

“Hmph! I have a way out, but he doesn’t. That old man was paving the way for his son before, but who knew a hothead would suddenly appear and block him.” The man’s voice was low, decisive, and ruthless.

“So, this time, are we still targeting the pharmacy?”

“No, this time we only need to kill one person.”

“Who?”

“Zhang Ping! This person is a menace; it’s better to get rid of him early. If he also Breaks Through to Qi Induction, my grand plan will be even more difficult.”

“When will we act? I’ll arrange for someone to lure him out. Who should we frame this time?”

Fang Jie spoke with a cold and casual tone, as if asking where to buy meat and how many pieces to cut it into.

“You don’t need to handle luring him out; that old man Yuan Feng will do it himself! The Zhuang Family has already started suspecting him. He wants to play a trick, crying ‘thief’ to catch a thief, to clear himself, and I’ll help him then. The action will be the day after tomorrow. You figure out a way to lure that kid’s wife out, so their whole family can go together, creating the illusion of an escape.”

“Chen Hong’s child in her belly—”

“Slap!”

“You need to understand, I saved you. Without me, you would be nothing, let alone avenging your father.”

The loud slap echoed clearly, even underground, for Jiang Hanwen.

After a pause, Fang Jie’s chilling voice came: “Gang Leader, I will make sure their mother and child rest in peace!”

“Xiao Jie, don’t blame me for being ruthless. A great man doesn’t bother with trifles. Take off this dog collar, and then I’ll even let you hit me!”

“Gang Leader, I will not disappoint your expectations!”

“Mm, undress.”

After the soft sounds ended, heavy footsteps sounded, and the man left through the tunnel.

Yuan Feng, the chubby man responsible for the Zhuang Family’s trade routes many years ago—this was a name almost forgotten.

They seemed to have met only once, at the Zhuang Family, along with Chen Qingzhi, Shang Xian, and others, discussing whether the Zhuang Family should descend the mountain to meet the numerous people below or seal off the mountain gate.

As for the identity of the man speaking, the direction of the tunnel and the recent address already provided the answer—the Black Tiger Gang Leader, Guo Yugang.

Jiang Hanwen hadn't expected the one behind the plot to blow up the bookstore along with everything else.

It was neither the Zhuang Family, who cried ‘thief’ to catch a thief, nor the Bai Family with their Talismanic Incantations, nor the Huang Family with the most Guest Elders.

It was actually the Black Tiger Gang, who had never had any connection or dealings with him.

This Gang, backed by the Black Wind Martial Hall, was silently orchestrating major events: seizing the Zhuang Family and blowing up the bookstore.

However, on second thought, there were only three main persons in charge down the mountain: Shang Xian, Yuan Feng, and Lei He.

Yuan Feng and Shang Xian were both moles; it would be truly odd if no problems arose.

The two of them ganging up against Lei He’s pharmacy, without much thought, was surely another power struggle of inviting wolves into the house.

It’s just that the Zhuang Family wasn’t stupid. With such a big problem, there must be an internal mole.

One Shang Xian was caught, and now Yuan Feng was to be exposed. Yuan Feng simply dug his own grave and then tried to clear his own suspicion with a reverse operation.

Well done, they are all talented! Fortunately, I have some strength now, otherwise, I wouldn’t even know how I died.

If that's the case, then Shang Xian was merely a pawn, even his wife and child were silenced.

Jiang Hanwen was aware of the Black Tiger Gang’s strength. Besides the Gang Leader Guo Yugang, who was in the Qi Induction Realm, the others were merely at Mortal Shedding Eighth or Ninth Stage, not worth mentioning.

Previously, he didn't know who to target, but now that the target was clear, another dilemma arose, presenting two paths before Jiang Hanwen.

One was to deal with the Black Tiger Gang now, but then he wouldn’t have time to investigate if they had other trump cards.

The other was to wait until the day after tomorrow when they acted against Zhang Ping, then avoid their strong points and strike their weak ones, figure out their true strength, ambush them in the house beforehand, and when they returned, wait at leisure to annihilate them in one fell swoop.

The former was not cautious enough, but the latter would come at the cost of Zhang Ping’s family’s lives.

As for a possible third path, sharing information and having Zhang Ping cooperate with him.

This was even less likely than the first, as it would completely expose his identity.

There are no perfect choices in the world; every path requires a price, a wager.

Did that hardworking young man know that danger was approaching?

That Xiaogirl, who only knew how to do accounts, was unknowingly becoming a mother, pregnant with a child.

Jiang Hanwen turned and went home, lying alone in his courtyard, his mood a bit unsettled.

Winter winds returned, whistling across the water, creating ripples.

The dark green lotus leaves, unafraid of the bitter winter, swayed in the water, spreading their palms.

Today was the only time in these past few months that he put aside his Blazing Sun Burst Cultivation.

He had still hoped to see that guy break free from the cage of fate when they met again, but before meeting, he first received news of his family’s impending death.

“At that time, I only thought it was ordinary.” The value of this sentence was still increasing.

“See you again” translated could also mean “never to see again.”

The weight of time, like a powerful right hook, struck Jiang Hanwen’s heart fiercely.

Is this what longevity is?

He looked at the sky; no one could give him an answer.

Silent desolation surrounded his heart. He knew that such moments would come again in his future life, perhaps too many to count.

This was everything a living person must bear—watching those around them fall one by one, buried in the yellow earth.

In fact, as time flows, no one remains unchanged.

He didn’t know what his former little follower was like now, nor did he know if it was necessary to save him.

Everything was changing, yet everything remained unchanged.

Just like his former deskmate, what they yearned for was the concept in their minds, not the person in the present.

Why did Shang Xian ally with Yuan Feng? Did Zhang Ping play a role in fanning the flames? And why was Yuan Feng’s son’s path blocked?

Jiang Hanwen, having left the Zhuang Family, knew none of this.

His gloom was not for the current Zhang Ping; he was paying for the thoughts of the past.

He looked at the sky, clear and bright, with countless stars shining brilliantly.

He seemed to hear the roar of a turbulent river in his ears. He stood on the bank of the long river of time, watching everything in the river corrode and wash away by time.

Forgive him, it was his first time living forever, his first time living in this strange world, his first time experiencing all that those who live long must endure.

No one is born knowing; everyone walks step by step.

The evening wind blew for a long time, and the black light in his eyes grew brighter. Jiang Hanwen already knew what he had to do.

He returned to the courtyard where he usually guided people in Cultivation, picked up a hoe, and began digging deep into the earth.

He didn't want to use Spells to replace this meaningless labor.

The clumsy wastefulness was the meaning of these few breaths of time.

He shouldn’t be a slave to time, nor could he be its master; he simply existed alongside it, on the bank of its long river.

“Clink ~ clink ~”

Amidst the faint sounds of digging, two jars of wine were unearthed from a foot away from the corner of the wall.

The wooden door on the second floor opened, and a graceful figure holding a dagger slowly descended the stairs, standing in the wind.

Jiang Hanwen picked up a wine jar and grinned at the beautiful woman:

“Go back and rest quickly. I’ll have some wine.”

Zheng Yunxu paused, then pointed to the front yard:

“I’ll go get you a cup.”

With that, without waiting for Jiang Hanwen’s reply, Zheng Yunxu turned and went to dismantle the assembled wooden planks. Relying on memory, in absolute darkness, she found a wine cup for Jiang Hanwen from beside the teapot on the second floor.

Two chairs and a two-foot-tall black lacquered small tea table were in the courtyard. Jiang Hanwen had already opened the wine jar.

“Want some?” he asked.

Zheng Yunxu shook her head. After setting down the wine cup, she stood blankly to the side.

She stood motionless like a bodyguard, yet also like a maidservant obeying orders, ready at his beck and call.

Drinking meant taking off the mask. Zheng Yunxu’s fists, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly.

He didn’t know what it meant, but she did.

It was like a dice cup in a casino: you bet all your fortune on four ones, but there were only three dice in the cup. You knew you would lose no matter what.

But as long as the dice cup hadn’t been opened, nothing was certain yet.

This was human hope, and also the most captivating aspect of fate—the unknown.

“Go back quickly. No one will replace you tomorrow,” Jiang Hanwen smiled slightly.

“Alright.”

Setting down the cup, Zheng Yunxu turned and obediently walked out of the courtyard.

Jiang Hanwen looked at the starry sky alone, pouring and drinking for himself.

Wine was a good thing; it numbed the nerves, amplified emotions, and made reason bow before impulse.

But wine was also like poison, drinking to quench thirst, making one unwilling to face the cold reality.

If an analogy were used, wine was nine-tenths similar to a dream, seemingly there and not there, quite ironic.

After drinking one jar, as he was about to open the second, faint footsteps suddenly sounded in his ears. The other party made no effort to hide, walking straight into the courtyard.