340: Chapter 340 There are robbers

Betraying Zhang Dahai.

Then personally calling Zhang Dahai to tell him the news that A Qi had been captured alive.

What would Zhang Dahai think?

He would certainly want to tear Zhang Chaoyue into ten thousand pieces.

Therefore, Zhang Chaoyue's expression was uglier than if he had eaten a fly.

But Han Jingyang remained unmoved, looking at Zhang Chaoyue with a smile.

Playing both sides?

Trying not to offend either party?

What was he thinking?

If you're going to switch sides, do it thoroughly; don't even think about maintaining lingering ties with your former employer.

If Zhang Dahai didn't cooperate, the task of killing A Qi later would also have to fall to Zhang Chaoyue.

Hmph.

Han Jingyang was never a soft-hearted person, and he certainly wouldn't be polite to someone like Zhang Chaoyue.

This man named Zhang wasn't a good person to begin with; he was only this obedient because he was being manipulated.

Loyalty?

Reliability?

Heh heh heh.

Even if Zhang Chaoyue swore on his Primordial Spirit, he wouldn't be someone to put one's mind at ease.

This kind of person could only be used, not trusted—like a wild dog that could be chained up to guard the house, but absolutely could not be allowed inside like a pet dog, or there would be a risk of being bitten back.

That wasn't an exaggeration at all.

Moreover, Zhang Chaoyue was a first-class expert, not an ordinary wild dog but a wild wolf that had devoured countless people, making him even more dangerous.

Facing Han Jingyang's gaze, Zhang Chaoyue hesitated for over ten seconds and took several deep breaths before pulling out his phone to dial.

The call connected, and Zhang Chaoyue turned on the speakerphone, coughing once. "Zhang Dahai, A Qi is in my hands. Do you have anything to say?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Dahai was silent for a long time before saying calmly, "Han Jingyang, are you sure you want to go down this dark path to the end?"

He had directly guessed that Han Jingyang was also on the scene and didn't even bother talking to Zhang Chaoyue.

Han Jingyang smiled upon hearing the voice. "Boss Zhang, those are some words. What do you mean by 'dark path'? I'm just helping out. Who would have thought that the person committing murder for treasure would be one of your men? Speaking of which, Boss Zhang, you're not very honorable. On the surface, you let people leave, but in the shadows, you kill for treasure. If word of this gets out, I wonder what your subordinates will think."

Zhang Dahai said softly, "Han Jingyang, I don't want to get into a war of words with you. Just say it—what do you want?"

Han Jingyang laughed loudly. "Boss Zhang, that's a very impolite question. What do you mean 'what do I want'? Are you treating me like a kidnapper? Or a beggar?"

After a pause, he continued, "I don't want money, I don't want gold or silver, and I don't want beautiful women. I only want antiques and dharma instruments. Is that clear enough?"

Zhang Dahai was silent for more than ten seconds. "I have antiques. dharma instruments? Impossible."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. You know the preciousness of dharma instruments better than I do. Besides, I don't have many in my hands. If I had that many dharma instruments, I wouldn't need to kill for treasure, don't you think?"

"Hmm, that makes some sense. Antiques it is, then."

"How many do you want?"

Han Jingyang chuckled. "Name your own price. Give as much as you think this personal bodyguard of yours is worth. Of course, if I'm not satisfied, hehe."

After speaking, he hung up the phone directly.

Zhang Chaoyue breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Zhang Dahai should have quite a few dharma instruments in his hands. He killed for treasure because the function of this dharma instrument you gave me is quite special—it can assist in cultivation. This kind of function is very important to Zhang Dahai."

"What do you mean?"

"Zhang Dahai has many people under him, but most are mercenaries, especially the experts; they are all hired with money. His truly trusted subordinates are not many, and experts he cultivated himself are even fewer. After all, for a person to grow into a true expert, it takes not only a long time but also luck."

Han Jingyang realized, "In other words, Zhang Dahai wants to use this dharma instrument to cultivate his own trusted experts?"

"Yes, that's highly likely."

"But it still doesn't add up. Even with the assistance of this dharma instrument, cultivating a true expert would take a long time. Three to five years, or even seven to eight years to train one expert—the efficiency is too low, isn't it? How many three-to-five-year periods does Zhang Dahai have left?"

"I've heard..." Zhang Chaoyue whispered, "that Zhang Dahai has a group of extraordinary people under him specifically researching dharma instruments."

"They want to mass-produce them?"

"Yes, that's the rumor. But I'm just an ordinary martial artist; I haven't had the chance to get involved in those kinds of tasks. It's just hearsay, so it might not be true."

Han Jingyang narrowed his eyes, pondering the possibility of this in his heart.

The benefits of dharma instruments were known to everyone.

But dharma instruments were rare and precious, and their functions were often vague.

The process of making a dharma instrument was very complex and took a long time. Especially for those more powerful ones, they required years of consecration.

It wasn't that assembly-line mass production didn't exist; Monk Kongyun and Monk Delin from Thousand Buddha Mountain did mass-produce them, but those mass-produced dharma instruments were of little use. Their effects were extremely weak and could only fool ordinary people; wealthy people wouldn't even look at such things.

And it couldn't really be considered true mass production.

But someone would definitely try to achieve true mass production, because there were many clever people, and it was impossible that no one had tried.

Even knowing the probability of success was extremely low, there would be a steady stream of people trying.

Because the returns were high.

The profits brought by mass-producing high-level dharma instruments would crush almost all industries. It would be more high-tech than any high-tech industry. The functions that dharma instruments could achieve were incomparable to almost any technological product, and they were energy-efficient and pollution-free. If researched more deeply, the future was simply unimaginable.

However, Han Jingyang wasn't afraid.

Because he had already more or less achieved the mass production of high-level dharma instruments. Although his work was processing semi-finished products, it was the most technically demanding part of the process—equivalent to processing silicon into finished chips.

In this race, he didn't believe anyone could surpass him.

As long as he had enough antiques, handicrafts, or artworks, he had the chance to appraise higher-grade items. His efficiency and quality were on a crushing level.

Moreover, Zhang Dahai's plan was still in the research phase; whether it could succeed was another matter. No, it was highly likely that it would never succeed.

So, after a moment of silence, Han Jingyang shook his head and said, "Forget it, don't worry about him. He can research whatever he likes, as long as he doesn't come after me."

Zhang Chaoyue said with a forced smile, "A man like Zhang Dahai won't give up easily. He's always wanted to cultivate his own trusted experts. Even if the mass-production plan fails, he'll find a way to get more dharma instruments from you, Boss. Now the whole underworld knows you have the most and best dharma instruments."

Han Jingyang smiled. "Then it'll come down to our respective methods. If he's truly capable, all the dharma instruments here can be his."

"He might not necessarily use force. He could completely use other channels, like finding others to help him buy them. It's just a matter of spending a bit more money."

Han Jingyang frowned.

That was indeed a method he had to guard against.

But the problem wasn't too serious. Anyway, he hadn't planned on selling dharma instruments that were too powerful. Most of what he sold were low-level common items or lifestyle tools without skills. He hadn't sold a single high-level combat or support dharma instrument, and he wouldn't sell them to anyone.

As long as he didn't sell, no matter who came, what could Zhang Dahai do?

However, just at that moment, his phone rang. It was Zou Shuying calling: "Master, there are robbers!"