346: Chapter 346 The Impending Disaster

Han Jingyang smiled.

As soon as the mention of rewarding a dharma instrument based on performance came up, the Zhang fellow had important intelligence to share.

It's hard to tell whether this Zhang fellow is sensible or cunning.

However, he is definitely the type who won't release the hawk until he sees the rabbit; he's not just some crude martial artist.

If not for those words just now, this Zhang fellow would absolutely not have revealed any important intelligence.

What is this kind of behavior? It's leaving himself a way out. Leaving a way out with Zhang Dahai.

Although this Zhang fellow killed A Qi with his own hands and his betrayal of Zhang Dahai is a foregone conclusion, these people who drift through the underworld are capable of bending and stretching; as long as there is an opportunity, they can still collude with each other. This Zhang fellow must be harboring such thoughts.

But now, under the temptation of a dharma instrument, he is finally willing to disclose more important information.

This was the Zhang fellow volunteering the information, not an interrogation under duress; the nature of it is different.

Voluntarily disclosing important information related to Zhang Dahai is clearly a true act of burning his bridges.

Therefore, Han Jingyang was very satisfied and nodded: "Speak. If the information is important enough, there are plenty of dharma instruments."

Zhang Chaoyue gave a light cough, leaned in close to Han Jingyang, and said, suppressing his excitement: "This information is related to something Zhang Dahai is currently plotting."

"Oh? Interesting. How much do you know?"

"Just a little. In the eyes of outsiders, this information might be worthless, but for you, Boss, it's different."

"Go ahead. I will judge its specific value myself."

"Alright, alright," Zhang Chaoyue said in a low voice: "I took a job half a month ago to go to Xiang Province to kill a Feng Shui Master. The mission wasn't difficult. I arrived at the location, found the target, and completed the mission in three seconds without even drawing my sword. However, that Feng Shui Master said something before he died."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'Zhang Dahai can forget about ever obtaining that supreme treasure in this lifetime.'"

Han Jingyang finished listening and raised an eyebrow: "How does that count as important information?"

Zhang Chaoyue hurriedly put on a fawning smile and said: "This is just the beginning. I didn't take it seriously at first, but the more I thought about it after I got back, the more wrong it felt. A supreme treasure that even Zhang Dahai is obsessed with—what kind of treasure must that be? So, I started carefully observing the actions of the people under Zhang Dahai."

"What did you discover?"

"Not much, just bits and pieces, but when put together, it's quite shocking."

"Go on."

"First of all, in the last six months, Zhang Dahai has contacted a large number of Feng Shui Masters, at least ten. Not only domestic ones but even international ones. Although, the one from Taiwan was killed by you, Boss."

"Are they all in Quancheng?"

"Yes, the earliest ones arrived half a year ago. Wu Zhiyang from Taiwan was the last to arrive."

"Anything else?"

Zhang Chaoyue hesitated for a few seconds and nodded: "What comes next is the most important part."

"Speak."

"Zhang Dahai's goal—I suspect that Zhang Dahai gathered so many Feng Shui Masters because he wants to tamper with the Feng Shui of Quancheng."

Han Jingyang smiled: "Tamper with the Feng Shui of Quancheng? Do you know how massive the Feng Shui of Quancheng is? A natural Feng Shui formation of this scale cannot be moved without the power of the entire nation."

Zhang Chaoyue nodded and then shook his head: "Although I am not a professional, I have dealt with these people quite often, so I understand the basic common sense. But this time, Zhang Dahai is not taking the usual path. He won't be engaging in major infrastructure construction; instead, he will use Feng Shui to manipulate Feng Shui. It is said that he will use many dharma instruments to set up an array. With more than ten highly skilled Feng Shui Masters exerting their power simultaneously, the effect will be no less than a traditional large-scale project, and it will be much more covert."

"That is true," Han Jingyang nodded slightly, though his mood was quite heavy.

First, what Zhang Chaoyue said makes sense; it is theoretically feasible.

Second, regardless of whether Zhang Dahai can pull this off, his ambition is immense, and the impact on Quancheng would be equally immense. Furthermore, this impact is highly likely to be negative.

Third, for such a major undertaking, the manpower Zhang Dahai has mobilized is definitely more than just a mere ten Feng Shui Masters. There will only be more experts like Zhang Chaoyue. Additionally, there must be manpower from other aspects, including ordinary people.

These three points are a disaster for Quancheng and for the ordinary people of Quancheng.

Even for the metaphysical community, the cultivation world, and even the martial arts underworld of Quancheng, it is a disaster.

Therefore, this is absolutely not some interesting underworld story, but a man-made disaster about to erupt.

But this information alone is not enough. More precise details are needed. Han Jingyang continued to stare at Zhang Chaoyue.

Zhang Chaoyue gave a bitter smile: "Boss, that is all I know. Even this was obtained with extreme, extreme caution. Given Zhang Dahai's level of caution, the difficulty of me finding out this information is comparable to stealing a large portrait of Kim Jong-un from Mount Kumgang. I really can't find out anything more detailed."

Han Jingyang deliberately put on a suspicious expression: "Is that so?"

"I've already reached this point; is there any need to continue hiding things for Zhang Dahai?"

"Heh, you don't necessarily have to hide things for Zhang Dahai. You could entirely be hiding them for your own sake, using that information as leverage to bargain with me."

"No, no, really not," Zhang Chaoyue's face looked like a bitter gourd: "Boss, I might have had such thoughts before, but now, how would I dare? You are so unfathomable that I wouldn't even dare to hide the fact that I wet the bed when I was a kid."

Han Jingyang certainly didn't believe this, but he didn't press further.

It would naturally be good to dig out more information. If not, he wouldn't force it. The information currently grasped was barely enough.

So, he casually took out another small jade object and threw it to Zhang Chaoyue: "This is for you. It's a defensive dharma instrument that can help you offset certain metaphysical attacks."

Zhang Chaoyue's eyes widened instantly, and he was ecstatic: "Really?"

Han Jingyang waved his hand: "Alright, hurry up and leave. Don't wait for Zhang Dahai to react."

"Thank you, Boss. Boss, I await your summons at any time."

"Go."

"Alright, Boss. Goodbye, Boss."

"Be extremely careful of Zhang Dahai. That kind of person seeks revenge for the smallest grievance and has eyes and hands everywhere."

"Rest assured, Boss. I have zero chance of winning in a direct confrontation with Zhang Dahai, but taking my family and fleeing to live under an assumed name is not a problem."

"Go."

Zhang Chaoyue didn't hesitate any longer, saluted, turned around, and left, quickly disappearing into the night.

After Zhang Chaoyue left, Shi Xiaoya asked in a low voice: "Hubby, are you really letting him go?"

"What's wrong?"

"A great battle is imminent, and this person has decent strength. Letting him leave just like that is a bit of a pity."

"For this kind of unstable factor, the stronger they are, the less they can be kept."

"Unstable?"

"Of course. Do you really think he has defected to our side?"

"Could it be... a bitter ruse by Zhang Dahai?"

"It's not quite that, but this kind of person has no stance or loyalty. They only see profit; whoever pays more, they will work for."

"Then isn't that easier to control? We have many dharma instruments; just giving a few pieces casually is a high price that Zhang Dahai can't match."

"Mercenaries with professional ethics are like that; if they take money from the higher-paying side, they will do the job for the employer clearly and thoroughly. But a person like Zhang Chaoyue will take money from both sides, slack off on tasks, and waver between two sides."

Shi Xiaoya suddenly realized: "From the very beginning, you never intended to use him, nor did you intend to trust him."

Han Jingyang smiled: "Correct. I simply wouldn't give him the chance to waver. I made him submit a pledge of allegiance first, then dismissed him with cheap goods, and then let him run far away. And then, this difficult problem becomes Zhang Dahai's."

Speaking of which, he paused for a moment: "I am only interested in Zhang Dahai's reaction now."