Dragging Someone Into the Water

A private room in a tavern.

"Junior Brother Lin, you really pulled it off. This batch of goods had been weighing on me the whole time—it was driving me crazy."

Inside the tavern, Zhang Qing's face was full of smiles. This time, he held nothing back. He had wagered his entire fortune on this batch of goods, thinking he would ultimately have to sell them off at a loss. Yet in just one day, everything had sold out.

And he had even made a profit. Zhang Qing immediately thumped his chest and said loyally, "Junior Brother, from now on, you can rest easy in the sect."

"Many thanks, Senior Brother." Lin Chang'an smiled as well and raised his cup in a toast. After exchanging glances, the two burst into laughter. It was clear that today's affair, along with this meal and wine, had thoroughly drawn them closer.

"Junior Brother, it's not that I'm boasting, but you were born to eat from this bowl. Heaven itself has handed you a rice bowl."

Having loosened up, Zhang Qing patted his shoulder and sighed. "We've been cooped up in this place for so many years, yet none of us thought of this method. Then you came along, Junior Brother. Look at Human Ticket Street now—nothing but sacks as far as the eye can see."

Lin Chang'an's cheek twitched at those words. What did he mean, heaven had handed him a rice bowl? He had been forced into this, all right?

"Senior Brother, I merely couldn't bear to see these human tickets meet such an end. That was why I came up with this method."

Seeing Lin Chang'an shake his head with a sigh, Zhang Qing grinned. "Yes, yes. Junior Brother, you're just too kindhearted. You can't bear to see the suffering of the world. I understand. I understand."

Laughing heartily, Zhang Qing directly took out the Spirit Stone pouch at his waist.

"This time, we sold a total of over twelve hundred Spirit Stones. After deducting five hundred Spirit Stones in costs, we earned over seven hundred."

Weighing the Spirit Stone pouch in his hand, Zhang Qing stared straight at Lin Chang'an and said with a tempting smile, "We'll give these loose bits to the people below, let them have a taste of sweetness."

"As for the remaining seven hundred Spirit Stones, two hundred will be handed over to the sect. After all, this business came from the sect, so we have to grease the wheels above and below. How about we brothers split the remaining five hundred Spirit Stones?"

Zhang Qing grandly proposed splitting the five hundred Spirit Stones evenly. Lin Chang'an was no fool and hurriedly shook his head. "Senior Brother handled this business from beginning to end. I merely learned a few things from you, and besides—"

At this point, Lin Chang'an smiled and pushed the Spirit Stone pouch on the table back. "I haven't even thanked Senior Brother for Alchemist Wang's matter yet."

After the two pushed it back and forth for a while, Lin Chang'an could only accept one hundred Spirit Stones with a helpless expression under Zhang Qing's insistent attitude.

"Junior Brother, drink."

Seeing the unconcealed excitement in Zhang Qing's eyes, Lin Chang'an secretly shook his head. He who saw petty profit could not accomplish great things.

"Oh, right, Senior Brother. Elder Lu had me oversee the patrols and security on the outskirts of the Market. Now that this quarter's account books have been submitted, there are some matters I don't understand."

Lin Chang'an suddenly seemed to remember something and revealed an annoyed look. Taking an account book from his storage pouch, he recalled that ever since he had proven himself last time, Elder Lu had assigned him to handle some of the Market's sect properties together with Zhang Qing.

Hearing this, Zhang Qing waved it off with an unconcerned laugh. "I thought it was something serious. Just do your work without worry, Junior Brother. Elder Lu is personally stationed in the Market."

"Though this Market is a mixed bag of dragons and snakes, rules exist everywhere. Just have the people below keep a close eye on our territory. If anyone refuses to behave, tell your Senior Brother."

The two held one official post and one deputy post. Zhang Qing was now chiefly responsible for patrols around the mine tunnels, while Lin Chang'an was responsible for patrols around the sect's properties in the Market. But in truth, he was little more than a figurehead. If their orders ever conflicted, Zhang Qing's word would undoubtedly prevail.

How could Lin Chang'an not understand? But the Spirit Stones paid to him were not lacking, and he was happy to take things easy. Squinting with a smile, he pointed at the account book. "The Market has been much livelier lately. Many more cultivators have rented houses, and business here has improved as well. I've only just arrived, so these accounts—"

"Ouch!" His arm accidentally knocked over a wine cup, splashing some wine onto the account book. Lin Chang'an cried out in alarm and hurriedly wiped it away, but the more he wiped, the blurrier the writing became, until it was nearly impossible to read.

"Oh no, what was the final amount again? Look at this brain of mine." Lin Chang'an, having directed and acted out the whole scene himself, slapped his forehead and put on an annoyed expression.

Still not catching on, Zhang Qing laughed unconcernedly. "What's the big deal? Just have the people below recalculate it after we go back."

As he spoke, Zhang Qing quietly put away his own Spirit Stones from the wine table. Lin Chang'an saw it all, and the corner of his lips slowly curled upward.

"Why go through so much trouble?"

With the aid of wine, Lin Chang'an's face flushed red as he slapped his storage pouch. A writing brush appeared in his hand.

Swish, swish!

With movements as smooth as drifting clouds and flowing water, his brush falling like clouds of smoke, Lin Chang'an wrote a brand-new figure into the accounts. Then he feigned a drunken look.

"Senior Brother, I seem to remember the final number in the accounts was eight hundred or so? No, that's not right! It should have been eighty."

His finger lightly tapped the account book. No matter how slow Zhang Qing was, he understood now, his eyes widening as he stared at the accounts.

Clearly, the eight hundred Spirit Stones at the end of the accounts had become eighty Spirit Stones. The remaining seven hundred-plus—good heavens!

When he raised his head and saw the smile on Lin Chang'an's face, Zhang Qing was now completely sober. He forced out a smile. "Junior Brother, you're drunk."

Zhang Qing had been getting by in this place for so many years, yet this was the first time he had seen someone who had only been here a few days dare to tamper with this. That nerve! That style! Too wild!

Yet Lin Chang'an saw the hesitation in Zhang Qing's eyes. He immediately put on a drunken act, stared wide-eyed, and heavily slapped the account book.

"Senior Brother, listen to yourself." Lin Chang'an let out a wine burp, then continued, "Elder Lu had Junior Brother help Senior Brother manage the sect's properties, but Junior Brother doesn't have anyone under his hand either."

"I think Li Han and Qi Feng are both quite good. Later, we can reward them ten Spirit Stones each. What do you think, Senior Brother?"

Under Lin Chang'an's meaningful gaze, Zhang Qing was no fool. His throat bobbed as he nervously swallowed.

"Senior Brother, how long have you been at the sixth layer of Qi Condensation? Junior Brother will strive to refine a realm-breaking pill as soon as possible in the future."

Boom! With the final straw pressing down, Zhang Qing's breathing immediately grew hurried. Yet Lin Chang'an shook his head and sighed. "But the spirit herbs needed to refine a realm-breaking pill are exceedingly precious."

How could Zhang Qing fail to understand now? He no longer dared to underestimate Lin Chang'an. Just moments ago, he had generously given the other man Spirit Stones to befriend him, naturally with a few private calculations of his own.

Yet in so little time, the other man had turned around and dragged him into the water. Damn ruthless. Zhang Qing was even more alarmed inwardly. Anyone who did not know better would think this kid had grown up here, while he was the outsider.

Watching Zhang Qing nervously swallow, Lin Chang'an only smiled without speaking. A horse did not grow fat without night grass, and a man did not grow rich without windfall wealth. If he was not bolder, his whole life would end buried here.

Gulp!

After downing a cup of wine, Zhang Qing calmed down somewhat. After hesitating, he said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother, that's seven hundred Spirit Stones!"

Yet Lin Chang'an looked blank. "What did Senior Brother say? Oh, right, Junior Brother remembers you once said that business in the Market had improved recently because the Purple Copper Spirit Mine had drawn many people here, and that it would return to normal in half a year at most, right?"

With those words, Lin Chang'an was saying that this was a heaven-sent opportunity. If they missed it now, they would never have another chance. After all, the spirit herbs for refining that pill were far from cheap.

Just as Zhang Qing wavered indecisively, Lin Chang'an dipped his finger in wine and wrote a single character on the table. In an instant, Zhang Qing's breathing grew hurried.

After a long while, before the quiet wine table, Zhang Qing forced a smile onto his face. "Junior Brother, you've been refining pills for so long. Without a few capable people under you, it really would be inconvenient."

"Yes, Senior Brother truly understands Junior Brother." Lin Chang'an seized the pole the moment it was handed to him, speaking with a broad smile as though nothing from earlier had happened.

In the end, Zhang Qing smiled and nodded, agreeing to let Li Han and Qi Feng come assist him. On the wine table, the blurred writing could faintly be made out as a number.

Thank you, fellow Daoists, for your support.