Probing, Extortion by Opportunity

Chapter 21: Probing, Seizing the Opportunity to Blackmail

Chapter Twenty-One: Probing, Seizing the Opportunity to Blackmail

"Brother, where are you from?"

Lin Mo tucked his sleeves in and cheerfully greeted a man dressed as a laborer. The man was startled and chuckled sheepishly, "Q-Qingshan County."

"What, is it not good over there either?"

"Yeah, hahaha, the Water Ghosts are making everyone panic..."

The laborer brushed it off, not wanting to talk further with Lin Mo, and busied himself.

Lin Mo watched his steps. The way he carried the sack, steady and balanced, his ankles were pale. This was not the appearance of someone who did hard labor.

He focused his gaze, and wisps of white energy diffused. As he expected, the white fate-lines all had something to do with vitality.

Some were [Surging Vitality], others [Robust Vitality]...

Fortunately, Lin Mo judged from experience that these men disguised as laborers were only at the Minor Accomplishment stage of First Level, at most Great Accomplishment Martial Artists.

The opposing merchant ship had a lot of cargo, and it smelled of fish and blood from inside and out.

A plump, very prosperous-looking middle-aged man slowly walked down. Lin Mo didn't need to look closely; his small, mung-bean-like eyes were almost slits.

"Hey, are you the manager here?"

Seeing Lin Mo in his martial arts uniform and a young man with an account book by his side, Hu Pangsan had some guesses. He stepped forward to build rapport.

"I am Hu Pangsan, from Qingshan County. New to your esteemed place, just here to pay respects at the dock." Hu Pangsan's eyeballs darted around. Though he said this, he made no actual move.

Lin Mo just smiled and rubbed his fingers together, making his attitude clear, the meaning self-evident.

"Oh, sir, I understand, I understand..."

He carefully took out a money pouch from his pocket and, enduring the pain, handed over a few taels of silver. Lin Mo didn't find it too little and put it in his pocket.

"Do you understand the rules for paying respects at the dock?"

"Of course, of course! Isn't it paying respects to the Four Great Families!" Hu Pangsan replied quickly, wanting to gloss over the details. Unexpectedly, Lin Mo pressed further, "Which of the Four Great Families?"

The so-called Four Great Families were the four most powerful local powers in Changhe County.

First and foremost was the Guo Family, whose pharmacies spanned several counties, collecting all sorts of precious heavenly and earthly treasures.

Next was the Zhao Family Grain Store. The grain for tens of thousands of people in and out of the city mostly relied on their horse-drawn carriages for land transport.

As for the last two, one was the Escort Agency managed by the Zhou Family, and the last was the Sun Family, which managed the county's real estate.

Seeing Lin Mo's persistent questioning, Hu Pangsan could only fabricate an answer: "Zhao Family Grain Store. We're delivering meat, specifically here."

"Taking our Li Family's waterway and paying respects to the Zhao Family's dock?"

Lin Mo invoked the Li Family's name, startling Hu Pangsan. Hu Pangsan's eyes became somewhat indifferent at this moment: "Brother, what do you mean by that?"

"Don't you know our Li Family and the Zhao Family Grain Store are like brothers? You don't come to pay respects to the Li Family when you pay respects to the dock?"

"But just now..."

"Just now, that was you paying respects to me."

Hu Pangsan let out a long sigh, trying his best to calm his emotions.

Who in Qingshan County didn't know that the Zhao Family Grain Store had long coveted the Li Family's waterway trade? The talk of being like brothers was clearly just about one thing!

The word 'money'!

Hu Pangsan had important matters at the dock. Adhering to the principle of paying more and causing less trouble, he looked at the smiling young man before him and could only swallow his pride.

"Brother, look, is this amount enough?"

He tucked his sleeve and reached under it, not letting others see, and directly slipped it into Lin Mo's sleeve.

As the heavy feeling settled in, the smile in Lin Mo's eyes grew more pronounced, and his attitude improved.

This fat guy was indeed afraid of trouble. How could a minor manager of a general merchant ship have so much cash on hand?

It was one thing for a group of Martial Artists to disguise themselves as his merchant ship's crew, but it was another to find such a poor excuse for paying respects at the dock.

"Then, brother, you can busy yourself here. If you need anything, just inform these young lads." Lin Mo pointed to the Li Family servants who had taken over the patrol and exchanged a few pleasantries.

Hu Pangsan feared he would arouse suspicion, so he dared not let anyone help him unload the cargo. He repeatedly waved his hands, "No trouble, no trouble. We'll leave after unloading."

Lin Mo stepped over the bluestone bricks, humming a tune as he walked towards the direction of leaving the dock. Hu Pangsan finally breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

He muttered to himself, "Damn it, you think you're the only one from the Li Family? When your Li Family is finished, I'll deal with you!"

Martial Artists disguised as laborers, even that fat guy with mung-bean eyes acting like a manager, Lin Mo could see fate-lines related to vitality above their heads. However, he couldn't discern their true identities for the moment.

Since they were disguised, they certainly wouldn't dare cause trouble. Taking advantage of such a good opportunity, it would be a shame not to get some silver out of it.

He walked onto the street, looking at the twelve taels of silver in his hand, and felt happy.

"Silver in hand, now I can report this matter. Dangerous things are best left for the Li Family to handle."

Passing through Zhongxing Street, he bought two meat buns from a breakfast stall, eating them as he walked towards Li Zhiming's mansion.

In less than a moment, Lin Mo finished his steamed buns, wiped his hands, and as soon as he entered the courtyard and arrived at the training ground, he saw Li Zhiming practicing there.

"Head Patrolman Li, I have something important to report."

"Hmm? Let's hear it."

Li Zhiming's movements didn't stop. He performed a set of fist techniques, and even without circulating his Blood Essence, he struck with powerful force, appearing sharp and fierce.

"A merchant ship has arrived at East Third Pier, with seven or eight toughs and one manager. All of them show signs of martial arts training, and their cultivation is not low. I believe they are at least skilled practitioners of the First Level..."

Lin Mo explained truthfully, glossing over the fact that he had taken money, framing it as an opportunity to investigate.

Li Zhiming initially paid little attention, but the moment he heard the word "impersonating," he became alert. He grabbed his robe from the wooden post and strode out of the training ground.

"Come, gather a few patrolmen, and let's go take a look. If there's any suspicion here, Lin Mo, you'll be credited with a deed!"

With a Martial Artist at the Third Stage Perfected level present, Lin Mo naturally wasn't afraid of the impostors on the pier and followed along.

Upon arriving at the pier, Li Zhiming took one look and sneered twice. He waved to the patrolmen and said:

"According to the rules of the Li Family's pier, the Li Family has the right to apprehend anyone impersonating, disguising themselves, or having unclear intentions, and hand them over to the yamen!"

"Be sharp, don't let any of them get away!"

The group, armed with knives and clad in tight-fitting clothes, surged towards the pier with imposing momentum.

Hu Pangsan initially maintained his composure, trying to argue even as his subordinates were being detained. Li Zhiming simply asked: "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"We're from Qingshan County, and we're here for business!"

"Businessmen hire toughs to impersonate merchants?!"

As soon as he spoke, a few of the toughs were about to react when the patrolmen preemptively grabbed their waist knives and struck their necks with the pommels.

In just a few breaths, only Hu Pangsan, with his pale face, remained.

"As for you, you can tell me everything in detail at the Li Family Manor!"