Transaction

Han Zheng sat across from Zhang Tianyang, his body tensing involuntarily.

He didn't understand why Zhang Tianyang had shown up here—could it really just be for braised pork intestines? Even if so, there were plenty of seats around the stall, yet he chose to sit directly opposite him and spout such ambiguous words. What was his angle?

Li Jingzhong had said that Zhang Tianyang was somewhat dangerous and to avoid contact with him as much as possible.

In truth, Han Zheng didn't need Li Jingzhong to tell him that; the man's aura was far too perilous.

But now that Zhang Tianyang had taken the initiative to sit across from him and speak, Han Zheng couldn't afford to offend him by simply walking away.

After a moment of deliberation, Han Zheng said in a low voice, "Matters in this world have always been intertwined with fortune and misfortune. He abandoned the brine vat and ran, but without his ancestral brine, how would he make a living? Perhaps he and his descendants would lose their means of survival, trapped in poverty until they starved. Now he's dead, but the brine vat is preserved, and his descendants can at least rely on that craft to fill their bellies. Greed isn't frightening—who in this world isn't greedy? What's frightening is insatiable greed."

Zhang Tianyang laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Interesting, interesting. Your take is far more honest than most. Han Zheng, actually, by seniority, I should call you 'junior brother,' since we're both disciples of the same teacher."

Han Zheng quickly replied, "I dare not presume to be your junior brother, Lord Zhang. Please take your time eating; I'm full and will take my leave now."

Zhang Tianyang chewed slowly on the braised pork intestines, saying calmly, "Leaving after eating only half? I'm no ferocious wolf or tiger—what are you afraid of? I came to warn you: though you haven't been exposed yet, it won't be long. The Three Harmonies Gang is about to trace things back to you."

Han Zheng tilted his head, a puzzled expression on his face. "What is Lord Zhang saying? I'm having trouble understanding."

As he spoke, Han Zheng instinctively glanced around. The sky was already dark, with no other diners nearby; the stall owner was packing up at a distance.

Han Zheng's meridians and blood qi surged within him like a boiling torrent. Though outwardly calm, he could unleash devastating power at a moment's notice.

Seeing Han Zheng like a volcano on the verge of eruption, a glint of approval flashed in Zhang Tianyang's eyes. Still as a mountain, fierce as fire. No wonder he had killed Feng Yuan so cleanly. This 'junior brother' of his was a natural-born talent for martial combat.

"Don't get worked up. I mean you no harm. That Feng Yuan was no good—he'd driven plenty of common folk to ruin. Killing him was a service to the people. I'm only here to remind you that Gao Kaiyuan takes this matter very seriously. Feng Yuan wasn't his confidant; more accurately, he was an ally. Now that Feng Yuan is dead, Gao Kaiyuan has lost an arm in the Three Harmonies Gang. He won't let this go easily. He's been investigating all this time, and soon he'll be onto you. You could keep killing, of course, but the more you kill, the greater the risk of exposure."

Han Zheng's expression remained unchanged, but his mind raced. He didn't need Zhang Tianyang to tell him that killing Feng Yuan had only bought him a reprieve; sooner or later, he'd be found out. He just hadn't expected Gao Kaiyuan to move so fast—two days, and he was already closing in.

Zhang Tianyang's motives for telling him this were also suspect. Han Zheng didn't believe for a second that Zhang Tianyang was warning him out of some sense of shared discipleship with Li Jingzhong.

Just then, Zhang Tianyang chuckled lightly and flicked a piece of silver onto the stall owner's counter. "Fetch me a jug of wine. Keep the change."

The stall owner beamed with joy and hurried off with the silver.

Once the area was completely empty, Zhang Tianyang said, "To be honest, I have no interest in your feud with the Three Harmonies Gang. I came to warn you purely as a warning. But beyond that, I want to make a deal with you. You help me with something, and I'll shield you from the Three Harmonies Gang's investigation. How about it?"

Han Zheng shook his head gently. "If even someone of your stature, Lord Zhang, can't handle it, what help could I possibly be?"

"Precisely because of my status, there are things I can't do openly." Zhang Tianyang looked at Han Zheng with a half-smile. "My teacher must have told you about my strength. Aren't you curious why someone like me would become a constable in Black Stone County? To put it bluntly, I wouldn't even look twice at the position of Prefecture's chief constable."

Han Zheng hesitated but nodded. Li Jingzhong had said that if Zhang Tianyang wanted to kill him, it would be effortless—he was no match. Zhang Tianyang's strength was undoubtedly at the peak of Xiantian, with combat prowess far exceeding Li Jingzhong's. In a small county like Black Stone, constables and their captains were basically just for keeping the peace.

An Innate Realm expert serving as a constable was already overkill, let alone a peak Innate Realm master like Zhang Tianyang.

Zhang Tianyang chewed on some braised pork intestines, squinting as he said, "I came to Black Stone County as chief constable because of the Incense Cult's uprising."

"The Incense Cult hasn't even fully taken Huainan Dao yet—do they really dare to attack Shannan Dao?"

"Logically, they wouldn't. The Incense Cult is, at best, a heretical Sect, far from capable of challenging the entire Great Zhou order.

Splitting forces into Shannan Dao while attacking two Daos at once would be suicide—they don't have that kind of strength.

The reason Huainan Dao was so badly hit by the Incense Cult is simply that they were caught off guard, plus the Cult had infiltrated from within, causing the imperial defense system to collapse.

But we have a mole inside the Incense Cult, and they've learned that someone in Black Stone County is colluding with the Cult, planning to hand over the county as a bridgehead for the Cult's entry into Shannan Dao.

Black Stone County may be a small county, but its location is strategically vital.

To take Shannan Dao, you must first seize Jingzhou Prefecture; to take Jingzhou Prefecture, you must first seize Black Stone County.

If the Incense Cult really gets Black Stone County, Jingzhou Prefecture will be in danger.

And once they take Jingzhou Prefecture, they can spread their followers in all directions, gnawing away at Shannan Dao."

Zhang Tianyang pointed at himself and said, "This kind of thing has to be nipped in the bud. That's why the higher-ups sent me to be chief constable—to avoid alarming the enemy and secretly investigate who's colluding with the Incense Cult.

You could say every force in Black Stone County is suspect, with the Three Harmonies Gang being the most likely. These low-level gangs have no scruples and are the most prone to such acts.

But the county runners here are useless. I have no one to work with, and I can't reveal my identity to start an investigation directly.

The last person sent to investigate Black Stone County is already dead—died under unclear circumstances.

So I need someone to secretly stir up the situation in Black Stone County, to make it easier for me to figure out who exactly is colluding with the Incense Cult."

Han Zheng was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Lord Zhang, it's not that I don't want to help, but it's far too dangerous.

The Incense Cult is a heretical Sect capable of occupying an entire Huainan Dao. I'm just a martial arts apprentice—I can't afford to offend them.

With my strength, getting involved in something like this is like a tiny shrimp swept into a storm—I'd be torn apart in an instant.

Besides, the last investigator died, and he was definitely stronger than me. If I step in, I'll probably die even faster."

"The last man died because he exposed his identity, but you don't have to worry about that. You're just Han Zheng, a martial arts apprentice who grew up in Black Stone County—what identity do you have to expose?

And I'm not asking you to investigate the Incense Cult directly. You just need to muddy the waters in Black Stone County, and I'll be able to tell which faction is off.

Also, you killed Feng Yuan, so you've already made a mortal enemy of the Three Harmonies Gang.

I don't know what grudge you have with Gao Kaiyuan, but it's clear that once he finds you out, he won't let you go."

Han Zheng was silent for a moment, then said, "If I can't afford to provoke them, I can afford to avoid them. Worst case, I leave Black Stone County."

Zhang Tianyang looked at Han Zheng with a half-smile. "Junior Brother, the truth is, you and I are the same kind of people—wolves by nature, vengeful to the core!

Gao Kaiyuan won't let you go, but you've never thought of letting him go either.

If you were the type to run, you'd have fled after killing Wang Xiong, not stayed in Black Stone County. Would you really be okay with running now?"

Han Zheng fell silent again.

Zhang Tianyang had hit the mark. Han Zheng seemed calm on the surface, but deep down he was a wolf—ruthless and unforgiving.

In his past life, young Han Zheng's family had little money. His parents always told him not to cause trouble, and with his quiet nature, he was often bullied at school.

Once, pushed too far, he nearly stabbed a bully's eye out with a pencil. That fierce look stunned everyone.

From then on, through elementary and middle school, Han Zheng remained quiet, but he was never bullied again.

That life was a harmonious society—if you got hit, you couldn't hit back, or it was mutual assault.

So Han Zheng hid his true nature well, always the good-natured, hardworking guy at the company.

But in this world? Demons run rampant, the strong prey on the weak—if you don't eat others, they'll eat you!

So the personality buried deep inside Han Zheng was triggered without him even noticing.

Just like the first time he killed someone—no ripples, no discomfort at all.

The 'Han Zheng' of this life died under unclear circumstances. Though it was probably from being crushed by a Buddha statue, why Wang Xiong took him out of the city was the key to his death.

That was a knot. If he didn't untie it, Han Zheng would always feel a sense of unease.

Maybe it was because, after the transmigration, even though he had taken over the body, the 'Han Zheng' of this life still carried some lingering unwillingness and obsession.

Just then, Zhang Tianyang smiled and said, "It's normal for you not to trust me. How about this—I'll take you to meet someone. After that, you can decide whether to agree."

With that, Zhang Tianyang stood up and headed straight for the city gate.

Han Zheng had no choice. He didn't dare to completely offend Zhang Tianyang, so he followed him out of the city.

The braised pork intestines vendor came back with a jug of wine, saw the empty seats, and scratched his head in confusion.

After waiting a while with no sign of them returning, he simply took the free wine and packed up his stall with a satisfied grin.