Black Market

At Yuezhou Third Hospital, He Jiaqing suddenly opened his eyes.

A strange aura suddenly appeared, seemingly not far from the hospital.

Who came from Outer State?

I wonder if I'm overthinking it, but could this imposing aura be related to "Zhao Xiaowan"?

He Jiaqing wanted to go out and investigate, but the ward door was suddenly pushed open, and Team Leader Chen from the Dark Star Bureau came in.

The doctor was explaining He Jiaqing's condition to Team Leader Chen. Despite some complications that had arisen recently, He Jiaqing's condition did not seem to be improving.

Team Leader Chen wasn't particularly interested in the illness; he just kept quietly watching He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing dared not make any rash moves, because Old Chen was a cultivator of a considerable level.

The windows were closed, but it seemed as if a gentle breeze was blowing into the ward.

Power and prestige.

Old Chen also sensed this inexplicable power, turned his gaze to the window, and then looked at He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing was inwardly groaning.

What's the meaning?

You doubt me?

After a brief standoff, the strange aura dissipated.

Xiao Zhengong sent someone to pick up "Zhao Xiaowan" and immediately sealed her away.

After Old Chen left, He Jiaqing quickly contacted Wan Jinxian: "Did you really get Zhao Xiaowan?"

Wan Jinxian changed his tune. "I'm still tracking it down with all my might."

He Jiaqing was startled. "What happened?"

Wan Jinxian sighed, "I've been tricked. Luo ZhengNan deceived me with lizard skin. I mistook the ancient famous spear Cloud Dragon, that I obtained for Zhao Xiaowan."

"Who exactly has Zhao Xiaowan in their hands?" He Jiaqing asked calmly, but it only made Wan Jinxian more nervous.

"It should still be in Luo ZhengNan's hands."

Where is Luo ZhengNan?

"They should still be at Iron Gate Fort."

"Still at Iron Gate Fort?" He Jiaqing laughed, making Wan Jinxian tremble for a moment.

He Jiaqing didn't say anything more and ended the contact.

If I'm not mistaken, Luo ZhengNan has already arrived in Outer State, and that imposing aura just now likely came from him.

Inside the villa, Xiao Zhengong hosted a banquet to reward Luo ZhengNan.

"Lao Luo, this drink is for you. You're the only truly capable person in our gang!"

"Thank you for your kind offer, Gang Leader!" Lao Luo raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Xiao Zhengong ordered people to keep serving wine and dishes, and said a lot of words of praise, but he didn't mention a word about the matter of the deputy Gang Leader.

What does this mean?

He did sign a contract.

Xiao Zhengong is also from Pro State, so he should know the weight of a contract.

Xiao Zhengong is indeed from Pro State, but he has lived in Outer State for too long.

He knew that Pro State valued contracts, but he had also learned some tricks for dealing with contracts in Outer State.

For example, flexibility.

For example, vulnerabilities.

For example, the sentence: "In principle... logically speaking... but in reality..."

In principle, according to the contract, after the matter is completed, Xiao Zhengong be appointed as the deputy Gang Leader the gang by Luo ZhengNan.

Logically speaking, Luo ZhengNan did indeed get things done, handing "Zhao Xiaowan" over to Xiao Zhengong.

However, in reality, the position of deputy Gang Leader is no small matter, as it concerns the rise and fall of the gang. It must be approached with utmost care and cannot be judged solely on merits. A comprehensive evaluation and long-term planning are necessary.

Can Luo ZhengNan understand these things?

Yes, he's a trendsetter.

But can he accept this outcome?

Cannot.

He is from Pro State.

For Pro State, contracts are an unshakeable force.

Luo ZhengNan didn't want to stay a moment longer and returned to Medicine King Gully that same day.

The next morning, Zhu Junlong, the general manager of Tea Mountain Hotel, visited He Jiaqing in the ward and presented He Jiaqing with a bouquet of flowers.

After Zhu Junlong left, He Jiaqing took advantage of the caregiver's inattention and clenched a petal in his hand.

Through the flower petals, He Jiaqing heard Zhu Junlong's voice.

"Jiaqing, I just found out that Xiao Zhengong, the young Gang Leader of the Jiang Xiang Gang, has captured Zhao Xiaowan."

He Jiaqing glanced at the caregiver, who, unable to hide her exhaustion, had fallen asleep.

He Jiaqing then asked Zhu Junlong, "Is the information reliable?"

"The information came from Jiang Xiang Gang's informant, who received a lot of money from us, so it should be reliable."

The news got out so quickly?

Xiao Zhengong really that careless?

Did someone close to him spread this news?

He Jiaqing had planted many spies in Jiang Xiang Gang, but they hadn't yet managed to infiltrate Xiao Zhengong's inner circle.

Who else could it be?

Could it be Lao Luo?

What was his reason for doing this?

Could it be because Xiao Zhengong failed to deliver on his reward?

We can ignore who spread the news, but we must get Zhao Xiaowan's soul as soon as possible, otherwise some things will become more difficult.

He didn't want to stay lying there forever.

He Jiaqing stroked his chin for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Why not take this opportunity to test the quality of Xiao Zhengong?

He Jiaqing said to Zhu Junlong, "Go find a suitable person to invite Gang Leader Xiao for a cup of tea."

Would you like a cup of tea?

Kidnapping?

Zhu Junlong, worried he might have misheard, asked, "You mean, you've kidnapped the young Gang Leader of the Jiang Xiang Gang, the deputy Team Leader of the Dark Star Bureau?"

It sounds like an impossible task.

But He Jiaqing disagreed. "What do you mean by 'kidnapped'? How could we possibly do such a thing? If word got out, wouldn't our reputation be ruined?"

Zhu Junlong was somewhat puzzled. "So what do you mean?"

"I told you to invite him over for a cup of tea, ask him a few questions, and then kill him. Wouldn't that prevent word from getting out?"

Zhu Junlong understood what He Jiaqing meant, but still felt it was too difficult.

Since He Jiaqing has said so, he will naturally create a suitable opportunity for Zhu Junlong to make a move.

Back at the hotel, Zhu Junlong received a message from He Jiaqing not long after returning.

Tonight, the Dark Star Bureau is going to Flower Lake District to investigate the Black Market, and Xiao Zhengong will personally lead the team.

Investigating the Black Market is a standard procedure for the Dark Star Bureau; sometimes it's a genuine investigation, and sometimes it's just a routine matter.

It can be concluded that Xiao Zhengong's leadership was just a routine matter; he had no intention of confronting the Black Market head-on.

He had already informed the Black Market shopkeeper beforehand that he would be going over to take a look tonight.

This is indeed a good opportunity, because in such a routine operation, Xiao Zhengong will not bring too many people or be on guard.

Zhu Junlong summoned a Shut-in Cultivator and a fighter.

The Shut-in Cultivator is House Cultivator; this person is named Duan Xiangwen, and has a cultivation level of five.

The fighter is a martial arts practitioner named Zhong Guoshu, who is also at the fifth level of cultivation.

Zhu Junlong explained the matter, and the two immediately agreed without asking any further questions.

He Jiaqing was their brother, a brother they would risk their lives for. At a single call, they would go through fire and water without hesitation.

Moreover, this wasn't a dangerous situation. According to the Dark Star Bureau's information, Xiao Zhengong was only a level three fighter, Zhong Guoshu believed that he could handle it alone.

Zhu Junlong cautioned, "It's better to be cautious. Jiaqing cares a lot about this, so we need to be careful too."

Shut-in Cultivator are not good at socializing, Duan Xiangwen was unwilling to communicate with Zhong Guoshu, and Zhong Guoshu also felt that having him around was superfluous.

Fortunately, Zhu Junlong was prepared. He was very familiar with the Black Market and explained the tactics and ambush locations clearly. He even took the two of them to scout out the location.

At 11:58 p. m., the Black Market opened on time.

The so-called Black Market is not a vegetable market on the street. Even if someone is looking out for you, you wouldn't dare to do things so obviously.

On Yi Ping Road in Flower Lake District, there is a Culture Palace that was rented out tonight for a private movie screening. This is where the Black Market is located.

The Culture Palace has a cinema, a very traditional cinema from the last century. The seats are hard and can be lifted up, so when the audience enters and leaves, you can always hear a clattering sound.

Although the cinema was old and run-down, it was quite large, with two floors and private boxes on both sides.

People who don't know about the Black Market sometimes wonder why people still come to watch movies here, even though the Culture Palace has been abandoned for so many years.

Some might even go to the cinema to take a look if they're interested.

Can I get in without a ticket?

Able!

The movies shown on the screen were classic films from the 1980s and 90s, and there were usually only twenty or thirty people scattered in the audience.

Once you're in the theater, don't rush into doing business. If you're really there to buy something, find a seat in the back row first, don't go to the first five rows, and watch the movie attentively for about ten minutes.

If this movie is a martial arts film, then it proves that today's sellers are all selling weapons.

If it's a comedy, then it proves that most of the sellers are selling magical artifacts.

If this is a romance film, then it proves that most of the people who came today are selling medicinal herbs.

If it's a romance film that can't be shown in regular cinemas, then it proves that elixirs are available for sale today.

If it's a gunfight movie, the situation is different. Most of the people who came today are smooth talkers (intermediaries). Some can arrange Travel Permit, some can arrange fake identities, and some can arrange to hire bodyguards and assassins.

After watching a movie for about ten minutes, you'll see vendors selling snacks in old movie theaters. They'll come up to you and ask what you want to buy.

The correct answer is to buy water, not beverages, just plain water.

Buy a bottle of water, but don't drink it. Take the bottle to the first five rows, sit down next to an audience member, and you can start a conversation with the seller.

The two should maintain the same movie-watching atmosphere. The seller will name the goods, and the buyer will listen. If they are interested in making a deal, they can go to a private room on the second floor to discuss the details. When discussing business, they should place a water bottle at the door to avoid being disturbed.

Once the deal is done, the buyer shouldn't rush to pay. Instead, go downstairs and call out, "I want to buy water," and wait for the snack vendor to come up.

In front of the snack seller, the buyer pays, the seller orders the goods, and takes 10% as Bonus Money for the snack seller.

Why give so much money to the snack seller?

Because he was the Black Market operator, this was the venue fee he deserved.

Can we do the business privately instead of calling him?

OK.

But he can't know.

Furthermore, the shopkeeper will not be responsible for any counterfeit goods, counterfeit money, or sabotage received.

The shopkeeper had received prior notice that none of the sellers had appeared at the Culture Palace that evening.

Many buyers came, but they didn't see any snack vendors. The first five rows were empty, and they didn't know who to talk to.

During the stalemate, Xiao Zhengong entered alone.

As agreed, it was just a routine matter. Xiao Zhengong brought two newcomers, Light Bulb and Star, to take a look, ask a couple of questions, and then leave.

There was no business here tonight, and it wasn't illegal for people to come to see a movie. Xiao Zhengong didn't even bother to open his mouth; he simply told the Light Bulb and the Star to ask a couple of questions and write a report.

He found a seat in the back row, yawned, and waited to finish work and go home.

A man walked up to Xiao Zhengong and asked in a low voice, "Do you sell water here?"

Xiao Zhengong frowned, glanced at the man, and laughed, "Are you crazy? I don't want to arrest you, yet you're handing yourself over to me?"

The man replied, "I'm not sick."

As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp knife was plunged into Xiao Zhengong's ribs.

"Come with me, don't move, and don't speak."

His attack was swift, precise, and flawless. Seeing this, Xiao Zhengong asked, "Are you a martial arts practitioner?"

The man tightened his grip on the knife. "I told you not to talk."

Xiao Zhengong laughed and said, "You think I won't say anything just because you tell me not to? How dare you think so highly of yourself?"

PS: Just what kind of quality does the young Gang Leader actually possess?