The Road Ahead

Lu Zhen had just returned to the residence outside Anping Street when he saw a black Ford sedan parked at the alley entrance.

Beside the car door, Gu Yanzhi, dressed in a well-tailored long gown and holding a thick kraft paper envelope, was pacing back and forth.

Seeing Lu Zhen, Gu Yanzhi stopped abruptly, his face lit with a joy never seen before.

"Brother Lu!" He hurried forward to meet him.

"Brother Gu, coming over so late, is there an urgent matter?" Lu Zhen asked.

Gu Yanzhi took a deep breath and lowered his voice, but the excitement in his tone could not be concealed.

"I've broken through! The late stage of Lianli!"

He snapped his folding fan shut and slapped it hard against his palm.

"It just so happens that I've finished organizing the information you needed. Let's go, Jufu Restaurant tonight, my treat, let's have a few drinks!"

Lu Zhen looked at his excited expression and nodded slightly.

The two took no attendants and went straight to Jufu Restaurant by car.

Inside an elegant private room on the second floor facing the street.

Once the door closed, the noise outside and the river breeze were completely cut off.

On the Eight Immortals table sat freshly sliced roast goose, a plate of spiced beef, two cold side dishes for drinking, and a pot of warmed premium Huadiao wine.

There were only the two of them in the room.

Gu Yanzhi personally filled Lu Zhen's cup, raised his own, and downed it in one gulp. Martial artists had vigorous blood and qi, so drinking such strong liquor was like drinking water.

"Refreshing!" His face flushed slightly as he let out a long breath.

Lu Zhen picked up his cup, took a sip, and set it down.

His gaze fell upon the kraft paper envelope on the table.

"Everything Brother Lu wanted is inside." Gu Yanzhi wiped his mouth and reached out to push the envelope over.

Lu Zhen untied the string and pulled out the thick stack of letter paper.

By the bright light of the Western-style lamp in the room, he lowered his head and quietly flipped through them.

The pages were densely packed with detailed information on the backgrounds of all the factions in Ocean City.

Ocean City was vast.

In terms of territorial division, it was split into four districts: East, South, West, and North.

In the very center of these four districts lay the heavily guarded Inner City.

Beyond that, the most prosperous area along the river was the concession area for various foreigners.

The true overlords of all Ocean City were the four major families.

Lu Zhen flipped through the pages one by one.

The core of the four major families was not in the outer four districts at all, but entirely entrenched within the Inner City and the concessions.

The information was written very clearly.

In the current era, in the concessions of other large cities, the Chinese didn't even have the qualifications to get involved and could only be relegated to the bottom tier.

But Ocean City was different.

The Chinese factions in Ocean City were surprisingly powerful.

Here, the four major families and the foreigners co-governed the concessions. This was a rule carved out by sheer force and heritage; even the foreigners dared not act rashly.

"The four major families..." Lu Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly.

According to the data, the four major families belonged to two camps.

The strongest was the Xiao Family.

A traditional martial arts clan with unfathomable heritage.

The other traditional martial arts powerhouse was the Huo Family, which was also filled with experts.

The remaining two were the newly risen upstarts.

The Zhou Family and the Zheng Family.

These two were both "Hetero-martial Families" that had completely leaned toward the Westerners.

Relying on high-grade Beast Blood Serum and Western steam-powered weaponry, they had forced their way into the ranks of the four major families in just over a dozen years, standing on equal footing with the Xiao and Huo families.

The private room was very quiet.

There was only the faint rustling sound of Lu Zhen turning the pages.

Gu Yanzhi held his wine cup, picked up a piece of spiced beef, and popped it into his mouth, speaking while he chewed.

"The East District where we are now is actually the sphere of influence of the Xiao Family."

He looked at Lu Zhen, making no attempt to hide it.

"To be honest, the reason our Gu Family's Tongjiang Chamber of Commerce can run such a large business on the waterways and in the East District is... actually because we rely on the Xiao Family behind the scenes."

Lu Zhen set down the letter in his hand.

"So, if I want to climb higher and obtain better martial arts resources, the best way is to join the Xiao Family?"

As he spoke, the image of that unattainable, graceful figure involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

The Xiao Family prodigy, Xiao Yuqing.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yanzhi reined in the smile on his face.

He set down his wine cup and straightened his expression.

"Theoretically, yes. The Xiao Family has the deepest foundation and the most treasures. But that path is not easy to walk."

"The Xiao Family is vast and powerful, with guests as numerous as clouds. Although Brother Lu possesses innate divine strength and astonishing combat power, once you enter such a behemoth, you might not be held in high regard. Or rather, they won't necessarily value you; at most, they'll give you a mundane job guarding the gate."

Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox.

Lu Zhen understood this principle.

One slow step leads to every step being slow. If he couldn't obtain core resources, going there would just be a waste of time.

"Therefore, I have prepared another path for Brother Lu today." Gu Yanzhi leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

"The military system established by the National Government in Ocean City—the Garrison Bureau."

His gaze was burning as he stared at Lu Zhen.

"This place is specifically in charge of the mutated beasts in the wilderness outside the city, as well as local coordination during wartime. It is a dangerous place where you truly gamble your life for a future."

"But the benefits are also obvious." A sharp glint flashed in the depths of Gu Yanzhi's eyes. "As long as your martial arts cultivation reaches the late stage of Lianli, you can take the assessment to join."

"Inside, everything is decided by military merit and contribution. As long as you dare to fight and slay enough beasts, you can exchange your contributions for any profound internal cultivation technique or aged medicinal treasure. It is extremely fair."

Lu Zhen picked up the remaining wine in front of him and downed it in one gulp.

The liquor hit his throat, turning into a line of fire.

"A good place."

He set down the cup, his gaze clear as he looked at Gu Yanzhi across from him.

"However, Brother Gu. This place operates under the banner of the National Government's military system. But in these chaotic times, I fear the National Government's decrees can't even make it out of this ten-mile Ocean City."

"At the end of the day, isn't this Garrison Bureau still controlled by those few great families?"

Gu Yanzhi did not hide anything upon hearing this.

He nodded and sighed.

"That is indeed the case. Whatever 'National Government system' there is, it has long since become a gladiatorial arena for the major powers. The Garrison Bureau in Ocean City is, for the most part, held in the hands of the Xiao Family and the Huo Family."

He dipped his fingertip into some wine and drew a line on the table.

"If we go in, because of the background of the Tongjiang Chamber of Commerce, we will inevitably be branded with the Xiao Family faction and have to take their side. This is unavoidable."

"But this is fundamentally different from going directly to the Xiao Family as a guest."

"By wearing the skin of the military system, we are, after all, public servants. There is always a margin for maneuver in everything, and we don't have to sign those life-binding blood contracts. If there are any changes in the future, it will be far easier to retreat and withdraw than it would be for a house slave."

Lu Zhen understood.

He could obtain the most core resources while maintaining his independence to the greatest extent.

"I understand."

Lu Zhen rolled up the cowhide paper bag again and tucked it into his clothes.

"We shall go together tomorrow morning."

Gu Yanzhi unfolded his folding fan and stood up happily.

"It's a deal."

Anping Street was very quiet at night.

Lu Zhen arrived at the gate of his own courtyard house.

Hearing the movement, Shen Yun immediately put down her work and stood up.

Ever since that night.

Although the two of them hadn't held any formal wedding ceremony, in her heart, she was already the woman of the Lu household.

"You're back?" She greeted him and reached out with extreme naturalness to help Lu Zhen take off his coat, which was damp with night dew.

"Yes, I had some wine with the young master of the Gu Family and chatted for a while," Lu Zhen replied.

"You're chilled to the bone. There's still warm water in the pot; I'll go pour you a basin to soak your feet."

Shen Yun moved with agility and turned to the kitchen.

Before long, she walked out carrying a wooden basin of steaming water. She tested the temperature with her hand and placed it at Lu Zhen's feet.

She did not avoid suspicion; instead, she knelt down with extreme naturalness and reached out to take off Lu Zhen's mud-stained black cloth shoes.

The curtain to the inner room was lifted.

Lu Wan, the little sister, poked her head out. Her dark, glistening eyes darted between the two of them, and she secretly pursed her lips in amusement.

"Brother, you're finally back. Sister-in-law was just fretting, worried you might have caught a chill from drinking too much out there."

Lu Wan said the words "Sister-in-law" with practiced ease, her voice crisp and clear.

Hearing this address, Shen Yun's already flushed cheeks turned red to the tips of her ears, and she shot Lu Wan a reproachful glare.

"You brat, your ears are far too sharp. Hurry back to your room and go to sleep."

Though she spoke thus, the smile at the corners of her eyes and brows could not be hidden.

Lu Wan stuck out her tongue, giggled as she dropped the curtain, and retreated back into her room.

Lu Zhen soaked his feet in the scalding hot water.

Comforting.