White Ram Gang Calls Off the Operation

Within the White Ram Gang's council hall, candle flames flickered. Seated at the head of the hall was that burly middle-aged man—the White Ram Gang's current and only Bone Tempering Realm gang leader.

A scout knelt respectfully below the hall and truthfully reported the intelligence he had gathered.

"Reporting to Gang Leader, Lin Fan sold another Wild Boar Ferocious Beast at the Su Family Shop today. After that, he accepted Su Qingwei's recruitment and joined the Su Family. Su Qingwei even made an exception and gave him a Golden Guest Token. Lin Fan is now driving a carriage back along the mountain road to Small Mountain Village."

At the head of the hall, the White Ram Gang leader lightly tapped the armrest of his tiger-hide chair, his brows furrowing. Over the past few days, in order to seize the possible fortuitous treasures on Lin Fan, he had contacted several old friends. Those Bone Tempering Realm friends had now arrived at the White Ram Gang's hall, merely waiting to surround and kill Lin Fan in Small Mountain Village tonight.

Yet he had never expected such a change. That village youth had actually latched onto the great tree that was the Su Family today.

The several Bone Tempering Realm friends invited by the White Ram Gang leader immediately erupted into an uproar upon hearing the news.

"Su Qingwei, that bitch, ruined our plans."

"Why not proceed as usual? We'll set out overnight and join forces to finish him off right now!"

After considering matters for a while, the White Ram Gang leader slowly shook his head, his eyes filled with the calm calculation of weighing gains against losses.

"Do not act rashly." He rose to his feet, swept his gaze across the crowd, and spoke in a deep voice:

"This Golden Token of the Su Family is the highest rank among the Su Family's guest retainers. It practically makes one half a Su Family Patriarch. Now that Lin Fan has obtained the Su Family's Golden Guest Token, his status is no longer what it was. If we make a move and fail to kill him in one strike, allowing Lin Fan to escape by sheer luck, we will undoubtedly utterly enrage the Su Family. The Su Family has deep foundations and a tangled web of influence. If they truly fight the White Ram Gang to the bitter end, it will be a great calamity for our gang as well—not worth the loss. The time has not yet come for us to fight the Su Family to the bitter end."

Although several Bone Tempering Realm experts stood below him, most were only at the early stage. The Su Family Patriarch, meanwhile, was at the Late Bone Tempering Realm, a level above himself. If they went to war with the Su Family now, he did not have much confidence.

Moreover, even if they successfully surrounded and killed Lin Fan, the Su Family would easily trace it back to them afterward. There were only so many Bone Tempering Realm experts in the area. If the Su Family investigated, it would be easy to uncover clues. It would be extremely troublesome if the Su Family came knocking on the White Ram Gang's door.

He could summon Bone Tempering Realm friends from several nearby towns, but that did not mean the Su Family could not summon several Bone Tempering Realm experts as well. Besides, when it came to a true great battle, those invited Bone Tempering Realm friends would be fine with fighting an easy, favorable battle. But if the enemy proved powerful, there was no chance they would truly give their all to help. Especially in an unfavorable fight—once they saw things were going wrong, they would run faster than anyone. They might even bite him back when the time came. As an old hand who had drifted through the martial world for years, the White Ram Gang leader naturally understood such things perfectly well.

"We can only let this matter go for now. I never expected that little bitch Su Qingwei to ruin our plan." The White Ram Gang leader's tone was heavy. "Su Qingwei is the Su Family Patriarch's most beloved daughter. Her martial talent is merely average; she is only at the Skin Tempering Realm. Usually, the Su Family Patriarch entrusts her with managing some of the Su Family's businesses."

The White Ram Gang leader paused slightly, and his face turned vicious. "It is obvious that the Su Family Patriarch truly dotes on her. He actually gave her a Golden Guest Token. Unfortunately, that little bitch rarely goes anywhere besides the Su Family Estate and the Su Family Shop. If she ever leaves the town, heh heh, I will definitely capture her and give her a good... Let that bitch ruin my plans. Heh heh."

She was only at the Skin Tempering Realm. As long as they planned it thoroughly and secretly sent people to abduct her outside the town without anyone knowing, who would know it had been done by the White Ram Gang?

With the Su Family's authority as protection, an attempt to silently surround and kill Lin Fan was abandoned just like that. The White Ram Gang's killing intent toward Lin Fan temporarily sank into the shadows, waiting only for the next suitable opportunity.

Back in Small Mountain Village, Lin Fan rose early in the morning. After breakfast with his younger sister, he visited seven or eight households in the village one by one.

When the villagers learned that Lin Fan was leaving Small Mountain Village, they were all quite reluctant to see him go. Big Ox in particular clamored about following Lin Fan to town, only to be scolded by his mother. "Lin Fan is going to town because he has things to do. What are you going there for? You have not even learned hunting properly, yet all you know is how to cause trouble for others." Lin Fan could only smile without saying anything. He had only just joined the Su Family himself, and if Big Ox went to town, Lin Fan did not know how he could settle him or what he could have him do. He could only wait for an opportunity in the future.

Lin Fan left behind his address in town, then bid farewell to the villagers of Small Mountain Village. When they learned that Lin Fan was actually moving into the Su Family Estate, the villagers could not help exclaiming in amazement once more. That was the martial force known as the Su Family; ordinary people could not even get inside. Of course, doing business at the Su Family Shop did not count as entering the Su Family.

Lin Fan laid thick quilts and cushions in the rear compartment of the carriage, then had his younger sister sit inside. The golden rat Mao Mao lay in Lin Fan's arms. Lin Fan had also distributed most of the belongings from the little thatched cottage to the villagers of Small Mountain Village. After all, there was nothing particularly valuable or special in the house. When the previous Lin Fan had fled to Small Mountain Village with his younger sister, aside from a dozen or so taels of silver and some clothes, he had brought almost nothing.

Untying the carriage reins, Lin Fan sat atop the carriage and cracked the leather whip in his hand. "Hyah!" Facing the morning sun, he headed toward the town.

The carriage wheels rumbled over the mountain dirt road, raising a faint cloud of dust from the path. Inside the carriage, Lin Ruoruo pressed against the window and looked back at the thatched cottage where they had lived for nearly half a year. The house grew smaller and smaller until it gradually disappeared around a bend in the woods, vanishing from sight.

A faint trace of reluctance passed through the little girl's eyes. "Brother, are we never going to come back and live here again?"

Lin Fan gathered the whip in his hand and slowed the horse. Turning to look at his younger sister Lin Ruoruo, he smiled dotingly and said gently, "It is not that we will never come back. We can live in the Su Family Estate from now on. If you miss the village later, Ruo Ruo, just tell your brother whenever you want to return. I will bring you back to visit the villagers."

Lin Ruoruo nodded lightly and tightened her grip on the small cloth bundle in her hands. Inside were the few old clothes she had once possessed, as well as several pieces of candy the villagers had slipped to her when they parted. It was not that Lin Fan had not later bought clothes for his younger sister, but the little girl had always been reluctant to throw away her old clothes. Lin Fan did not force her.

The carriage traveled through the mountains toward town. Morning sunlight spilled across the forests lining both sides of the road, while unknown birds chirped from the treetops by the roadside. After traveling for most of the day, the broad town walls finally appeared in Lin Fan's sight.

Once they entered through the city gate, the streets were already teeming with voices, and the cries of peddlers rose and fell one after another. Passing pedestrians saw Lin Fan driving the carriage and instinctively moved aside to both sides of the road. Some even cast curious glances into the carriage compartment, seemingly wanting to see what it contained.

After entering town twice while carrying Ferocious Beasts one-handed to sell, Lin Fan's reputation had spread widely throughout the town. More or less everyone knew of this young martial expert who had appeared from nowhere. Lin Fan's parents and birthplace were not from here; that much was fairly easy to ask around and investigate.

The face Lin Fan currently wore was still one altered through the Disguise Art he had cultivated. The original Lin Fan had been handsome and striking, but after disguising himself, he looked far more ordinary. He was still considered fairly good-looking, just nowhere near as handsome as his original face.