Chapter 141: Captive breeding
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
The brown-belt assassins of the Little Flag Battalion did not go back to the fort immediately. Instead, they stayed in the South City for a while. They obviously had nothing to do, except for counting how many people they killed during their mission, and how much honor they earned. These things concerned the final question: who was the most qualified to be the real killer at the end of this month?
The twins' thirteenth birthday was on the 29th day of October. On this day, they would choose ten teenagers respectively, and formed their own team of killers. Those who were chosen, of course, became the formal killers.
However, this mission ended too fast, even before many of them drew out their daggers, not to mention earning any honor. They "blamed" this on Slave Huan, for he exposed the conspiracy of the Barren Sect and disintegrated their forces quickly. He killed four enemies on his own, while the others did not have any opportunity.
Gu Shenwei found himself isolated again. In most of the people's eyes, he was a sign of disaster. Slave Huan could have told Master Yu the intelligence to make the whole battalion honorable, yet he refused. He went to the fort and reported to the Tenth Young Master personally.
Though people knew the discord between Slave Huan and Shangguan Yushi, they did not recognize how fierce and extreme it was.
Shangguan Yushi, of course, was the most unsatisfied one. Slave Huan dared to cross her to take the credits? This was a hidden stab toward her. However, she showed no indiscretion. Gu Shenwei seldom met her even when he returned to the fort.
In the former days, Gu Shenwei concentrated on the progress of Maid Lotus.
She did not suffer, but she also could not eliminate the effects of the Breaking Obsession , which weakened the power of her machete skills largely.
Besides, she did not kill anyone or take any credit in this mission, which left her no chance of being a killer after the test. She might not be a killer in the future either, for her capabilities were still deteriorating.
They had tried many ways, such as reading the letters in the book backward and in disorganized order, or killing a new machetemen of the Jade City in the dark. But none of them worked. Maid Lotus's speed was obviously slower, though she could still kill a man.
Based on his own experience, Gu Shenwei thought only when real danger came upon her that Maid Lotus could break through this barrier and regain the killing desire.
Both of them had not heard the Wayless Book which Kang Wenhui mentioned, and they decided not to mention this to anyone, in case this book happened to be one of the secrets of Golden Roc Fort.
Tie Hanfeng lived leisurely in the last few days in the South City. He found something to do for his apprentice.
Before this, Gu Shenwei had already sensed the change of Tie Hanfeng's attitude. His Master Shifu rarely lost his temper these days except for the time he assassinated the family of Nie Qing. Hence, Gu Shenwei deducted it was the time he "repaid" the debt of Tie Hanfeng's gratitude. He would undoubtedly become the formal killer for what he contributed, which meant he would no longer be controlled by Tie Hanfeng, this Cripple Tie must find a way to harvest.
Gu Shenwei was right.
Tie Hanfeng gave him a simple mission: robbing a man together. This was a robbery that Tie Hanfeng had been preparing for ten years.
It started from Tie Hanfeng's recognition ten years ago that a killer actually meant nothing. The killers always claimed that they did not need any profit or fame, yet after every mission, they could see someone gained profits and fame which should belong to them. Thus he made a decision, he would live well, and he would die in peace in the North Jade City.
This purpose appeared vulgar and ridiculous, compared to the oath those killers made at first, such as "killing thousands of men." However, his dream would be harder to achieve. It was expensive to live under the protection of the Jade City, Tie Hanfeng needed to prepare at least ten thousand silver to even settle down.
The killers could not make so much money of course. Besides, Tie Hanfeng could not endure the poverty before he had accumulated enough. He also could not get rid of his indulgence of alcohol and sex. He thought about robbing the wealthy, yet they all had backers behind them whom Tie Hanfeng dared not to mess with. Taking this into consideration, he devised a complicated and safe plan to profit from.
He could be named a half-protector of the bodyguard career in the South City. He introduced many reliable machetemen to those wealthy businessmen. One of his permanent clients was called Zhou Lan, or Sack Zhou.
Sack Zhou was the Protector of the rice and flour trade, he once commissioned Tie Hanfeng to kill Nie Qing.
Moreover, Sack Zhou's fortune actually came from Tie Hanfeng, who introduced him to many protectors in the city and motivated him to stand at the top, taking control of the whole street. Without Tie Hanfeng, Sack Zhou would still be an ordinary shopkeeper.
Sack Zhou was very ambitious and smart. With Tie Hanfeng's help, he started his own career. He knew how to spend his money to associate with more powerful men so that his position could be more stable. Now his social circle was far beyond Cripple Tie could fathom.
But they kept a good relationship. Sack Zhou still believed in Tie Hanfeng and asked him to be his guard.
Two or three years ago, Tie Hanfeng imbued an idea in Sack Zhou: Big or small, the protector would not live a good life in the Jade City. The content was happiness. One should return to his home with his fortune and fame. However, he should keep a low profile, in case he causes any disasters.
Sack Zhou was perturbed because of the money he earned. Not to mention Tie Hanfeng's silent transforming influence. Thus he figured out a method which could make him not so "wealthy."
Suddenly Sack Zhou became an old dissolute, having love affairs with numerous prostitutes, those prostitutes were all expensive and famous. Hence, he spent countless silvers. Those who knew him all claimed that Sack Zhou would end up with the worst fate if he kept this way.
Yet Sack Zhou was not foolish, he did not involve Tie Hanfeng in this process. Tie Hanfeng also pretended he did not know, he even kept persuading Sack Zhou to save his money.
Now Sack Zhou had grown a ready source for Tie Hanfeng after ten-years' rearing. After Sack Zhou seemingly spent the last penny of him, he decided to transmit his business to others and use the payment to live out his life in retirement. In others' eyes, he was just another failed man in the South City.
But Tie Hanfeng knew, incalculable golds and silvers were covered by the trash on Sack Zhou's carriages when he went back home.
"At least 20 thousand taels!" Cripple Tie told his apprentice excitingly. "Before I die, I'll live in heaven. Damn. Though I won't be a king, I'll at least be a lord. For the rest of my life, I won't need this blade."
As for the way Sack Zhou transported his money, Tie Hanfeng told Gu Shenwei too. He also reminded Gu Shenwei that it was a barely known secret.
The secret is the prostitute, the most expensive prostitute. "You remember Xiao Fengchai, the woman who lives next door to Xu Yanwei? She's the most popular one in the Pleasure Alley, but she's beyond that. She keeps the fortune for those wealthy men. You can cry out how much tips you tip her in the her courtyard, but after that, you'll have it back. All she asked was a tenth of it as her interest. Her backer was Golden Roc Fort by the way, but you didn't need to know who this backer is. That's the reason she can remain rich and safe. Hey, hey, Sack Zhou thought I don't know his secret. I saw through him the moment he entered into Xiao Fengchai's courtyard."
Now everything seemed ready, Sack Zhou would leave tomorrow "in gloom" back to his home, Shu-lik. This was also the moment Tie Hanfeng decided to harvest.
It was not a difficult task. Since Sack Zhou left as a failed businessman, he would not hire expensive guards or lift up the Golden Roc Flag.
Tie Hanfeng, however, knew he had to conceal himself until Sack Zhou went out of the fort, for if not so, he should turn over half of his profit to the fort, which would cost him too much. Besides, he should not wait for too long, because this secret could be revealed by some gangster.
"Walk west for five days from Jade City, or ride for two days, there's a T-junction, and the north-south road is the western border of Golden Roc Fort. Cross it a step further, you'll no longer be protected by the fort. You go first, clean up that district, I heard it was chaotic in these two years. Don't let any nameless gangster ruined my plan. I need to follow the old bastard and escort him to the border. Though Xiao Fengchai is trustworthy, we can't completely trust her."
This was the final purpose of Tie Hanfeng's recruiting an apprentice. He needed a helper, who would not ask too much.
Gu Shenwei actually did not want anything in return. Tie Hanfeng taught him kung fu, saved his life and managed a brothel in his name. He was happy to pay all of his debt with this robbery. Tie Hanfeng's request was a piece of cake.
"Not so much people don't value the gold, you're one of them." This was a comment from Tie Hanfeng, which was combined with some sort of expectation. "I won't treat you shabbily, and all of my clients will be yours. You can prepare it earlier, and raise up a 'Sack Zhou' in this way you can retire anytime you want, instead of struggling in life like me."
The only way Gu Shenwei retired would be through his death. But he remained silent and started the preparations. As for Shangguan Yushi's side, she won't even meet Slave Huan. Thus Gu Shenwei chose not to ask for her permission.
The T-junction Tie Hanfeng mentioned was familiar to Gu Shenwei. It was only half a day's ride from his home. It was the place he was enslaved and started his journey in Golden Roc Fort.
Sack Zhou left the next day in a cheap and slow bullock-cart. Gu Shenwei arrived three or four days ahead of him. He had enough time to investigate the valley and mountains all around, and he indeed found some gangsters there: a dozen of people, staying at the place over the night and left in the morning. Gu Shenwei remained silent.
But during sunrise, he could not resist his impulse anymore and rode back to the Gu family's manor.
The village downhill was empty, and no family lived there anymore.
The manor was also full of weeds. After two years, no one could find any trace of that fire. The plants covered the entire ruins, which now were a cozy nest for the insects and snakes.
Gu Shenwei could not recall anything. He stood in the tall grasses, trying to revive his memory, his family affection, his happiness, and sadness, yet he still got nothing. Moreover, he even found his hatred toward the fort was no longer that strong.
All he possessed now was his irresistible will to kill.