Under the moonlight, the reeds in the marsh swayed with the breeze.
Zhang Ye, Kui Tuo, and several sturdy men were hunched over, crawling on their bellies, sneaking around like thieves.
Kui Tuo walked and walked but suddenly stopped, “Old Zhang, am I seeing things, or has one person split into two?”
Zhang Ye felt the familiar soreness and weakness in his limbs, his face numb.
What on earth did I do in my last life?
How come I bump into that lunatic wherever I go?!
Suddenly, he turned his head to look at Kui Tuo, who was clearly confused, and asked without changing his expression, “Kui, you didn’t bring any money with you, did you?”
Kui Tuo: “What… what’s wrong?”
Zhang Ye couldn’t help but take pleasure in another’s misfortune, “Ignored my advice, didn’t you?”
“Hah! Every man for himself now…”
Then he struggled to fight off his sleepiness, and in Kui Tuo’s shocked gaze, he twisted his body a few times to adjust his posture, and lay back comfortably on a thick layer of reeds nearby.
Chen Mu: “…”
Is he that skilled at this?
Looking at the line of people in black, fallen all over the place, Chen Mu sighed.
“From so far away, to come and bring me gifts, how awkward.” Then Chen Mu skillfully began to loot the bodies.
Chen Mu suddenly remembered. The skill of looting corpses, it seemed that it was the leader of these ruffians here who had personally helped him practice it.
After a long while, Chen Mu gave up with a face full of gloom.
Aside from a couple of Gold Cakes on Kui Tuo, the others at most had a few Silver Pieces.
Zhang Ye didn’t even have a single copper coin on him!
“A bunch of paupers!”
Looking at Zhang Ye, who was comfortably lying on the thick reeds, Chen Mu’s agitation grew the more he looked.
“Trying to sleep on a deluxe bed without any money? Dream on!” He casually dragged Zhang Ye onto the muddy riverbank sand and threw Kui Tuo on top of him.
After all… there were two Gold Cakes.
…
By the Bailang River, another peaceful curve in the river.
Bubbling sounds of frying from the stone stove broke the silence.
The tantalizing aroma began to spread.
Chen Mu said anxiously, “The Startling Swan Gang people are here.”
“That’s normal,” Cui Cui sat on a long flat rock, seemingly unconcerned.
“In the whole Nanyang Prefecture, only Qingshan County is known for a convergence of Ghosts.”
“The Thousand Mechanism Token could only be here.”
With her hands propped by her sides, she swung her legs cheerfully, “Knowing this, wouldn’t all those with a bit of skill come here?”
“Are there others?” Chen Mu felt extremely worried, “What if they start fighting?”
The more forces that arrive, the more chaotic it will be.
All he wanted was to stably harvest the Cloud Mirage Shape Cultivation Technique and then sneakily get his hands on a Thousand Mechanism Token.
But if things really got chaotic, he wouldn’t be able to focus on his practices in the first place.
Moreover, with more strong players, getting the Thousand Mechanism Token would be even more difficult.
Seeing Chen Mu lost in thought, Cui Cui couldn’t help but roll her eyes and said mockingly, “You sure are brave!”
Chen Mu sighed and shook his head. “If you had heard a saying, you would understand why I am so afraid.”
“What saying?” Cui Cui was curious.
Even Bai Miaojin, who was usually indifferent, couldn’t help but look towards Chen Mu.
Chen Mu said earnestly, “Good people don’t live long, disasters last for a thousand years!”
Cui Cui was a bit confused. What does that mean?
Chen Mu replied helplessly, “This world is just too cruel to good people like me.”
His eyes filled with sorrow, “I must strive with all my might and contrive with all my brain to find a lifeline in this chaotic world!”
Cui Cui: “…”
Bai Miaojin: “…”
Don’t you have a misunderstanding about the definition of a good person?
…
After a long while, Cui Cui returned to her senses, looking annoyed, she said, “Keep your little heart inside your chest.”
“There’s more than one Thousand Mechanism Token. Without certainty, no one will start a conflict.”
“Qingshan County is filled with lovable little things. Advancing quickly to find the Thousand Mechanism Token is the best strategy.”
“Maybe to speed up the process, they might even form an alliance.”
Without saying it, it wouldn’t have occurred to Chen Mu, but with this explanation, he became even more worried.
Forming an alliance to speed up the process?
I haven’t prepared my trump cards, and you all want to negotiate and accelerate the process?
How can that be!
Chen Mu lowered his head and pondered, “I’ve got to create something big for them.”
…
Three days later, around seven or eight o’clock at night.
The Startling Swan Gang’s camp at the South Gate of Qingshan County.
In a secluded corner near the city gate, there stood a small grayish-white tent.
Zhang Ye, with a Zuming Talisman on each side of his forehead, tossed a peanut into his mouth with a look of worry, “When will these days come to an end?”
Zhang Ye, tasked with spying on the Tangshan Army, was sabotaged and slept till dawn.
With the mission failed, Zhang Ye’s already disadvantaged position became even more difficult.
Kui Tuo, also with Zuming Talismans pasted on both sides of his forehead, picked up a cup of wine, slurped it down in one gulp, and complained with an infuriated face.
“I finally see it clear, you’re just a jinx.”
“Count it, how many teams have disbanded because of you?”
“Let’s disband too!”
Zhang Ye, with a pained expression, took out a Zuming Talisman from his bosom and handed it to Kui Tuo.
He glanced at Zhen Fan, who was eagerly looking at him, and had no choice but to grit his teeth and hand over another one.
“Still want to disband?” Zhang Ye’s face was the picture of utter dismay. He had practically emptied his life’s savings.
A Zuming Talisman, at first, cost two thousand and five hundred Silver Pieces. Later, the price slowly rose to three thousand five hundred Silver Pieces.
Then, some bastard inflated the price overnight to four thousand Silver Pieces!
Damn middlemen!
Zhang Ye threw another peanut into his mouth, pondered over his misfortunes these past two years, and felt a wave of sadness.
The once great leader of the White Tiger Hall of the Startling Swan Gang… now only had two people under his command, truly left and right arms.
“No disbanding, no disbanding!” Zhen Fan giggled.
This thing can save lives.
Other leaders wouldn’t be so generous as to distribute Zuming Talismans to their subordinates.
Kui Tuo frowned as he pinched the Zuming Talisman: “Why does it smell?”
Zhang Ye gave him an indifferent glance: “Oh, I was afraid someone might steal it, so I sewed it inside my shoe sole.”
“It’s been hot these past few days, I’ve been sweating a lot, might have marinated into it.”
Kui Tuo: “…”
Are we still going to eat this meal or not!
…
“Boss, why do you think that lunatic won’t leave us alone?” Zhen Fan asked with confusion.
“I freaking want to know too,” Zhang Ye said, feeling hopeless.
“Is that lunatic’s Mesmerizing Smoke really that powerful?” Kui Tuo was skeptical.
He thought they just weren’t careful enough last time.
“Using Mesmerizing Smoke, such a lowly trick, you can tell it’s from a nobody.”
“As long as we’re prepared with Detoxification Pills, we have nothing to fear.”
“And if we set up an ambush well, we can definitely capture them in one go!” Kui Tuo said confidently.
“Why don’t we hit him back this time.” Kui Tuo was excited.
Then he looked up to see Zhang Ye smiling at him: “Feeling a bit dizzy, aren’t we?”
Kui Tuo was bewildered: “A little.”
Zhang Ye quickly twisted his body to adjust his posture, then grabbed the Zuming Talisman from his forehead and stuffed it into his crotch, looking at Kui Tuo with an experienced face: “You’re still a little lacking in experience.”
Having said that, he tilted his neck and fell into a deep sleep.
Kui Tuo, fighting against his sleepiness, looked towards Zhen Fan.
He discovered that the other had already laid out flat on the ground earlier on.
Kui Tuo: “…”
“Damn!”
I freaking don’t want this experience!
…
A puff of black smoke mysteriously appeared inside the tent.
Chen Mu, looking at the soundly sleeping Zhang Ye in awe, remarked.
He was actually able to quickly detect the Mesmerizing Divine Smoke. Had he been drugged so frequently that he developed a tolerance?
Forget it, I’ll adjust the formula when I have time.
Controlling a paper ghost, he dropped a cloth bag.
Then he transformed into a paper figure, plucked the Zuming Talisman from Kui Tuo’s forehead, and whooshed out of the tent, vanishing from sight.
…
The next day, Zhang Ye woke up feeling refreshed.
The first thing he did was to feel for the Zuming Talisman.
Good, it’s here!
Then he noticed a gray cloth bag on his body.
“Given by that lunatic?”
He hesitated for a moment, but eventually opened it.
A grand white paper was meticulously drawn to depict a landscape,
Populated with numerous figures of varying expressions.
“This valiant fellow has such developed pectoral muscles, his face is as handsome as a woman’s?”
“I’m truly envious.”
“Big brother, this seems to be the defensive layout map of the Tangshan Army camp.” Zhen Fan excitedly pronounced with bloodshot eyes.
“Hurry up and report it!” Kui Tuo, having just woken up, was also excited.
He didn’t even care about the missing Zuming Talisman on his forehead.
“Would that lunatic be so kind-hearted?” Zhang Ye, who had been tricked before, was naturally suspicious.
“Big brother, he’s given it to us, do you dare not to report it?” Zhen Fan cautiously reminded. Aren’t you afraid that lunatic might come back for another strike?
Zhang Ye, with a squeezed face: “I don’t dare.”