Chapter 297: Chapter 17 Using Oneself as Bait
The inner hall of the Yuhua Treasure Shop.
Zhou Heng took his seat, opposite him sat Weng Kang with a haggard look on his face.
This former figure, who relied on the great tree of the Pure Yang Palace and made his name in Pingzhou’s gemstone trade, now had no sparkle in his eyes, only dimness.
The sudden murder of his son had a huge impact on him.
Zhou Heng still cared about this because nearly half of the expenses of the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall in Huangtong Mansion City actually came from the jewelry industry operated by Weng Kang.
If the profits from this industry were to decline, the future development of the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall would undoubtedly face difficulties.
There was no doubt about it.
Of course, slaying an evil martial artist was also what Zhou Heng should do.
“Uncle Master, Uncle Master, you have finally arrived!” Weng Kang was particularly excited, his face filled with sorrow as he said, “My son died so miserably, so miserably! Cough, cough, cough!”
As he spoke, he began to cough violently, startling the attendants beside him who hurried over to gently pat his back, smoothing his breathing.
In theory, with his Seventh Rank cultivation, his body should not be so weak; his current state clearly resulted from his mind and spirit suffering a great blow, an elder sending off someone younger, devastated by grief.
“Shopkeeper Weng, no need to get excited, take your time,” Zhou Heng sighed softly.
At the same time, he discreetly spread some faint True Qi.
This made everyone in the inner hall feel as if bathed in spring breeze, Weng Kang’s agitated emotions somewhat eased, and his pallid face regained some color.
“Thank you, Uncle Master,” Weng Kang took a deep breath and gave thanks, “Uncle Master, it happened like this: my son, named Weng Zhen, was only in his thirties this year, and being engrossed in martial arts, he had not yet married, which I hadn’t rushed him about.
“About a half-month ago, he suddenly told me that he had found the love of his life, and naturally, I was overjoyed, hoping he would bring the girl home soon. But I never expected that the next morning, I would find him dead on the street, nothing left of him but skin and bones—clearly, his vitality had been harvested!”
As he spoke, he began to cry again, tears running down his face.
“The person your son fell in love with must be the prime culprit behind the turmoil in Anhe Prefecture city,” Zhou Heng pondered for a moment and said gravely, “I’ve heard that starting from a month ago, there have been cases of strong men and skilled martial artists disappearing at night?”
“That’s right, but in the first half of the month, there were only three people, so it was only the prefectural city’s government office investigating,” Weng Kang wiped his tears and said, “But after my son’s death, that despicable creature hiding somewhere intensified its crimes. Almost two days one person, and in no time, it sent the entire Anhe Prefecture city into a state of panic.”
“Shopkeeper Weng, after your son passed, did you do anything?” Zhou Heng inquired, as the sudden intensification in the evil martial artist’s abductions was clearly unusual.
“I… I…” Weng Kang hesitated, hemming and hawing for a while before finally making up his mind and saying, “Uncle Master, I was so blinded by rage that I immediately issued a bounty for his killer—anyone who finds the true culprit will be rewarded with one hundred thousand taels of silver.”
As the overall person in charge of the Pure Yang Palace’s gemstone business in Pingzhou, he could reap substantial profits with the support of the sect in running the business, but similarly, every public action he took was linked to the Pure Yang Palace.
Normally, if Weng Kang wanted to issue such a bounty, he would first have to write to the Pure Yang Palace and wait for permission before publishing it.
If he didn’t follow this process, it would actually violate the rules.
It was for this reason that he waited over ten days after the incident to write to the sect for help.
While seeking revenge for his son was understandable, Weng Kang still felt uneasy.
“This is nothing to worry about,” Zhou Heng said with a gentle shake of his head and a smile. “It’s all within reason. Should anyone inquire afterward, just mention my name, Manager Weng.”
In fact, since Weng Kang’s request for help passed the review and was accepted as a mission, it already meant that Pure Yang Palace had no intention of pursuing the matter of Weng Kang’s violation of the rules.
“Thank you, Uncle-Master, thank you so much,” Weng Kang thanked him repeatedly.
“However, since that is the case, I am beginning to suspect that this heretic expert holds Pure Yang Palace in contempt,” Zhou Heng’s eyes suddenly narrowed slightly as he said, “Ever since the assassination bounty was posted, their audacity has only increased, clearly indicating a specific target in mind. They’re quite bold.”
“Ah? Could it be contempt for Pure Yang Palace?” Upon hearing this, Weng Kang froze, having only suspected that his bounty had angered the heretical expert in the shadows. He had not expected Zhou Heng to immediately consider this angle.
“It’s a possibility,” Zhou Heng nodded and continued to inquire, “Manager Weng, do you know any other information about this heretic expert?
“For instance, the likely times of appearance, their general range of activity, a rough description of their build, and their preferred type of target? Have they left behind any traces of their activities?”
“No,” Weng Kang shook his head and said, “It seems like the entire Anhe Prefectural City is their playground; they could appear anywhere once night falls, and they’ve never left any traces. As for their type of target… it’s only known they prefer strong men and those skilled in martial arts – often those who are more handsome.”
“In that case… Manager Weng, may I stay at your home tonight?” Zhou Heng suddenly asked.
“Having Uncle-Master stay would be an honor for my humble abode – it is an opportunity too good to miss,” Weng Kang nodded again and again, but then he guessed Zhou Heng’s intention and suddenly widened his eyes, “Uncle-Master, could it be that you intend to…?”
“That’s right, I’ll wait here for the heretic expert and see if they dare come for me,” Zhou Heng said with a smile. He met the criteria of being a man skilled in martial arts with handsome features, and more than that, he could be considered an especially lucrative target.
“How can we let you put yourself in danger…” Weng Kang began to protest.
“Manager Weng,” Zhou Heng cut off the attempt with a wave of his hand and shook his head, “I came here specifically to resolve this situation. There is no sense in staying away from danger, and besides, that heretic expert might not necessarily pose a threat to me.”
“Then please be careful, Uncle-Master,” Weng Kang rose to bow with folded hands in gratitude, “This old man thanks you on behalf of my deceased son.”
…
That night, clouds concealed the moon, and no stars could be seen.
In the back room of the Yuhua Jewel Store, the light was dim, revealing the vague outline of a tall, robust figure preparing the bed before sitting down cross-legged.
By midnight, the candlelight in the room had gone out, plunging the courtyard into even deeper darkness.
Suddenly, the trees around rustled without wind, followed by a warm pink breeze that swept in and settled in the courtyard, transforming into a slender and charming woman.
This woman appeared to be in her twenties with delicate features and a pure, elegant beauty that commanded a certain respect, discouraging any vulgar thoughts. However, her attire was extremely revealing.
Clad only in sheer pink gauze, large segments of her fair skin were exposed, including her slender neck, smooth shoulders, and barely concealed soft curves, leading down to a waist too fine to grasp.
All of it was highly suggestive.
The innocence of her face combined flawlessly with the seductiveness of her body, exuding a charm that was hard to resist.
She looked coquettishly towards the room where Zhou Heng was, placed a finger over her lips, and murmured in a low, silken voice, with a slight sigh, “Little brother, since you’ve chosen to be the bait, I won’t be polite anymore~”
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ps: I hope this chapter won’t be axed (ΩДΩ)
