"I am willing to go through fire and water for you, my lord!"
Watching Liu Yuanhu’s departing figure, Zhang Guangqun respectfully cupped his hands in salute.
He turned his gaze toward the courtyard of the hired fighters, his expression gradually turning cold.
"These hired fighters are all greedy and self-serving types, among them there are even those who commit crimes. The lack of proper screening before was merely to use them as tools to purge the bandits within Canghe County."
"Now that the situation is improving, it’s time to start filtering them out slowly."
"This Poison Bee Guest... is merely the beginning. If one truly wishes to serve my lord, they must demonstrate their worth!"
Zhang Guangqun stood with hands behind his back.
He wouldn’t directly make a move against the hired fighters—it would look too ugly. But the invisible dagger is the deadliest. Standing in a high position, he could naturally manipulate matters at will. In a sense, this would be a test for all the hired fighters.
To transform from auxiliary personnel into genuine insiders in the future.
One must prove their capability.
...
Gu Sheng obtained intelligence and swiftly headed toward White Stone Town.
Having completed several missions, Gu Sheng had gained some experience. To track someone, one must first go to the last recorded location suggested by the intelligence. Poison Bee Guest Lian Xubai was last seen in White Stone Town seven days ago.
Gu Sheng planned to start his investigation there.
"Lian Xubai’s poison bees are no ordinary insects; they require premium royal jelly for sustenance and must occasionally be fed venomous substances to enhance their toxicity. For this mission, I need to prepare plenty of Detoxification Pills."
Carrying a giant axe, Gu Sheng’s speed remained swift.
The Great Achievement Realm Flying Thunder Leg caused faint thunderclaps to echo as he ran, swift as a leopard. If he unleashed his full power, his speed could increase even further for a short burst.
Three days later.
Gu Sheng walked out of White Stone Town. After conducting inquiries over several days, he had a rough guess regarding Poison Bee Guest’s whereabouts.
The hired fighters before him likely hadn’t made as much progress as he had.
During these three days, Gu Sheng encountered several hired fighters searching for traces of Poison Bee Guest. They were all competitors—and given Gu Sheng’s formidable reputation, no one approached him for conversation.
Gu Sheng pressed for time.
He wanted to secure Golden Body Skill as quickly as possible. Although he could later seek new body-strengthening martial arts for physical training, he didn’t want to waste time on this opportunity.
In the following days.
Gu Sheng conducted successive investigations in Black Water Town and several villages and fortresses in the area between the two towns. Eventually, he confirmed his suspicions.
"As expected, Lian Xubai wouldn’t appear in White Stone Town without reason. It seemed like he was buying items for raising poison bees, but in reality, he was purchasing medicinal materials to extend the life of his elderly mother. Falsehood becomes truth; truth becomes falsehood. He intends to mislead the hired fighters into chasing other leads."
"If one follows clues related to raising poison bees, they’ll eventually be led to Black Water Town—straight into a dead end. By the time they realize the ruse, Lian Xubai will have erased all traces."
Having experienced an era of information overload in his previous life, Gu Sheng understood such tactics better than most.
"If my guess is correct, Lian Xubai should be hiding with his mother in Tianze Village, just outside White Stone Town."
With a more precise objective at hand, Gu Sheng hesitated no longer. The other hired fighters weren’t idiots and had received the mission several days earlier. Surely, someone meticulous might move ahead, and if Lian Xubai were killed before Gu Sheng reached him—
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World