Chapter Fourteen: The New Team

“Of course not!” Duck Neck chuckled and continued, “Brother, you have to consider: what if this grand crime was committed by a single master? What would happen then?”
Zhang He couldn’t help but laugh, “That’s impossible. But honestly, if such a master did exist, there’s probably no one in the martial world today who could match him.”
Duck Neck grinned, “Exactly. That’s why this group is so cunning. After succeeding, they didn’t leave the pass or head south. Instead, they escaped toward the west, to Tianjing Pass and the Taihang Mountains.”
Zhang He pondered, “Could it be they have reinforcements waiting?”
“You’re sharp, brother!” Duck Neck clapped his hands. “That’s it. This group had been planning for a long time. On the way near Tianjing Pass, they gathered a large number of skilled hands, split the official silver into more than a dozen portions, and had over a dozen groups disperse across the Central Plains in all directions.”
Zhang He was impressed. The mastermind behind this evil plot must be a remarkable talent. Even without Duck Neck’s description, Zhang He could imagine it: not only is this person a martial arts expert, but their intelligence is top-notch. Such a divide-and-conquer plan avoided the conspicuousness of mass transfers, minimized risks, and allowed the official silver to be moved off in batches. The famous constables would surely focus their firepower on the leaders, leaving the rest unattended.
As for those splintered teams, the authorities would hardly be able to track them. They’d have to rely on the major sects of the martial world, but even then, the routes would be exceptionally secretive. You might not even discover them, and even if you did, catching them would be another matter.
Duck Neck finished his glass of spirits, his mood rising, “One of those teams traveled long and hard from the north to our southern region. They had smooth sailing all the way, but in the end, this group met their downfall—they were ambushed in Guazhou next door.”
Zhang He was surprised, “They got robbed by another gang?”
Duck Neck nodded emphatically, “They never expected to be waylaid like that.”
Zhang He smiled wryly, “Man proposes, but heaven disposes.”
Duck Neck leaned in, speaking mysteriously, “That batch will arrive at the back of Qingluan Peak in two days. Then, they’ll follow the mountain range toward Huima Town, finally exiting the Yizhou jurisdiction through the wilderness.”
Zhang He calculated silently: coming up from the back of Qingluan Peak, there were steep cliffs and plenty of high-level monsters, not to mention savage bosses. Those who robbed the robbers must have some skills themselves—otherwise, how could they manage such a feat?
“Brother, are you suggesting I rob the robbers?” Zhang He asked skeptically.
“Come on, how could I harm you, brother?” Duck Neck blew out an alcoholic breath. “I hear another group has already targeted the batch. But these people want to seize the silver and deliver it to Yizhou City for a reward—a legitimate business, mind you. According to regulations, those who crack major state cases get a twenty percent bonus. Not bad! Seize the opportunity!”
Zhang He chuckled inwardly. Legitimate business, indeed—it was probably just another group wanting to intercept the prize without alerting the authorities, so they could claim the reward themselves. If the case were handed to the authorities, the constables would benefit instead. This much was clear, given even Cheng Jichichun knew nothing about it.
Zhang He was tempted, “How did you come by this secret?”
Duck Neck grinned, “I have an old client who was also from Yuhua Village. He returned yesterday and whispered it to me. If you’ve got the guts, I’ll introduce you to him. Let him take you along. You might not be much help, but you’ll get to see the action, and maybe share some reward at the end—wouldn’t that make life sweeter for your brother here?”
Zhang He laughed. So this was Duck Neck’s true purpose. As the saying goes, businessmen are cunning; without cunning, there’s no business. He drops a tip, makes an introduction, then waits in the starter village for a share of the reward, while Zhang He risks life and limb on the front lines. The task was extremely risky; he might return empty-handed. But Duck Neck had nothing to lose, did he?
After a moment’s consideration, Zhang He realized it was a great opportunity. He didn’t know how much the reward would be, but the old saying was right: “Small fortunes require effort, great fortunes require risk. Without risking your life, fortune won’t favor you!”
There were still two days left; no need to train levels, but it was best to focus on mastering “Basic Weapon Arts” and “Five Elements Palm.”
When Zhang He agreed without hesitation, Duck Neck beamed, “This cup is my send-off for you, brother—may you achieve swift victory and capture the prize!”
Zhang He cast him a sidelong glance, “We’re friends. Sending me off with just words seems a bit stingy, doesn’t it? Either you treat me to this meal, or you give me a bag of your green-hat baked buns—consider it your support for my mission, how about it?”
Duck Neck rolled his eyes, “You’re really squeezing me for everything! Shameless.”
The next two days passed peacefully. Zhang He went to work at the company during the day; the vast office was empty except for him. Li, Jiang Yao, Chu Bo, and the others were all out on business, so Zhang He felt less like he was working and more like he was holding down a stage—though the venue was so quiet, all he could do was play chess with the god of dreams.
In “Dynasty,” Zhang He spent two days hunting chickens, mice, rabbits, and the like near the village. His basic skills were already very solid; “Basic Weapon Arts” had reached Grandmaster level. He’d spent nearly half a year in the starter village honing fundamentals, leveling from 1 to 12 by slaughtering chickens. If he hadn’t reached Grandmaster level, he’d have failed his country and party.
The martial arts system in “Dynasty” was much like architecture—a notion held by “If You See the Monarch.” Fundamentals were like laying a foundation. The deeper and stronger the foundation, the higher and sturdier the final building; only then would the prospects be grand and martial arts reach their peak.
If you skimmed over basic arts and rushed to train advanced skills or switch professions, you’d always be limited, no matter how good you got. That’s why Zhang He trained “Five Elements Palm” to Master level within two days. It was a basic skill, easy to practice, especially with his 40-point root attribute boosting progress.
Most importantly, Zhang He could endure loneliness. What bored other players to tears, he could tolerate.
The sky was darkening now. From afar, Yuhua Village in the gloom looked like fireflies at dusk, the surrounding mountains shrouded in a somber vastness, as if all creation was turning into a furnace.
In that desolate night and wild woods, Duck Neck led Zhang He through the darkness. By the riverbank, a black-clad figure stood atop a boulder—a night wanderer in tight gear, with a precious sword in a black scabbard slung across his back, its hilt set with delicate pearls. Just from his outfit, it was clear he wasn’t weak; without some skill, he couldn’t wield such an expensive weapon.
But when he saw Zhang He’s non-mainstream, woodcutter cosplay getup, the night wanderer frowned, “Brother, you’re not joking, are you? The referral is just a newbie?”
Duck Neck, ever the businessman, plastered on a sycophantic smile, “Brother Mud, give him a chance. This is my friend—he wants to see some action. For Brother Water’s sake, give us some face? Take him along, alright?”
Brother Mud replied coldly, “You think we’re going out for fun? You can joke around in the village, but not this time.”
“Brother Mud, I was born in the starter village with Brother Water. I helped him plenty back then, never expected him to repay me, but bringing one person won’t hurt. He’s from the village, knows the terrain well, and he’s straightforward—he won’t hinder the mission. Help us out, okay?”
Watching Duck Neck in his muddy cloth armor, bowing and smiling, nearly groveling, Zhang He felt a surge of emotion. This game was just like real life—sometimes, trying to do something serious was unbelievably hard. You beg and plead, and people still treat you with indifference.
Because of Duck Neck’s plea, Zhang He truly regarded him as a friend—except, whenever he remembered Duck Neck would claim a share of the reward, he immediately banished the thought.
“Fine, for the boss’s sake, you can stay. We’ll wait here for the main team to join us.” Brother Mud finally relented, and Duck Neck gave endless thanks before leaving.
The main team arrived at the forest’s edge at the hour of the pig. There were seven in total. Their leader, a burly man in black iron armor, frowned and grew angry at the sight of Zhang He, just as Brother Mud had earlier, “Mud, what’s this guy doing here? Why is he here?”
Brother Mud brought Zhang He forward calmly, “Brother Thunder, this is Brother Water’s old friend from Yuhua Village. He asked me to bring him along—he won’t be a problem.”
Brother Thunder snorted, “What are we doing, huh? Water Moon Night wants someone brought along, fine. If it’s an expert, that’s one thing, but bringing a damn newbie? Are we a refugee camp? Or does he think we’re no better than beginners?”
His jab stung Brother Mud’s pride, and the others started chiming in. Zhang He sighed inwardly—this mission would likely be truly perilous, since he could already sense the team was not united. At the very least, Brother Mud and this Thunder Captain were at odds.
But he had no way to speak up; under someone else’s roof, you can only bow your head. Endure a little now, and you’ll hold your head high a hundred times later.
For Brother Mud, Zhang He was dispensable, but his pride demanded he get Zhang He into the team: “He knows Qingluan Peak, Yuhua Village, Motian Path, and Huima Town’s terrain inside out. We could use him.”
After a heated debate that was almost an argument, Brother Thunder gave in for the sake of Water Moon Night, their boss, and Zhang He was finally included in the team.
“Thanks, Brother Mud,” Zhang He whispered.
Brother Mud waved his hand, “Don’t thank me. Just stay sharp and don’t get in anyone’s way!”
Zhang He nodded quietly and turned to size up his new companions.