LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 43: The Single-Plank Bridge
Chapter 43: The Single-Plank Bridge
After some casual chatting and banter, Jia Le Bi began to get to the main point.
"Mr. Chen, I've asked you here because I have a favor to ask," Jia Lie Bi said to Chen Tuqiang.
Chen Tuqiang sighed in relief, thinking it was just a request for help which was easier to handle. He had been worried that Jia Le Bi, due to poor market business, might have designs on his weapon sales.
"Sure, sure, please go ahead," Chen Tuqiang nodded, feeling more relaxed after understanding the situation.
Seeing Chen Tuqiang so cooperative, Jia Le Bi couldn't help but smile. He didn't regard Chen highly, but his cooperation was essential for this matter.
"Then I'll get straight to it. I wonder if you know of a person named Zhang Kaitao, a Dou Master with superb archery skills and a prosthetic eye?" Jia Le Bi inquired.
Chen Tuqiang was momentarily startled, as he indeed remembered this person. Weapons like bows and arrows, unlike other categories, tend to wear out quickly, especially in the Demon Beast Mountain Range where retrieving arrows is unlikely. Hence, their consumption is particularly high, necessitating frequent purchases.
Zhang Kaitao was a regular customer of his. It seemed that he had mastered a Xuan-level bow and arrow combat technique. To execute this technique, ordinary arrows wouldn't suffice as the Dou Qi infused in them would cause the arrows to explode. Therefore, Zhang Kaitao cooperated with his weapon shop to custom-make batches of arrows for this technique periodically. Each month, Zhang Kaitao contributed significantly to his shop's turnover, so he was well-remembered.
"Oh, I know him. He's quite powerful and has a good reputation among the mercenaries. He often buys arrow bundles from me. May I know why Clan Leader Jia Le is looking for him?" Chen Tuqiang replied truthfully.
Jia Le Bi was pleased to hear this. Just as he expected, a fighter noted by Master Han for his excellent archery skills would definitely be remembered by Chen. In Wutan City, only Chen could meet the needs of a Dou Master-level archer.
Jia Lie Bi nodded in satisfaction. "Do you know why I'm looking for this person?"
"I'm all ears," Chen Tuqiang said, curious and subconsciously touching his bald head.
Jia Le Bi looked at Chen Tuqiang meaningfully. "This person has offended Master Han and won't live long."
Chen Tuqiang was shocked, sweating coldly. It was the fourth-grade Alchemist Han Li who wanted his life!
Chen Tuqiang's mind raced. Was Jia Lie Bi mentioning this to warn or intimidate him, or to facilitate negotiations?
Realizing Jia Le Bi's intentions, Chen Tuqiang asked, "Clan Leader Jia Lie, do you want me to provide this man's whereabouts?"
Jia Le Bi looked at Chen approvingly. Chen, who had built his weapon business in Wutan City from scratch, was clearly no fool. "Indeed, both my family and the Xiao family have been instructed by Master Han to ensure this man's demise. It would be wise for Mr. Chen to limit your dealings with him."
Chen Tuqiang wiped his sweat. "Thank you for the warning, Clan Leader Jia Le. I'm not exactly sure of his whereabouts. However, he usually comes to my shop every seven days or so to buy arrow bundles. He recently ordered a batch of special arrows; calculating the time, there are three days left until the delivery..."
Jia Le Bi clenched his fist, grinning wickedly. He was determined to catch Zhang Kaitao before the Xiao family.
...
Three days passed quickly, and an undercurrent of tension surged through Wutan City.
A burly man with a black eye patch was heading towards Wutan City.
Carrying a bow on his back and a quiver at his waist, containing about a dozen arrows, this man was Zhang Kaitao, whom the Xiao and Jia Le families had been searching for.
Zhang Kaitao weighed the money pouch in his hand, which he intended to use for buying supplies today. His stock of arrows and healing medicines was almost depleted, and he planned to make substantial purchases in the city.
His first stop would be Chen Tuqiang's weapon shop. The shop was not far from one of the Xiao family's markets, where he could also buy some healing medicine.
Thinking about the medicinal pills, Zhang Kaitao subconsciously touched his prosthetic eye. It was pecked out by a second-order magical beast, a memory that still bothered him. Contemplating the miraculous nature of medicinal pills, he licked his lips, wondering if Master Han Li could possibly restore his prosthetic eye. But he chuckled bitterly, realizing that his modest funds were nowhere near enough to afford a fourth-grade pharmacist.
Despite his strength and ability to hunt decent magical beasts, Zhang Kaitao lived a frugal life. He hunted alone, keeping all the spoils for himself, yet he wasn't wealthy. His expenses were substantial, especially for the resources required for a Dou Shi's cultivation, which were exorbitantly priced in Wutan City. Just buying a little often left him penniless.
Walking down the street, Zhang Kaitao felt an inexplicable unease. Something was off. The road, usually bustling with noise and lined with stalls, was unusually quiet and devoid of many vendors today.
Frowning, Zhang Kaitao stopped a passerby to inquire, "Has something significant happened in Wutan City recently?"
"You must be sick," the passerby said, showing impatience and unwillingness to answer, intending to leave.
"Will you speak or not!" Zhang Kaitao's aura flared, his Dou Qi forming a veil around him.
"A Dou Master!" The passerby trembled, being only a three-star Dou Zhe, no match for a Dou Shi.
"I'll talk. There seem to be two significant events in Wutan City recently," the passerby stammered.
"Go on," Zhang Kaitao coldly huffed, retracting his aura. The Dou Qi veil vanished.
Relieved, the passerby continued, "Lately, the only two major families left in Wutan City seem to be making moves. There's frequent marshaling of forces, and I've heard they've even made contact with mercenary groups. Rumor has it that these two families might clash again any time."
Zhang Kaitao's face showed a trace of contemplation. These big families were quite the schemers. Just after the downfall of the Oba family, they were already rallying mercenary groups to annihilate each other. "Let them fight, best if they both suffer losses!" he thought, feeling schadenfreude. Being from a poor background, he naturally resented these powerful families and took no pleasure in their prosperity.
"And the second matter?" Zhang Kaitao asked fiercely.
Startled again by his intense gaze, the passerby hurriedly said, "The second matter concerns the healing medicines sold by the Xiao family."
(End of chapter)
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