Chapter 184: Chapter 117: Who is the Hunter

Chen Cheng’s expression was as placid as a still well. He said lightly, "Mr. Yan, is there some hardship you’re facing?"

Yan Jian glanced around. Seeing half a pot of hot tea still on Chen Cheng’s desk, he immediately smiled. "Mr. Chen, why don’t we discuss this over some tea?"

Chen Cheng offered a small smile but remained standing. "Mr. Yan, I have urgent matters to attend to. Let’s keep this brief."

’I’ve known Yan Jian for a long time. I know exactly what kind of man he is.’ This guy might genuinely suck up to his superiors, but he rarely spoke a word of truth to his colleagues or the constables under his command.

On the surface, he acted warm and sincere toward Chen Cheng, as if baring his soul, but in reality, all he wanted was to use him—or rather, to plot against him.

When Chen Cheng had first arrived in Lishui District, the man had made all sorts of grandiose promises, claiming that if anything happened in Chen Cheng’s jurisdiction, he only needed to say the word and Yan Jian would rush to provide backup.

Last night, a standard-issue Whistling Arrow from the City Guard Department had been fired from Chen Cheng’s jurisdiction to call for backup. Other districts might have been too far away to notice the signal.

But Yan Jian’s district was adjacent to the Qingshui Pier area; his constables on night patrol would certainly have seen it.

And yet, from beginning to end, Chen Cheng hadn’t seen a single one of Yan Jian’s constables arrive to provide aid.

Clearly, Yan Jian had never instructed his constables to provide backup if trouble broke out in Chen Cheng’s jurisdiction.

Putting the matter of backup aside, Yan Jian had known full well that Chen Cheng had kicked those constables off his team for disobeying orders, yet he had taken them into his own unit anyway. That was a blatant backstab.

For Yan Jian to now come and offer an explanation with a straight face was no different from a thief plugging his own ears while stealing a bell—a blatant act of self-deception.

Chen Cheng had no habit of sharing tea with such a genuinely petty man. If there was business, they could discuss it. If not, it was time for the guest to leave.

"Er..." Yan Jian sensed Chen Cheng’s coldness. He carefully shut the door before saying with an air of great importance, "To be perfectly honest, the Jianghu Gangs in the Lotus Pier area are all controlled by the Zhou Family. I’m under a great deal of pressure!"

Chen Cheng remained silent, his patience already wearing thin.

Reading his expression, Yan Jian quickly continued, "You must know that the Zhou Family is very powerful in the South City District. The Zhou Family Patriarch, Zhou Hongjun, moved to Guangfu District to develop the family’s businesses in the heart of the South City District, but their main trade is still conducted in the Lotus Pier area of Lishui District.

"Do you know what kind of business they’re in? It’s all the sort of stuff that could get you beheaded—smuggling prohibited Medicinal Materials, restricted metals, and so on."

In Linji City, the Government Office has the Medicine Workshop Department to strictly regulate Medicinal Materials, the Smelting Department to control metals, and the Salt Transport Department to manage things like refined salt. Smuggling these items can lead to exorbitant profits.

Therefore, the great families, merchant guilds, and Jianghu Influences all take desperate risks to engage in the smuggling trade behind the scenes.

There are countless ways to smuggle goods, but the most common method is to acquire Medicinal Materials, precious metals, and refined salt cheaply from other regions and transport them to Linji City or the Black Market to be sold at a high price.

Some of these Medicinal Materials and precious metals even come directly from the warehouses of the Medicine Workshop Department and the Smelting Department.

And the key positions in these Government Offices—the Medicine Workshop Department, the Smelting Department, the Salt Transport Department—are all controlled by the Four Great Clans of the Inner City.

The City Guard Department is the tool the Four Great Clans of the Inner City use to maintain order, while departments like the Medicine Workshop Department, the Smelting Department, and the Salt Transport Department are their core instruments for amassing wealth.

Chen Cheng was vaguely aware of these matters, but only in passing; he had never paid them much attention.

But now, hearing about the Zhou Family from Yan Jian, he felt he should pay attention, because Chen Cheng was in urgent need of Black Gold to increase his carrying capacity.

"Many groups smuggle Medicinal Materials, so that’s nothing special. But smuggling precious metals... I imagine that’s not so easy, is it?" Chen Cheng asked.

Seeing Chen Cheng’s interest, Yan Jian suddenly perked up. "Mr. Chen, if that’s what you truly believe, then you couldn’t be more wrong."

"Let me tell you, the Zhou Family’s blacksmith shop in the Lotus Pier area does booming business. It’s no exaggeration to say they’re raking in a fortune every day. Do you know why?"

Chen Cheng shook his head and asked, "Why?"

Seeing that Chen Cheng seemed to have forgotten the matter of the constables, Yan Jian gave a triumphant smile. He then took two steps back and drew the Longsword from his waist.

The body of the Longsword shone with a clear luster. Its blade was thin and sharp, radiating a piercing, cold glint. One glance was enough to tell it was no ordinary weapon.

"A fine sword! Could it be forged from Profound Iron?" Chen Cheng commented in admiration.

"Heh! Mr. Chen, take another look." Yan Jian gave a faint smile and handed the Longsword over.

Chen Cheng took the Longsword and found it surprisingly heavy in his grip, estimating it to weigh fifty or sixty pounds. It was actually a Heavy Sword.

"Whoa, this sword is incredibly heavy," Chen Cheng remarked, handing the Longsword back to Yan Jian.

Yan Jian grew even more pleased with himself. "To be perfectly honest," he said lightly, "this sword is forged with a mix of Black Gold, Mithril, Profound Iron, and other precious metals. It was crafted by a master artisan, weighs fifty-two pounds, and can cut through iron as if it were mud. It is a rare Treasure Sword."

Chen Cheng nodded slightly. "This sword is indeed extraordinary."

"Do you know how much this sword costs?" Before Chen Cheng could ask, Yan Jian continued, gloating, "I’ll be straight with you. I had someone purchase it for me from the Black Market. It’s worth one thousand taels of silver."

"You might think that’s too expensive, that it isn’t worth it. But to me, this is an essential tool for survival. With this Treasure Sword and the Frost Snow Sword Technique I cultivate, I’d have a fighting chance even against a Great Success Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm."

"Do you have any idea how strong a Great Success Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm is, Mr. Chen? Let me tell you: a single one can easily kill more than thirty Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm."

"Even in all of Linji City, a Great Success Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm is considered a truly important figure—powerful enough to get on the radar of the Inner City’s Four Great Clans and be taken seriously by them."