https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-288-Team-Building-for-Reincarnates/12918501/
Chapter 287: The Beggar Gang's Ji Tang
Chapter 287: The Beggar Gang's Ji Tang
Is this task even possible?
After careful consideration, Hu Ma quickly agreed, as this was a great opportunity that he couldn't afford to miss.
After all, Miss Red Wine was right; it was a tradition for reincarnators to kill and steal techniques, wasn't it?
However, if he wanted to ensure the Beggar Gang's leader, Ji Tang, would come out without fail, he would have to put in some serious effort. What should he do?
Hu Ma first analyzed his current situation and how others in the Wulin world might perceive him.
He was a poor boy from a village who had the good fortune of entering the New Year Guardian's sect. He was a manager in the small Blood Feast Gang in Mingzhou, and because of his kind heart, he saved the Li Clan's daughter from Cave Li Clan. He traveled thousands of miles to bring her back, and thus, his luck changed.
In short, he was a novice.
But this novice not only became famous in Anzhou but also received many benefits from the Li Clan.
The key issue was that the journey back to Mingzhou from Anzhou was just as long and even more dangerous.
If he returned with these benefits, what was the difference between that and a child carrying precious treasures and parading through the streets? Therefore, not only would Ji Tang, the Beggar Gang leader who already held a grudge against him, be tempted to make a move, but other envious and scheming Wulin figures might also secretly target him.
This, in turn, gave Ji Tang a reason to take action against him. Even if Ji Tang didn't make a move, if others did, the blame would still fall on him. He was destined to take the fall.
Given this, what should he do?
The answer was simple: do nothing and take the most straightforward path back to Mingzhou from Anzhou.
Those who wanted to make a move would naturally do so.
However, this also brought up another crucial question. Hu Ma couldn't help but worry and asked Miss Red Wine, "Asking me to do this isn't difficult. I just need to act a little dumber, as others already see my kindness as stupidity."
"Since they see me as kind-hearted, it's reasonable for me to act foolishly."
"But the key is you. Ji Tang is a New Year Guardian who has entered a mansion and is the leader of the largest gang in the world. Do you have the confidence to get rid of him?"
"..."
Miss Red Wine replied calmly, "I don't have absolute confidence either, but I've prepared a few backup plans."
"To make Ji Tang's death seem plausible to outsiders, there are only a few possible scenarios."
"The first is that on your way back, you encounter Ji Tang, who tries to kill you, but you counter and steal his technique."
"The second is that it appears as though the little shopkeeper is returning to Mingzhou alone, but in reality, I've already informed you of the potential risks on the road, and you've asked for my help. I'll use you as bait to lure Ji Tang out, and when he makes his move, I'll eliminate him."
"As for the third..."
"..."
She smiled and said, "It's been a while since the reincarnators in Anzhou had a team-building activity."
"Huh?"
Hu Ma was taken aback and quickly turned to Miss Red Wine, whispering, "Then, which scenario do you think this confrontation with the Beggar Gang's leader will play out as?"
Miss Red Wine laughed and said, "That depends on how smart the leader of the Beggar Gang is."
"Then let's do it."
Hu Ma immediately made up his mind. What was there to hesitate about? Not only was he prepared to do it, but he even hoped that the leader of the Beggar Gang, Ji Tang, would be smart enough to make things more exciting.
So, they stayed in Han Womzi's estate for another day, and on the third day, very early in the morning, they changed their appearances with simple disguise techniques and set out. Hu Ma led a horse, harnessed to a cart, and left the estate alone.
The horse was harnessed by Han Womzi, and it seemed normal.
Hu Ma gave Han Womzi a questioning look, and she nodded, "Yes."
"However, I should have let him go a long time ago, but he insisted on staying to atone for his sins as livestock."
"Since the journey ahead is dangerous, let's harness him. If he's mistakenly killed, it'll be a release for him."
"..."
Looking into the horse's large, black eyes, Hu Ma only saw emptiness and felt a bit curious, but he didn't ask further.
As the rooster crowed and the sky remained dark, Hu Ma left the estate.
He took a side road, avoiding the Anzhou government office, and quietly headed south.
On the road, when they reached a secluded spot, Hu Ma whispered to the horse, "Brother, can you understand what I'm saying? Why does Han Womzi say you volunteered to atone for your sins when everyone here has committed great crimes?"
"Brother, if you can understand, please give your ears a shake."
"..."
The horse remained silent and continued pulling the cart.
Hu Ma had no choice but to give up.
The advantage was that the horse was obedient, so he didn't need to hire a carriage driver.
Calculating the expenses for this trip, after separating from Zhang A'gu and then traveling with Fragrant Girl to Dongchang City, where they hired two fast horses, they could have returned them to the Ox-Cart Stable and retrieved their deposit.
But considering the dangers ahead, they left the two horses at Han Womzi's estate, as the rewards from the Li Clan were sufficient to cover the cost.
As he thought, he silently apologized and quickened his pace, heading south.
"Look, is that him?"
Just as Han Womzi had guessed, Hu Ma was indeed driving the cart, and as they passed through an intersection, they spotted a group of scruffy beggars keeping watch.
The beggars were huddled around a fire, roasting a chicken they had somehow acquired, in an abandoned temple by the roadside. When they saw Hu Ma driving the cart past, one of them immediately took out a portrait from his bosom.
This portrait was drawn by the beggars from Dongchang City who had previously kept watch but didn't join the crowd in the forest. Compared to the carriage driver, the portrait looked completely different, but they were certain it was him.
One of the beggars nodded secretly and said, "Haha, we dare not get close to Han Womzi's residence."
"But as long as someone comes out of that residence and heads south, they will inevitably pass through this intersection. We've been keeping watch for two days, and there are only two or three suspicious individuals. We've assigned people to keep an eye on them. As long as he continues south, then he must be the one."
"Let's send a message to the Beggar Gang leader!"
"..."
He tore open the tattered cotton jacket next to him, and underneath was a cage of pigeons.
Surprisingly, one of the beggars could read and write. He wrote a few words, then released the pigeons.
The pigeons flew and landed several times, and soon the message reached a roadside teahouse several hundred miles away.
This place was no longer within Anzhou's borders but at the northern end of Ping Nan Dao.
Inside the teahouse, a man with neatly combed hair and neatly trimmed sideburns sat. His eyebrows and eyes were so sharp they could be described as 'sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes'. He wore an extremely luxurious robe.
Several servants stood by his side, and an elderly manager-like man helped receive messages, deliver messages, pour wine, and serve tea. From his demeanor, he seemed like a wealthy young master from a noble family.
However, others couldn't help but feel a sinister aura about him.
Especially those with keen eyes, who could notice that his hands were oddly mismatched in size, one large and one small.
He took the note, glanced at it, and passed it to the servant beside him.
A servant quickly knelt down and stuffed the note into his mouth at the man's gesture.
He chewed a few times, swallowed, and then returned to his original position.
The man in the luxurious robe smiled faintly, "He's almost here."
"Cui Gan's Mother didn't die unjustly. After being threatened, she should have reported it to me. Instead, she kept it secret and did the deed herself. I suspect she lacked confidence in my abilities and didn't believe I could protect her from others."
"But she brought this upon herself, and she deserved it."
"However, the matter became more serious later. She dragged Lord Shou, Artisan Li, and Wang Laizi into it, which was truly despicable."
"Now, because of her, three of our four great elders in the Beggar Gang of Ping Nan Dao have died, and even Wang Laizi, who was qualified to become an elder, is gone."
"The Beggar Gang has been in Ping Nan Dao for many years, and we've never suffered such a loss. More importantly, the Li Clan of Ghost Cavern now considers us their mortal enemies. The benefits in Ping Nan Dao have always been plentiful, but we can no longer stay here."
"We need to find a new leader."
"..."
The elderly servant beside him said, "If we want to leave, the hall official above has no reason to refuse. But no matter what, we must pay this year's tribute before they'll allow us to establish a new base elsewhere, right?"
"Of course."
The man in the luxurious robe said indifferently, "The benefits of the past two years have all been used for entering the mansion. Where else can we get money to pay tribute?"
"We have to get the benefits he gained from the Li Clan of Ghost Cavern."
"..."
The old servant said, "Yes, now that we've targeted him, we can't let him escape. Once he leaves Anzhou and is out of the Li Clan's territory, we'll make our move."
"Make a move?"
The man in the luxurious robe coldly laughed, "It's not that simple."
"My children have seen clearly that he first went to Han Womzi's residence, stayed there for two days, and then left."
"The Wulin figures in Anzhou also abandoned their plan to take action against the little shopkeeper because of Han Womzi's actions. But Han Womzi only met him by chance. Can you guess why she helped him so much?"
"I guess Han Womzi must have taught him something. It seems like we're waiting for a rabbit, but they might be fishing."
"..."
The elderly servant paused, "Then we..."
"If they can fish, can't we turn their tactics against them?"
The man in the luxurious robe coldly snorted, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes. He picked up a cup of wine and said, "Let's take this opportunity to get rid of Han Womzi as well."
"She's just a junior hall official's sword-wielding overseer, but she's ruthless and leaves no room for sentiment. She has broken countless rules and angered many people. Getting rid of her now will probably please the higher-ups more than offering a thick tribute."
(End of Chapter)
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