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Chapter 31: Completing the Mission (Part 2)
Chapter 31: Completing the Mission (Part 2)
September 25, 2017
The ease with which the matters in Zhangjia Village were resolved surprised even Lu HaiKong, but upon closer inspection, there was nothing amiss. Lu HaiKong decided to let go of his concerns and focused on the task at hand.
There had been some minor inconveniences during the process. Some villagers had their own conditions, but under the mediation of the highly respected Elder Villager Chief, all the unreasonable demands were rejected. Even when they tried to inquire about Lu HaiKong's identity, the Elder Chief skillfully steered the conversation away without drawing attention.
After settling the affairs in Zhangjia Village, night had fallen. Although the bandit camp was just behind them, Lu HaiKong suddenly decided to stay in the village for the night, as returning to the camp at this hour would seem abrupt. He didn't want to risk being discovered and causing unnecessary complications, so Lu HaiKong and his companions chose to stay in Zhangjia Village for the night.
This decision wasn't due to Lu HaiKong's caution, but rather because the Village Chief gave Zhao Lun a wise and knowledgeable impression. It felt like the old man knew something, so Lu HaiKong intentionally stayed at the Village Chief's home to probe for information.
The Village Chief's house was the largest in Zhangjia Village, and with only the two of them living there, accommodating Lu HaiKong and his two companions was not a problem.
What surprised Lu HaiKong was that the Village Chief's grandson turned out to be the little rascal who had snatched his meat bun. The little kid, seeing Lu HaiKong, wasn't afraid at all and even hid behind his grandfather, making faces at Lu HaiKong.
Lu HaiKong's face darkened at the sight, but remembering his disguise as a merchant, he suppressed the urge to grab the little brat and spank him.
During dinner, Lu HaiKong tried several times to probe the Village Chief, but the old man skillfully deflected his attempts. After several unsuccessful attempts, Lu HaiKong, feeling dejected, went to sleep with Zhang Feng and Li Yi.
The night passed uneventfully, and the next morning, after a simple breakfast prepared by the Village Chief, Lu HaiKong and his companions headed straight for Shanwu County.
Upon reaching Shanwu County, they found the grain transport team from the Zhang Family Grain Store waiting for them at the city gate. Lu HaiKong's group didn't enter the city but instead conducted a quick inspection of the grain. To be honest, most of the grain had been waterlogged for some time, and much of it had already become moldy or even rotten, making it unappealing in both appearance and smell.
However, the system indicated that this grain could still be used to complete the mission, so Lu HaiKong didn't mind. He handed over the remaining payment he had prepared earlier to the shopkeeper and then led the transport team back towards Zhangjia Village. In their haste to complete the mission, Lu HaiKong and his companions hadn't even had time for a hot meal.
As Lu HaiKong rejoiced, on the other side, Zhang Shopkeeper, counting the money, was also delighted. The long-stagnant spoiled goods had finally been sold, and although there were still some losses, recovering most of the costs from such damaged goods was an unexpected joy.
"Sir, please hold on," a deep voice called out as Zhang Shopkeeper was counting the money.
Who would dare interrupt at such a time? Zhang Shopkeeper turned around impatiently and saw that the person was a tall and robust man with a tiger-like back and a bear-like waist, his face exuding righteousness and firmness. But what caught Zhang Shopkeeper's attention was the man's armor, indicating that he was a military officer of a not-too-low rank.
"What instructions do you have for this general?" Zhang Shopkeeper's previously impatient expression instantly turned amiable and courteous.
The warrior general spoke up, "I dare not, but I have a question. Who were those men who bought grain just now? The amount of grain seemed substantial, enough to feed a thousand people for over a month."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shopkeeper's expression changed, and he quickly regained his composure. "Those three gentlemen only approached our store recently. The grain they purchased wasn't of the finest quality; it's water-damaged and only suitable for feeding livestock."
In this brief exchange, both parties conveyed hidden meanings. The warrior general's inquiry hinted at his suspicions about Lu HaiKong, while Zhang Shopkeeper's response was as smooth as water, first distancing himself from Lu HaiKong and then protecting his client.
The general seemed to have dismissed his suspicions about Lu HaiKong and bowed respectfully to Zhang Shopkeeper, saying, "Is that so? Apologies for the trouble, but I have urgent matters to attend to..."
"General, please don't stand on ceremony. Go ahead with your business, and when you have time, I'll host a feast for us to enjoy together."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they parted ways.
At that moment, Lu HaiKong, unaware of the malevolent aura emanating from him, had already attracted the attention of a warrior general. Fortunately, Zhang Shopkeeper had just helped him avoid a potential problem.
Lu HaiKong was now pondering how to transport the grain back to the mountain camp without alerting the villagers. It was a tricky situation, and he wished someone could help keep the villagers at bay. As he thought this, a flash of inspiration struck him, and some previously unclear matters suddenly became clear.
Instantly, Lu HaiKong stopped worrying about transporting the grain. He knew someone would come to his aid.
This day was destined to be a busy one. It wasn't until around 3:00 PM that Lu HaiKong's grain transport team finished unloading the grain. After settling the transportation fee, the team headed back, and Lu HaiKong found the village elder of Zhangjia Village.
When Lu HaiKong arrived, the village elder had already prepared a simple meal for the three of them. The little one wasn't at home, so Lu HaiKong didn't hesitate to invite Zhang Feng and Li Yi to join him in a hearty meal.
"By the way, Village Chief, I'll arrange for that batch of grain to be transported tonight. Please ask the villagers to stay away."
The directness of Lu HaiKong's words startled Zhang Feng and Li Yi, who were sitting nearby. However, the village chief, being directly involved, remained calm and silently nodded in agreement.
After this exchange, Lu HaiKong focused on his meal, eating until he had finished all the dishes prepared by the village chief. Then, putting down his bowl and chopsticks, he praised, "Thank you for your hospitality. The food is delicious, and the flavors are excellent."
"Also, here's the agreed-upon rent. Please take it!" Lu HaiKong took out a gold coin from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Upon seeing the gold coin, the village chief's face showed hesitation.
Lu HaiKong smiled and said, "Don't worry. Although I'm a mountain bandit, I can assure you that since I started this profession, my hands have never been stained with the blood of innocent civilians. Our group hasn't attracted the attention of the officials either. In a sense, this money is clean and won't cause any trouble."
When Lu HaiKong revealed his identity as a mountain bandit, the village chief's expression didn't change at all, as if he had known about Lu HaiKong's identity long ago. After a moment of hesitation, the village chief accepted the money.
(End of Chapter)
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