The Overlord of Puluo

Xiao Zhenggong pushed open the ward door with a white shirt draped over his left arm. The first thing he did was glance at He Jiaqing, who was lying on the hospital bed.

Then he turned to He Haisheng, who was smoking by the window, and shouted, "Dark Star Bureau investigation. Get out!"

He Haisheng took a slow puff and breathed the smoke straight into Xiao Zhenggong's face. It lingered there for a moment before drifting away.

Xiao Zhenggong pulled out a lighter and lit a cigarette of his own. The lighter rolled twice across his fingers, looking very much as though it might suddenly fly across the room and crack He Haisheng on the head.

He Haisheng raised both hands. "Easy there, Deputy Captain Xiao. Don't let that thing slip. If you want to investigate, I will just leave."

With that, He Haisheng walked out of the ward.

Xiao Zhenggong shut the ward door and looked at He Jiaqing lying on the bed.

"Senior Brother, just do it," the white robe said.

Xiao Zhenggong hesitated. "I am not sure if this is He Jiaqing."

"Stop worrying about whether it is. Better to kill the wrong man than let the right one go."

Xiao Zhenggong stayed on guard and kept more than a meter between himself and He Jiaqing on the bed.

If this man was really He Jiaqing, he could leap up at any moment and fight Xiao Zhenggong with everything he had.

When a Wanderlust Cultivator fought a Martial Cultivator to the death, the outcome was never certain. If their levels were equal, the Martial Cultivator had the advantage. But what if He Jiaqing's level was higher than his?

Xiao Zhenggong observed for a long while. The man on the bed lay perfectly still. Sweat kept gathering on his face and rolling down, bead by bead.

"Senior Brother, kill him. Even if you kill the wrong man, you won't lose anything."

It would be impossible not to lose anything.

Although Xiao Zhenggong was a Balancer, there were still things that he couldn't go overboard with. The Bureau valued He Jiaqing highly. If Xiao Zhenggong killed him, one report would never be enough to explain it away, and he might even be forced to use the Balancer Seal.

The price of using Balancer Seal was very high. Unless there was really no other choice, Xiao Zhenggong did not want to take things that far.

As Xiao Zhenggong hesitated, he suddenly looked over at the door. Even with the door between them, he felt a pair of eyes watching him.

He walked over and opened the door to find Captain Chen Changrui standing outside in a jacket, cigarette between his lips, smiling pleasantly.

"Captain Chen, when did you get here?"

Chen Changrui took a puff on his cigarette and chuckled as he said, "Just got here. I heard you were investigating, so I didn't disturb you. Go on. We can talk when you are done."

Xiao Zhenggong stared at Chen Changrui, his cheek twitching again and again.

Chen Changrui glanced at He Jiaqing on the bed, then gave Xiao Zhenggong a courteous little gesture, as if he was saying, Go on, then. Kill him whenever you like.

You old bastard! You are just hoping that I kill him! Xiao Zhenggong muttered inwardly. He slipped the lighter into his pocket and walked out of the ward.

Once they were in the car, the white robe couldn't help but ask, "Senior Brother, what are you so afraid of? That old man's level should be below yours, shouldn't it?"

"This is not about cultivation level," Xiao Zhenggong said and started the car. "If I attacked He Jiaqing right in front of Chen Changrui, I might be transferred out of the Public Security Team."

"Why must you stay in the Public Security Team? With your status, there are plenty of good posts you could choose from."

"I have told you, you would not understand." Xiao Zhenggong stepped on the gas and drove out of the parking lot. "The Public Security Team is the best place to be!"

"Senior Brother, if you keep acting so timidly, I am afraid you will never complete the task our teacher gave you."

Halfway down the road, Xiao Zhenggong suddenly hit the brakes. The car behind them nearly crashed into his rear bumper.

The white robe had no idea what Xiao Zhenggong was doing. Then Xiao Zhenggong muttered, "No. Something wasn't right."

"What's wrong?"

"Why was he smoking?"

"You mean Chen Changrui? I remember you saying that he's a smoker."

"Something still feels wrong..." Xiao Zhenggong rubbed his forehead, trying to recall Chen Changrui's habits.

Just then, his phone began to buzz. It was a mission notice from the Bureau.

"An anomaly has been suspected to appear at Huichi Residential Complex on Lily Road, Tulou Village. All team members, proceed to the scene at once."

Chen Changrui's voice? Where exactly is Chen Changrui? Xiao Zhenggong muttered inwardly and started the car again. He wanted to go back to the hospital.

From the back seat, the white robe said, "Senior Brother Xiao, you should have made up your mind earlier!"

Xiao Zhenggong had already turned the steering wheel halfway, but he did not make the turn. Something about this still felt like a trap.

"Chen Changrui is trying to force me to leave the Public Security Team. If that old bastard wants to play tricks with me, then let us see who ends up leaving today," Xiao Zhenggong muttered to himself and drove straight to Tulou Village.

***

Chen Changrui stood outside the ward for a short while, then turned and walked to the restroom at the end of the corridor.

Before long, "He Haisheng" came out of the restroom, still dressed in that suit.

The Chen Changrui from earlier and the current He Haisheng were both He Jiaqing in disguise. He had managed to change the clothes on his body with the activation of a Performing Arts Cultivator ability.

He Jiaqing sat down beside the real He Haisheng and wiped the sweat from his face. After thinking for a moment, He Jiaqing raised two fingers to He Haisheng's forehead and made a snipping motion, as if cutting through an invisible thread.

Suddenly, He Haisheng sat up in bed and grabbed He Jiaqing by the collar. "You little shit!"

He Haisheng could finally move again. He Jiaqing had undone the Restraining Cultivator ability holding him in place.

"Third Uncle, listen to me first..."

"Listen to you? I should fucking give you a good beating..."

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door. The doctor had come to make his rounds.

He Haisheng paused, thought it over, and then lay back down on the bed, once again pretending to be He Jiaqing. These were some things that he didn't want outsiders to know.

He Jiaqing tidied his clothes and watched as the doctor stepped into the ward.

The doctor sniffed, then frowned. "Were you smoking in the ward again? Do you know the hospital rules? Have you spared even one thought for the patient? Just look at yourself. What sort of manners are these?"

This doctor was new. He clearly didn't know He Haisheng very well, and he seemed to know even less about the He Family's status.

Once the usual questions and checks were finished, He Jiaqing put on a face full of smiles and apologies and saw the doctor out.

Only after making sure no one would disturb them for a while did He Haisheng sit up again. He grabbed He Jiaqing by the collar once more. "You little shit. Tell me exactly what is going on."

He Jiaqing smiled. "Do I still need to explain it? I only want to live with a bit of dignity, but look at me now. There is not much dignity left, is there? You saw that doctor just now. He barked at me like I was some little errand boy, and did I dare say a word back?"

"That is the hospital rule. Smoking is not allowed here. I even go downstairs for it!"

"Xiao Zhenggong was about to kill me just now. Right here in this ward. Is that one of the hospital rules too?"

He Haisheng said nothing.

"When I disguised myself as Chen Changrui, Xiao Zhenggong did not dare kill the man he thought was me lying in that hospital bed. Do you understand what that means? My life is now in the hands of two men from the Outer Provinces. One little thought from them, and I live. One little thought, and I die."

He Haisheng was silent for a moment. "Xiao Zhenggong is from Puluo Province."

He Jiaqing responded, "I know he is from Puluo Province. I know he is the leader of the Jiangxiang Gang. If this was at Puluo Province, would he dare lay a hand on me with that little scrap of standing he has in Puluo Province?

"No. He dares kill me now because he has another badge tucked away in the Outer Provinces. He is the deputy captain of the Dark Star Bureau's Public Security Team. Give a man a proper identity in the Outer Provinces, and he suddenly dares to kill me anywhere and anytime."

"If you have chosen to stay in the Outer Provinces, then you have to follow the rules of the Outer Provinces."

He Jiaqing laughed. "Third Uncle, you have spent far too long in the Outer Provinces. Now even you have learned to tell their rotten little jokes."

"What joke? This is not a joke..."

"Of course it is a joke. Go and ask the Border Controllers of the Outer Provinces. Do they follow Puluo Province's rules? Have they ever cared one bit about Puluo Province's rules?"

He Haisheng pressed his lips together. "If you don't want to stay in the Outer Provinces, then go back to Puluo Province. If you go back, you will still be the eldest young master of the He Family. You will not have to suffer this kind of humiliation!"

"You say I will not have to suffer humiliation?" He Jiaqing smiled. "Third Uncle, your jokes are getting more and more interesting. Tell me, how did the head of the Chu Family die?"

"He died when he was activating land with the Lu Family..." He Haisheng's voice was much softer.

"Third Uncle, you can lie to me all you like, but do you even believe the words that are coming out of your mouth?"

"You saw it with your own eyes. It was the Border Controller who killed the head of the Chu Family. From that day on, you never wanted to return to Puluo Province again. Did you really think I had no idea?"

He Haisheng rubbed his forehead. Old memories came rushing back, and his thoughts were in a terrible mess.

He Jiaqing sighed and said, "They call us the Four Great Families, but in the eyes of the Border Controllers, we are nothing but four dogs. "While we are alive, we serve the Outer Provinces like dogs. Even if we struggle our way up to the tenth level, we still end up dying and serving the Inner Provinces like dogs. Are the lives of people from Puluo Province really worth so little?"

He Haisheng took the cigarette case from He Jiaqing, pulled out a cigarette, and held it between his teeth.

After one smoke, he seemed to calm down a little. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

"I told you already," He Jiaqing said. "I want to live with a bit of dignity. And I want the people of Puluo Province to live with a bit of dignity too."

He Haisheng lit another cigarette. "When your eldest aunt came to the hospital to see me..."

"Third Uncle, Eldest Aunt came to see me."

He Haisheng smacked He Jiaqing on the head. "You still dare bring that up? Do you think I would be willing to lie here in your place? Your aunt said your father suddenly passed away. Even the Nightfiend Cultivator couldn't summon his soul back. Did he really reach level ten and go to the Inner Provinces?"

He Jiaqing answered honestly, "I gave my dad so many pills. It was more than enough for him to reach level ten."

"Punk! How dare you..."

"Third Uncle, this was my father's wish. I was helping him. He did not want to go on being a dog for the Outer Provinces either."

He Haisheng held the cigarette between his teeth and took a deep puff. "Your aunt is managing all the family business now, but she doesn't have the brain to do business. Find some time to go back and see what sort of mess the family is in."

He Jiaqing shook his head. "I am not going back. I still have unfinished business here."

He Haisheng snapped, "Then at least send someone to check on it! That is our family's own business!"

He Jiaqing contacted Duan Shuqun.

As it turned out, something really had happened to the He Family's business.

***

He Yuxiu was sitting in the mansion and having a drink.

The accounts keeper, Sheng Shanzhou, gave a long sigh. "Miss, the Outer Provinces still refuse to release that shipment from Blackear Mountain.

"You really should have listened to me about this. We should never have shorted the Border Controller on his profit share."

He Yuxiu snapped, "I am supposed to pay him the full amount of the bribe when we have already lost money from this deal? Giving him half was generous enough! He didn't even give us a discount for that high amount of transportation fee!"

"The transportation fee belongs to the office, but the bribe goes into his own pocket. Whether it's a profit or a loss, we have to pay the full amount..."

"Bullshit! If he had not been stirring up trouble behind our backs, we would have never lost money on this deal in the first place. Who is going to pay for that?" He Yuxiu roared as she smashed her liquor cup to pieces.

Yan Yulin, He Haiqin's wife, heard the commotion and came out of the bedroom. "Yuxiu, what are you doing? Why lose your temper at your own people?"

Sheng Shanzhou felt wronged as well, but he only lowered his head and said nothing.

He Yuxiu sighed and explained, "I am not angry with you. I just cannot stand those bird brains from the Outer Provinces. Tell me, what are we supposed to do about this?"

Sheng Shanzhou had served He Haiqin for many years, and the Border Controller still gave him a little bit of face.

"Miss, let me invite the Border Controller out for a meal," Sheng Shanzhou said. "We will pay him the rest of what he is owed, and you can say a few words of apology to him. Once he has his money and his pride patched up, this whole nasty business should be over."

"I have to apologize to him?" He Yuxiu snapped.

Sheng Shanzhou was getting worked up now. "Miss, we are business people. We cannot do business with our necks held high all the time. Sometimes we bow, sometimes we smile, and sometimes we swallow whatever nasty thing has been shoved into our mouths. The Master did it often enough, though he told you!

"You were too sharp with the Border Controller last time. You offended the Border Controller, and that is why he keeps finding ways to make things hard for us!"

He Yuxiu shot to her feet. "Go and fucking beg whoever you like. I am done with this blasted business!"

Yan Yulin hurried over and caught her by the arm. "Yuxiu, you cannot do that. The whole family is counting on you now. You must not say such things just because you are angry..."

***

Duan Shuqun passed the news on to He Jiaqing. Along with the trouble in the family business, he mentioned something else.

Something had happened to the Jiangxiang Gang.

He Jiaqing looked at He Haisheng. "Third Uncle, two of the Jiangxiang Gang's halls have been wiped out."

He Haisheng's expression changed. "Was that you?"

He Jiaqing grew anxious. "How could it be me? I have been in Yuezhou this whole time."

He Haisheng was startled again. "Then you sent someone to do it?"

He Jiaqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Third Uncle, why are you so sure it was me?"

"If it wasn't you, why would Xiao Zhenggong be trying to kill you?"

"What sort of logic is that..." He Jiaqing didn't know how to explain.

There were too many grudges between him and Xiao Zhenggong, and He Jiaqing couldn't tell some of them to He Haisheng.

He Haisheng sat in silence for a while. "You cannot stay in this hospital. Leave first. I will find a way to get myself out."

Author's Note:

PS: Chen Changrui never smokes in the hospital. This detail first appeared in chapter 4.