Myths Begin From Boys' Gong

Zhou Zhihan nodded; she knew Meng Zhao quite well.

She once thought he was just a cowardly boy, but he changed her perception of him time and time again.

Sometimes, she wonders if the Li Zheng of today is the same person as the Li Zheng of the past.

They look almost identical, and their height hasn't changed much. In terms of appearance, they are the same person, but their inner selves and spirits are completely different, exhibiting two different behaviors.

At one point, she even believed that the strange tales about immortals, gods, and demons circulating in this world were not unfounded, but rather true.

However, after several subtle tests, she still concluded that Li Zheng was indeed Li Zheng, and that he had not changed. Perhaps, he had simply revealed his true nature, which had been hidden before.

Far from being self-conscious, he possesses an arrogance unlike that of ordinary people, and is naturally strong and domineering. Once he has made a decision, it is difficult to change unless he himself is willing to change it.

The influence of the outside world on him is negligible.

For example, this time, Zhou Zhihan brought Hong Minghui to ask Meng Zhao for help. On the surface, Meng Zhao did not want to get involved in this matter at first, and was unwilling to offend a powerful person and force for nothing. It was only after Zhou Zhihan's pleading that he changed his mind.

However, Zhou Zhihan herself was perfectly clear that Meng Zhao's change was not due to him, but because Hong Minghui had extraordinary value and was worth protecting. Therefore, she was willing to make such a decision.

Now, Meng Zhao has a plan. She and Hong Minghui can only accept it; they have no right to criticize or change it.

On the other side, the only survivor, under the cover of night, traversed most of Kaiyan County and finally stopped in front of a study.

This study, named Yawenxuan, has been operating in Kaiyan County for four or five years. It mainly deals in books, calligraphy, paintings, and other items, and business is quite good. Although it is not a martial arts institution, it has close ties with the government, so no one bothers it on a regular basis.

At this moment, the survivor knocked on the door of the study in a peculiar pattern. Soon after, the door was pushed open and a person walked out.

The man wore a white undergarment and a blue robe, and held an oil lamp in his hand. He exuded an air of scholarly refinement.

This man was none other than Boss Xu of Yawenxuan. Upon seeing this person dressed in black and wearing a mask, he merely frowned slightly before leading the person inside.

Turning around and slamming the gate shut, Boss Xu led the survivors out of the front entrance of Yawenxuan Market and to the back courtyard residence, saying...

"What's going on? Weren't there supposed to be nine people? Where are the rest?"

The survivor, still somewhat shaken, gulped down the warm tea. The sweet tea flowed down his throat and into his stomach, making him feel much better. He then said, somewhat dazed,

"They're all dead, everyone else is dead, I'm the only one left!"

As he spoke, he began to recount the process that had filled him with sadness and fear.

They tracked down Hong Minghui's whereabouts and found her whereabouts, intending to kidnap her.

Unexpectedly, before they could even make a move, a very young man returned and, in a way that left everyone else in despair, killed the other eight people, leaving only himself alive.

The reason for keeping him alive instead of killing him was not out of great compassion or kindness, but simply because he needed to return and deliver a message: to find someone who could make decisions and negotiate with the other party.

Mr. Xu frowned, his lips pursed, and the gentle, refined demeanor he had previously projected vanished instantly, replaced by a fierce and ruthless aura.

"Nine people, eight died, leaving only you. You were kept alive just to come back and deliver a message. Is there really such a person in Kaiyan County? Could this person be from a powerful and influential family in Kaiyan County?"

It's no wonder Mr. Xu thinks that way.

The nine people Uncle An sent this time are all experts from the Hongmen. They are extremely skilled in martial arts, not only proficient in internal martial arts, but also adept at assassination, tracking, investigation, self-defense, and other special skills. They are all talented individuals.

Of course, these people were all trained by Uncle An of the Hongmen and only obeyed Uncle An's orders. No one else, except for Hong Chengtong, the head of the Hongmen, could mobilize these people.

With such a configuration and manpower, capturing Hong Minghui is more than enough, especially since this woman has suffered a great loss of vitality and power after giving birth. Even if she has another person to help her, there is no reason for her to escape.

Thinking about this, Mr. Xu couldn't help but have some doubts.

It is true that childbirth depletes a woman's vital energy. Under normal circumstances, her strength will weaken to a certain extent within about three months, but she will recover soon. I don't know why Hong Minghui has not recovered for so long.

However, it was only when she encountered an accident that her ability to escape the pursuit of these nine people along the way became all the more remarkable.

Now it's even more outrageous. Eight out of the nine people have been killed, and by a mysterious young man who killed them as easily as cutting melons and vegetables. This is really beyond his expectations.

What's even more interesting is that the fact that this person took in Hong Minghui means that he at least knew about Hong Minghui's current situation.

It was quite unexpected that they dared to take action, even demanding that their side send someone of sufficient importance to meet and negotiate with him.

I don't know whether to say he was full of confidence or overly arrogant.

Did you mention Uncle An?

The survivor shook his head and said,

"No, that person seemed to look down on us at all. He just told me to come back and deliver a message, and then he killed the others. He didn't even think about interrogating us."

Mr. Xu fell into deep thought.

Uncle An, one of the three vice leaders of the Hongmen, whose real name is Cao Quan'an, is Hong Chengtong's capable assistant and one of his sworn brothers. He holds a high position and great power in the Hongmen. In his early years, he was also a well-known hero in the martial arts world. He wielded a tiger-headed golden saber and combined it with the White Tiger Seven Killing Saber, making him famous in the martial arts world and rarely having an opponent.

After the establishment of the Hongmen, Cao Quan'an became one of the vice leaders. He gathered a large number of people and formed a state within a state. He was a local lord of the Hongmen and definitely a big shot.

As for Boss Xu, he is not a member of the Hongmen, but rather an associate of Uncle An.

He was nearly killed when he was ambushed, but Uncle An helped him, which allowed him to avenge himself and retire safely.

He eventually came to Kaiyan County, opened a study, and retired from the martial world to live out his remaining years in peace.

However, this debt of gratitude must eventually be repaid.

He didn't understand why Cao Quan'an, who clearly had a good relationship with Hong Chengtong and had never quarreled with him in decades, would suddenly confirm Hong Chengtong's death and then try to kill Hong Chengtong's daughter.

It's unclear whether Hong Chengtong was killed by Uncle An, or whether he was just an accomplice who simply followed orders.

All he knew was that he had to repay Uncle An's kindness and make amends for the favors he owed.

According to the information from Uncle An, there wasn't much he needed to do; he just needed to help settle the nine people from Longxiang County and send them off after they had finished their business.

He was essentially the local bigwig; he didn't need to concern himself with what these nine people did, he just needed to help them deal with some unnecessary troubles and miscellaneous matters.

However, an accident has occurred, and it is an accident that is difficult to reverse.

Nine people, eight dead. Not only were they not caught, but they also attracted the attention of a mysterious young man with extremely high martial arts skills. This forced Boss Xu to personally intervene. "What are your thoughts? Longxiang County is quite a distance from Kaiyan County. By the time we get there and back, Hong Minghui has probably already disappeared without a trace."

The survivor thought for a moment, then took out a jade pendant carved with an eagle from his pocket and handed it to Boss Xu, saying,

"Mr. Xu, before we left, Uncle An instructed us that in case of any unforeseen accidents, we should follow your instructions and arrangements. Now, what should we do next?"

At first, the group of survivors respected Boss Xu, but they were not very willing to follow his orders. After all, they were top-notch figures in Longxiang County and had never made a mistake in their work.

But things are different now. Eight people have died, and I'm the only one left. All my arrogance and conceit have been worn away.

Moreover, everyone else died except him. Although they said they were letting him come back to deliver a message, it's hard to say exactly what happened.

When he returns to Longxiang County in the future, Uncle An doesn't know how he will be dealt with.

The survivors then tried to follow Boss Xu's instructions. If they could make a contribution, that would be best. Even if they couldn't, they could still use Boss Xu's connections and influence to reduce their punishment.

Mr. Xu saw through this little scheme, but he didn't care.

After thinking for a moment, he said,
"Here's what we'll do. Write down everything that happened today, without embellishing anything. Tomorrow I'll have someone deliver it to Uncle An in Longxiang County and follow his instructions."

As for you, you will stay here in Yawenxuan for now and serve as a errand boy. You will be temporarily settled in.

As for that mysterious person, his origins are unknown, and his martial arts skills are unfathomable. It is not advisable to confront him head-on.

"It would be better to find out his background and identity first before making a decision."

Having settled and lived in Kaiyan County for four or five years, Mr. Xu is considered a semi-local and has some connections and networks.

As long as Meng Zhao doesn't deliberately cover things up or hide anything, Boss Xu will be able to find out the truth.

The survivors, of course, had no objections and readily agreed.

As for Hong Minghui, he no longer had any thoughts about her.

The next day, not long after dawn, the survivors quietly led Boss Xu to the mansion where Meng Zhao lived to make a record.

The two split up, and the survivor returned to Yawenxuan, pretending to be someone who had just come to steal a kiss, and worked in the study to find a job.

Mr. Xu then went to an inconspicuous pawnshop, took out a gold ingot from the window, and threw it in front of the clerk.

The waiter glanced at Boss Xu and said,

"What items does the guest wish to redeem? Do they have any proof?"

Under normal circumstances, pawnshops are places where people who urgently need money exchange their cherished or valuable items for cash. It's impossible for someone to give a pawnshop gold.

Of course, you can pawn your items here as collateral to get cash. If it's a flexible pawn, you can redeem the pawned items with the principal and interest when you have enough money.

That's why the guy asked that question.

Mr. Xu knew that the pawnshop was divided into internal pawns and external pawns.

External pawnbroking refers to legitimate pawnbroking, while internal pawnbroking involves the buying and selling of intelligence and information.

"I have something to consult, please do me a favor."

Ordinary people certainly wouldn't know the hidden ways this pawnshop operates; anyone who can tell you is considered an insider.

Without further ado, the waiter opened the door to a side cubicle through the window and said...

"Go in. This is just a fee for meeting you. You have to give something in return for something you want to get!"

A gold ingot, worth five taels, is just a greeting fee. At first glance, it seems unreasonable and too expensive.

But in reality, those who can find a pawnshop and specifically inquire about information are not ordinary people; this is equivalent to a threshold.

Moreover, this pawnshop is not simply a place for buying and selling intelligence; it is also a small-scale assassin organization platform that uses its intelligence advantage to provide cooperation opportunities for both buyers and sellers.

For example, if a wealthy person wants to commit murder, this pawnshop can not only collect various information about the person the wealthy person wants to kill, but also act as an intermediary to introduce the hitman, only taking a 5% commission.

It could be said that the business volume is small, but the profits are substantial.

Mr. Xu learned about this place through a friend's introduction and had been here a few times.

Stepping into the cubicle, it was quite dark inside. The square space was divided into two parts by an iron door.

There was a gap in the middle of the iron gate, and in front of the gap was a square table and a chair.

After Mr. Xu sat down, he accurately stated the relevant information about Meng Zhao's residence, and said,

"I need to find out who owns this house and what their status is."

By the way, he might change his identity, so let me be more precise.

This person is a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, and he knows martial arts; his martial arts skills are very high.

At that moment, a deep, hoarse voice came from the other side of the iron gate.

"Wait a minute, I have information about the house you mentioned. Let me check it out."

As they spoke, they heard the person on the other side of the iron gate constantly flipping through and searching.

After a full incense stick's time had passed, the man finally spoke.

"Found it. The owner of this house is named Li Zheng. He is from Xiaohan Village outside Kaiyan County. He is an orphan who lives off the kindness of others. Wait, that's not right. He actually mastered extremely powerful martial arts in a very short time."

Recently, a merchant caravan in the county town has become quite well-known, and he is the one supporting it.

The ruthless gangsters in the county town, as well as Chen Xiaodao, the leader of the Little Knife Society, both met with misfortune because they plotted against this caravan. It is suspected that this young man named Li Zheng was the one who did it.

Judging from the information and comments, this young man should have another background identity. His family, who abandoned him in Xiaohan Village back then, may have already found him, but kept it a secret and secretly taught him martial arts, which is why it seems so abrupt.

However, even if they have a background or connections, they have no connection to any of the major or minor powers within the county; they must be outsiders. (End of Chapter)