Eternal madness

Chapter 59 Business comes to your door
Zhang Laifu placed a lamp inside the house. The lamp was very bright, and although the sun had not yet set, the light could still be clearly seen from outside the bamboo house.

The landlord looked up at the building, his face full of admiration: "He's quick to learn because he's single-minded; he really puts in a lot of hard work."

After a minute or so, the light inside the lantern gradually dimmed.

Zhang Laifu shouted from upstairs, "Brother Chai, do you think it's bright?"

"Brilliant!" Chai Badao affirmed, "You've mastered this unique skill."

Brightness alone is far from enough. The manual states that once you master this skill, you should be able to see a person's internal organs.

"Brother Chai, come up here and let me take a look at your picture!"

"What are you thinking about!" The landlord left.

Zhang Laifu looked at the candle stub inside the lantern; it was emitting such a bright light, yet the candle hadn't been used up much.

In other words, the light was not produced by burning candles, but by some special force.

What power is this?
Zhang Laifu wanted to try his skill again, but when he picked up the bamboo strip on the table, he found that his hands were shaking violently.

Take it easy, I can't take it anymore.

Zhang Laifu lay down on the bed, intending to rest for a while, but unexpectedly fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

When Zhang Laifu woke up, it was already the next morning. He went to his landlord's house for lunch.

This isn't about freeloading. It was agreed before we rented the place that the two of us could eat at the landlord's house, and the cost of the meals would be included in the rent.

Chai Badao gave Zhang Laifu two bamboo tubes, one for stir-fried pork with chili peppers and the other for rice.

Zhang Laifu was really hungry, and he ate the meat soup with rice in no time.

Chai Badao ladled a bamboo tube of wine for Zhang Laifu: "Afu, your skill is extraordinary. I've seen many paper lantern makers, and their lanterns only stay lit for a short while. Yours lasts a long time; this lantern has been lit for quite some time."

That's quite an exaggeration; it was only a little over a minute. Is that considered a long time?
"Brother, how powerful is the 'One-Shot Showdown' move?"

"It depends on who uses it," the landlord said, taking a puff of his pipe. "If it's a regular paper lantern maker, it's just an eye. It can be used to help out shadow puppeteers, opera singers, ox horn lantern makers, magicians, and steamed bun sellers."

Zhang Laifu blinked: "Brother, none of the professions you mentioned are related."

"How can you say it's not related? It's because you haven't seen enough. These people are all good at using deception. Once you meet them, you'll understand the intricacies of this world."

"Selling steamed buns involves deception?"

"Yes, the tricks used by the steamed bun sellers are quite clever. But don't be afraid, the paper lantern maker can see through them. He just puts a lantern there and you can see through the illusion."

"We've encountered an extraordinary paper lantern maker. Is this amazing skill only used as an eye?"

"That's terrifying. When the light shines on you, it can burn your internal organs. You might look fine on the outside, but inside you'll be charred in no time."

"The paper lantern maker, the death knell—this is no joke. Among assassins, the paper lantern maker is the most ruthless."

Does having a radiation weapon make you the most ruthless assassin? Zhang Laifu was somewhat skeptical.

"The 'one-shot wonder' technique is too troublesome to use, and it may not be reliable in critical moments."

The landlord exhaled a puff of smoke and shook his head: "That's because you're not familiar with it. I once met a paper lantern maker. That guy was really weird. The three of us surrounded him and we didn't even see how he made the lantern. In the blink of an eye, one of us was burned to a crisp."

I didn't want to fight anymore and just wanted to escape. The other one was a magician. He tried to hide himself, but as soon as the paper lantern maker's lantern was lit, he couldn't hide at all. In one glance, smoke was coming out of his mouth and he was cooked inside.

Three men fought a paper lantern maker, and I was the only one who escaped alive. From then on, I never fought a paper lantern maker again; the sight of his paper lantern skills terrified me.

Zhang Laifu had just invited the landlord upstairs to see his amazing skills, but after hearing these words, Zhang Laifu felt that he had gone too far.

"Brother, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright, let's not talk about this anymore," the landlord said, putting away his hookah. "I'm going to the market. Is there anything you need to buy?"

"Didn't the commander say we weren't allowed to go to the market?"

"The big market is gone, but there's a small market!"

Zhang Laifu asked the landlord to help him buy some rough-edged paper. After the landlord left, Zhang Laifu went back to his room to continue studying his unique skill.

My fingers are still sore, and the momentum I had when making a lantern in eight seconds seems to be gone. So, I'll stop focusing on speed for now and try lighting the candle while pasting the lantern – that's a technique I can refine a bit.

Before we knew it, dusk had fallen, and it started snowing heavily outside.

Pushing open the window and watching the snowflakes fall outside, Zhang Laifu hugged the lantern and felt a sense of romance.

"From now on, when winter comes, I will accompany you to watch the snow every day. With you by my side, I will never be afraid of the cold in my life."

There were footsteps on the stairs.

The landlord must have just returned from the market.

When Zhang Laifu opened the door, he saw that the person standing there was not the landlord, but a young man wearing a white shirt, black pants, and a black vest, holding a black umbrella.

I feel like I've seen this man somewhere before.

"Who are you looking for?"

The man clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I've been looking for you."

"You recognize me?"

"I met you once about two weeks ago at the Heguang Paper Lantern Shop. I was a day laborer, and I was responsible for splitting bamboo and also helping the shopkeeper deliver goods."

Zhang Laifu remembered that he had some impression of this person, who had been speaking up for him, but he hadn't recognized him at first because he had changed his clothes: "Back then, you even tried to persuade the shopkeeper to let me stay."

The laborer smiled and said, "Old Fang doesn't have that kind of luck. When wealth comes knocking at his door, he doesn't even know to welcome it home. Friend, if it's convenient, could I come in and have a seat? I have a business deal I'd like to discuss with you."

Zhang Laifu invited the laborer into the house and poured him a cup of tea. The laborer introduced himself: "My name is Yang Enxiang. I also come from Heishakou. I have been working as a laborer at Heguang Paper Lamp Shop for almost half a year."

"Really?" Zhang Laifu frowned.

Yang Enxiang smiled and said, "I've inquired about some things. Brother, your name is Zhang Laifu, right?"

Zhang Laifu remained silent.

“Mr. Zhang, you don’t need to be nervous. I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m a craftsman just like you. You can see that someone like me shouldn’t be doing odd jobs.”

I stayed at the Heguang Paper Lamp Shop because it was convenient for me to do business there. When I was delivering goods for Manager Fang, I could also deliver my own goods at the same time.

But I've run into some trouble these past two days; some people have their eyes on my business.

"To do big business, you can't go it alone. I came here to ask, are you interested in partnering with me?"

Zhang Laifu asked, "You have to tell me what kind of business it is first?"

"A business based on local resources."

"Earth? You mean earthwork?" Zhang Laifu was quite knowledgeable about earthwork.

Yang Enxiang laughed: "Mr. Zhang, you're quite witty. Selling soil and stones isn't a big business. The soil I'm talking about is hibiscus soil. Don't you understand?"

“Hibiscus clay…” Zhang Laifu pondered for a moment. He had heard people mention this concept in the old lighting shop. “You mean opium, right?”

Yang Enxiang nodded.

Zhang Laifu shook his head: "I don't do this kind of business."

Yang Enxiang smiled and said, "You're being so blunt? You mean I made this trip for nothing?"

Zhang Laifu picked up his teacup: "Take care, and don't bother seeing me off."

Yang Enxiang had no intention of leaving: "Mr. Zhang, there's a paper lantern shop in Heishakou called Lao Liang. I don't know if you've been there before."
That lamp shop just took on an apprentice named Zhang Laifu. Do you recognize him?

Zhang Laifu has disappeared, and his master Wang Tiaodeng has also disappeared. The gangs in Heishakou are searching for him everywhere. Have you heard about this?

I've also heard that Zhang Laifu has ties with the bandits of Hunlongzhai. Commander Qiao came to Miedaolin because of Hunlongzhai. You must know about this, right?
Zhang Laifu, it's okay if you don't want to do the business of Furong soil. I can find you some other business. I can hand you over to the gang or to the warlord.

"Your head is quite valuable; wherever you're sent, you'll make a fortune."

Zhang Laifu nodded: "Business is coming in, we can't stop it!"

(End of this chapter)