Chapter Thirty: Hidden Darts

Maple Birch Town lay to the north of Jiuli Post, and thanks to its proximity, travelers flowed ceaselessly through its streets. The Hongyuan Escort Agency was tucked away at the far end of North Street in Maple Birch Town. Perhaps it was the poor location, or perhaps the result of mismanagement, but business at Hongyuan had always been dismal. Compounding matters, the agency’s chief, Zhang Fa, was an irredeemable gambler—one who lost every bet he placed. In order to pay off his gambling debts, Zhang Fa had resorted to all manner of crimes under the guise of his martial status: murder, arson, fraud, deception—no wickedness was beneath him.

Yet today was most peculiar; the agency, usually deserted, now had its threshold trampled by a steady stream of visitors.

“Boss Li! I’m truly sorry, but we’ve just accepted a major commission—there’s no way we can take your job right now!”

“Ah, Boss Zhang, you’re too late! It’s not that I’m unwilling, but we just don’t have the manpower. Another big job came in!”

“Oh, isn’t this Boss Sun? Sigh… I really can’t help you this time. A major commission demands utmost care! How about coming in for some tea instead?”

All morning, Zhang Fa stood at the door, grinning as he saw people off. Though it was exhausting, his heart sang with joy. Last night, he had landed a lucrative deal, and if he saw this escort mission through safely, the pay would be enough to last him a lifetime.

******

In a small teahouse along North Street, Lei Yan sat leisurely, sipping his tea and nibbling on a steamed bun, occasionally glancing outside. He had been in Maple Birch Town for an hour, and had already learned where Zhang Fa lived. Lei Yan planned to test his strength that evening, so he was in no particular hurry.

“There really are a lot of people in Maple Birch Town!” he remarked, watching the endless stream of passersby outside.

Just then, two men, one tall and one short, entered the teahouse side by side. They immediately drew Lei Yan’s attention, not by choice, but because their appearances were so striking. One stood about six foot three but was remarkably thin; his long face seemed unnaturally stretched, and his hair, standing straight up like it had been struck by lightning, made him look like a walking bamboo pole. His companion was even more outlandish—barely five feet tall, but with a waist as wide as a small square table, making him resemble a waddling winter melon.

“Waiter, bring us a pot of your finest pu’er! And some top-grade pastries!” the tall, thin man called out, then took a seat near Lei Yan with his companion.

“Big Brother, do you think anyone will catch on to what we’re doing this time?” the fat man asked as soon as he sat down.

“Don’t worry. We’ve hired every escort agency in town, and each one has been given a job. Who could possibly guess which agency is really carrying the goods for us? Besides…” The tall man paused, scanning the room before lowering his voice, “Even the agency chiefs don’t know about our secret cargo!”

“That’s true! If even the chiefs don’t know, who else could? We’ve hidden the real package in that most inconspicuous agency…” The fat man grinned.

But the tall man quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. “Don’t say it out loud!”

“Every agency has been hired? A secret cargo?” Lei Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. The tall man’s voice was low, but his words could not escape Lei Yan’s extraordinary senses.

“Hongyuan? There’s only one by that name—the Hongyuan Escort Agency! Does that mean Zhang Fa might be leaving Maple Birch Town?” Lei Yan immediately rose to his feet. “Waiter, the bill, please!”

Lei Yan hurried from the teahouse straight to the Hongyuan Escort Agency. Zhang Fa was still out front, sending off wave after wave of disappointed customers. Normally, such tasks weren’t his to handle, but after so many years of meager business, he relished the chance to personally greet the sudden influx of clients.

A faint smile played on Lei Yan’s lips. “Still here, good.” He turned and headed to an inn across the street.

On the inn’s second floor, Lei Yan rented a room with a clear view of the Hongyuan Escort Agency. There, he sipped his tea and watched Zhang Fa intently.

Deep into the night, a dimly lit room within the agency glowed with the feeble light of an oil lamp. Three ornate brocade boxes sat atop the desk.

At that moment, Lei Yan stood on the roof above, eyes half-closed in concentration.

“A secret cargo?” A thought stirred in Lei Yan’s mind. His extraordinary senses took in every detail within the building—Zhang Fa’s precise location, the brocade boxes on the table, a man and woman lurking in the shadows—everything imprinted clearly in his mind. The toxins he had endured had only heightened his abilities, making his perception as keen as that of a cultivator. At this distance, sensing the scene was effortless.

“Big Brother, I still feel something’s off this time. The client hired every agency!” A middle-aged man stepped from the darkness.

“A hundred thousand taels for a deposit—enough to last an ordinary man several lifetimes! With that much money, you can bet this job is no simple matter. Their caution makes sense. We don’t need to know what we’re escorting; our job is to deliver what they gave us, safe and sound. Don’t ask more than you need to, and don’t meddle in other affairs.” Zhang Fa, seasoned by years on the road, saw things clearly.

“There are three brocade boxes here. One contains the real cargo; the other two I had specially made today! If they use decoys, so can we! The two of you each pick one, and tomorrow morning, the three of us will set out separately.” He pointed at the boxes. “Only one is real—the other two, if opened, will release a deadly poison. You can use our usual methods to tell which is genuine.”

“Brother, your caution is unmatched.” The middle-aged man smiled.

“Always so clever! But do you think the kind of people who could snatch a brocade box from us would fear a little poison?” A cold voice rang out from the shadows, and a striking woman stepped forward.

“Two innate masters?” Lei Yan’s body tensed on the roof; he had been so preoccupied by the secret cargo that he had neglected to sense their strength.

“My friend, what brings you to my doorstep at this late hour?” Zhang Fa’s calm voice swept through the agency. Strangely, none of the other guards stirred—as if dead to the world. Little did Zhang Fa know that Lei Yan had already ensured their eternal silence.

Lei Yan smiled faintly. Discovering two innate masters had caused his pulse to quicken, betraying his presence to Zhang Fa.

With a sudden crack, Lei Yan pressed down with his foot. The roof tiles shattered, and he dropped into the room below, a cloud of dust rising as he scattered his own powder into the air.

“What business brings you here? Do you not know the risks of accepting an escort commission?” Lei Yan smiled coolly, revealing nothing of his identity as an assassin—he was determined to uncover the true nature of the cargo.

Coughs erupted from the cloud of dust.

With a loud bang, the door burst open. A black streak shot into the night, landing in the center of the courtyard. The three emerged in quick succession, each holding a brocade box.

“Surrender the boxes and I’ll spare your lives,” Lei Yan said, stepping out of the room.

“You dare to steal our cargo? You hid on the roof so long without me noticing—you must be an innate master yourself. But I have two innate martial artists here. Are you still so confident now?” Zhang Fa showed not a hint of concern at Lei Yan’s arrival.