The Overlord of Puluo

Back at the Border Control Office, Liao Zihui looked grim. Ling Sujun, his secretary, was holding a document, unsure whether she should present it to him.

Xia Shumin, the newly appointed deputy commissioner, said, ”Commissioner, Li Qi is ultimately a businessman, after all. We have his lifeline in our hands. As long as we make a few adjustments to the tolls, he’ll inevitably rein himself in.”

The other deputy commissioners said nothing. They had tried this method before, and it had left them with naught but a painful lesson.

Liao Zihui raised a hand, and everyone left his office. Only Xia Shumin remained, waiting to hear his response.

Liao Zihui smiled and asked, ”Shumin, after you retire, do you want to return to the Outer Provinces or stay in Puluo?”

The Outer Provinces?

Xia Shumin found it difficult to get used to that name. Why’s my home being called the Outer Provinces? It’s Puluo that’s truly foreign.

Of course, he could not nitpick at something like that in front of his superior.

Xia Shumin replied tactfully, ”I haven’t thought about retirement yet.”

He was forty-five this year, right in the prime of his career. He really had no reason to be thinking about retirement yet.

Liao Zihui sighed. ”After staying in Puluo for so long, I’m afraid I won’t be able to adapt if I went back to the Outer Provinces. I can’t even figure out how to use a cellphone. Once I retire, I just want to stay in Puluo and enjoy a few peaceful years.”

Xia Shumin quickly said, ”Your retirement is still a long way off. The Border Control Office can’t do without you.”

Liao Zihui smiled. ”What I mean is that I very much want to live out my days, safe and sound, until my retirement.”

Xia Shumin did not know how to respond. Liao Zihui waved his hand again, signaling for him to leave.

After sitting silently in his office for a while, Liao Zihui took a pair of headphones out of his drawer.

”I wonder whether this thing Old Chen gave me actually works.”

Liao Zihui took a drag of his cigarette and blew the smoke onto the headphones. Then the headphones trembled. There seemed to be something wriggling inside.

Liao Zihui put on the headphones and heard some sounds very soon after. There were footsteps, the sound of sweeping, and the casual chatter of cleaners. These were sounds from a private room in Freewind Wharf.

When he was in that private room with Li Banfeng earlier, Liao Zihui had used a tool that Chen Changrui had given him. The tool allowed him to plant a hook extremely deeply in that private room; it was hidden so well that even a high-level Spycraft Cultivator would be unable to find it.

Did Liao Zihui intend to sit and keep listening in on the activities in that private room at Freewind Wharf? Of course not.

The pair of headphones had a second important function. It could record significant words and phrases that it picked up. ”Li Qi,” ”Old Qi,” ”Master Qi”—any words or phrases related to Li Qi, along with the words spoken before and after them, could all be recorded.

He would start by recording the words spoken in that private room. Later on, he would plant hooks throughout Freewind Wharf.

Liao Zihui was a very patient man, and he was determined to uncover Li Qi’s true identity.

***

”We have to uncover Li Qi’s true identity first.”

On this point, Xia Shumin agreed with Liao Zihui. However, he strongly disagreed with Liao Zihui’s attitude.

Xia Shumin said, ”Liao Zihui has already assimilated into Puluo. At this rate, our work in Puluo won’t make any progress. Have the two people transferred here from the Dark Star Bureau arrived yet?”

Ding Zichuan, Xia Shumin’s assistant and most trusted subordinate, handed him a folder. ”They arrived yesterday. In total, three came, officially here for further training.”

After reviewing the three résumés, Xia Shumin chose one of them. ”Have this person keep watch near Freewind Wharf. Since he’s here for further training, he can start with the most basic work.”

Ding Zhichuan remarked, ”This person’s cultivation level is too low. I’m a little worried about having him carry out such a dangerous assignment—”

”Don’t worry,” Xia Shumin replied with a smile. ”If this person were to die on the job, it might wake those pretending to be asleep sooner.”

***

Luo Zhengnan entered the private room at Freewind Wharf. He had been planning to take the train to Hundredcraft Ridge to wipe out the remaining members of the Jiangxiang Gang there. However, Li Banfeng unexpectedly summoned him to Freewind Wharf at this time.

”Master Qi, you called for me. I was just about to—”

”Come, Old Luo. Have a drink,” Li Qi said. He waved Luo Zhengnan over, signaling for him not to say anything more.

Luo Zhengnan was clever enough to understand Li Banfeng’s intention. He quickly opened a bottle of wine and changed the subject. ”Master Qi, what put you in such a good mood today?”

”I want to do something big. I’m afraid it might scare you if I tell you.”

Li Banfeng pointed at the round table, then at his own ear. He was telling him to check for hooks.

Luo Zhengnan understood. He twisted his ear halfway and pressed it against the table, listening for a moment.

”What exactly is this big thing, Master Qi?”

Luo Zhengnan shook his head, indicating that there were no hooks in the table.

No hooks? Then why did Liao Zihui tap the table?

Li Banfeng smiled. ”Someone came to collect a debt this morning. He insisted that I owed him money and demanded an explanation.”

”Who’s got the nerve to come looking for trouble with you, Master Qi?”

Luo Zhengnan checked the private room again. There really were no hooks.

”This person has a very powerful background.” Li Banfeng stared at the table for a moment. ”Gather a few brothers who can fight. I’ll have a proper talk with him.”

***

At dusk, Liao Zihui was preparing to get off work and go home. Before leaving, he remembered to take out the headphones and have a listen.

The moment he heard the recording, Liao Zihui broke into a cold sweat.

Collect a debt? Have a proper talk? Li Qi wants to attack the Border Control Office? Would he really dare do such a thing? It was hard to say. That man really did dare to do anything.

Liao Zihui immediately gave the order for everyone to remain in the Border Control Office. All personnel had to prepare for battle; no one was permitted to leave.

Everyone in the Border Control Office was dumbfounded. Why had something like this happened right when everyone was getting off work? What on earth was going on?

Late that night, Li Banfeng arrived near the Border Control Office and saw dozens of people patrolling around it. They had made thorough preparations as he had expected.

They heard what I said in the private room. Liao Zihui really did plant a hook, but why did Old Luo fail to detect it? It seems it’s no ordinary hook.

After Freewind Wharf closed for the night, Li Banfeng entered the private room and took out the hand-cranked gramophone Ling Miaosheng had given him.

He placed a record on the gramophone’s turntable and turned the crank. Music began to play.

「If I did not have you, how could I go on?

My heart would break, and I wouldn’t be able to keep going.

If I did not have you, how could I go on?

My heart is already broken, so I can only go out and cause trouble...~ 」

The hand-cranked gramophone was quite difficult to use. Li Banfeng had carefully studied it with the Gramophone, but he still had not fully mastered the knack of it. After listening to the same song more than a dozen times over the course of an entire hour, Li Banfeng noticed a slight change in the music.

Li Banfeng carried the hand-cranked gramophone around the private room once. His hand moved at a steady speed, but there was a clear change in the speed of the music.

The hook was not on the table. It was on the wall near the door.

Liao Zihui tapped the table, so why is the hook near the door? Is this even the hook that Liao Zihui planted?

Li Banfeng put a blank record on the hand-cranked gramophone. He replaced the stylus with a hard stylus and turned the crank, recording a record beside the hook.

After finishing the recording, Li Banfeng brought it back to the Pocket Dwelling and had the Gramophone play it. The record contained the conversation between Li Banfeng and Liao Zihui. She wound it back further, but there was nothing else.

This is indeed the hook that Liao Zihui had planted.

”He really went all out,” Li Banfeng said as he put away the hand-cranked gramophone. ”I’ll leave that hook for him and see how long he plans to use it.”

Right then, the Crimson Lotus bloomed, and a lotus seed appeared among its leaves. Li Banfeng peeled the lotus seed off and carefully placed it on his palm. The lotus seed burst open, and the Glove slowly unfolded from it.

Supported by his thumb and little finger, the Glove slowly stood up. He raised his index finger and said to Li Banfeng, ”Boss, I’ve succeeded!”

Li Banfeng’s lower lip trembled. He said nothing and gave a slight nod.

”Boss, are you holding back a laugh?” the Glove asked.

He looked at his body, then he ran over to Hong Ying’s dressing table and stared at himself in the mirror for a moment.

The Glove went over to the Crimson Lotus and asked calmly, ”Third Madam, it wouldn’t have mattered to me if you had kept me as a White Glove or turned me into a Black Glove. Even if one side were black and the other white, that would still be understandable. But you covered me in black spots, like I’ve broken out in huge sores. What is that supposed to mean?”

The Crimson Lotus could not be bothered with him. In any case, the Glove came out black and white. Who could control it that precisely?

Nevertheless, the Glove took it in stride. ”A man doesn’t need to worry about what he looks like. What matters is having real ability. Old Man, I’m not trying to challenge you today. I’m going to open your front door right in front of you. Watch closely!”

The Old Man responded, ”Good lad. I certainly want to see whether you’ve got that ability. If you can really open my door, I’ll reward you handsomely.”

Li Banfeng was very nervous. If the Glove really opened the front door of the Pocket Dwelling, the Old Man might kill him on the spot. He had to find a way to protect the Glove.

”Glove, don’t rush to show off. Rest for a while first,” Li Banfeng advised.

The Glove refused to listen. ”I worked myself to the bone to learn all these skills so I could help you, Boss. Boss, keep your eyes on me.”

The Glove went over to the front door and felt his way around the gap on the door.

Everyone in the family watched closely. Even the Crimson Lotus, who normally paid no attention to anything, had focused all her attention on the Glove. If the Glove succeeded, the Crimson Lotus would have a chance to get out as well.

The Glove found the crucial spot. He slid his index finger along the crack, his middle finger drew a circle around the key position, and his ring finger lightly tapped the door. He yelled, ”Open!”

The door did not open.

The Glove waggled his index finger. ”Old Man, you’ve really got some ability. I’ll try again.”

After feeling around for a moment, the Glove yelled again, ”Open!”

It still did not open.

”Old Man, I’m getting serious now. Watch closely!”

***

An hour later...

Li Banfeng was rubbing snow moisturizing cream onto the Gramophone’s face. Hong Ying got angry watching them, so the Gramophone rubbed some onto hers as well.

The Old Teapot brewed a pot of good tea and went to the Liquor Gourd to trade it for some liquor. The Wine Gourd thought the tea’s flavor was too weak, so she gave him a hundred grams of liquor.

The Projector seemed to have heard that a pistol could talk and was extremely excited. But the Pendulum told him that it was the sound of a revolver.

The Crimson Lotus’s leaves trembled. She yawned and wanted to return to the ninth room to sleep.

The Glove was still feeling around the crack in the door. He had not stopped once.

”Old Man, I’m really getting serious this time!”

The Old Man was starting to feel sorry for him. ”Glove, listen to me—”

”Old Man, I can do it. I’ll show you what I’m really capable of!” the Glove said with a trembling voice.

He tried again. ”Open!”

”It opened,” the Old Man declared and opened the door a crack.

Everyone could tell that it was the Old Man who had opened the door, not the Glove. Only the Glove could not tell.

The Glove poked his head outside the door and exclaimed excitedly, ”I did it! Old Man, I really—”

Bam!

The door slammed shut and knocked the Glove unconscious.

”Master Qi, find somewhere to let him have a good sleep,” the Old Man said with a sigh. ”That child...”

***

At dawn the next day, Liao Zihui sat in his office with bloodshot eyes.

He had not slept all night, and no one in the Border Control Office had dared to sleep either. Everyone remained on full alert.

It was past nine when Ling Sujun, whose eyes were now red, said, ”Commissioner, quite a number of us can’t hold out any longer. I respectfully ask you to grant us half a day off.”

Liao Zihui waved his hand. ”The more critical the situation, the less we can afford to relax. Everyone is to remain on alert.”

They remained on alert until dusk.

Liao Zihui rubbed his eyes and muttered to himself, ”He didn’t come... Could it be that the person he said went to collect a debt from him wasn’t me? Could there be some other reason behind what he said?”

He put on the headphones and listened for a moment. Soon after, another conversation came through.

「Master Qi, are we still going tonight?」

「We are. They were prepared last night, but they definitely won’t be able to hold out tonight. This time, we have to teach them a lesson!」

Liao Zihui took off the headphones and smiled. Li Qi is indeed difficult to deal with. Fortunately, I was cautious enough.

He called Ling Sujun over. ”Pull everyone back from outside the building. Get them all inside, set up the perimeter and traps. Tonight, we’ll lure them into the trap!”

Ling Sujun asked groggily, ”Commissioner, who exactly are we dealing with?”

Liao Zihui smiled. ”You’ll find out tonight.”