Chapter 352: Stone Gate Secret Discussion

He was human, or at least everyone believed him to be. The Gan family's caravan was reportedly able to escape the swamp alive only because Steward Zhao pleaded with the young man, and the Spider Queen granted them mercy.

The servant added, "I also heard a detail: the token for entering and exiting the Demon's Lair Swamp was under that young man's control. He took it back once they left the swamp."

The pass was no longer in the Gan family's possession. The two heads of the household's eyes lit up. "Where is this young man?"

"He must have been invited to the Gan residence by Steward Zhao."

"Why Zhao Fu?"

"Head Steward An Xing was killed along with Old Master Gan, so Steward Zhao took over."

The senior boss rubbed his hands. "An Xing is dead? That makes things easier. Zhao Fu is a reasonable man. Second brother, find someone to invite him over."

The servant exclaimed, "He might be at the Gan residence right now."

The second boss replied, "Simple. I'll have his brother-in-law invite him."

The senior boss, unable to contain his excitement, paced around the hall several times. "Gan Qing's sudden death is our opportunity."

The second boss laughed, "The Gan family is no threat."

"They're nothing," the senior boss scoffed. "We need to move fast, before anyone else!"

As He Lingchuan drank his second pot of wine, he suddenly saw two people hurrying out of the back alley of the Gan residence. One of them was Steward Zhao.

He thought Steward Zhao was coming to find him, but to his surprise, Steward Zhao passed the tavern without entering and continued walking.

At this critical juncture, where could Steward Zhao be going?

He Lingchuan had an idea. He took out a dark, smooth pebble and whispered, "Follow Zhao Fu. Go."

The round pebble suddenly sprouted a head and eight legs, crawling across the table and out the window.

Steward Zhao hadn't gone far. With a light leap, it landed on his back, then slid down his clothes and burrowed into his waistband.

This was the most discreet spot; Steward Zhao wouldn't find it without taking off his clothes.

He Lingchuan rubbed his eyes. When he put down his wine cup, the scene he saw with his left eye was different from what he saw with his right.

The view from his left eye was slightly blurry and constantly moving, a 270-degree panorama. If Steward Zhao hadn't blocked most of the view, the experience would have been excellent.

That's how wide a cave spider's field of vision was, as they possessed twelve eyes.

He Lingchuan finally experienced the Spider Queen's vision.

Yes, this was his first time using the eyeball spider gifted by Zhu Erniang. Empowered by the Spider Queen's magic, he could access the eyeball spider's sight and hearing, allowing him to monitor Steward Zhao's every move from the tavern.

He had spent over ten days in the swamp, so when he entered a human restaurant, he couldn't help but crave a good meal. Unfortunately, the food and drink at this tavern were mediocre; only a dish of braised dried tofu and some smoked rabbit meat appealed to him.

Just as he tore off a piece of rabbit meat, He Lingchuan heard Steward Zhao tell the person next to him, "You can go back. I'll go by myself."

The person agreed and departed.

Steward Zhao walked a few more alleys and finally stopped before a black door. He looked left and right before knocking.

With a creak, the door opened immediately.

The spider's perspective was significantly lower than a human's; it could only see chins. From the clothing, He Lingchuan judged that the person who opened the door was likely another servant. He led Steward Zhao into a hall where several pots of orchids sat on an ornate cabinet.

Only two men were seated at the head of the hall.

Steward Zhao addressed the two men:

"Senior Boss, Second Boss."

The senior boss gestured respectfully, "Steward Zhao, please sit."

He sat down, and tea was offered.

Steward Zhao understood the setup at a glance. He sat down, drank his tea, and said, "Gentlemen, please state your business."

"We heard about Gan Qing's misfortune. It's truly a great tragedy for our Wuzhe County."

All three sighed together.

The second boss spoke, "Steward Zhao, what are your plans for the future?"

"Me?" Steward Zhao hadn't expected the topic to shift to him so suddenly. But upon reflection, he understood their intentions.

"With Old Master Gan's passing, there's no one to manage the entire Gan family's merchant guild. What are your plans, Steward Zhao?"

"Ah, well?" Steward Zhao chuckled. "Old Master Gan's departure was so sudden that I haven't had time to consider it."

The second boss continued, "Then who do you think will take over the Gan family's business?"

This time, Steward Zhao pondered for a long time before saying, "Perhaps, it should... probably be Third Master Gan?" It wasn't that it was a difficult choice, but rather that he found it hard to say.

There wasn't a single suitable candidate.

"Third Master Gan?" The second boss laughed heartily. "Luo Xunyi, who spends all his time carousing with Third Master Gan, always makes things difficult for you. If Third Master Gan takes over, who do you think he'll appoint as head steward? You, or Luo Xunyi?"

The eyeball spider couldn't see Steward Zhao's expression directly above, but He Lingchuan guessed it wasn't pleasant, because Steward Zhao remained silent for a while before saying, "Most likely that scoundrel named Luo."

"When An Xing was in charge, things were fairer. If Third Master Gan runs the household and pairs with Luo Xunyi, the Gan family will certainly be in for a chaotic time."

Steward Zhao stood up and bowed to each of them. "Gentlemen, please speak plainly."

"Very well. We would like to invite Steward Zhao to join Shimen and take on the role of Deputy General Manager."

Steward Zhao seemed to hesitate before saying, "Old Master Gan just passed away. If I switch to Shimen immediately, it might damage my reputation, might it not?" Wuzhe County was a small place, and merchants often exchanged information; he didn't want to ruin his standing.

"Then wait until the forty-ninth day after Gan Qing's passing to come. The position will be waiting for you," the second boss said gravely. "However, you must help us obtain the pass for the Demon's Lair Swamp."

This was the main point of the meeting, and Steward Zhao understood it well, so he didn't demur. "The pass is not with me; it's with Young Master He, who accompanied the team out of the swamp."

The senior boss spoke at the opportune moment, "Tell us about this Young Master He."

Steward Zhao nodded. "The Spider Queen designated Old Master Gan as the contact person for transactions, so Old Master Gan was certainly leading the expedition to the Demon's Lair Swamp. However, shortly after we set off, we encountered bandits..."

He recounted the entire sequence of events.

The two bosses listened attentively, occasionally interrupting him to ask questions.

"Although this Young Master He is from Yuan Country, his true origins are unknown. He wants to establish an identity here to travel to Beijia's capital city and search for treasure for the Spider Queen, correct?"

"Precisely."

"By giving him the pass, the Spider Queen no longer trusts the Gan family," the senior boss said incisively. "It can be said that whoever he gives the pass to will become the designated trader for the Demon's Lair Swamp."

"We cannot miss this opportunity," the second boss continued, "Is this Young Master He already at the Gan residence?"

"Uh, no, he's currently at Yuanzhi Tavern, waiting for me to introduce him to the Gan family members."

Upon hearing this, the senior boss immediately turned to his brother and said, "Second brother, go now."

"Understood," the second boss said, standing up.

Steward Zhao also stood up. "I barely managed to come out by claiming an urgent family matter. I must return to the Gan residence now to discuss Old Master Gan's funeral arrangements."

A hawker was calling out, selling licorice fruit along the street. A diner on the second floor called him up and bought a large bowl.

This was a local street snack, made by soaking washed mountain peaches, oil plums, and starfruit in licorice juice for one or two hours. Seeing how much others enjoyed it, He Lingchuan also called the hawker over and bought a portion.

This particular licorice juice also had hawthorn, plums, and other herbs added to it. The fruits soaked in it were sweet, sour, and refreshing, instantly clearing away the greasiness of the tavern food.

As he was thoroughly enjoying his snack, he suddenly heard the clatter of hooves below. Looking down, he saw more than a dozen riders approaching along the street. In the center, a flamboyant young man, less than twenty years old, dressed in bright clothes and riding a spirited horse, was surrounded by them.

They talked and laughed loudly. Wherever they passed, pedestrians immediately made way, and vendors proactively picked up their baskets and left.

He Lingchuan's lips twitched slightly at the sight. This kind of swagger and aura suggested it was some rich young master parading through the streets.

Just then, ahead was the market entrance. A hunter was leading a horse, with two large yellow sheep on its back.

A yellow dog trotted beside his feet. It seemed he had just hunted the yellow sheep in the wilderness and was bringing them to the market to sell. People would want the mutton, the hide, the horns, even the beard.

He Lingchuan's original body also enjoyed hunting; he could tell at a glance that these two wild sheep could fetch at least one or two taels of silver.

Suddenly, a commotion arose in the market. People scurried to the sides. Before the hunter could react, he heard his beloved horse neighing in alarm and his dog barking incessantly.

He turned around and saw that one of the yellow sheep had been pulled off the horse's back.

The hunter had no time to think. He grabbed the sheep's leg and pulled back, but the other party's strength was immense, pushing him hard against the horse's flank. The frightened horse spun around, almost trampling him.

The yellow dog, protecting its master, barked furiously and charged to bite the assailant.

Only then did the hunter and He Lingchuan, watching from the tavern, clearly see that the one snatching the sheep was an enormous pure white tusker!

Ordinary wild boars were gray, but this one was entirely snow-white. It was relatively smaller in size, only weighing around two hundred catties, but it was exceptionally muscular and sturdy, with blue eyes.

The hunting dog bit its hind leg, enraging the tusker. With a burst of speed, it gored the dog, sending it flying.

Its pair of tusks were like crescent moons, sharpened to a point finer than an awl, capable of gouging two large blood holes in anyone they struck. The hunting dog's belly was pierced, and it cried out in pain.

Immediately after, it charged at the horse in front.

The hunter, both startled and enraged, drew his axe and swung it.

To his surprise, the axe bounced off the tusker's back. Its hide wasn't even scratched, but the axe blade was warped.

This pig's hide was truly thick.

The tusker turned and gored and bit him.

In mere moments, the hunter was covered in wounds.

The surrounding commoners gasped in alarm. Who would dare step forward?

The angle was just right. He Lingchuan, from the upper floor, dropped his fruit, drew two flying knives, and threw them with practiced ease.

With such a large target, he couldn't possibly miss.

His weapons were incomparable to the hunter's hand-axe. The flying knives precisely pierced the tusker's hind neck and abdomen, causing it to let out a loud shriek of pain.

This tusker was surprisingly intelligent. It turned in a circle twice, then suddenly looked up towards the tavern's second floor, its eyes meeting He Lingchuan's.

"Huh, it actually spotted me!"

The tusker galloped on all fours towards the tavern.

The commoners along the way frantically scattered. He Lingchuan heard chaos erupt in the tavern's main hall—guests screaming and shouting, tables and chairs overturning, dishes smashing, an incessant cacophony of crashes.