Chapter 332: Not Enough

Li Banfeng and Ma Wu traveled by train to Heishipo.

In the past, Li Banfeng never felt bored on train journeys; if he did, he would simply return to his Portable Abode to spend time with his wife.

Today, however, he couldn't return, as he didn't have his key with him.

Fortunately, Ma Wu was thoughtful. Before boarding, he bought a stack of newspapers and magazines. They read the whole way, while Li Banfeng listened to his glove panting throughout the journey.

What exactly was it panting about? What had the glove done to be so exhausted?

Not only the glove, but Ma Wu was also panting, with layers of cold sweat on his face.

“Old Wu, what’s wrong?”

Ma Wu wiped his sweat and replied, “I think I’m about to get promoted.”

Li Banfeng smiled, “Given how much you sleep, you should have been promoted ages ago. Once we reach Heishipo, get some rest for a couple of days.”

“I can’t rest,” Ma Wu shook his head. “I need to quickly take over Lu Maoxian’s businesses. He was a big shot in Heishipo, and he had a lot of dealings.”

“What’s the rush? These are businesses the Lu family gifted us. Are you worried someone will snatch them?”

Lu Maoxian had attempted to harm the main family, and according to family rules, he should have been disowned, with all his assets reclaimed by the main family. However, to repay Li Qi and Ma Wu, Lu Chunying had given them all of Lu Maoxian’s businesses in Heishipo.

Ma Wu shook his head, “You don’t know, but the Clear Guard Society might actually try to seize them. When a Clear Guard Society disciple dies, they go after their assets, and Lu Maoxian was even an elder of the Clear Guard Society.”

So, the Clear Guard Society was planning to seize them.

Li Banfeng frowned slightly, “Our last business dealings aren’t even concluded, and now we have new ones already.”

Ma Wu was startled, “Business with whom?”

Li Banfeng replied, “They want to take over our projector business.”

Ma Wu laughed, “What are they thinking?”

Li Banfeng did not laugh.

Behind the Clear Guard Society stood the Saint.

With Lu Maoxian dead, would the Saint intervene?

At Jianren Hill, Sage Peak, Saint’s Residence.

A young man in white reported Lu Maoxian’s death.

The heavy breathing in the room ceased abruptly. The Saint asked, “Do you know who did it?”

“Lu Maoxian sent assassins to kill Lu Chunying in his bid for the family head position. This matter is inextricably linked to Lu Chunying.”

“Lu Chunying kills Lu Maoxian, then turns around and publicly demands an explanation from him? Do you think that makes sense?”

“Perhaps Lu Chunying did it intentionally to mislead others.”

“Both sides were already at a kill-or-be-killed stage, and the matter has already alerted other provinces. What do you mean by 'mislead others'?”

The young man in white pondered for a long time, unsure how to respond.

There was indeed a logical flaw in this matter.

Two slaps echoed in the room, and a woman, clutching her backside, hastily exited.

The Saint slowly said, “Someone took advantage of the chaos.”

“Who?”

“Who else could it be?”

Though his tone was calm, it was evident the Saint was enraged.

He was referring to He Jiaqing.

The disciple in white said, “Master, previously He Jiaqing ambushed Lu Maoxian but did not take his life.”

He Jiaqing had merely castrated Lu Maoxian, for which Lu Maoxian had complained bitterly for a long time, but at the time, He Jiaqing indeed didn't kill him.

The Saint sneered, “Back then, He Jiaqing dared not kill Lu Maoxian because he was deterred by the Green Water Beggar.

Now, taking advantage of the Lu family’s internal strife, He Jiaqing struck again, catching Lu Maoxian off guard and killing him, then framing Lu Chunying for it.

He always gets what he sets out to do. In that regard, I quite admire He Jiaqing.”

The disciple in white deliberated for a moment, then asked the Saint, “Since he is such a capable person, why not recruit him to serve under your command, Master?”

The Saint chuckled, “This person is extremely ambitious. Even if recruited, he would be difficult to tame. However, we can use this as bait to eliminate him.

Find a way to contact him and have him come to Luopuo Province.”

Upon arriving in Heishipo, Li Banfeng first returned to his lodging to find the key.

The key was under the bed, so Li Banfeng quickly returned to his Portable Abode.

Once inside, his wife wasn’t angry; Li Banfeng had told her he would be away for a few days this time.

The Portable Abode wasn’t angry either.

As soon as Li Banfeng sat on the bed, his glove suddenly appeared before him, panting. “Master, now that we’re home, I won’t hide it anymore. The good stuff needs to come out.”

“What good stuff?”

“Master, take a look!” The glove regurgitated a foot-square box, with an iron lock hanging on it!

Li Banfeng simply couldn't comprehend how much storage capacity this single glove possessed.

“You were panting the whole way because you were full?”

“Not because I was full, but because it was too heavy!” As it spoke, the glove picked up a hairpin from the table.

Hong Ying angrily exclaimed, “What are you doing? That’s mine!”

“Just borrowing it. Tomorrow, I’ll have the Master buy you a whole box!”

Hong Ying retorted, “A whole box of what? Are you paying for it?”

“I did! I brought money back for the Master!” The glove took the hairpin, inserted it into the lock, fiddled with it twice, and the lock sprung open.

The box was filled with gold bars, packed to the brim.

The glove tucked its thumb to its chest, bowed, and said, “Master, this is my offering to you. Please have a look.”

Li Banfeng picked up a gold bar. Although it wasn't large, it was surprisingly heavy, no wonder the glove was so exhausted.

“Where did these gold bars come from?”

The glove straightened up and said, “I took them from that old man’s house, right from under his bed!”

That old man?

Lu Maoxian?

“How did you know there was gold under his bed, and besides, the box wasn’t even open?”

The glove said humbly, “If I couldn’t even sniff out gold when I encountered it, how would I dare to stay and eat at the Master’s place?”

Li Banfeng chuckled, “You were so exhausted the whole way just to carry this box of gold?”

The glove’s index finger twitched, mimicking a nod. “As the saying goes, 'wealth should not be revealed.' I couldn’t easily take it out in public, fearing it might bring trouble to the Master.”

Li Banfeng laughed, “Good! Consider it a reward. This box of gold is all yours!”

The glove froze for a moment. “Master, you mean it’s all mine?”

Li Banfeng nodded, “It’s all yours.”

“No, I can’t accept that. This was my offering to you.”

“Why not? This is my reward to you.”

The glove still felt awkward. “Let me keep half then, Master. At least let me leave half for you.”

Li Banfeng smiled, “Half of it you earned with your skill, and the other half I’m giving to you as a gift. So, this entire box of gold still belongs to you.”

The record player nearby interjected, “Oh, husband, what good is all this gold to him? He has nowhere to spend it!”

Li Banfeng chuckled, “My dear wife, this is something you don’t understand. If you like something, you must have it, but you don’t necessarily have to use it.

As long as you possess it, holding it in your hand brings a sense of comfort!”

Upon hearing these words, the glove raised its middle finger and gazed at Li Banfeng.

Some things, not everyone can understand.

But Li Banfeng, surprisingly, understood the glove’s disposition.

Li Banfeng closed the lid of the box and very solemnly handed the box of gold to the glove.

The glove swallowed the box. Its thumb and pinky stood on the ground, while its index finger and ring finger drooped down. It straightened itself and looked earnestly at Li Banfeng.

It felt that Li Banfeng today seemed particularly tall and imposing, so much so that it had to straighten its body completely just to look up at him.

“Master, I…”

“Don’t point your middle finger at me!” Li Banfeng swung his feather duster and slapped the glove onto the ground.

The glove quickly switched its 'head' to its index finger and ran off to the Fifth Chamber alone, happily counting its gold.

Ma Wu had counted and checked the accounts, taking over a coal mine previously owned by Lu Maoxian. Things were progressing very smoothly; surprisingly, the Clear Guard Society hadn't caused any trouble.

With promotion imminent, Ma Wu dared not overwork himself. He left the remaining businesses to his subordinates and returned to the news agency building to rest.

Heishipo was calm and uneventful. Li Banfeng seized this opportunity to investigate the origins and history of the Shumei Paper Mill.

The news reports were accurate: the paper mill was indeed sold by Tu Shumei to the He family. But why did it end up in Shen Rongqing’s hands?

Researching newspapers was arduous work, requiring the integration of seemingly unrelated information. Following the timeline of the news, Li Banfeng finally found a clue.

Not long after acquiring the paper mill, He Haiqin fell ill.

The He and Lu families were engaged in fierce competition at the time, with the focal point of their struggle being Green Water City.

The He family’s business empire was too vast. After He Haiqin fell ill, many of their businesses were neglected, resulting in losses rather than profits.

Under He Haiqin’s instruction at the time, the He family sold off a large number of assets, and the Shumei Paper Mill was one of them.

This paper mill was sold to Shen Rongqing.

What about the other properties?

Qian Xiangjun, Duan Shuqun, Luo Suxuan…

Familiar names reappeared in various news articles.

Connecting this with the cause of He Haiqin’s illness, the sequence of events became clear.

He Jiaqing used Wan Jinxian to incapacitate He Haiqin, which not only changed the situation in Luopuo Province but also earned him a considerable fortune.

He first plotted against the He family, then the Lu family. Roughly calculating these assets, from a wealth perspective alone, He Jiaqing might already be the foremost figure in Luopuo Province.

But why didn't he return to Luopuo Province?

Why didn't he reveal the truth and return to rightfully claim leadership?

Because this leadership position was false.

The economic lifeline was held by the external provinces, and the cultivation lifeline was controlled by the internal provinces. If He Jiaqing were to return now, he would be no different from He Haiqin or Lu Dongliang—merely a pawn to be manipulated.

What would he do next?

Li Banfeng began to speak to himself:

“Sooner or later, he will make a move against me.

If I were to confront him head-on now, I genuinely wouldn't be able to win.

He will use his 'A Farewell of Ten Thousand Miles' technique to prove he’s at least at the ninth level.

Whether it’s cultivation or assets, I can’t compete with him.

The Red Lotus being in my hands has clearly disrupted his plans.

What his plan truly is, I can't yet clearly discern.

Should I continue investigating?

Clues are everywhere, but each one is difficult to trace to its root cause. He Jiaqing's scheme is too vast.

I can't rush. There are more pressing matters at hand right now.”

Having tasted success once, Li Banfeng recalled the appearance of Fengji General Store, preparing to head straight for Yaowanggou.

After thinking for over ten minutes, Li Banfeng was certain every detail was perfectly clear.

He made proper arrangements with his wife, prepared all his magical treasures, and stepped out of the room.

After stepping out, he found himself still in the Night Jasmine News Agency, and still in his own room.

What was happening?

It wasn't working?

Had I not thought clearly enough just now?

Li Banfeng returned to his Portable Abode and thought through everything carefully once more.

Not only did he think, but he also muttered a few words: “Yaowanggou, Ligou…”

After muttering, Li Banfeng was about to leave again when an old voice suddenly echoed in his ear: “You can’t go!”

“Why can’t I go?”

“Too far!”

“Yaowanggou is considered far?”

“There are only two train tracks. What more do you expect?”

Li Banfeng seized the moment to ask, “How can I bring the key inside?”

The Portable Abode remained silent.

It seemed it didn’t want to talk about this.

“Not enough,” Li Banfeng murmured, touching his glove.

The glove was startled. “What’s not enough? Are you talking about the gold?”

Li Banfeng chuckled, “I meant, two train tracks aren’t enough.”