Chapter 613: Help Him Jump the Queue

Cuitik sat on a large bluestone, pulling out a stack of papers and a fountain pen, which he filled with ink. He then began to settle accounts with Li Banfeng.

"Our friendship is unbreakable; I've never doubted that. However, business matters must be made clear upfront, especially this one. The cost for me is very high. A peculiar fungus is growing on your friend, and having received a higher education, you know how troublesome fungi can be. Furthermore, this fungus is beyond my knowledge; I've never encountered a similar strain, nor do I have a direct strategy to effectively combat it. And you want me to develop a medicine to eradicate this fungus, which further increases the difficulty of treatment. Given such high costs, my fees will also be substantial."

Li Banfeng was ready: "Tell me!"

Cuitik presented his first condition: "I've been ordered by the Peddler to maintain order at Desong Cliff. I've signed contracts with many Duxiu leaders here, requiring them not to initiate war for a short period, or they will suffer severe illness. However, the main issue now is that the war at Desong Cliff involves not only Duxiu but also many gangs from Puro Prefecture. They refuse to sign any contracts with me, and I cannot kill them. According to the Peddler's restrictions, I am limited in the number of people I can kill. Therefore, the first thing I need your help with is to make these gang members leave Desong Cliff. If not all, at least most of them should leave."

Li Banfeng nodded, saying, "That can be done."

Cuitik then stated his second condition: "Desong Cliff suffered severe losses in this war. Based on my estimations, they will face starvation this winter. I've experienced hunger; you cannot expect a hungry person to remain rational. Faced with a test of survival, they are highly likely to incite war again. Friend, I hope you can provide Desong Cliff with a supply of grain. This shouldn't be a significant expense for you."

"I agree to that as well."

Cuitik had changed significantly, and Li Banfeng couldn't yet discern the source of this transformation. Was it the Peddler's influence on him?

"My third condition: during this war, several key individuals have been restless. I originally intended to kill them to resolve the issue, but their prestige at Desong Cliff is extremely high. Killing them would likely lead to more severe conflicts. I hope you can help me exert some deterrence over these people—deterrence alone will suffice."

Li Banfeng looked at Cuitik and said, "Is this really you? I haven't mistaken you for someone else, have I?"

Cuitik chuckled, "I'm just trying to solve problems more effectively, for example..." "Noodle soup, delicious!" A child brought a bowl of noodle soup to Bulb.

Cuitik stood up and carried the child away: "I told you not to play with him yet; he has many small, very dangerous things on him." Bulb glanced down at the child. He wasn't very interested in the noodle soup; he didn't feel like eating. He just wanted to stand perfectly still as he was.

Cuitik approached Bulb. The density of the fungus on Bulb made Cuitik frown deeply. "The good news is, through you, I can obtain a large number of experimental samples. The bad news is I might not be able to 'eat' it all, and you might not be able to withstand it."

Bulb glanced at Cuitik, then turned his head, still standing perfectly straight.

Cuitik concentrated, standing beside Bulb. After more than three minutes, Cuitik's cheeks swelled. This was no exaggeration; the sheer quantity of fungus was indeed too much for Cuitik to "consume." He forced it down, but his cheeks swelled again. It was unclear if this was new fungus acquired from Bulb, or if he hadn't swallowed it all and regurgitated some. After repeatedly swallowing several times, Cuitik let out a long breath. He looked at Li Banfeng: "Fungi and spores, what a wonderful sensation!"

Li Banfeng looked at Bulb.

That night at the Dark Star Bureau, Bulb had stood continuously. He also stood for most of the train journey. Now, he was finally tired of standing and lay down on the ground.

"Master Seven, the sky in Puro Prefecture is truly blue." The moment he lay down, tears welled in Bulb's eyes. Candied Fruit and Begonia were very excited; they also thought the sky in Puro Prefecture was beautiful.

Cuitik was extremely excited. Not only was the sky very blue to him, but he also saw angels descending from the heavens.

"Li Qi, my friend, look quickly! Angels are descending to earth! This is a miracle!" Cuitik excitedly dashed up the mountain path.

He hadn't seen a miracle; he was likely poisoned from an overdose of fungus. Li Banfeng had seen similar cases at the Dark Star Bureau; such incidents had occurred multiple times in Nanzhao Province. Seeing the direction Cuitik was running, the child grew anxious, shouting as he chased after him.

"Gao, Gaogao!"

"There's a giant 'De' character here! It seems even angels admire virtue!" Cuitik waved his hands and leaped off the cliff. The child screamed in fright. Soon after, Li Qi flew up from below the cliff, carrying Cuitik.

Cuitik sang Amikan's ballads, waving his hands as if he were an angel soaring through the sky.

Bulb was not completely cured. As Cuitik himself had said, the quantity of fungus was too vast for him to consume all at once. The troublesome part was that if he couldn't consume it all at once, the remaining fungus would immediately multiply rapidly. By the next morning, Bulb was back at the cave entrance, standing.

"Merely manipulating microorganisms won't solve this stubborn fungus," Cuitik admitted, his head aching slightly. "I'll have to create some 'friends' and have a good fight with them." Although there were setbacks, Li Banfeng trusted Cuitik: "First, get his condition under control. I'll go check on the gangs."

Upon arriving at Desong Cliff, Li Banfeng was immediately taken to Decheng Mountain and hadn't yet had a chance to visit the various villages. After a phone call with Luo Zhengnan, he first went to Deyuan Village.

Cuitik and Luo Zhengnan were both deeply impressed by this village because its chief, Song Demei, was a central figure in the war. He arrived at the west entrance of the village, where archways stretched deep into the village along the road, even denser than the archway street in Yaowanggou. After lingering at the village entrance for a moment, Luo Zhengnan arrived. Li Banfeng asked, "Who erected all these archways?"

"They were all erected for the people of Deyuan Village: loyal ministers, top scholars, filial sons, virtuous women—all people of great virtue. There are over a hundred archways here." "Over a hundred people of great virtue from one village?"

"That's not even many. I've inquired these past two days; Deyuan Village calls itself 'the source of great virtue.' Many people who died years ago are still waiting for archways to be erected. Although the village chief has promised many, there isn't enough land in the village."

So, this war was sparked because there wasn't enough land for archways?

Li Banfeng asked, "Have you gathered enough information about the various gangs?"

Luo Zhengnan was thorough: "All the information has been gathered. Sixteen gangs, large and small, sent people to Desong Cliff, and the leaders of two of them came in person." Li Banfeng was surprised: "Who invited them? That's quite influential."

"Mostly Song Demei invited them. Song Demei used to wander the jianghu in her early years and made many friends. This time, she invested a considerable sum. The villages under her control were all thoroughly exploited, and even the winter grain was sold off. All the money went to these gang members."

Li Banfeng understood the situation and devised a strategy: "Inform these gangs that we'll host a dinner for them tomorrow night. Find a suitable place."

Luo Zhengnan looked troubled: "Master Seven, the location is difficult to choose. If we pick another village, they might not agree to come. If we choose Deyuan Village, Song Demei might not tolerate us."

Li Banfeng thought Deyuan Village was a good spot: "Let's choose this archway street. I think it's a good location. I want to see if Song Demei dares to stop us. If she really has that much courage, things will be much simpler."

Luo Zhengnan advised, "Master Seven, Dr. Cuitik is a master killer, but think about why he isn't acting personally? When I chatted with Dr. Cuitik, I intentionally asked a few questions. This matter was instructed by the Peddler, and he cannot kill indiscriminately." Li Banfeng raised an eyebrow: "What does his inability to kill have to do with me? I didn't make any promises to the Peddler."

Luo Zhengnan shook his head: "That's true in principle, but it's not how things work. If the Peddler forbids Dr. Cui from killing indiscriminately, and we go on a killing spree here, won't that deliberately undermine the Peddler's authority? How about we discuss it and try to kill as few as possible?"

The two discussed it and sent invitations to all the gangs. Luo Zhengnan even specifically invited Song Demei. Just as Li Qi predicted, Song Demei didn't stop Luo Zhengnan, but she claimed to be busy with village affairs and didn't attend the banquet.

The representatives from the major gangs didn't reject Li Qi's invitation. When the time came, everyone arrived, but they had agreed beforehand: they could eat the food and drink the wine, but their respective gang members absolutely could not be withdrawn.

At 7 PM, the banquet began promptly. The gang members looked around, but no one saw Li Qi.

Luo Tongkui, the Silver Seal of the Three Heroes Gate, asked, "Old Luo, what's the meaning of this? Our brothers gave Master Seven face, but he doesn't seem to think much of us. He invites us to dinner but doesn't show up himself? What kind of talk is that?"

Luo Tongkui had a large, shiny bald head with no hair. He had injured his right eye years ago and wore an eye patch, giving him a somewhat intimidating appearance.

Luo Zhengnan chuckled, "Master Kui, please don't get angry. Master Seven has already arrived. I took the liberty of having a couple of drinks with everyone first, catching up and exchanging pleasantries."

"What pleasantries do I need to exchange with you? If Li Qi isn't coming, why are we here? Do we lack this meal of yours?" Luo Tongkui stood up to leave, but suddenly felt a tingling sensation. His body trembled for a moment, and he sat back down in his chair.

An outsider would surely know he'd been electrocuted, but few in Puro Prefecture had seen electricity. Luo Tongkui had seen electricity, but never witnessed someone being shocked, so it took him a while to react. Luo Tongkui pointed at Luo Zhengnan and cursed, "You little bastard, you dare lay a hand on me!"

Hearing Luo Tongkui curse, several escorts rushed forward to protect Luo Zhengnan.

Luo Tongkui, indignant, called his subordinates: "What's going on? Let's size each other up here. Our Three Heroes Gate doesn't fall for your tricks!"

Luo Zhengnan motioned for the escorts to step back and invited Luo Tongkui to sit down first: "Master Kui, don't get so angry. This is for your own good. A few minor squabbles between us are nothing, but if you speak like that when Master Seven arrives, things will get serious."

"I speak like this everywhere! I want to see how serious things can get. Isn't Li Qi unwilling to see me? Then let him meet our Grand Golden Seal! Tell him to talk to the Grand Golden Seal, not me!" Luo Tongkui stood up and left.

Luo Zhengnan didn't stop him. He turned to the others and asked, "Gentlemen, is this also your intention?"

Jiang Jingqi, the hall master of the White Crane Gang, spoke up: "Brother Luo, Master Seven has been very helpful to our gang, and we have a good relationship. But we all understand the rules of the jianghu: once you've agreed to help someone resolve an issue, there's no turning back halfway. I think Master Kui is right. If Master Seven doesn't want to see us, he shouldn't have invited us. Whatever matters, tell our gang leader."

Sha Jianfeng, the leader of the Sand Serpent Alliance, took a puff from his cigarette and sneered, "Master Seven looks down on the brothers from the various halls; I won't comment on that. But I, Da Fengzi, am the head of the Sand Serpent Alliance. Can't Master Seven humble himself to meet me? This is too disrespectful! We believe Master Seven has the power to turn things upside down in Puro Prefecture, but we are not convinced. I can't speak for others, but our Sand Serpent Alliance will not yield! Our brothers in the Sand Serpent Alliance are not cowards who fear death!"

"We won't yield, and our brothers don't fear death!"

Everyone stood up, ready to leave. Luo Zhengnan called out, "Don't rush, the food is being served."

Sha Jianfeng twisted her waist, her figure-hugging brocade qipao clinging tightly to her body, her curves particularly striking and eye-catching. "Keep it for yourself," she said. "We're not here to freeload off your meal. We're not that poor!"

Luo Zhengnan secretly admired her. The Sand Serpent Alliance was a mid-tier gang, and putting aside their other abilities, Da Fengzi's appearance and figure were truly impeccable. "Sister, since you've come all this way, you must at least taste the first dish before you leave. Waiter, open the pot!"

Luo Zhengnan ordered the pot opened. A young man brought out a pot, and as he lifted the lid, a fragrant aroma wafted out with the steam. Everyone looked into the pot and saw a large bald head stewing inside, still wearing an eye patch over its right eye.

This head belonged to Luo Tongkui, the Silver Seal of the Three Heroes Gate.

He had just left, and in less time than it takes to smoke a cigarette, his head was already stewing here. Sha Jianfeng twisted her waist again and turned to sit back in her chair.

The others also sat down, heads bowed, silent.

Luo Zhengnan lit a cigarette and sighed softly: "None of you are familiar with Master Seven, so listen to my advice. Sometimes, not seeing Master Seven isn't necessarily a bad thing. Look at Master Kui; he insisted on seeing Master Seven, and now he's in the pot, isn't he? Everyone, don't just sit there. Pick up your chopsticks and eat. We can chat while we eat."

How could they eat? Were they supposed to eat Luo Tongkui's head?

Everyone remained silent. Luo Zhengnan flicked his cigarette ash and sighed, "It seems this dish isn't to your taste."

"It's alright if it's not to your taste," Li Qi said, pulling up a chair and sitting beside Luo Zhengnan. "Pack it up and send it to Shen Jinzhong." Everyone shivered. They didn't know who this person was, nor when he had arrived.

The Three Heroes Gate was the largest gang. Seeing this person's attitude toward Shen Jinzhong, the Grand Golden Seal of the Three Heroes Gate, everyone present deduced his identity. Luo Zhengnan smiled, "Didn't you all want to see Master Seven? Now you've seen him!"

Everyone's faces turned ashen. They dared not look up or speak, and no one dared to glance at Li Qi again.

Li Banfeng scanned the group and said, "Don't be reserved. Eat and drink as you wish. If this dish isn't to your liking, I'll change it for you!" Except for Li Qi and Luo Zhengnan, everyone else involuntarily shivered.

Li Qi continued, "After this meal, it's time for everyone to depart."

Everyone shivered again. Li Banfeng chuckled, "Don't misunderstand, everyone. I meant it's time for you all to return home. You are all courageous people, and your subordinates aren't afraid of death. But that doesn't mean *you* aren't afraid of death, does it?"

Everyone bowed their heads in silence. What Li Qi said was indeed true.

Li Banfeng specifically asked Sha Jianfeng, "Alliance Leader Sha, will you return tomorrow?"

"Yes!" Sha Jianfeng nodded repeatedly. "Not just tomorrow; I'll return tonight."

Li Qi praised, "Alliance Leader Sha, you are a clever person. Old Luo always praises you, saying that among all the leaders in Puro Prefecture, he admires you the most."

Luo Zhengnan's cheeks flushed slightly. Sha Jianfeng quickly said, "Brother Luo and I have a deep friendship. How about this: I won't leave tonight. I'll have a few more drinks with Brother Luo and catch up."

That night, all the gangs quickly gathered their people, packed their belongings, and prepared to go home.

Sha Jianfeng delegated these tasks to her subordinates. That very night, she genuinely went to Old Luo's place to reminisce: "Brother Luo, I'm a bit impatient and often speak without thinking. Please don't take it to heart." As she spoke, Sha Jianfeng twisted her waist and sat on Luo Zhengnan's lap.

Luo Zhengnan sighed softly: "I don't take it to heart, but you're truly getting to my heart!"

The next morning, all the major gangs, with their full complement of people and luggage, headed towards the west entrance of the village. Passing through the archway road, they would reach the main road directly, and in less than half a day, they could walk to the train station. Song Demei stood beneath her father's archway, cupping her hands to the crowd and saying, "Brothers, I, your elder sister, have never treated you unfairly, have I? Are you truly going to abandon me?" Ma Songquan, the leader of the Soup & Porridge Gang, draped a handkerchief over his shoulder, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "Elder Sister, we've encountered a problem..."

"Say no more," Song Demei sighed. "Little Ma, do you remember when you were selling porridge on the street in Haichiling, and the people from Yao Family Village overturned your stall and beat you half to death? Who interceded to save you? Surely, you haven't forgotten that incident?"

Hearing this, Ma Songquan recalled the past, his nose stung, and he used the handkerchief on his shoulder to wipe away tears.

He had spent his early years at the Three Heroes Gate, achieving second-tier cultivation. Not wanting to live a life constantly risking his head, he left the Three Heroes Gate and set up a stall on Toudaoling in Haichiling. He sold noodle soup, porridge, and rice, working from dawn till dusk, earning just enough each day to support his family.

That day, Song Demei was visiting Pan Dehai and decided to stop by Yao Family Village, a local gang in Haichiling. Ma Songquan happened to be unlucky; Song Demei wanted a bowl of porridge before leaving and coincidentally came to Ma Songquan's stall.

A Duxiu eating porridge would naturally have to consume it with some "virtue." Song Demei first complained that the rice wasn't right, then that the water wasn't right, and finally, that the cooking time was off. In short, she was dissatisfied with the porridge. Ma Songquan, having also come up through the jianghu, still had some temper and exchanged a few words with Song Demei.

The young master of Yao Family Village was present and ordered his men to overturn the soup and porridge stall and beat Ma Songquan half to death. Ma Songquan, possessing cultivation, could not swallow this insult and wanted to fight the Yao Family Village members to the death.

Seeing this situation, Song Demei quickly played the good samaritan, saying a few mediating words and smoothing things over. Was this considered kindness?

It depends on how you look at it.

If Ma Songquan had simply let it go weakly, the matter would have been forgotten, and Song Demei wouldn't have remembered this favor. However, after this incident, Ma Songquan no longer wanted to live a life of indignity. He started anew, forming a gang—the current Soup & Porridge Gang. No matter where he went, he always wore a handkerchief over his shoulder, still looking like a porridge vendor.

He had built up his gang, and his own cultivation had also advanced. Ma Songquan went to Yao Family Village, pushed the young master from that year to the ground, stepped on his face, and demanded twenty silver dollars from Yao Family Village for his ransom, or else he would take his life.

Song Demei intervened again, speaking well of both sides, making Yao Family Village pay 100,000 silver dollars to save the young master. After this incident, Song Demei had another favor owed to her by Yao Family Village.

This incident spread throughout the jianghu, and these two favors became well-known.

When Song Demei saw Ma Songquan, she naturally recounted the events of that year. Ma Songquan, tearfully, said, "Elder Sister, with your words today, our Soup & Porridge Gang will absolutely not take another step out of here! Brothers, turn back!"

The leader of a gang! His word was law! Ma Songquan had declared that they would not exit from the village's west gate, and he had to keep his word! So, he led his men out through the east gate.

Walking along the road, Ma Songquan muttered to himself, "Elder Sister, I sincerely make you a wish: if this old body is gone, next year I'll bring a bowl of porridge to your grave for you to check if the cooking was just right."

With all the gang members gone, Song Demei sat on the archway road at the village entrance, pondering a solution. She called her three sons over to help her brainstorm.

Her eldest son thought it was time to stop: "Mother, let's not dispute this local territory anymore. You have your own dominion elsewhere; why bother clinging to Desong Cliff? Wang Zhengde's contract is buried somewhere unknown, many surrounding villages don't submit to us, the Peddler doesn't like us and sent a foreigner to mess with us, and now Li Qi has also gotten involved. If we keep fighting like this, we won't gain anything, and our family's wealth will be exhausted."

Song Demei remained silent. She had indeed called her three sons to brainstorm, but she didn't like her eldest son's suggestion. Seeing this, the second son didn't rush to speak: "Mother, I'll think this matter over more carefully."

The third son, being young and hot-blooded, said, "What is this Li Qi? How dare he come looking for trouble at our doorstep?"

The eldest son glared at the third: "If you don't know who Li Qi is, at least go out and ask around. This person is not to be trifled with."

The third son sneered, "Do you think I haven't heard of him? Isn't he just a new figure from Greenwater City? We can't control what he does in Greenwater City, but at Desong Cliff, it's not his turn to be arrogant! Those jianghu people were scared witless, but we don't need them. I'll go call the elders from the surrounding villages. We'll invite Li Qi for drinks tonight. If he dares not come, he's a spineless good-for-nothing. If he dares to come, we'll deal with him at the banquet table."

Song Demei remained silent, but a faint smile appeared on her face. She clearly enjoyed her third son's words.

The second son, sensing Song Demei's thoughts, quickly continued along that line: "We don't necessarily have to resort to violence. Duxiu practitioners emphasize subduing others with virtue. If Li Qi listens to reason and understands the implications of advancing or retreating, it wouldn't hurt to spare his life."

After these words, the old woman became even happier.

The eldest son was truly old. People of his age inevitably become a bit stubborn. Even knowing his mother wouldn't like it, he still spoke.

"Third brother, you know that Li Qi killed Xiao Zhenggong at the Jiangxiang Gang's banquet, don't you? Do you think your schemes are so clever? Do you think Li Qi hasn't experienced this before?"

The third son snorted, "What is Xiao Zhenggong? Can he compare to us?"

The eldest son said, "That was the leader of the Jiangxiang Gang, and the Jiangxiang Gang was annihilated by Li Qi just like that!" Song Demei's expression grew increasingly grim.

The second son quickly mediated: "Big brother, the Jiangxiang Gang was unprepared, and Li Qi used a stealthy move. Can that be compared to us, who are fully prepared to deal with Li Qi? Besides, what was Xiao Zhenggong's cultivation level, and what is Mother's? They shouldn't even be compared!"

The eldest son was still worried: "But what if that foreigner comes with him?"

The second son also had some concerns about this. If Li Qi came with the foreigner, Song Demei might not be able to handle it.

The third son, however, had a counter-strategy: "If the foreigner comes along, we'll adapt our actions. If we can capture both of them, we'll find a way to do so. If we really can't, then we just don't make a move, right? We'll invite them for a meal, finish it amicably, and the matter will be over, won't it? This is a foolproof plan!" The eldest son still felt it wasn't safe: "But the crucial thing is..."

Song Demei slapped her eldest son: "The ancestors of the Song family are all watching from above. When you speak, watch your lineage." The eldest son lowered his head and looked at the archway above him.

This archway indeed belonged to the Song family's old patriarch, but the eldest son still wanted to say something: his own lineage had little to do with the Song ancestors, as his surname wasn't Song. However, he certainly couldn't say this aloud; if he did, it would be more than just a slap.

Furthermore, what the third son said made some sense. If Cuitik came along, they would simply host a meal, giving them room to maneuver, and nothing major should go wrong. Having decided on the plan, the third son went to invite the village elders, the second son prepared the banquet, and the eldest son had the most challenging task: he had to go to Decheng Mountain to deliver the invitation to Li Qi. The eldest son didn't want to go, but Song Demei said that this incident was necessary to train his courage.

The banquet was set for the next day. The eldest son delivered the invitation to the mountain at dusk, and Li Banfeng indeed accepted it.

Seeing the eldest son return safely, the third son laughed, "Big brother, wasn't I right? This is a foolproof plan. We either win or break even, but we definitely won't lose!"

Although the plan was well-conceived, no detail could be overlooked. Song Demei was a meticulous person. She and her three sons spent an entire night preparing, thinking through every conceivable scenario.

What if Li Qi turned hostile midway? What if he backed down? What if he remained ambiguous and didn't express his stance?

When to speak, when to drink, when to make a move, which words were crucial, what degree of frankness to use, which phrases were coded messages, and who would make the first move—everything had to be meticulously prepared.

The next day at dusk, the banquet was set. Hearing that Li Banfeng planned to attend alone tonight, without Cuitik, Song Demei was overjoyed and prepared to eliminate Li Qi. The eldest son was ready, the second son was ready, but what about the third?

"Mother!" The second son rushed into the house in a panic. "Something happened to third brother, on the archway road!" Song Demei quickly went to the archway road and saw her third son hanging from Old Master Song's archway. By the time they took him down, he was stone cold.

Song Demei collapsed onto the ground, speechless for a long time. The eldest son found it hard to say anything, merely wiping away tears beside her.

The second son recalled his third brother's earlier words. His third brother had repeatedly claimed it was a foolproof plan.

The plan was indeed foolproof in its execution, but who could have known that Li Qi wouldn't follow it at all? On Decheng Mountain, Li Banfeng was eating zhajiangmian made by Cuitik.

Cuitik looked down the mountain and asked Li Banfeng, "Is doing this appropriate?"

"There's nothing inappropriate about it," Li Banfeng said, serving a bowl of noodles to Old Luo. "Old Luo told me that a lot of people in Deyuan Village are lining up to have archways erected. I think their third son isn't bad, so I hung him on the archway. It's like helping him cut the line."