Chapter 95: Same Name Individuals and Peddler's Path

"Within a hundred miles, there's only one checkpoint, but its location isn't fixed," You Xuetao explained the checkpoint's characteristics.

"If there's only one checkpoint, why isn't it fixed?" Li Banfeng still couldn't understand.

You Xuetao patiently explained, "This is a rule set by the Border Warden. The checkpoint's location changes daily. Those who wish to cross the border must bring their travel permits to the police station early that morning, gather there, and then cross together by noon. It's said this method is to prevent illegal immigrants from making preparations."

It was indeed difficult to prepare. Li Banfeng currently found no opportunity for prior deployment.

After a moment of thought, Li Banfeng asked, "Do you have a way to cross?"

You Xuetao blinked, "What method do you need? Just have your friend bring his travel permit. In two days, I'll take him to the police station, and he can just go through."

Li Banfeng raised his eyebrows, "What if he doesn't have a travel permit? How would he cross then?"

"Not having a travel permit means he's trying to cross illegally, right? What's your friend's background?" You Xuetao stepped forward and playfully hooked Li Banfeng's chin.

Cough, cough, cough!

A woman's coughing sound came from upstairs again.

You Xuetao shouted upstairs, "I told you, this is my friend."

The coughing stopped. You Xuetao looked at Li Banfeng and said, "This is very difficult. Unless your friend's cultivation is incredibly high, he won't be able to cross the border without a travel permit."

"It depends on cultivation?" Li Banfeng thought the person riding the crane had high cultivation, but even he couldn't get through.

You Xuetao nodded, "Yes, it depends on cultivation. Without a travel permit, there are only two ways to cross the border:

The first is identity theft. If someone has obtained a travel permit, you can buy it from them for a hefty sum and impersonate them to cross."

Li Banfeng nodded, "That's a good idea. How much does a travel permit usually cost?"

"I can't say for sure. I've never handled such a matter myself; I've only heard of someone successfully doing it when they happened to encounter someone with the same name."

Li Banfeng was puzzled, "Why does it have to be someone with the same name?"

You Xuetao explained, "The Border Warden possesses a virtue cultivation artifact. He will ask for your name, and you must tell the truth in front of it, otherwise you will die instantly. The only exceptions are if you have the same name as the permit holder or if your cultivation level surpasses that artifact."

Same name?

That seems like a rare stroke of luck.

It's better to focus on that artifact. After all, Li Banfeng is a two-level home cultivator.

"What level is that artifact?"

You Xuetao replied, "I heard it's an eighth-level artifact. As long as your cultivation is above the eighth level, and you can suppress the artifact within a short time without revealing any flaws, you can pass smoothly."

Li Banfeng nodded, "Let's talk about the other path."

Eighth-level?

How many eighth-level cultivators are there in Puro Province?

And it has to be above eighth level!

That would mean ninth or tenth level.

Li Banfeng had never heard of such people.

You Xuetao said, "The other path is called the Peddler's Way. It's said that peddlers who travel across various regions use the Peddler's Way."

Li Banfeng's eyes lit up, "Where is the Peddler's Way?"

"Over two hundred miles to the west."

"Distance isn't an issue." For Li Banfeng, two hundred miles was just over three hours of walking.

You Xuetao sighed, "It's not a matter of distance. The Peddler's Way is just a legend. Although I haven't seen much, I've lived for twenty-six years, and I've never heard of anyone finding the Peddler's Way, let alone anyone leaving Yaowang Gully alive through it.

Rumor has it that to find the Peddler's Way, one must possess sufficient means and destiny. Moreover, the Peddler's Way is teeming with countless monsters and fierce beasts, making it a hundred times more dangerous than the New Land. If your friend doesn't have the capability, don't even consider this option."

Neither of these paths was viable, and Li Banfeng's expression grew serious.

With all suggestions given, You Xuetao carefully asked, "Why do you insist on leaving Yaowang Gully?"

No need to mention friends anymore; everyone knew what was going on.

Li Banfeng didn't beat around the bush. "To escape an enemy."

The answer was simple, but You Xuetao understood the gravity of the situation.

"Just hide here with me for now. Your enemy probably won't chase you to such a remote place."

Li Banfeng hesitated for a long time, then shook his head. "He hasn't come yet, but he will, eventually. I can't hide here with you. Take me to the police station to take a look."

You Xuetao shook her head. "It's no use going there; you can't slip through. The checkpoint isn't open today or tomorrow. Let's wait until the day after tomorrow."

Li Banfeng checked the calendar; it was Saturday.

After all, he was from out of province, and the Border Warden still maintained the custom of having two days off a week.

You Xuetao took a stroll around the village, bought many ingredients, and set up a stove in front of the bamboo house to cook a sumptuous meal for Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng took out the salted fish and wine. After eating canned food for several days, he thoroughly enjoyed this meal.

"Isn't your companion coming down to eat with us?" Li Banfeng looked upstairs.

You Xuetao shook her head. "She's afraid of strangers. Don't mind her."

After eating their fill, You Xuetao found a hammock and let Li Banfeng sleep on the first floor.

After You Xuetao went upstairs, Li Banfeng heard a few arguing voices. You Xuetao's companion was clearly angry.

"He's my friend, and we didn't do anything. What are you getting angry about?" You Xuetao was scolding her companion.

Her companion remained silent, only sobbing repeatedly.

Li Banfeng did not sleep in the bamboo house. He walked to the field next to it and entered his Portable Dwelling.

As soon as he lay down, he suddenly heard a crackle from the phonograph. "Oh, husband, why do you smell of rouge? Were you secretly meeting some cheap woman?"

Li Banfeng touched the front of the phonograph. "Not a cheap woman, but a good person."

"How can you say she's a good person?"

"She can help me leave Yaowang Gully."

"Leaving Yaowang Gully, where will you go, husband?"

"To Greenwater Bay!"

*Clang*

"To Greenwater Bay! What a brilliant plan, husband!"

Li Banfeng's eyes lit up. "My dear, do you also think this plan is good?"

"Your humble servant doesn't understand strategies. Like a chicken follows a chicken and a dog follows a dog, whatever strategy my husband has, your humble servant thinks it's good."

According to Li Banfeng's plan, he would go to the police station early the day after tomorrow to see who was leaving the country.

If he found a suitable person, Li Banfeng would immediately enter his Portable Dwelling and find a way to place the key on them.

The execution needed to be covert and precise.

As long as that person successfully crossed the border, Li Banfeng could also pass through with them.

This was different from the situation on the train.

Li Banfeng didn't need to worry too much about timing.

If he emerged too early, at most he would startle the person; he wouldn't encounter terrifying attendants, nor would he face the problem of having no escape on a train.

The next morning, You Xuetao came downstairs but didn't see Li Banfeng.

Where did he go?

Did he leave because he was unhappy after hearing us argue last night?

And he left without saying goodbye?

By noon, when he still hadn't appeared, You Xuetao grew very anxious. Hearing footsteps outside the door, she thought Li Banfeng had returned, but when she opened it, she saw Captain Wu Jinming of the police.

"Officer Wu? Are you looking for me?" You Xuetao quickly masked her disappointment, replacing it with a full smile.

Wu Jinming didn't smile. He had an important mission on this trip. "Where is that sworn brother who came to see you yesterday?"

You Xuetao chuckled, "I'm looking for him too. That ungrateful fellow, I fed him well last night, and he was gone early this morning."

"What's his name?"

"His surname is Bai, and his name is Baisha." You Xuetao didn't hide anything. Whether the name was real or fake, You Xuetao couldn't make it up, otherwise, if Wu Jinming met Li Banfeng, their stories wouldn't match.

"Surname Bai?" Wu Jinming wasn't entirely convinced. He took a photo from an envelope and handed it to You Xuetao. "Is this the person?"

You Xuetao took a look.

This was a photo of Li Banfeng from his university days.

At first glance, it didn't look very much like him.

The Li Banfeng in the photo had a buzz cut, wore sportswear, and his face showed a distinct youthfulness and naivety.

Now, Li Banfeng hadn't had a haircut in a long time, his hair was longer, and he often wore suits, giving him a more stern and mature appearance.

However, if one looked closely at his features, traces of Li Banfeng could still be seen in the photo.

You Xuetao pretended not to know, "Looking at his clothes, is he from out of province?"

"Never mind which province he's from, is this person your sworn brother?"

You Xuetao shook her head. "No, he doesn't look like him at all. Baisha has a square face, and this young man has a long face. Baisha is thirty-five or thirty-six, isn't this young man barely twenty?

Baisha has dark skin and small eyes, while this young man has large eyes and fair skin. They are clearly not the same person, far from it."

Were there really so many differences between the photo and the actual person?

Yes, there were. This was You Xuetao's skill in speaking.

Li Banfeng did indeed have a long face, and with a buzz cut during his campus days, his face appeared particularly elongated.

However, when he appeared in Mazhu Village yesterday, he was wearing a fedora, which made his face appear considerably shorter.

In the shadow of the fedora, Li Banfeng's skin looked darker and his eyes appeared smaller, so what You Xuetao said was all true.

Furthermore, Li Banfeng had grown a full beard, instantly making him look older and genuinely like a different person.

Under her psychological suggestion, Wu Jinming also felt that the person he saw yesterday didn't resemble Li Banfeng much.

But he remained uneasy and turned to ask You Xuetao, "What does your sworn brother do for a living?"

You Xuetao shook her head. "I don't know that. It was just a casual fling, only for mutual pleasure, so I didn't bother asking too many questions about certain things."

Wu Jinming kept staring into You Xuetao's eyes.

You Xuetao's gaze was calm and natural, without the slightest hint of evasion.

Wu Jinming frowned. "You Xuetao, almost everyone with cultivation in Mazhu Village has been to the police station, but I've never given you a hard time. Don't cause me trouble either.

If your sworn brother comes back, report it to the police station immediately."

You Xuetao's eyes flickered, and she shook her head repeatedly. "How dare I let him come back? Hearing what you said, I'm truly terrified. Officer Wu, what exactly did this man do?"

Wu Jinming said, "The person we're looking for is named Li Banfeng. A notice has already been posted at the village entrance; you can go take a look when you have time.

I don't know if your sworn brother is Li Banfeng, but Li Banfeng has offended the Lu family, and now the Lu family is searching for him throughout Yaowang Gully. It's highly likely he'll try to cross the border illegally.

I'll say it again: if you have any information about him, tell me immediately, or you'll be considered an accomplice!"