#256 - Chapter 256: City

Xu Le was Cheng Feng's brother-in-law; his older sister, Xu Miao, and Cheng Feng already had a daughter.

A few days ago, Cheng Feng sent Xu Le to Lianshan Prefecture City to scout things out. The task was simple: use the silver taels to purchase a residence and a shop, laying the foundation for the Hong Sect's expansion.

The members of Black Ear had already been arranged by Wang Hu to gather information. Now, it was just a matter of having the Hong Sect's higher-ups take the silver and finalize the deal.

Xu Le felt somewhat helpless about this, but since his brother-in-law had spoken, he could only obey. After all, his sister already had a child with Cheng Feng, and coupled with his brother-in-law's position in the Hong Sect, he had no choice but to comply.

Fortunately, Cheng Feng, considering that Xu Le might encounter danger while traveling and fearing he wouldn't be able to explain it to Xu Miao, sent Wu Feng, who had just broken through to the Bone Forging Realm, to accompany Xu Le. Wu Feng was at a time when he wanted to move after a long period of stillness, so he took this opportunity to see the Prefecture City.

Xu Le and Wu Feng, carefully disguised as a master and servant, carrying aspirations for the future and trepidation about the unknown, resolutely embarked on the long journey to Lianshan Prefecture City.

Xu Le had never left the county town in his life, and Wu Feng hadn't left the county town in a long time. Along the way, they crossed mountains and rivers, experiencing hardships and traveling wearily.

During their journey, they witnessed many tragic scenes, with refugees everywhere and famine raging, which couldn't help but evoke feelings of pity. However, all of this did not stop them from moving forward.

During this journey, Xu Le and Wu Feng also encountered several attacks, but with their superb martial arts skills, these threats were easily resolved. Nevertheless, they remained vigilant and dared not relax in the slightest.

On the day of their arrival in the Prefecture City, it was the height of spring, with flowers blooming all over the city, people coming and going, and a lively atmosphere. Xu Le looked at the scene before him, his heart filled with anticipation for the unknown and a bit of nervousness from being new to the place.

He secretly warned himself that this trip was not only to complete the task entrusted by Cheng Feng but also to pave the way for the Hong Sect to establish itself in the Prefecture City, a great responsibility.

After being influenced by the Hong Sect's style, Xu Le had long lost the vanity and impetuosity of his time in the Si River Gang.

Wu Feng, looking at the place where he had made a name for himself in his youth, also felt a bit emotional.

According to their plan, the two first contacted Zhao Si and Liu Luo, members of Black Ear, to ask about the general situation of the Prefecture City.

Afterward, they went to the brokerage in the city, planning to choose a suitable residence as a temporary stronghold for the Hong Sect in the Prefecture City.

When the brokerage manager saw that the two were extraordinary in bearing, especially Xu Le with the heavy silver taels in his hand, he immediately greeted them with a smile, leading them through various courtyards.

After careful selection, they finally chose a residence located in the east of the city, which was both conveniently located and relatively quiet.

Although the residence was not grand, it was well-arranged, with flowers and trees interspersed between the courtyards, adding a touch of elegance. Xu Le nodded in satisfaction, secretly planning how to transform this place into a place that conformed to the Hong Sect's style.

After settling the residence, Xu Le did not rush to carry out other actions. Instead, he contacted the first batch of Black Ear members again, visiting various places in the Prefecture City to understand the local customs and secretly observe the distribution of various forces.

They found that although the Prefecture City was prosperous, there were undercurrents, with various gangs and prominent families standing, and competition was fierce. Establishing a foothold here was by no means easy.

One day, Xu Le and Wu Feng were taking a break in a teahouse when they inadvertently overheard several merchants at the next table talking about a major event that had recently occurred in the Prefecture City:

A merchant house with a small reputation was suddenly attacked by an unknown force, suffering heavy losses, and the mastermind behind the scenes has not yet been found.

This incident caused a great stir in the Prefecture City, and people were panic-stricken.

After hearing this, Xu Le's heart moved. He realized that this might be a good opportunity for the Hong Sect to show its face in the Prefecture City. So, he whispered to Wu Feng whether to investigate first,

The main thing for a gang to gain a foothold is the ability to collect protection fees and solve problems.

If there are results, the Hong Sect's reputation can be spread. If there are no results, it will not damage the Hong Sect's reputation.

Xu Le still hoped for good results. After all, Wu Feng was also a Bone Forging Realm expert, and his brother-in-law and the current Hong Sect's Wei Zhuang were both strong.

This would not only establish the Hong Sect's prestige but also take the opportunity to get to know people of insight in the Prefecture City, paving the way for future development.

Wu Feng, after all, was someone who had seen big scenes and was not afraid. He carefully considered the current situation. In the end, he did not directly reject Xu Le's proposal.

Wu Feng's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a bit of depth and caution. He took a light sip of tea, and in the curling fragrance of the tea, he slowly said, "Brother Xu is right. If this matter can really be used by our Hong Sect, it would naturally be a great opportunity. However, the Prefecture City is deep, and the forces are intricate. We must act more carefully."

Xu Le nodded in agreement, his eyes flashing with determination: "That's right, that's exactly what I'm considering. We must investigate secretly, both to find out the real culprit and to avoid directly getting involved in unnecessary disputes. I think we can start with the people around the merchant house and listen to whether they have any clues or rumors."

With the discussion settled, they decided to act immediately. Leaving the teahouse, the sun was just right, and the breeze was not dry, but it seemed to carry a bit of unknown coldness.

They crossed the bustling street and came to the front of the attacked merchant house. They saw that the gate was deserted, the prosperity of the past was gone, and only broken walls remained, silently telling of the tragedy of that night.

Xu Le and Wu Feng carefully observed around the merchant house, occasionally talking to passersby, trying to capture useful information from their words.

After half a day of effort, although they did not directly find conclusive evidence, they unexpectedly learned a key clue—on the night of the incident, someone had seen a team of suspicious men in black appear near the merchant house.

As the sun set, the two returned to their temporary stronghold with their gains and began to carefully analyze this clue. Wu Feng pondered for a moment and suggested: "Since men in black appeared, this matter may be related to certain forces in the Prefecture City. We might as well inquire from the local snakes to see if anyone has had any unusual behavior recently."

Xu Le's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Good idea! I'll go buy information to see if they know anything."

As the sun set, Xu Le quietly left, while Wu Feng stayed in the newly bought residence, continuing to sort out today's gains, preparing to continue the investigation tomorrow.

Although the two acted separately, they both understood in their hearts that this was not just an investigation of a case but also a key step for the Hong Sect to establish itself in the Prefecture City.

Golden Breath Building, Xu Le looked at the sign in front of him, this is it, Black Ear inquired about the news, just because there was not enough silver taels so there was no verification.