Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1056: Not settling for small fish

Reconstruction of the mansion in Emerald Falls City had yet to commence, as preliminary arrangements were still being finalized by Old Yen’s team.

One such arrangement involved establishing a sham construction crew, composed of Old Yen's own subordinates, whom they would ostensibly 'hire' for the rebuilding work.

This facade would allow them to discreetly deploy a substantial contingent of Symbol Arts Masters and basic laborers from the Soaring Feather Trading Company to carry out the actual construction.

Concurrently, Sui Luxiao suggested bypassing the establishment of a direct Soaring Feather Trading Company branch within the city. Instead, the strategy was to identify a small, local entity that could be acquired, thereby implementing the Inner-Outer Valley strategy from the outset.

This proposal brought tears of joy to Kwon Qianhong, as it meant he would be spared the exorbitant expense of purchasing prime real estate, typically the most valuable in any city, which such a successful trading company would require.

Liang Yuhan adopted a similar approach, aiming to take over an existing local information brokerage rather than setting up a new branch. This significant task was entrusted to a trio led by Nie Guanting, with the full support of the Thousand Eyes Palace personnel.

—

"Hmm, there are no major powers here, correct?", Nie Guanting and his two companions were seated around a modest table within the tranquil Wu Family Manor in Emerald Falls City, perusing a preliminary list of potential targets for acquisition.

"By major powers, you mean...?", Old Yen inquired cautiously, already sensing an unfavorable turn of events given that Wu Long had delegated leadership of this operation to the former prince.

"The significant ones, like the Three Palaces or any equivalent..."

"None of those are present here; they are all local entities, although they do cooperate readily with the Palace of Secrets", Old Yen confirmed with a nod. "However, the Palace of Secrets primarily directs its attention towards the most prominent organization here, the Quiet Lake Hall. As far as we know, the others merely endeavor to gain their favor without significant recognition."

"Mm, then we shall take over that most significant one, the Quiet Lake Hall", Nie Guanting declared decisively, folding his arms with an expression of contentment.

"Wh-...? D-didn't you hear what I just told you? They are essentially the sole operators under the direct purview of the Palace of Secrets, even if not formally subordinate. We will be provoking a conflict with the Palace of Secrets!", Old Yen's eyes widened in alarm.

"Bahaha! Brother, you truly never settle for the small fry, do you?", Kwon Qianhong interjected, slapping Nie Guanting's shoulder, a gesture the latter barely registered.

"Naturally!", Nie Guanting grinned. "If we are to take over an organization, it should be the apex predator of this pond!"

He then turned to Old Yen, adding, "And yes, we are undeniably picking a fight with that Palace of Secrets. Do you think the Boss is attempting to avoid one? You heard him, didn't you? The moment he handed me the reins for this mission, it was tantamount to an instruction to 'start dismantling things' rather than proceeding with extreme caution. It would be a different matter if they possessed a direct branch here, but since it's merely a peripheral local organization, it signifies nothing more than a negligible disturbance to them, barely warranting a flicker of attention, at least for the current moment."

"That...", Old Yen began, raising a finger to interject, but his movement faltered, the finger freezing mid-air before slightly losing its intended momentum. "...actually does sound plausible."

After all, Wu Long's actions were seldom without strategic purpose.

The shift in the mission's objective, from a simple acquisition of a location—perhaps employing forceful methods—to the takeover of an already operational organization, would have prompted Wu Long to reassign the leadership if he desired a more circumspect approach. Yet, he had inexplicably retained Nie Guanting in charge despite this fundamental change in scope.

"Furthermore, we will not only eliminate their most dependable source of local intelligence but also bring it under our control, thereby establishing our dominance as information brokers in this region and diminishing the influence of the Palace of Secrets. When they seek to re-establish a connection point here, they will be forced to settle for a secondary option, which we will then suppress," Kwon Qianhong mused, stroking his chin as he deciphered Nie Guanting's strategy.

"Hehe, assuming we even permit them to re-establish a foothold," Nie Guanting chuckled. "But that decision rests with the Boss."

"Very well, how shall we proceed?", Old Yen quickly adopted a more pragmatic demeanor.

"We'll smash down their door and go for their leader," Nie Guanting declared, his fist striking the table, causing its contents to jolt slightly. He then slowly opened his hand, palm up. "...is what I would like to state, but the Boss did not specify that I was undertaking this alone, only that I was in charge. Therefore, I suppose we must devise a plan, as you gentlemen prefer, to ensure no collateral inconveniences arise for the Boss."

"Hehehe, don’t worry, brother, you’ll still have plenty of opportunities for breaking down doors and smashing heads even if we do a bit of legwork beforehand," Kwon Qianhong chuckled. "This opponent won't go down easily, despite what its name might suggest."

Old Yen shook his head, observing the two's casual attitude when faced with a mission that required opposing an organization boasting multiple experts in the Essence Gathering Realm, led by a figure at the 8th level. Nevertheless, his mind was already analyzing potential leverage points and strategic approaches.

"Ah, regarding the construction crew... we can simply utilize Lu Mang’s gang of dock workers as a cover, can't we? In fact, I believe we'll be collaborating closely with them on the takeover of the Quiet Lake Hall as well," Kwon Qianhong inquired, interrupting Old Yen's calculations.

"It appears that after our Princess eradicated the rival violent gangs, there wasn't much left for them to protect. Consequently, Lu Mang and the core members of his gang have departed the city. He did, however, leave someone behind to manage affairs, ensuring no power vacuum arises for other more aggressive gangs to exploit. So, I suppose we'll be cooperating with whoever he appointed in charge instead."

"This chosen individual won't require another 'lesson' to cooperate with us, will they?" Nie Guanting asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Heh, rest assured, from what I've heard, it's someone from Lu Mang's inner circle. Someone who was present on the day the Boss turned Lu Mang's face into a swollen mess, and who also understands who to credit for the eradication of the violent gangs that used to terrorize the docks," Old Yen replied with a smile, shaking his head.

—

While Wu Long escorted the trio of Old Yen, Kwon Qianhong, and Nie Guanting to the Wei Dynasty capital, their responsibilities within Silver Wing City were handed over to the duo of Li Weifang and Steel Hand.

With the conclusion of the final minor auction, Kwon Qianhong's intricate work involving profit maximization through covert strategies was already completed. He had also made all necessary arrangements for the Main Auction in advance. What remained was to thwart any attempts at interference or direct threats against the Soaring Feather Trading Company originating from the Silverleaf Trade Hall and the Crow King’s Nest, which had cautiously begun to stir. This task was more suited for Li Weifang and Steel Hand, who, at this moment, significantly surpassed the trio in terms of combat strength and lethality, though they still slightly lagged in resourcefulness.