Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1376 - 446: Arrangements, Growing Strength, and Departure—the Grand Sight of Hongmen
Previously on Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely...
The Hu Brothers’ involvement was a relatively simple matter!
The older brother, Hu Tiejiang, aged 38, and the younger brother, Hu Tiechuan, aged 36, both possessed Intermediate Battle Bodies, with a strength slightly exceeding 5 mane.
Given their capabilities, the investment required likely wouldn't yield commensurate returns, making them an unlikely choice for support under normal circumstances.
If Xia Hong decided to make an exception for them, the reason might be attributed to destiny.
They had approached him the previous month, and while the initiative was theirs, it was enough for Xia Hong to remember them, thus establishing a connection.
Beyond mere fate, their fervent desire to elevate their social standing could also be a significant factor.
In essence, it was sheer ambition!
The hardship they endured was ultimately aimed at shedding their own low status and the enslaved condition of their wives. Ordinarily, one might expect regret after facing such inhumane torment and suffering.
However, Xia Hong observed that during their twenty days at Hong Mansion, neither the brothers nor their wives, Fang Jing and Wang Qing, uttered a single complaint.
This demonstrated their unwavering commitment and persistence in their aspirations to escape their circumstances, even after enduring immense hardship.
This ambition to transcend mediocrity, risking their lives to alter their status and destiny, was a rare quality, not just within Cai Qiu but across the entirety of Great Xia.
Nevertheless, the absence of complaints did not signify an absence of animosity.
A profound, ingrained hatred for the Zhang Family of Red Tiger Ridge and the Law Enforcement Team of Qinghua City festered within the brothers.
This deep-seated resentment formed the crucial basis for Xia Hong’s support.
After departing the Bone-Eroding Path last August, he had spent over four months recuperating in the secluded depths of Evergreen Valley alongside Su Jing and her four siblings. During this period, he had hunted numerous Advanced Cold Beasts, primarily to provide cultivation resources for the siblings and to gather intelligence on the Cold Beast population within Evergreen Valley.
Before their departure last month, he had secured only five Beast King Level skeleton sets, storing the remainder in a hidden cave. These provisions, while of little consequence to him, represented a considerable fortune for the Hu Brothers.
Of course, their ability to effectively utilize these resources remained to be seen.
Xia Hong offered some guidance before bidding the two farewell.
"Should they manage to thrive with the resources provided, they show genuine promise. While they might not shake Cai Qiu, the Evergreen Valley could certainly feel their influence;
Conversely, if they lack the inherent ability, these supplies would merely invite disaster. Fortune and peril walk hand in hand, and the outcome rests entirely with them!"
Once the brothers had departed, Xia Hong retreated to the main building's meditation room, resuming his practice on the Enlightenment Lotus Platform and assessing his remaining Dan Medicine supplies.
"Six Washing Marrow Pills and thirteen Top-grade Bone Shedding Pills remain. Approximately one-third was consumed in a month, mirroring the progress with my Jade Bone. It should take another two months to deplete the supply. Cai Yunzhou was present earlier; I suspect he has been duly warned and they should hesitate to provoke me rashly now. This provides a measure of confidence for my departure to Lin Chu County in two months!"
Crafting a fictitious background and employing deception to ensure my safety is a regrettable necessity, but it is the only viable path forward.
Until the true strength of the Tribulation Body Realm is ascertained, venturing into Cai Qiu Town is out of the question. However, Lin Chu County, being a tier lower, presents a feasible destination.
"Furthermore, I must establish a new false identity. Although the status of a Daqin Prince carries authority, it also restricts my freedom of action, such as being unable to make purchases freely..."
My actions must align with my assumed persona. If the fabricated Great Qin Feudal Town possesses such influence, it logically should have access to superior resources compared to Cai Qiu. Last month, at the Treasure Pavilion, despite desiring numerous items, I feigned disinterest and acquired very little to avoid suspicion.
Even when purchasing Washing Marrow Pills, Bone Burning Pills, and Top-grade Bone Shedding Pills, I cited "research purposes" as the justification.
The Bone Burning Pill is acceptable, but the Washing Marrow Pill and Bone Shedding Pill are genuinely beneficial to me; I would have procured more if circumstances allowed.
"Dwelling on it now is unproductive. I shall devise a solution upon reaching Lin Chu County!"
After a brief period of contemplation yielded no immediate answers, Xia Hong abandoned the thought, recognizing that with a two-month supply of Dan Medicine, cultivation should take precedence.
He closed his eyes, swiftly entering a state of deep meditation.
As Xia Hong immersed himself in cultivation, the Hu Brothers also began their final preparations for departure from the mansion.
First, Hu Tiejiang sought out Steward Zhou Qing. Under Zhou Qing's guidance, the entire Hu family proceeded to the Subordinate Bureau. Their slave and lowly status was officially revoked, granting them the esteemed status of civilians. The funds designated for this transformation, initially confiscated by the Law Enforcement Team, were promptly returned thanks to the timely intervention of Su Jing and her siblings the previous month. With Zhou Qing's presence and the formidable renown of the Hong Mansion, the Subordinate Bureau offered no resistance to their request. Having successfully altered their social standing, Hu Tiejiang opted against an immediate departure. He first ensured his family was safely escorted back to Hong Mansion. Once they were settled, he and his brother, Hu Tiechuan, ventured together to Qing Valley. What transpired between the brothers in Qing Valley remained a mystery to all. However, after a mere seven days, they reappeared in Qinghua City. They arrived with a sizable cart, so laden it was almost comical, and proceeded directly to Treasure Pavilion, bypassing the Subordinate Bureau entirely. On the twenty-third of February, during daylight hours, the brothers finally made their return to Hong Mansion. Upon reaching the side courtyard of Hong Mansion, they bypassed their own wives and family members. Their destination was the meditation room. Inside, Hu Tiejiang unwrapped a bundle, revealing over thirty bottles of pills, varying in size, nestled within.