Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8457: Enemy (1)

Zhao Hai grinned while lifting his cup, turning to Feng Zhongxin with, "Thanks, sir. Cheers!" The pair touched their glasses together before downing the contents swiftly. The wine's flavor was middling at best, yet still enjoyable enough. It came as no surprise that it drew such crowds.

Feng Zhongxin set his cup aside and reached for the jug once more, refilling Zhao Hai's glass before going on, "Just the two of us are left in our household. Our folks were lone cultivators back in the day. At age twelve for me and ten for my sibling, they headed out on a joint task and vanished forever. We brothers stuck together through thick and thin. Last year, during my seclusion for cultivation, he slipped into Fang Weijia's crew without a word. He left with them and didn't make it back. Once I emerged, I've been digging into the truth. A few months back, I pieced it all together. I've trailed Fang Weijia's bunch ever since, hunting for a shot at payback. But they stayed sharp, stirring chaos across various trading spots and pulling in recruits through all sorts of tricks. Every cultivator who ventured out on missions with them simply disappeared. Naturally, their schemes couldn't stay under wraps. Plenty of freelance cultivators who trade mainly in the markets have heard of them. We all recognize their might too."

Feng Zhongxin lifted his cup anew and shared another toast with Zhao Hai. He placed it down afterward and spoke gravely, "Through those contacts, I learned about Fang Weijia and his crew. I'd shadowed them earlier, yet never got too near out of caution. Their exact dealings escaped me, but their vigilance was ironclad. At the start, I managed to keep up, but once they slipped into the blood sea, I lost the trail every time, dooming my efforts. I figured revenge was out of reach, until you set off with Fang Weijia this round. Yet here you are, back safe. That sparked my suspicion you'd taken him down, though I held off confirming. So I probed you to check if you'd truly ended Fang Weijia. Your response seals it—it's done. I'm overjoyed. You've avenged my brother for me."

Zhao Hai gazed at Feng Zhongxin with a smile, replying, "No need for thanks. Seriously. Fang Weijia and his lot were gunning for me, so I returned the favor. Nothing special about it. Gotta say, they picked the wrong target this go-around." He hoisted his glass toward Feng Zhongxin, who mirrored the gesture, and they both emptied them in a single swallow.

Feng Zhongxin lowered his cup and topped off Zhao Hai's again. He then asked, "Sir, if I may, how exactly did you finish them off? Over a dozen strong, and no pushovers." His eyes gleamed with keen interest as he watched Zhao Hai.

"Not much to it," Zhao Hai chuckled. "They had no clue I handle poisons so well. That's how I got them." Though his face stayed light, Zhao Hai remained inwardly wary. Feng Zhongxin's tale rang true on the surface, but Zhao Hai sensed some fabrications. Still, he couldn't tell if the grudge against Fang Weijia was genuine or just a ploy.

Feng Zhongxin lit up at Zhao Hai's explanation, saying, "Ah, that explains it. Cheers, let's drink." He lifted his glass once more. Zhao Hai smiled back and joined him. They sipped again, then dug into the food while talking casually. Before long, the jug ran dry.

With the jug emptied, Feng Zhongxin moved to call for another, but Zhao Hai waved it off. Respecting the choice, Feng Zhongxin nodded, "Fine, we'll call it on the drinks for now. Another time, we'll meet up. I'm at the Huibin Inn—where might you be lodged? If days free up later, I'll swing by for a talk."

Zhao Hai smiled warmly, "Sure thing. I'm at Pengju Inn. Brother Feng, drop in anytime. Oh, and apologies—I skipped introducing myself. Surname Nie, given name Xiao. Feel free to call me Brother Xiao. Should you ever need a hand, just find me."

Feng Zhongxin beamed. "Sounds good. I've gone solo for ages. If chances arise down the line, maybe we team up. Better to watch each other's backs. Cheers." He rose then, and together with Zhao Hai, they exited the tavern. Outside, they parted ways amicably—Zhao Hai heading to Pengju Inn, Feng Zhongxin to Huibin Inn.

Back at Huibin Inn, Feng Zhongxin stepped into his quarters. Barely settled, a knock echoed at the door. He answered to find a line of figures filing in, quickly crowding the modest sitting area. A scholarly type in his forties among them asked, "Well? Did he do it?"

Feng Zhongxin affirmed with a nod. "Yeah, he owned up. He's the one who wiped out Fang Weijia and the rest. Which means whatever those Ghostwind Bandits' guardians were hiding likely ended up with him. To claim the Ghostwind Bandits' hoard, he'll be our only path."

The room hushed at his words. After a stretch of quiet, another spoke up, "So what's your take? You seemed thrilled sharing drinks with him today. Planning to buddy up?" The tone dripped sarcasm, clearly irked by Feng Zhongxin's chumminess with Zhao Hai.

Feng Zhongxin met his gaze steadily, replying deeply, "We all bear grudges against the Ghostwind Bandits. Our kin fell to them, our heirlooms snatched away. We could've been heirs to sects or clans, but now we're scattered rogues. I get it—nobody's content with that fate, and everyone's itching to reclaim what the Ghostwind Bandits took. With their final 'heirs' all gone, every lead points to Zhao Hai. If he catches on to us, those treasures slip away for good. Worse, if big powers sniff this out, it'll spell disaster for us all. Caution's key. My idea: befriend him first, then find a way to draw him off Blood Lake Island. This is Blood Slaughter Sect turf—we can't clash here, or they'll crush us. But lure Brother Xiao beyond the island, and the Blood Slaughter Sect stays out of it. Then we grab him, wring out the treasure's location, or soul-search if needed. Anyone see flaws in that?"

His plan left them speechless for a beat. One finally agreed, "No hard feelings. Stick to it. Once you coax him from Blood Lake Island, we move. Our combined power should handle him easy."

"Caution above all," Feng Zhongxin warned. "If he soloed Fang Weijia and crew, don't underestimate his prowess. You all know how tough they were—dealing with them ourselves would've been rough. Soloing that bunch means he's no joke. Plus, he mentioned excelling at poisons, so when we strike, watch for that. He claimed poison took out Fang Weijia and the others."

The group stared in surprise at Feng Zhongxin's alert, then nodded in unison. The scholar added, "Right. Looks like Brother Xiao won't go down simple. Here's the play: stock up on antidotes and gear. Zhongxin, keep linking up with him, build that rapport. When the moment hits, join a mission together. Get him off Blood Lake Island, and we pounce."

Feng Zhongxin dipped his head. "Got it, I'll manage. But it'll need time—I have to earn his faith first. I sense he doesn't buy in fully yet. Can't force it; ease in gradual."

The scholar rumbled low, "No rush, we've endured years already. Days more won't hurt. Link with him steadily these next few—no red flags." Feng Zhongxin agreed, and the scholar addressed the rest, "Besides antidotes, tail Brother Xiao. Track his contacts, his haunts. If he's linking with others, scout who. Also, verify Fang Weijia and crew are truly gone. Don't let that kid pull one over."

All acknowledged the orders. The scholar doled out roles and ushered them out. Alone after they departed, Feng Zhongxin shut the door. He sank into a chair in the sitting room, letting out a heavy sigh. Truth be told, he took a shine to Zhao Hai. He hated turning foe, but options were slim. As he'd noted, this crew all nursed old scores with the Ghostwind Bandits. Those bandits once rampaged unchecked, wiping out hordes of sects. Yet they hadn't erased every last soul—some lineages endured, disciples in hiding. These folks had masked their pasts for years, fueled by vengeance. The Ghostwind Bandits' downfall dashed their hopes, but birthed questions: Where'd the loot go? Any true heirs left? That doubt drove their probe.