Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1109 568: Iron Bamboo

"Learning that Qiu Zhiheng had come to Kuwu Mountain, I followed him here. You saw it just now; Qiu Zhiheng was in good condition, I didn't hit him or kill him, just scared him a bit. Senior, you can't take my life just for that!"

"Get up; I don't intend to kill you. I will ask you three questions. Answer me truthfully, and I'll let you go."

Fan Zhongfu nodded, "Please go ahead, senior."

"First question, why are you bothering Xiao Qiu?"

Fan Zhongfu answered truthfully, "I'm from Snowflake Beach. My superiors instructed me to find Qiu Zhiheng, to use him to lure out Li Qi, and then through Li Qi, investigate the whereabouts of the Mysterious Red Life Lotus."

Upon hearing this, Xu Han asked the second question, "It's said that Snowflake Beach works for the Peddler, have you seen the Peddler in Snowflake Beach?"

Fan Zhongfu said, "I've never seen the Peddler in the village."

"Third question, have you seen the Peddler outside of Snowflake Beach?"

Fan Zhongfu lowered his head, "I definitely have; when I entered the Path Gateway, I bought medicinal powder from the Peddler."

Xu Han shook his head, "I'm not talking about that long ago; I mean after you joined Snowflake Beach, have you encountered the Peddler?"

"I did meet him. I once bought some things from him, and naturally, I dared not be disrespectful to him. But I couldn't say much to him, especially about matters in the village, which must never be mentioned.

There is a rule in Snowflake Beach: unless you are on a mission, when outside the village, you can't talk about what happens inside or recognize people from there, even in front of the Peddler, you must appear as ordinary, not showing anything special."

After asking the three questions, Xu Han pondered for a while.

He put away the ladle and spoke to Fan Zhongfu, "I can let you go now, but when you return to Snowflake Beach, you must act as an informant for me and write me a letter every day, detailing the situation in Snowflake Beach."

Fan Zhongfu nodded repeatedly.

Can he write a letter every day?

He won't do it; he won't even serve as an informant for Xu Han.

He just wants to escape quickly now, no matter what Xu Han says, he agrees.

Xu Han took out two gold blocks, genuine ones, and handed them to Fan Zhongfu, "From now on, use these to write to me. Write on paper if you have it, if not, write on the wall; if there's no wall, write on the ground. As long as you can put words down, I'll receive them, understood?"

Fan Zhongfu quickly took them and nodded, "I understand."

"Since you understand, go down the mountain. With your cultivation level, you can leave Kuwu Mountain within an hour. First, find a place to stay and then write me the first letter, understood?"

"Understood!"

"Let me remind you again, within an hour, you must write to me, understood?"

"Understood!" Fan Zhongfu embraced the gold blocks and dashed down the mountain.

Leaving Kuwu Mountain in an hour?

He underestimated me too much!

Fan Zhongfu used the technique of Feathered Robe Wings again, growing two wings on his back. He took out needles and threads, sewing his wounds as he flew.

At first, he flew slowly. After five minutes, the golden juice on his wings dried, and some of the wounds on his body were sewn up; within ten minutes, Fan Zhongfu flew out of the territory of Kuwu Mountain.

After descending the mountain, he didn't head for the town or find a place to stay; he went directly to New Land, wanting to leave Medicine King Valley as soon as possible.

After flying for over three hours, Fan Zhongfu found the scenery below familiarly repeating. Villages followed wilderness, which then gave way to villages again, in cycles, yet he couldn't find New Land.

Lost?

Fan Zhongfu was sure he couldn't be lost, realizing he must have fallen for Xu Han's ploy.

Careless.

He should write him a letter; if the first letter isn't written, he certainly won't be able to exit Medicine King Valley.

Fan Zhongfu landed and found a stone in a wooded area, preparing to write a letter when he suddenly saw Xu Han standing before him.

"Senior..." Fan Zhongfu shivered, "I was just about to write to you, haven't found a suitable place yet; I'll write it immediately, nearly took out my gold block."

Xu Han sighed, "Why break your promise after we agreed?"

As he finished speaking, the surrounding scenery changed.

The surrounding woods disappeared, replaced by a thick fog.

He was still on Kuwu Mountain.

Fan Zhongfu shouted, "Senior, I was wrong; I truly intended to write to you, just lost track of time!"

Xu Han shook his head, "You're sick, need a cure!"

"Senior, se..."

Xu Han pinched Fan Zhongfu's mouth, lifted the ladle, and offered him the golden medicinal soup, "Come, take your medicine."

The warm medicinal soup slid down the esophagus into the stomach.

Fan Zhongfu held back tears, his body trembling uncontrollably.

...

"As Sun walked out of the city, he mused and lamented, remembering past events with sorrow. I'm like a caged bird, unable to spread its wings; like a tiger, lonely away from the mountain; like a southern goose, scattered from the flock; like a shallow-water dragon, trapped on the sandbank..."

Sun Tiecheng adapted a version of "Fourth Son Visiting Mother," singing as he walked back to Fool's City, entering his yard with pride.

Gui Jianchou was still squatting at the door, unchanged in position.

Sun Tiecheng frowned, "You're really still squatting here; get up quickly, don't block the path!"

Gui Jianchou straightened up, smiling, "City Master Sun, was the task completed?"

Sun Tiecheng snorted coldly, "Does that need asking? Today I'll show you what Iron Bamboo's bamboo shoots are!"

Gui Jianchou really wanted to see, as he too had never seen Iron Bamboo's bamboo shoots, "I've heard, Iron Bamboo has ten iron pieces; I wonder if they can be seen on bamboo shoots."