Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1338 622: Treasures Worth More Than a Thousand Gold

Chu Er took out a small knife from the drawer, cut his palm, and twisted the blade tip several times in the wound.

Li Banfeng was quite surprised: "Isn't it just for taking blood? Is it necessary to be so ruthless?"

Chu Er chuckled: "This is called pain that connects hearts. Without suffering, how can I communicate with my dad?"

She took out a pen, dipped it in her own blood, and wrote a letter on paper. The content was simple: Chu Er wanted to meet Chu Shaoqiang at ten tomorrow night, at the stone house by the lake.

Chu Er folded the letter, rested it in her palm for a moment, then returned it to the drawer and said to Li Banfeng: "The message is sent."

Li Banfeng was startled: "It's sent, but can your dad receive it?"

Chu Er was confident: "Anyone who truly cares about me can receive it. My dad always can."

"How come I've never seen you write me a letter?"

Chu Er, upon hearing this, opened the drawer on her right.

Inside there were over a hundred letters, each stained with blood: "These are all for you."

Li Banfeng blinked: "That's why I'm worried this method isn't effective."

Chu Er snorted coldly: "No feelings, no emotions, you never cared about me."

The next evening, Chu Er took Li Banfeng to the stone house by the lake, where the candles flickered, and indeed Chu Shaoqiang was there.

"You guys chat first, I'll take a walk." Chu Er left quietly, and just by her footsteps, it was clear her cultivation level had improved significantly.

Li Banfeng entered the stone house and pulled up a chair to sit at the stone table opposite.

Chu Shaoqiang wore a gray-white coat with a high collar, lit a cigarette, and asked Li Banfeng: "What do you want?"

Li Banfeng spoke directly: "I want to do some business with you. There's a Local Deity friend of mine in New Land, and she has half a Contract Book in Inner State. I want to buy back that half of the Contract Book."

Chu Shaoqiang choked on the smoke and coughed for quite a while. He retrieved a tin frog from his pocket, wound it up, and placed it outside the stone house.

The tin frog hopped around the lake at high speed, then jumped into the lake and swam back and forth several times. Only when it returned to Chu Shaoqiang did he confirm there was no one eavesdropping.

"With a matter like this, can you just say it directly to me?" Chu Shaoqiang was somewhat annoyed.

Li Banfeng also felt it was too direct: "Then I'll be a bit more subtle. I want to buy it, will you sell?"

Chu Shaoqiang shook his head repeatedly: "Don't even think about it, Contract Books from Inner State never flow out, never ever."

When he said "flow," Chu Shaoqiang couldn't control himself and blew out a string of soap bubbles.

Li Banfeng laughed: "Aqiang, we're sincerely doing business here, show some sincerity."

"Even if they occasionally flow out, it's not the kind of business you're talking about!"

He exhaled a little too much with the word "business," blowing out a massive soap bubble.

Li Banfeng laughed: "Then you tell me, what kind of business is this?"

"I don't know. I've never done this kind of business!" Chu Shaoqiang turned his face, back to Li Banfeng, and a large patch of soap bubbles slowly floated up in front of him.

The Peddler's soap worked too well, still effective after so long.

Li Banfeng picked the right person, thinking Chu Shaoqiang could at most tell him some channels, never expecting that Chu Shaoqiang had actually dealt in Contract Books.

"Aqiang, let's not beat around the bush, just name the price."

Chu Shaoqiang turned his face, wiped the soap froth from his mouth, and asked Li Banfeng: "Why do you want to buy the Contract Book?"

"Didn't I just say? For a friend."

"Is it Meng Yuchun?"

"How do you know?"

Chu Shaoqiang took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Li Banfeng: "This is from Rong Si Jiao."

Li Banfeng opened the letter and read that Rong Si Jiao complained to Inner State, accusing Meng Yuchun and Li Banfeng of conspiring to turn New Land into Proper Land to break away from Inner State control.

"Such an outrageous act sends shivers down the spine..." Li Banfeng read a few lines from the letter and couldn't help but marvel at Liang Wucui's accurate judgment of Rong Si Jiao—this lad really switched sides fast.

"Aqiang, why haven't you sent the Contract Book to Inner State?"

Chu Shaoqiang intended to claim it was for Puluo State's stability, but he would likely blow bubbles, so he opted for the truth: "I was originally going to send it to Inner State, but now I can't return there because both Wujiang City and Wubian City are suffering from an epidemic."

Li Banfeng hadn't heard of these two places, but he was more interested in the epidemic.

"What kind of epidemic?"

"Herpes, black with red spots. It won't be fatal immediately after contracting, but it's hard to cure after several treatments. The infection source is connected to Cui Tiq, a disciple of Green Flower. He used this plague to wipe out De Song Cliff, surely you're aware?"

Li Banfeng was a bit lost, seemingly contemplating other things.

Chu Shaoqiang frowned slightly: "What are you thinking? Surely you're not considering the Inner State weakening and starting a war with them?"

Li Banfeng clasped his hands, honestly smiling: "I wouldn't do something like that."

Chu Shaoqiang shook his head repeatedly: "Don't even attempt it, don't even think it. This epidemic won't crumble Inner State. Inner State's territory isn't what you imagine, and Inner State People's physique is different too. An epidemic is nothing to them, especially the big shots, entirely unaffected. If you make a move, it would be a serious matter..."

His speech was rapid, every word tense, but he didn't blow any soap bubbles, proving he was speaking truthfully.

"Li Qi, I've clarified with you—I explained earlier. This epidemic isn't lethal to Inner State people, just stubborn to cure. If you truly want war, don't involve me."