The Overlord of Puluo

Chapter 238: Reunion

He had only just returned to Greenwater City two days ago, yet he was already on the move again.

After boarding, he slept for nearly half a day. When dusk came, he walked out from his compartment and brewed a fresh pot of tea before he started drinking tea while reading the newspaper.

There came a knock at the door.

”Sir! Ticket inspection! Open up at once and show your ticket!”

The voice sounded familiar, but just a little strange.

With his hand holding the teacup, Zhou Changhong did not move at all.

Knock, knock.

The knock sounded again as the attendant said, ”Sir, open the door immediately and present your ticket.”

No answer. Not a breath. Nothing. Zhou Changhong still sat there with his teacup and remained as still as a figure molded from clay.

Then...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The third knock sounded against the door.

”Sir, you must cooperate with the inspection! If you refuse to open the door, I will be forced to take action!”

At last, there was movement inside the room.

Zhou Changhong moved. He flipped the newspaper to the other side and took another sip of his tea.

How strange...

Standing outside the door, Li Banfeng, disguised as a train attendant, listened through the Threaded Earring for any movement inside the compartment.

He’s still drinking tea? Li Banfeng couldn’t understand Changhong’s reaction at all.

Ticket inspections usually happened once, about five or six hours after boarding. Li Banfeng had experienced it himself on his first train ride, and Ma Wu had confirmed it was standard procedure.

Why isn’t he opening the door? Does he suspect I am not an attendant? What gave it away?

Ticket inspections always begin with a knock, and I said everything correctly.

When he first heard me, he didn’t even dare make a sound. He pretended no one was inside. But after the second warning, he was no longer afraid. He still refused to open the door.

Why? Is he hiding something he doesn’t want the attendant to see?

Even if he keeps the door shut, he can’t hide it forever. According to the train’s rules, if warnings fail, the attendant would force entry to inspect the ticket. Maybe I should force my way in as well?

Just as Li Banfeng was about to use the Path of Unhindered Steps to slip into the compartment, a real attendant suddenly approached with an iron rod in hand.

”Sir, is this your compartment?”

Li Banfeng glanced at the number on the door and said, ”Looks like I went the wrong way.”

The attendant lifted the iron rod and pointed it at his forehead. ”Please show your ticket.”

Li Banfeng calmly took out his ticket.

The attendant gave Li Banfeng a long, suspicious look from head to toe.

”What’s with your outfit?” he asked.

Li Banfeng was wearing a train attendant’s uniform. After a moment’s thought, he said, ”Are there rules about what passengers can wear?”

”No,” said the attendant as he handed the ticket back. ”Now kindly return to your compartment!”

Li Banfeng returned to his compartment and finally understood what he had done wrong.

At first, Zhou Changhong had stayed silent because he genuinely didn’t want the attendant to enter. But after hearing Li Banfeng’s second warning, he became certain that something was off. A real attendant would only issue one warning.

Li Banfeng’s compartment was right next door. He pressed the Threaded Earring to the wall and listened quietly to the sounds coming from the neighboring compartment.

Zhou Changhong blinked, then smiled.

He took his time, leisurely finishing an entire pot of tea. After waiting for more than half an hour, he finally muttered, ”Miaoying, it seems I am being watched on this train. Why isn’t everything ready on Kinless Township’s side yet? How exactly did you handle this?”

Li Banfeng’s guess earlier was right. Zhou Changhong had already figured out that the attendant was a fake one. However, what Li Banfeng didn’t expect was that Zhou Changhong was of a higher status than Ling Miaoying’s.

According to Ling Miaosheng, Ling Miaoying had been working for an important figure from the Outer Provinces. At first, Li Banfeng thought that Zhou Changhong was not that person and thought that he was just a messenger.

Zhou Changhong had spent most of his time in Puluo Province, and he had never stopped filming during recent years. However, judging from what he had just said, Zhou Changhong was that important figure. The earlier deduction had been wrong.

What exactly are they preparing over in Kinless Township? Li Banfeng wondered.

After waiting for a moment, Li Banfeng heard Zhou Changhong speak again from next door. ”The crew’s short-handed. The people in Kinless Township are reliable, but not many of them know the trade. Bring in another group from Greenwater City.”

Is he going to Kinless Township to film a movie?

Kinless Township was one of the Lower Thirty Percent regions of Puluo Province, and very few people knew much about it. The only widely known fact was that most of its residents had no family ties.

Is he going to such a remote place to film just to avoid being harassed? Would someone of such status really go to Kinless Township just to shoot a film?

After a brief pause, Zhou Changhong spoke again. ”I have brought the item. There can’t be any mistakes in this shoot. This has to wrap within ten days!”

With that, he fell silent.

Li Banfeng took off the Threaded Earring, sat in his compartment, and sank into deep thought.

From the conversation just now, Li Banfeng pieced together several key points.

Zhou Changhong was heading to Kinless Township to film and him being at Greenwater City was just a cover to prevent people from causing issues.

He was carrying a special item, one that could bring the shoot to a close within ten days and keep Ma Wu from getting ahead of him.

What kind of item could let him shoot ten films in just ten days? Could it be some artifact that alters the flow of time? Just how far has Zhou Changhong’s cultivation reached... and why is this film so important to him?

These thoughts crossed Li Banfeng’s mind.

Let’s not think about the filming right now. I have to admit that this most popular actor is very smart. Then again, someone whose status surpasses Ling Miaoying’s must be very smart. It seems unwise to go into his compartment and test how strong he is.

If Zhou Changhong’s cultivation is that high, he muttered inwardly, I might not even make it back in one piece.

And even if I do manage to deal with Zhou Changhong, he went on, that attendant is another matter entirely. I can’t handle both.

So then... what on earth am I supposed to do?

Follow Zhou Changhong to Kinless Township, wait until he leaves the station, then capture him alive and force him to reveal his intentions?That is if I can actually kidnap him.

Or should I get off midway, head back, tell Ma Wu, contact the Lu Family, and have them take action in Kinless Township to stop Zhou Changhong from filming?

Why do I keep thinking about the film?

Li Banfeng slapped his forehead. He had boarded this train to follow Zhou Changhong, to uncover the powerful figure behind Ling Miaoying and learn that person’s intentions. And now, that important figure finally appeared.

Currently, the best choice would still be going to Kinless Township and keep tracking him. But would that be safe?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A sharp series of knocks rattled the door, followed by the attendant’s voice from outside.

”Sir, please open the door.”

Li Banfeng froze and did not make a sound. He wasn’t sure if the attendant outside was real.

Crash, bang!

The attendant opened the door. ”Sir, your current attire is affecting my duties. I hope you can change.”

Li Banfeng gave a slight nod, and the attendant closed the door.

Judging by the way this attendant did things, he was likely the real deal.

Li Banfeng entered his Pocket Dwelling, took off his clothes, and changed into a black suit.

Hongying’s body trembled as she said in a low voice, ”Did he just take off his clothes again?”

Pop... crackle...

The gramophone drew out the tune, her voice lilting like a slow opera verse.

”Yesss... he did~ That’s my maaan~ I see him every day... no use craving for him~”

Hongying let out a cold snort. ”Look at you now. So what if you have a man? Even if you see him every day, he’s useless!”

The Gramophone’s tone rose sharply, her voice ringing like an indignant aria.

”Who says he’s useless~? Husband~ show her properly... how you oil me up~”

”What’s that supposed to prove?” Hongying scoffed. ”Does that even count as anything proper?”

The Gramophone gave a sharp, offended hum, her voice rising into a teasing, sing-song lilt.

”How is it improper~? My husband has pleeenty of tricks~”

The two argued fiercely, and it looked like they were about to start fighting again. Li Banfeng pressed a hand to his head, which now felt as though someone was hammering nails into it.

”Honestly, can’t they go even a couple of days without arguing? All this time, and they still haven’t settled a single thing...”

The longer he listened, the more the noise clawed at his nerves, until he simply couldn’t bear it another second. With a huff, he turned and hurried out of the Pocket Dwelling.

Seeing Li Banfeng leave in a hurry, the Judge’s Brush rolled over and went back to sleep.

Back in the compartment, Li Banfeng found himself going round and round over what to do about Zhou Changhong.

Should I follow him off the train, or go back and call for help? If I follow him, I might end up dying at his hands. But if I go back now to get help, this clue might be lost.

Caught right in the middle of his own muddled thoughts, Li Banfeng began muttering under his breath, going round and round without getting anywhere.

In the compartment next door, Zhou Changhong caught the faint murmur, smiled to himself as he shook his head.

On and on it went, until several hours had slipped by. At last, with a quiet huff, Li Banfeng made up his mind. He would get off at Kinless Township. And once he did, he would follow Zhou Changhong, keeping well out of sight and watching first, rather than rushing to make a move.

Having made up his mind, Li Banfeng took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. It was two in the morning already.

The train wouldn’t arrive until seven. Since there was still time, he thought should get some rest. After all, he would soon have to maneuver around someone far more skilled.

Li Banfeng stretched out on his berth, but then, he was worried he might sleep straight through the morning.

His pocket watch was no help at all. It could tell time, certainly, but it had no alarm function. As for Dream Virtue in the Pocket Dwelling, that would solve the problem nicely... except it would also mean listening to wifey and Hongying squabble without end.

Should I bring Dream Virtue out...?

Almost at once, he shook his head. That thing wasn’t exactly small enough to carry around like a trinket. Leave it outside, and anyone with a bit of sense would start asking questions.

No, that wouldn’t do at all.

As Li Banfeng mulled it over, another wave of headache crept in, pressing hard against his temples.

Strange... why am I so indecisive today? he muttered. Indecisive... why can’t I make up my mind?

Li Banfeng turned to look at the compartment wall, a tightness rising and falling in his chest. He was so used to using such methods on others that he failed to notice when they were turned on him.

Sun Tiecheng once said that two people passed the trial of Yuren City. Is Zhou Changhong the other one?

Li Banfeng sat up on his berth, opened the Pocket Dwelling, and slipped the key beneath the mattress.

Inside, wifey was still tormenting Hongying. He forced down the irritation rising in his chest and went to find the Judge’s Brush.

Holding the Judge’s Brush, he drew a circle at his feet and said, ”Fly.”

The Judge’s Brush snorted. ”Where to?”

”To the second room.”

The Judge’s Brush fumed. You really need me to fly you to the second room? CAN’T YOU WALK THOSE FEW STEPS YOURSELF? FORGET IT. TOO LAZY TO ARGUE.

The two of them stayed locked in a silent standoff for nearly half an hour. In the end, since Li Banfeng refused to budge, the Judge’s Brush grudgingly carried him to the second room.

After entering the second room, the Judge’s Brush was just about to sleep Li Banfeng spoke. ”Let me pay the price for using you now.”

The Judge’s Brush snorted. ”No rush.”

”I am in a rush.”

”What’s the rush?”

”I just am. If you don’t let me pay, I will have you carry me flying again. Once through every room.”

”You...”

You are unreasonable, thought the Judge’s Brush.

”I...”

The Judge’s Brush couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. It stopped itself, then grumbled inwardly, Forget it. If he insists on paying, I will just take it. It’s a bit of trouble to take the payment, but it’s still better than arguing with him nonstop.

After the Judge’s Brush took its price, a crushing wave of fatigue suddenly washed over Li Banfeng. He lay on the bed and felt his eyelids growing unbearably heavy.

If I fall asleep like this, who knows when I will wake up? I should at least have Dream Virtue wake me... I can’t miss my stop.

Ah, forget it. If I miss it, I miss it.

Am I really going to follow Zhou Changhong? Kinless Township is clearly his turf... What if the moment I step off the train, I walk straight into a trap?

And what if that whole story about filming a movie was nonsense? What if it’s all just bait to lure me off the train? Oh, enough. Just sleep. Sleep first.

Li Banfeng was too lazy to think about things that he couldn’t figure out.

***

At six thirty in the morning, with half an hour left before arrival, Zhou Changhong began packing his luggage.

He made a point of rustling things loudly, as if to say, I am getting off soon. You should be following me.

However, there seemed to be no movement next door. Zhou Changhong pressed his ear against the wall and listened.

After listening for a moment, he switched ears. This one was sharper, but still, not a single sound came through.

What’s going on... is he really sleeping that deeply? Zhou Changhong muttered inwardly.

He waited. And waited. More than twenty minutes passed. His frown deepened. He knocked on the wall a few times, but there was still no movement sounding next door.

There was no delay tonight and the train had begun slowing down, preparing to pull into the station.

Zhou Changhong grew anxious and decided to use a bit of his abilities. He pressed his hand against the compartment wall, sending a faint tremor through to the next compartment.

He had to control his strength as he couldn’t risk alerting the attendants. He might be able to handle one, but if the whole train’s attendants showed up, things would quickly get troublesome.

Wake up already. Stop sleeping. You need to get off the train.

Bang!

The compartment door was flung open. The attendant entered Zhou Changhong’s compartment with a grim expression. ”For some reason, you and the passenger next door haven’t been very well-behaved.”

Zhou Changhong smiled. ”I was just reminding him the train is about to arrive. We are getting off at the same stop. I was only...”

The train came to a stop, and the attendant opened the door.

”Sir, it’s time for you to get off.”

Zhou Changhong gave a wry smile and stepped off the train.

He waited on the platform for a long time. Even as the train began to move again, Li Banfeng was nowhere to be seen.

I planned so thoroughly and you just slept through it? Zhou Changhong grumbled inwardly.

Author’s Note:

PS: Good thing Banfeng didn’t get off at Kinless Township.