Tang Wen revealed his white teeth: "The Blackwater Gang Leader is in charge of the salvage operation. They don't know how many pieces there are? Yet you do."
The black-clad Martial Master hurriedly explained: "They truly don't know. My elder is a high-ranking member of the Blackwater Gang, and he was the first to get the information."
That makes sense.
This explanation does hold water.
Tang Wen's smile was as warm as a spring breeze: "Brother, I'm in the shadows, and you're in the light. Not only is your family yours, but the Blackwater Gang will also be yours sooner or later!"
The black-clad Martial Master didn't fully believe it, but he didn't dare not believe it either.
Since he had already revealed most of the secret, he steeled himself and spilled the rest: "The azure stone slab is of great use to those below the Celestial Warrior level."
"Great use? How great?"
"It enhances spiritual power!"
Tang Wen frowned: "What's the difference between that and meditation techniques?"
"The difference is huge! Meditation techniques are a slow grind, but the azure stone slab is a shortcut! A means to rapidly improve."
Tang Wen's frown deepened: "Explain in detail."
"Well, I also heard this from my elder."
Tang Wen suddenly turned his head, staring into his eyes.
The black-clad Martial Master broke out in a cold sweat and quickly explained:
"My ancestor has always been cautious. If he wasn't absolutely certain, he would never have sent me, his direct descendant, to handle this matter personally. If discovered, the Lin Family would be finished."
"That makes sense."
Tang Wen: Upon closer inspection, this kid looks a lot like that old scoundrel, Deputy Gang Leader Lin! Could he really be his grandson? This matter needs careful planning.
Thinking this, he lamented the lack of trustworthy people around him. When something came up, there was no one to discuss it with.
In the distance, the sky grew darker.
White mist spread through the air.
Black night and white fog.
They intertwined eerily.
The black and white were so distinct.
Tang Wen and the Lin Family Martial Master looked up.
"Time is running out," the latter reminded him.
"Got it."
With a nod, Tang Wen grabbed him and swiftly headed toward the location of the other three black-clad men.
The Lin Family Martial Master volunteered: "The Gang Lord is a fifth-rank expert, and the ice dragon is also fifth-rank. The Gang Lord is a giant in the city, and the ice dragon is the overlord of a radius of hundreds of miles! The two sides can't possibly fight to the death."
"Will they reconcile?"
The Lin Family Martial Master nodded: "Exactly! The Gang Lord has secretly prepared over a thousand slaves. They must be intended as snacks for the ice dragon."
Tang Wen narrowed his eyes: "Oh? Is it common in Mountain Chasing City to send people as offerings to Mutated Beasts?"
"Not exactly. After all, our Mountain Chasing City is quite powerful."
At this point, Tang Wen remembered a question he had been curious about for a long time:
"Where did the Beast Taming Masters in the city go?"
The Lin Family Martial Master was stunned, then showed a look of recollection:
"I've asked this question too. Initially, the three major families of the inner city invited the Beast Taming Masters, claiming they had discovered a special Exotic Beast Clan and wanted to study it together."
"That doesn't make sense," Tang Wen said.
The Lin Family Martial Master: "Indeed, it's been too long. And—"
A cold glint flashed in Tang Wen's eyes: "Moreover, after all this time, not a single person has returned."
As if knowing what he was thinking, the Lin Family Martial Master said:
"They're still alive, just not free. This beast taming ring came from a Beast Taming Master who was close to my grandfather."
As he spoke, a trace of resentment appeared on his face.
He didn't dwell on the issue any further.
The distant pressure and tremors continued to spread.
As they got closer to the cold pool, Tang Wen grabbed the Lin Family Martial Master's arm, and a faint black aura enveloped the two of them.
A few minutes later.
They were less than a mile away from the trio in black.
Tang Wen stopped.
The Lin Family's Martial Master reminded him, "The agreed-upon location is just ahead."
"Shh," Tang Wen gestured with his index finger, his expression serious.
Through the vision of the brown-tailed crow, he noticed that the three black-clad Martial Masters had been spotted by a squad of Martial Masters from the Blackwater Gang.
The Lin Family's Martial Master immediately fell silent.
"Your people have been discovered by the Blackwater Gang."
"What?" He wanted to ask: How do you know when we're still so far away?
Tang Wen found a large tree and hid him in its branches: "Stay here and don't move."
After saying that, he turned and descended.
The latter wasn't sure whether he should flee or not. Watching Tang Wen's retreating figure, he was momentarily stunned.
Whether the other party fled or not, Tang Wen wasn't worried.
Before leaving the city, he had disguised himself.
Even if the Lin Family's Martial Master saw his face, they wouldn't recognize him if they met in the city later.
The reason he didn't kill him was simply that his value alive was much greater than dead.
Ssssh, ssssh, ssssh!
First, the sound of blades piercing flesh.
After a while, another sound followed.
All four members of the ambushing Martial Master squad were dead.
Martial Masters have robust physiques. Even Tang Wen couldn't guarantee that if he knocked them out, they wouldn't wake up quickly.
In such a situation, if they woke up and sounded an alarm, Tang Wen would likely be dead.
After a quick search on the four bodies.
He found a uniquely shaped bone whistle.
It was slightly damp, still carrying the stench of saliva.
Tang Wen's expression changed slightly.
This indicated that the Blackwater Gang's Martial Masters had already blown the whistle, notifying their gang.
The sound emitted by this bone whistle was very low.
Only those wearing funnel-shaped special ear amplifiers could hear it.
Therefore, the three black-clad Martial Masters of the Lin Family remained unaware.
They were still here, diligently controlling the Earth-Walking Beasts to dig a hole.
"You three!"
Tang Wen approached them directly.
The three were startled.
Turning around, they saw a stranger.
Tang Wen threw the bone whistle at their feet: "Fools! You've been discovered and you don't even know it. Take it and get out of here. Leave this to me."
"Who are you?"
Tang Wen flashed the Lin Family waist token.
The three were half-convinced, half-doubting.
"There's no time to explain. You go and lure away the pursuers, buy me some time."
Upon hearing such a blatant order that seemed to send them to their deaths, the doubt in their eyes actually faded significantly.
One of them quickly asked, "Besides the waist token, do you have anything else to prove your identity?"
Damn!
They're quite cautious.
Without hesitation, Tang Wen moved his lips and whispered three words into their ears using a secret language:
"Lin Gang Lord."
The three trembled in unison.
No longer doubting, they turned and left.
After running a few dozen meters, they deliberately made some noise, then scattered and fled.
"The Lin Family has some tricks up their sleeve, huh? Are they suicide soldiers?"
Time was pressing. Tang Wen sighed, then looked down at the deep hole at his feet.
The hole slanted downward, bottomless.
But he could sense that there were several large creatures drilling downward inside.
"They're nearby! Search carefully!"
"There's a smell of blood, stay alert."
They're here so quickly!
Tang Wen took a few steps back, silently standing in the shadow of a rock.
Enveloped in darkness, he fully activated his Aura Concealment Art.
Looking at the conspicuous hole on the ground.
His spiritual energy flowed, wrapping around a millstone-sized rock.
He silently covered the hole with it.
"They're dead!"
"Old Zhou! Damn it! Boss, Old Zhou and the others are dead."
"There are footprints here. Three men, judging by the steps, they haven't gone far."
"After them!"
Without hesitation, an authoritative voice rang out.
The sound of footsteps faded into the distance.
Suddenly, the authoritative voice spoke again:
"Come out! I see you!"
Tang Wen held his breath, not moving a muscle.
"Hmph, looking for death!"
The sound of arrows slicing through the air followed.
Several sharp arrows fanned out in a sweepi
ng arc.
The spacing was incredibly tight.
It was a repeating crossbow.
Tang Wen shifted his feet slightly, dodging one arrow. Under the cover of darkness, he made no sound.
"Huh?"
The person who fired the crossbow caught sight of the ancient whistle.
"Not good, there's a traitor!"
He seemed to realize something.
He left like a gust of wind.