With Su Wan’s single sentence, everyone in the office imdiately turned their eyes toward Su Wangchuan.
Su Wangchuan frowned slightly.
Su Wan explained:
“Blackstone Village is the closest village to the entrance of the iron mine. Moreover, with the reputation you have in Blackstone Village, if you raise the proposal, the village chief and the villagers will take it seriously.”
“If we apply a little financial pressure and explain the benefits of controlling the iron mine to the village, this matter will most likely succeed.”
“I am afraid that will not work.”
Su Wangchuan spoke bluntly.
“The surroundings of Blackstone Village are all farmland. Moving the village into the mountains where the iron mine lies would an abandoning a large stretch of fertile land. The villagers of Blackstone Village survive by eating grain, not by eating iron. I think the studio should consider establishing a camp near the iron mine, recruiting manpower, and holding the territory ourselves.”
“I have considered setting up a camp as well, but the risk is too great. If we face challenges, people will die,” Su Wan said in a low voice. “If a village serves as our shield, competitors will hesitate more, and things will be much easier.”
At this point, she raised her head and proposed another plan.
“If Caobang intervenes, do you think it would be possible?”
Su Wangchuan pointed toward Lin Xun and Chen Hong.
“Caobang is already facing serious trouble and has no intention of expanding its territory on land. If you do not believe , ask Brother Lin and Sister Chen. The Deputy Gang Leader of the Yulong Gang was killed last night, and his head was hung up as a public display! On my way back from Sanhe Commandery today, I was ambushed by a Third-Rank Martial Artist and nearly died in the river!”
The mont these words ca out, the entire room erupted in shock.
“What happened?”
“You fought with the Beggar Sect?”
Everyone began asking questions.
Su Wan clearly had not yet received the news and looked over with the sa grave expression.
Lin Xun helped explain the territorial dispute between the Yulong Gang and the Beggar Sect, as well as the news that Deputy Gang Leader He Haisheng had been beheaded late at night and his head hung high above the water stronghold.
He sighed.
“This is the bad thing about joining a gang. Even when you have done nothing, trouble keeps coming to you! When sothing happened over in Rong County, our Huishui County hall had to send fifty people to support them and help rebuild. The manpower I have on hand has been reduced by half these past few days.”
Chen Hong nodded and added:
“Helm Leader Wangchuan was indeed just attacked. The attacker was most likely an expert from the Beggar Sect. Several of our Helm Leader’s guards were seriously injured. It is said they were severely wounded in a single move. The attacker must have had at least the cultivation of a Third-Rank Martial Artist.”
“Hiss!”
A wave of sharp inhalations echoed throughout the office.
Everyone present was a captain or leader within Warring States Ga Studio’s Land-Clearing Teams. Naturally, they understood the weight carried by the title of a Third-Rank Martial Artist.
If any one of them encountered such a person alone, death would be certain.
Originally, many of them had envied Su Wangchuan and Lin Xun, believing that they earned large amounts of gold and silver effortlessly every day. But now that envy faded sowhat.
Earning money was one thing.
Living long enough to spend it was another.
Su Wan asked again:
“So now Caobang has provoked the Crimson Pavilion assassins, offended the Five Poison Sect, and its conflict with the Beggar Sect has escalated as well.”
Su Wangchuan sighed and nodded.
“That is the situation now.”
“Old Seven’s intention is that, if necessary, we may have to abandon Yang Feiyue and hand him over to calm the Beggar Sect’s anger in exchange for stability in the water transport business.”
“…”
Lin Xun’s face instantly filled with horror. He sprang up from his seat as if his chair had caught fire and stared at Su Wangchuan.
“Wangchuan, does Old Seven really an that?”
He Haisheng was already dead.
If Yang Feiyue also died, the Yulong Gang would no longer have any Second-Rank Martial Artists and would imdiately fall into a leaderless state.
And Lin Xun’s comfortable days as Hall Master would co to an end.
Naturally, he grew anxious.
Not only him—even Su Wan and everyone else present looked extrely serious.
There were quite a few inner and outer disciples in the Huishui County hall who were players from Warring States Ga Studio.
A single movent could affect everything.
Su Wan stared at Su Wangchuan and asked:
“Wangchuan, did you co here specifically to warn us that sothing may happen to the Yulong Gang?”
“For a period of ti in the future, the Yulong Gang will certainly undergo drastic changes and major turmoil. You must prepare in advance,” Su Wangchuan said with a nod. “Although the Third-Rank Martial Artist who attacked was very likely the sa person who killed He Haisheng, if the Beggar Sect continues pressing the issue, Old Seven will not hesitate to abandon Yang Feiyue.”
“When that happens…”
“The Yulong Gang may end up with several halls acting independently.”
Su Wangchuan looked at Lin Xun and said half-jokingly:
“When that happens, we might have to start calling you Gang Leader Lin.”
“…”
Lin Xun stood there speechless for a long ti, yet he could not feel happy at all. His face was filled with bitterness.
“Wangchuan, at a ti like this you are still joking. As long as Yang Feiyue is above , at least there is soone taller holding up the sky for … If he dies, who knows when soone might kill as well!”
Lin Xun was not joking.
In Huishui County and the Yulong Gang, how many people sitting in high positions ever ended well?
Qin Ming was dead.
He Haisheng was dead.
Once Yang Feiyue fell, the next in line would probably be him and Song Minshu.
“Wangchuan.”
“Is there any way to salvage the situation?”
“Yang Feiyue… it would be best if he does not die too quickly.”
Su Wan stared at Su Wangchuan with a solemn expression.
Su Wangchuan replied:
“That is also my opinion. If we do not want Yang Feiyue to die, the only option is to dispatch Captain Bai. If Captain Bai cos to the Yulong Gang, there may still be a chance to keep Yang Feiyue alive.”
“No!”
Su Wan rejected the idea imdiately.
“Captain Bai is one of the pillars of Warring States Ga Studio. She absolutely cannot be put at risk, nor can she be dragged into the conflict between Caobang and the Beggar Sect! We worked very hard to cultivate a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist.”
In her view, the Beggar Sect was far too dangerous. Their ranks were filled with experts. If a Fourth-Rank or even a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist appeared, the consequences would be unpredictable.
Warring States Ga Studio could not afford such a risk.
Su Wangchuan was not surprised by Su Wan’s reaction.
There were indeed too many uncertainties and dangers involved.
“There is another option. After Yang Feiyue dies, Warring States Ga Studio can increase its support for the Huishui County hall and help Brother Lin Xun secure the position of gang leader in Huishui County.”
Everyone turned to look at Lin Xun.
He frowned and fell into deep thought, torn with hesitation.
As soone in the underworld, who would not want to climb to the top and beco the leader?
But that position would face challenges at every mont. It was far too dangerous.
On one side was power.
On the other was life and death.
It was a difficult choice.
Su Wangchuan had already achieved the purpose of his visit. He stood up and said:
“The affairs of the Sanjiang Branch Helm and the Yulong Gang are already enormous. My energy is limited, and I cannot involve myself in the matters of Blackstone Village. However, I suggest that you do not relocate the village blindly. As for how the Huishui County hall of the Yulong Gang should handle things, you can discuss it among yourselves. I will take my leave first.”
His purpose of issuing the warning had been achieved. The rest depended on how Su Wan chose to act.
The mont he walked out of the office, Su Wangchuan felt a great burden lifted from his shoulders.
Yang Feiyue was the tall pillar supporting Lin Xun…
And Warring States Ga Studio was the tall pillar supporting him.
If the sky collapsed, they would be the ones to hold it up.
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