Xiao Feng took out the Soul-Sealing Nail he had just used to instill fear in Gu Shi and handed it to Di Junxiong: "Find an institution to appraise how many years old this thing is.
Additionally, check if Jiangcheng has had any drought years in the last two hundred years.
If the nail's age aligns with the drought years, then focus on investigating Wild Lake, three kiloters north of Chengzhong Village.
The key points to investigate are: what was the village called during those drought years, how many people lived there, and where did the surviving villagers go afterward."
"Master…" Di Junxiong looked troubled: "The earlier tasks are manageable, but finding out where the surviving villagers went is quite unrealistic to check thoroughly, and will require a lot of ti."
Xiao Feng was naturally aware of the enormous workload this inquiry involved, and he compromised: "Investigate whatever you can; people from that village face the risk of being attacked."
"I'll do my best to investigate." Di Junxiong replied weakly, knowing that he probably wouldn't be able to think about taking a vacation for so ti.
After a few more instructions, Xiao Feng left with Qin Mantong.
Once they were away from the crowd, Qin Mantong suddenly said: "That Wild Lake you ntioned…"
Xiao Feng stopped in his tracks, his gaze focused: "What's up with Wild Lake?"
"My family's ancestral tomb was originally nearby, but was moved to another place later during road construction." Qin Mantong slowly said: "And the drought you ntioned, I heard my grandma talk about it when I was a child."
A look of surprise flashed in Xiao Feng's eyes, and he pursued: "Tell specifically."
"I need to think carefully…" Qin Mantong reflected for a mont, then said: "I rember my grandma said that there was a drought in the village when she was a child, and for a hundred miles around, there wasn't a single grain to be found.
The village's well that always had water dried up overnight, and later people even killed animals to drink blood for thirst.
So, villagers went to a nearby Daoist temple to pray for rain, getting a rain request thod from an old Daoist there, but my grandma didn't say what the thod was.
After hearing the Daoist's words, it rained heavily for seven consecutive days, scaring villagers into thinking they might face a flood after just surviving a drought.
Additionally, every ti my grandma talked about this, she would shake her head, sigh, and consistently say "sinful."
Hearing this, Xiao Feng was already confident that the villagers' thod for praying for rain involved burying the Dry Bone Stake.
Arranging his thoughts slightly, he asked: "If your grandma were alive today, how old would she be?"
"My grandma passed away at eighty-nine, when I was ten, and now I am…" Qin Mantong muttered to herself and then answered: "Around one hundred ten years old."
Xiao Feng nodded slowly, suggesting that the drought year was about a century ago.
"Can you still get in touch with people from your grandma's village?"
Qin Mantong shook her head: "I only rember going back to my hotown a few tis to pay respects to my ancestors, but never lived there, and after the ancestral tomb relocation, I never went back."
Xiao Feng wasn't very disappointed with this answer, as it was more of a casual inquiry.
He sent the approximate year to Di Junxiong, and then the two continued walking towards the intersection.
Thinking to himself, Xiao Feng pondered, based on Qin Mantong's narrative, she indeed belonged to the group that left the village Gu Shi was from.
This ans Gu Shi wanting to kill her wasn't without reason.
"Does the person with the long fingernails have a grudge against you?" Qin Mantong couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Feng burst out laughing: "No grudge against , but there's one against you."
"A grudge against ?" Qin Mantong widened her eyes in disbelief.
Nodding seriously, Xiao Feng briefly explained Gu Shi's background.
After hearing this, Qin Mantong realized: "No wonder grandma said it was 'sinful,' treating an innocent person so cruelly certainly is sinful.
However, grudges have roots, and debts have owners, we who were born decades later can't be said to have original sin from birth."
Xiao Feng didn't voice an opinion on this—it's the kind of thing where each party has their point.
The difference lies only in the perspective from which one thinks.
Before long, they arrived at the crossroads…
"Xiao Feng, is it too late for to turn back now?" Qin Mantong asked quietly with her head down.
Xiao Feng chuckled: "Do you think you've taken the wrong path?"
"Bai Huanyu's assignnt to was to use my beauty to seduce you, then stay close enough to report your whereabouts to him at any ti."
Qin Mantong sighed: "Actually, I wasn't very confident, especially after seeing that opening ceremony; everyone by your side is prettier than .
The only card I have is your old friendship with …"
"Hold on!" Xiao Feng interrupted: "Regarding that past friendship, by friendship I an camaraderie, only encompassing friendship, not any romantic feelings."
"Thank you for your honesty." Qin Mantong gave a bitter smile, and then raised her eyebrows: "But if Bai Huanyu hadn't promised a large sum of money, do you think I'd be interested in you?"
Xiao Feng didn't pick up the topic, instead asking: "In that case, you agreed to Bai Huanyu's request to infiltrate my side not because he has any leverage against you?"
"Correct." Qin Mantong replied earnestly: "When I told you earlier, Bai Huanyu wasn't easy to deal with, that wasn't false.
He is soone who will express goodwill toward everyone he deems valuable. I've known him for six years, and he has indeed helped a lot during this ti.
And such a person is very formidable."
"Is he?" Xiao Feng shrugged: "I don't feel that way."
Qin Mantong contemplated for a mont before saying: "Have you ever considered why Bai Huanyu was able to gather so many people and forces against you in such a short ti?"
"What do you think?" Xiao Feng asked back.
"I've sumd it up in a few points.
First, if you trace back half a year, you've made too many enemies in Jiangcheng and been excessively aggressive, leaving no room for compromise in outsiders' eyes.
Hence, those who've offended you might think since you wouldn't spare them anyway, they might as well side with Bai Huanyu.
Second, to most people, you're soone who only benefits and refuses to suffer harm.
Such a personality often doesn't bring good relations, and even those initially neutral are unlikely to lean toward your side.
Third, this cos down to what Bai Huanyu has cultivated over the years.
Among those he's supported, albeit few achieve substantial careers, they still hold one-fifth of Jiangcheng's major enterprise positions.
If this is an investnt, then in my view, it's a sure bet with no losses."
Listening to this lengthy analysis, Xiao Feng couldn't help but laugh: "Not bad, fair and balanced.
However, everyone has concerns, and I am not as unruly as outsiders perceive.
Otherwise… Bai Huanyu should have been seven days gone by now."
Qin Mantong twitched her lips, but after the recent hotel encounter, she had no doubt that if Xiao Feng wanted to kill Bai Huanyu, it would be effortless.
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