Chapter 79: Establish Prestige Before Establishing a Foothold!

In the industrial park on the outskirts of Jiade City.

While Huang Zong and the others quickly set up their trading company and production base by taking over ready-made factories.

They also sensed some dangerous vibes.

Before coming, the six of them, including Huang Zong, were very clear about the Chaos and danger in the Nierbo region.

But wasn't the reason they chose this place in the first place because they had their eyes on its status as a "no-man's-land" and the certain balance achieved under the interlocking interests of various major factions?

Huang Zong and the others used money to pave the way, and while mobilizing their connections, they also urgently found a reputable security company to be responsible for the factory's safety.

And then... for this period of time, nothing indeed happened to Huang Zong and his group; there were even very few of the intimidation and extortion attempts that were commonplace for local companies in Jiade City.

It seems that even in Nierbo, no thugs are bold enough to provoke a security zone that is clearly heavily guarded.

But this evening, Huang Zong and his group learned that one of their buses carrying local employees had been hijacked while on its way here!

Huang Zong and the others were not overly panicked by this.

They even had a feeling of: Oh, finally, the sense of relief that it had arrived.

Because this kind of situation, where hostages are taken to force foreign companies to negotiate, is not rare in Nierbo.

If you haven't encountered it a few times, you'd be embarrassed to tell others that you've run a company in Nierbo.

The professionals they found when they arrived had already provided a contingency plan for this kind of situation.

Generally speaking, the other party's goal is still primarily to seek money.

To put it bluntly, you are a fat sheep passing through, and the wolves in the territory all want to take a bite, yet they harbor a fantasy of long-term gains and a fear of retaliation, so they will constantly test the fat sheep's bottom line, constantly trying to see if they can eat another piece of fat meat.

"Find someone to talk; if we can't reach an agreement, then we'll see whether to keep looking for people or pay the money and start a fight."

Lu Daheng spoke up at this moment, a hint of excitement in his eyes:

"With this incident, it would be reasonable for us to get some edge-case weapons for the security team, right?"

"Didn't we already plan it before? To grow big and strong here, and also set up a Blue Zone like our peers in Johannesburg, with weapons, equipment, and training even better than the local regular army!"

"You certainly think quite far ahead."

"You even want to carve out a zone to rule; do you really think such a thing is so easy to accomplish?"

"Those examples all relied on the right timing, the right place, and the right people."

Huang Zong smiled and began to make a satellite call.

Soon, this Huang Zong's expression turned serious:

"The ones causing trouble this time are not a local faction, but a gang composed of foreign desperadoes—the Earth Wolf Gang!"

"It's a bit troublesome. This gang, including the ringleaders, consists mostly of young people who dare to eat any kind of money. It is rumored that they have recently been in contact with some illegal armed groups, not only trafficking illegal drugs but also suspected of being involved in illegal arms."

"In addition, the mayor's side has warned us."

"That security officer responsible for the safety of the port area has quite an opinion of us."

"That one?"

Lu Daheng recalled the information:

"Doesn't he mainly control the timber business? Why, is he anxious seeing that we haven't imported or exported any timber?"

"We really have become big fat sheep in their eyes!"

Speaking of this, Lu Daheng put himself in their shoes and realized that if it weren't for knowing that there was such a Shu Daoren behind them.

And that their goal wasn't really for commercial profit, investing and setting up factories here.

Wouldn't they just be acting like fat sheep?

"What should we do? The meeting time is coming, we have to report..."

"No need. To ask for help for such a small matter, it's very likely we will be considered useless by the Daoist."

"If... if it's seen as us testing the Daoist's abilities, that would be even worse!"

Huang Zong shook his head repeatedly; once he thought of Shu Daoren's style and that Human-Faced Locust Tree, he didn't dare to do anything that might arouse suspicion.

When villains do things, they often don't need evidence; they only need suspicion!

Therefore, as long as it can be solved by themselves, then try to solve it by themselves first.

Even if it's bitter, tiring, or costs some money?

Spend a little! Safety first!

Lu Daheng and the others were also reasonable, nodding one after another to agree with Huang Zong's idea, and then they began to arrange for people to contact the other party, preparing to settle this matter on their own.

Night fell.

The six of them, including Huang Zong, once again sensed the summons of Shu Daoren and entered the Burial Ground!

As soon as they arrived at the Burial Ground.

The six of them, including Huang Zong, keenly sensed a place that was not quite right.

The fog was still as thick as ever, but were the black shadows of the trees in the fog a bit more scattered?

And those Ghost Fires that emitted wails and howls—which they had heard so much that they actually felt a hint of intimacy—seemed not as loud and powerful as they were last time!

Fortunately, the ghost that came to greet them seemed to be fine, so the six of them, including Huang Zong, relaxed and continued to follow along.

Before long, they arrived at the summit of the Burial Ground.

They saw a scene that made their eyelids twitch.

The thatched cottage that should have been in front, as well as the stone stools they had once sat on, and the stone table where they had once placed teacups.

Had all turned into ruins!

And!

As their eyes looked at the ground, they discovered that circle of shallow pits.

The six of them, including Huang Zong, stopped one after another, their hearts filled with panic.

Until they saw Shu Daoren, who had slowly walked out from the fog amidst the ruins, revealing his figure.

Huang Zong and the others seemed to have found their backbone, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Was this an encounter with a transcendent magical battle?

It looked like the Burial Ground was still there, they could still be brought over, and Shu Daoren likely hadn't lost.

It was just that the lair had been beaten into such a state, this Daoist master...

Seeming to notice the worry of Huang Zong and the others.

Shu Daoren gripped his cane and tapped the ground, letting out a cackling, eerie laugh:

"No need to panic; it was just some petty scoundrels who learned a few low-class tricks and wanted to come test me, but I have already sent them all on the road to the Yellow Springs."

"It's just that this time, you all will have to sit on the ground."

After finishing his words, Shu Daoren came before the six people, including Huang Zong, who were hurriedly bowing to offer their congratulations.

First, there was still the Bloodline Slate to test their blood.

This time, the blood samples were quite a bit more numerous.

According to Huang Zong's explanation, they had recruited many employees of Eastern descent at the factory in Nierbo, and then, using health checkups as a pretext, they arranged for their own people to intervene in the process, naturally obtaining a large number of samples.

It was a pity that although there were enough people, this batch of samples still contained no one that made the Bloodline Slate glow.

Su Ping was not too disappointed by this; to obtain it is my fortune, to lose it is my fate.

Besides, wouldn't the rarer and harder it is to find a Spirit Body, the more it shows how awesome his own Saint Body is?

After the testing ended, Su Ping gave the six people, including Huang Zong, some hot Spirit Tea to soothe their little hearts.

They began to report on their experiences during this period and submitted the list of goods prepared for transfer to the Burial Ground.

Shu Daoren used the Object Manipulation Technique to lift the list from the constraints of gravity, and it floated lightly before his eyes.

Looking at the specific numbers listed above, Su Ping nodded slightly in his heart.

Yet, the transformed Shu Daoren spoke in a tone that was neither smiling nor serious:

"You all still have some things you haven't reported, don't you!"

Hearing this, the hair on the backs of the six people, including Huang Zong, stood up, and they all knelt on the ground at the very first moment.

While kneeling, various guesses flashed through Huang Zong's mind.

The most likely one was not that a traitor had appeared among the six of them.

Rather, Huang Zong worried with some trepidation that the Burial Ground actually didn't just have the six of them as Registered Disciples.

It was very likely that this Shu Daoren had other Registered Disciples working for him, perhaps even providing intelligence support right there in Jiade City.

A superior obtains information from multiple channels to compare them, so as to avoid listening only to one side.

This was only right and proper!

Huang Zong and the others did not find it strange that Shu Daoren would do this.

While kowtowing and begging for mercy, they explained the only omitted matter—the news involving the Earth Wolf Gang—in full detail.

Su Ping listened silently; naturally, he didn't have the energy to manage other Registered Disciples.

He simply habitually let Spirit Mouse Xiaobai and Xiaohui control a batch of local big rats in Jiade City, and then every time he came over, he would scout ahead and read the memory fragments of the big rats.

Plus, this kidnapping incident happened around the industrial park and was done very crudely; the perpetrators never thought about hiding their identities.

And this area was also a region strictly guarded by the big rats, so it was perfectly normal for Su Ping to notice it.

Even when Huang Zong and the others came to the Burial Ground, the rats had already found the hideout of those kidnappers and the hostages.

"It seems your original intention was still to work diligently for the Burial Ground."

"That is good, but you are not allowed to hide anything next time."

"Whether you are sincere or have ulterior motives, there are plenty of ways to tell."

"Do you understand!"

Shu Daoren paused after saying this, and rolling black Qi suddenly erupted from his body.

A chill swept through the surroundings.

Huang Zong and the others only felt as if they had fallen into a world of ice and snow, and they looked at the now ghostly Shu Daoren.

A sudden inspiration struck them, and they hurriedly swore and vowed never to engage in any deceptive behavior again.

Su Ping naturally didn't quite believe this, but after giving the stick, he should also give a bit of a carrot.

With a thought, he paused the Array that was creating the atmosphere of extreme cold and fear to let them catch their breath.

Su Ping recited the entry-level chapter of the Health Preservation Technique, a Martial Dao Cultivation Method from the Cultivation World.

This Health Preservation Technique was simple to start with and had extremely low requirements for aptitude.

It was quite popular among large families in the Cultivation World.

Practicing it a little, at the very least, there was no problem with strengthening the body.

For the people of Water Blue Star, the most important trouble with this technique, like other Martial Dao Cultivation Methods, was that whether it was for entry or breaking through small realms, one either had to toil in an environment with Spirit Qi or rely on Pills to provide the missing spiritual power.

Without these key points, the effect of the Health Preservation Technique on Water Blue Star might not even be as good as scientific fitness.

At least scientific fitness was truly formulated according to the local environment and the physical condition of humans.

Huang Zong and the others were wild with joy upon hearing the transmission of the technique from Shu Daoren.

Although Shu Daoren only recited it once, Huang Zong and the others were not worried.

They had a top student like Lu Daheng among them who possessed a photographic memory!

Glancing over quietly, they found that Lu Daheng nodded slightly with a natural expression.

Huang Zong and the others felt relieved, just waiting to go back and study hard with this top student.

Then they heard Shu Daoren continue to speak:

"Your bodies are too weak; what I just gave you was a technique to build your foundation."

"In a moment, you can meditate and practice here to gain entry as quickly as possible with the help of the local terrain."

"As for this old man..."

"Heh! This old man is nearly dead, yet I am still being sought out and bullied."

"In that case, who cares about any pugilistic rules!"

"You all are too young; do not think that those who took action are merely mortals, or that they are only targeting you—there is more than just mortals behind them!"

"On the surface, they are moving against you, but in the shadows, they are also testing this old man."

"However, there is no need to worry; they are nothing but clowns who do not even qualify as a Side-Door Path. Since a confrontation is inevitable sooner or later, then let us choose tonight, at this very hour!"

"To establish a foothold, one must first establish prestige. Tonight... this old man shall establish prestige here for the Burial Ground!"