Chapter 43: Danger Approaches

Feng Mu woke up in the morning and received several text messages.

The texts were sent by Ma Wei, the sending time close to dawn: 06:17.

The text content was extremely explosive.

— Boss, the Green Wolf Gang lost quite a few brothers last night, seems like Bin Ge sent them to the Black Market to do something, result, all dead, bodies were discovered under a bridge cave.

— Qian Hao, that is Bin Ge's confidant, died especially miserably, when carried back, half his heart had been gnawed away.

— Boss you absolutely won't guess what gnawed it, it was ants ah, inside the chest cavity were all ants and ant eggs.

— Supposedly ah, I heard the gang's physician say, when Qian Hao had half his heart gnawed away, the person might still have been alive, hahaha, laughed my ass off, I think the physician should go get his head checked, Boss what do you think?

Feng Mu's drowsiness instantly vanished completely.

He read the texts back and forth two more times, extracted the key information inside, and pieced it together with what he already knew, naturally arriving at the following inferences.

First, Qian Hao was sent by Ma Bin to the Black Market to collect Black Cores.

Second, the Black Market merchant collecting Black Cores is extremely ferocious, absolutely no ordinary Martial Artist.

Ordinary Martial Artists don't have the method of using ants to gnaw a person's internal organs, and can still keep the person alive while gnawing away half a heart, this is clearly conducting coercing confession, and the methods are extremely professional.

Third, Qian Hao is just a gang hooligan, definitely can't withstand coercing confession, inevitably sold out Ma Bin.

Fourth, the more cruel the Black Market merchant's methods, the more it confirms there's a secret hidden behind the Black Core, this bunch will inevitably target Ma Bin next.

Of course, this secret definitely isn't called Yin Sha Jiu You E Nie Yuan Tie, this should be a secret only he who possesses the system uniquely enjoys.

The Black Core has another secret, but the result is the same, this bunch's purpose conflicts with Feng Mu's.

Thinking of this, Feng Mu felt seven parts frustration, three parts relief.

Frustrated that, this bunch of Black Market merchants aren't simple, Ma Bin facing them might not hold the advantage, the plan of using Ma Bin's hand to deal with Black Cores has basically fallen through by half.

Relieved that, he himself never went to the Black Market with Wang Jian, and even more didn't foolishly go find this bunch to reverse-purchase Black Cores.

Otherwise, fortune and misfortune would be unpredictable ah.

As for, whether one can live with half a heart gnawed away, what's so strange about that, of course one can ah.

"Unless it's smashed to pieces half my heart in one blow, then 【Blood Frenzy】 might not react in time and I'd be done for, but if it's letting ants gnaw bit by bit, then 【Blood Frenzy】 absolutely can hang onto my life, and hang on more and more fiercely." Feng Mu thought to himself.

He thought further: "But I can only hang onto my own life, can't hang onto others', using this as reference for comparison, this bunch of Black Market merchants have revealed a tier higher than my current self."

Feng Mu very rationally drew the conclusion: "For safety's sake, I temporarily won't set my sights on the Black Cores in their hands anymore."

The remaining doubt is, if Ma Bin can't hold out, will he sell me out?

Bad news is, Ma Bin will definitely sell me out;

Good news is, the portrait in Ma Bin's heart of me is a cripple avenging for love.

Unrelated to Feng Mu, then that's settled.

While Feng Mu was thinking like this, Ma Bin seemingly sensed something and called over.

It was Hong Mao's phone, the two of them had agreed to use this phone to contact each other.

Feng Mu tilted his head to listen to the movement in the living room, Wang Xiuli should be in the kitchen preparing breakfast, he then plugged in his earphones and answered the call, voice turning hoarse: "Hello, what is it?"

Ma Bin had his underlings all go out, he didn't find it disgusting, carefully examined Qian Hao's corpse several times over, his expression gradually turning grave, only then dialed Hong Mao's phone.

"You set me up?" Ma Bin's opening first sentence was an impolite interrogation.

Feng Mu's tone was flat: "What are you saying?"

Ma Bin coldly laughed: "The subordinates I sent to the Black Market all died, died extremely miserably, that bunch collecting Black Cores shouldn't be of Black Market merchant caliber."

Ma Bin isn't looking down on the Black Market, but fact is, in the "resource control cycle" system constructed by Shang Xia Cheng, the Black Market is just a dark ditch sewer.

There might circulate some contraband, but absolutely not high-level to any extent.

Merchants surviving in the Black Market, might be cunning enough, cruel enough, but absolutely can't reach truly ferocious, because truly ferocious merchants all wear legal cloaks.

Whoever messes around in the Black Market, people all openly do business and receive customers.

Ma Bin's words were a bit circuitous, but Feng Mu could understand, in his heart he praised Ma Bin for being sharp enough, to immediately sniff out the scent of danger.

Feng Mu feigned shock, stayed silent for a few seconds, then explained: "I didn't set you up, I didn't know that bunch of Black Market merchants weren't simple."

Ma Bin coldly laughed: "So, you used me to test the waters, to probe them?"

Feng Mu was a bit embarrassed, he indeed harbored this ill intention.

Not waiting for Feng Mu to quibble, Ma Bin continued: "A bunch of tricky and dangerous fellows, painstakingly disguised as Black Market merchants, and stayed unknown for so many years, obviously plotting something huge, and now, they can no longer keep up the act."

Feng Mu: "Hm, thanks to your blessing.

Ma Bin choked with anger: "They'll definitely target me, so, tell me, what secret does the Black Core ultimately hide?"

Feng Mu made no sound, he damn well where would he know what secret the Black Core hides.

Ma Bin gritted his teeth and threatened: "You don't tell me, then when they come looking, I can only hand you over in confession."

Ma Bin doesn't know the appearance on the other end of the phone, but he believes he's grasped some key clues, such as cripple, such as No. 47 Middle School student, such as intimate relationship with Wang Wei.

He's convinced as long as he hardens his heart to investigate, he'll definitely uncover the other party's true identity, in other words, giving this intelligence to that bunch of Black Market merchants yields the same result.

So, Ma Bin believes his threat carries substance, is extremely weighty.

Feng Mu temporarily unwilling to tear face, he let out a long sigh, seeming forced with no choice, yet unwilling to fully reveal, only spat out a single keyword: "Curse of the Evil Sacrifice!"

Ma Bin's eyes brightened, clearly associating to something.

Feng Mu gave himself a mental thumbs-up for his quick wit, the system's evaluation of him wasn't wrong, he indeed excels at lying, mixing false with true.

He said: "The rest I'm also not clear on, I can only tell you, the Black Core has a connection with a certain specific Curse of the Evil Sacrifice."

Feng Mu stopped at the right point, next the phone went silent on both ends.

Feng Mu was silent because he could only be silent, as for why exactly Ma Bin was silent, Feng Mu didn't know.

A long time.

Ma Bin's voice came from the microphone again: "Understood."

Feng Mu: "......"

No, bro, what do you understand? Can you elaborate? I'm super curious, Riddle Person won't die a good death.

Feng Mu felt an itch in his heart; he really wanted to know what Ma Bin had filled in the blanks with, so that when he lied in the future, he could reference it.

Ma Bin didn't satisfy Feng Mu's curiosity; he changed the subject and said: "In that case, among those things you asked me for, the Black Core must be removed."

Feng Mu was understanding: "Okay."

Ma Bin raised another demand: "I'm the one who tested the waters and stirred up trouble for you; if they come looking for me, you have to come help."

Feng Mu grinned, his laughter genuine: "Of course, since we're cooperating, that definitely means watching each other's backs; rest assured, I'm a person who acts with the utmost Jianghu righteousness."

Ma Bin let out a cold snort and hung up the phone.

Only a ghost would believe in Jianghu righteousness; he believed more that his own threat had worked, and the other party should understand and be even more wary of that group of Black Market merchants than he was.

Feng Mu naturally didn't speak of Jianghu righteousness; he was just a Cremation Worker who had gained blessed retribution, and he didn't mix in the Jianghu.

But, half of that sentence above was sincere: "Hmm, if the opportunity is right."

After all, the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits~

So,

Head-on confrontation with Black Market merchants, risking oneself. (X)

Using teammate as bait, ambush, sniping, one wave to swap bases? (✓)

End of Chapter