Chapter 484

Li Li Banfeng was drawing a map in Xiaoyao Wu, a map of Scum Ridge.

Wan Wan Jinxian knew that Li Li Banfeng had used the technique of "Parting Ten Thousand Miles," which meant he knew Li Li Banfeng had ninth-layer cultivation.

This matter was a thorn in Li Li Banfeng's side; he had to find Wan Wan Jinxian and eliminate him.

Wan Wan Jinxian had been sent by Li Li Banfeng to the Blade Ghost Ridge, and the Blade Ghost Ridge was currently in Scum Ridge.

Previously, under the influence of the Saint's "Layered Mountains and Ridges" technique, the entrance to Scum Ridge was hard to find, the exit could not be found, directions were chaotic, and the terrain overlapped. There was no complete map of Scum Ridge in Puluo Continent.

Now that the Saint was gone, the influence of the "Layered Mountains and Ridges" technique had also disappeared, but Scum Ridge had become the territory of Blade-Labor Ghosts. Ordinary people dared not take a single step into Scum Ridge, so there was even less hope for a map.

Fortunately, Li Li Banfeng had previously walked through every village in Scum Ridge. Relying on the Traveling Cultivator's talent for direction and distance, the framework of the map soon took shape.

There were a few details he still needed to recall carefully when Ma Wu suddenly pushed the door open and walked in: "Old Seven, we have a big deal!"

"What big deal?"

In order to manage Qiqiu City and Huangtu Bridge, Ma Wu had been so busy lately that he could not attend to everything. Today, for some unknown reason, he rushed back to Xiaoyao Wu in a hurry.

Ma Wu said, "A merchant surnamed Chen took the initiative to find me, wanting to do business with us. Old Seven, our business has reached the Outer Continent!"

Li Li Banfeng did not understand this matter very well. He had heard before that large families had business dealings with the Outer Continent, but what kind of business could the Outer Continent and Puluo Continent actually do?

Ma Wu explained, "The Outer Continent calls cultivation 'Dark Energy' and calls magic treasures, spiritual objects, and elixirs 'Dark Energy Carriers.' The Outer Continent's Dark Energy Carriers are all bought from us. This merchant surnamed Chen is in this line of business."

Li Li Banfeng frowned and said, "Isn't this sending weapons to the Outer Continent?"

Ma Wu shrugged his eyebrows and said, "Old Seven, we are businessmen. This matter is not for us to manage, and besides, we cannot manage it. If we don't sell, other families will sell to the Outer Continent."

Li Li Banfeng put away the map and said, "Tomorrow I will call all the large families here. From today on, this business must stop. Whoever does this again is going against me."

Ma Wu tried to persuade Li Li Banfeng: "Even if you stop the large families, it's useless. The Border Defense Hall is still here. They also have channels to obtain magic treasures and elixirs, and sometimes they even hire hunters to go to the New Land to hunt."

That logic was sound, but the matter was even more suspicious.

"The Border Defense Hall has its own channels, so why do they still need to do business with us through this merchant surnamed Chen? To find a middleman to earn the price difference on both sides? What benefit does this have for the Outer Continent?"

Ma Wu explained, "This merchant is very special. He is not a citizen of the Da Huan Kingdom; he is from the Outer Amikan Kingdom."

"The Da Huan Kingdom lets him handle the business in Puluo Continent, and the business in the Outer Amikan Kingdom will also be opened up for the Da Huan Kingdom to handle. This is the result of a game between several parties."

A game?

In the Da Huan Kingdom, very few people knew about Puluo Continent. Before Li Li Banfeng came to Puluo Continent, he had no idea that such a place existed.

Puluo Continent, Dark Energy, Dark Energy Users—in the Da Huan Kingdom, this was the most top-secret of secrets. For such an important matter, they were looking for a foreign merchant to play a game?

Li Li Banfeng always felt that this matter was too abnormal.

"Old Five, this merchant surnamed Chen might be a fraud."

Ma Wu nodded and said, "I also suspect he is a fraud, but he holds a letter from the Border Defense Hall. This letter is real. I have asked an inside contact in the Border Defense Hall, and this matter is also real. Old Seven, such a big deal, we cannot just miss it."

While speaking, Ma Wu looked around to see if there were any hooks in the room.

Li Li Banfeng shook his head. He had washed this room many times with his wife's technique, so there were definitely no hooks. Ma Wu whispered, "You are from the Outer Continent, and you know more about the affairs of the Outer Continent than I do. We must discuss this business together."

Discussing it was not impossible. Li Li Banfeng did not want to do this business, but he had to know what this merchant surnamed Chen's intentions were.

Two days later, Ma Wu hosted a banquet at Xiaoyao Wu specifically to entertain this merchant surnamed Chen.

When the guests arrived, Ma Wu introduced both sides: "Old Seven, this is Mr. Dick Chen from the Outer Amikan Kingdom."

Judging by his appearance, this person named Dick Chen was a typical Easterner. He did not seem very old, looking about twenty-five or twenty-six. His features were very refined; he should have had plastic surgery. There was always a faint smile on his face, a faint smile that was slightly contemptuous and a bit playful.

When introducing Li Li Banfeng, Ma Wu emphasized: "This is the president of our Qiqiu Group. This business must be decided by our president."

President?

Li Li Banfeng looked at Ma Wu, not understanding why he had such a title.

Ma Wu was a young master from a wealthy family. For various reasons, he had not been to the Outer Continent, but he was not completely ignorant of the affairs of the Outer Continent. He was communicating in a way that Dick Chen could adapt to.

Dick Chen looked at Li Li Banfeng and nodded slightly, with no intention of shaking hands with Li Li Banfeng.

This was appropriate; Li Li Banfeng also did not have the habit of shaking hands.

Li Li Banfeng did not even nod; he just silently looked at Dick Chen.

Ma Wu exchanged some pleasantries and soon got to the point: "We have already calculated the list of goods proposed by Mr. Chen. Regarding the quotation, we have already provided a plan. Of course, if the cooperation goes smoothly, we are also willing to make some concessions on the price."

Ma Wu was a businessman, but this was not the way of doing business he was accustomed to. In order to adapt to Dick Chen, Ma Wu had put in a lot of effort.

Dick Chen looked at Ma Wu's plan and casually placed it on the edge of the table, his face still carrying a contemptuous and playful smile: "I am here for the first time, here, in this place, what is it called again?"

His secretary reminded him from the side: "This place is called Puluo Continent."

This secretary looked quite good, with fair cheeks, full face, short hair cut to the ears, and wearing rimless glasses. Her plump, round buttocks only had one-third in contact with the seat, possessing the unique capability and cold beauty of a professional woman.

"Puluo... Continent," Dick Chen said with some difficulty: "This name is really a bit of a tongue-twister. I will abbreviate it as Pu Continent here. Everyone should have no objections, right?"

Hearing this sentence, Ma Wu's cheek twitched.

At their last meeting, Dick Chen said he could not remember the name of Puluo Continent, and this time he said he still could not remember it.

Not only could he not remember it, but he also changed the name.

The accountant sitting on the side had his pen tip tremble; even he could barely hold it in.

But Dick Chen did not feel there was anything inappropriate. He continued: "I know that Pu Continent is a very closed-off place, but I did not expect it to be backward to this extent.

Mr. Ma, you are listing the price list now, are you trying to facilitate this business through this one negotiation?"

Ma Wu indeed thought so, and thinking so was indeed not wrong. It was Dick Chen who took the initiative to find him, so the business should be negotiated this way.

Dick Chen did not think so: "Now is the era of information and data. I need to compare different information to judge whether you have the value of cooperation in business."

Ma Wu asked: "If you feel I have no value, why did you find me to do business in the first place?"

Dick Chen spread his hands and said: "Because there are not many people to choose from in Pu Continent. To be precise, no one here has modern commercial knowledge. I can only find one who is not so ignorant from a group of ignorant people."

"Mr. Ma, if you really want your career to have a breakthrough, to be able to break through this closed-off place of Pu Continent, I suggest you go out and take a look. You at least need to understand the concepts of data and information."

Regarding the concepts of data and information, Ma Wu was very vague, and every Puluo Continent person was very vague.

But it was precisely these two vague concepts that directly lowered Ma Wu's status, making Ma Wu so angry that his veins jumped and he could not speak.

Li Li Banfeng was not angry. He asked Dick Chen: "What way do you usually use to obtain data and information?"

Dick Chen smiled: "Let's talk about something basic. You might not know the concept of the Internet yet. On the Internet, I can get most of the information I need."

Li Li Banfeng said: "We also have our information channels. We have newspapers."

Dick Chen shook his head: "That is too outdated. That is a media carrier from the last century and should have been sent to a museum long ago.

And I have also seen your newspapers. The information on them has too much water, and the credibility is too low."

Li Li Banfeng nodded and said: "The credibility of newspapers in Puluo Continent is not very high. Out of ten pieces of news, maybe only three are true. But the Internet you mentioned—out of a hundred pieces of information, there might not even be one that is true. What is there to be proud of in using it as an information channel?"

Dick Chen frowned slightly: "What is the basis for you saying this? Have you ever come into contact with the Internet?"

Li Li Banfeng smiled: "In Puluo Continent, not everyone is qualified to speak in newspapers.

But in the Outer Continent, anyone can talk nonsense on the Internet. How high do you think the credibility of the Internet is?"

Dick Chen shook his head: "You seem to have a certain understanding of the Internet, but your mode of thinking shocks me. You actually compare newspapers and the Internet, which shows your thinking is outdated and backward.

The way I speak might be a bit direct, but I have no intention of offending you. I just want to express my true thoughts.

Mr. Li, your backwardness and closed-off nature in Pu Continent determine my attitude toward you. This is a reaction to objective facts, not my subjective discrimination. Can you understand what I mean?"

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "Who is that? I still don't understand what you mean."

Dick Chen frowned: "I have a name and a surname. Please do not call me 'who is that.' This is the minimum respect for me."

Li Li Banfeng asked very seriously: "What is your name again?"

Dick Chen's cheek twitched, but he still maintained a faint smile: "My name is Dick Chen. I hope you can remember it."

"Your surname is Di?"

Dick Chen's cheek twitched again: "Mr. Li, perhaps you have not come into contact with the languages of other countries. In my language, the surname is usually placed after the name."

"So your surname is Chen?" Li Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "This name is not good. It's neither native nor foreign, and it sounds neither fish nor fowl.

You want to be a foreigner so much, I will give you a better-sounding foreign name. I will call you 'Sack Dick.' You have no objections, right?"

Dick Chen stopped smiling. "Sack Dick" was a curse: "Mr. Li, I don't know if you said that just now intentionally or unintentionally?"

"Intentionally," Li Li Banfeng said very frankly. "I didn't intend to offend you. I am currently humiliating you. Can't you tell, Sack-er?"

Dick Chen clenched his fists, about to pound the table.

Li Li Banfeng reminded him: "If you break the table, I will chop off your hands."

Dick Chen's fists clenched tighter and tighter. Li Li Banfeng smiled: "If you point your fists at me again, I will also chop off your hands. I am not targeting you; Puluo Continent just does things this directly."

Dick Chen released his fists, took his secretary, and stood up to leave.

Ma Wu opened a private room by himself and drank his sorrows away cup after cup.

He was not annoyed by the business matter; he was angry at his own performance just now.

"Old Seven, I really should go to the Outer Continent to take a look. I discovered that once I leave Puluo Continent, I don't know anything.

Today, Dick Chen talked about data, information, and the Internet. I have heard these names, but I have never seen the actual things.

I originally planned to go to the Outer Continent to study, but my father wouldn't let me. Later, I heard that the Outer Continent only allows one wife, so I didn't want to go out anymore.

Although Dick Chen has a poisonous tongue, he is right. I must go out and take a look; I must learn some real skills and bring them back."

Li Li Banfeng picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and nodded: "It is right to go to the Outer Continent to learn some skills, but that 'Dick' is not from the Outer Continent. He is from Puluo Continent."

Ma Wu was startled: "How do you say that?"

Li Li Banfeng said: "This has to start with you. You are the Fifth Young Master of the Ma family, not an ordinary person. He can disgust you like this because he knows where the softest spot of Puluo Continent people is.

I wanted to chop off his hands, and he immediately cowered. His previous arrogance and haughtiness all disappeared. This is because he is familiar with the methods and processes of doing things in Puluo Continent."

Ma Wu was stunned for a long time and said: "Then what is his purpose in finding us? Could it not be for business?"

"This is what we need to investigate," Li Li Banfeng drank the wine in his glass dry, "and we must investigate it clearly."

In the secret room of the Border Defense Hall, Dick Chen was flipping through Li Qi's files: "Li Qi's real name is Song Song Zhuowen. He has studied in the Outer Continent.

He indeed has some understanding of the Outer Continent, and his logic is correct. As for the other information, just let Tang Yuan investigate it."

After speaking, Dick Chen handed the information to Tang Yuan.

Tang Yuan and Lightbulb were both advanced students sent by the Dark Star Bureau. Her main task was to cooperate with Dick Chen's work.

Just now at Xiaoyao Wu, she had disguised herself as Dick Chen's secretary.

Regarding the investigation of Li Qi, Tang Yuan was eager to try. She had different thoughts from Lightbulb; she did not come to Puluo Continent to slack off. She wanted to truly achieve some results and also wanted to truly learn some skills.

But Liao Liao Zihui did not intend to give Tang Yuan this opportunity. He said to Dick Chen: "Little Chen, a person like Li Qi is not suitable for You You Xuehan to investigate alone."

Dick Chen shook his head and smiled: "In my eyes, Li Qi is not a person of any consequence. He is not calm enough in doing things and lacks sufficient depth and patience.

At our first meeting, just because of a few verbal conflicts, he wanted to chop off my hands. Such a person who easily reveals anger is really not worth my spending energy on."

Seeing Dick Chen's such contempt for Li Qi, Liao Liao Zihui was a bit dissatisfied: "Your understanding of him is not enough. I hope you can spend a little more time..."

"My time cannot be wasted on such a person," Dick Chen directly interrupted Liao Liao Zihui. "You have worked in Puluo Continent for so long; you should understand the concept and value of a balancer.

As a balancer, I need to balance the interests of all parties. There are many things I need to do. A list might be several meters long, but Li Qi is not on this list. He is not worthy."

Liao Liao Zihui did not say anything more and left the secret room.

Dick Chen looked at Tang Yuan: "Miss You, from now on, you also do not need to continue to cooperate with my work."

Tang Yuan was startled: "I am on a mission assigned by the General Commissioner of Border Defense. Before receiving orders from the General Commissioner, I must..."

"You will receive orders from the General Commissioner. Perhaps you will receive them today, or at the latest by tomorrow morning. Before that, I am giving you time off. You can do anything you want to do—go shopping, buy things. These things are very suitable for you."

Tang Yuan frowned: "I don't understand what you mean."

"Was I not direct enough? I mean, you are not suitable for executing the current mission," Dick Chen said. "Your ability is clearly insufficient. Today at the dining table, you showed nervousness and fear, which easily brought me into an unfavorable situation.

I don't understand what the purpose of the Dark Star Bureau and the Border Defense Hall in sending you here is. I have no obligation to help you improve your abilities, and I don't want to be dragged down by you in my work.

Miss You, go do what you are good at. In the Dark Star Bureau, people without ability often get better positions. I think you should be able to find a path that suits you."

Tang Yuan bit her lip and was about to leave the secret room when Dick Chen picked up a stack of documents on the table: "Take all of Li Qi's things away. From now on, this will be your work. Whether for you or for him, I don't want to waste even a bit of time."

Tang Yuan returned to the office in a rage.

Bang! She slammed the documents onto the table.

Lightbulb was startled: "What are you doing? Did you eat gunpowder?"

Tang Yuan shared an office with Big Head and Lightbulb. Big Head went out for field work, and Lightbulb spent his time in the office every day.

Sitting at the desk, Tang Yuan held her forehead and did not speak for a long time.

She could not figure out what the meaning of her coming to Puluo Continent was.

She felt that she was working hard every day, but the result was about the same as Lightbulb's—equivalent to slacking off every day.

"What exactly happened?" Lightbulb stepped forward to comfort her.

"Nothing happened." Tang Yuan sighed and began to organize the documents.

Giving Li Qi to me—this is a good thing.

I must make a show of it and let them see.

Lightbulb watched from the side, watching very carefully.

He saw Li Qi's file and also saw a plan—the price quotation plan from Ma Wu.

"How could this quotation plan be in her hands?" Li Li Banfeng thought for a moment and said, "Describe Tang Yuan's appearance."

"No need to describe; I have a photo of her." Lightbulb took a group photo of the team from his wallet. "The one with the round face and glasses is Tang Yuan."

Although her makeup had changed, Li Li Banfeng recognized her at a glance. This woman was Dick Chen's female secretary.

A senior agent of the Dark Star Bureau, sent to the Border Defense Hall for advanced studies—why disguise herself as a merchant's secretary?

What is this Dick Chen's true identity?

At nightfall, Dick Chen arrived at Fuwang Restaurant and entered a private room.

Chu Shaoqiang was drinking his sorrows away in the private room. Seeing Dick Chen, Chu Shaoqiang put down his wine glass and tapped it lightly against the edge of the cup.

This was a warning to Dick Chen.

Dick Chen stood at the door, not approaching Chu Shaoqiang. He knew that many magic treasures and spiritual objects in this room were already aimed at him.

Chu Shaoqiang asked: "Did the Inner Continent send you to find me?"

Dick Chen shook his head: "If the Inner Continent had sent me to find you, I wouldn't have walked in through this door; I would have found a place to ambush you. Little Brother Chu, you have already become a sinner in the Inner Continent. I am here to help you."

Chu Shaoqiang smiled: "How will you help me?"

"The matter of Ge Ge Junma should not be borne by you alone, and the matter of Sage Peak was not your fault. You have suffered too many groundless accusations and need someone to give you justice."

Chu Shaoqiang laughed: "Your fake-foreigner tone sounds quite pleasant. You say you want to give me justice? What will you use to give it?"

"Use an important item to exchange for a higher status for you."

"What important item?"

Dick Chen said: "After you agree to cooperate with me, I will tell you the answer."

Three days later, Dick Chen arrived at the Soda Kiln, bought a bottle of orange-flavored soda at the soda stall, did not drink it, opened the cap, carried the bottle, and entered the alley.

He knocked on the door of a house, and the orange-flavored essence drifted into the courtyard through the crack in the door.

The door opened, and the spider threads on the ground were pulled back into the house one after another.

Dick Chen crossed the courtyard, entered the house, and smiled: "Dabo Dabo Ensi, my good friend, I have come to visit you."

The great detective Dabo Dabo Ensi took off his top hat and bowed deeply: "My mentor, my guide, I have been waiting here for your arrival."

Dick Chen patted Dabo Dabo Ensi on the shoulder: "We are now comrades with the same ideals; you don't need to be so polite to me anymore. How is the former balancer's condition?"

Dabo Dabo Ensi looked at the inner room and lowered his voice: "His mental state has basically recovered, but some memories seem to have been completely lost."

Dick Chen entered the room and saw Xiao Zhengong locked to the railing.

Xiao Zhengong's eyes revealed a cold light, and he sneered: "Another fake foreigner. Do you fake foreigners have a sect? What exactly do you want to do?"

Dick Chen squatted on the ground and said: "We are helping you do one thing—something you couldn't finish while you were alive."

Xiao Zhengong frowned: "Do you think I'm dead?"

Dick Chen smiled: "You can think of yourself as alive, and you can continue to live, provided that you tell me some important secrets—secrets about the boundary."

Xiao Zhengong shook his head: "When I was in the Dark Star Bureau, I did indeed study some things about the boundary, but the Outer Continent hides it too deeply, and the information is not easy to find. In the end, I didn't manage to research any results."

Dick Chen explained seriously: "You did research results; it's just that you don't know it yourself. You hid some important information. You don't need to say the exact location; you only need to provide some clues."

PS: This chapter is a bit short. Yumian Shala's brain hurts from coughing; I really can't hold on anymore. My apologies to all dear readers.

Thanks to the Alliance Leader Moxiang Dian Moxiang Dian Miao for living a long life, and thanks for the strong support for Yumian Shala and this work.

(End of chapter)