Chapter 98: Boom, boom, boom, boom

Zhang Gui's few words enlivened the scene, giving each other a way out.

Rong Anchuan then laughed dumbly, "Listening to your words is better than reading for ten years.

Caiyang Longhu is also a person with profound insight.

No wonder you can gain the favor of Chief Wang."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shitong smiled flawlessly: "This is not my favor.

As the saying goes, a loyal minister is seen in times of chaos.

Caiyang Longhu wrote a petition in his own blood during a time of crisis, pleading for the king.

Although his actions were slightly contrary to the laws, they fully demonstrated his sincere and open heart.

That is why he finally obtained a hereditary title and salary, which is to say, he gained the favor of the 'Current Emperor.'

That is why we can be one family today.

Come, come, come.

Since we know each other, let's take our seats quickly.

Eating is more important than anything else.

It's getting late; let's fill our stomachs first before talking in detail."

These words made Zhang Gui feel that Wang Shitong was a bit like a scholar pretending to be crude, not meaning that a eunuch who lacked 'the equipment' was pretending to be a mountain bandit who burned, killed, and looted.

So he also slightly changed his style, strode to his seat, and replaced the wine cup with a tea cup:

"Since the host has spoken, then I won't be polite.

Drinking from a small cup is not enough for me; I'll change to a large bowl, first a toast to..."

Just at this moment, a series of deafening roars came from afar.

Immediately followed by chaos and wailing.

Wang Shitong, the local tyrant, changed his expression and hurriedly rushed to the balcony, looking down at the entire harbor.

He saw that the market, which had been packed with pedestrians, shops, and restaurants, was like a freshly painted pastel drawing smeared with dirty water, with more than a dozen empty spots.

Replacing them were deep craters caused by explosions and broken walls of collapsed buildings.

As well as men and women killed or injured by the explosions, and the panicked, chaotic crowd.

Seeing this, Wang Shitong's eyes bulged with blood,

"Who, who dares to commit treason in a place managed by my Inner Court!

Are you not afraid of having your nine generations exterminated!"

Zhang Gui, who had run to the balcony railing behind him and was looking down, also widened his eyes and blurted out:

"Damn, a suicide terrorist attack!

Chief Wang, now is not the time to pursue guilt; hurry and disperse the crowd.

Otherwise, if a stampede occurs, the casualties will be more than ten times worse!"

Although his words were strange, a smart person could understand them.

Wang Shitong's incompetent roaring just now was simply because he had never experienced such a bloody, head-on scene.

But in fact, compared to the unique terrors of the deep palace, it was no less intense.

He calmed down instantly and understood Zhang Gui's reminder.

He roared with conviction, "I am Wang Shitong, the Guardian Eunuch of the 'Dragon Gate Trading Bureau'!

I manage this place by the Emperor's order; now there are rebels causing chaos, death to anyone who moves without authorization!"

With this massive label slapped on, even the children of families with deep roots, wealthy merchants, and close associates of high officials felt a chill in their hearts.

Even if they were panicked, or if their identities made it inappropriate for them to appear at a maritime trade dock controlled by Inner Court eunuchs, they dared not act rashly.

And those who ran like rabbits at this time were either ant-people with no knowledge or composure, or criminals with ulterior motives.

So Wang Shitong joined his right index, middle, and ring fingers together, pointed at his brow, and chanted:

"I establish three kilns, wind and fire, earth moving and mountains shaking..."

This was a unique type of entry-level cultivation technique.

It required auxiliary incantations to mobilize Qi-blood, Gang-Qi, or the Primordial Spirit to perform the technique.

Although the preparation was troublesome, the power was generally superior and worth the price.

However, it was said that some incantations were mastered like nesting dolls, meaning only the deepest ones were the true practitioners, while the rest were just minions.

But thinking about it from another perspective, the minions of ancient god-kings were also noble subordinate gods.

Being able to be a lackey for a true big shot was not necessarily a kind of opportunity or even luck.

Of course, for Zhang Gui, who only wanted to strive for the top and become a big shot among big shots, such a technique that could be controlled by others was worthless.

But it was good to broaden his horizons.

He widened his eyes and observed carefully, seeing that as Wang Shitong's incantation sounded, Qi seemed to circulate in the Dragon Gate Berth market.

Subsequently, the flat stone road cracked open into fissures.

Magma surged out, but it didn't flow on the ground; instead, it was extremely eerily swept up by the accompanying Yin wind, blowing toward those who were still walking.

"Using fire attacks against 'human bombs,' is this so creative!" Zhang Gui felt a jolt in his heart.

He instinctively triggered the two major Divine Clusters within his body: "Hundred Herbs Life Mandate" and "Burning Metal."

His flesh and blood transformed into a metallic structure, preparing to welcome the next round of even greater explosions.

Unexpectedly, however, wherever Wang Shitong's wind-swept magma touched, the ground beneath their feet instantly turned into a mud swamp.

The entire person was directly dragged into the depths of the earth by the fire-swept wind.

After two or three breaths.

A dull, thunderous sound erupted from where most of the people had been submerged, and huge mounds of earth several zhang high surged up.

Clearly, even though the "human meat bombs" had been dragged underground, they had still triggered a sympathetic detonation.

A small portion, however, remained completely motionless throughout.

They must have been innocent victims buried deep beneath the soil, burned to ashes, leaving no trace behind.

Rong Anchuan, who stood behind him with a grave expression, witnessed this scene and first offered a word of praise:

"The Great Chief's 'Three Earth-Treasury Methods' are even more exquisite; killing such jumping clowns is as easy as looking at the patterns on one's palm—truly admirable.

However, the Southern Kingdom is different from the Northern Frontier; where would one normally find such rioters, numbering in the dozens or hundreds, organized with such meticulous planning, and willing to use their lives to disrupt the law?

Caiyang Longhu, you just mentioned 'suicide terrorist attacks'; although the phrasing is unheard of, upon careful consideration, it is quite fitting.

I wonder where you heard it?"

"Does Manager Anchuan know of the 'Meat Gold City' on Giant Serpent Head Island?" Zhang Gui calmed the fluctuations of the Divine Clusters in his body, restored his physical form, and asked back with a slight frown.

"I have naturally heard of Giant Serpent Head Island, but I have not heard of a 'Meat Gold City'."

"Then do you know about the slave-catching business that the Western Hezhou people conduct in the Southern Chi Continent?"

"I do," said Rong Yexiang.

"The slave-catching business of the Western Hezhou people in the Southern Chi Continent has reportedly lasted for a thousand years and is staggering in scale.

Meat Gold City, located on the western side of Giant Serpent Head Island, is merely an insignificant intermediate hub for their long-distance slave transport.

But to say it is insignificant—the number of slaves passing through there every day is already in the thousands or tens of thousands.

In the last few months, there have been even more Ming Song people.

That is not even worth mentioning.

Suffice it to say that the Southern Chi Continent also has powerful nations and strong individuals who, at times, cannot suppress their anger and will attack slave-trading cities like Meat Gold City.

They do this to retaliate against the evil slave-catching deeds of the Western Hezhou people.

One of their methods is the 'suicide terrorist attack'."

Zhang Gui's explanation was vague and mysterious, half-true and half-false.

But due to the information gap, even an old hand in the business world like Rong Yexiang believed it to be true.

"But we in the Song Ming Kingdom do not have such mortal enemies who are willing to 'suffer a thousand losses to injure the enemy by eight hundred.'

Enemies who would use their own lives just to vent their spite for a moment."

Wang Shitong, who was in front, suddenly turned his head and said gloomily:

"But those aristocratic families and powerful clans who want to take advantage of the failures in the national war to force the 'Current Emperor' to make concessions are even more sinister than any mortal enemy."

(End of chapter)