Chapter 82: Cooperating with Xiexiezi

Even though this is Jiang Jinshi's first time meeting Xiexiezi, he has already heard that the head of Scorpion Village is blind in one eye and as genteel as a scholar, and the man before him matches those traits perfectly.

Moreover, the torches lit along the road illuminate a sizable number of people, and since they are within Lianhuan Shan, the opponent's identity is obvious.

Jiang Jinshi grips his long halberd and says, "I wonder what guidance the head of Scorpion Village has for me?"

Jiang Jinshi feels extremely nervous now, thinking of the bandit families left in Yangguangzhai, yet shows no sign on his face, merely hiding one hand behind his back and gesturing toward Wang Hou.

Receiving the signal, Wang Hou silently retreats, and his figure quickly disappears into the darkness.

"It's not exactly instruction; I just saw the bold Jiang, who even dared to raid Jiangcheng, and I waited here to chat… about cooperation!" Xiexiezi says in a flat tone, as if making small talk with Jiang Jinshi.

"Cooperation?" Jiang Jinshi squints, not understanding what Xiexiezi is really offering.

Since Xiexiezi could lie in wait here and knows clearly that I raided Jiangcheng, it shows his information is very timely.

It should be noted that before the operation only a few captains knew the plan, but the captains have merged with the souls of generals, so their loyalty is unquestionable.

This indicates that the other side grew suspicious from some clues, then learned everything through reports from the city, so they can probably guess some of my next moves.

They might have guessed that I intend to attack the other three forts of Lianhuan Shan; shouldn't they be allying the remaining two forts to oppose me?

"Right! Cooperation! In fact, haven't we already cooperated before?" Xiexiezi steps forward empty‑handed, intending to get closer to Jiang Jinshi for further discussion.

Luo Feng moves to intercept, but Jiang Jinshi stops him.

"Fine! Let's talk," Jiang Jinshi hands his long halberd to Xiao Hu and walks toward Xiexiezi.

The two stand face to face; with only two steps between them, Jiang Jinshi halts, confident he can seize Xiexiezi in an instant at that distance.

"When you planned the attack on Poison Snake Village, Frog Village intended to help, and I stopped you!" Xiexiezi says as if recounting a trivial matter.

Jiang Jinshi hadn't expected this; he thought Xiexiezi would bring up the incident where the County Magistrate of Liu wasn't raided for grain, but instead another matter was mentioned.

"Oh? Then I don't understand why the head of Scorpion Village acted that way. Back then… no, even now, we aren't familiar, are we?" Jiang Jinshi stares straight at Xiexiezi's face, trying to read an answer.

"We truly aren't familiar, but we are… of the same kind!" Xiexiezi replies with a smile, though half his face is covered by a black cloth, making the grin look unfriendly.

Hearing that, Jiang Jinshi's heartbeat quickens, and a bold conjecture surfaces in his mind.

Same kind? Could the transmigrator I've been searching for…

Be him?

So Jiang Jinshi tentatively asks, "Court jade liquid wine?"

Xiexiezi is clearly stunned, pausing a few seconds without reply, evidently pondering the meaning of Jiang Jinshi's sudden remark.

Unable to figure it out, Xiexiezi finally asks, "I wonder what you mean by that, Jiang Jinshi."

Seeing that the other's expression doesn't seem theatrical, Jiang Jinshi quickly buries his thoughts and gestures a reply.

"The 'same kind' the Scorpion head just mentioned, I must admit I don't quite understand!"

Xiexiezi, seeing this, tacitly avoids the previous topic and explains to Jiang Jinshi: "In the whole Lianhuan Shan, only you and I are true bandits; the other forts are merely private troops or subordinates raised by their families. That's what I mean."

The more Jiang Jinshi listens, the more confused he becomes: "Aren't you also…"

Before Jiang Jinshi can finish, Xiexiezi cuts in: "Just like your cooperation with the County Magistrate of Liu, this is a forced measure; I simply lack the resolve you have, Jiang Jinshi."

Now Jiang Jinshi understands, and feels that cooperating with Scorpion Village isn't a bad thing, though the details still need to be discussed.

Xiexiezi sees Jiang Jinshi's thoughts and continues: "I'll help you unify Lianhuan Shan; once it's done, I'll leave, taking nothing."

"Hah! Is the Scorpion head joking?" Jiang Jinshi looks incredulous; who would make such a losing deal?

At this moment Xiexiezi reveals the truth: "The head of Menghuzhai is my father!"

Seeing Jiang Jinshi's astonished expression, Xiexiezi pulls the black cloth from his face, revealing a deep scar.

The scar runs diagonally from his forehead, through the brow bone and eyeball down to the jaw.

"Initially my father and I planned an outward expansion; after discussing, I led a force to Ziyun City, but shortly after settling there, someone came up the mountain to seek cooperation against Menghuzhai."

At this point Jiang Jinshi's expression turns comical; a son confronting his father—it's somewhat amusing.

Xiexiezi continues: "So I turned the plan to my advantage, feigning cooperation, and led my men back to Lianhuan Shan, secretly sending intelligence to my father."

Jiang Jinshi guessed what would happen next, and his conjecture was confirmed by Xiexiezi.

With Xiexiezi as an inside source providing intelligence, Menghuzhai plans a inside‑outside joint attack to swallow the four forts and the government coalition in one blow.

Little did they know they had underestimated the enemy's numbers and strength; under those circumstances they were driven back step by step, and without Xiexiezi's deliberate leeway and intel, Menghuzhai might not have escaped Lianhuan Shan.

After driving Menghuzhai out of Lianhuan Shan, the five forts sat down to divide the mountain; Xiexiezi felt his father had been unfairly expelled, so he prepared to stay and bide his time for revenge.

The knife wound on his face was also sustained during clashes with the other four forts; until today, no one knew of his connection to Menghuzhai.

He tells Jiang Jinshi this to make him believe in his hatred toward the other forts.

As long as Frog Village and Spider Village are eliminated, Xiexiezi's lingering resentment will be dispelled; moreover, Menghuzhai is doing well in Ziyun City, his father has repeatedly urged him to go there, so he doesn't wish to stay any longer.

Jiang Jinshi now believes Xiexiezi's words; when he saw Scorpion Village earlier, Wang Hou had hidden in the shadows and slipped back to Yangguangzhai, and now returns to inform Jiang Jinshi that Yangguangzhai is all right.

Xiexiezi did not seize the chance to ambush Yangguangzhai's main camp or use the bandits' families to threaten Jiang Jinshi; this already shows his sincerity.

His own goal is also to eliminate the other forts so he can dominate Lianhuan Shan alone; thus Jiang Jinshi has no reason to refuse this cooperation.

So Jiang Jinshi extends his hand to Xiexiezi, "Happy cooperation!"

The two hands clasp tightly, and Xiexiezi smiles, "Happy cooperation!"