Free Web NovelChapter 20: Chapter 11: Building a Tall Building (Part 2)
The process itself was quite simple: shave a little off here and there during forging, report a slightly higher loss of raw iron... In a month, he could put together one or two extra weapons. The silver from selling them would be enough for the Wang Family to live quite comfortably.
He had approached the Fang Family, naturally, because their Medical Skill was a family heirloom, and Fang Baicao had been an Entry Grade Martial Artist with plenty of connections who could find a way to sell the weapons.
And why not go to the Black Market?
Because, of course, these sorts of items were extremely sensitive. Selling them on the Black Market would make him an easy target.
Besides, did he really think the Government Office didn’t have informants in the Black Market?
How naive would that be!
’This business does have a certain profit margin, but the risk is far too great! To put it bluntly, it’s undermining the Government Office.’
’If something really went wrong, I’m afraid even revealing my identity as an Eighth Grade Martial Artist wouldn’t be enough to get me out of it.’
Besides, Fang Rui looked down on such meager profits. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
It wasn’t that the venture was small. In fact, when compared, the monthly profit wasn’t that different from selling his finished medicines.
But this was a business where you gambled with your life. Naturally, Wang Dachui would take the lion’s share, leaving Fang Rui with nothing but scraps.
How could he possibly be interested in something with such high risk and low reward?
"Uncle Da Chui, I’m going to pretend you never said any of this, and that you were never at the Fang Family’s home today." Fang Rui made his stance clear; he wanted no part of it.
’He wasn’t crazy!’
He was living a perfectly comfortable and pleasant life running his medicine business. Why would he throw it all away to get involved in such a suicidal scheme?
"Brother Rui..." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
Wang Dachui’s tone suddenly turned hostile.
It made sense. After revealing a secret that concerned his entire family and his very life, how could he possibly rest easy?
If Fang Rui reported him, his entire family would be done for!
Fang Rui watched the simple, honest-looking Wang Dachui’s expression suddenly turn vicious. He narrowed his eyes. "Uncle Da Chui, what are you thinking?"
No matter what the man said today, he wouldn’t get involved. And if he wanted to play dirty... Heh.
’We’ve been neighbors for years,’ he thought. ’I hope he knows what’s good for him.’
Wang Dachui looked at the unafraid Fang Rui and calmed down slightly, musing, ’Old Fang was an Entry Grade Martial Artist. He must have left some kind of trump card behind...’
But even if there was a trump card, like some powerful connection, that could only be used later. He was here, now. He absolutely would not leave without getting some fatal leverage over the Fang Family in return!
After all, he was strong and burly, and as a blacksmith, he had far more strength than an ordinary man. The Fang Family, on the other hand, consisted of an orphan and his widowed mother. Even the Fang Rui before him was known for being a sickly weakling...
With that thought, a vicious idea took root in Wang Dachui. "Brother Rui, this is a serious matter. You have leverage over my entire family now. Shouldn’t you give me some leverage in return, just so this old uncle can have some peace of mind? That’s only fair, right?"
"Heh. Uncle Da Chui, I call you ’Uncle Da Chui’ out of respect. Without that respect, what the hell do you think you are?!"
Fang Rui’s entire demeanor suddenly became aggressive, like a wild beast baring its fangs.
He possessed the strength; he just didn’t want to reveal it. That didn’t mean he *couldn’t* reveal it.
’And he wants me to give him leverage? Let him hold my life in his hands?’
’What a joke!’
Fang Rui was a Transmigrator. He detested being threatened or constrained down to his very bones.
If nothing else, if he were willing to be someone’s dog, he could easily make over ten taels of silver a month just by revealing his true strength.
The reason he hadn’t chosen that path was precisely because he didn’t want to be tied down!
But now, Wang Dachui was crossing a line.
If he weren’t holding on to his rationality, Fang Rui would have been tempted to ask, ’If I slaughter you and then your entire family, would *that* count as leverage?!’
"Ah Rui, you..." Seeing Fang Rui’s sudden arrogance, Wang Dachui’s own anger flared, and he shot up to stand.
But Fang Rui reached out and pressed a hand onto his shoulder.
Instantly, Wang Dachui felt an immense force pressing down on him. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t move, couldn’t get up.
This sudden turn of events made his face drain of color, his eyes filling with terror. "Ah Rui, you... your strength..."
In his mind, Fang Rui had always been a sickly weakling. How could he possibly possess such immense strength?
’The only possibility is... he’s an Entry Grade Martial Artist?!’ As the thought struck Wang Dachui, his pupils contracted violently.
He knew all too well how formidable Entry Grade Martial Artists were.
Take Lord Hu, for example. If he weren’t an Entry Grade Martial Artist, how would he dare to go around collecting protection money with only two followers in tow?
Even with the Tiger Gang’s reputation, wasn’t he afraid that these downtrodden people would be pushed too far? Even a cornered rabbit will bite.
Only strength mattered!
Wang Dachui panicked.
The situation was now clear: he couldn’t beat Fang Rui, he couldn’t threaten the Fang Family, and Fang Rui had leverage over him. He was completely at Fang Rui’s mercy, unable to resist in the slightest.
Despair filled his heart, but it was quickly followed by an even greater wave of regret.
Wang Dachui didn’t just regret threatening Fang Rui. He regretted even more that he hadn’t tried to build a good relationship with the Fang Family before.
Ever since rumors of a ’contagious disease’ had spread from the Fang Family, all the neighbors had, deliberately or not, kept their distance. Only the Third Lady’s House had treated them as they always had.
If only he had possessed the foresight to befriend the Fang Family, perhaps Fang Rui would have given him a helping hand, and he wouldn’t have had to start down this path of no return.
But it was too late for all that. Once you started down this path, there was no turning back!
"Uncle Da Chui, have you calmed down now?"
A glint flashed in Fang Rui’s eyes. He suddenly retracted his aura and sat back down, narrowing his eyes. He once again looked completely harmless, but Wang Dachui didn’t dare underestimate him in the slightest. "You’ve seen for yourself. You can’t beat me. My fist is bigger than yours. If I wanted to bring harm to your family, I wouldn’t need to be so roundabout..."
"I’ll say it again: I’m going to pretend none of this happened and that you were never at the Fang Family’s home today."
Hearing this, the desperate tension in Wang Dachui’s mind instantly evaporated as he let out a sigh of relief.
’It seems Brother Rui is still considerate of our neighborly relationship. He doesn’t plan on driving my family to ruin, he’s letting the past go, and he’s not even going to report us.’
At that moment, he felt completely at ease.
It was just as Fang Rui said. The young man possessed strength that far surpassed his own. If he truly wanted to harm the Wang Family, there was no need for all this trouble, and certainly no need to deceive him.
Understanding the signal, Wang Dachui hurriedly gave his assurance. "Brother Rui, don’t you worry. I know what’s good for me... I was never at the Fang Family’s home today. Not at all."
With that, he got up to leave.
"Wait!"
Fang Rui stopped him. "I won’t report your family, but if you do get into trouble, don’t you go trying to drag anyone else down with you..."
"I wouldn’t dare! I swear, if I..." Wang Dachui vowed earnestly.
Fang Rui knew that while Wang Dachui wouldn’t dare right now—and likely had no intention to—he might well change his mind when facing disaster.
Human nature is wicked. Some people, when they’re drowning, will try to pull others under with them, taking the innocent down too.
"Cut the crap and listen to me."
Since all pretense was gone, Fang Rui didn’t bother saving Wang Dachui any face and cut him off. "Uncle Da Chui, let me lay it out for you. If—and I’m just saying if—if you’re exposed, the Government Office, on the principle of not letting anything go to waste, probably won’t execute your entire family... But *I* have the power to do just that!"
"Don’t doubt it. Just like before, you had no idea about my strength, did you?"
"Let’s put it this way,"
Fang Rui’s eyes narrowed. "From start to finish, you have known absolutely nothing about what I’m capable of!"
Wang Dachui’s eyelids twitched violently. In an instant, his imagination ran wild, conjuring images of hidden organizations... conspiracies...
He was instantly frightened into a trembling mess.
A common man like him was naturally timid. If he hadn’t been pushed to the brink, unable to make a living, how would he have dared to start selling illegal weapons?
And it was the same now.
Wang Dachui’s imagination got the better of him, and he scared himself senseless.
He was utterly convinced that if he did something he shouldn’t, Fang Rui truly had the power to have his entire family wiped out.
Under this threat, Wang Dachui once again gave his assurance. "Rui... no, Lord Rui, you can rest assured. I’ll take responsibility for my own actions. I will never implicate anyone else..."
Watching the man’s retreating figure,
Fang Rui’s eyes flashed. ’It’s a pity... it wouldn’t be good to kill him.’
He could deal with the likes of Three Eyes, Er Gouzi, or even Zhang Bao, but a neighbor like Wang Dachui was a different story...
After all, even a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass around its burrow.
Of course, if he truly steeled his heart and got rid of the man, it wasn’t impossible, but it would involve unnecessary risks.
’This choice is for the best.’
After their conversation, even with Wang Dachui still around, the man was no longer a threat. Whether he got into trouble or not, it wouldn’t be traced back to him.
’As for whether he was letting Wang Dachui off too easily?’
"Heh! The Wang Family will get what’s coming to them, it just won’t be from my own hand..."
Fang Rui gave a derisive smile. "Play with fire, and you’re bound to get burned. I’ll watch him build his tower, and I’ll watch it come crashing down!"
...
