Chapter 116: The Martial Artist Dark Web, Zhang Chu Is Only Worth 50 Million
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Starving Wang Peng had just picked up a piece of braised pork.
Clang!
It dropped onto the table.
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
Judging by the expression of the young woman at the front desk, this matter was far more complicated than a mere beast hunting a martial artist.
“Miss, tell us whatever you know. We won’t let you speak for nothing.”
As the son of an official in the Martial Arts Administration Bureau, Chen Long was hardly short of money.
Ten thousand in cash, plus two level-one demon beast cores.
Such an offer might be considered trivial in Binzhou, but here in Qingcheng Town, it was nearly two months’ salary for the front desk clerk.
Bai Lu looked at the cash and cores on the table, caught in a dilemma.
This was real silver and gold.
However, the inn had a strict rule forbidding any mention of the disappearances of martial artists in Qingcheng Town; violators were immediately fired.
“Bai Lu, are you planning to quit the front desk? Don’t you see we have customers?”
At that moment, a middle-aged man entered from outside.
Wearing a trench coat and slicked-back hair, greasy in appearance.
Judging by his demeanor, he was probably the inn’s owner.
“Sir, be careful.”
Bai Lu muttered, hastily returning to the front desk.
“Chen Long, put that away.”
Zhang Xueying glanced over; the owner was approaching, so she quickly warned.
When away from home, it was best not to flaunt wealth.
Qingcheng Town was suffused with an eerie atmosphere; they might encounter some top-tier Dual-Force warriors at any moment.
“Friends, Qingcheng Town hasn’t been peaceful lately, but we’re just ordinary innkeepers trying to make a living. Please understand.”
“I’ll bring you a bottle of wine.”
Lu Yishan personally brought over a bottle, casting an extra glance at Zhang Chu before leaving.
“Let’s eat.”
Zhang Chu led the way, lowering his head to eat.
Huang Lili wanted to say something but was silenced by Chen Long stuffing a rib into her mouth.
When traveling, one should never drink wine offered by strangers.
After a few simple sips, the six of them went upstairs to Zhang Chu and Wang Peng’s standard room.
Chen Long ostentatiously pulled out a box of artificial cigars, puffing smoke.
Wang Peng and Hu Sanyi imitated him with considerable skill.
“Chen Long, why did you stop me earlier?”
Huang Lili was a bit annoyed.
Feeding her like that was too ambiguous.
If Zhang Chu misunderstood, it would be troublesome.
“What do you think, Xiao Chu?”
Zhang Xueying asked.
“The inn’s owner is no ordinary person. I clearly sensed a faint mental energy fluctuation just now—it should be a Dual-Force warrior.”
Zhang Chu’s words sent chills down everyone’s spines.
“Brother Chu, could this place be a black inn?”
Hu Sanyi, experienced in traveling, was now on high alert.
“That fat man at the next table earlier—he’s big and hearty; even after drinking a catty of wine, there’s no way he’d get completely drunk. What kind of wine could make a level-3 warrior that wasted?”
Chen Long recalled the man calmly.
His words served as a warning to everyone.
Zhang Chu remained silent.
He kept recalling Bai Lu’s last words.
He felt they weren’t meant for everyone but were directed at him alone.
Damn it!
Could it be that the disappearances of martial artists in Qingcheng Town were really targeted only at him?
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They analyzed the situation deep into the night, but found no answers.
Finally, Zhang Xueying suggested locking the doors at night and setting up a portable high-energy electric net at the entrance.
Whether it was dark warriors or spirit beasts, the high-energy net could provide temporary defense.
Even if something happened at night, they’d be alerted.
Before long, Wang Peng was snoring, clutching a pillow—truly in vacation mode.
Zhang Chu lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
“Damn it. Thinking carefully, I felt something was off since we entered. Also, Huang Lili is a gifted one with keen mental senses; she said someone was watching us secretly—that must be close to the truth.”
After long thought, Zhang Chu quietly slipped out.
Before leaving, he set up a high-energy electric net, just in case the heavy sleeper Wang Peng got into trouble.
Under the cover of midnight, he headed to the front desk to find Bai Lu.
This young woman seemed to know something.
The corridor lights in the inn were dim; only Zhang Chu’s footsteps broke the silence.
Downstairs, only the front desk was lit; the rest was enveloped in darkness.
Zhang Chu scanned the area but saw no sign of Bai Lu.
“Mr. Zhang, do you need something? I could call her and have her bring it up; no need for you to come down.”
As Zhang Chu prepared to go back upstairs, a sudden presence behind him made him start.
He turned to see the innkeeper, Lu Yishan, now dressed in a black tactical jacket.
Trouble!
Zhang Chu immediately sensed something was wrong.
Under the jacket’s collar, the faint edge of defensive armor peeked out.
Though Lu Yishan quickly pulled up the collar, it was enough to raise Zhang Chu’s suspicion.
“Boss Lu, I just wanted to chat with the front desk lady from earlier, ask about the recent martial artist disappearances in Qingcheng Town. We’re just passing through, but this incident unsettles us.”
“Bai Lu works the day shift; I’m on the night shift.”
“Why not sit down and talk?”
Lu Yishan smiled.
“I thought you were heading out.”
Zhang Chu pointed at his attire.
“I’ll make some tea.”
Lu Yishan turned back into the front desk, quickly brewing tea.
They sat in the reception area.
One pot of tea, two cups—one for each.
Watching Lu Yishan drink, Zhang Chu relaxed.
He drank his cup in one gulp.
Yet, at that moment, a cold gleam flashed in Lu Yishan’s eyes.
“Boss Lu, can you tell me about the martial artist disappearances in Qingcheng Town?”
“Just out of curiosity.”
Zhang Chu, of course, wasn’t foolish enough to reveal his identity.
Even if Lu Yishan had nothing to do with the disappearances, he was certainly no good man.
Lu Yishan didn’t hold back.
According to him, the disappearances had been going on for half a month.
At first, no one paid much attention.
Martial artists came to Qingcheng Mountain to hunt strange beasts and train; casualties were normal.
Until a level-2 Dual-Force warrior went missing after entering Qingcheng Mountain, the guards reported it to the Martial Arts Administration Bureau’s Qingcheng Town branch.
After that, more martial artists vanished, even the investigators sent by the bureau never returned.
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Soon, rumors about the disappearances in Qingcheng Mountain spread.
Some said a spirit beast as powerful as a Ling Realm warrior had emerged, devouring human martial artists’ cultivation.
Others claimed black warriors had returned to the mainland, hunting martial artists to craft spirit energy pills.
The town was thrown into panic.
Even the usually bustling inn had few guests.
“Mr. Zhang, you don’t know how scared we ordinary folk are running small businesses.”
Lu Yishan said.
“Boss Lu, you’re too modest. If it weren’t for your Dual-Force warrior cultivation, you’d have fled already upon learning of the disappearances.”
Zhang Chu narrowed his eyes, smiling.
Indeed.
Lu Yishan’s expression changed; his smile grew sinister.
“Zhang Chu, so you’ve already figured it out, playing me here!”
“The disappearances are connected to you, aren’t they?”
Zhang Chu asked.
“You won’t live long enough to find out the answer to that!”
Lu Yishan kicked the table, then swiftly retreated.
Simultaneously, he threw a marble onto the ground.
The marble exploded, forming a barrier that isolated the area.
“A portable formation array—what ordinary innkeeper could have such ability?”
Before Zhang Chu could react, seven or eight people burst out from the kitchen.
Among them was the drunken fat man from earlier, and the trembling Bai Lu.
They quickly surrounded Zhang Chu.
Damn!
Bai Lu’s acting was superb—a little white rabbit indeed!
“Old Lu, are you sure this kid is the one marked for assassination on the martial arts dark web?”
The fat man held two gleaming butcher knives.
Even Bai Lu wielded martial artist equipment: a nine-section whip.
Most crucially, the seemingly gentle woman Bai Lu was the strongest among them, a level-4 Dual-Force warrior.
“Never mind if he is or isn’t. As long as his name is Zhang Chu and he’s under thirty, we don’t let a single one escape. Capture him first!”
Lu Yishan said coldly.
“Wait!”
Zhang Chu was dumbfounded.
“Hey guys, you just said someone put all the martial artists surnamed Zhang on the dark web’s hit list?”
“Kid, you’re just unlucky. Who told you to be named Zhang Chu?”
“Before you die, let me tell you—we’re after money, so your friends won’t be harmed.”
The fat man was clearly pretending to be a drunken kitchen worker.
Their plan was to unsettle the guests and strike at midnight.
“May I ask, how much is this Zhang Chu worth on the dark web?”
Zhang Chu inquired.
The martial arts dark web! Zhang Chu had seen it on the martial arts forum; it seemed connected to the Divine Fall Alliance.
Posting a bounty on him was downright crazy.
“Fifty million!”
Bai Lu’s eyes gleamed confidently, as if already seeing fifty million waving at her.
Only fifty million?
Damn!
Investigating the disappearances had yielded no clues, yet he was marked on the dark web—and for such a low price!