After lunch, Luo Zhengnan was sitting on the large terrace of the main hall, listening to the radio while basking in the sun.
Is there a radio broadcast in Puluo State? Yes. But only a special group of people can hear it, and it’s hard to say what they might hear.
Luo Zhengnan belonged to the category of people who could listen to the broadcast, and he was an experienced listener at that.
Today’s program was quite good; the host’s voice was sweet and mellow, making Luo Zhengnan feel very comfortable:
"Listeners who often kill people know that poisoning someone is a stealthy way to commit murder. The victim is unlikely to notice beforehand, but it leaves clues afterward. This creates significant difficulties in tying up loose ends.
"The poison we’re recommending today will naturally evaporate within two hours in water, leaving absolutely no trace behind.
"For instance, if you want to get rid of your immediate superior, you only need to drop one or two drops of this product into his water glass. Remember, don’t add too much, or it will affect the taste.
"After your superior drinks this glass of water, he will perish within an hour.
"In the following hour, all you need to do is to provide some cover-up. Ensure that no Poison Cultivators or anyone else with the ability to inspect gets near your superior or his water glass.
"Once the poison has evaporated, no one will be able to find any clues, not even the cause of your superior’s death.
"Some listeners might question the effectiveness of a poison that evaporates in two hours—whether there would be a problem with its toxicity?
"We can responsibly assure you of this..."
Luo Zhengnan found the broadcast about the poison quite useful and was getting interested when a ringing sound disrupted his thoughts.
RING RING RING.
Accompanied by the ringing, the head of Luo Zhengnan, Hall Master of Medicine King Hall, vibrated at a high frequency from side to side.
After some effort, Xiao Zhenggong managed to contact him through other Peeping Cultivators within the Gang.
Based on his true feelings, Xiao Zhenggong very much wanted to beat Luo Zhengnan up before burying him alive in a hole. However, at that moment, Xiao Zhenggong’s tone was extremely friendly, "Old Luo, why have you suddenly become so hard to find?"
Luo Zhengnan sounded very anxious, "Gang Leader, you’re looking for me? I truly had no idea! I don’t know what’s been going on with Medicine King Valley lately; the phone signal has been consistently terrible."
"Don’t worry, I’m not blaming you. Didn’t we talk about that matter recently?"
"What matter?" Luo Zhengnan pretended to be confused.
"The one you mentioned a few days ago." Xiao Zhenggong couldn’t be explicit because several Peeping Cultivators were acting as intermediaries, and they couldn’t know about the matter.
"I’ve mentioned quite a few things to you these past few days. Now that you bring it up so suddenly, I can’t recall which one..." Luo Zhengnan continued to feign ignorance.
Xiao Zhenggong was silent for a moment before saying, "Call me back. Let’s talk in detail."
Luo Zhengnan promptly agreed, "Sure, I’ll call right back. I’m just not sure about the signal..."
"The signal will definitely be good!" Xiao Zhenggong laughed. "Could the Deputy Gang Leader’s signal be bad?"
Luo Zhengnan called back, and Xiao Zhenggong tactfully explained the situation at Loess Bridge Hall Entrance.
The situation was that Loess Bridge Hall Entrance no longer existed.
Xiao Zhenggong had Han Jinwei, the Hall Master of Loess Bridge Hall Entrance, go to Medicine King Valley and hand over the Hall Entrance’s Seal Ribbon and tokens to Luo Zhengnan. This meant that from now on, Loess Bridge Hall Entrance belonged to Luo Zhengnan.
In other words, whether the task was accomplished or not, Luo Zhengnan would become the Hall Master of two Hall Entrances.
In addition, the manpower from Black Stone Slope Hall Entrance was at Luo Zhengnan’s disposal.
If the task was successful, Luo Zhengnan would immediately be promoted to Deputy Gang Leader, replacing Xiao Zhenggong in managing the Gang’s affairs in Puluo State.
Xiao Zhenggong had shown sufficient sincerity; all promises were written down in a Contract Book.
The next day, Han Jinwei rushed to Medicine King Valley and handed over the Contract Book and Seal Ribbon to Luo Zhengnan, stating that from now on, he would follow Luo Zhengnan’s orders.
Luo Zhengnan told him to return to Loess Bridge and recruit more people. He wouldn’t need to go on the errand to Iron Gate Fort.
This wasn’t Luo Zhengnan being polite to Han Jinwei; rather, he simply didn’t regard the man highly.
He made a request to Xiao Zhenggong and selected ten people from various Hall Entrances within the Gang—ten true experts who knew how to get things done. One of them was even a member of his own Medicine King Valley’s Second Helmsman’s unit.
Once the team was assembled, Luo Zhengnan led them to Iron Gate Fort in separate groups.
For the first three days after their arrival at Iron Gate Fort, these people did nothing. They stayed in the village, learning the local accent and customs from those around them.
Despite being in the Back Three-Land of Puluo State, the customs in Iron Gate Fort were very similar to those in Medicine King Valley, and the accents were also remarkably close.
But Luo Zhengnan’s demands were strict. In their speech and behavior, they couldn’t let anyone discern they were outsiders.
Three days later, when the ten people were ready to proceed to Iron Gate Fort, Luo Zhengnan was still uneasy.
He had them practice at the market for three days. Some bought goods, some sold. Out of the ten, three showed no discernible issues, but Luo Zhengnan felt the other seven still needed more tempering.
After another three days of practice, Luo Zhengnan personally entered the fray, carrying two baskets of green vegetables to Iron Gate Fort.
He went to sell vegetables. His greens were free of sand and mud, and no rotten leaves were mixed inside.
Such an honest vendor was rare in Iron Gate Fort, and the local Home Cultivators flocked to buy from him. In no time, both baskets of vegetables were sold out.
Luo Zhengnan was pleased with his own performance, but the other vegetable sellers were not.
They had come to Iron Gate Fort because the money was easy to make there. But now, with someone like him showing up, the money wouldn’t be so easy to make anymore.
A few vegetable sellers cornered Luo Zhengnan and questioned him, "When did you get here? Who allowed you to come? Did you ask the Fortress Lord? Have you paid rent?"