After walking a certain distance, Liu Tiezhu slowly curled his lips into a faint, barely perceptible cold smile. In truth, he had spotted the two men trailing him before he even left Jiang He's barracks. Since he had no real plans to do anything, he figured he'd let them follow if they wanted.
Upon reaching the town, Liu Tiezhu picked a random tavern. He ordered a few small dishes and a bottle of wine, settling in for a leisurely drink. After downing his second cup, the two men tracking him walked in. They took a seat in the corner to his right, ordering their own drinks and snacks.
An hour later, full and satisfied, Liu Tiezhu paid the bill and headed straight back to camp.
On the left, Zhang Tielin looked puzzled. "Did this kid really just come out for a meal?"
"Could he have spotted us?" Zhang Tieyan on the right asked.
Zhang Tielin waved dismissively. "No way. We've never met him before. At the tavern, we didn't do anything unusual. He definitely doesn't know who we are."
Zhang Tieyan thought it over and found it reasonable. "What now?" he asked, snapping back to focus.
"You keep watching. I'll report back."
Their every move, however, was under Liu Tiezhu's counter-surveillance. Through a crack in his barracks window, he kept an eye on the Zhang brothers' actions until Zhang Tielin left, then withdrew his gaze.
He had originally planned to use these five days to return to the mountains. Given the situation, he had to scrap that idea. Going back now would risk exposing the cave hideout.
At Zhang He's barracks, hearing Zhang Tielin's report, his face remained expressionless, as if he already knew Liu Tiezhu had just taken a stroll. "Brother Jiang, could this kid have caught on to something?" Zhang Tielin voiced his doubts after finishing.
"Unlikely. I think he was just hungry and went out for a meal. Keep a close watch. Use these days to find out where his family is hiding," Zhang He said. He didn't buy Liu Tiezhu's claim that his family had scattered.
After sending Zhang Tielin off, Huang Sihai, who had been investigating Liu Family Village, returned. "Brother Jiang, Liu Tiezhu wasn't lying. What he said matches my findings," Huang Sihai reported as he sat down.
Hearing this, Zhang He showed a hint of surprise. "Alright, go rest," he said, waving Huang Sihai away.
At that, Zhang Zhiliang spoke up from the side. "Looks like the kid didn't deceive us. I'm curious to see how he performs in the third round of combat."
Zhang He replied, "He should have no problem with the third round. What you need to think about now is how to test his loyalty. This kid's sharp-minded. If he's loyal enough, he'll be a big help to us down the line."
Zhang Zhiliang said, "Brother Jiang, rest assured. I've got everything arranged. If he shows any disloyalty, I'll take him out immediately."
……
In the communal barracks, Liu Tiezhu lay on his cot, unable to sleep. He was plotting how to quickly rise in status within the Ming family and survive more safely. Step one, the most crucial, was to earn Zhang He's trust. Step two was to uncover the secrets of Zhang He's group. From their conversations, he sensed that neither Zhang He nor Zhang Zhiliang was truly loyal to the Ming family. Both were using the Ming family's power to scheme something big. He needed to figure this out fast to ensure a clean escape later.
Step three was to quickly understand the Ming family's internal hierarchy—this was vital. Otherwise, he might get blindsided and not even know who to blame. Step four was to find a chance to kill Jiang Tianliang. Jiang was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, always watching him. One slip-up, and that snake would strike. Step five was to use the Ming family's connections to eliminate rivals, ensuring his family's safety.
As Liu Tiezhu mulled this over on his cot, others trickled back in. Guo Lin approached and whispered, "Tiezhu, did you hear? The Li family is going to war with the Zhang family."
Liu Tiezhu was startled. Logically, the Li family had no reason to fight the Zhang family now. Everyone was busy raising troops. Wouldn't a war between them just benefit the Ming family? Regaining his composure, he asked, "When did this happen? Is the news reliable?"
Guo Lin said, "Just this afternoon. A buddy of mine told me. He's in the Zhang family's army, so it's solid."
Hearing this, Liu Tiezhu felt a surge of hidden excitement. "Did your buddy say why they're fighting?"
Guo Lin replied, "Over a mineral vein. My buddy said someone tipped off the Li family that there was a copper vein a hundred meters to the right of Huaiyang Gully. The Li family sent professionals to survey it, and sure enough, they found one. Somehow, the Zhang family got wind of it too, killed those surveyors, and stationed heavy troops around Huaiyang Gully. The Li family, not one to take a loss, sent their own forces to attack. They're still locked in fierce fighting."
Liu Tiezhu immediately suspected the Ming family was behind this. Who in their right mind would share news of a copper vein with others? Both families getting the same tip was clearly a setup to make them fight like the snipe and the clam. The one who'd benefit most from their conflict was undoubtedly the Ming family. Dangle a bait, and let both sides wear each other down. Once they were exhausted, the Ming family would send in their troops to clean up. Facing a well-rested Ming army, the Zhang and Li families would have no choice but to swallow their anger. The Ming family truly was the master of schemes among the three great houses. One simple trick could reap maximum gains.
Realizing this, Liu Tiezhu broke out in a cold sweat. But he kept this analysis to himself, not sharing it with Guo Lin.
Just as they were deep in conversation, a cold voice cut in. "Guo Lin, if you want to live, get the hell out of here."
The speaker was a middle-aged man with an icy tone. His gaze was like a predator eyeing prey, and he exuded a faint scent of blood. Guo Lin's face paled at the sight of him. Without hesitation, he scurried away from Liu Tiezhu's cot.
Liu Tiezhu frowned, rising from his cot to face the man warily. The man's aura signaled danger. The man fixed his eyes on Liu Tiezhu, sizing him up. "So you're Liu Tiezhu, the one who killed Zhang Guofeng and his two men?"
Liu Tiezhu didn't answer, just stared back cautiously.
"Brat, you've got a death wish. I asked you a question, and you dare ignore me?" The man erupted in fury, his right arm snapping back as his fist shot forward with a gust of wind, aiming straight for Liu Tiezhu's temple.