Chapter 67 - 32: Sickness
Chapter 67: Chapter 32: Sickness
’So he’s two-faced! But I don’t have any real conflict with this Gao Yao. Why would he hate me?’
’Then again, I suppose there was that one thing. I rejected his proposal to partner on finished medicines, and I didn’t help him last time. So he’s holding a grudge over that?’
’But helping is a favor, not an obligation, right? This is... I’m speechless!’
Fang Rui’s expression was complex, but it quickly sharpened into a cold glint. ’You want to be Gou Jian, but I’m no Fu Chai!’
’This poisonous snake must be dealt with as soon as possible. Otherwise, the moment he finds an opportunity, he’ll surely bite me. How could I ever let that happen?!’
He recalled Gao Yao’s ruthlessness when fighting for his life against Cao She, and immediately made up his mind. ’This can’t wait. Today, I’ll go intercept and kill this bastard.’
As for whether it was a bit rash to decide to eliminate him root and stem based on a single dirty look and a spat on the ground?
Of course not!
’I’m no Lord Di, spouting off about evidence. My own judgment is all the proof I need! Besides, that Gao Yao fellow is no saint, either...’
’When it comes to extremely dangerous villains like him, my philosophy has always been: Better to kill an innocent man than let a guilty one escape!’
Fang Rui gazed at Gao Yao’s back in the distance, his eyes narrowing. Underneath the Ge Cloth mask, his face broke into a gentle, harmless smile.
"Stall owner, two packs of Scar Remover!"
"Aye, coming right up."
Fang Rui snapped back to reality and continued his business as if nothing had happened.
...
His newfound fame made business especially brisk today.
However, Fang Rui had a much larger supply this time. When all was said and done, it would actually take him longer to sell out than usual.
This was intentional on his part.
’Aside from buying some scarce food and keeping an eye on horses and merchant caravans, I also need to stockpile a batch of medicinal herbs... and to do that, I need the money from selling these medicine packs!’
’I’ll take advantage of the fear I struck into everyone by killing Zhou Changlin and Gao Tong’s gang, along with the lingering prestige borrowed from Yuan Da, to move more product and make more money!’
In Changshan County Town, it wasn’t just grain prices that had been soaring lately. The prices of other goods, like medicinal herbs, were also skyrocketing.
Caozhi Hall’s purchasing channels were old relationships inherited from Fang Baicao. With decades of rapport, the suppliers hadn’t jacked up their prices on the spot. But prices naturally rise with the market; they had to follow the trends, right?
Medicinal herbs, grain—most of these goods were transported from other counties, or even from the Prefecture City. But the world outside was in turmoil. It cost money for merchant caravans to scout new, safer routes and hire more guards.
When costs went up, how could prices not follow?
’If this chaos continues, not only will grain prices keep rising, but the cost of medicinal herbs will also continue to climb. The sooner I buy, the cheaper it will be. I’ve got to stockpile another batch!’
Fang Rui had already spoken to Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family about this, telling her that since he had prepared more medicine packs, he might be selling for longer and would be home a little later than usual.
Therefore, he wasn’t concerned that taking a detour to ambush Gao Yao and returning late would cause Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family or Fang Ling to worry too much.
An incense stick’s time later.
He had sold all his medicine packs, which was actually a bit earlier than he had estimated.
Today,
he didn’t leave in a hurry as he usually did. Instead, he took a stroll through the Black Market. Besides buying two catties of eggs and three catties of soybeans, he also stumbled upon a jar of honey, which he managed to snag by outbidding a second-hand dealer.
Only when he estimated the time was right did he leisurely depart the Black Market.
...
Outside the Black Market exit.
From a dark corner, Fang Rui stared into the distance, watching the sparse figures trickling out of the market.
’I arrived around eleven o’clock at night, the start of the midnight watch, which is when the Black Market is at its peak. After that, the flow of people actually starts to decrease.’
’The Black Market usually closes around twelve. It’s now eleven forty-five. Patrolmen like Gao Yao usually leave around this time...’
Fang Rui waited with rapt attention, his gaze sweeping over figure after figure, searching for Gao Yao.
But even after a quarter of an hour, just as the Black Market was about to clear out, he still hadn’t spotted that familiar shape!
’What’s going on? Could Gao Yao still be inside? That’s not very likely!’
Fang Rui muttered to himself, then after a moment’s thought, he pulled out the wads of scrap cloth stuffing his clothes, his frame instantly becoming much thinner. Then, he turned and re-entered the Black Market.
A short time later, he emerged from the Black Market with a trace of Evil Qi clouding his brow.
He had spent a few large coins asking around and learned that the man, Gao Yao, had left half a tea’s time ago!
"That bastard actually slipped away?!"
A glint flashed in Fang Rui’s eyes. Along with a touch of anger, he felt an even greater sense of confusion. ’This Gao Yao... just how did he slip away right under my nose?’
’Did he change his body shape like I did? No, he’s already a tall, skinny fellow. Any thinner and he’d be skin and bones. I would’ve definitely paid special attention to someone with such a distinctive physique...’
’Did he bulk up? Also impossible. I used that trick myself. I was watching everyone around Gao Yao’s height, and I still missed him...’
Fang Rui’s eyes flickered as he recalled Cao She from a few days prior. It seemed he had also failed to corner Gao Yao, and in his desperation, was forced to take a risk inside the Black Market, which gave Gao Yao the chance to turn the tables and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
"Tall and skinny, tall and skinny..."
He muttered to himself, and a flash of Spiritual Light sparked in his mind. ’Could it be... that Gao Yao’s height is the issue?!’
Fang Rui carefully replayed his previous encounters with Gao Yao. Now that he was paying close attention, he realized it: there was indeed a slight lack of coordination in Gao Yao’s movements!
’I used to just think it was a birth defect, or maybe that he’d injured his foot. Looking at it now, it’s probably not that simple.’