BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 66 Everyone Has Their Own Schemes

Foreigners were practical people. The moment they heard that there were over a hundred thousand taels of gold hidden here, they immediately demanded that the contract be revised.

After a round of bargaining, Huang Ran agreed to give up his own forty percent share of the gold as payment for the foreigners, while everything else would belong to him alone.

Once the new terms had been settled, the foreigners all became excited, and the exhausted expressions they had worn moments before disappeared completely. Judging from their faces, it was as though tens of thousands of taels of gold were already lying right in front of them, ready to be picked up.

Only two older men had been thoroughly frightened by the giant spiders. Although the temptation of thousands of taels of gold was immense, their lives still mattered more.

Eventually, Huang Ran reached an agreement with them as well. Their original payment would be doubled, and they would escort the unconscious Zhang Zhiyan back to the surface.

Although they wouldn’t be receiving any gold, getting tens of thousands of dollars for free wasn’t bad either.

Watching everyone divide up the spoils, Che Qianzi couldn’t help muttering to Sun Desheng, “Fatty, he’s giving away tens of thousands of taels of gold just like that? Why is Fatty Huang so generous?”

“Brother, let me teach you something.”

Sun Desheng grinned.

“Money in your hand is called money. Money you never get is just paper money.”

After a chuckle, he continued, “Guess this for me. There are eleven foreigners in total. How many do you think will still be alive at the end?”

Before Che Qianzi could answer, Huang Ran walked over.

“Great Sage, I need a favor from you. Once Zhiyan gets out, he must receive treatment immediately. There can’t be any delays.”

Sun Desheng immediately understood.

These people were suspected of grave robbing.

Once they returned to the surface, the public security authorities would undoubtedly question them. Huang Ran was worried that this might delay Zhang Zhiyan’s treatment.

“Say no more.”

“Back in the day, Little Stutter was one of my employees. I can’t just watch something happen to him.”

Walking over to Zhang Zhiyan, Sun Desheng patted his cheeks.

“Zhiyan, brother… how are you? You’re getting out soon.”

“Don’t be scared. I’ll take care of Qiqi for you first. We’re all family here. You’re all my brothers, and I’ve always respected Qiqi as if she were your sister-in-law…”

As Sun Desheng babbled on, Zhang Zhiyan’s cheeks visibly twitched a few times, though he still didn’t wake up.

While speaking nonsense, Sun Fatty’s hands were busily searching all over Zhang Zhiyan’s body.

He checked inside and out, but found nothing.

Huang Ran made no attempt to stop him and simply watched helplessly.

After confirming that Huang Ran wasn’t using the unconscious Zhang Zhiyan to smuggle anything out, Sun Desheng turned toward the two foreigners who would be escorting him and said, “My friends, when you get out, go find Deputy Director Xiao—the one I left up top.”

“Tell him Sun Desheng sent you.”

“He’ll give the two of you a hundred thousand dollars. Think of it as a tip from me.”

Upon hearing that they had unexpectedly gained another hundred thousand dollars, the two foreigners repeatedly thanked him.

Smiling, Sun Desheng pulled out a pen and paper.

He wrote instructions requesting Deputy Director Xiao to assist them and advance one hundred thousand dollars.

Finally, he signed his own name.

After receiving the note, Huang Ran gave the two men a few more instructions.

Once Zhang Zhiyan had been secured on the stretcher, Huang Ran carefully opened the hidden stone door.

The smoke outside had already dispersed considerably.

Seizing the opportunity, the two foreigners carried Zhang Zhiyan toward the ancient tomb.

Huang Ran and his men also put on gas masks and escorted them to the burial chamber above.

To reassure Sun Desheng, he left his deputy Aiden and Meng Qiqi behind in the hidden room.

After Huang Ran left, Che Qianzi suddenly thought of something.

Smiling bitterly, he said, “Well, your search of Stutter Zhang was pointless.”

“Now that Fatty Huang went out with him, he can smuggle anything he wants.”

“I thought you’d go with them.”

“Fatty, even you suffer losses like this?”

“Brother, if I didn’t act that way, how would Huang Ran dare use Little Stutter to smuggle anything out?”

Sun Desheng grinned and made a face.

“When I was bureau chief, I established a rule.”

“Anyone who showed up with a note written by me asking for money was to be arrested immediately.”

“Do you think that hundred thousand dollars is really that easy to collect?”

“Now it all depends on whether Old Huang has enough guts.”

At that moment, Sun Desheng noticed Meng Qiqi glaring at him.

Smiling, he said, “Not that I’m bragging, but don’t take what I said earlier seriously.”

“At first, I treated your sister-in-law with the respect due a younger sister. Who knew we’d somehow end up married?”

“Same with you—I treat you like a younger sister too.”

“When we get back, I’ll ask Director Wu to mediate and smooth things over. Don’t stay angry.”

The moment he mentioned Wu Renyi, most of the anger on Meng Qiqi’s face disappeared.

Raising an eyebrow, she said, “Sun Desheng, you said that.”

“If I don’t see Wu Renyi when we get back, we’ll settle both old and new scores together.”

“Tell me honestly. Is he coming this time?”

At the mention of Director Wu, Sun Desheng’s eyes spun mischievously.

“Of course.”

“Something this big naturally alerted the old man.”

“Miss Meng, you don’t know this, but Director Wu was the one who sent us.”

“He said this matter was too important and that we shouldn’t let you girls suffer any losses.”

Meng Qiqi knew perfectly well that Wu Renyi would never say such words.

Still, her face turned slightly red.

Spitting lightly in embarrassment, she said, “More nonsense.”

“When has he ever mentioned me? It’s obviously fake.”

“Everything I say is fake—except this one.”

Sun Desheng smiled.

“I even asked Director Wu why the matter was so serious.”

“You know how few words the old man uses.”

“He only said one sentence.”

‘Don’t let Qiqi suffer because she’s following Huang Ran.’

Meng Qiqi was one of the very few women who could actually speak with Wu Renyi.

Director Wu accepted gifts from no woman—

Except her.

Now, after hearing Sun Desheng’s words, she actually found them somewhat believable.

In an instant, Zhang Zhiyan was forgotten entirely.

Murmuring to herself, she said, “Rare… It’s rare that he still thinks about me…”

Sun Desheng smiled even more broadly.

“Judging by the timing, Director Wu should be arriving soon.”

“Do you think he’ll come all the way down here?”

“Once Old Huang takes us deeper, Director Wu won’t lose his way, will he?”

At the mention of Wu Renyi, Meng Qiqi’s thinking became much simpler.

Without even stopping to consider, she answered directly, “This place isn’t hard to find.”

“These are the collective tombs of the successive leaders of the Hehuan Sect.”

“He’ll definitely find it.”

“Huang Ran said that inside is the sacred treasure of the Hehuan Sect.”

“It can alter life and death…”

Before she could finish speaking, the stone wall opened again.

Huang Ran had already returned, cutting off her words.

“Great Sage, if you have questions, just ask me directly. Why bother teasing Qiqi?”

“I’ll explain.”

“The Five Dragons Worshipping the Saint.”

“The Lust Spiders you encountered earlier were one of those five dragons.”

As he spoke, he tossed over two spare gas masks.

“There is still some corpse smoke outside, but it won’t be a problem.”

“We can talk while walking.”

Sun Desheng accepted one without ceremony.

After putting it on, he glanced at Che Qianzi.

Seeing that the young Taoist had no intention of wearing one, he tossed the second mask back.

“My brother doesn’t need this.”

“Not that I’m bragging, but Old Huang, keep talking.”

“What exactly is going on here?”

“You would’ve asked sooner or later anyway.”

As he spoke, Huang Ran stepped out of the hidden chamber.

Taking out the talisman drawn personally by the old monk, he checked the direction and pointed to the left.

“This way.”

“If we keep moving forward, we’ll reach the collective tomb of the successive masters of the Hehuan Sect.”

“In those days, the last sect leader, Lu Wanhuo, migrated south and brought the remains of his ancestors with him.”

“And the sacred object that the Hehuan Sect had cultivated for generations…”

“…was brought here by the exiled official Lu Ruji.”