Chapter 425 - 383: Netherworld (3)
Fortunately, the leader of the black market merchants was highly vigilant and escaped ahead of time.
Since the land was no longer safe, they turned their sights to the vast, misty expanse of the waters.
A group of them pooled their resources to purchase an ocean-going vessel and moved the entire black market onto the water. This was the origin of the Netherworld Ship.
However, even after relocating to the water, the danger was not eliminated.
The Celestial Sword Sect sent elite disciples to infiltrate the ship in disguise on several occasions, launching devastating attacks against the Netherworld Ship.
During the most severe attack, two of the original founders were killed. The black market aboard the ship was shut down for months, and the entire operation nearly fell apart.
During that period, the Netherworld Ship darted about the river, hiding wherever it could. It was in a precarious state, constantly living on the edge of annihilation.
Things took a turn last year.
For reasons unknown, the Netherworld Ship completely overhauled its previous method of operation.
They abandoned the old method of using fixed locations and scheduled pickups, establishing a new, complex, and clandestine contact system instead.
Prospective traders are required to first visit one of their various contact points to register, pay a deposit, and leave a specific secret code.
Afterward, a guide would escort the clients aboard the Netherworld Ship.
Once the transaction was complete, they would be sent back in an equally secretive manner.
Throughout the entire process, clients might not even know their own location. The ship’s route was erratic, changing every time.
This new strategy completely eliminated the possibility of the Celestial Sword Sect launching attacks by staking out the docks.
Even if the Sect managed to take out a contact point or two, it would be nearly impossible to follow the trail to the Netherworld Ship, let alone predict where or when it would next appear.
After paying a heavy price for minimal returns, the Celestial Sword Sect seemed to abandon its plans for retaliation.
As for the Netherworld Ship, it finally found its footing and gradually stabilized its operations.
After detailing all the inside information he had gathered, Bai San asked, "Sir, the Netherworld Ship has a contact point right here in Jiangkou. Since we can’t count on Hidden Emperor Castle, how about I go check it out first thing tomorrow and register?"
"There’s no rush."
Chen Li shook his head. "First, find Gossip."
Bai San agreed, though he couldn’t help muttering, "That Old Bao... I have no idea what damn trick he’s playing at. Why would he leave a perfectly good place like Jiangkou for Thunder Shock County? Fine. I’ll head over there first thing tomorrow, drag him back here, and find out what’s going on."
"That won’t be necessary." Chen Li shook his head. "We’ll go together."
’He had come to Jiangkou for two reasons. One was to use the Treasure Basin to retrieve the massive sum of four and a half million taels hidden beneath Hidden Emperor Castle.’
’The other was to reignite the fuse of the Opium trade in the Jiangzhou Black Market.’
’It was time for that particular substance to serve its purpose.’
Before leaving Nanjiang, Chen Li had already made arrangements with Peng Anming.
He had ordered him to quickly consolidate the remaining forces of the Xinyi, Sanhe, and Chaotian gangs and form a new one.
He also instructed him to process all the Opium grown in the Little World behind the Kao Mountain Wall into Opium Paste.
This past March, Peng Anming had sent a messenger to the Lingxi Chen Mansion to report that everything Chen Li had tasked him with was complete.
The gangs had been consolidated, and eighty thousand boxes of Opium Paste had been produced, ready for use at a moment’s notice.
Chen Li’s only reply at the time had been to wait for the opportune moment.
In May, Chen Li dispatched Gossip to Nanjiang to have Peng Anming start spreading rumors about the Opium, testing which of Jiangzhou’s factions would be drawn to the scent of profit.
At the end of June, Gossip sent a message back, reporting that the rumors were out. They had caused quite a stir, and numerous factions had expressed strong interest, beginning to make tentative, covert inquiries about contacts and pricing.
Chen Li’s plan was clear.
Once enough fish—of sufficient weight—had gathered, he would have Peng Anming leak the transaction details to the authorities, triggering a massive government crackdown.
Eighty thousand boxes of Opium Paste constituted a monumental case no matter where it was found. Combined with the involvement of these factions, it would be more than enough to divert the attention and resources of the Jiangzhou Government Office.
’When that happened, the Government Office’s investigation into the Chen Family would inevitably be relaxed, at least temporarily. That will give me the space I need for my next move.’
Propelling this plan forward was one of his primary goals for this trip.
However, after arriving in Jiangkou, he found that Gossip himself was not there.
Fortunately, the man had left a message explaining that he had gone to Thunder Shock County for some reason and had provided a contact address.
The carriage stopped in the rain outside Jiangkou County Town for the night.
In the early morning, as soon as the city gates opened, the two men drove the carriage into the city and went straight to the Liben Silk Shop in the western district.
The shop had been repaired and was back in business after being trashed by men sent from the Jiang Family.
The man originally in charge was a fellow disciple of his eldest son, Shouheng, but he was still recuperating from an injury. Chen Li had therefore transferred a fellow disciple of his second son, Shouye, to take command.
His name was Feng Guolin. He was twenty-seven years old, his cultivation had reached Qi Realm Perfection, and he was known to be a steady hand.
Upon seeing Chen Li arrive, Feng Guolin hurried out to greet him, then helped Bai San carry the chests into the shop’s rear courtyard for storage.
After giving a few brief instructions, Chen Li and Bai San switched to swift horses, rode out of the city, and galloped away to the southeast.
Thunder Shock County was under the jurisdiction of Linjiang County, about a hundred li from Jiangkou County.
It was named for its proximity to the Thunder Shock Marsh, an area known for its year-round thunderstorms and high humidity.
The two men set out at dawn, riding hard the entire way. They only stopped briefly to rest and water their horses before pressing on.
It was nearly evening by the time they finally entered Thunder Shock County Town.
Following the address Gossip had left, they quickly located a gambling den tucked away in a side alley of the town.
It was the time of evening when the den was just starting to fill up with patrons. The faint sounds of shouting and rattling dice drifted out from within.
Bai San told Chen Li to wait at the entrance to the alley across the way. He then took off his conical hat and straw raincoat, straightened his clothes, and swaggered inside.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a middle-aged man in a silk shirt who looked like the den’s steward emerged with Bai San. The man strode forward, clasped his fists in a salute, and said in a low voice, "Honored guest, please follow me."