Entrance to the Inner States

"Seventh Master, I sent men to keep watch on the Garrison Office, but over the past two days, they haven't seen the merchant you mentioned." Luo Zhengnan had been investigating Dick Chen's whereabouts outside the Garrison Office, but came up empty-handed. "Old Seven, I asked our insiders in the Garrison Office—more than one of them—and none of them have ever heard of anyone named Dick Chen." Ma the Fifth had conducted inquiries inside the Garrison Office, but also found nothing. Word arrived from Lightbulb as well: "Tangyuan is investigating you. She's putting a lot of effort into it, and tomorrow she plans to go to Haichiling, saying she wants to check out your ancestral home. Chief Envoy Liao is very impressed by Tangyuan's dedication, and he even came specifically to our office to praise her." Lightbulb was truly pulling his weight, even managing to sniff out news regarding Liao Zihui. Yet strangely, there wasn't a single lead on this Dick Chen. Li Banfeng looked at Ma the Fifth. "What's this guy's background? How can he be this hard to find?" ... "A suitable candidate is indeed hard to find," Dick Chen said, looking over Lu Xiaolan's dossier and shaking his head repeatedly. "I don't think this person is quite suitable." Daboynes explained, "I know her relatively well. Her mother also maintained a long-term working relationship with me." Dick Chen chuckled. "I've discussed this with you before. Someone familiar and someone reliable are two different things. It's precisely because you are too familiar with her that you've developed an unwarranted trust. Take a close look at Lu Xiaolan's past track record. Whether it was vying for the Red Lotus, seeking revenge against Ma the Fifth, or her actions between Iron Sheep Mountain and the Jiangxiang Gang, 'utterly inept' is the only way I can describe it. She squandered too many opportunities without achieving a single thing. One or two failures can be blamed on luck, but repeated failure is an issue of competence." "At least she became the leader of Iron Sheep Mountain," Daboynes tried to argue on Lu Xiaolan's behalf. Dick Chen refused to credit even that accomplishment. "I looked into that matter before. There were too many coincidences in it, and I saw traces of deliberate arrangement. The brothers Ling Miaowen and Ling Miaoying must have played no small part in it. Dabo, you're a smart man. There's no way you couldn't see those signs. You seem to harbor a special fondness for Lu Xiaolan, which has blinded you to many problems." Daboynes shook his head. "I have no unwarranted feelings toward her. I simply believe that people with perseverance and grit are talents worth cherishing." Dick Chen sighed. "You must remember: talent isn't meant to be cherished; it's meant to be used. Perseverance and grit can turn into stubbornness and extremism at any moment. People like that will burn through every bit of capital they have just to reach some minor goal." Daboynes didn't deny it. Lu Xiaolan did indeed have that flaw. "It seems all talented people possess some degree of obsession." "Precisely," Dick Chen nodded. "But we cannot allow their obsession to disrupt our plans. We must learn to leverage their obsession to achieve our goals. What kind of talent is easiest to exploit? Talented people who are down on their luck—especially those consumed by despair. Just as someone starving won't be picky about food, someone driven to deep enough despair won't remain stubborn forever." "Where do we find such talent?" "I have an appointment with one today. Come with me and see." Dick Chen took Daboynes to a factory that had been abandoned for years. Before the factory gates, Dick Chen suddenly asked, "Do you know why this place is called Qishuiyao?" "Because the soda is good." Daboynes gave the answer most people in Puluo Province considered correct. The soda from Qishuiyao was extraordinarily famous. Dick Chen looked a bit disappointed. "Dabo, I told you before: though Puluo Province's culture is steeped in decay and dross, there are certain things you must study. The name Qishuiyao didn't come from the beverage. Steam and water are the soul of the steam engine. This place was the earliest industrial powerhouse in Puluo Province. If you'd paid even the slightest attention to the locals' conversations, you would know of Qishuiyao's past glory. Even today, many people still live in the memory of those glorious days." In a corner of the workshop, Dick Chen found a maintenance worker who was currently modifying the steam engine's reheating loop. If successful, he could raise the steam engine's overall efficiency by two percentage points. "Elder Shi Gongxing," Dick Chen greeted him warmly. "You're as diligent as ever." Shi Gongxing crawled out from beneath the machine, his face smeared with grease. He glared at Dick Chen. "What are you here for this time?" Dick Chen smiled. "I shouldn't need to say it. You must know why I'm here." "Leave. There's nothing to discuss." Shi Gongxing went back under the boiler. Dick Chen said, "Elder, if there were truly nothing to discuss, you should have killed me long ago. My repeated visits pestering you will only draw unwanted suspicion and expose the secrets here." "I ought to kill you." A hook spanner flew out from under the boiler, hurtling straight at Dick Chen's head. Dick Chen dodged the spanner and laughed. "If you truly wanted to kill me, you wouldn't resort to such child's play." Shi Gongxing looked out from beneath the boiler at Dick Chen and asked, "Do you genuinely want to die, or were you just born with a foul mouth?" Dick Chen got down on his stomach on the floor and said, "Elder, no matter how magnificent a machine you build, it can only remain buried away in this place called Qishuiyao. The people of Qishuiyao have long forgotten their former glory. The industrial stronghold of the past has been reduced to gossip at soda stalls, recited idly for a minute or two just to entertain the customers. If you want to reclaim Qishuiyao's glory, you must bring its people back into the factories. I can help you do that. As long as someone comes to do business, Qishuiyao's factories can roar back to life at full steam. When that day comes, all of Puluo Province will be stunned. They will see that the finest steam engines aren't in Black Rock Slope, nor in Lüshui City. They are right here, in their original birthplace." The sound of hammering died away. Shi Gongxing stared blankly at his boiler. Dick Chen struck while the iron was hot: "Elder, I only want to go take a look. I will certainly return within whatever time limit you set, and no one will ever know about this. Once it's done, I will bring orders and commission a massive batch of machines. Qishuiyao's factories will be running again before you know it." Shi Gongxing remained silent for a long time. Step by step, Dick Chen walked toward the depths of the workshop. As long as Shi Gongxing didn't step out to stop him, Dick Chen could keep walking all the way to the end of the workshop. Daboynes followed behind Dick Chen, but had only taken two steps when the floor tiles beneath his feet cracked open into a fissure, separating him from Dick Chen. It was a warning: only one person was permitted into the depths of the workshop. Dick Chen told Daboynes to wait where he was, while he proceeded alone toward the end of the workshop. At the far end was an iron ladder, and below it lay a pool of water of bottomless depth. Dick Chen jumped into the pool and rapidly dived down. Though built inside a workshop, the pool's actual capacity was vastly larger than its outward appearance suggested. In the water, Dick Chen could neither see the bottom nor glimpse the surrounding walls—a manifestation of the craft method. After diving more than a hundred meters down, Dick Chen spotted a crucian carp over three meters long, its scales a murky grayish-black. Dick Chen bowed deeply to the carp first. The carp fluttered its fins, eyeing Dick Chen up and down. Dick Chen took out a golden waist medallion and presented it to the carp with both hands. Aided by the dim light, the carp stared at the medallion for a moment, verifying its authenticity. It flicked its caudal fin, indicating that Dick Chen could speak. Submerged in the water, Dick Chen answered respectfully, "Please deliver a message on my behalf. I require an important letter. I reported the relevant matters previously. Please believe me no matter what—everything I do is for our shared glory." ... Daboynes waited inside the workshop for three full hours before finally seeing Dick Chen walk back from the far end. Shi Gongxing was still beneath the boiler working on his technical improvements. Dick Chen gave him a brief greeting and promptly left the workshop. Once outside the factory, Dick Chen asked Daboynes, "Aren't you curious where I just went?" "I am curious, but I remember your teachings: never ask about things you shouldn't ask about." "You truly shouldn't ask about this place, but today I want to tell you." Dick Chen looked back at the factory. "This is a gate—an entrance leading to the Inner States." Daboynes said in surprise, "An entrance to the Inner States... is here in Qishuiyao?" Dick Chen nodded. "The Inner States have many entrances, and one of them is right here in Qishuiyao. Very few people know about it." "That old gentleman repairing the steam engine is..." "He is the local spirit of Qishuiyao, named Shi Gongxing. He is one of the most outstanding craft cultivators in Puluo Province, and as I mentioned earlier, a down-on-his-luck talent—one down on his luck to the point of despair." Daboynes could imagine why this local spirit was so despairing. He looked around; surrounding this abandoned factory were numerous other derelict workshops. "What on earth happened in Qishuiyao? Why would the residence of a local spirit hold an entrance to the Inner States?" "You have it backward. It's because an entrance to the Inner States exists here that the local spirit Shi Gongxing resides here. Guarding this entrance is one of his duties. But after being down on his luck for so long, he's begun to cut corners on that assignment." Daboynes recalled the scene just now, where Dick Chen had successfully bought off Shi Gongxing. "From what just happened, it seems this wasn't his first time doing so." Dick Chen nodded. "Indeed, it isn't. I heard he took bribes from the Inner States in the past to let purebred Inner Staters slip into Puluo Province. When people fall on hard times, it truly is easy for them to degenerate." Daboynes asked very cautiously, "What did you go to the entrance of the Inner States for?" Dick Chen shook his head. "You shouldn't ask this either, but since you have, there's no harm in telling you. I obtained a letter from the Inner States—a letter addressed to the Garrison Office." Dick Chen handed a scroll to Daboynes. Daboynes unrolled it, only to find it completely blank, without a single word. "You've likely seen letters of this kind before. The Outer States have specialized equipment that can decipher the contents of the scroll," Dick Chen said as he took it back. "Actually, the content is nothing out of the ordinary: the Inner States want the Outer States to help them break through the Boundary leading to Puluo Province." Daboynes asked in astonishment, "The Boundary between the Inner States and Puluo Province—even that can be breached by the Outer States?" Dick Chen nodded. "Fundamentally speaking, the Boundary between the Inner States and Puluo Province is no different from the boundary between Lüshui City and Kudaikan; it's simply much thicker and sturdier. The boundary between Lüshui City and Kudaikan is like a sheet of paper, while the Boundary between the Inner States and Puluo Province is like a stone wall. Puncturing a sheet of paper is easy enough for the Inner States, but they cannot bash through a wall. Breaking through the Boundary is the Inner States' greatest desire from the Outer States, as well as the Outer States' greatest bargaining chip against them. The Inner and Outer States engaged in prolonged negotiations over this matter. Back when Xiao Zhenggong served as balancer, those negotiations broke down. On the surface, it was because the Inner States' overly urgent demands shook the foundation of the talks." Daboynes sighed. "Phrasing from the Outer States can be rather obscure. What do you mean by 'overly urgent demands'?" "The Inner States desperately wanted the Outer States to help them completely dismantle the Boundary. The Outer States refused, because if the Inner States launched a full-scale invasion into Puluo Province, it would inevitably undermine the Outer States' interests here. Naturally, even with conflicting interests, talks could have continued. The primary reason the two sides broke off negotiations was that Xiao Zhenggong was stirring up trouble." "Xiao Zhenggong?" Daboynes was quite surprised. "He played a role in this?" Dick Chen chuckled. "According to the Outer States, Xiao Zhenggong was the most passive balancer in history. Nearly all his communications with the Inner States had to go through the Sage, and during the plague on Sage Peak, certain messages even had to be relayed through us. Many assumed Xiao Zhenggong simply refused to get entangled in the conflict between the Inner and Outer States as a means of self-preservation. That was a misunderstanding of the man. Xiao Zhenggong wasn't such a coward; he was a man willing to take risks. All along, he was doing everything in his power to sabotage communication between the Inner and Outer States. The Inner States relied on the Outer States to neutralize the Boundary, but Xiao Zhenggong was also researching how to crack it. If the Inner States stopped depending on the Outer States and turned to Xiao Zhenggong instead, he would become the master of Puluo Province." Daboynes fell silent. Dick Chen asked, "Why so quiet?" "I'm shocked. I never imagined Xiao Zhenggong had such grand ambitions." Dick Chen smiled. "Back when you collaborated with him to establish the Flying General Battalion, you should have realized what a deeply scheming man he was." Daboynes shook his head. "I knew too little about him. Hearing your account leaves me utterly astonished." Was Daboynes really that shocked? Not at all. He was the top private detective in Puluo Province. During his collaboration with Xiao Zhenggong, he had even served as a messenger between Xiao Zhenggong and Dick Chen. Daboynes had already deduced Xiao Zhenggong's schemes with fair accuracy. What truly worried him now was Dick Chen's motive. Why disclose so much all of a sudden? Was he testing him? Dick Chen was indeed testing him. "Dabo, there's no need to play dumb in front of me, nor do we need such pretenses between us. We are comrades sharing the same goal. From now on, I will share more confidential matters with you, and I hope my candor helps you grow. Stop using people who shouldn't be used. Lu Xiaolan looks a bit like you; you can protect her through different means." ... In Lüshui City, inside a private residence, Tangyuan changed into a dark blue floral qipao, put on light makeup, and prepared to head to Xiaoyaowu for work. She hadn't gone to Haichiling, nor did she plan to visit Li Seven's ancestral residence. That house had been searched too many times, and no valuable clues could possibly be found there. Yesterday, she applied at Xiaoyaowu and successfully landed a job as a songstress. Given her current performance skills, she wasn't ready to take the stage alone; she could only sing in choruses with other newcomers or provide backing vocals for the star singers. None of that mattered to Tangyuan. What mattered was seizing this investigative opportunity. Taking off her glasses, Tangyuan put on a pair of earrings. These earrings possessed disguise properties. Even if colleagues from the Dark Star Bureau stood right before her, they might not recognize her. She gave herself the stage name Xiao Taohong. She gave herself a one-month deadline. She knew she wasn't an idiot like Lightbulb, who got caught by Li Seven on his very first day. But if she dragged things out too long, she might also arouse Li Seven's suspicions. One month was just right. Tangyuan planned out each day's schedule. As long as she focused and conducted a thorough investigation, she was certain to uncover clues that others had missed. ... Inside a secret chamber of the Garrison Office, Dick Chen handed the scroll to Liao Zihui. Liao Zihui knew this was a letter from the Inner States. He handed the scroll to technical personnel for decryption. Upon learning its contents, Liao Zihui praised Dick Chen to his face: "Young Chen, this letter is no small feat. Our negotiations with the Inner States, severed for so many years, have finally resumed." Dick Chen smiled. "That's why I said I want to do more valuable work. Trivial matters like Li Seven shouldn't be brought to me in the future." Liao Zihui maintained his composure and said with a smile, "I've already dispatched people to deliver this letter to the Outer States. We should have a response in a few days. However, don't raise your expectations too high. The idea of completely breaching the Boundary between the Inner States and Puluo Province in a short period of time is probably unrealistic." Dick Chen shook his head. "I don't think the Inner States hold such an unrealistic notion either. What they likely want is for the Outer States to help expand a portion of their passageways. The existing natural passages have already exhausted their permitted crossings for the year. With more than half a year left, it's very difficult for the Inner States to dispatch people to Puluo Province. If we're willing to build a road for them, I believe relations between both sides can improve considerably." Liao Zihui nodded. "I will submit your recommendation as well. I believe it should be adopted." "My recommendation..." Dick Chen smiled. "Very well, thank you for your trouble, Chief Envoy." Dick Chen understood the Outer States' operational style all too well. Even though he had pulled the strings and reestablished contact between the Inner and Outer States, his personal opinions meant nothing to the higher-ups. He had only one goal in doing this: to secure a firm foothold in the position of balancer. Leaving the Garrison Office and returning to his private residence, Dick Chen set about pursuing matters he truly cared about. "Dabo, you've consistently insisted that Li Seven is Li Banfeng, and that the Xuansheng Red Lotus is in Li Banfeng's hands. Let me confirm with you once more: you're truly not mistaken about this, are you?" Daboynes was entirely confident. "He used a very strange disguise technique that caused a drastic change in his appearance. However, when determining his identity, I didn't rely on appearance, but on timelines and logical deductions. Li Banfeng is Li Seven; there is absolutely no mistake about it." "Good, as long as you're certain. Next, it's Li Seven's turn." Dick Chen leafed through newspapers page by page, scouring them for news about Li Seven. Daboynes asked, "Do you intend to deploy the Garrison Office's forces against him?" Dick Chen shook his head. "There's no way I can let the Garrison Office get involved. My previous show of contempt toward Li Seven was specifically to divert their attention and keep them from snatching the Red Lotus out from under me." "Then we use our own personnel." "Our own personnel cannot be exposed lightly, either." "Just the two of us against Li Seven?" Dick Chen laughed. "Dabo, did you think I truly looked down on Li Seven? He's a formidable overlord of Puluo Province; how could we possibly take him on by ourselves? We need to find helpers. Like I said before: people in despair are the easiest to use." ... Late at night, Dick Chen slipped quietly into the Lu family mansion and crept into Duan Shaoxia's bedroom. Looking toward the bed, he didn't see Duan Shaoxia. Instead, he felt a gun pressed against the back of his head from behind. "W-Who are you?" Duan Shaoxia held the gun with tears in her eyes, her arm trembling continuously. He must not say anything reckless, nor try to comfort her, and above all, never try to threaten her. Duan Shaoxia could pull the trigger at any second—and when she did, her hand would be steady as a rock, without the slightest tremor. Dick Chen knew Duan Shaoxia's pathway as well as her combat habits. The best choice right now was to speak plainly: "Madam Duan, I've come to help you—chiefly, to help your two children." "Are you going to harm my children?" Duan Shaoxia's hand trembled even more violently; she was about to pull the trigger. Dick Chen hastily laid out his bargaining chip: "I can procure a brand-new body for Lu Yuanhai—a body that belongs to him alone. And I can also retrieve Lu Yuanshan's soul, give him a brand-new body as well, and return him to your side." "What kind of nonsense are you babbling?" "I'm not babbling nonsense. Everything I said is the truth." Dick Chen slowly turned around, facing Duan Shaoxia. "Madam, I can help you—so long as you are willing to help me." ... At Yaowanggou Station, Dick Chen exited the station, walked onto the station plaza, and stepped up to a coachman. "I want to go to Ligou." Smoking dry tobacco, the coachman looked up at Dick Chen. "Ligou is so close. No need for my cart; find someone else." "You don't want business?" "You have to listen to advice. My cart has fire wheels; the fare is too steep." Dick Chen pulled out a stack of Huan Country bills and handed it to the coachman. "Is this enough?" The coachman took the cash and counted it—over two thousand yuan. "You probably don't actually want to go to Ligou, do you? What do you want with me?" Dick Chen lowered his voice: "I'd like to do some business with you. I know you lost something very important. You lost your territory. I can help you get your territory back, and all you have to do is eliminate a person for me." The coachman was intrigued. "Eliminate one person and get a territory back? There's really such a good deal?" "You're in luck. A good deal really has found its way to you." "Tell me first: who needs to be eliminated?" "No rush. Once you agree, we can discuss the details at our leisure." ... Lüshui City, Dongping Teahouse, private room. Lightbulb showed Li Banfeng a document. "The Garrison Office has established a new section specifically responsible for liaising with the Inner States." Li Banfeng examined the document closely. "Was there no such organization before?" Lightbulb said, "I asked a few people. In the past, there was a section in charge of liaising with the Inner States, but later on, since there was nothing for them to do, it was disbanded." Nothing to do before, yet now suddenly there was work. This proved that the Outer States and the Inner States had reestablished contact, and some key figure had played a crucial role in bringing it about. Who could it be? A balancer. Xiao Zhenggong was dead, and now a new balancer had emerged. Who could this balancer be? The first person who came to Li Banfeng's mind was Dick Chen. Tangyuan wouldn't be a secretary for a mere merchant, but she was very likely acting as a bodyguard for a balancer—which explained why she had accompanied Dick Chen to the banquet that day. Of course, this was still only speculation. It was best to confirm it. Who could he turn to for confirmation? Returning to Xiaoyaowu, Li Banfeng saw several songstresses chatting idly. "Xiao Taohong," Li Banfeng beckoned to her. "Come to my room for a moment." "Ah..." Tangyuan froze. A sister standing beside her nudged her. "What are you standing around for? Go quickly! Seventh Master has taken a liking to you—what tremendous good fortune that is!" "H-He took a liking to me... for what...?" "What do you think for? He asked you to his bedroom—do you really not understand?" another sister giggled. "Go on, don't be afraid. How many people wait a lifetime and never get a chance like this?" What kind of chance was this?! I haven't even had a boyfriend yet, and I'm just supposed to give myself away to him like this? Trembling, Tangyuan entered Li Banfeng's bedroom. Gritting her teeth, she thought: *If I must give myself away, so be it! I'm an elite field agent; I have to remember my mission and duty! This really is an opportunity. I will definitely uncover the most valuable intel!* Tangyuan stood before Li Banfeng, her pretty face flushed crimson from the tip of her nose all the way to the tips of her ears. Li Banfeng said in a calm, even voice, "Tangyuan, sit here." "Ah..." Tangyuan stood frozen for a long while. She hadn't misheard. Li Banfeng had just called her Tangyuan. The heat vanished from her face as every hair on her body stood on end. Tangyuan felt the room turn bitterly cold, and a terrifying premonition gripped her: something dreadful was going to happen to her today. Li Banfeng said impatiently, "Sit down first. I have urgent matters to ask you. Don't be afraid; I won't bully you."