The Riddle Cultivator

"Brother Shui, come over to my place for a cup of tea!" "I won't bother you. I just came to offer my congratulations, and then I'll be on my way." "Don't be like that, Brother Shui. How long has it been since we brothers last saw each other? Almost a year, hasn't it?" "Probably not quite a year, but thinking about it, it's close enough." *Close enough?* The last time Li Banfeng had returned to Zhengjing Village was to deal with Gu Rusong, who had disguised himself as Lu Dongliang. At that time, Shui Yongquan had been injured by Gu Rusong, and Li Banfeng had even schemed together with him on how to handle it. How long ago was that? How could he claim it was nearly a year? "Brother Shui, just stay and have a drink with your brother." "All right, if you insist. We'll have a drink together." Shui Yongquan followed Li Banfeng into the companion dwelling. Looking around the pitch-black room, Shui Yongquan asked, "Old Seven, what kind of place is this? Is it an unnameable land? How did you find it?" Li Banfeng smiled. "I stumbled upon it by chance. Darling, we have a guest!" *Whoosh!* The gramophone lit up with a blaze of fire, puffing out plumes of steam. Shui Yongquan was taken aback. "Old Seven, what kind of trick is this? And what did you mean by 'darling'? Did you take a wife? Why didn't you tell me about something so important?" Li Banfeng said, "Brother Shui has every right to blame me. I was in the wrong." *Crack—* The gramophone chimed in with apologies of her own: "My husband is a careless man; he never thinks things through properly. Please don't take offense. Gourd Sister, warm up a pot of liquor for Brother Shui. Old Teapot, brew him a pot of fine tea. Yingying, have you sharpened the knife yet? Our guest has arrived!" Hong Ying called out from the second room, "Right away!" The gramophone sighed. "That girl is never quick about her work. Brother Shui, we're having hotpot today. Slicing meat requires a sharp blade. You two brothers catch up first while she sharpens it a bit longer." Shui Yongquan stood up. "Old Seven, where on earth is this place?" Li Banfeng chuckled. "It's my home. My entire household has been waiting for an esteemed guest like you." Sensing something was terribly amiss, Shui Yongquan waved his hand. "Old Seven, I've got an urgent matter to handle today. Let's catch up another day." Li Qi frowned. "What could possibly be so urgent?" "I forgot to mention earlier, something came up on my territory. I'll take my leave first." The gramophone called out, "Brother Shui, at least stay for hotpot before you leave!" "I'll skip the hotpot for now and visit another day." Shui Yongquan yanked hard on the door. Hong Ying emerged from the second room brandishing a knife. "Brother Shui, you can't leave! If you leave, where's our hotpot going to come from?" Seeing Hong Ying's appearance, Shui Yongquan threw both hands into the effort, pulling desperately at the door, but it wouldn't budge in the slightest. Li Banfeng said, "Brother Shui, you'd better stay." Shui Yongquan said, "Old Seven, I must leave today." "You're leaving in such a hurry that you don't even want your teapot?" "What would I want a teapot for? A tea—" Shui Yongquan looked down and realized he was yanking the door with both hands. He was supposed to be cradling a teapot in one hand. With both hands pulling at the door, where was the teapot? "No rush, Brother Shui. The teapot is right here with me." The glove carried the teapot over and handed it to Li Banfeng. "Shui Yongquan" was terrified and lunged forward to snatch it from Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng applied pressure with his fingertips, as if about to crush the teapot to pieces. Shui Yongquan immediately backed down. "Old Seven, don't! That teapot is my treasure!" "It's not just your treasure—it's your very life!" Li Banfeng's smile vanished. "Who are you? Why are you impersonating Shui Yongquan?" "Shui Yongquan" put on a bewildered look. "What do you mean by impersonating? How could you say such a—" The liquor gourd spoke up: "Little brother, don't waste your breath on him. I've already warmed the liquor." The Old Teapot chuckled. "After drinking the liquor, have a bowl of hot tea. It'll clear your head nicely." Hong Ying instructed, "You two make sure to use plenty of flavorful spices." Shui Yongquan backed against the door, bracing for a desperate fight. Yet his courage was swiftly drowned beneath the cheerful laughter of this household. Five minutes later, covered in bruises and wounds, "Shui Yongquan" was seated back in a chair, answering questions with utter compliance. "My name is Ni Shangqiu. I am one of the upper clanspeople from the Inner States." Hearing this, Hong Ying remarked, "Your name sounds like a loach." Ni Shangqiu nodded. "Back when I was still one of the lower clanspeople, my appearance indeed resembled a loach. But my form has changed since then. What you see now is my true face." Hong Ying did not care what his true face looked like; she only cared whether a loach was suitable for hotpot. The gramophone asked Ni Shangqiu, "Were you refined out of a hundred people as well?" Ni Shangqiu shook his head. "I was refined from three hundred people. My status is somewhat higher than those who came from a hundred." Li Banfeng asked, "Why impersonate Shui Yongquan?" "To get close to you and pry information out of you." "What information?" "About the Xuansheng Red Lotus, about the man from heaven, about the peddler, and about the decisive battle between them." Li Banfeng didn't quite follow. "A decisive battle between whom?" "Between the peddler and the man from heaven. They once made a pact that should they ever cross paths, they must fight to the death." Li Banfeng was surprised. "There's such a thing?" The gramophone said, "Indeed, there is such a rumor. The peddler and the man from heaven were once close friends, but later they fell out. They swore an oath never to see each other again in this lifetime, and that if they ever met, it would be a battle to the death." Li Banfeng said, "Inquiring about the Red Lotus's whereabouts—I assume it's not just to brew pills, is it?" Ni Shangqiu answered truthfully, "The Sage's order to me was simply to discover the Red Lotus's whereabouts through you. As for what follows, I do not know." "The Sage ordered you directly?" "I was the sole survivor refined from the three hundred. I take orders directly from the Sage." It seemed there were rank differences among these modified people. Ni Shangqiu's status was noticeably higher. Li Banfeng asked, "Do you know Qiu Daoyu?" Ni Shangqiu shook his head. "What about Huang Zennan?" Ni Shangqiu had never heard of him either. Seeing that Ni Shangqiu was quite cooperative, Li Banfeng asked the most crucial question: "You know Shui Yongquan reasonably well—his mannerisms, speech habits, and past deeds. Where did you learn all that?" Ni Shangqiu replied, "From Guo Gaoge." "Who is Guo Gaoge?" "A local spirit invested at the beginning of the year. His territory borders Shui Yongquan's." "A local spirit invested at the start of the year? Why would his territory border Shui Yongquan's?" Li Banfeng didn't understand how that worked. Ni Shangqiu explained, "Qiu Luoye's territory was converted into proper land, leaving an empty plot next to Shui Yongquan's domain. Our clan created a newland there and placed Guo Gaoge in charge of managing it. After Guo Gaoge arrived at the newland, he got along very well with Shui Yongquan. The two became friends, and Guo Gaoge learned a great deal about Shui Yongquan's affairs." *So he's the local spirit who replaced Qiu Luoye.* Li Banfeng asked, "Does this Guo Gaoge still maintain ties with the Inner States?" "Yes," Ni Shangqiu said, finding this detail peculiar as well. "Generally, cultivators above the clouds who venture out from the Inner States are unwilling to return once invested as local spirits, since their status has an anchor. Guo Gaoge is an exception. Ever since becoming a local spirit, he has run back to the Inner States frequently and kept in constant touch with us. What happened to Shui Yongquan was accomplished with our help." Li Banfeng asked, "What happened to Shui Yongquan?" Realizing he had spoken too much, Ni Shangqiu tried to change the subject: "Guo Gaoge is quite clever. At first, he got along swimmingly with Shui Yongquan..." "I asked you: what happened to Shui Yongquan?" Ni Shangqiu still hesitated to speak plainly, so Hong Ying stepped forward with her blade. Two swift cuts later, Ni Shangqiu caved. "Shui Yongquan violated the taboos and suffered punishment from the Inner States. He fell from a local spirit to an Injured Demon Fiend." Shui Yongquan had possessed the cultivation of the second tier above the clouds. An Injured Demon Fiend was a failed ascension at the ninth tier on the ground. How much cultivation had he lost in one stroke? Li Banfeng asked, "What taboo did he violate?" Ni Shangqiu lowered his head. "When it comes to crimes, there's always one to be found; it just depends on how you frame it." The meaning was unmistakable: the charges against Shui Yongquan were fabricated. Ni Shangqiu added, "His real crime was standing in someone's way. Guo Gaoge wanted Shui Yongquan's territory—he wanted Zhengjing Village and all the strange anomalies that Shui Yongquan had painstakingly cultivated." Such a colossal event had befallen Shui Yongquan, and Li Banfeng had known nothing about it. Qiu Luoye had acted recklessly and without regard for consequences, yet he was now the lord of Qiqiu City, a local spirit of proper land, riding high on success. Shui Yongquan had always been cautious, walking as if on thin ice, yet he couldn't even protect a single newland and had lost his status above the clouds. Who could have foreseen this? Li Banfeng asked, "Where is Shui Yongquan now?" Ni Shangqiu said, "A few days ago, he was said to still be wandering his original territory. Later, Guo Gaoge led people to hunt him down, so things are likely dire. No one knows where Shui Yongquan has gone now, but Guo Gaoge should know his whereabouts." Li Banfeng rose. "What pathway does Guo Gaoge belong to? A Sound Cultivator?" Ni Shangqiu shook his head. "Guo Gaoge is a riddle cultivator, an exceptionally rare pathway." "What is a riddle cultivator?" Ni Shangqiu shook his head. "I can't explain it clearly. His pathway is too peculiar." The gramophone spoke up: "Riddle cultivators share the same origin as illusion cultivators. People often say illusion cultivators deceive the eye, while riddle cultivators bewilder the heart. Every word and movement in this pathway is a feint, laying puzzle after puzzle. Opponents can hardly discern their true intentions, and their combat prowess is affected by the riddles." The concept was somewhat abstract, and Li Banfeng still didn't quite grasp it. "What is the key to countering this pathway?" "Solving the riddle! You must solve his riddle. A riddle cultivator poses riddles inadvertently. As long as you solve the riddle, husband, you can suppress his combat power, and engaging him in battle will yield a certain victory. But if you fail to solve his riddle, or guess the wrong answer, your combat strength will be suppressed while his spikes dramatically in the short term. Facing him then, you will certainly suffer a terrible defeat." Li Banfeng pondered this. "In that case, the one who can counter a riddle cultivator ought to be a calculation cultivator?" Calculation cultivators were best at solving problems. The gramophone swayed her horn. "Husband, there have indeed been rumors that calculation cultivators counter riddle cultivators. But this humble servant once knew two calculation cultivators, and both died at the hands of a riddle cultivator. Whether these two pathways truly counter each other, this servant cannot say for sure. There are very few riddle cultivators to begin with, and those who have fought them rarely survive. If you truly wish to seek him out, husband, you'd best bring a few helpers along. As the saying goes, spectators see more clearly than those involved. Having someone watching from the side could give you a timely reminder at the critical moment." From the second room, the Red Lotus sighed. "A reminder might not help. More likely, everyone gets dragged into the game, unable to see the situation clearly, tossing out wild ideas, powerless to help, and only dragging you down." The gramophone was surprised and turned her horn toward the second room. "Sister Red Lotus, have you fought a riddle cultivator before? If you know how to handle them, please give my husband a few pointers." The Red Lotus said, "General Zhao flatters me. I am merely a magical treasure; I lack such vast knowledge. I've only heard rumors about the riddle cultivator pathway. Two rules of thumb sounded fairly reliable to me: first, if you cannot see the opening clearly, do not strike, for striking makes it easy to fall into a trap; second, if you do see the opening clearly, do not hold back, for holding back will surely cost you dearly." The gramophone considered this for a moment. "Doesn't that apply to more than just riddle cultivators? Isn't that the rule against any pathway?" The Red Lotus sighed. "I truly don't know much. I merely said a few casual words. Useful or not, treat them like a spring breeze brushing past your ears; take them as you will." Li Banfeng, however, gleaned some insight. "If I don't solve the riddle and simply strike directly, beating the riddle cultivator to death, wouldn't that save a lot of trouble?" The Red Lotus said, "That is precisely what I meant by not seeing the opening clearly. Forcing a fight against a riddle cultivator without solving the riddle is called unruly disruption. His combat strength will surge, leading to the exact same outcome as guessing the wrong answer." Li Banfeng thought further. "No matter what he says, what if I just claim he's lying? Does that count as unraveling the riddle?" The Red Lotus said, "That won't work either. Solving the riddle requires sound reasoning and evidence; you cannot make blind guesses. Even if you guess correctly, it does not count as breaking the riddle, and you will still end up suffering the loss. That is why, when fighting a riddle cultivator, you must see the opening clearly." "And if I have sound reasoning and evidence?" "Then you have found the opening. When that happens, you must never hold back." Riddle cultivators were so tricky that the gramophone felt worried. "Husband, how about putting this on hold for now? We can act after coming up with a foolproof plan." "We can't wait." Li Banfeng shook his head slightly. Zhengjing Village was Li Banfeng's foundation. Even though his business had grown much larger now, Zhengjing Village had always remained his most solid reliance. Every blade of grass, every tree, every brick and tile here carried his blood and sweat; he could never surrender it to anyone else. Shui Yongquan was Li Banfeng's friend. Though both had harbored their own motives when they first met and their dealings had mostly been business, Shui Yongquan had never stood idly by when Li Banfeng was in trouble. Now that Shui Yongquan was in dire straits, Li Banfeng could not sit back and do nothing. Guo Gaoge had already seized Shui Yongquan's territory, causing him to lose his status and his cultivation. If they waited any longer, Zhengjing Village would be gone, and so would Shui Yongquan. Ni Shangqiu looked at Li Banfeng. "I've told the truth. Please, let me go." As he spoke, his eyes darted toward the second room. The gramophone had just addressed the voice inside as Sister Red Lotus. He knew the Red Lotus was right there in that room. Now, as long as Li Banfeng spared his life, he would do anything. Once he left this place alive and delivered the news back to the Inner States, he could lead people back to seize the Red Lotus, and from then on, he would legitimately be one of the upper clanspeople. Li Banfeng looked at Ni Shangqiu. "Was everything you said just now true?" "Every single word!" "You claim Guo Gaoge is a riddle cultivator. What pathway do you belong to?" Ni Shangqiu shook his head. "I have no pathway. I am a pureblood native of the Inner States. I am skilled with water and ice." The gramophone said, "There is indeed such a claim: purebred natives of the Inner States have no pathways and only use sorcery. But others say this is a misconception, and that all pathways originate from the Inner States." Ni Shangqiu said, "I'm speaking the truth! I truly have no pathway. If you don't believe me, you can bring someone to confront me face-to-face!" Li Banfeng asked, "Whom should I bring?" Ni Shangqiu asked, "Do you know any other people from the Inner States?" Hong Ying said, "Cooked ones, raw ones—I know plenty. I quite like them cooked, but it's not convenient to bring them out to confront you right now." Ni Shangqiu didn't grasp Hong Ying's meaning and said to Li Banfeng, "Aren't you looking for Guo Gaoge? Unlike other local spirits, he's acquainted with our clan. He knows some inside details as well." Li Banfeng nodded. "He'll be here shortly. Go wait for him at the table first. Darling, if you have more questions, keep asking. If not, start the feast." Li Banfeng handed the teapot to his wife and turned to leave the companion dwelling. Ni Shangqiu asked, "What does 'start the feast' mean?" Hong Ying grinned. "You don't even know that? Starting the feast means eating, of course!" "Then I won't impose." "No imposition at all," Hong Ying said, pinning Ni Shangqiu down. "One more person just means one more pair of chopsticks. Though you don't even need chopsticks." *** Li Banfeng silently slipped out of the newland and arrived at Zhengjing Village. Having not visited for a while, he noticed considerable changes in the village. There were more restaurants and inns, many hunters had settled down here, and the residential quarters had grown much denser. Zhen Jincheng and Cao Zhida had funded a dance hall in the village, which was doing brisk business. A peddler who used to wander the village hawking his wares from shoulder poles had now opened a proper general store. Two cinemas in the village were both thriving; not only were there crowds watching movies, but many locals were also taking part in filming them. Li Qi's film company had established a branch in the village, using it as a filming location for several major productions. Back when they shot *Blood Gun Detective*, actors had to be coerced into coming. Now, there was no need for coercion. Any actor who earned the chance to film in the newland was considered a person of stature in the company. Newcomers would fight tooth and nail just for an opportunity to come here. While outside actors competed, local performers fought for roles as well. Down by the lake, Tingniang had a major scene. Because the performance was rather intense, onlookers were barred, and the crew was clearing the area. Tingnu was applying makeup to Tingniang. Li Banfeng walked onto the set, sat down beside the mother and daughter, and lit a cigarette. Tingniang was startled. If she hadn't seen the plume of smoke, she truly wouldn't have noticed Li Banfeng. "S-S-Seventh Master?" The moment Tingniang spoke, the entire set froze. "Seventh Master is here?" "For real?" "Seventh Master, I'm the male lead for this scene! My name is Dou Shouqi!" A young man tried to curry favor, only to be kicked aside by Tingnu. "What male lead? You're just carrying a prop weapon, you don't even show your face! Scram to the side!" A young woman chimed in, "Seventh Master, I'm an old hand at the company. I've given my heart and soul to the company all these years, but my pay keeps getting smaller. You have to stand up for me, Seventh Master!" Tingnu slapped the woman aside. "Pah! Why don't you mention that you ran off to Ling Family Pictures before? For a wench like you, giving you a way to earn a living is already generous, and you dare wag your tongue before Seventh Master!" Tingnu was far more than a simple makeup artist; she held high standing and authority in the Zhengjing Village branch. "Seventh Master, our manager went to Green Water City to scout actors. Should we wait for him to return?" Li Banfeng waved his hand. "No need. Clear out everyone who isn't needed. I have some private questions for you two." Tingnu hurriedly called over the wild boar: "Clear everyone out! Have them wait in the rest area. Nobody comes near unless called!" The wild boar recognized Li Qi; they had been acquaintances back in the day. He greeted Li Banfeng first before beginning to clear the set. A crew hand, tucking his hands into his sleeves and squatting on the ground, complained, "I was just getting ready to set up the lights. Why are we stopping again?" The wild boar barked angrily, "Why do you have so much to say? Do as you're told! You won't lose a copper of your wages, so move it!" Once the area was cleared, Li Banfeng asked the mother and daughter, "How has Brother Shui been doing lately?" Tingnu hesitated, unsure how to speak, while Tingniang said, "Master Shui is doing quite well." "How well?" Li Banfeng looked at Tingniang. "How well... I can't quite say—" Tingniang glanced back at her daughter. Tingnu said, "Master Shui... is indeed doing fine." Li Banfeng turned his gaze toward the wild boar. "Old Boar, you're an honest fellow. What's the real situation with Brother Shui?" The wild boar sighed. "Matters concerning the local spirit aren't something we dare pry into. Some say Master Shui is living well, others say he's doing poorly, and some even say he's no longer the local spirit. "There's an important figure on this territory surnamed Guo. He says Master Shui is doing well and that they're friends. Whatever he says, we have to believe. But we haven't seen Master Shui in a long time. "A while back, people came to clear land. Master Shui didn't issue any notices for trials, but this Master Guo wanted us to give it a try. We make our living with the film company, so we didn't want to get involved with trials, mostly because we aren't very familiar with this Master Guo. "As for the village's condition, you can see it for yourself, Seventh Master. We're living quite well, so I figured nothing bad could have happened to Master Shui." Indeed, Zhengjing Village was thriving. Under the faint heavenly light of the newland, at a glance, it looked almost no different from proper land. Was the situation truly as Ni Shangqiu had described? Had that loach spoken the truth or not? "Seventh Master, don't listen to their nonsense!" A massive body came crawling over. Li Banfeng looked up to see Madam Bagworm Moth, Yanzi. Wiping her sweat, Yanzi said, "Seventh Master, I heard you were back and rushed over! Master Shui has definitely run into trouble. I've been looking for him for days without catching a glimpse of him! Qianqian said she saw that fellow surnamed Guo leading men around the territory three days ago—they were definitely hunting Master Shui!" *It seems the riddle has already arrived.* Li Banfeng remained silent for a moment, then said to Tingnu, "Tell the crew there's no filming today. Everyone takes a break, wages paid as usual." Not daring to question him, Tingnu hurried to inform the cast and crew. Li Banfeng then instructed Yanzi, "Take Qianqian and Qiaocui, do a sweep through the streets, and tell the villagers to stay inside. No one is to wander out today." Yanzi hurried off to find her two sisters. Once all bystanders had departed, Li Banfeng cut his palm and spilled a few drops of blood beside the lake. This was his territory. If he ran into trouble, the local spirit was obligated to provide protection. He wanted to see if that covenant was still in effect. A gust of chilly wind swept past. A tall, thin man in his fifties, with hair parted three-to-seven and wearing a white Sun Yat-sen suit, walked up to Li Banfeng. "Are you Li Qi?" Li Banfeng nodded. "Are you the local spirit?" The man said, "My name is Guo Gaoge. I am the local spirit of the neighboring territory. This land originally belonged to Brother Shui. Brother Shui encountered some trouble recently, so I am temporarily overseeing affairs on his territory on his behalf." Li Banfeng asked, "What trouble did he encounter?" Guo Gaoge said, "I shouldn't be telling you this, but Brother Shui once said that in this world, he trusts only three people: Qiu Luoye, you, and me. "Someone from the Inner States framed Brother Shui. He suffered a calamity, lost his status, had his cultivation degraded, and is currently recuperating on his territory. "I didn't dare let the news leak, so I could only keep it hidden for him and handle whatever matters I could on his behalf. "The Inner States spread rumors claiming I wanted to seize Brother Shui's territory. They even announced they would head to Qiqiu City to tell you and Qiu Luoye, inciting you two to come after me to avenge Brother Shui. "I know you must harbor misunderstandings about me, but a straight foot fears no crooked shoe. To tell you the truth, Brother Shui once wanted to yield his territory to me; he even drafted the covenant deed." As he spoke, Guo Gaoge produced a deed. "Take a look. Isn't this Brother Shui's handwriting?" Li Banfeng glanced at it. It was indeed Shui Yongquan's handwriting, stating that he was transferring all of his territory to Guo Gaoge. Guo Gaoge said, "I did not accept this deed. I would never take advantage of someone in their hour of need. "Li Qi, if you trust me, come with me to see Brother Shui. He has been constantly asking to see you. "If you don't trust me, go ask anyone else on this territory whether I have ever done anything to wrong Brother Shui! "And if you don't even wish to ask and just want to fight me, I will gladly accommodate you. But if that's the case, I can only tell you that you've fallen for the Inner States' treacherous plot. Toward Brother Shui, my conscience is clear." The riddle had been laid out long before; Guo Gaoge was merely reiterating the cause and effect. Guo Gaoge's account was virtually flawless, and the request he posed was simply for Li Banfeng to visit Shui Yongquan. If Li Banfeng chose to believe Guo Gaoge when Guo Gaoge was actually lying, that would count as a failed attempt to solve the riddle. Guo Gaoge's combat strength would surge, and Li Banfeng would suffer a grievous loss. If Li Banfeng chose not to believe Guo Gaoge, he had to provide a reasonable answer to overturn Guo Gaoge's premise. Otherwise, that too would count as failing to solve the riddle. If Li Banfeng ignored the riddle entirely and attacked Guo Gaoge directly, that would be deemed unruly disruption, and the result would still be a massive surge in Guo Gaoge's strength. How should he handle this? Li Banfeng pulled up a chair and invited Guo Gaoge to sit, ready for a detailed talk. "Brother Guo, let me ask you something: why did Brother Shui lose his cultivation and his status?" Guo Gaoge said, "Surely you know that half of his deed is kept in the Inner States, and a curse is hidden within it." Li Banfeng asked further, "Where is Brother Shui's other half of the deed?" "Naturally, it is buried within this territory." Li Banfeng said, "Since Brother Shui has already become an Injured Demon Fiend, why don't we unearth the deed and destroy it once and for all? What do you say?" Li Banfeng had built the slope; now he wanted to see if Guo Gaoge would walk down it. Guo Gaoge refused to step onto it, waving his hands repeatedly. "That won't do. Brother Shui's vital energy is severely depleted right now. If we dig up the deed, wouldn't that add injury upon injury?" Li Banfeng continued to nudge him down the slope: "Brother Shui has already lost his status. The iron-voucher covenant deed on this territory is useless to him now. What harm could digging it up do?" Guo Gaoge shook his head. "I feel that doing so is inappropriate..." "You feel it's inappropriate because the deed on this territory bears your name, doesn't it?" Guo Gaoge frowned. "How could it bear my name?" "Deeds don't lie. If you've claimed this territory, the deed will certainly have your name on it." Guo Gaoge shook his head. "That is pure nonsense. I have never thought of taking Brother Shui's territory." "So did you take it, or didn't you?" "I didn't—" "If you didn't, let's go dig it up!" "I won't dig it up—" "Refusing to dig means you don't dare. Not daring means you're lying! With ironclad evidence before us, what more can you argue?" Cold sweat broke out across Guo Gaoge's brow. "I'm not making excuses! I don't know where Brother Shui's deed is buried." "You don't know, but I do. Let me ask you once more: do you dare?" Guo Gaoge felt that what Li Banfeng said made complete sense. Though his mouth refused to admit it, his heart conceded. The riddle had been broken by Li Banfeng. *** Inside a small cabin in the village, the wild boar handed a cigarette to each of the crew members. "Everyone take the day off. Seventh Master ordered us to resume work tomorrow." One of the workers asked, "What in the world happened, anyway?" The wild boar snorted. "Why do you have to ask so much? Didn't I tell you that you won't lose a copper of your wages?!" The worker tucked his hands into his sleeves, squatted by the doorway, and took a puff of his cigarette. "What's the big deal? Isn't it just that petty nonsense? "What kind of trash is a riddle cultivator, anyway? Treating them like grandchildren is already thinking too highly of them!"