Yet in the end, it crawled inside.
All around lay unbroken silence, save for the waves lapping against the reefs. Two small crabs scrambled ashore, squaring off to fight inside a hollow among the stones.
Ever since the fiendish energy had vanished from here, more and more small creatures had begun visiting Bone-Rod Reef.
This was merely an epitome of recent developments across the northern and eastern islands of the Yangshan Archipelago.
Suddenly, a piercing screech shattered the quiet shore. The flying fox scrambled frantically out of the burrow, beating its wings to take flight.
Frightened, the two crabs darted beneath a stone.
Yet before the bat could rise even a foot off the ground, a cluster of white silk shot out from the pitch-black fissure, latching onto the creature with pinpoint accuracy and yanking it back down!
The flying fox struggled desperately, but was no match for its assailant's strength.
The instant it hit the ground, a spider pounced from the fissure, spitting several more strands of silk over it.
As the creature emerged from the crack and unfolded its eight legs, it stood as tall as a pony. The flying fox stood no chance, and within moments was rolled into a wriggling cocoon.
The burrow spider peered left and right. Detecting nothing out of the ordinary, it slowly dragged its prey back into the darkness.
***
Having just returned to the Yangshan Archipelago, Dong Rui hurried off to his own island without delay, clutching his freshly acquired supplies—the experimental materials He Lingchuan had spent eighty thousand taels of silver to help him purchase.
He had plenty of new ideas and could hardly wait to put them to the test.
He Lingchuan and Min Tianxi continued sailing toward Centipede Island.
He had already chosen Centipede Island as his residence. For one thing, the island was modest in size and relatively quiet; for another, it sat right in the center of the fourteen islands, making anywhere convenient to reach.
How could Ding Zuodong dare be sloppy when preparing the island lord's residence? Previously, he had wanted to hire the finest craftsmen within a hundred li, but He Lingchuan had told him to just put up a few timber houses. Money, energy, and time needed to be spent where they mattered most; personal luxuries could wait.
Having lived in a wood-grade house in Panlong City for so long, he had never felt uncomfortable anyway.
Taking advantage of his days away, Ding Zuodong had men apply fresh lacquer to his new quarters. When He Lingchuan stepped inside, the scent of fresh wood greeted him from every corner.
Not daring to go against his employer's wishes, Ding Zuodong had indeed only commissioned a two-courtyard compound. The materials were mostly sourced locally from Centipede Island—spacious, sturdy, and carrying a distinct island charm.
More could always be added later.
He Lingchuan shaved his beard and, for the first time in his new home, enjoyed a comfortable hot bath, washing away the exhaustion of recent days.
Then he fell asleep.
That brief shut of the eyes lasted half an hour, and by the time he woke, the water was already cold.
He climbed out, dried himself off, changed into clean clothes, and walked out to find Ding Zuodong and the others waiting in the sitting room, chatting and laughing.
Ever since the Yangshan Archipelago had become He Lingchuan's property, they had not felt this relaxed in a long time.
He Lingchuan could tell from their faces that everyone was in high spirits.
Seeing He Lingchuan emerge, the group stood up at once. Ding Zuodong rubbed his hands together and said, "Boss, the permits from Blade Harbor are through!"
"Oh? Superintendent Wu folded?"
A ripple of laughter went through the room.
"Completely folded. Every permit we needed in Blade Harbor—palm oil, medicinal herbs, seafood, spider silk, fruits, vegetables, and more—all cleared, and they even left several blank ones for us! All our shops are approved to open, their facilities passed inspection, and no one will come looking for trouble down the road."
He Lingchuan said "good" three times in a row.
Though this outcome was within his expectations, hearing it with his own ears brought a long sigh of relief.
The Lu family of Bailie and Superintendent Wu had teamed up to scheme against him and make things difficult. Any other merchant would have been done for, wouldn't they? Fortunately, he held plenty of cards and was able to turn the tables on them.
This round, the Lu father and son's scheme had misfired. He Lingchuan could not be bothered to settle scores with them right now; they would call it a draw.
Later on, he would collect what was owed with interest.
"On top of that, Superintendent Wu's ships are already sailing on our designated route." Ding Zuodong had wanted to maintain some decorum rather than beam so openly, but he simply could not help himself—facing the Lu family's underhanded tricks recently had been utterly suffocating. "The sailors on Superintendent Wu's ships have been bragging everywhere that the Wu family secured a safe route from us to avoid the yin hui! In just these few days, ship traffic passing through Suoding Island has increased severalfold!"
As long as Superintendent Wu continued to endorse them, and as long as production, operations, and sales across the Yangshan Archipelago formed a virtuous cycle, He Lingchuan would have secured a firm foothold and could proceed to the next step of his plans.
"How is business at the supply post?"
"Flourishing!" Lei Ni smoothed her long braid and answered crisply. "With so many people suddenly arriving, the supply post hasn't even had enough food prepared. Old Zhao, who runs the kitchen, told me that aphid sugar cakes meant to last a full day were sold out in a single morning!"
"Send more hands over and make sure the service is thorough."
"Will do, already working on it." Lei Ni's face glowed with delight. Revenue pouring into the Suoding Island supply post meant money in her pocket, after all.
He Lingchuan turned to ask Qiu Hu, "How is the recruit training going?"
Over four thousand people had signed up for the Yangshan Guard, and the screening had concluded by the time He Lingchuan began his voyage back from Platinum Island. Even though He Lingchuan had repeatedly instructed Qiu Hu to lower the standards, only five hundred out of the eighteen hundred applying farmhands were accepted.
The final roster of guard members stood at over fifteen hundred men—a fairly high attrition rate.
This, too, fell within He Lingchuan's expectations. Being able to farm did not mean one was fit for military service.
"The pirates had a better foundation to begin with, and the Bailong tribesmen are exceptional—several of their women wield blades and swords better than men. Most of the farmhands' sons have no groundwork at all, so we have to teach them from scratch," Qiu Hu reported. "I've assigned my martial brothers as instructors, each handling a little over a hundred men.
"We started uniformly with basic mental methods and martial arts. The recruits find it novel, and their enthusiasm has been sky-high these past two days."
Just like the Panlong Army and the Yuheng Army, He Lingchuan had the Yangshan Guard learn basic mental methods, though he narrowed the options from five down to three: two acquired from Panlong City, and one being the Mount Rong mental method.
He had compiled the training manuals on his return voyage from Platinum Island and distributed them as soon as he returned to his territory.
The round trip took five days, and he spent all five days writing.
It was harder than anticipated, primarily because he had to draft it in plain, accessible terms; most of the recruits could not even write their own names.
When the time came, designated instructors would have to explain it in person.
The Mount Rong disciples had cultivated for a long time and would not change their own basic mental methods, but they could understand the manuals at a glance and teach the recruits.
This was also a major selling point when recruiting newcomers to the Yangshan Archipelago. No matter how basic a mental method might be, commoners never had access to one unless they joined the military or a Daoist order.
In troubled times, who didn't want martial strength for self-defense? It was security for themselves and their families.
Lei Ni grinned. "Doesn't that make you the head instructor, then?"
Qiu Hu scratched his head. Well, yes.
"Keep training strict, ensure rewards and penalties are clear, provide top-notch meals, and pay wages on time." He Lingchuan gave him five core requirements. "Also, don't let them form cliques."
"The pirates and the Bailong people each make up large numbers, so it isn't easy to break them up and mix them together," Qiu Hu said in a heavy voice. "I'll keep an eye on it."
"Recruiting and training the guard will be the top priority for the Yangshan Archipelago going forward, and everyone else must cooperate with you," He Lingchuan said solemnly. "Train a sharp force for me quickly! Once I finish up my work over these few days, I'll inspect the ranks to check your progress."
"Understood!"
Qiu Hu knew well that He Lingchuan placed even greater importance on the guard than on his own businesses.
Without martial power to back it up, wealth was merely a curse.
Furthermore, he could vaguely sense that He Lingchuan's ambitions reached far beyond this place, far beyond the Yangshan Archipelago.
Training soldiers and building military strength was an urgent matter.
Lei Ni hesitated, looking as though she wanted to speak.
He Lingchuan took in everything around him and did not miss her subtle movement. "Go on, what is it?"
"Maybe I'm poking my nose where it doesn't belong, but..." Lei Ni glanced at Qiu Hu. "All six hundred Bailong people joined the guard, right?"
Qiu Hu nodded. "That's right."
Those Bailong people were tribal warriors to begin with, having fought on battlefields and taken lives. Even the few whose wounds had yet to heal could easily overpower an ordinary man.
The battlefield had always been the harshest filter of all.
"Yet only about a dozen family members are living on the islands—at least, only about a dozen registered with me. I only saw a few Bailong children playing around the camp once, and they haven't appeared since."
Lei Ni oversaw farm laborers on the island. By procedure, newcomers generally had to register with her to facilitate future management. "Many of the laborers we recruited are on their own, but even more brought their families along, especially since traveling to and from offshore islands is inconvenient. The men do hard labor, while women, children, and the elderly press fruit, clean, cook, and wash clothes. That way, the whole family earns together without missing a single copper."
Everyone fell silent. What Lei Ni said was true: the family was the fundamental unit of productivity.
Lei Ni continued, "Even with the original pirates, the island lord required them to move their families onto the islands. Many relocated whole villages here. Did none of those hundreds of Bailong men bring their kin south?"
Living on the islands with their families gave both pirates and farmhands a greater sense of attachment and belonging, making them more willing to strive for the archipelago. That had been He Lingchuan's goal from the start.
Looking at it the other way around, what kind of people came to work on the islands while deliberately leaving their families behind—especially when several hundred able-bodied men signed up together?
Affairs on the islands were endlessly complicated, and He Lingchuan's subordinates each managed their own duties.
Qiu Hu oversaw military affairs, while Lei Ni managed labor. When everyone only tended to their own turf, gaps formed easily, leaving plenty of loopholes to be overlooked.
Once Lei Ni brought this up, everyone sensed something was amiss.
Min Tianxi even added, "The people of the Ya Kingdom are hot-tempered and warlike. They might harbor ill intentions."
He Lingchuan gave a slight nod. "No matter. It was because we needed people in a hurry. How were those six hundred Bailong recruited?"
During the initial recruitment for the Yangshan Archipelago, the palm harvest season was underway. The guiding principle had been the more the merrier—anyone capable of working was taken in, with little leeway to be picky. He did not blame his people for this.
Qiu Hu spoke up immediately. "For many years in the past, the Bailong tribe received backing from the Mou Kingdom. Because of that, once the Ya Kingdom was founded, they began settling scores and relentlessly suppressing the tribe. The Bailong chieftain attempted to raise a rebellion, but word leaked, and the Ya Kingdom crushed them beforehand. The chieftain was killed, and the Bailong were driven out of the Ya Kingdom."
News of neighboring nations easily reached the Qing Kingdom and Bailie. Blade Harbor bustled with goods and merchants, serving as a regional transit hub for information.
Chapter 961