Han Li set out from his hometown, heading southeast directly toward Lan Province.
Along the way, he sometimes traveled with others through bustling cities and towns, and at other times, he ventured alone across desolate mountains and wild lands, hoping to take a shortcut. No major dangers befell him during the journey, with the only incident occurring when he encountered a few starving wild wolves while camping in the wilderness—they ended up as his dinner.
Covered in dust and fatigue, he trekked through two other provinces before finally arriving, utterly exhausted, in Lan Province.
As soon as he entered Lan Province, Han Li was astonished by the extensive network of waterways. In his native Yue Province, most of the land consisted of wild mountains and hills, with few proper rivers, let alone canals or large lakes. Water for daily use mostly came from wells and small streams.
Fascinated by the various boats navigating the waterways, Han Li eventually gave in to his curiosity and hired a small boat, experiencing the thrill of drifting downstream for the first time.
More than ten days later, Han Li smoothly arrived at Jiayuan City, mentioned in Doctor Mo’s letter, and stepped onto its inconspicuous dock.
His first impression of the dock was that it was terribly shabby.
The entire pier was constructed with simple wooden planks—not only small and crude but also littered with broken baskets and torn bags scattered haphazardly, making it appear filthy and disorderly. Under the only two bamboo sheds on the dock stood dozens of robust men, either bare-chested or wearing short jackets, all exuding an air of toughness.
At that moment, these men were staring intently at Han Li and Qu Hun, some with eager gleams in their eyes.
Han Li was momentarily taken aback but then smiled faintly.
Before disembarking, the boatman had kindly reminded him of an unwritten rule at the docks of Jiayuan City: regardless of how much luggage they carried, passengers had to hire a laborer from the dock to help carry their belongings. Failure to do so would invite hostility from these laborers, possibly even a beating.
Being new to the area, Han Li had no intention of breaking local customs. So, he honestly called out, “I need to hire a porter. Is anyone available?”
Sun Ergou had already withdrawn his gaze. After a quick assessment, he concluded that the young man who had just disembarked was likely the son of a local wealthy family, and the giant man was undoubtedly a strong but simple-minded bodyguard. Such pairings were common in Jiayuan City—young men coming to broaden their horizons, spend a little money, and then return home to boast about their adventures. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about them.
However, such individuals were also inclined to flaunt their status and became ideal targets for exploitation. With just a few words of flattery, these country folk would typically pay the agreed-upon porter fee along with a handsome tip. For the hired porters, it was a highly profitable opportunity.
But this time, the job wouldn’t go to his side. According to his prior agreement with Hei Xiong, the two sides took turns accepting incoming business, with neither allowed to poach the other’s opportunities. The size and quality of the jobs depended entirely on luck. Since his side had taken a job the previous day, this one rightly belonged to Hei Xiong’s men.
Thinking this, Sun Ergou glanced across the dock and saw Hei Xiong whispering to his men. Shortly after, one of them happily rushed out of the crowd toward the young man.
“No, you can’t handle this alone. You’d better call for another person,” Han Li said, eyeing the sturdy man before him and then the oversized bundle on Qu Hun’s back. He shook his head gently.
“Young master, this little thing? I can carry it with one hand. No need for another person,” the man replied, unwilling to share the potential tip. Besides, he didn’t think the bundle would be too heavy to carry, unless it was filled with stones.
With that, the man walked up to Qu Hun and, without another word, tried to snatch the bundle.
Han Li sighed. The bundle contained thousands of taels of silver along with other miscellaneous items—it was far too heavy for an ordinary person to carry.
But seeing the man’s enthusiasm, Han Li had no choice but to silently signal Qu Hun to hand over the bundle without resistance.
Sure enough, as soon as the burly man took the bundle, his expression changed dramatically. Struggling to carry it on his back, he managed only a few steps before turning red in the face and gasping for breath. Ashamed, he put down the bundle and went back to fetch another man.
Only when two men could finally lift the bundle did Han Li nod in satisfaction. He then quickly left the dock and headed into the city along the road.
Unbeknownst to Han Li, his lack of experience in the martial world had attracted the greedy eyes of two individuals, soon bringing him trouble he never asked for.
Sun Ergou watched the young man’s retreating figure, finally withdrawing his covetous gaze. Suppressing his excitement, he couldn’t help but exchange a glance with Hei Xiong across the dock. He knew perfectly well that the immense wealth hidden in the bundle couldn’t have escaped the other’s notice either.
Sure enough, Hei Xiong also wore a look of pleasant surprise. After a moment’s hesitation, he signaled to Sun Ergou with his eyes. Understanding immediately, Sun Ergou followed him to a spot behind a nearby garbage pile. Faced with such a large sum of money, even if they had a blood feud, Sun Ergou would have been willing to cooperate—after all, “men die for wealth, as birds die for food.”
“Fifty-fifty split!” Sun Ergou cut straight to the point in a low voice.
“Seventy-thirty. This was originally our side’s job,” Hei Xiong refused without hesitation.
“Sixty-forty. That’s as low as I’ll go. You know your reason doesn’t hold water,” Sun Ergou said sharply, his face darkening.
“This…” Hei Xiong hesitated, clearly reluctant to give up any more of the profit.
“Hmph! If you keep thinking about it, other gangs might notice this fat sheep soon enough,” Sun Ergou coldly retorted after a snort.
“Fine! It’s settled then. Let’s seal it with a handshake,” Hei Xiong said, visibly swayed by the warning.
*Slap! Slap! Slap!* After spitting into their hands, Sun Ergou and Hei Xiong struck palms three times, forming a temporary alliance.
“Alright, let’s hurry after them. We don’t want this kid slipping into crowded areas,” Sun Ergou urged anxiously.
“Hehe! Don’t worry. I told my two men to lead them through Blackwater Alley. If we hurry now, we can intercept them,” Hei Xiong suddenly revealed a cunning smile that didn’t match his rough appearance.
“Perfect! Well planned, brother!” Sun Ergou feigned delight but inwardly felt a chill, resolving to be more cautious around Hei Xiong from then on.
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