Thinking was thinking, but Lu Li didn't stop eating, continuing on by himself.
Lei Ming wasn't as voracious as Lu Li. He ate slowly and elegantly, as if preoccupied with something, and by the end, he actually began sighing and groaning.
"Old brother, just say what you want to say directly," Lu Li said between bites.
He knew Lei Ming had something on his mind, and he was also somewhat curious about what the man wanted to say. They were merely casual acquaintances; although they were sitting together eating now, surely the other wasn't naive enough to think a single meal could buy his help with whatever trouble he was facing.
Hearing this, Lei Ming finally found an opening, looking somewhat embarrassed as he said, "To be honest, I do indeed have a favor to ask of younger brother."
"Old brother, speak and let's hear it."
They called each other old brother and younger brother with easy familiarity, but in their hearts, neither truly regarded the other with genuine sincerity.
It was much like Lu Li and Wu De-calling each other affectionate brothers on the surface while quietly plotting how to stab the other in the back at the first opportunity.
Lei Ming dropped any further pretense. "Actually, it's like this. I have a daughter named Lei Xiaoman. Her mother died when she was young, and I've raised her by myself ever since. Perhaps I was simply too strict with her, which made her grow resentful and resistant toward me...
A month ago, she brought a man in his thirties named Zhang Yu to see me, claiming she wanted to go out and make her way in the world with him...
That Zhang Yu tried his best to keep up a good front, but the sinister, fierce look in his eyes couldn't escape my notice. I knew at once the fellow was no good, so I gave them a stern refusal. Not only did I chase Zhang Yu off, but I also locked Xiaoman away to reflect on her actions..."
Lei Ming talked on in detail, taking a full half hour before finally falling silent.
Only after listening through to the end did Lu Li fully grasp the situation.
It turned out that after being locked up, Lei Xiaoman had shown no intention of repenting. Instead, taking advantage of one of Lei Ming's absences, she had tricked the guards and slipped away.
Panicked, Lei Ming had scoured the area and questioned everyone he could.
The truth he finally uncovered was a bitter pill to swallow: his daughter was getting married.
And the groom was none other than that thirty-something Zhang Yu, son of Youlong Stronghold's Hall Master, Zhang Dawu.
Good grief! His daughter was only fourteen years old!
Lei Ming felt as though the sky were crashing down. The age gap alone would have been bad enough, but according to the word he received, Zhang Yu had already taken seven wives despite his young age, and not a single one of them had survived past their first year of marriage.
It didn't take a genius to realize Zhang Yu had serious problems.
He had considered going to drag his daughter back himself, but his position was too sensitive. If he showed his face at Youlong Stronghold, it would stir up a massive storm.
And even if he could weather the trouble, what worried him more was that a direct intervention might only make his daughter dig her heels in deeper, driving her to rebel further. It left him utterly torn.
With less than ten days left before the wedding, Lei Ming had been pacing the floor in absolute agony. If he truly couldn't find another way, his only remaining option would be to report the matter to the Chief and beg him to lead their men in an armed raid on Youlong Stronghold to snatch her back by force.
The resulting fallout and losses would be impossible to calculate.
It wasn't until earlier today, when Ding Wei mentioned a young Senior with an imposing aura had arrived, that a glimmer of hope sparked in his mind.
Lei Ming's plan was simple: have Lu Li slip into Youlong Stronghold before the wedding and quietly spirit his daughter out. Word was that Youlong Stronghold was currently taking in recruits; with Lu Li's strength and talent, he could easily secure a position as a team leader at the very least, and becoming a hall master wasn't entirely out of the question.
After all, Zhang Dawu was only at the sixth level himself, and he was already over sixty years old.
"Younger brother, what do you think?" Fearing Lu Li would refuse, Lei Ming hurried to sweeten the deal. "So long as you agree, I'll hand over five thousand True Essence Pills right now, and another five thousand the moment the job is done."
He then let out a mournful sigh, playing for sympathy. "You have no idea, younger brother, how hard it's been for me... I've raised Xiaoman from a babe, sweating and struggling through every hardship, and before she's even properly grown, she runs off like this... If she'd chosen an upright, decent man, I wouldn't say a word, but what kind of scum is this Zhang Yu? If he ends up killing my Xiaoman, I'll-"
"Enough," Lu Li muttered, his facial muscles twitching. He couldn't help thinking that Lei Ming had largely driven his daughter to this himself with his heavy-handed ways. Still, he was in desperate need of True Essence Pills. While the trip carried risks, a bit of caution should keep things manageable. He gave a nod of assent.
"I can help you, but you'd better keep your word. I'm a rogue cultivator with no family left behind, which means I have nothing to tie me down..."
The unspoken threat hung heavy in the air: if you try to cheat me, I'll make sure you pay for it.
At that, Lei Ming beamed with delight, offering solemn assurances again and again. "Rest easy, younger brother. My character is beyond reproach." With that, he produced a Storage Bag and slid it across the table. "Count these first-this is the deposit.
As for the rest... I'll go borrow it from the Chief right away!"
Lu Li stared at him, dumbfounded. "Borrow?"
Lei Ming looked sheepish. "To be completely honest, this represents years of my hard-earned savings. But don't worry, our Chief is a reasonable man. He'll lend it to me. And if he won't... well, I, Lei Ming, will spend the rest of my days serving you like an ox or a horse to repay the debt."
This was unbelievable.
Lu Li weighed the Storage Bag in his hand, momentarily at a loss for words.
A quick mental check revealed there were well over five thousand three hundred True Essence Pills inside. It seemed Lei Ming had thrown in a generous extra handful to buy his goodwill without even bothering to skim the surplus.
Considering the payout, netting over five thousand True Essence Pills for this little venture was a steal. He nodded firmly. "Fine, I'll take the job. Just make sure you have the rest ready when I return."
"Agreed, absolutely!" Lei Ming reached into his robe and produced a small firecracker-like cylinder, shoving it toward Lu Li. "Younger brother, try to get it done a day before the wedding. If you run into any real trouble, set off this signal flare..."
He clearly still harbored some lingering anxiety.
"Got it!"
Lu Li pocketed the flare.
After a few more brief words, Lu Li left the restaurant. Lei Ming looked significantly more at ease as well, rising to follow him downstairs. Barring any unforeseen disasters, this arrangement should go smoothly.
The flare he had handed Lu Li wasn't merely a signaling device; it had minor rune-work embedded within it to conveniently track the bearer's movements.
Of course, Lu Li remained entirely oblivious to this little detail, wondering internally why the man had trusted him so readily.
Did he simply possess that much natural charm?
Lost in thought, Lu Li made his way to the stable on the eastern side of the small town, where merchants traded horses. Youlong Stronghold sat deep in the middle section of the mountains, a full thousand li away from Dihu Stronghold in the western section. Trying to rely purely on foot travel and movement techniques would run him ragged.
After inspecting several beasts, Lu Li picked out a sturdy, robust-looking large black horse with a glossy coat and a single sharp horn sprouting from its forehead-clearly a hybrid beast.
There were still ten days left before Lei Xiaoman's wedding.
He needed to move quickly if he wanted to make it back in time for next month's exchange meeting.
"Hyah!"
With a sharp shout from Lu Li, the black horse transformed into a streak of dark light, bolting out of the town and tearing into the distance...
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