Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 24 Getting the Letter
After leaving Wu Baihu's duty room, Lin Xuan's ten-tael silver ingot turned into several pieces of broken silver, weighing about three taels.

Wu Baihu took 70% of the reward for this mission.

This doesn't even include the gifts the business had given him beforehand.

The reward Lin Xuan received for this mission seemed to be far less than that of Huang Yue.

But his focus was never on this mission.

Lin Xuan took out a piece of paper from his sleeve.

This piece of paper contains information on thirteen caravans that need escort within the next month, including delivery time, route, type of goods, and escort force...

Meanwhile, in Huang Yue's duty room.

His face was filled with uncontrollable ecstasy.

If we could get such a lucrative job a few more times, wouldn't we be able to recoup our investment quickly?
Lin Xuan, Lin Xuan, just wait until I become Wu Baihu's confidant, you'll be in for a world of hurt...

……

Noon.

Inside Lin Xuan's small courtyard.

Zhang Hu's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he asked incredulously, "What? You mean, from now on, all the escort missions for caravans will be ours?"

Escorting caravans was a coveted and lucrative job in the Jingbian Division; with a bit of luck, one trip could earn several months' salary.

Chen Baihu was upright and incorruptible, and never took on such private jobs, so they naturally had no way to handle them.

After Commander Chen left, Commander Wu suppressed them at every turn, making it impossible for them to even get a chance to enjoy such a good opportunity.

He never dreamed that Commander Wu would entrust Lin Xuan with such a lucrative post.

Lin Xuan nodded calmly and said, "Commander Wu told me to use my own manpower. You can take on any task you want. However, after the mission is completed, you can only keep 30% of the caravan's reward and give 70% to Commander Wu."

Of the ten taels of silver he was paid, Wu Baihu left him three taels, indicating that this was the profit-sharing ratio he accepted.

"Do it? Only a fool wouldn't do it! Don't even mention 30%, we'd do it even if we had to keep 10%!"

Zhang Hu nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice. He looked at Lin Xuan with admiration and said from the bottom of his heart, "Brother Lin... no, from now on you are my brother. Whatever you ask me to do, I will do!"

Chen Bao frowned slightly, showing some worry, and said, "These lucrative positions used to be done by the other banner officers. Although Commander Wu has assigned this task to you, it would be best to leave a few for them, otherwise you might incur their resentment..."

Lin Xuan patted his shoulder and laughed, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Zhang Hu breathed a long sigh of relief. He had thought that with Chen Baihu gone, life in the Jingbian Division would be very difficult, but now he could finally relax completely.

Just then, A'Luo walked in from outside carrying a shopping basket. Zhang Hu took out a piece of silver from his pocket and threw it into A'Luo's bamboo basket without saying a word, saying, "A'Luo, it's my treat today. Buy more wine and meat, and we'll cook some good dishes tonight to celebrate..."

A Luo said with a smile, "Alright, it's rare for Brother Zhang to be so generous, I won't stand on ceremony..."

After saying that, she picked up her bamboo basket, hummed a little tune, and walked away with light steps.

Watching A Luo's slender figure disappear through the door, Zhang Hu nodded towards Lin Xuan and asked, "Hey, how are things going between you and A Luo?"

Lin Xuan knew what he meant and shook his head, saying, "Nothing's wrong."

Zhang Hu was getting impatient and said, "Why can't you get it? As the saying goes, the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach. You've already won over A-Luo's stomach. If you put in a little more effort and take the initiative, this will be the end of it. She's such a wonderful girl..."

Lin Xuan was already immune to Zhang Hu's matchmaking efforts.

He is now surrounded by dangers and walks on thin ice every day; he doesn't deserve these things.

Romantic love between men and women was an unattainable luxury for him.

……

night.

After dinner, Zhang Hu and Chen Bao, full and satisfied, walked away, arm in arm, tipsy.

After cleaning up the mess of cups and plates on the table, A Luo bid farewell to Lin Xuan and returned to the small courtyard next door.

Lin Xuan closed the courtyard gate, went to the bathroom, and carefully took out the two bottles of bone-tempering liquid that the black-robed man had brought last time. He uncorked the bottles and poured the emerald green liquid into the water.

The clear water in the bathtub was immediately stained light green.

According to the man in black robes, just ten bottles of Bone Tempering Liquid could propel a newly entered eighth-rank martial artist directly to the peak of the eighth rank. Including these two bottles, Lin Xuan has used three; he wonders if he'll have a chance to obtain a few more.

Although he could reach the peak of the eighth rank within a year with his cultivation speed, he entered the path of martial arts later than others, so he naturally couldn't let go of any opportunity to catch up.

About half an hour later, Lin Xuan came out of the bathtub.

The liquid in the bucket had changed from a light green to crystal clear.

He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking slightly, silently feeling the increased strength within his body, and his muscles and bones seemed to have become stronger as well.

When he pushed open the door to the main room and saw the dark figure sitting at the table, he felt little emotion.

He was just a little confused.

Doesn't this high-ranking spy from Nanzhao have anything else to do? Why does he come here every few days...?

Of course, Lin Xuan only dared to think this to himself.

He silently walked to the desk, took a piece of paper from the drawer, approached the man in black, and said, "Sir, this is information on merchant caravans that have requested escort from the Border Guard within the past month..."

A hand, encased in a black silk glove, emerged from beneath the wide black robe and casually took the paper.

The man in black robes glanced at it casually, then placed it on the table and made no further move.

Lin Xuan's heart sank suddenly, and her eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

The man in black robes was unpredictable. Was his reaction because he was dissatisfied with the information and felt that he was being misled?
Before the man in black could speak, he immediately explained, "My lord, I have done my utmost these past few days and have only just managed to gain a sliver of trust from Commander Wu. Given my current position, this is the most valuable intelligence I can obtain..."

The shadow beneath the black-robed man's hood swayed slightly, and a reassuring voice emanated from it: "Don't worry, I see your efforts. You've performed very well these past few days, and your attitude deserves praise."

Lin Xuan was almost certain that the man in black robes had other informants in the Jingbian Division.

He was also the first to know what happened in the prison last time.

He breathed a sigh of relief, but a strange feeling also arose in his heart.

Facing this man in black robes gave him the feeling of facing his ex-girlfriend.

His ex-girlfriend had said things like, "I don't want gifts, I just want your attitude," to him many times.

Putting aside these chaotic thoughts, looking at the paper recording the information of those caravans, Lin Xuan couldn't help but feel a little worried.

Besides Commander Wu, Lin Xuan was the only one in the Jingbian Division who knew the delivery time and route of these goods.

If anything happens to the goods, Wu Baihu will probably suspect him first.

It hasn't been long since the Xuan Guang Armor was stolen. If the missions he's in charge of keep going wrong, even Zhang Hu might start to suspect him.

"Heh, you underestimate yourself too much." The man in black robes seemed to see through his thoughts, slowly standing up and saying, "A few cartloads of goods are nothing compared to you. Don't worry, we won't harm these caravans..."

Lin Xuan was temporarily relieved, but he only listened to what the man in black robes said.

He simply needed to stay at the Jingbian Division to continue gathering more important intelligence.

If the value of the intelligence exceeds the value of himself in his eyes, he will probably become a pawn immediately.

Just like last time.

Lin Xuan sighed inwardly. Of all his two lives, this man in black robes was the most troublesome.

Not only were his every move under the other party's control, but even his thoughts could not be hidden from him.

Could it be because of that Heart-Eating Gu?

These past few days, Lin Xuan has never given up searching for a way to cure the curse.

Unfortunately, he still has no clue.

At this moment, the black-robed man's voice rang out again: "You may have the title of a spy, but you lack the means to secure your livelihood as a spy..."

Beneath the hideous demon mask, a gaze fell upon Lin Xuan's face. The man in black robes said in a deep voice, "Starting tonight, I will come every night to teach you some skills that a secret agent should have. Tonight, let's begin with disguise..."

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(End of this chapter)