Under One Person: I, Jiaqian Jushi, work from nine to five

Judging from its appearance and craftsmanship, the Ruhua doll most likely came from that place—Biyou Village.

Before Zhou Fengliu could even properly examine the puppet's craftsmanship, the puppet launched an attack on him, a rope wrapped around two daggers that stabbed towards him.

Before the puppet could strike, a tremendous force slapped its head open with a loud "bang."

"Since you're already here, why not just come out... What? Are you afraid to see people?"

After Zhou Fengliu smashed the doll-like figure in one blow, he looked towards the stairwell and slowly spoke.

After a moment of silence.

A voice came from the stairwell.

"Zhou Fengliu, Mr. Zhou...right?"

As the sound appeared, a white-haired man slowly walked in. He glanced at Zhou Fengliu and then smiled.

"Master, please allow me to extend my greetings. My abrupt actions just now were quite offensive, Mr. Zhou. Please forgive me; it was all arranged by you."

Chapter 125 Old Ma, Oh Old Ma~ (Second Update)

Looking at the man in front of him, Zhou Fengliu knew that the leader the man mentioned was Ma Xianhong, the village chief of Biyou Village and the successor of one of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, Divine Machine Refinement.

"Your leader didn't come?"

"The leader is very busy... so he sent me to replace him, Mr. Zhou, wait a minute."

The other person took out a cell phone from their pocket and dialed a number.

"Master, I've met Mr. Zhou. Yes..." The person addressed the person on the phone as "Master," then handed over the phone after reporting the current situation.

"Mr. Zhou, the leader wants to have a word with you..."

"Hello? Is this the cult leader?" Zhou Fengliu picked up the phone and spoke to Ma Xianhong.

"Master?" Ma Xianhong, on the other end of the phone, sighed after hearing Zhou Fengliu use that title as well.

"I've told them so many times not to call me that... Never mind, it's not important."

"Brother Zhou... I have no ill intentions. I just happened to learn that you might be taking a break for a while, so I came to sincerely invite you... to visit my Biyou Village."

Ma Xianhong extended an invitation from the other end of the phone, and Zhou Fengliu raised an eyebrow upon hearing it.

"The leader's information network is truly impressive. I was just about to start resting, and you already knew?"

"It's alright... I just happened to hear that, Brother Zhou, my Biyou Village is a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains... It's a tranquil place, perfect for you to visit."

"So? Interested?"

Zhou Fengliu remained silent for a few seconds after hearing this. He thought that he didn't have anything to do recently, so instead of staying at home, he might as well go to Biyou Village and see if he could make some money.

"Okay...who will pay for the travel expenses?"

"You agreed?"

Ma Xianhong, on the other end of the phone, clearly hadn't expected Zhou Fengliu to agree so readily.

"Give your phone to Qiu Rang, and I'll have him bring you over, little brother."

"it is good..."

Zhou Fengliu handed the phone back to the white-haired man in front of him. Ma Xianhong was giving instructions on the other end of the phone, while Zhou Fengliu took the opportunity to think about why Ma Xianhong was so well-informed.

Very few people know that he has been suspended from his duties.

Is there a traitor within the headquarters?

Zhou Fengliu suddenly thought of Qu Tong, the leader of the Yaoxing Society, a non-governmental organization. Besides being the leader of the Yaoxing Society, that woman was also Ma Xianhong's so-called sister.

If he remembered correctly... the original novel seemed to mention that Qu Tong was an inside agent among the higher-ups of Na Du Tong Company. If Qu Tong told Ma Xianhong this news, it would be somewhat understandable.

"Mr. Zhou...do you need to prepare anything?"

After finishing his call with Ma Xianhong, Qiu Rang asked Zhou Fengliu a question.

"Um... wait a moment."

Zhou Fengliu came to his senses, went back into the house to tidy up his things, and then left home.

...

After flying through the sky and traveling for more than ten hours by plane and car, Zhou Fengliu finally arrived at this small village nestled among the mountains.

"Damn, that's well hidden." Zhou Fengliu looked down from his vantage point.

As far as the eye can see, there is a relatively flat area in the distance, with a winding river running through the village. On both sides of the village, large swathes of wheat fields are lush and green, which is very pleasing to the eye.

"It's a bit secluded, but it's also quiet," Qiu Rang said slowly from the side. "Mr. Zhou, try taking a deep breath..."

"What?" Zhou Fengliu took a deep breath.

"Can't you smell anything?"

"Um... there seems to be a smell of cow dung... does your village raise cattle?" Zhou Fengliu asked.

"..." Qiu Rang.

“Mr. Zhou…this is the taste of nature.” Qiu Rang was taken aback and remained silent for a moment, then corrected Zhou Fengliu’s wording:

"This fresh air... carries the fragrance of earth and flowers, as well as the scent of animals. All these aromas complement each other perfectly, which is the harmony of nature."

"..." Zhou Fengliu.

This time, Zhou Fengliu fell silent for a moment.

He silently shook his head as he looked at Qiu Rang, who was lost in his own world. He didn't tell Qiu Rang that a bird had just passed by and dropped its droppings on Qiu Rang's back.

Ok.

This is the taste of nature; we can't just ruin the atmosphere that Qiu Rang is enjoying.

"Let's go, I'm starving," Zhou Fengliu urged.

"Oh, good."

A moment later.

Zhou Fengliu entered Biyou Village.

The village has a large population, including extraordinary people and ordinary people—a mixed bag.

"Master, I've brought Mr. Zhou back!"

Qiu Rang led Zhou Fengliu into a room. As soon as they entered, Qiu Rang spoke respectfully.

"Finally... I've been waiting for you, Brother Zhou." Upon hearing this, Ma Xianhong slowly stood up and looked at Zhou Fengliu in front of him.

To be fair, Village Chief Ma does have some good looks. His loose white clothes, white hair, and two beauty marks under his eyes give him the air of a religious leader.

Although he appears to be a smart person, that's only on the surface...

"Master, this place is really hard to find."

Hearing Zhou Fengliu address him in this way, Ma Xianhong's expression showed a hint of helplessness:

"Brother Zhou, please stop calling me 'Master,' it sounds so low-class. My name is Ma Xianhong, you can call me Village Chief Ma."

Ma Xianhong introduced himself, and Zhou Fengliu nodded in agreement, then said, "Okay, Lao Ma."

"Old Ma?" Ma Xianhong was taken aback at first upon hearing this address, then smiled:

"You're surprisingly outgoing. Fine, call me Old Ma if you like."

"Chou Rang, go and prepare a room for Brother Zhou." He glanced at Qiu Rang standing to the side and instructed him.

"Yes, Master."

Qiu Rang went to prepare, while Ma Xianhong asked Zhou Fengliu to sit down and instructed two beautiful puppets to come and pour tea.

“Brother Zhou, although this is a remote mountain village, the mountains and waters are beautiful, making it the perfect place for quiet cultivation…” Ma Xianhong said.

"Another way to talk about whether or not to practice seclusion... the key is to want to get out and move around."

“Indeed…the things that have happened recently must have been quite overwhelming for you, right?” Ma Xianhong took a sip of his tea and chatted casually with Zhou Fengliu.

What are you referring to?

Hearing Zhou Fengliu's question, Ma Xianhong paused for a moment before speaking:

"Brother Zhou's illustrious reputation for crushing the new generation at the Luotian Grand Ceremony is known even in this small mountain village. Although you ultimately gave up the championship, you are still the de facto number one, having inherited one of the Eight Extraordinary Skills, the Tongtian Talisman."

"The saying goes, 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' The elders of the Lu family passed on the Tongtian Scroll to you... which also made you the target of many people."

"Although you immediately made an example of someone to scare others and did something big, suppressing those who coveted the Tongtian Talisman in your possession, it seems that the All-Knowing One cannot understand you."

Hearing Ma Xianhong's words, Zhou Fengliu raised an eyebrow slightly and looked over.

"Old Ma, what are you trying to say?"

...

P.S.: We're now entering the Biyou Village storyline! What kind of storylines would you godfathers like to see?

Good night~ Sweet dreams, wishing for everything in daily life.

Chapter 126 Zhou Fengliu: Old Ma, this furnace is too deep; you can't handle it.

Seeing Zhou Fengliu's direct question, Ma Xianhong paused for a moment and slowly said:

“I am different from others. As a fellow inheritor of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques, I can understand you. Brother Zhou, would you like to become my companion? We inheritors of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques can look out for each other.”

"As long as we unite... there won't be many people in this world who dare to bully us."

"So, Brother Zhou... are you interested?"

As Ma Xianhong spoke, he looked at Zhou Fengliu with a hint of sincerity in his eyes.

Biyou Village Chief Ma Xianhong has invited you to join his team. Will you accept?

...

Hearing Ma Xianhong's invitation to join the group, Zhou Fengliu did not rush to answer. He knew very well that this was a wrecked ship, and a pirate ship that was bound to sink.

“Old Ma…you’re not just sending me here for a sightseeing trip, you’re trying to get me to switch jobs…” Zhou Fengliu said, looking at the honest Ma Xianhong.