Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'-Chapter 677 - 464 Holding the Tally and Taking Control_3
"We clearly saw the singing lady, and the Coachman went to reason with her! She already made her move against us, and he still has the mind to reason. I just don’t know what to say about this. If Big Brother Qiu were here, he’d have torn her apart!"
The Coachman’s actions also dissatisfied Li Banfeng somewhat.
Speaking of the singing lady, Li Banfeng asked, "Have you found out who she is?"
Ma Wu shook his head. "At that time, only the Coachman went to the teahouse entrance to negotiate. He didn’t enter the teahouse but used his Jianghu experience at the door. I suspect this woman is the Miss Qin mentioned by those coal mine bosses; she’s the mastermind behind these people. Her goal is very clear: first, to control the human energy of Loess Bridge and keep the Coachman from sitting comfortably as the Land God. Second, to control Loess Bridge’s economy. All coal business must go through these coal mine bosses; otherwise, it won’t be shipped smoothly."
After sharing a few drinks with Ma Wu, Li Banfeng found an opportunity to return to his Portable Residence.
With Ma Wu’s description, Li Banfeng had essentially reconstructed the scene.
He brought the Projector to Bafang and wrote Ma Wu’s description on paper.
The lens swept over the paper, which then entered the Projector, and the entire scene was displayed upon the wall.
The train stopped. Miss Qin began to sing. Most people fell asleep, while a part struggled to stay awake. This indicated Miss Qin was likely a Sleep Cultivator or a Dream Cultivator.
The Coachman went to the teahouse to negotiate with Miss Qin.
This move not only lured the Coachman away but also attracted everyone’s attention.
A person whose garment had a very long hem took the opportunity to apply a Technique, moving all the train’s carriages to the Meisha River.
The train’s stop had to be precise. Firstly, because the mysterious person was lying in ambush nearby, and secondly, because its stopping position had to be a suitable distance from the teahouse.
It couldn’t be too far from the teahouse, otherwise they couldn’t hear Miss Qin’s singing. Nor could it be too close, or the Coachman wouldn’t have walked far enough away, which would not have given the mysterious person space to act.
His calculations were indeed accurate.
This mysterious person is probably an Arithmetic Cultivator.
A subordinate of Miss Qin? Or the real mastermind?
Li Banfeng said to the Projector, "Replay the entire process. We need to formulate a strategy."
The Projector replayed the entire process. This time, the opponent was very special; not a single detail could be missed.
The garment’s hem was very long.
Wait a minute. That doesn’t look like a hem. It’s an apron! Where have I seen this apron before?
...
「The next morning」
Ma Wu changed into a white suit, donned a black shirt, matched it with a white tie, and, looking neat and tidy, prepared to set off.
From his attire, one could guess what he was up to.
"You’re going to meet Miss Qin."
Ma Wu nodded. "That woman took my stuff; she has to give it back."
"Going alone definitely won’t do."
"I know her cultivation level isn’t low, but I have my methods. I just can’t let this go," Ma Wu was slightly worked up.
Li Banfeng said, "Even if she’s not willing to kill you, she won’t be swayed by you. You might not be able to vent your anger, and you could even lose your life. Besides, she has many subordinates, some of whom are ruthless. If we’re going to make a move, we must take out their entire nest."
Ma Wu really wasn’t calm at the moment, but no matter how impulsive he was, he still listened to Li Qi.
"Alright, let’s go together, Brother. I’ll bring all the lads along."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "The lads don’t need to go yet. Let them guard the mine. We don’t want our base burned down while we’re fighting. I’ll go get the Coachman to come with us."
Ma Wu sighed. "I really don’t trust that Coachman."
Li Banfeng said, "He has Cloud Top Cultivation. With him, our combat strength won’t be at a disadvantage."
...
After agreeing on a tactic, the Coachman pulled his rickshaw, setting off with Li Banfeng and Ma Wu.
Sitting in the rickshaw, Ma Wu looked resigned. "Big Brother, we’re about to do something important today. Can’t we go without pulling this rickshaw?"
The Coachman laughed. "The more critical the moment, the more this rickshaw is needed."
"Is this rickshaw a Magical Treasure, or is it a Weapon?"
"More important than Magical Treasures and Weapons. With it by my side, I have confidence."
Ma Wu glanced around. "A rickshaw like this isn’t common in Loess Bridge. With you pulling it, it’s really too conspicuous."
The Coachman shook his head. "Not conspicuous at all. You just enjoy the view sitting inside; other people won’t see you or my rickshaw."
The Coachman possessed real ability. He hid Li Banfeng and Ma Wu, making his rickshaw invisible to ordinary people; they couldn’t even clearly see his figure.
As they approached North Bridge, the Coachman turned back to the two and said, "Brothers, although we are prepared for a fight, when we meet, let’s try to clarify things first. If we can avoid it, let’s not resort to violence."
Ma Wu rubbed his forehead, not wanting to talk.
Li Banfeng said, "Big Brother, there’s no reasoning with them. We have to reach a conclusion since we’ve come."
The Coachman sighed. "We can’t kill everyone at North Bridge, otherwise we won’t be able to hold the territory."
Ma Wu said, "I’ve read in books that as long as there are still a hundred people on Proper Land, it won’t become Old Land. Big Brother, we have over two hundred miners. What are you afraid of?"
The Coachman murmured, "They are new people. I’m afraid that number might not be enough."
New people? Are there distinctions between newcomers and old-timers?
The Coachman didn’t explain further. Reaching the outskirts of town, the two got down from the rickshaw.
Li Banfeng, leading the way, brought the Coachman and Ma Wu to a pancake stand. The Coachman ordered a pancake fruit wrap and casually inquired about Miss Qin’s residence.
The pancake seller wiped his hands on his apron and pointed to a small courtyard on the street, "Gentlemen, Miss Qin lives in that courtyard. When you enter, don’t say you’re there to listen to singing. Just say you’re there to buy wine."
