Chapter 1617: Chapter 1619: Another Heist
The people excitedly arrived at Quwu City, but they didn’t see the so-called leader of the four cities they wanted to meet.
In fact, they didn’t even get to meet all the lords of the four cities.
However, they were still convinced about the affairs of the leader of the four cities.
There’s one thing: the new City Lord, originally the Deputy City Lord, now even changed his name to He Quwu. If it wasn’t ordered by someone else, how could he possibly change it?
So what if they didn’t see him, they were just here to try their luck. Whether or not people would meet them was their business, but whether or not they came showed their sincerity.
People could choose not to meet them, but they couldn’t choose not to come!
Not only did they come, but their gifts couldn’t be diminished.
Everything was quite good.
However, when He Quwu announced that starting today, trade taxes would be doubled, and entry taxes would need to be paid, it completely erupted!
"What do you mean by this, City Lord He?!"
A City Lord in the middle stage of the Golden Core stood up and spoke.
"Just what it appears to mean." He Quwu said indifferently.
"You’re raising the tax so much all at once, how are we supposed to survive?!"
"How you survive, what does it matter to me?"
"You... don’t force us!"
"What will happen if I force you?"
He Quwu laughed coldly: "Think you’re important? Disrespecting what is offered!"
If he spoke like this, that City Lord in the early stage of the Golden Core clenched his fists tight and gritted his teeth, yet couldn’t say a word.
Indeed, what can they do?
In the past, although the four cities were allies in attack and defense, there were conflicts of interest between them.
So their most effective threat was to go to another city lord and become their subordinate.
However, now with the leader of the four cities, this threat has completely lost its effect.
You say you want to leave?
Okay, go ahead.
Even if these four cities don’t retaliate against you, just depriving the people of your city of education, not providing protection, those bandits and sects around can swallow them whole.
Weak cities have no diplomacy!
You’re not strong, so you don’t have the right to boss others around!
Many people gritted their teeth, secretly thought, seems they can only choose to venture through the deep mountains.
Though risky, it’s not always dangerous, let’s gamble!
But soon they would realize their little tricks were useless.
...
Of course, besides these surrounding city lords, Hengqin City also heard about the news, besides cursing and swearing, they also chose a more daring approach.
After all, who would willingly give money to others without any reason?
Chang Jia was just such a person.
After calculating, he felt it was not advisable.
So he bit the bullet to take an adventurous path.
Although this batch of goods was indeed valuable—a batch of alchemy materials, a designated task from Hengqin City—but he also needed to earn money.
So he hired five cultivators at the late stage of Foundation Establishment as an escort team.
His thoughts were simple, with five in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, plus the reputation of their caravan and their official status from Hengqin City, any ordinary bandit shouldn’t be so foolish to attack.
It’s worth gambling.
Someone suggested, since the items are so valuable, why not have cultivators at the Golden Core Stage fly over with them?
Think about it, a Golden Core Stage cultivator flying around freely in the airspace of other cities, would they agree to it?
As if other cities don’t have Golden Core Stage cultivators.
Therefore, unless it’s something extremely urgent where delay is life-threatening, generally these caravans handle transportation.
Of course, these caravans are not all ordinary people, at least they have some Qi Refinement Realm capability.
The group proceeded cautiously, moving through the gaps between Funing City and Nanshan City.
Based on their past experiences, bandits were the least here.
Moving along, everything was safe.
Gradually, the group’s vigilance relaxed.
Why? They already passed the area where bandit attacks usually occurred.
"It’s quite relaxed!" Chang Jia said with a smile.
"Yes, that leader of the four cities really doesn’t know how to manage a city, suddenly raising taxes so much, who would want to do business in their cities anymore?" The old steward beside him nodded.
"I’m even starting to think I hired too many in the escort team this time." Chang Jia said casually.
Five in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, in hindsight, he wouldn’t have hired so many, the expense alone wasn’t minor.
But at least, this was still less than double the taxes, still profitable.
Just then, they suddenly heard someone exclaim: "What’s that?!"
"What’s going on? Why are you shouting?!"
Chang Jia’s heart furrowed deeply.
He wondered if there were bandits, it shouldn’t be, he remembered there wasn’t anywhere good for interception ahead.
He got off the carriage, took a look, and immediately his heart sank!
What’s going on!
Now presented before him was a large canyon, he’d traveled this route before, there was never such a place!
And that wasn’t even the most shocking, the cliffs and the middle of the canyon had stone fortresses!
Looking at the thickness of the stone, this scale almost matched the defenses of a small city!
What is this?!
At this moment, a large group of people rushed out from the fortresses surrounding them.
The fortresses on the cliffs also opened small doors, inside were dazzling flying swords, aiming right at them!
They were targeted!
"Robbery!"
A burly bandit-like person stepped forward coldly saying: "Money or life?"
"Boss." Chang Jia didn’t think much, hurriedly stepped forward: "We are a caravan from Hengqin City, hoping the boss can spare us."
While speaking, he took out a bag, hoping to buy safety with money.
Unless absolutely necessary, he didn’t want a fight.
Not to mention, if the herbs were damaged, his loss wouldn’t be slight!
"Get lost!" The bandit leader slapped away the bag Chang Jia handed over: "Two choices, leave the goods, or leave everyone with the goods!"
"Boss, isn’t that too much?" Chang Jia’s face darkened, the escort team behind him all let out their aura hoping to intimidate these bandits.
However.
The bandit leader sneered, an aura belonging to the Golden Core Stage erupted: "Since that’s your choice, then you’ve chosen the second road!"
Chang Jia was instantly stunned!
Golden Core Stage?!
Why would a Golden Core Stage choose to be a bandit?!
What has happened to this world?!
Wouldn’t a Golden Core Stage have better things to do than being a bandit?
No more words, the bandits efficiently tied up everyone in the caravan!
He did another job!
