Chapter 150: Another One Arrives

Leaving the Old Gold Gulch, Zhu Kaishan was eager to return home, hurrying along day and night. Gao Ning offered a few words of persuasion, but seeing that he was entirely unmoved, he simply let him be.

Late yesterday afternoon, bathed in the setting sun, Zhu Kaishan pushed open his front gate driving a horse-drawn cart.

The family of four, currently sitting in the courtyard eating, could hardly believe their eyes.

Chuanwu and Chuanjie immediately leaped up, rushing toward their father while shouting out in joy.

Xian'er and Chuanwen did not hesitate, quickly setting down their bowls and chopsticks to charge forward. Mother Zhu let out a long breath, seeming to completely relax as a satisfied smile bloomed across her face.

With the old man back safely, the family was finally reunited.

Shortly after, Mother Zhu noticed Gao Ning standing behind Zhu Kaishan. The squad of bandits that had been guarding him along the way had already been dismissed by Gao Ning.

Yuanbao Town, a dozen surrounding villages, and the nearby mountain peaks had all become the territory of the Black Mountain Bandits. Naturally, there was no need to be escorted everywhere while in his own backyard.

Mother Zhu looked at Gao Ning with gratitude in her eyes, and Gao Ning responded with a smiling nod.

Watching the children cluster around the old man, chattering noisily, Mother Zhu waited until the laughter had subsided for a moment before stepping forward.

"Now that you're back, you won't be leaving again, right?"

"I'm not leaving. My promise to you remains unchanged. This time I went to Old Gold Gulch and worked my fingers to the bone for half a year—now we have money, and we have a house. Gao Ning says our land exceeds two thousand mu! Heavens, if this were back in our old home in Shandong, how wealthy of a landlord would that make us? From now on, we're going to live a good, peaceful life."

Everyone ushered Zhu Kaishan to the dining table. The head of the household had traveled a long road, eating poorly and sleeping worse, but seeing his family at last, he finally relaxed. Sitting by the table with a roaring appetite, he finished three bowls of noodles in one breath before picking up his wine cup and asking about the recent changes at home.

The family spoke all at once, recounting everything that had happened since they were forced to split into two groups during their migration to the Northeast, up to Gao Ning inexplicably acquiring a sworn bandit brother.

Since the old man was back, Chuanwen simply skipped going to the fields that afternoon, taking a moment to find a hired hand and give him a few instructions before returning to drink with his father.

The family was bathed in warmth and harmony.

A few days later, once Zhu Kaishan had familiarized himself with everything that had transpired, he specially hosted a separate meal for Gao Ning and his three siblings to express his gratitude.

Shortly after, he took them to a photography studio and had a family portrait taken with Gao Ning and the three siblings.

The large photograph was pasted onto the wall, and the Zhu family officially entered its next chapter.

Days passed tranquilly. Zhang Shaolong and Ye Zimei gradually transitioned from their initial discomfort to complete adaptation.

The modest breakfast stall had transformed into a grand restaurant. From frying, stir-frying, braising, and simmering to stewing, whatever a customer desired upon walking through the doors could be prepared.

Gao Ning had purchased the restaurant outright. It occupied a considerable area, somewhat resembling a southern-style tenement building. The backyard was a spacious utility courtyard with rooms available for lodging, but since they lacked no living space, all the rooms had been knocked through, redecorated, and remodeled into high-end private dining suites.

Yet, this was Yuanbao Town, not Moscow; patrons booking such private rooms to discuss matters were, in truth, exceedingly rare.

Among the three individuals on missions, Gao Ning had already resolved his. Building a force was essentially about acquiring wealth while steering the plot according to his own ideas.

Zhang Shaolong's progress was proceeding smoothly.

Han Xiu'er's impending disaster with the wolves had failed to manifest on schedule. Growing anxious, Zhang Shaolong specifically sought out Gao Ning, who subsequently dispatched two massive black bears. By striking covertly, he substituted the wolf disaster with a bear disaster.

What followed was the classic trope: a frail maiden falling into utter helplessness, moments away from perishing in the jaws of a beast. At the very last split second, Zhang Shaolong descended like a Prince Charming, driving off the black bear in a flurry of blows and snatching Han Xiu'er back practically from the jaws of death.

True to the script, young maidens in the flush of youth naturally yearned for a hero saving a damsel in distress. Although Zhang Shaolong was somewhat older, he possessed a settled livelihood, hailed from the same Niuergou village, and was backed by the wealthy and deeply rooted Zhu family from Shandong, whose background was thoroughly known.

Since the young woman consented and her parents raised no objections—coupled with the fact that Zhang Shaolong had set out with precisely this goal in mind—the union blossomed naturally.

With Zhu Kaishan stepping forward to officiate, the two families officially became in-laws.

On the day of Zhang Shaolong's wedding, the celebrations were extraordinarily lively.

The wealthiest and second-wealthiest households in Niuergou were joining in marriage. Combined, the land owned by the two families accounted for over half of Niuergou. Such a massive estate and such extravagant pomp startled the entire Yuanbao Town. Even Gao Ning's nominal twin brother dispatched a squad of Black Mountain Bandits adorned with large red silk flowers to deliver a full twelve oxen as wedding gifts.

The appearance of such a lavish gesture dropped the jaws of everyone in Niuergou.

The banquet tables of endless dishes flowed continuously for ten days, leaving everyone stuffed and satisfied with oiled lips and round bellies.

Gao Ning was similarly pleased. He could tell that Zhang Shaolong had gradually let go of his past burdens, no longer constrained by his former identity, and was proactively embracing a second lease on life within the mission world.

This was for the best. Mission worlds varied in duration; some required only a few hours, while others spanned decades or even centuries.

Rather than brooding endlessly, one was better off opening their heart. Since they were already dead to begin with, why obsess over whether post-mortem existence mirrored life before?

Of course, Gao Ning was even happier for another reason: he had discovered his second hostile target!

A wedding of such grand scale was bound to have drawbacks. Han Xiu'er's newfound renown spread far and wide, arousing the curiosity of many. Among them was an oddly shaped, plump fellow who, the instant he heard her name, confirmed his objective.

The very next second, a red dot materialized on Gao Ning's Red Alert minimap.

Daring to come to his territory to cause trouble—was this not walking right into a trap?

Gao Ning did not even need to make a personal move. Merely utilizing the God's-eye view of the master map, he dispatched a single squad of bandits and easily captured the bizarrely featured, heavily built fat man, who possessed not a shred of extraordinary ability.

The location was the same inn as before. However, after being converted into an ore refinery, Gao Ning had instructed an engineer to construct a workshop directly on top of it. While enclosing the entire refinery, an additional half-story of rooms was built overhead.

One of these rooms had walls and ceilings lined with an inch-thick blue brick, styled to resemble a prison cell.

At this moment, the fat man was bound to a wooden cross, his hands and feet splayed apart. One end of a heavy iron chain was secured around his neck, while the other was embedded directly into the wall.

Gao Ning sat opposite him, sipping his tea leisurely.

"It has been nearly two hours. Still nothing you wish to share with me?"

The fat man remained silent, fixing his gaze on Gao Ning. Complex and obscure emotions flickered within his eyes, yet he uttered not a single word from beginning to end.