Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Zhou Qingfeng gained a lot from this trip, because he not only solved the problem of the hijacking of logistical supplies, but also made a contribution to dispersing the risks for the Sword Tower.

Furthermore, it would be perfectly logical for them to seize military power and intervene in wars in unclaimed territory.

He was the one who found the resistance line, so he would definitely have to handle this matter personally.

Once we return to the city, we'll find an opportunity to report to the First City Lord. If the First City Lord grants permission, then the matter will be essentially settled.

After a pleasant conversation and the exchange of communication tokens, Fan Li and Ning Cha personally escorted Zhou Qingfeng out of the rebel hideout. If Zhou Qingfeng hadn't had other matters to attend to and couldn't stay any longer, Ning Cha and Fan Li would probably have invited him to stay for a meal and the night.

Unfortunately, Xiao Lingtong was unlucky. He heard too many things he shouldn't have heard and saw too many things he shouldn't have seen. His life was in danger, but Zhou Qingfeng needed his help with another matter, so he brought him along as well.

As the sun sets, the road is a dirt track flanked by wilderness and forest.

The rebel leader, Fan Li, brought more than a dozen high-ranking rebel leaders and core members to this place.

Fan Li clasped his hands in farewell and smiled, "Mr. Jiang, from today onwards, Ning Cha is at your disposal. It will also make it easier for us to contact each other in the future. I hope Mr. Jiang will not refuse. Consider it as Ning Cha serving you like a horse for a while to atone for her sins, since she offended you."

After a moment's thought, Zhou Qingfeng saw through Fan Li's little scheme. He was simply afraid of being deceived, so he sent a trustworthy person to stay by his side to ensure the smooth progress of the cooperation plan: "Alright, then I'll trouble Miss Ning Cha to be my laborer for a while."

Ning Cha nodded slightly, then turned to Fan Li and said, "Leader, I haven't been by your side for a while, so you absolutely must not act on impulse. You must think twice before you act. Also, we can't stay in this place any longer. Take the brothers and sisters and find a new hiding place."

Upon hearing this, Fan Li's face showed concern, and he reached out to pat Ning Cha's arm: "Be careful."

Ning Cha: "Okay, I understand."

Seeing this, Fan Li turned to face his subordinates and selected two key members from his core group: "Zhan Fu and Zhan Qi, you will accompany Ning Cha and follow his orders."

"We obey the leader's orders." Zhan Fu and Zhan Qi are twin brothers, both at the peak of the Food Fiend Realm. They are powerful and experienced in combat, and are most skilled in close-quarters combat techniques and breaking formations. The two brothers are of one mind and work together seamlessly. It is impossible for an enemy ten times stronger than them to defeat them. It can be said that even if Ning Cha is surrounded, the two brothers are capable of leading Ning Cha out of the encirclement.

On the way back to Crow's Castle, Xiao Lingtong rode alongside Zhou Qingfeng, grinning obsequiously, "I never expected Brother Jiang to have such a hidden identity. I am truly filled with admiration for you. My respect for you is like a never-ending river."

Zhou Qingfeng gripped the reins and said indifferently, "What do you want to say?"

Xiao Lingtong chuckled and rubbed his hands together: "Look, I've been through thick and thin with you, almost died myself. Can you give me the extra ten thousand you promised right now? I have a habit of liking to have my money in my pocket."

Zhou Qingfeng glanced sideways, a flash of green light appeared in his palm, and he took out a banknote and handed it over: "A banknote worth ten thousand coins. You can exchange it for cash at the Python Sparrow Bank in any major city. The banknote is valid throughout the entire empire without any restrictions."

Xiao Lingtong happily accepted the money note, carefully checking its authenticity. He said, "Thank you, Brother Jiang. Brother Jiang is clearly a generous person with impeccable character. The money note you gave me is definitely not fake. I, Xiao Lingtong, absolutely trust Brother Jiang. It's just that there are too many scammers these days, and it's impossible to guard against them all. I received counterfeit money notes a while ago and lost a lot of money. I was so angry that I couldn't sleep for several days."

Zhou Qingfeng watched as Xiaolingtong said one thing and did another, his expression calm as still water. He let Xiaolingtong check the authenticity of the money and tickets, without getting angry or dissatisfied. Because the land was plagued by war and economic backwardness for many years, 10,000 coins was indeed a lot of money and had strong purchasing power.

Receiving a counterfeit bill of 10,000 coins would be a huge loss for someone like Xiaolingtong, who struggles at the bottom of society and makes a living by buying and selling information. It would be enough to make him feel the pain for a long time.

Besides, Xiaolingtong and he are not acquaintances or friends, but complete strangers. At most, they have a monetary employment relationship, so there is no trust between them. If they need to check, they should check. There's nothing to say, as long as they take the money and don't come back saying it's counterfeit.

He slowed down his Mercedes and rode alongside Ning Cha, who was following behind him: "I'm curious, what's your relationship with Fan Li? It seems you have a high position in the resistance, and Fan Li cares about you and trusts you a lot."

“Fan Li is my cousin. We are like siblings. For more than ten years, we have supported and relied on each other to get to where we are today.” Ning Cha replied calmly. She was riding her horse, holding the reins, with the Zhan Fu and Zhan Qi brothers riding behind her.

Zhou Qingfeng chuckled: "I see. Miss Ning, I have another question to ask you."

Ning Cha said, "Mr. Jiang, please just ask. I will answer any question you may have."

Zhou Qingfeng: "Why were the resistance forces able to accurately plunder the logistics supply teams? Could it be that someone tipped them off?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Cha subconsciously looked into Zhou Qingfeng's eyes, her expression somewhat surprised. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether she should tell him the truth, since this matter was a secret within the resistance army, and only a very small number of decision-makers knew the source of the intelligence.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and said, "If it's inconvenient, then just pretend I didn't ask."

Ning Cha licked her red lips, considered for a moment, and decided to speak: "There's nothing I can't say. A group of cultists dressed in red robes came to us before and regularly provided us with some key information, which is why we were able to succeed time and time again."

Zhou Qingfeng raised an eyebrow: "Cultists?"

Ning Cha said definitively, "Yes, cultists. These people are probably plotting something against Cai Guozhong. They came to us probably to use our power to cause trouble for Cai Guozhong. But we didn't care at the time. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"In addition, our resistance forces are indeed in dire need of supplies, especially medicine, armor, and magical artifacts. Raiding the logistics transport teams can not only strengthen our forces but also weaken the rebel forces in the process, which is not bad for us."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng frowned and pondered inwardly. If the resistance army's constant trouble for Cai Guozhong was due to the cultists stirring things up in the dark, was it possible that Cai Nianxiong's running away from home to find his mother was also instigated by the cultists in the dark?

P.S.: I've reached one million words! I'd love to receive some donations, the more the better, hehe.