What Chen Mo was proposing was nothing short of naked plunder. Zhou understood it perfectly. He had expected the new steward to skim a little, as the previous one had, a handful of packets here and there, crumbs swept quietly from the table. But this… this scale made a cold knot form in his stomach. Still, fear did not grant him the luxury of refusal. Once a man boarded such a ship, there was no jumping back to shore.

  After a long moment of strained silence, Zhou finally spoke, his voice low and cautious.

  “My lord, since we are accumulating over an entire month, our first problem is access to the warehouse. That part can be solved, as long as we are careful. But… at the beginning, you will need to act personally.”

  Chen Mo’s gaze sharpened. “Say it plainly.”

  Zhou swallowed and hurried on. “Yes, yes, my lord. You know the guards are all Skin Refining experts. Their senses are keen. Any unusual movement at night will be noticed immediately. So my suggestion is this: during the daily tally, I will occupy the attendants and handle the counting myself. Official business, nothing suspicious.”

  He hesitated, then forced himself to continue. “While that happens, my lord can remain at the rear of the warehouse. Forgive my bluntness, but you can use that time to dig. There is a western corner, behind a pile of broken crates and discarded debris. That corner connects to a narrow alley behind the administrative buildings. Even the guards rarely patrol there, especially at night.”

  Chen Mo’s brows lifted slightly, interest flickering across his face. “You mean…”

  Zhou nodded quickly, beads of sweat forming at his temples. “Exactly, my lord. If we prepare a concealed access point in advance, then later, when night falls, we can move calmly and without interference.”

  The words hung in the air, heavy and dangerous. A tunnel, once imagined, could not be unimagined.

  Chen Mo fell into silence, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest as his thoughts spiraled inward. After a long breath, he finally spoke.

  “Alright. I agree. But I will need something from you. Something far more important.”

  Zhou’s heart sank. He felt wronged, cornered, yet he understood there was no retreat left. Since he had already stepped onto this path, half measures would only hasten his demise. Better to commit fully and pray the wager paid off.

  He bowed deeply. “This one will follow the lord’s instructions.”

  Chen Mo’s voice remained calm, almost casual. “I need information. Everything about waste management. How often they come and go, who is responsible for transportation, and how strict the inspections are.”

  Zhou’s eyes flickered with understanding. “That is easy, my lord. You will have the full details by noon.” He paused, then added in a lower voice, as if sharing a trivial secret. “From what I know, waste management mainly handles human waste, filthy water left behind after Skin Refining cultivation, and other refuse. It is… unpleasant.”

  A thin smile crept onto his face. “The guards never examine it closely. They only verify the attendants’ identities. No one wants to dig through something that stinks worse than a latrine.”

  Chen Mo listened quietly, but his eyes gleamed. In that foul, ignored filth, a clean path was already taking shape.

  Chen Mo nodded, his tone steady and decisive.

  “Good. That will be our way out. The waste route will be used to smuggle the goods.”

  His gaze settled on Zhou, sharp and unyielding.

  “I need you to contact those people and synchronize everything with them. I cannot do that personally. Any trace leading back to me would be troublesome.”

  Reaching into his robe, Chen Mo took out a small silver pouch and placed it on the table. The soft clink echoed clearly.

  “Tomorrow, find a remote courtyard to rent.” He pushed the pouch forward. “Five taels. It will be used to store the goods for now. As for how we turn them into money, we will decide that later.”

  Zhou’s eyes glimmered as he accepted the silver, his breathing unconsciously quickening.

  “My lord, if you wish, I can also bring you a list of independent pharmacies in the city. Some of them already deal in herbs of this type.”

  Chen Mo shook his head lightly.

  “That is not enough. We are not selling herbs.” His voice lowered, carrying a quiet weight. “We are making deals. See whether those pharmacies are willing to take raw materials, refine them through alchemy, and then split the profits with us.”

  A faint smile touched his lips.

  “No independent pharmacy will refuse a steady supply of resources. Especially not at a price that costs them nothing but a share of the gain.”

  Zhou swallowed, then bowed deeply.

  “This one understands. I will handle it carefully.”

  As Zhou straightened, he realized something unsettling. This young steward was not merely skimming scraps like his predecessor. He was building a pipeline, silent and efficient, hidden beneath filth and routine.

  Chen Mo returned to the side room of his office, closed the door, and began his usual routine without delay. He poured the medicinal powder into the basin, stirred until the water darkened, then stepped in.

  This time, the experience was different.

  Two hours passed. The familiar burning that once gnawed at his flesh never came. Instead, there were only faint prickles dancing across his skin, like needles brushing past silk. His muscles drank in the medicine calmly, efficiently, as if his body had already adapted to this level of refinement.

  When he finally stepped out of the basin, steam curling around him, Chen Mo dried himself and focused his mind.

  The panel unfolded before him.

  Realm: Skin Refining (middle stage)

  108/300

  Chen Mo frowned slightly.

  “Only three points…”

  He quickly understood the problem. Grade one medicinal powder had already lost most of its effect on him. What once pushed his cultivation forward in leaps was now barely nudging it along.

  “I need grade two medicinal powder.”

  His thoughts turned sharp and calculating.

  “One packet costs fifteen taels of silver… and my entire wealth is only eleven taels.”

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  He exhaled slowly, then began counting in his head.

  “I still have four packets of grade one powder left. At eight taels per packet, that’s thirty-two taels. Add my monthly salary, forty-eight taels… plus the eleven I already have…”

  His eyes narrowed.

  “Fifty-nine taels. Enough for four packets of grade two powder by the end of the month.”

  A pause.

  “…But that’s too slow.”

  His fingers clenched unconsciously. He could not afford delays. Every day wasted now would echo as weakness later. This web he had stepped into, the corruption, the law enforcement, the hidden knives within the school, none of it would wait for him to grow at a comfortable pace.

  “I’ll have Zhou sell the remaining packets.”

  The decision settled like a stone in water.

  “No more hesitation. If I want strength, I need silver. And if I want silver…”

  His gaze hardened.

  “I’ll squeeze it out of this facility.”

  Chen Mo dismissed the panel and moved to the open space of the room. His body flowed into motion, footsteps threading across the floor in sharp, precise patterns. His figure blurred, twisted, vanished, then reappeared.

  Threaded Movement unfurled once more, each step tighter, cleaner than before.

  If the world insisted on forcing his hand, then he would sharpen it until it could cut through anything.

  By noon, Zhou returned with everything Chen Mo had asked for neatly arranged. The information was thorough to an almost alarming degree: schedules, names, inspection routines, waste routes, even a short list of independent pharmacies marked with discreet notes about their background and appetite for risk.

  Chen Mo skimmed through it, then couldn’t help but think inwardly, This Zhou… if he were in my previous world, he’d be climbing political ladders with a smile on his face.

  He took out the four remaining packets of grade one medicinal powder and placed them on the table.

  “Sell these,” Chen Mo said calmly. “Eight taels per packet. I won’t ask about any extra you make.”

  Zhou’s eyes lit up, sharp and eager. “Rest assured, my lord. Leave this to me.”

  Chen Mo nodded once. “Good. Now let’s go. Evening counting.”

  Zhou froze for a heartbeat. “So fast?!”

  “No time to waste,” Chen Mo replied, already standing. “Opportunities don’t wait for anyone.”

  At the warehouse, things unfolded exactly as planned. Zhou became a whirlwind of authority, barking orders, assigning tasks, and keeping the attendants busy and well away from the rear. To them, Chen Mo appeared relaxed, lingering at the back as a steward overseeing matters from afar.

  That illusion lasted only for them.

  Once Chen Mo reached the spot Zhou had mentioned, he wasted no time. His hands struck the packed earth and broken debris with controlled force. As a middle stage Skin Refining expert, his strength was far beyond ordinary men. Earth crumbled, stones cracked, and debris was silently pushed aside.

  Half an hour later, the job was done.

  A short tunnel connected the warehouse’s concealed corner to the narrow alley outside. Inside, it was hidden behind stacked wreckage and shadows. Outside, the alley was damp, dark, and forgotten, the kind of place guards never bothered to patrol.

  Chen Mo brushed the dirt from his hands, his expression unreadable.

  The first piece was in place.

  In a secluded courtyard not far from the Silver Crane Hall, petals trembled on their branches as a young woman trained beneath them.

  Li Yuxue moved like a streak of flame. Her palms cut through the air, each strike carrying heat and force, the rhythm sharp and relentless. Sweat traced a shining line down her forehead, yet her expression remained focused, almost fierce. A few steps away, maids stood in quiet formation, towels and water prepared, not daring to interrupt.

  She suddenly halted.

  Her gaze shifted toward the courtyard gate.

  Elder Li Zhen approached at an unhurried pace, his steps steady, his eyes filled with unmistakable pride as they rested on his daughter. Sensing his presence, Li Yuxue withdrew her stance, straightened, and cupped her hands.

  “Father.”

  Li Zhen smiled. “Yuxue’er, how is your training?”

  “I’m close to reaching the peak of the first stage of Skin Refining,” she replied honestly. “The resources you sent last time were decent, but they still can’t compare to those issued by the school.”

  Li Zhen let out a soft sigh. “I know. Goods circulating outside vary too much in quality. Only the martial hall’s formulas are truly reliable.”

  Li Yuxue frowned slightly. “I don’t understand what the Alchemy Department is doing. They’re always short on resources, yet I keep hearing rumors that some of their supplies end up on the black market, sold at outrageous prices.”

  “We’re dealing with that,” Li Zhen said calmly. “You don’t need to worry about such matters. Focus on your cultivation.”

  He paused, then added, almost casually, “By the way, haven’t you always wanted to be assigned a task? I think I’ve found something suitable for you.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Really? What is it?”

  “For now, the eastern storage and transportation facility,” Li Zhen replied. “The law enforcement team there is led by Zhang Qiang. You can learn quite a bit from him.”

  Li Yuxue’s excitement dimmed at once. “I thought it would be an escort mission.”

  Li Zhen shook his head. “Too dangerous. This task is just as important.”

  She tilted her head. “How so?”

  “One of the newly appointed stewards there is our focus,” Li Zhen said, his tone growing deliberate. “He was placed by the Alchemy Department. I want you to follow Zhang Qiang and keep an eye on that boy. For now, we’ll try to win him over.”

  Li Yuxue blinked. “Is that really necessary? Can’t we just pressure him?”

  Li Zhen’s lips twitched. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he himself had been a poor influence. He cleared his throat.

  “How could that be?” he said solemnly. “We are upright people. How could we resort to crooked methods?”

  Then, more seriously, he continued, “Besides, that boy is a genuine genius. One month to reach Skin Refining. If we win him over now, we can ensure he grows to his full potential.”

  Li Yuxue fell silent, her eyes narrowing slightly as interest replaced disappointment.

  A genius appointed by the Alchemy Department.

  That, at least, sounded worth a look.