Chapter 508, Do You Have Family?
Whoosh!
The sound of something cutting through the air rang out.
A figure shot forward, appearing by the desk in the blink of an eye.
Before the other could rise, a fist struck his throat.
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking echoed.
Then, a second punch landed on his temple, sending him crashing to the ground.
The fist continued pounding, leaving the head completely disfigured.
Finally, the head was twisted and snapped clean off.
Wu Heng glanced at the corpse, quickly pulled a straw mat out of his spatial ring, wrapped the body, and stored it in the ring.
Urgent footsteps came from outside; the sound of the fight had drawn attention.
Wu Heng put away the shroud, opened the window,
and, with Kashu in tow, leapt from the third floor. Mid-fall, he cast [Feather Fall], landing lightly before vanishing into the streets.
He left the city without pause.
In an unpopulated wilderness, Wu Heng retrieved the corpse and cast [Speak with the Dead].
The corpse's eyes opened again, looking toward him.
Wu Heng asked directly, "Who ordered you to target 'Rentam City'?"
The corpse answered, "No one."
This answer was somewhat unexpected.
Wu Heng continued, "Then why did you arrange for people to collect intelligence on Rentam City?"
"I received orders from above to increase the First Prince's influence and secure more funds. Rentam City was the best choice."
Wu Heng furrowed his brows again.
The merchant he killed last time had mentioned the Second Prince.
Yet now, the First Prince was involved too.
What was it about Rentam City that made it so attractive?
How had it drawn the disputes of all of Ekow Kingdom here?
Wu Heng asked, "Are there other people involved in the events at Rentam City?"
"I stationed some spies in Rentam City to investigate the City Lord's Mansion and the municipal office."
Wu Heng asked, "After your death, will others continue targeting Rentam City?"
"I don't know. Probably not."
"What's the situation within Ekow Kingdom?"
"I don't know."
After five questions, the corpse's eyes closed again.
It was, at least, somewhat good news.
It seemed his personal actions in Rentam City hadn't caught the attention of Ekow Kingdom's upper echelons.
Wu Heng had Kashu wrap up the corpse again and stored it in the spatial ring.
He boarded the ghost train and returned to Rentam City.
This assassination mission had gone relatively smoothly.
It had taken almost no effort to eliminate the target.
...
Returning to the City Lord's Mansion.
Wen Mansa was handling the captured individuals from the previous night. Wu Heng left everything to her.
Not everyone needed to be killed; after all, some had little access to intelligence and were merely guilty of casual disclosure in daily work.
In the study, Wu Heng briefly explained to Wen Mansa that the issue had been resolved.
He then stopped paying attention to it.
He found a room and went to check on the Zombie World.
Leaving the dormitory, he picked up the walkie-talkie and called Qi Hancai.
Soon, Qi Hancai arrived with Wang Haibing and several base veterans.
Wu Heng asked, "How's it looking?"
Wang Haibing showed a few photos on his phone. "The factory here experienced a major fire. Some circuits were burned out and need repair."
"So, the power plant itself isn't the issue?"
"The power plant is fine; it just needs some maintenance to function normally. The main problem is the factory's circuitry repairs," Wang Haibing explained.
To Wu Heng, this was certainly good news.
If the power plant had been damaged, it would've been far more complex to fix than just repairing circuits.
Replacement parts might not even be found.
Wu Heng nodded calmly and said, "Repair the damaged circuits as soon as possible. If you need materials or equipment, tell Qi Hancai to arrange it for you."
"Understood."
With this matter settled,
Wu Heng continued, "I also need to map out the locations where fuel provides heat, with specifications and requirements."
Wang Haibing frowned slightly and said cautiously, "I'm not quite following your meaning."
"I plan to use new materials to replace the original boiler. At that time, I'll need you to provide the boiler's dimensions and requirements." Wu Heng explained briefly and then turned to Qi Hancai. "Take him to the old factory district in Xinfushi when you have time to see the furnace setup."
Qi Hancai immediately understood.
"I have a video here; you can take a look first."
She pulled out her phone and played a previously recorded video.
Even without signal or internet, survivors carried tablets and phones to document events or take photos and videos.
After all, charging phones wasn't a problem.
Wang Haibing watched the video carefully. The setup appeared to be for smelting iron.
But the heat it provided was sufficient for power generation.
He immediately agreed, "Got it. I'll get to it as soon as I return."
"Good. Finish it quickly; I'll need it in a couple of days."
"Understood!"
Wu Heng turned to Qi Hancai again, "Keep contacting the central station and ask them to provide a complete blueprint of the power plant. Negotiation terms are negotiable, but make sure the blueprint is detailed—thermal power generation."
"Got it. I'll contact them right away."
"Good."
After a brief exchange, everyone returned to their respective duties.
Wu Heng and Qi Hancai inspected the burnt areas in the factory together.
They discussed cleanup and rebuilding plans.
There were plenty of construction vehicles on-site, so cleanup wouldn't be an issue.
However, rebuilding would have to wait until spring.
After inspecting the factory,
Wu Heng returned to his room and then back to Rentam City.
...
At the City Lord's Mansion.
After dinner,
Wu Heng and Wen Mansa took a walk in the courtyard.
Back in their room, Wu Heng retrieved several potions and items from his spatial ring, laying them on the table.
He spoke softly, "These physique-enhancing potions are for you. Save some for after the baby is born. This item is good for your skin, this one forms a protective shield when attacked, and this fairy crown nourishes the body and allows communication with animals."
He introduced each item one by one.
On Gold-Silver Island, such magical items weren't considered rare. Medium-sized pirate captains and their core crew members all had at least one or two.
But in Rentam City, these were uncommon.
Wu Heng selected a few and laid them all out.
Wen Mansa sat opposite him, listening silently.
Her face carried a faint smile.
Taking out all these items also signified that Wu Heng was about to leave.
After all, someone still needed to oversee things on Gold-Silver Island; it couldn't be completely abandoned.
"Let me put it on for you." Wu Heng picked up the fairy crown.
Wen Mansa lowered her head slightly, letting him place it on her.
As soon as it was worn, a gentle energy flowed through her body.
"You look beautiful, like a queen," Wu Heng said with a smile.
Wen Mansa gently hugged his waist, resting her head against him. "Make sure to come back when you have time."
"Once things are stable, I'll bring you to Gold-Silver Island. You haven't seen the sea yet, right? Minnie can take you swimming then," Wu Heng said, stroking her fiery red hair.
"As long as I'm with you, anywhere is fine," Wen Mansa whispered.
"It won't be long before we can always be together."
Wen Mansa looked up with wide eyes. "Really?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"Hmm, I'll listen to you," Wen Mansa said with a smile, her sense of loss fading slightly.
After packing up the items and potions,
the two returned to the bedroom together.
Wen Mansa pulled him to sit on the bed, kneeling carefully in front of him with her hands on his legs.
"Do you feel comfortable, Master?"
Wu Heng stroked her red hair. "Very comfortable."
"After the baby is born, I'll take good care of you."
"Hmm, we won't leave the bedroom for a whole day then."
Wen Mansa glanced up, muttering, "That depends on you."
...
The next morning.
Wu Heng met with members of Andviel's fox clan at the City Lord's Mansion.
Both men and women were present, some holding young foxfolk. They had already settled in the city.
Wen Mansa treated the foxfolk well, assigning some to the city guards and others to the city's lingerie shop.
The famous Red Rose Lingerie Shop in the city was Wen Mansa's business.
It was also the first shop specializing in women's lingerie.
Wu Heng briefly chatted with the foxfolk, inquiring about their lives and talking about Andviel, the young clan leader of the foxfolk.
The conversation was pleasant.
Wu Heng then turned his attention to the petite catgirl and white lop-eared rabbit girl who had accompanied them.
"What are your names?" Wu Heng asked.
These two were friends Minnie had mentioned.
Minnie had bought them from a slaver.
Hearing the question, the two seemed a bit nervous, and the other foxfolk all looked at them.
"City Lord, my name is Robe," the catgirl said, jumping off her chair to bow.
The lop-eared rabbit girl followed, saying, "My name is Annette."
"Robe, Annette, do you have family in the city?" Wu Heng asked.
"No," the two girls replied.
Wu Heng continued, "Minnie asked me to see if you'd like to work as maids on Gold-Silver Island."
The two beastfolk girls exchanged glances, then nodded. "We're willing."
"Go pack your things; we'll leave this afternoon."
"Yes!" The two were both happy and a bit nervous.
Then they left with the foxfolk to prepare.
...
Wu Heng had originally planned to visit Lecia.
Lecia was the local representative of the Snake Emblem Consortium in Rentam City.
However, Wen Mansa informed him that she had been reassigned earlier and that there was a new local representative now.
Wu Heng decided to drop the idea of visiting her.
Lecia's reassignment at the end of the year seemed more like a promotion.
After all, during his last departure, he had helped her complete a massive gold exchange.
For a place like Rentam City, this was an incredible achievement.
Wu Heng felt a mix of happiness for her promotion and a slight sadness that she hadn't mentioned where she was going.
Still, it didn't matter; everyone had their own path to follow.
Near the afternoon,
Wu Heng had everything prepared.
The two skeleton attendants were sent back through the portal first.
Taking the two young beastfolk maids, Wu Heng boarded the ghost train and vanished.
...
The train reappeared.
In the distance, a familiar town came into view—Blackstone Town.
Wu Heng donned a cloak, and the two maids also covered their faces.
Together, they entered the town.
After only a few steps past the gate,
a familiar voice called from behind, "Hey! You three, outsiders? What's your business here?"
Wu Heng turned to look.
A young girl with slightly wavy, shoulder-length hair stood there, hands on her hips, flanked by four team members.
She swaggered over.