The wind blew softly across the hills of the inner realm, bending the tips of the tall grass and stirring the reflection of the sky in the stream's glassy surface. Lin Feng stood quietly under the apricot tree he had planted just two months ago. It was already full of delicate pink flowers, their sweet fragrance permeating the warm air. Time here moved differently—slower, richer—and every hour he spent inside strengthened his resolve.
Yet his thoughts weren't on the land today.
He stared at the sky, thinking of the real world.
The county agricultural bureau's new policy had been released earlier that morning: "All mid-sized agricultural producers must undergo a full operations audit by the end of the quarter."
It sounded routine—just another bureaucratic procedure on paper.
But Lin Feng knew better.
This was a quiet crackdown.
The target was clear: small-scale high-profit agricultural enterprises. Just like his.
---
Back in his modest office in town, Lin Feng poured over the document sent by Liu Ying. It was filled with requirements: tax records, crop sourcing data, fertilizer purchase logs, pest control records, even irrigation maps. Every single item was a landmine.
Chen Valley Naturals was clean—on paper. But that paper was a carefully built façade. So were EastWild Estates, Blooming Ridge Co., Yuan Herbcraft, and Green Thread Supply—all aliases. All real in the business registry, with rented warehouses, temporary staff, and functional websites.
But the real source?
It was all from the space.
The inner realm.
Lin Feng sat back in his chair, tapping a pen against his lips.
"If they investigate thoroughly... it could all collapse."
---
He called Liu Ying for an update.
"We've got less than two months to prepare," she said briskly. "EastWild and Green Thread are most vulnerable. Yuan Herbcraft has decent paperwork, but some purchase records are missing."
"What about the staff rosters?" he asked.
"We can fabricate a few seasonal hires, tie them to delivery logs. But any site visit beyond the warehouses will be trouble."
Lin Feng leaned forward. "Then we stop them at the paperwork. Everything has to be perfect. No site visits. If needed, we say the farms are contracted out in rural provinces with seasonal supervision only."
Liu Ying was silent for a moment. Then, "Understood. I'll work with our accounts and fix the gaps. But Lin Feng… this kind of pressure usually means someone's tipped them off."
His eyes narrowed.
That was the part he hadn't said aloud.
He was being watched.
---
That evening, after reviewing reports in the inner realm, Lin Feng took a rare break and headed to town.
He didn't go to his usual haunts. Instead, he sat quietly at a dimly lit noodle shop by the bus station. It was a place no one would expect him to be. He was halfway through a bowl of beef noodles when his phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
[Message]: "Riverside Park. Midnight. Come alone."]
A trap?
Or an opportunity?
Lin Feng thought for a moment and typed a reply.
[Reply]: "I'll be there."]
---
The night was cold, the sky covered with heavy clouds. Riverside Park was nearly empty, save for a couple of late joggers and an old man fishing near the bridge.
Lin Feng waited by the east pavilion. At precisely midnight, a man approached.
Medium build, early forties, dressed in a simple black jacket and jeans. Sharp eyes, confident posture. He moved like someone used to working behind the scenes.
"You came," the man said. "Good. That already proves you're smart."
"Who are you?" Lin Feng asked quietly.
"Zhang Wei. Agricultural Bureau, second division. I handle licensing and inspection audits."
Lin Feng didn't respond. He waited.
"I've been tracking unusual patterns in produce quality, pricing, and regional delivery over the past six months," Zhang continued. "Five businesses, all with unique names. None have overlapping logistics companies. But they all sell produce of similar grade. And all profit margins are unusually high."
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, hiding his surprise.
Zhang smirked. "I'm not here to threaten you. I'm here to offer you… insulation."
"Insulation?"
"Think of it as a buffer. I help you stay clear of red flags. I make sure your names don't appear on the special audit list. In return, you give me a cut of the growth. Information, primarily. Not ownership. I want to know how you're doing it."
Silence fell between them.
Lin Feng's mind raced.
He was offering to act as a shield. But the cost? Information.
Too dangerous.
But turning him down outright could provoke retaliation.
He chose the middle path.
"I don't reveal trade secrets," Lin Feng said carefully. "But I can keep you in the loop—industry movement, regional price shifts, competitor strategies. If you're after influence, I can deliver that. But nothing more."
Zhang considered that for a long moment, then nodded.
"Smart man."
They parted with a brief handshake.
---
Over the next week, Lin Feng worked day and night. Every document, license, delivery note, and financial statement was reviewed, revised, and rewritten.
He met with Liu Ying and three other trusted staff to split the work.
"I need airtight backstories for every brand. Each must have its own 'field consultants,' fake rural suppliers, clean rental contracts. The payment flows need to look real."
"What if the inspectors show up in person?" asked a young logistics clerk.
"They won't. We'll give them too much data. Paperwork so dense and boring that they'll be glad to move on."
Inside the inner realm, Lin Feng was equally busy.
He expanded the poultry section, introducing better breeds of ducks and chickens. He planted new vegetables—baby bok choy, scallions, and bell peppers—testing short-cycle harvests to prepare for future inventory.
But it wasn't just about products anymore.
It was about survival.
---
A week before the first official audit, Lin Feng received another text.
[Zhang Wei]: "Chen Valley Naturals is on the preliminary audit list. I'll buy you two extra days. Use them well."]
Lin Feng didn't reply.
But he immediately restructured Chen Valley's identity, hiring an actual retired village farmer in name, giving him a small stipend to act as "owner." Lin Feng became the logistics partner on record.
He planted QR-coded origin tags, filed dummy third-party certifications, and pre-wrote interview answers in case anyone asked questions.
By the time the auditors arrived, they found a cozy office, well-documented spreadsheets, and a humble "founder" who spoke in thick rural dialect and handed out samples of preserved mandarin peels with cheerful pride.
Lin Feng watched the scene from a side hallway.
After an hour, the officials nodded.
"Cleanest file we've seen this month."
---
That night, he returned to the inner realm.
The moon was high. The goats bleated softly. The fish pond glowed under starlight.
Lin Feng sat by the water, skimming pebbles across the surface.
This life he was building—it was precarious. But it was also real.
He wasn't just pretending to be a rural tycoon.
He was one.
Just invisible.
Unseen.
Unknown.
And that was his greatest weapon.
---
As he prepared to leave the realm, he paused near a newly planted section—rows of Chinese yam, carefully spaced and already sprouting.
He knelt, pressed a hand to the soil.
"I won't let this fall apart."
---
The next morning, Lin Feng received a call from Liu Ying.
"All brands passed the first phase. No flags. No follow-ups scheduled—for now."
He allowed himself to lean back and breathe for the first time in days.
But the victory was a quiet one.
Temporary.
Because now he knew: someone had reported him.
Someone had noticed.
The real game was just beginning.
---
End of Chapter 13