Chapter 904 - 904: Lao Tie's Tie

"Did you get it?" Xue Nuofu glanced at the half-wet Xiao Feng, started the vehicle, and casually asked.

Xiao Feng didn't answer his question, but instead said, "Old Xue, from now on, you need to push hard on getting the current personnel to improve their strength.

Before, you played nice, but going forward, that's not going to work.

Otherwise, what you'll keep is your reputation as a second-in-command, but what you'll lose will be your subordinates' lives."

Xue Nuofu's brows furrowed tightly: "Is it that serious?! What happened?"

He couldn't afford not to take it seriously because ever since he'd known Xiao Feng, he'd never seen him this serious.

In other words, for Xiao Feng to be this way, it certainly wouldn't be a minor issue.

"I'll tell you when we get back."

Casually throwing back a line, Xiao Feng leaned the seat back a little to lie down more comfortably, then closed his eyes, showing no intention of speaking further.

In fact, if it were just high combat power, it wouldn't be a big concern.

The main issue was Pang Tong's unpredictable tactics; this sort of unorthodox approach was always the hardest to deal with.

If it were just targeting himself, that would be fine, but once he started picking off those around him, it would be more of a headache.

With this thought, Xiao Feng quickly thought it through, listing in his mind those close to him from an outsider's perspective.

Then, he drafted a message, briefly explaining the situation, and advised everyone to be cautious in the coming days.

...

Returning to Jinyue Garden, Xiao Feng gathered everyone and relayed everything he had learned from Jiao Yuhang word for word.

After listening, everyone had mostly similar expressions, but with minor differences in detail.

"To be honest, I think this story sounds a bit like a fantasy tale, but better to believe it than dismiss it. Being cautious never hurts," Jiang Yixin said.

The young girl rolled her eyes and sarcastically said, "You managed to say both sides of the argument, it sounds somewhat reasonable, but on deeper thought, it's just a load of nonsense."

"Then you say something that's not nonsense," Jiang Yixin retorted.

"Fine, I will!" The young girl cleared her throat and, in a deep tone, said, "I agree with Brother Xiao Feng's opinion; everyone must quickly improve their strength.

Only with greater strength will we have more confidence, and it's our responsibility to our own lives.

I can't stand you all whining about training as if Brother Xiao Feng is trying to harm you; not caring for you, that would be real harm!"

The martial monks were stunned. This speech sounded oddly reminiscent of their little junior sister.

Lv Ziming nodded and said, "That's right! If we want to have the capital to fear nothing, we must strengthen ourselves."

Xiao Feng picked up the thread and said, "So, enough small talk, let's get moving."

Lao Ha and Aspergillus oryzae exchanged glances, feeling that choosing to come to Jiangcheng to seek out Xiao Feng was definitely the worst decision of their lives.

Wouldn't it be nicer to just find some easy work, fish, play chess, and watch a few young women when there's nothing to do?

At this age, why still mess about like this!

However, once on this pirate ship, getting off wasn't so easy, and even if it's tough or tiring, they could only endure.

Everyone, with their own feelings, stepped out the door and started training in the courtyard.

Xiao Feng shook his head and sighed, how did he end up with so many unambitious people around him?

As it stands, only Lv Ziming wasn't yet affected by the "lazy and greedy" bad habits, but over time, it was hard to say.

Thus, correcting these bad habits has become an urgent issue, even without Pang Tong, the Dry Bone Stake, or the Devil's Concentration Camp, this laissez-faire attitude can't continue.

"Mercy doesn't manage soldiers, kindness doesn't manage money," Xiao Feng said with a sense of loss, "It's my too soft heart that's spoiled this group."

Hearing this, Xue Nuofu couldn't help but have his forehead lined with black marks. This was flat-out lying through his teeth, didn't even blush.

Softhearted?

Surely you're kidding?

At this moment, Sun Shijie dashed into the courtyard as if flying, shouting, "It's done, it's done, it's done!"

Seeing the other's flushed old face, Xiao Feng almost blurted out, asking, "Boy or girl?"

The reason being, Sun Shijie's demeanor and tone were just like an old father who just heard about the birth of his child in the factory.

"Old man, speak slowly, what's done?" Xiao Feng asked.

Sun Shijie took a few breaths and said, "Chicken manure indeed has a catalytic effect on medicinal herbs. Based on my preliminary observation, roughly half a cup's worth can catalyze in about half a month, and it seems to enhance the quality of the herbs too.

Do you know what this means?"

"Hmm..." Xiao Feng thought seriously and replied, "It means that little fragrant beads will no longer be little fragrant beads, but 'little golden beads'."

"..." Sun Shijie.

With something this serious, is it appropriate to joke like this?

However, he was used to Xiao Feng's speaking style and said to himself, "This means we can try cultivating many rare medicinal herbs that are difficult to grow.

Also, weren't you always thinking about crafting a weapon?"

Xiao Feng furrowed his brow slightly, "This doesn't seem to be the same thing, does it?"

Sun Shijie exhaled deeply and said, "Previously, you asked me if I knew any master craftsmen. I told you no, but actually, it's not that I don't know him, it's that the master is no longer crafting weapons.

His lifelong dream is to create a work he finds satisfying or perfect.

So, about ten years ago, he put down his hammer and went searching the world for materials.

When I saw him five years ago, he told me he was just one step away, cultivating the seedling of a type of wood, but unfortunately, that wood takes ten years to mature.

At that time, his health wasn't very optimistic. He said he didn't know if he could fulfill this lifelong wish in his lifetime."

Xiao Feng immediately understood: "You want to use chicken manure to ask him for help?"

"Based on what I know of him, it's not impossible," Sun Shijie said solemnly. "He wants to fulfill his lifelong wish, and we happen to have the conditions to help him cultivate the last material.

From this perspective, he has no reason to refuse."

"Makes sense!" Xiao Feng nodded slowly and asked, "Where is this master craftsman now?"

Sun Shijie replied, "A small village called 'Iron Village,' I had Zhao Guo'an look it up; it's in the southernmost part of Jiangcheng."

Xiao Feng waved Lu Yao over.

Lu Yao stopped what she was doing, wiped raindrops off her face with her sleeve, and asked, "Brother Yanhuang, what do you need?"

Xiao Feng straightforwardly said, "Can you draft a route map? See how long it'll take to get to Iron Village at the fastest speed."

"Sure!" Lu Yao nodded and confirmed, "Which 'iron' is Iron Village referring to?"

Xiao Feng, without hesitation, said, "The 'iron' in old iron, a small village in the southernmost part of Jiangcheng."

"Uh..." Lu Yao was taken aback by this explanation but didn't ask why and directly went inside to get the computer.