Chapter 119: The Mysterious Thief's Barrier

  Everyone remained silent, secretly guessing what this thief's barrier was all about.

  The shopkeeper said: "Bring the brocade pouch!"

  The little shop was on the fourth floor in front, and a silk pouch with a rope tied around it was handed over.

  The shopkeeper held up a silk pouch with fine threads, and there were more than ten of them hanging below.

  "The shopkeeper said: 'Ladies and gentlemen, each of the brocade bags contains a piece of paper with instructions on what you should do. Please come forward to draw a bag, and within one day, if you complete the task written on the paper, bring back the paper from inside the bag to the Qingyun Inn in time, it will be considered as passing the test. After drawing the bag, you can tell others what is written on the paper or keep it secret, you can work together or act alone. Let me remind you first, the thieving test cannot harm human life, if someone is killed, even if you complete the task written on the paper, it will not be considered as passing the test. Can everyone understand?"

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

  The shopkeeper said: "Good, please let Xiang Zheng take the first draw!"

  Zheng Zedao walked out steadily, walked to the shopkeeper's face and made a bow, slowly stretched out his hand, measured more than a dozen hanging brocade bags, pinched one of the brocade bags, held it in his hand, turned around and retreated.

  Zheng Zedao walked back to Huo Xiaoyi and Pang Haowei, tightly grasping the brocade pouch without letting go, not showing any intention of looking at it now.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé and Pàng Hǎo Wèi were too busy to ask questions, all three of them stared at the shopkeeper's hands holding a silk pouch.

  The shopkeeper said: "Please let A, D, B come up and draw lots."

  "Haha! I won't smoke anymore. Shopkeeper, just pick one randomly and throw it out!" A cold voice echoed from the corner, belonging to Jia Dingyi.

  The shopkeeper said: "Alright, I'll draw one for you."

  The shopkeeper took down a pouch without even looking and asked, "Are you going to give it away? How are you going to lose it?"

  "Throw it into the air! Hehe!" said Jia Ding Yi.

  The shopkeeper tossed the brocade pouch into the air, a black thread flashed by, and with a whoosh, the pouch was rolled away, leaving no sound.

  The shopkeeper seemed to ignore him and continued, "Please ask Li Xiaolian to draw a silk pouch."

  The sick jar coughed and slowly walked out, touched a few brocade bags, picked one, and went back.

  The shopkeeper said: "Please draw eight lucky bags!"

  Liang Ba didn't forget to glare at Yan Chong before swaggering over, casually pulling out a cigarette and walking back into the crowd.

  Immediately afterwards, Ku Deng and Shang, Pang Hao Wei, and Yan Chong Li all stepped forward to take the brocade bags.

  The shopkeeper said: "Please take out the silk pouch."

  Huoxiao Ye walked up to the shopkeeper, glanced at the brocade pouches in his hand, and saw that they were all identical without any unusual features. Huoxiao Ye didn't have much choice, so he casually picked one up and turned back.

  The shopkeeper said: "Please, Little Treasure, take out the silk pouch."

  The little rascal quietly responded and slowly walked to the shopkeeper, picked one up, then put it down, did this three times before finally picking one up and walking back.

  "The shopkeeper saw that everyone had already drawn their lots, and handed the remaining lots back to Xiao Si. He said: 'Ladies and gentlemen, after drawing your lots, you have half an hour to rest. When the bell rings again, please gather quickly in the main hall. We will send you all out of Qingyun Inn to take care of business! If any guest is worried that it's not convenient to carry the lot and the note on their person, they can memorize the contents of the note and return the lot and note to us. We'll keep them safe for you.'"

  There wasn't a single piece of paper left behind, and the thieves thought that since they could get through the chaotic theft unscathed, no one would steal anything from them.

  The shopkeeper said: "If no one wants us to take care of it, please go down and rest for half an hour, and wait quietly until the bell rings."

  "Shopkeeper! Wait a minute! What you're saying in this embroidered pouch is utter nonsense!"

  Everyone turned their heads to look, and all they saw was Liang Ba with a displeased expression on his face, waving a dark red paper strip the size of half a palm and shouting.

  Liang Ba shouted: "Shopkeeper, what kind of tricks are you playing? Look at what's written on this note!" Liang Ba lowered his head to look at the note and read out loud, word by word: "In the Wang family's large courtyard, there is a black-haired white-tailed pig. Catch one, it must be alive!"

  Liang Ba finished reading, indignantly waving the paper strip and scolding: "I am a notorious thief in Kaifeng, not someone who catches pigs and slaughters sheep! Are you guys making fun of me?"

  Chubby couldn't help but burst out laughing, covering his mouth to stifle the sound. Huo Xiao Ye also found it unbelievable - who would make someone do such a thing? Huo Xiao Ye involuntarily clenched the pouch in his hand, thinking: "I won't be made to steal a woman's underwear, will I? If so, I'll definitely lose for sure!"

  "The shopkeeper smiled and said: 'Sir, don't be in a hurry. I've already told you that if you feel it's not suitable, you can withdraw at any time. We'll send you out of Qingyun Inn with respect.'"

  Liang Ba gritted his teeth and thought for a moment, then clenched his fist around the paper strip and snorted: "Forget it! Since I drew it myself, consider me unlucky!"

  Liáng Bā received the note, turned around and shouted to the crowd of thieves: "You all have silk bags hidden away, what are you afraid to say? If you're capable, then speak up! What kind of things do you want us to do?"

  Yan Chong said coldly: "Liang Ba, it's not that we don't dare to say it, but we're afraid that someone like you will stir up trouble and make things worse."

  Liang Ba scolded: "Yan Chong, you say one more word and I'll tear your rotten mouth to shreds!"

  The worm hummed: "Don't show off, with your little skills, even if you asked me to shine my shoes, I wouldn't be happy!"

  The eight trigrams of Qi are born with smoke, and they roar loudly as if they want to rush up and fight the worm of smoke.

  "Amitabha!" Kudeng recited a Buddhist mantra, and with a flicker of his body, he stood between the two men, saying: "Two donors, I think it's better not to show off your eloquence. Whoever can pass the test is the real deal, and the outcome will be clear. Please calm down, don't make fools of yourselves in front of the people at Qingyun Inn."

  Liáng Bā listened and thought that Kuàng Dēng's words were reasonable, so he scolded: "Smoking worm, remember this! We'll settle the win or loss inside the pass! Whoever loses will give the other three loud kowtows!" This kind of wager was even more ruthless than taking someone's life.

  Yan Chong let out a cold laugh, took a drag on his cigarette and said: "Alright then, let's bet! We won't just bet three rounds, we'll bet nine!" What Yan Chong meant was that whoever lost would become the other person's eighth-generation grandson.