No one who witnessed Xu Fei’s display of strength would want to tangle with him further.
But with Xu Fei calling out Er Biaozi by name, slipping away right under his nose wasn’t an option.
If he tried to run and failed, the consequences would surely be severe.
Fortunately, Er Biaozi was a seasoned survivor, having navigated the rough waters of society for years. Hearing Xu Fei’s words, he quickly turned back with a fawning smile.
“Sir, what would you like to know? Rest assured, I’ll tell you everything I know!”
Seeing Er Biaozi’s complete 180-degree shift in attitude, Hell’s Ear couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Xu Fei pressed on with his questions.
“I want to know about that Ma Sanlaizi who was just taken away. Who is he, exactly? His connection to the Gong family doesn’t seem simple, does it?”
Xu Fei asked this because, when the Gong family’s men tied Ma Sanlaizi up, they inadvertently revealed something hanging at his waist.
That object was all too familiar to Xu Fei: a dragon-head jade pendant!
Though Xu Fei knew the real dragon-head jade pendant was in his possession, meaning Ma Sanlaizi’s was certainly a fake.
Still, ordinary people wouldn’t know what a dragon-head jade pendant or phoenix-tail jade ring looked like.
Sensing something suspicious, Xu Fei pressed the matter.
“If you’re asking about this, sir, it’s quite a long story. If you don’t mind, I’ll tell you all about it!”
According to Er Biaozi, Ma Sanlaizi was a native of Tianjin, born and raised.
It was said that in his youth, he dabbled in various sects, and his most renowned skill was lockpicking, which earned him widespread praise.
Though Ma Sanlaizi now scraped by in alleys, fixing locks and making keys, things were different in his earlier days.
Back then, with many wealthy merchants around, people stored their valuables in all sorts of safes, making their security paramount.
Ma Sanlaizi wasn’t just skilled at picking locks, his craftsmanship in making them was exceptional too.
As a result, he was quite a prominent figure in his time.
But as times changed, Ma Sanlaizi’s skills became obsolete, leading to his current destitute state.
Xu Fei nodded, stroking his chin as he spoke.
“So why is the Gong family going to such lengths to drag Ma Sanlaizi back? Have you heard any rumors?”
Er Biaozi hurriedly replied.
“Sir, think about it, there are only two reasons to seek out Ma Sanlaizi: picking locks or making them.”
“In today’s high-tech era, the latter’s unlikely, so it’s got to be the former.”
“I heard the Gong family recently got their hands on some incredible treasure, and that’s why they’re after Ma Sanlaizi!”
When he said that last part, Er Biaozi deliberately lowered his voice, adding an air of mystery.
“You’d better make sure everything you’ve said is true, or I’ll come back here looking for you!”
Feeling Er Biaozi had little more to offer, Xu Fei said this and turned to leave.
He wasn’t worried about Er Biaozi fleeing. For these folks living as if in a bygone era, Fengtian Tower was like their spiritual home, an irreplaceable sanctuary.
