My dreams can simulate the future.

Chapter 22 Followers

Li Cheng had promised to help him find out, but Jiang Chen hadn't taken it too seriously. Unexpectedly, he actually did help.

Jiang Chen bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you very much, Brother Li. This has truly been a great help to me."

Li Cheng waved his hand: "What's the big deal? Actually, I should be thanking you."

Although I have some connections within the Garrison Command, I am ultimately not a disciple of the Golden Cauldron Sect, and I will never be qualified to join the Golden Cauldron Sect in this lifetime.

Manager Zhao is a genuine disciple of the Golden Cauldron Sect, and of considerable status. He's come to Black Stone Mountain Market to gain experience; upon returning to the Golden Cauldron Sect, he'll undoubtedly receive a promotion.

Having a chance to talk to him for a bit is beneficial for me too.

"By the way, Manager Zhao has some appreciation for you, and he's also a talisman master. You should ask him for advice whenever you have time; it will be of great benefit to you."

As a rogue cultivator, Jiang Chen naturally knew little about Zhao Changzhou's identity.

However, since I intend to join the Golden Cauldron Sect in the future, developing connections in advance is never a bad thing.

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Li. If I am fortunate enough to join the Golden Cauldron Sect in the future, I will never forget your kindness."

A smile appeared on Li Cheng's face. Wasn't this exactly what he wanted by taking the initiative to please Jiang Chen?

"I've heard some things before. Although Jiang Chen is petty and holds grudges, he is definitely a loyal and righteous person who will repay kindness."

A little guidance without spending spirit stones will be helpful when Jiang Chen joins the Golden Cauldron Sect.

Moreover, he still has a chance to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if the probability is low, it's worth the gamble.

Starting a business now doesn't require much investment, and even if the gamble fails, the losses are minimal. But if it succeeds, the whole family will become rich.

Thinking of this, he waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, no need to be so polite."

From now on, I'll be the squad leader of the Southwest Ward Patrol. If you need anything, just come to me.

Putting everything else aside, if anyone dares to cause you trouble, or even try to assassinate you like before, I'll show them what the Garrison Command can do.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen felt a great sense of security.

He had been worried that the forces behind the bull would send someone to assassinate him.

Now that Li Cheng is in charge of the Southwest Ward, I'm much safer. Even if a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator comes to assassinate me, I only need to hold out for a few dozen breaths.

Once Li Cheng arrives, I will be safe.

Jiang Chen then thought of Gao Ling, who had previously been the head of the Southwest Ward patrols. If something went wrong in the Southwest Ward, Gao Ling would definitely be implicated.

"Brother Li, how is Gao Ling doing now?"

Li Cheng laughed and said, "If you don't pursue this further, I'll also help him cover it up. He was just reprimanded by Commander Meng."

He retained his patrol officer status, but his rank was significantly lowered. He went from being a squad leader on the city patrol to a lowly soldier on the city defense patrol.

The guards in Blackrock Mountain Market can be divided into three types: city patrol guards, city defense guards, and dock patrol guards.

Among them, the city guards and patrolmen had the hardest job. They were exposed to the wind and sun all day on the city wall, and they had to be on duty for at least half a day without any chance to make a living.

Unless someone is incredibly audacious enough to attack the market, they will find it difficult to achieve any merit.

Secondly, there are the dock patrolmen, who are usually exposed to the wind and sun on the dock, and sometimes they have to escort cargo ships to Changyuan Mountain, which is quite risky.

However, dock patrolmen can make a living by inspecting goods entering and leaving the docks, and there's a lot of money to be made from this.

Although the vast majority of the benefits went to the corporals and squad leaders, ordinary guards could also get a little something.

If they can uncover prohibited spiritual items, they can earn merit.

The most comfortable job was patrolling the city. You could just take a stroll around the city occasionally, and your official duties would be done. If you could catch someone with ill intentions, you could even earn merit.

Dealing with monks and merchants in the market every day, the profits are even more substantial.

Gao Ling's status and the amount of money he could earn dropped drastically from a patrol squad leader to an ordinary city guard.

After chatting for a long time, Li Cheng took his leave.

Jiang Chen pondered to himself: "Having followers would be quite beneficial to me, but I can't just take them indiscriminately. If a follower likes to cause trouble, it will definitely bring me a lot of problems."

Hou Ming will definitely accept it. Just because he helped me before, even if he gets into trouble, I'll try my best to cover for him.

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Jiang Chen discovered that Hou Ming was still preparing goods in the yard, so he immediately climbed over the wall.

"Monkey, I have some good news for you."

Hou Ming, confused, asked, "Brother Chen, what good news is it? Just tell me!"

Jiang Chen briefly explained how he could recruit bodyguards: "I want you to be my follower. From now on, you will be responsible for helping me ship goods and gathering information."

Upon hearing this, Hou Ming's face was filled with disbelief.

The status of a follower is very valuable, as it exempts the individual and five family members from taxes, as well as reducing or eliminating property taxes and business taxes. All in all, it can save around ten spirit stones a month.

With the status of an attendant, the executioner dared not extort money or blackmail at will, the patrol guards were unwilling to offend him, and the other independent cultivators had to curry favor with him.

These conditions are more than enough to attract late-stage Qi Refining cultivators who lack any special skills.

"Brother Chen, you can only recruit five followers. You should find more powerful independent cultivators."

With my limited abilities, it's really too much for me to take up a spot.

Jiang Chen shook his head: "Recruiting followers isn't just about cultivation level; it's also about reliability. If you recruit someone who only causes trouble, no matter how high their cultivation level is, it's useless."

Besides, I'm not going to take my entourage to Changyuan Mountain to fight the demons to the death; having experts won't be of much use.

"What I need is someone who can share my burdens, not someone who will cause me trouble. You can help me ship goods and gather information, which is already quite useful. You're more than enough to be a follower."

"You're well-informed. Do you know any cultivators in the market who are of impeccable character, possess a special skill, or are quite powerful?"

Character is paramount; if someone lacks character, no matter how talented they are, they should not be hired.

Hou Ming pondered for a long time before saying, "As the saying goes, 'You can know a person's face but not their heart,' so it's really hard to judge a person's character."

There's only one person I can be sure about, and that's Uncle Lu. You're quite familiar with Uncle Lu, so you should know his character well.

The Uncle Lu he was referring to was Lu Xiong's father, Lu Hu.

Jiang Chen nodded slightly: "I naturally trust Uncle Lu's character. He and his son Lu Xiong are both honest and kind people."

However, Uncle Lu has no skills; if he becomes my follower, he will serve as my bodyguard.

I was previously assassinated by a Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator, and in the future, assassins may reach the late Qi Refining stage.

With Uncle Lu's cultivation at the sixth level of Qi Refining, he'd probably be outmatched against a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, wouldn't he?

Hou Ming shook his head: "You're mistaken. Although Uncle Lu is only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, his strength is actually quite formidable."

He had made a living hunting demons for over thirty years and rarely got injured. This time, he was injured because he encountered a demon cultivator undergoing tribulation.

Moreover, he was injured when he was attacked by three late-stage Qi Refining cultivators after he had hunted the demonic beast and before his magical power had recovered.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen was surprised.

A cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refining, when his mana was insufficient, was surrounded and attacked by three cultivators at the late stage of Qi Refining, yet he managed to escape unscathed.

This combat strength is already comparable to that of most cultivators at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining.

Even if they encounter a Qi Refining Peak cultivator attempting assassination in the future, with Lu Hu's formidable combat strength, plus the talismans and magical artifacts in their possession, they will be able to protect themselves without fear.

"Then I'll go and ask Uncle Lu to be my bodyguard."