Chapter 18

The door was already in a state that couldn't be repaired.

Xu Yang helped clean up and went straight to bed when he got home. He had been tired all day and was already exhausted.

In the middle of the night, he was woken up by crying. Pushing the door out, He Shicai's house was full of crying.

He Shicai, who had been bedridden for two months, was dead!

It was said that after being rescued and waking up, he saw his home smashed into a mess, spat out a mouthful of blood, fainted again, and hung on until the middle of the night before he passed away.

Xu Yang didn't go to He Shicai's house to help again but let Xu Qing scoop two bowls of brown rice from the rice jar and send them over. He continued to sleep to recharge his energy.

He didn't know if He Shicai could be considered implicated by him, but Li Hu had already bared his fangs, and he couldn't sit and wait for death.

The next day, without any ceremony, He Shicai was buried.

Not to mention a thin coffin, there wasn't even a straw mat. It was someone who couldn't bear to see it and sent a straw mat, so He Shicai had something to wrap his corpse.

Xu Yang went to the Mighty Far Hall as usual, but only practiced until the afternoon before he stopped, found a cool corner, and went straight to sleep.

Everyone thought he had started to give up and couldn't help but shake their heads secretly, not expecting that the second one to give up would be him.

By dinner time, Xu Yang was woken up by Zhang Hong, and the two went to the canteen together.

After eating, Xu Yang returned to White Stone Ward and continued to sleep.

At the second watch, a figure rushed out of Xu Yang's house and disappeared into the night.

The night was hazy!

In the dilapidated temple on the mountain behind Li Family Village, candlelight flickered, casting a glow through the drafty windows.

Inside the spiderweb-covered building, Li Hu sat beside an oil lamp, taking a small sip of wine before tossing a peanut into his mouth.

On the other side sat one of his two lackeys; the other was absent.

The man was named Li Jian, though he was actually Li Hu’s cousin once removed.

However, to maintain his authority within the gang, Li Hu forbade him from calling him "Uncle," insisting on "Master Hu" instead.

A mountain breeze swept through the ruined temple, emitting a wailing sound like ghosts crying and wolves howling, which turned Li Jian’s face pale with fear.

"Look at you, you coward. It’s just killing a man, isn't it? He wasn't afraid when he was alive, so what’s there to be afraid of now that he’s dead?" Li Hu watched Li Jian’s reaction and couldn't help but sneer.

"He Shicai had to go and die, forcing me to hide in this dump. If he could turn into a ghost, I’d kill him all over again."

He hadn't intended to kill He Shicai; he had only slapped him once. He hadn't expected He Shicai to be so fragile, getting himself so angry he died, which forced them into hiding.

As long as no one reported the case, the government usually didn't care about such matters, and ordinary people dared not report the Tri-Union Gang. The only fear was that He Shicai’s family might act foolishly and go to the authorities.

Even if the government was in cahoots with them, they would still have to put on a show, so it was safer to hide for a while.

Li Jian felt a bit ashamed. "Master Hu, you’ve killed several people, so naturally you aren't afraid. But this is my first time killing someone, and I’m terrified of a vengeful ghost coming for my life."

"There’s no such thing as a vengeful ghost. If there were, would I have been living so freely for all these years?"

Li Hu comforted him, "Don't be afraid. Although we killed someone this time, it counts as doing a service for the gang. Many people want to kill to climb the ranks but never get the chance. With this incident, you and Li Liang can move up in a few years. This is a good thing."

"I only started making a name for myself in the gang after I killed someone."

"Remember, in the gang, you have to be able to shoulder the heavy burdens to have a chance at rising."

Hearing this, the fear in Li Jian’s heart diminished significantly. "Master Hu, how much longer do we have to hide? This really isn't a place for humans to stay."

They had been hiding here for three days. Although they had plenty of food, he couldn't stand it anymore; sleeping on door planks every day was making his back ache.

"Wait for news from Li Liang. If He Shicai’s family hasn't reported it to the officials, we can go back." Li Hu took another swig of wine.

He had experienced such things many times and was long since used to it.

"And if He Shicai’s family did report it?"

Li Hu laughed, "Then we take care of them. Without a plaintiff, no one will pursue it."

He spoke as if he were talking about crushing a few ants.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside.

"Who's there?"

Li Hu reacted first, pulling a dagger from his waist.

"Master Hu, it’s me."

Li Liang slipped inside and smiled, "Good news, He Shicai’s family didn't report it."

"We can go back!" Li Jian stood up.

"They didn't seek their own deaths; He Shicai’s family is quite sensible. Let’s go, first to your little aunt’s place!" Li Hu took a gulp of wine and led the way out.

The "little aunt" was his mistress, originally a widow. Because she couldn't afford the protection fee, she paid with her body, and over time, she became Li Hu’s mistress.

Having been in hiding for several days, he was feeling quite pent up.

Li Jian blew out the oil lamp and followed them out of the ruined temple.

The three of them descended the mountain, bypassed Li Family Village, and headed toward Dashu Village, where Li Hu’s mistress lived.

"Master Hu, walk slower!" Li Jian reached out to steady Li Hu.

Li Hu had already drunk quite a bit in the temple and had continued drinking after descending the mountain. Now, the alcohol was hitting him, and his gait was becoming unsteady.

"It’s nothing, this little bit of wine can't make me drunk. When I was your age, I could down two or three catties of wine and still hack people to pieces."

The Tri-Union Gang had rival gangs, and there were frequent brawls and assassinations, so Li Hu usually didn't drink when walking at night.

But he had been hiding for the past few days, and no one knew their whereabouts, so he wasn't worried about trouble on the road.

Not far ahead, Dashu Village appeared in sight.

"Your little aunt probably hasn't slept yet. In a while, I'll have her fix some dishes, and the three of us will keep drinking. Being on the mountain these past few days, my mouth has gone so bland I could die."

As Li Hu spoke, he seemed to remember something and added, "Right, that brat Xu Yang, has he delivered the money yet?"

Li Liang shook his head, "I asked the brothers at the hall; he hasn't been there."

"Is the little bastard intentionally stalling for time? Tomorrow, go to his house and see..."

Before he could finish the word "see," a black shadow suddenly lunged from beneath the field ridge, as swift as a tiger or leopard.

Li Hu had been in the gang for many years, had killed several people, and had been targeted by others many times; his experience in handling such situations was extremely rich.

Despite being somewhat drunk, he made the correct response instantly, shoving Li Liang, who was beside him, forward.

"Puchi!"

A sound like cowhide being pierced rang out. As he retreated, he saw a sharpened wooden stake run through Li Liang’s body, lifting his clothes up.

In an instant, his scalp went numb and he broke into a cold sweat. If he hadn't reacted quickly, he would have been the one skewered like a candied hawthorn.

"Bang!"

Xu Yang kicked Li Liang off the wooden stake, took a giant stride forward, and gripped the wrist-thick wooden pole with both hands, smashing it down toward Li Jian’s head.

He had been lying in ambush outside the village where Li Hu’s mistress lived for two days, and on the third day, he finally waited for Li Hu.

He had originally thought he would only be able to wait for Li Hu, but he hadn't expected all three to be there. Killing them all was perfect, as it would prevent anyone from linking the incident to him.

He didn't have a proper weapon, so he had prepared a sturdy, heavy wooden pole and sharpened it, using it as both a spear and a club.

He had never learned spear or club techniques, but as long as one had enough strength, the lethality of this thing was no less than a blade.

"Boom!"

The wrist-thick wooden pole struck the air, emitting a dull thud. Under Xu Yang’s swing, the pole even bent slightly; one could imagine the terror of this strike.

Li Jian had already been scared out of his wits by Li Liang’s death, but under the crisis of death, he still managed to react.

He crossed his arms over his head, attempting to block this fatal blow with his flesh and blood.

"Crack!"

The sound of shattering arm bones rang out.

Xu Yang’s current strength allowed him to lift a 150-catty stone lock with one arm; with both hands exerting force, the impact of this strike was well over 500 catties.

Li Jian’s arms snapped instantly. Before he could even let out a scream, the unstoppable wooden pole had already smashed into his forehead.

With a "bang," brains splattered along with bone fragments, and Li Jian collapsed, completely limp.

"Crack!"

Xu Yang had used too much force, and the wooden pole snapped after the continuous impacts. He couldn't help but stagger, but he quickly stepped forward to stabilize his force, preventing himself from falling.

"Kill..."

Li Hu had long since been scared out of his wits; he had even forgotten about the dagger at his waist.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. At this moment, he had only retreated three or four steps and hadn't run far.

He opened his mouth to shout "Murder," but before he could make any volume, Xu Yang’s broken club flew through the air and slammed into his back.

Li Hu’s vision went black; he didn't even have time to feel the pain. The force carried by the club made him choke on a breath he couldn't exhale.

The next moment, Xu Yang had lunged behind him, grabbed his head with both hands, and twisted it with all his might. ===== CHAPTER 35 =====