Chapter 36: Undercurrents surge, turmoil at the dock

The sun was high up, the dock was noisy. Li Ping'an hid behind a pile of torn fishing nets, like a ragpicker. The place reeked—fish stench, sour sweat, tobacco fumes, and sewer water all mixed together, which was perfect for hiding someone.

He pulled out a cold steamed bun, nibbling it slowly, his eyes never resting, scanning the dock like a searchlight.

Coolies lugged huge bundles, their spines near breaking. The foreman waved his whip and cursed. A few broken boats bobbed in the filthy water. Meanwhile, a few shady-looking men gathered to smoke, their eyes darting around—probably Leopard Lord's men.

Across the dock, a few men in slightly neat clothes but with thick faces guarded several oilcloth‑covered crates. Their waists bulged—surely armed. This must be the Rakshasa Sect's cargo.

"Quite the showdown," Li Ping'an muttered to himself. This wasn't a usual gang turf war; it looked like a big job. What's in the crates? Opium? Gun barrels? Or something else deadly?

He thought this muddy water was worth wading into. Causing trouble for the Rakshasa Sect might even net him some extra cash.

The sun slanted west, the dock grew emptier. The two sides were still locked in a standoff, the air taut.

Li Ping'an glanced at the sky, patted his rear and rose, hunching his back into that sickly look again, and shuffled outward. He needed to show his face at the siheyuan—a sickly person loitering outside too long would raise suspicion.

He wound through a few alleys before turning back onto Nanluoguxiang.

In the courtyard, Yan Bu Gui was still fretting over his door panel, holding a small wood piece to figure out how to patch it. Seeing Li Ping'an enter, he lifted his brows: "Yo, Ping'an's back? You still look like hell."

"Cough… I went out for air, but I'm still weak all over." Li Ping'an replied weakly, covering his chest and coughing twice before hurrying back to his room.

He shut the door; the room was still a mess. He leaned against the door panel, listening to outside noises, mulling things over.

The night grew pitch‑black; the courtyard fell utterly silent except for snores rising and falling.

Li Ping'an opened his eyes—no trace of sleepiness. He slipped up silently, crept out like a ghost, scaled the wall into the night.

Over at the dock, the fog thickened; only a few dead‑wind lamps flickered like ghost flames.

Just after the third‑watch clapper sounded, the dock suddenly exploded!

"Leopard Lord's men have moved!" someone shouted.

The two sides collided instantly—blades flashed, axes swung, curses and hacking filled the air, with an occasional gunshot bang, as lively as a festival.

Li Ping'an crouched in his usual spot, holding his breath, watching. Let them fight like dogs first.

The Rakshasa Sect fighters were indeed fierce, striking darkly, slowly gaining the upper hand. Leopard Lord's side looked ready to collapse.

Suddenly——

Pfft! Pfft!

Two almost inaudible puffs— the heads of the two frontline Rakshasa Sect men burst open, and they dropped dead on the spot.

"There's a hidden post! Sniper!" the Rakshasa Sect leader yelled, his voice cracking, and the rest dove for cover, scrambling and crawling.

Li Ping'an's eyes narrowed; he instantly locked onto a second‑floor window of a nearby shabby wooden building—the gun muzzle flash had just died out.

Also a yellow sparrow? With a silencer? This setup is high‑end!

The scene grew more chaotic. The Rakshasa Sect, pinned by sniper fire, dared not show their heads, while Leopard Lord's remnants, seeing an opening, howled and counter‑attacked.

At that moment, no one noticed—a black shadow slipped through the fog and night like a loach, sliding up to those crates.

It was Li Ping'an! The chance had come!

His hand touched the crate—"Seal!"

One big crate vanished!

The few men grappling for the crate suddenly found their hands empty, nearly face‑planting, all stunned: "Wh… where's the crate?!"

Before they could react——

"Seal!" "Seal!"

The other two crates vanished in a blink!

"Mother of God! I've seen a ghost!!!" someone yelled, his voice gone shrill from fright.

The fight stopped dead; everyone gaped at the depressions left on the empty ground, eyes nearly popping out. Even the hidden sniper in the dark ceased fire, presumably stunned too.

Taking advantage of that——

Li Ping'an turned and darted into the alley—faster than a rabbit!

"Catch him!"

"He took the stuff!"

"Don't let him get away!"

Both sides, eyes red, gave chase. The hidden gunner panicked, firing pop‑pop bullets that struck the ground and walls behind Li Ping'an.

Li Ping'an summoned every ounce of strength; his trained body was different—swift and light, he ducked into dark, narrow lanes, zig‑zagging and shaking off most of his pursuers.

But a set of footsteps clung tight behind him—it was the gunman! This guy wasn't a ordinary thug.

Li Ping'an's eyes turned cold; he deliberately slowed, then slipped into a dead‑end alley.

The footsteps arrived in an instant.

Just as the gunman rushed into the alley mouth——

Li Ping'an spun and lunged back, his left hand snatching the gunman's wrist like lightning, and he expelled a burst of Yin‑Cold Force!

The gunman's wrist went numb, his barrel jerked aside, and a bullet popped off.

At the same instant, Li Ping'an slammed his right palm into the man's chest—still that sinister Bone‑eroding Force!

The gunman, a veteran, dropped his weapon in the nick of time, blocked with his forearm, and thrust his other hand straight at Li Ping'an's throat—a deadly move.

Bang!

The two collided head‑on.

The gunman shuddered all over, feeling a wave of yin‑cold poison surge up his arm; his whole arm went numb instantly, his chest felt tight, his throat tasted sour. He was terrified and tried to retreat, using the momentum.

Li Ping'an stuck to him, his second palm faster, striking the man's knee!

Crack!

The sound of breaking bone made teeth ache!

"Hn!" the gunman grunted, dropping to one knee, his face deathly pale.

Li Ping'an hesitated not a whit; his fingers flicked like wind, tapping several vital points on the man's chest. The gunman went limp, collapsed there motionless, only his eyes staring, filled with shock, rage, and unwillingness.

Li Ping'an caught his breath, sweat beading on his forehead. This guy is tougher than that scout earlier. He crouched and quickly patted himself down; aside from a small change dagger, he felt an iron plate engraved with an eagle and a number.

"A professional." Li Ping'an weighed the iron plate, then with a thought he took it in. This person's background is not simple.

The sound of pursuers in the distance grew closer.

Li Ping'an's eyes hardened; he couldn't leave a future threat. He raised his hand and brought it down, shattering the gunman's heart meridian. The light in the gunman's eyes faded completely.

After dealing with it, he didn't dare linger; he leapt up the alley wall, in a few bounds was on the roof, and vanished into the night.

He circled the city several times, making sure no one was tailing him, then like a falling leaf he silently drifted back to the Siheyuan, slipped into his own room, and gently slid the bolt home.

The courtyard was quiet, Yan Bu Gui's snores rumbling loudly.

Li Ping'an leaned against the door, steadying his breath. He felt his chest, sensing the three heavy chests and that iron plate within his space.

Tonight, it wasn't for nothing.

First get some sleep; at dawn I'll take a look to see what treasure I've scooped up.