[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-proles":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-proles-lord-of-the-proles-chapter-166":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Lord of the Proles",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2290464,4478,"Chapter 166","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-166",166,"\u003Cp>At night, 9:50 p.m., Toudao Ridge Station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun still maintained his slumped posture as he entered the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since arriving at Haichiling, Wan Jinxian had bought him over seventy businesses, and now he had sold all seventy of them to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each business had a different owner, but every one had news of Lu Dongjun personally transferring ownership, each article accompanied by a photograph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun didn’t know how these photos had been obtained, but he knew one thing: he had nothing left in Haichiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hundreds of thousands of silver dollars in the bank couldn’t be withdrawn—at least not in Haichiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had taken some loose cash from his mansion, and over the past few days he had gathered over a thousand silver dollars from various places—these were his only remaining assets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost money can be recovered, but reputation is far harder to regain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Haichiling, everyone shouted for Lu Dongjun to be driven out; he had plunged Haichiling into famine again, unexpectedly, and even the mansion he once lived in had been burned down by furious civilians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun wasn’t a meticulous man, but he sensed danger drawing near; he had planned to publish a few more articles in the newspapers to buy himself more time in Haichiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now he realized a problem: he couldn’t hold on any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newspapers were harming him, the major gangs were targeting him, the powerful families were hunting him, and even common folk would no longer tolerate him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t brought enough money, but there was one thing he never left his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an anonymous, unlimited travel pass—this document allowed Lu Dongjun to travel to any location in Pulu Province under any identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a privilege granted to wealthy families by the Waizhou Society; when Lu Dongjun produced this pass, the ticket clerk asked no questions and immediately purchased his train ticket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After passing through the turnstile, Lu Dongjun walked toward the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never ridden a train alone before, nor was he accustomed to reading platform signs; the platform seemed farther away than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few scattered passengers were boarding and alighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun hadn’t bought a private carriage—that would draw too much attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found a window seat in the hard-seat carriage, pulled his hat over his face, and tried to calm himself in the steam train’s whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last time he rode a hard-seat train was with Lu Dongliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Lu Dongjun was just thirteen, had argued with his father, feared being beaten, and sneaked out of the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongliang found him and said, if you’re going to run, run far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Lu Dongliang loved to travel, always carrying a travel pass; he bought two hard-seat tickets and took Lu Dongjun all the way to Kudai Kan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kudai Kan was truly a fine place…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Lu Dongliang had always treated him well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone wants to be head of the family, but living as the second son under Lu Dongliang wasn’t so bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had he turned on Lu Dongliang?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, he’d only dared to think it—how could he have had the courage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Zhuo Yuling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was beautiful, and skilled in bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn’t unfamiliar with women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Wan Jinxian?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since this bastard gained favor beside him, his life had never been peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certainly involved, but the blame wasn’t entirely his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Lu Dongliang still alive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I sincerely apologized to him, could this be buried?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why the hell am I thinking about this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ooooh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh-huh-huh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The train had already departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun felt stuffy and pulled his hat off his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the window, scenery slowly receded: homes, farmland, forests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun wanted to open the window for air, but couldn’t find the latch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His temper flared—he wanted to punch the window out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, he couldn’t act recklessly; this wasn’t the Lu family’s private train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a regular train, he couldn’t cause trouble, especially not offend the attendants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his frustration, he suddenly noticed something strange in the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the only passenger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible—when he boarded, at least a third of the seats were occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where had everyone gone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage door opened; a man in a gray suit, holding a cigarette, sat down across the aisle in the next row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second brother, it’s been a while.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun pulled his hat onto his head, bracing for combat: “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng laughed: “Why play dumb? I recognize you—keeping up this act is pointless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then offered Lu Dongjun a cigarette: “Have a puff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun didn’t take it; he kept staring at the half-smoked cigarette in He Haisheng’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng was a Smoke Cultivator; according to Lu Dongjun’s knowledge, He Haisheng was at the seventh layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun was at the eighth layer—clearly superior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Dongjun never underestimated his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In strategy, Lu Dongjun’s mind wasn’t sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In business, he was half a failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In combat, facing death, Lu Dongjun feared no one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lu Dongliang fought He Yuxiu, Lu Dongjun found an opening to land a single devastating blow on Lu Dongliang; though he took advantage of surprise, it was still thanks to his innate talent for seizing battle opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Monkey Qiu, on guard, was rendered helpless by Lu Dongjun’s strike—because Lu Dongjun’s response was perfectly timed, though Duan Shaoxia’s methods were unusually peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now facing He Haisheng, Lu Dongjun still had a clear plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He Laosan, I’m down on my luck, just want to return to Lüshuicheng to find a meal. We grew up together, have no grudge—now isn’t the time to make trouble for me, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Lu Dongjun observed He Haisheng’s seating position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng took a deep drag, then exhaled sharply, his entire body enveloped in smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you mentioned grudges, there’s one thing I’d like to ask you: when you invited my brother to dinner, he fell ill afterward, broke out in rashes, nearly died—do you remember?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun watched the smoke’s movement, judging the carriage’s airflow: “I remember. Your family tried to pin it on me then—I told your sister He Yuxiu to her face it wasn’t me, and she believed me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng nodded: “I believed you too—until I came to Haichiling and realized something was off. Your strategist, Wan Jinxian, is a Disease Cultivator, isn’t he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun fell silent; the truth had been exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng continued: “My brother’s illness was nearly incurable—until a foreigner cured him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We thought he was a foreign doctor, but later investigations revealed he was a Disease Cultivator—he healed by absorbing the disease’s root from the patient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve confirmed everything: the disease root the foreigner took was created by another Disease Cultivator. Disease Cultivators are nearly extinct—how could it be so coincidental that you have one too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun shook his head: “You mean Wan Jinxian? He’s not a Disease Cultivator—he’s a Poison Cultivator.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng grinned, cigarette between his teeth: “Second brother, you’re still hiding things now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you hadn’t come to Haichiling to kill mosquitoes, our He family might have remained fooled all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mosquitoes in Haichiling died of disease, not poison. In Pulu Province, who else could make mosquitoes sick? At this point, what else do you have to say…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun had nothing left to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He punched He Haisheng directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The punch didn’t strike He Haisheng’s body—it hit a cloud of smoke, as if missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lu Dongjun knew: the punch hadn’t missed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smoke scattered like sparks—that was the seventh-layer technique of Smoke Cultivators, dispersing the body into smoke to absorb part of an attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But only part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng took the full force of Lu Dongjun’s punch—it hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smoke drifted through the carriage, then vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun scanned the surroundings—suddenly, smoke coalesced above his head; He Haisheng resumed his human form, the cigarette in his mouth transforming into a fire serpent that shot toward Lu Dongjun’s skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun dodged the fire serpent, reached out, and yanked He Haisheng down from the train’s ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had fought Smoke Cultivators before; he knew their habitual escape paths and how wind direction affected them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relying on past combat experience, Lu Dongjun instantly predicted He Haisheng’s attack position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haisheng’s body rapidly heated, igniting into flame, forcing Lu Dongjun to release him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun never intended to hold him—he slammed him into the carriage’s corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Bang! Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A row of seats shattered; He Haisheng crashed into the corner, but Lu Dongjun didn’t rush forward to finish him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seats were ruined, the carriage undamaged—but charred marks remained, proving He Haisheng had turned to smoke upon impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charging forward now wouldn’t seriously wound He Haisheng—it would only put Lu Dongjun on the defensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun swung his hand directly in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is he trying to do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hit someone with a slap through the air?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t this too childish?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haiqin also found it baffling when suddenly a furious wind surged within the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haiqin turned pale with shock, finally realizing something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strength of this wind was immense—it could scatter He Haiqin in moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a Smoke Cultivator; wasn’t his body already capable of dissolving into smoke?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dissolving into smoke was indeed a Smoke Cultivator’s advantage, but it depended on how thoroughly it happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun exploited the Smoke Cultivator’s weakness: while He Haiqin’s body turned to smoke, he intended to blow him apart completely—until nothing remained but ash and dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haiqin strained every ounce of strength to solidify his body, but Lu Dongjun’s wind was too fierce—he could not withstand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cheeks split open, blue smoke seeping from the wounds; his entire body erupted with scars, and thick plumes of smoke poured outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Haiqin’s body teetered on the brink of collapse when the carriage door suddenly opened and He Haiqin stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun froze, confused why He Haiqin had appeared inside the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he been hiding on the train all along?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then why hadn’t he shown himself sooner?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Dongjun swiftly swung his palm, determined to kill He Haiqin at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gale rushed toward him; He Haiqin opened his mouth and sucked the wind inside—along with part of the smoke—he chewed it once, then swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ninth-layer Food Cultivator technique: Swallowing the Mountains and Rivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it!” He Haiqin cursed. “I raced all the way here and got a bellyful of cold wind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: This is a train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where did He Haiqin come from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dear readers, Happy New Year!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1766,"2026-06-20T03:43:13.043Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ee6ebb46907491d9c43053b87b33f4f29bb8ea135362a027a3f147564bd81d30","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-167","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-165",863,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-proles-cover.jpg"]