[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-proles":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-proles-lord-of-the-proles-chapter-853":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},2291151,4478,"Chapter 853: Duan Tielu","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-853",853,"\u003Cp>“I came here to get a few Xuanyuan silkworms,” He Jiaqing explained to Li Banfeng. “I have many spell cultivators under me, and top-tier spell techniques require Xuanyuan silkworms to cast—surely you know this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t listen to his excuses!” Yang Xiangjun pulled out a vial. “Getting Xuanyuan silkworms isn’t hard—why stay here for so many days? This man looks untrustworthy; he won’t tell the truth. Kill him now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seventh Master, if you can’t bring yourself to do it, I’ll help you. Swallow this potion, and I’ll leave him a whole corpse!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing frowned at Yang Xiangjun. “Elder, have I ever offended you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you calling elder?” Yang Xiangjun sized up He Jiaqing. “Do you think dressing like a boy makes you one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beneath that skin, you might be a ninety-year-old grandpa!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing shook his head. “Don’t speak so carelessly. I’ve known Li Qi for years—we know each other inside and out. We’re not strangers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what if you’re old acquaintances?” Yang Xiangjun sneered. “Using that old connection to conspire with a Sui man against our Seventh Master—you’re even less worthy of mercy. Swallow the potion now, and I promise you won’t feel a thing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing stared blankly for a long moment. “Elder, explain clearly—who am I allied with?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng was about to ask about Duan Tielu, but Yang Xiangjun cut in: “You know who you’re allied with. Dare you speak aloud what your plot is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing said: “I don’t even know who you’re talking about—what plot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Xiangjun turned to Li Banfeng. “This fellow’s stubborn—he won’t talk. We’ve no use for him. Just kill him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng agreed: “Then kill him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait!” He Jiaqing grew angry, his eyes red as he glared at Li Banfeng. “I don’t know what grudge this elder holds against me—we’ve never met. He’s determined to kill me, yet he’s the one being unreasonable. Why are you siding with him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice trembled as he spoke: “Brother, I don’t understand why this is happening. I’m not the only one here in the Spell and Demon Ruins searching for Xuanyuan silkworms—acquiring them isn’t easy; many stay for weeks, even months. Now you’re slapping false charges on me—fine, but at least tell me clearly: who am I colluding with? Who am I working with? Who have I harmed? Even if you must take my life, explain it to me first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng was about to press for clarity when Yang Xiangjun snapped: “Why should I reveal such secrets to you? Is it worth risking exposure for a worthless worm like you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing nodded. “That’s fair. Since it’s inconvenient here, can we move somewhere else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed to the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Xiangjun, visibly reluctant, followed the two inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing pulled out a magic treasure and sealed off the surrounding area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng asked He Jiaqing: “Do you know where Duan Tielu is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Xiangjun stood ready—if He Jiaqing said yes, he was Duan Tielu’s accomplice and must die. If he said no, he was useless and must still die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing paused, then said: “I saw a suspicious person in the Spell and Demon Ruins. At first I thought he was here for the Xuanyuan silkworms too, so I didn’t pay him much attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But later I realized it wasn’t that simple—he never went near where the Xuanyuan silkworms appeared. His movements were concealed, especially his dwelling—I still haven’t found it. If Duan Tielu is in the Spell and Demon Ruins, this man is highly suspect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng looked at Yang Xiangjun. Yang Xiangjun said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing’s answer was too clever—Yang Xiangjun couldn’t find fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng asked Yang Xiangjun: “Have you seen this person he described?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Xiangjun shook his head. “I haven’t. He’s lying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing smiled. “Whether I’m lying or not, we’ll find out if we go outside. The day’s still early—we might still catch him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng told Yang Xiangjun: “Go back to the village. Tell the Spell and Demon cultivators to carry on as usual—don’t draw suspicion. I’ll go with He Jiaqing to investigate this man’s identity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Xiangjun looked astonished. “You’re going with him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” Li Banfeng saw nothing wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a top-tier Zhai Xiu; He Jiaqing was a top-tier Dao Xiu. Both had ways to avoid detection—far better suited than Yang Xiangjun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two left the village. Yang Xiangjun watched them, furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing shot Yang Xiangjun a scornful look, smirked, and as he left, deliberately reapplied powder to his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty miles north of the village stood a mountain. At its base, He Jiaqing found a hidden spot and sketched two quick lines in the snow, outlining the mountain’s general shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The man I mentioned often appears here. I’ve seen him near the mid-slope and the summit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng asked: “Why come to this mountain? Are there Xuanyuan silkworms here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing shook his head. “No Xuanyuan silkworms here. When I noticed Yang Xiangjun watching me, I tried to find shelter on this mountain to evade him. But once I spotted this man, I sensed he was more dangerous than Yang Xiangjun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng studied the mountain’s terrain. “What does this man look like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing shook his head. “I couldn’t make out his face or build, let alone his age. I tried using a locator treasure, but failed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng thought of Duan Tielu’s traits. “Did you try treasure-detection techniques? Duan Tielu carries many magic treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing nodded. “I did. But he fooled me with an illusion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng didn’t understand. “You knew it was an illusion—and still got fooled?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing said: “According to my technique, I detected over a thousand priceless treasures on this mountain. Think—how could one man carry a thousand treasures? It’s clearly a technique designed to confuse my judgment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s an illusion right in plain sight—but I lack the ability to break it. So I could only be deceived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice came from the Suishenju: “Old Seven, this might not be an illusion. Duan Tielu’s home might be here—maybe he really owns that many treasures. This mountain suits him perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng activated Qiji Bixiong and walked ahead. He Jiaqing used Dao Xiu technique “Dustless,” clearing their footprints behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At mid-slope, Li Banfeng suddenly stopped—he heard A Yu’s voice. She had sensed something inside the Suishenju.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The snow here has been disturbed. Duan Tielu’s house must be beneath it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng placed his palm on the snow, silently sensing danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danger was present—but mild. It felt like a skilled cultivator lay beneath, perhaps at the level of Zhang Gunli.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu’s strength should have triggered far greater danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snow melted slowly in his palm. Droplets clung to his skin, drifting briefly without evaporating, as if reluctant to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhai Xiu technique: “Family Treasures Known.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These droplets were now his family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The droplets seeped downward through the snow. Stronger danger gradually surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chill spread from his palm to his scalp. A Yu hadn’t exaggerated—when Li Banfeng ambushed Dan Chengjun, the danger then had been identical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Banfeng was no longer the same man. After countless battles, what danger could he not face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng pointed at the snow. “You go first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing shook his head, refusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng raised his palm and slashed sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing shuddered, hesitated, then knelt and blew steadily at the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dao Xiu technique: “Blow Ash to Find Cracks.” No ash here—only snow—but the technique still worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine snowflakes were blown deep into the snowpack, tracing along the mountain’s body. After ten minutes, He Jiaqing rose and pointed upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the essence of “Blow Ash to Find Cracks”—by blowing snow, he’d located the hidden fissures beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fissure might be a crack in rock—or Duan Tielu’s doorway. Further probing was needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two climbed further up. He Jiaqing pulled out a folding fan and poked a hole in the snow, judging direction. He pressed the fan into the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fan vanished for over ten minutes. Then He Jiaqing felt a response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wrote “door” in the snow—he’d found Duan Tielu’s entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t force it open. He made no sound. He looked to Li Banfeng, waiting for orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening the door might alert the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng nodded slightly, signaling He Jiaqing to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two walked further up the mountain; He Jiaqing pulled out a folding fan from his sleeve, poked a hole in the snow, roughly judged the direction, then pressed the fan into the snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He manipulated the fan, opening a crack. Confirming no traps inside, he raised his hand, signaling Li Banfeng to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng used “Ride the Wind and Clouds” to lift off. He Jiaqing erased their footprints, then twisted his body into a long shape and slipped through the hole left by the fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, the fan emerged from the hole, unfurled, and fluttered twice before Li Banfeng—its surface bore the words: “All clear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing’s scouting was efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng didn’t use the door. He used “Unimpeded Passage” and passed directly through the snow into the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he entered, he sensed something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him stretched a corridor—at least a hundred meters long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On both sides were rooms, with staircases and ladders leading upstairs and down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a vast space—no matter how fast or skilled He Jiaqing was, he couldn’t have scouted it all in minutes. How could he dare write “all clear” on the fan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t scouted at all—he’d just fled?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if He Jiaqing dared flee, he wouldn’t risk lying with the fan. If he did, and Li Banfeng survived, He Jiaqing was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he hadn’t fled, where could he be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Captured by Duan Tielu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To capture He Jiaqing so quickly, Duan Tielu’s strength must be immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But He Jiaqing entered through the front door—Duan Tielu would be on guard. Li Banfeng passed through the wall—he might go unnoticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng opened the doors of rooms along the corridor one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first room was cramped. Though spacious—over a hundred square meters—it was packed with pipes and valves, stiflingly hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the kid didn’t run, where could he have gone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Already captured by Duan Tielu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To catch He Jiaqing in such a short time, Duan Tielu’s strength must be too formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But He Jiaqing took the main door, so Duan Tielu surely had guards posted. Li Banfeng went through the wall—Duan Tielu might not even notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng pushed open the rooms one by one along the corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first room was cramped; though its area was large—over a hundred square meters by sight—it was filled with countless pipes and valves, and the air inside was stiflingly hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second room contained only a water pump, large and noisy, its vibrations giving Li Banfeng a ringing in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as soon as he closed the door, all noise vanished, the stifling heat from the steam disappeared, and the corridor grew cool, chilly, and utterly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng prepared to open the third door—he shivered, and sudden danger surged upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He placed his right hand on the doorknob and released Banfeng Yi and Banfeng Zi to stand guard before the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he pushed the door open, Li Banfeng froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the room was a massive yellow oil tank, labeled “Lubricating Oil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had built many factories at the soda kiln and had seen countless similar tanks; this lubricating oil tank, outwardly, showed no issues beyond a slight leak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After closing the door, Li Banfeng still pondered where the danger came from. After a moment’s thought, a chill slowly crept into his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To sense danger where none existed—what did that prove?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If danger could not be sensed, was that place still safe?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng realized his ability to avoid misfortune and seek fortune had failed him—Duan Tielu had used some magic treasure to disrupt his technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of magic treasure could disrupt the avoidance of misfortune?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng dared not explore further recklessly; he released the twelve Earthly Branch shadows and examined every room along the corridor one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rooms on this floor housed various equipment, nothing unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng descended a staircase to the upper floor, where there were even more rooms—some filled with numerous instruments, others with control panels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw no one in either floor; he sent Banfeng Zi with six shadows upstairs, while he took the other six downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The layout downstairs was simpler: each room was nearly the same size, containing beds, wardrobes, and tables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this the staff dormitory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One room had four beds; over thirty rooms lined the floor. Duan Tielu clearly had many subordinates—but where were they all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking to the center of the corridor, Li Banfeng saw a grand hall, its walls bearing faint patterns and text—like a leaderboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed Duan Tielu had a habit of performance evaluations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite the leaderboard wall stood the main door; Li Banfeng walked toward it, wondering if it led outside. His hand barely touched the doorframe—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a voice said: “You haven’t left yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether I leave or not, what’s it to you?” Li Banfeng thought—why had those words slipped out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He followed the voice’s source and looked toward the left wall of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where once had been a gray-white wall, now stood a glass window; an old man inside smiled at Li Banfeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder those words had slipped out—they had long lingered in Li Banfeng’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in the dormitory of Yuezhou University, ever since he’d seen off He Jiaqing, the gatekeeper would occasionally ask Li Banfeng: “You haven’t left yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had once been furious at those words—and the gatekeeper’s voice and tone were identical to the old man before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he look the same?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had the gatekeeper looked like?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t recall the gatekeeper’s face, nor could he clearly make out the old man’s features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng stared at the old man’s face for a moment—each feature was sharp, yet the whole face blurred when viewed together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a Zhai Xiu’s talent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried a Zhai Xiu magic treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man leaned against the glass window and said to Li Banfeng: “You’ve seen every room—why haven’t you left yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng turned to face the glass window: “I came all this way, and you won’t even offer me tea? You want me to leave without so much as a cup?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man opened the glass door and handed him a teacup: “We’re not strangers—why be so formal? Drink your tea and leave quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng took the cup, sipped the tea, and asked: “Are you Duan Tielu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a guess—he’d heard Duan Tielu’s voice through Ayu, and it matched this old man’s exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu smiled: “Sounds like you’ve known me before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng shook his head: “I never knew you before. Were you the dorm supervisor in Dorm Six at Yuezhou University?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu nodded: “I held the job for a few days. Found it amusing—sat in a small room, did nothing but hassle people, got free meals and lodging, and even got paid. You won’t find a better job in Puluozhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng agreed: “In Puluozhou, people like you rarely live past the next morning. When did you start as dorm supervisor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu said: “The day He Jiaqing put the Xuan Sheng Honglian into the campus supermarket.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng asked: “What does that have to do with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of it, Duan Tielu sighed: “Originally, nothing to do with me—but I built that storage locker. I’m responsible for after-sales. If something went wrong and they blamed me, I’d be in deep trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng roughly calculated: “You’re not losing out—you wanted the Honglian, didn’t you? Just take it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What would I do with that thing?” Duan Tielu sneered. “If I wanted it, I’d make one myself. It’s just a pill furnace—what’s so special?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, I don’t even know if what He Jiaqing put in was the Honglian. If it isn’t, who knows what it is? As long as it’s in that locker, I can’t rest easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young Master He, isn’t that the truth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his words ended, a figure appeared on the wall where the leaderboard had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing’s body was half outside the wall, half embedded within it, like a bas-relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu looked at He Jiaqing: “You’re such a foolish child. You’re a wealthy heir, a once-in-a-generation genius, and the Hand-Foot Alliance worships you. Why hide the Honglian in my locker? Why drag me into this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing said: “Senior, I never meant to drag you in. I thought placing it in the locker would return it to the Dark Star Bureau.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The locker connects to the Dark Star Bureau. If it returned, wouldn’t that be perfect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect? Pfft! How could you say that?” Duan Tielu stared at He Jiaqing. “Your Hand-Foot Alliance went through so much trouble to retrieve the Xuan Sheng Honglian—only for it to vanish back into my locker? In the end, they’ll still blame me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The moment you put the Honglian in the locker, I severed its link to the Dark Star Bureau. It can’t return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s waiting for Li Banfeng to take it out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Li Banfeng: “You’re making me anxious. I’ve been begging you to take it and leave—yet you won’t go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng frowned: “How did you beg? You just chased me out every day! You never mentioned the locker or the Honglian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu grew angry: “If I told you about the Honglian, that means I knew about it—and if I knew, they’d still blame me in the end!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng sighed deeply: “You’re even more cautious than Che Wushang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu froze, his gaze darkening: “Comparing me to Che Wushang? That’s an insult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Regardless, the past is past. Li Qi, you’re now the top boss of Puluozhou. I don’t want to offend you—but I’m not afraid of you either. Take He Jiaqing and leave now. We’ll pretend we never met.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you insist on causing trouble, I’ll meet you head-on. I’ve survived this long through real skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng said: “I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m here to negotiate a business deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu shook his head slightly: “Today’s almanac says it’s inauspicious for business. Come back on a better day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fair enough. Then another time.” Li Banfeng drained the last sip of tea and handed the cup back to Duan Tielu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu took the cup: “How was the tea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng praised: “Tastes fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t let me see you out!” Duan Tielu gestured to the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng glanced at He Jiaqing: “What about him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You decide!” Duan Tielu smiled. “You can pull him out—or I can let him out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then please let him out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu placed the cup on the table and waved his hand toward He Jiaqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing fell from the wall, crashing hard to the floor. He rose immediately and stepped behind Li Banfeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng said nothing more and pushed open the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside lay a snowy expanse. Li Banfeng stepped out, leaving the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing was about to follow when he sensed something wrong—the snow outside looked familiar, like the place they’d entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But where was the hole he’d poked with his fan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing had erased all traces of their passage—but the hole his fan made in the snow remained. It was his escape route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the hole was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door shut. He Jiaqing did not leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu closed the glass window and looked at He Jiaqing: “He’s gone. Why are you still here? What are you waiting for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing turned to face Duan Tielu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu smiled: “Hurry up and go. He saved your life—you should die with him. Now he’s doomed—why aren’t you following him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing said: “We came to negotiate a deal. When the deal failed, we said nothing. Why must you try to kill us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Negotiate a deal? Dream on!” Duan Tielu twirled his teacup. “You came to my door—and you expected to walk out alive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Qi—how do I describe him? I told him to leave, and he just walked out. With a personality like that, how can he be top boss of Puluozhou? He’s asking for death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jiaqing turned to flee—then felt his legs turn to lead. He couldn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you thinking?” Duan Tielu stared at He Jiaqing. “I said you couldn’t leave alive. You think I’m joking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your master is a thief. You’re a thief. Thieves survive by sneaking, stealing a meal—why play grand strategies? Why scheme from afar? Do you even deserve it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll tell you this: the moment you put the Xuan Sheng Honglian in the locker, your life was deposited with me. I might collect it any day—you can’t keep it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu slammed the teacup onto the table!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burst of flame erupted instantly over He Jiaqing, engulfing him completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching He Jiaqing writhe in the flames, Duan Tielu smiled, stroking his cup: “Jiaqing, if it hurts, cry out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng stood nearby, pouring tea into Duan Tielu’s cup: “Tielu, if it’s too hot, just say so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Tielu turned his gaze to Li Banfeng, stunned: “How did you come back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng smiled: “I said I was going out, and you actually believed I left? Tielu, with a mind this small, how have you even lived this long?”\u003C\u002Fp>",3591,"2026-06-20T03:43:18.603Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3d4e9fdf7b30adcf407b71ef62813f6d7b1a84af578d1377b88a6cb07537f5a7","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-854","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-852",863,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-proles-cover.jpg"]