Chapter 285

The tail of Li Miao's previous sentence had not yet dissipated when this group of five people pulled their weapons and killed their way over, fighting with Gao Anyu, who had stood up to block them.

The people of Great Shuo, who had already coexisted with "Jianghu people" for a thousand years, only took a few breaths to roar and surge out of the inn like a tide. Some of them were even particular, throwing meal money on the table before leaving.

Several copper coins were thrown on the table, spinning and buzzing.

Li Miao reached out to stop Cao Hanyan, who wanted to get up to help, and narrowed his eyes to examine the five people who were fighting with Gao Anyu.

To describe it in one word, it was "unremarkable."

Their clothing was ordinary, their appearance ugly. The shapes of the five weapons were all different, but they were either long sabers or long swords, all equally unremarkable. Their realm was also nothing to speak of, second or third-rate level.

The only thing worth mentioning was that these people were covered in dust, and from time to time, bursts of dust smoke vibrated from their bodies as they moved. They should have been on the road not long ago and hadn't had time to dust off their clothes after entering the city.

But Gao Anyu had only been walking the Jianghu for half a year since his amnesia, and he was ruthless, so he didn't have many living enemies in total; how could he have run into them so coincidentally in Yushan County?

Gao Anyu on the other side was also puzzled while fighting; the other party's martial arts really didn't have much distinguishability, they were all common goods, and the inheritance between them was different, so it was really difficult to recognize people from their martial arts.

So he had to look at the other party's face while fighting.

Fortunately, these people were unremarkable in other places, but their five faces could be said to be ugly in their own unique ways. Gao Anyu looked at them more and more familiarly, pondered for a moment, and finally realized and said.

"Oh, it's you guys."

He tilted his head and looked at the five people opposite him, puzzled.

"Why, don't want to live anymore?"

Speaking of the grudge between Gao Anyu and these five people, it had to be traced back to half a year ago, not long after he had just woken up from the mountains and wilderness.

At that time, Gao Anyu was even more "unfamiliar with human nature" than he was now. Coupled with the blank space in his mind, he knew nothing about the Jianghu or human relationships, and could only bump into the surrounding villages and towns like a headless fly.

One day he bumped into the hometown of these five people.

Actually, at that time, their combination was six people, and they were considered to have "some standing" on the green forest path, known in the Jianghu as "Cripple Meteor."

"Meteor" refers to these five people.

"Cripple" refers to the eldest brother who died at Gao Anyu's hands.

Those who know the underworld slang of the green forest path understand what these people were doing—"Cripple" is underworld slang for a human trafficker.

As for this "Meteor," in the eighteen kinds of weapons, it refers to the meteor hammer. The hammer head is hard and black, which also refers to the fact that these people were doing "hard work."

That is, the dirty work of draining the essence and spirit of the people after "Cripple" kidnapped them, so they could be sold.

Perhaps some might find it strange—these people had made a name for themselves in the Jianghu as human traffickers, so why didn't any famous righteous sects or righteous heroes want to eliminate harm for the people?

There were some, but not many.

Because these people were not doing ordinary human trafficking business. They belonged to a more high-end batch in this line, doing few jobs, but only catching "tender lotus roots"—that is, beautiful women, and then selling them to brothels with official backgrounds.

They didn't catch many people, so there weren't many victims.

The "clients" had official backgrounds, so those famous sects found it difficult to make a move against them, fearing to provoke trouble from the official side.

Therefore, the only ones who made a move against them were some Jianghu wanderers and lone heroes, and with the martial arts of these few, they were naturally more than capable of handling it.

Relying on this inhumane business, several people had accumulated a huge family fortune, bought fields and land in their hometowns, successfully achieved "class transition," and became not-so-small wealthy squires. They also colluded with the local government, and their days could be considered smooth sailing.

Speaking of one day half a year ago, the "Cripple" in the "Cripple Meteor" was idle, so he took a few retainers and servants to the street, walking with a steady pace.

The local commoners knew what kind of thing he was, and didn't want to touch his bad luck; seeing him coming, they all avoided him. He was also used to this treatment, so he walked swaggeringly forward.

As he was walking, a beggar walked toward him. He kept his head down, didn't turn, and walked straight toward him.

This "Cripple" also felt it was fresh, and looked carefully.

He saw that the beggar was in rags, covered in leaves and mud, as if he had just drilled out of the mountains, his hair disheveled, blocking his face, and only a wooden sword sheath hanging at his waist, as if it had been whittled out of a piece of wood found at random.

Seeing this sword sheath, the "Cripple's" heart lifted.

Having a weapon, he was eight parts likely to be a Jianghu person. Since he was a Jianghu person, running to his territory for no reason and walking straight toward him, it was hard to say if he was here to "eliminate demons and defend the way."

As for that beggar disguise—there was never a shortage of experts in the Jianghu who liked to engage in "performance art," and dressing as a beggar was one of the most common choices.

So he looked carefully again, and this look made his heart lift another notch.

Because the sword hilt exposed on the wooden sword sheath was made of a material he couldn't recognize—not gold, not silver, not copper, not iron, just a piece of pitch black, engraved with cloud patterns; just looking at the shape, he knew it wasn't the work of an ordinary blacksmith.

With a good weapon, the martial arts couldn't be much worse.

An expert disguised as a beggar, walking straight toward him, what else could he be wanting to do?

Eliminate demons and defend the way!

As an expert who had been deeply involved in the human trafficking business for nearly twenty years, "Cripple" had a clear self-awareness.

On the surface, he remained calm, but his hand had already reached to his waist, gripping his weapon. While pretending to chat with his retainers, he kept his peripheral vision fixed on the beggar, counting the distance.

Five yards, not stable enough.

Three yards, let him get a bit closer.

One yard... why hasn't the other party made a move yet? He was about to bump into his embrace!

He gritted his teeth: "No more waiting! I don't care if you're here for me or not, strike first! Kill you, and I'll sleep peacefully tonight!"

When the beggar walked straight over, almost sticking to his face, he smiled kindly and waved his hand, giving the other party a way.

When the beggar's side face reached him—he suddenly made a move! A plum blossom needle coated with poison stabbed coldly and silently toward the beggar's waist!

He had spent a lot of money to buy this poison from the Tang Men; as long as it scratched a bit of skin, the other party would definitely die! Seeing that the plum blossom needle was sticking to the beggar's clothes, only an inch away from stabbing him to death on the spot!

But then came a "ding" sound.

The plum blossom needle was blocked by a pitch-black ruler, and Gao Anyu turned his head blankly to look at the horrified "Cripple," asking in confusion.

"Are you sick?"