Chapter 312: Invincible in Battle

Lifting the half-curtain of white cloth hanging on the door, Li Li Xuewu walked into the bathhouse.

Surrounding him were slightly dim walls, and in the center was an exceptionally large soaking pool; the water appeared faintly yellow, perhaps due to the glare of the light bulb overhead.

Several burly men stood at the bathhouse entrance, each clutching a weapon.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu enter, Ma San'er lifted his chin, squinting as he sized Li Li Xuewu up.

Li Li Xuewu felt nothing amiss; he smiled, walked to the edge of the soaking pool, and like any regular patron come to bathe, reached out to grab a steel basin from the pool's tiled rim, scooped up a basin of water, and began pouring it over himself.

As mentioned earlier, when bathing, one must never rush straight into the soaking pool upon arrival; it is best to first warm the body with tempered water.

Showers did not exist at this time, so basins were placed in the bathhouse for people to use for rinsing.

Watching Li Li Xuewu slowly and methodically warm his body basin by basin, the several burly men exchanged glances, shifting their stances with curiosity.

In front of these brothers, this was the first time they had ever seen someone so audacious.

Li Li Xuewu finally scooped one last basin of water to rinse the tiled rim, sat down on it first, then kicked off his wooden slippers, shifted his position, and extended his legs into the soaking pool.

Ma San'er had been watching Li Li Xuewu through the mist rising from the pool, wanting to see what kind of character this was that Fu Fu Haibo was treating with such full attention.

Looking at him now, this Li Li Xuewu possessed neither three heads nor six arms.

Sitting on the tiled rim, Li Li Xuewu was also sizing up Ma San'er, wondering how this man had grown: short hair, a long narrow face, triangular eyes, with one eye perpetually narrowed to a slit.

Both men sat at the edge of the soaking pool, separated by several meters, a distance that provided each with a safe buffer.

"It must have been hard finding us?"

Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly, paying no heed to Ma San'er's teasing, and replied, "This is my job; what's there to call hard or not hard?"

"Tsk~"

Watching Li Li Xuewu's arrogant expression, Ma San'er sneered, "You're quite the joker; do all people from Jingcheng talk such nonsense?"

"Not necessarily~ Hiss~ Ah!"

Propping himself up on the tiled rim, Li Li Xuewu slid into the water and said while exhaling steam, "Have to say, this water is actually quite warm."

After acclimating to the temperature of the soaking pool, Li Li Xuewu closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth permeating his body and carrying away all his fatigue.

"I think people from Gangcheng are quite the jokers too."

Ma San'er lifted a cup, gulped down some liquor, and asked with a smile, "Damn it, aren't you afraid of me?"

"Afraid of what?"

"You walked in naked; I've got five guns here. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

"Heh!"

Since entering the soaking pool, Li Li Xuewu had kept his eyes closed, currently enjoying this rare Northeastern bathhouse experience.

Never mind that the environment was a bit poor; the key issue was the lack of a second floor, which left Li Li Xuewu feeling somewhat regretful.

"Sigh! ~~~"

Hearing Li Li Xuewu sigh, Ma San'er paused for a moment, then sneered coldly, "What kind of bullshit 'Tiger of the Security Division' is that? Did you give that title to yourself?"

Li Li Xuewu shook his head and said, "I don't know which bastard gave it to me either; damn his grandfather, I've been investigating for quite a while, damn it."

"Hehe."

Ma San'er asked with a laugh, "Why the sigh? Thinking of something as you face death?"

"No."

Li Li Xuewu raised a hand, pointed at the ceiling, and said, "No second floor."

"Huh?"

Ma San'er laughed and cursed, "This is a single-story district; where the hell are we supposed to find a second floor? What do you need a second floor for?"

Li Li Xuewu smacked his lips and said regretfully, "Second floor? There are so many fun things one can do on a second floor."

Not knowing what madness had seized Li Li Xuewu, Ma San'er set down the cup in his hand and said to Li Li Xuewu, "Fu Fu Haibo wants your life."

"Hehe."

Li Li Xuewu chuckled lightly twice, resting his head on the tiled rim as he floated in the water, and said with complete indifference, "There are many people who want my life; where does he rank among them?"

"You are truly fucking arrogant."

Loosely holding his empty cup, Ma San'er tapped it against the tiled surface with a clattering sound, squinting as he said, "I have no choice; I don't want to fight you either. After all, we have no past grievances and no recent feuds, but Fu Fu Haibo has backed me into a dead end; I have no choice but to kill you."

"Oh, oh."

Li Li Xuewu acknowledged him but remained floating in the water; just as Ma San'er had said it was like killing a chicken, he didn't even look at Ma San'er, nor at those several burly men outside the pool.

"What about Han Zhan? The one you captured."

With a cold expression, Ma San'er said, "I haven't even asked about the brother I left at the guesthouse; why would you ask about your comrade?"

He had long grown tired of Li Li Xuewu's arrogant demeanor; he had endured this long only to see what kind of person this really was.

Now seeing him, apart from knowing how to act cool, there was nothing impressive about him.

"Send him on his way!"

Having spoken these words, Ma San'er released the glass cup he was loosely holding.

The suddenly falling glass cup struck the tiled surface with a clattering sound.

"Ding!"

"Bang!"

"Clang!"

"Bang!"

"Clatter-rattle-rattle!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Accompanying the final lingering momentum of the cup, the increasingly urgent and dense clattering sounds were matched by the ever-accelerating "bang-bang" reports.

Ma San'er watched with wide eyes as Li Li Xuewu opposite him suddenly flipped over like a fish, drew a handgun from the water, hid behind the tiled rim of the soaking pool, and fired five consecutive shots at his own men.

"Damn it!"

Ma San'er grabbed the cup at hand and smashed it toward Li Li Xuewu's head; he simply had no suitable weapon within reach.

He still couldn't figure out how Li Li Xuewu had managed to hide such a large weapon.

Li Li Xuewu let the incoming glass cup strike his shoulder and bounce off, keeping his gun aimed at the bathroom doorway.

He remembered there were still two men outside.

Sure enough, these fellows were brave; hearing his Third Brother's furious curses and the gunshots, they rushed in wielding their guns.

These two men watched helplessly as their Third Brother waded through the water, struggling toward the pool's edge, only to see a black head crouching in the pool fire two shots directly at them.

"Bang! Bang!"

After firing, Li Li Xuewu didn't even check his results; he turned back to look at Ma San'er, who had frozen in place.

Seeing his two underlings taken out, Ma San'er halted his steps, letting the waves he had stirred up wash against his upper thighs.

"Huff~ huff~ huff~"

The violent sprint and tense emotions made Ma San'er's heart pound wildly; his body, soaked for so long, had long since lost its strength, and now he could only pant heavily.

Li Li Xuewu waved the M1911 in his hand and said, "Seven bullets, all gone."

As he spoke, he tucked the gun behind his waist, just as if he were dressed, wedging it into his belt.

Ma San'er watched closely, seeing that Li Li Xuewu's hand, now withdrawn, held no gun.

Damn his mother!

Could this bastard have hidden the gun in his butt crack?

Li Li Xuewu stood in the water with hands on hips, smiling at Ma San'er as he said, "Can we talk now?"

Ma San'er glared at Li Li Xuewu, gritting his teeth as he cursed, "Talk your mother!"

With that, he charged at Li Li Xuewu, intending to take him down by brute force.

In this Steel City region, others aside, Ma San'er himself had trained for several years; out on the streets, people had to address him as a martial artist.

Just looking at his body, though slightly fleshy, revealed evenly distributed muscles, indicating this man's combat prowess was not low.

But who was standing opposite him?

A professional killer; did he expect to discuss combat prowess? To posture with stances?

"Thud!"

Just as Ma San'er rushed toward Li Li Xuewu, Li Li Xuewu pushed off the pool bottom, extended his long leg, and delivered a powerful kick straight at Ma San'er.

Without waiting to see how far he had kicked Ma San'er, he exerted force with his legs again, slicing through the water to chase after him.

"Thud!"

"Bang!"

Kicked flat into the water, Ma San'er held his breath, crossed his arms, and blocked the punch Li Li Xuewu aimed at his chest.

Thanks to the water's cushioning, the blow still numbed Ma San'er's arms; exhaling sharply, he used the reaction force from the pool floor to kick upward toward Li Li Xuewu's groin.

Now fighting life against life, who would still abide by underworld rules and avoid kicking below the belt?

Li Li Xuewu, having thrown that punch, slid forward with the momentum, narrowly dodging Ma San'er's dirty trick.

He avoided the groin shot, but Ma San'er's kick still connected with his thigh.

Don't be misled by the loud bang when Li Li Xuewu hit Ma San'er; that was because Li Li Xuewu struck from above, with only the latter half of the motion entering the water.

Ma San'er, kicking up from the bottom, was entirely submerged; the water's resistance reduced his momentum, so his kick merely deflected Li Li Xuewu's trajectory.

Seizing this moment, Ma San'er rolled out of the water and stood up in the pool.

Meanwhile, Li Li Xuewu turned around and charged forward again.

Fighting in water was exhausting; the lower body moved as if in slow motion, making it impossible to gain speed.

But Li Li Xuewu's upper body faced no water resistance; his fists fell like raindrops, smashing down on Ma San'er's head and face.

Ma San'er had trained for several years and, having fought countless street brawls, had long developed formidable reflexes.

Yet even now, he could block less than one-fifth of Li Li Xuewu's punches; the rest landed squarely on Ma San'er's face and body.

Beaten by Li Li Xuewu, Ma San'er retreated step by step, all the way back to the spot where Li Li Xuewu had originally entered.

Retreating, Ma San'er suddenly spotted a shattered glass cup, its jagged edges gleaming with a sharp light.

It was the very glass cup Ma San'er had thrown earlier to distract Li Li Xuewu; it had bounced off Li Li Xuewu, struck the countertop, and shattered into shards.

"Fuck your mother!"

Enduring Li Li Xuewu's punches to his face twice, Ma San'er scooped up a handful of water to throw, then reached out to grab the broken glass.

Splashed by Ma San'er's handful of water, Li Li Xuewu stepped back; when he looked again, he saw the fellow holding the broken glass, grinning viciously at him.

"Hahaha, heaven never seals off all exits! Li Li Xuewu, pull out another gun!"

Watching Li Li Xuewu slowly retreat, Ma San'er advanced step by step, closing the distance.

"Come on, hit me again!"

"Aren't you so awesome!"

"Eight Extremities Fist!"

"Come on, let's see you..."

Before Ma San'er could finish his sentence, he watched helplessly as Li Li Xuewu raised a hand and flung a mass of water the size of a laundry basin straight down onto his head.

"Ugh!"

Anyone struck by nearly one cubic meter of water would be unable to withstand it; Ma San'er barely managed.

Although his stamina had drained severely, his lower stance remained stable; despite the massive water ball, he somehow held his ground.

Yet, at the moment of impact, his reflexes forced his eyes shut.

Realizing the danger, Ma San'er opened his eyes the instant he went underwater.

But no matter how fast he was, he couldn't match Li Li Xuewu, who had calculated this move against an unprepared opponent.

Just as Ma San'er opened his eyes, Li Li Xuewu's hand was already clamped onto Ma San'er's neck, pushing him backward.

Ma San'er was truly fierce; though his neck was choked so tightly he couldn't breathe, he still thrust the glass shard in his right hand desperately toward Li Li Xuewu's throat.

"Bang!"

Just as Ma San'er swung his arm down, Li Li Xuewu's left hand accurately seized Ma San'er's wrist.

Thus, Li Li Xuewu used his right hand to choke Ma San'er's neck and push him back, while his left hand gripped Ma San'er's hand holding the glass shard, locking strength against strength.

Blood from the cut on Ma San'er's hand by the glass shard dripped "drip, drip" into the pool water.

With his right hand captured, Ma San'er continuously pounded his left fist against Li Li Xuewu's head and face.

If it came to technique, Li Li Xuewu only knew those ruthless moves that defeat an enemy in one strike; he wasn't as flashy as Ma San'er, but if it came to raw strength, Ma San'er was merely a junior by comparison.

Choked by Li Li Xuewu until he couldn't breathe, Ma San'er's arms gradually lost their power; with a surge of force from Li Li Xuewu's hand, which was like a pair of tiger pliers, the glass shard slipped from Ma San'er's grasp.

That was not the end; Ma San'er's legs and feet had lost their strength, hindered by the water, and combined with the great force of Li Li Xuewu's push, he was pressed directly backward into the water, lying on his back.

Already unable to breathe, Ma San'er was desperately trying to inhale through his nose and mouth; now, pressed underwater, water suddenly rushed into his nose, causing a pain as sharp as being pricked by needles.

"Gulu gulu"

Bubbles kept rising in the soaking pool water, yet these bubbles became fewer and fewer.

Li Li Xuewu eased his grip slightly, pinched Ma San'er's neck, and lifted the man up again.

Suddenly pulled out of the water, Ma San'er began coughing "kekeke."

For the first time feeling that breathing was so comfortable, Ma San'er had just coughed out some water and taken one breath when he was pressed back into the water by Li Li Xuewu.

"Gululu"

"Gululu"

With both arms and neck restrained by Li Li Xuewu, no matter how much Ma San'er struggled with his left arm, it was all in vain.

When Ma San'er had exhaled all his air and was suffocating to the point of rolling his eyes white, Li Li Xuewu repeated the same method.

Thus, when Nie Nie Liansheng rushed in, he saw Li Li Xuewu "washing" Ma San'er.

Yes, in the eyes of Nie Nie Liansheng, who believed in repaying a foot of respect with a yard, Li Li Xuewu was absolutely not using violence; he was simply giving a criminal a bath.

Truly a good cadre, a good police officer, personally helping a criminal take a bath.

"Hu! Stop torturing me! I'll talk!"

Ma San'er really could not hold on any longer; aside from members of our Party with firm convictions, who in history could withstand such torture, let alone Ma San'er?

Taking advantage of this brief pause to gasp for air, Ma San'er closed his eyes, blinking rapidly, and said, "Keke, the person, hu, is..."

"It is Fu Fu Haibo."

The one who answered Li Li Xuewu was not Ma San'er, but Nie Nie Liansheng, who had walked to the edge of the soaking pool.

"The person you left at the guesthouse has arrived."

"Brother Brother Jiecheng?"

Li Li Xuewu tilted his head and saw Yan Brother Jiecheng walking in.

"Section... Li Kezhang, there's a phone call; a woman called, saying Fu Fu Haibo told her to pack the money and take the child, waiting for him to pick them up at seven o'clock."

"Bang!"

Li Li Xuewu swung his fist and began pounding Ma San'er, who was still gasping heavily.

"Damn your mother, you are useless now!"

With three punches, he smashed Ma San'er into the water, then reached down to pick up the glass shard from the bottom, walking step by step toward the poolside ledge.

"Team Leader Nie, you can deploy personnel around No. 17 Guancun Street, but it is best not to lift the citywide search; create the illusion that we are still chasing blindly without leads."

"Good."

Nie Nie Liansheng turned around and gave instructions to the people behind him.

Walking to the edge of the pool, he reached out and made a vague grabbing motion, picking up that flashy gun.

"Clang."

He threw the glass shard in his hand onto the ledge.

"This person is handed over to you."

He said this to Nie Nie Liansheng, who had turned back after finishing his instructions, then looked at Yan Brother Jiecheng, who was panting heavily.

"How did you get here?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng cleared his throat with a choke, then said, "The call came right after you left; I feared the news might leak, so I borrowed their bicycle to rush here."

Looking at his hands, which were frozen red, Li Li Xuewu rolled his eyes and said, "Is your brain working properly now?"

Allowing Yan Brother Jiecheng to help him up, he walked out of the water pool.

The men brought by Nie Nie Liansheng climbed onto the poolside ledge, shouting at Ma San'er, who was climbing out of the water, to come out.

No one knows the principle behind it, but walking out of the water feels as if the body is incredibly heavy; once out of the water surface, it feels different.

People in the past didn't understand this; when someone drowned, they said a water monkey was pulling the person down; perhaps it was this very sensation.

Supporting himself on Yan Brother Jiecheng's shoulder, Li Li Xuewu shuffled forward in his slippers as he walked out.

"Where is your little wife?"

Hearing Li Li Xuewu's tease, Yan Brother Jiecheng said with a bitter smile, "No... no."

Li Li Xuewu turned his head and asked with some amusement, "Did you seduce her and then abandon her?"

"No... no..."

Yan Brother Jiecheng stammered awkwardly, "I told her to wait for me at the guesthouse."

After leaving the bathroom, Li Li Xuewu handed the M1911 in his hand to Yan Brother Jiecheng to clean, while he took a dry Mao Jin from the rack, holding two corners and shaking it to air it out.

Li Li Xuewu dared not use this Mao Jin; he feared catching a disease.

Yan Brother Jiecheng took a Mao Jin and wiped that M1911 for Li Li Xuewu.

Don't blame me for specifically writing "M1911" here; if I just wrote "gun," some readers might misunderstand and think Yan Brother Jiecheng was helping Li Li Xuewu wipe his...

The water on his body was drying quickly due to the wind; although some droplets remained, Li Li Xuewu didn't want to wait any longer.

He tossed aside the Mao Jin, picked up the clothes from the basket, and began to dress.

He let Yan Brother Jiecheng help fasten the holster, then took the gun Yan Brother Jiecheng handed over and slid it into the sheath.

He still remembered that when they left, Sister Yu Li had been the one to fasten the holster...

After wiping his hair with the Mao Jin and pulling on his cotton cap, he pointed at the Type 56 assault rifle in the basket and said to Yan Brother Jiecheng, "Take it. Drive that three-wheeler with a sidecar to pack up the luggage at the guesthouse, then go to the First Hospital to find Liu Liu Zhaolun; you all wait for me there."

"Yes."

Yan Brother Jiecheng followed Li Li Xuewu outward, watching as Li Li Xuewu headed straight for the large jeep parked by the gate.

This wasn't the vehicle Nie Nie Liansheng had brought, nor did it belong to the bathhouse; it was Ma San'er's car.

It was a GAZ-69 two-door model.

This thing had many variations, the most significant being the two-door and four-door versions.

Both models shared the same chassis drive configuration and engine type, differing only in appearance.

The two-door GAZ-69 featured a standard canvas roof, two independent seats in the front row, and facing fold-down seats in the rear, accommodating three people per side, for a total capacity of eight occupants.

It was mainly used for transporting infantry squads and some light cargo like ammunition and supplies, with the spare tire mounted on the side of the vehicle body.

Ma San'er had begged Fu Fu Haibo for this; he often drove it around showing off, acting incredibly arrogant.

It used to belong to Ma San'er, but now it belonged to Li Li Xuewu.

Yan Brother Jiecheng watched Li Li Xuewu get into the car and hesitated before saying, "Li Kezhang, could I possibly..."

Li Li Xuewu started the engine, tilted his head, and squinted at Yan Brother Jiecheng as he asked, "Which 'Qin'?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng pulled a sour face and nodded at Li Li Xuewu.

"Li Kezhang, please help me; I want to be a man."

"You don't look like a man right now."

Li Li Xuewu glanced at Nie Nie Liansheng, who had followed them out; that old fellow really never left his side.

Nie Nie Liansheng was also very adept at handling people; seeing that Li Li Xuewu and the other had matters to discuss, he pointed toward Guancun Avenue, got into his vehicle, and left first.

Li Li Xuewu pursed his lips, glanced at the departing convoy, then looked at the desperately troubled Yan Brother Jiecheng and asked, "If you take this one back, what about Sister Yu Li?"

"She..."

Yan Brother Jiecheng stammered "she" for a long time but couldn't get the words out.

Li Li Xuewu pulled the car door shut and said, "Do you think I have time to waste words with you here?"

Yan Brother Jiecheng clung to the car door and said, "She doesn't mind being a concubine."

"Holy crap!"

Li Li Xuewu rolled down the window, looked at Yan Brother Jiecheng, and said, "You're doing pretty well for yourself, huh? Even more impressive than me; you've got a woman voluntarily offering to be your concubine?"

With a tearful face, Yan Brother Jiecheng pleaded to Li Li Xuewu, "Li Kezhang, I beg you, I really want to be a man; Ge Shuqin says she can do it; you know me, I... I... Li Kezhang, please help me; I'll do whatever you ask."

"Hold back those tears!"

Li Li Xuewu cursed once, then looked at Yan Brother Jiecheng and said, "Keeping a concubine isn't unusual these days, but those were usually managers or stewards from the old days who earned double wages; are you sure you can afford to support one?"

Without waiting for Yan Brother Jiecheng to answer, Li Li Xuewu continued, "You're a man too, and I understand that; if you want to support her, I won't stop you, but once you get home, you explain it clearly to Sister Yu Li yourself; don't let her blame me just because I brought you out."

"No, no."

Yan Brother Jiecheng waved his hands and said, "Yu Li and I have already agreed on it."

"What thing?"

Li Li Xuewu widened his eyes and asked, "You called home to ask about this?"

"No, no."

Yan Brother Jiecheng said, "It was when we were leaving; she told me... sigh, the two of us now..."

Li Li Xuewu pointed at the main road and said, "You decide your own affairs; just don't regret it."

"Thank you, Li Kezhang."

Having received Li Li Xuewu's consent, Yan Brother Jiecheng knew Li Li Xuewu would no longer pursue the matter regarding Ge Ge Shuqin.

Li Li Xuewu couldn't be bothered dealing with that woman Yao; he turned the steering wheel and drove out.

A grown man crying and whining to you about wanting to be a man—damn, Li Li Xuewu felt goosebumps rising all over.

They were about to catch Fu Fu Haibo now; as for Yan Brother Jiecheng, Li Li Xuewu couldn't be bothered speaking further; rotten mud cannot be built into a wall.

Guancun Avenue at night appeared very quiet; the light spilling from the windows of various households reflected off the accumulated snow in the courtyards, emitting a crystalline glow.

Li Li Xuewu parked the car at a distance and walked toward Number 17.

Standing at the courtyard gate and looking at the lights inside the villa, Li Li Xuewu pressed the doorbell.

Love it or hate it, the living environment here was truly impeccable; anyone without some power and influence couldn't possibly live in a place like this.

How much effort had Fu Fu Haibo exerted to arrange for his wife and child to stay here?

Zhou Wang Yamei had been waiting for Li Li Xuewu for some time; seeing him approach from the window, she walked out.

Opening the house door and seeing the man standing at the entrance, Zhou Wang Yamei steadied her nerves, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and stepped out.

"He called me and said he'd pick us up at seven."

Seeing Zhou Wang Yamei open the door, Li Li Xuewu pushed past her and walked inside.

"My people said so, which is why I came here to wait for him."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu walking into the room, Zhou Wang Yamei said with some difficulty, "My child..."

Li Li Xuewu turned back to look at Zhou Wang Yamei and said, "Rest assured, this has nothing to do with you or the child; I came specifically for this matter."

Saying this, he pulled open the inner door and walked in.

The little boy sitting by the fireplace playing with building blocks looked up.

Li Li Xuewu smiled and asked, "Do you remember me?"

The little boy looked at Li Li Xuewu, then shifted his gaze to Li Li Xuewu's arms.

He remembered that this afternoon, this man had pulled that "Gun of Kindness*Little Hammer" from his arms.

"I remember, Uncle from this afternoon."

"Hehe."

Li Li Xuewu let Zhou Wang Yamei hand him slippers at the doorway, put them on, and walked into the room.

Zhou Wang Yamei saw water dripping from Li Li Xuewu's head the moment he took off his hat.

"What happened to your head?"

Li Li Xuewu shook his head and said, "Caught Ma San'er at the bathhouse; he splashed me all over with water."

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at Li Li Xuewu, went to the first-floor bathroom, fetched a Mao Jin, and handed it to Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu took the Mao Jin, looked at it, and said with a smile, "Thank you."

"I should be the one thanking you."

"Hehe."

Li Li Xuewu knew what Zhou Wang Yamei meant; unconcerned, he dried his hair and walked toward the fireplace.

Li Li Xuewu understood Zhou Wang Yamei's meaning perfectly; it referred to the question she had just asked at the door.

When Zhou Wang Yamei mentioned the child earlier, she actually wanted to ask whether arresting Fu Fu Haibo would implicate the child.

If Fu Fu Haibo were arrested, would she, as a direct relative, be arrested too, and what would become of the child?

Furthermore, if Fu Fu Haibo were arrested, what would happen to this house, and would she and the child end up on the streets?

Li Li Xuewu's reply reassured Zhou Wang Yamei; his meaning was that he had come here specifically to ensure the safety of her and her son.

After speaking with Li Li Xuewu, the little boy continued fiddling with the building blocks in his hands, ignoring Li Li Xuewu even as he approached.

Shaking out the Mao Jin in his hand, he draped it around his neck, took off his outer leather jacket and handed it to Zhou Wang Yamei beside him, then sat directly on the rug in front of the fireplace as if he were in his own home.

"What are you building?"

"My home."

The little boy looked at the scar-faced uncle sitting before him and emphasized, "Our family's house."

"It does look very much like it."

Holding the leather jacket in her hand, Zhou Wang Yamei watched the two conversing by the fireplace, feeling a warmth flow into her parched heart.

Wasn't this precisely the scene she had dreamed of?

A husband, weary after a day's work, returning home and summoning his energy to play with his child.

Clutching the leather jacket, she sat on the sofa, leaned back against the cushion, and watched the interaction between Li Li Xuewu and the boy with a slight upturn of her lips.

The cold wind blew, making the large tree behind the house whistle loudly, while tonight's moon was obscured by dark clouds.

Fu Fu Haibo parked his car in front of his home, glanced left and right, and seeing no unusual situation, jumped out of the vehicle.

He strode toward the house, but just as he was about to take out his key to open the main gate, he saw that the gate was already open.

Fu Fu Haibo frowned, pushed the door open, and walked inside.

How could Xiao Mei be so careless, forgetting to close the door?

When he reached the courtyard and looked into the house, he saw his wife sitting on the sofa, staring blankly in the direction of the fireplace.

Fu Fu Haibo couldn't help but feel furious; at a time like this, she was still wearing those house clothes.

But as he drew closer, he sensed something was wrong; the little fellow chuckling by the fireplace was his son, but who was the big fellow with his back turned to him?

With a towel draped around his neck, had he just finished bathing?

Has this woman found a new lover?

Inside the room, Li Li Xuewu held out both hands, letting the little boy guess which held a coin, but no matter how the boy guessed, he couldn't get it right; frantic, the little boy climbed into Li Li Xuewu's lap to watch him divide the coins from the other side.

Watching her son being teased by Li Li Xuewu into flailing his arms and legs, Zhou Wang Yamei also began to laugh.

This heartwarming scene was witnessed in its entirety by Fu Fu Haibo, standing in the cold wind.

What was the cold wind compared to this?

Fu Fu Haibo's heart was now colder than the depths of this midwinter chill outside.

Damn it, who is Dai Maozi on me?!

Burning with rage, Fu Fu Haibo yanked the door open, marched into the house without even stopping at the entryway to change his shoes, and went straight into the main living room.

The sudden sound of the door opening interrupted the laughter inside; Zhou Wang Yamei, with traces of a smile still on her face, stared in shock at Fu Fu Haibo as he entered.

The little boy in Li Li Xuewu's arms turned his head to look at the newcomer, his smiling face instantly freezing.

How long had it been since Fu Fu Haibo last saw a smile on his son's face?

Since the first time he beat him, or since the first time he beat his mother?

Looking at the stunned mother and son, Fu Fu Haibo felt his heart grow even colder.

And to think he had been thinking of her and their son while on the run.

"Who the hell are you?"

Clutching his gun, Fu Fu Haibo gnashed his teeth as he glared at the figure sitting before the fireplace.

"Fu Haibo..."

"Shut up!"

Seeing Zhou Wang Yamei clutching that man's leather jacket and calling his name, Fu Fu Haibo felt a Mo Ming sense of humiliation.

Hearing Fu Fu Haibo's roar, the little boy was frightened; he scrambled out of Li Li Xuewu's lap, ran to the side of the sofa, and positioned himself in front of his mother.

Li Li Xuewu tossed the coin in his hand into the air, caught it the instant he stood up, turned around to face Fu Fu Haibo, and said, "Long time no see."

Watching Li Li Xuewu, who was smiling broadly, Fu Fu Haibo widened his eyes and shouted, "It's you! You're not…"

"I am."

Li Li Xuewu flicked the coin in his hand and said, "I did go to Nanguan Bathhouse, but that wasn't my crisis; it was Ma San'er's crisis."

Looking at Li Li Xuewu, whose face was full of smiles, Fu Fu Haibo raised the gun in his hand, pointed it at Li Li Xuewu, and said, "Since you've delivered yourself into my hands, I'll personally send you on your way."

Zhou Wang Yamei lifted her son into her arms, covered his head with her hands, and watched Fu Fu Haibo in terror.

Fu Fu Haibo now also knew that his wife had not given him a Dai Maozi, because he knew clearly exactly when Li Li Xuewu had arrived in Gangcheng.

Li Li Xuewu, however, said indifferently to Zhou Wang Yamei, "Take the child upstairs."

Zhou Wang Yamei looked at Fu Fu Haibo, then looked at Li Li Xuewu, her eyes full of sorrow.

Ignoring Fu Fu Haibo's gloomy expression, Li Li Xuewu smiled and said to Zhou Wang Yamei, "This is a war between men; it has nothing to do with women and children. Go upstairs; come down after this is settled here."

Holding her child, Zhou Wang Yamei took a deep look at Li Li Xuewu, then hurried upstairs.

Seeing that Li Li Xuewu had sent his wife away, Fu Fu Haibo said in a hoarse voice, "I shouldn't have let that good-for-nothing Ma San'er handle you."

Li Li Xuewu didn't pick up on Fu Fu Haibo's thread, but instead pointed at the sofa and said, "Chat?"

"What is there to chat about?"

Li Li Xuewu pointed outside the window and said, "You have nothing busy to do now; the only thing you can do is what I tell you to do."

Fu Fu Haibo whipped his head around, horrified to see that people had appeared at the villa's windows without his knowing, each holding a rifle aimed at him.

Looking further out, by his car at the entrance, someone was just carrying Han Zhan down.

"You really did bring people with you! Then you still dare to wait for me here?"

"Hey, I couldn't bear to just arrest you directly; we have so much to talk about. We've known each other by reputation for so long, yet we've only met once, and didn't even get a chance to speak."

"Say what?"

Fu Fu Haibo said mockingly, "Say how I toyed with you? Say how I took you down to serve as my cushion in death?"

"Hahaha, as long as you're happy."

Li Li Xuewu pulled the Mao Jin from around his neck, threw it onto the coffee table, walked over to the sofa, and sat down.

Just as if it were his own home, Li Li Xuewu pointed at the sofa opposite and said, "Please, sit."

Fu Fu Haibo was so angered by Li Li Xuewu's shamelessness that he laughed, shook his head, sat on the sofa, placed the gun in his hand on his thigh, with the muzzle nevertheless pointing in Li Li Xuewu's direction.

Li Li Xuewu took out his cigarette case, lit a cigarette for himself, then slid the cigarette case and lighter across the coffee table to Fu Fu Haibo.

Fu Fu Haibo looked at Li Li Xuewu, caught the cigarettes that had been slid over, held them in his hand to examine them, then took one out and lit it for himself.

After lighting up, he shoved the cigarette and lighter straight into his pocket, looked at Li Li Xuewu provocatively, and even patted his pocket.

The meaning was obvious: Li Li Xuewu was about to depart this world, so he would have no use for cigarettes or a lighter.

Li Li Xuewu gave a carefree smile, bent down, felt around under the coffee table, pulled out a gray ashtray, and placed it on the table.

Under Fu Fu Haibo's astonished gaze, Li Li Xuewu flicked his cigarette ash into the ashtray.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu's practiced manner, actually knowing the location of an ashtray that even he himself didn't know about, could he really have only arrived today?

"How did you find my home? I don't recall telling anyone where I live."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Take a guess."

Fu Fu Haibo knew his wife had sold him out, but what was certain was that his wife had not voluntarily betrayed him.

After so many years as husband and wife, there was still some affection and trust between them.

"Forget it, I don't want to know. Just tell me, what do you want to chat about? I don't have much time, and neither do you."

Li Li Xuewu took a drag of his cigarette and asked, "Can I ask why you want to return to Jingcheng? You seem to be living quite comfortably here."

While speaking, he even raised his hand and gestured around the room, saying, "A big villa, a car, a woman, money—it seems you have everything."

"Hehe, it doesn't hurt to tell you."

Fu Fu Haibo said with a smile, "It is precisely because I already have all these things that I want what I don't have."

"Oh, oh, oh."

Li Li Xuewu nodded in understanding; so Fu Fu Haibo was stirring up trouble to head for Jingcheng in order to advance, advance, and advance some more.

Drunk with beauty resting on one's knee, awake to wield power over the world?

Fu Fu Haibo said with a smile, "My primitive accumulation is already sufficient; once I return to Jingcheng, it will be enough for me to spread my wings and soar, unlike you."

While speaking, he even glanced at Li Li Xuewu with contempt, saying, "You've done no small number of deeds, yet promoting to a deputy division level is still so damn difficult."

"Hehehe."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "I am quite useless; I'm too timid. If the first step isn't firmly planted, I absolutely won't take the second."

He flicked his cigarette ash into the ashtray, then asked Fu Fu Haibo, "Are you really just going to leave like this? What about your uncle's family? Are you not going to look after them?"

Fu Fu Haibo tilted his head and said, "Why should I look after them? He brought this upon himself. From the start, I disagreed with Fu Changhua handling this matter, but my old uncle insisted on promoting and grooming his son. Hehe."

Watching Fu Fu Haibo's cold sneer, Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Fu Changhua didn't say it that way; he said he was implicated by you, otherwise this wouldn't have happened."

"Hehe."

Fu Fu Haibo let out a cold laugh and said, "Let him say whatever he wants."

Sometimes relatives are just like this: when nothing goes wrong, everyone is close kin; but once something happens, even one's own father counts for nothing, let alone an old uncle.

Li Li Xuewu took a drag of his cigarette, looked out the window, and asked, "Can I ask why you became like this?"

"What?"

Fu Fu Haibo frowned, looking at Li Li Xuewu in incomprehension.

"Your wife said you used to be a progressive youth."

"Hehehe, can you eat that?"

Fu Fu Haibo understood the intent behind Li Li Xuewu's question, pursed his lips, and said, "Could a progressive youth have his own car? His own villa? Could his wife do whatever she wanted? In those years… don't tell me you've never seen people eating… well, actually, you probably haven't."

While speaking, Fu Fu Haibo lifted his chin and said, "You probably never went hungry."

"Is this the reason you've been amassing wealth?"

Looking at Li Li Xuewu as he asked, Fu Fu Haibo leaned back, thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I've forgotten; I've forgotten who died right in front of me."

Taking a drag of his cigarette, Fu Fu Haibo lifted his head, looked into Li Li Xuewu's eyes, and said, "Aren't you just the same as me?"

"Hmm?"

Seeing Li Li Xuewu's pretense, Fu Fu Haibo mocked, "Don't tell me you found that jeep lying around, don't tell me you haven't confiscated other people's things, and don't tell me you aren't keeping women."

Only after speaking those last words did Fu Fu Haibo remember that the kid opposite him wasn't even married yet, so keeping a few women would be fine either way.

"Did you do that on purpose?"

"How could that be possible!"

Li Li Xuewu protested, "Just look at my face and you'll know; I'm ugly, no one gives me anything, I can't even find a woman, so where would I find one to keep? You're giving me too much credit."

"Hahahaha!"

Looking at Li Li Xuewu's scarred face, Fu Fu Haibo laughed happily, then said, "It seems rumors are just rumors after all; I was saying those anonymous letters couldn't be trusted."

Mentioning the anonymous letters, Fu Fu Haibo looked at Li Li Xuewu and asked, "You stirred up those anonymous letters, didn't you? You're truly vicious, both vicious and sinister."

"Hehehe."

Li Li Xuewu certainly wasn't going to admit to being sinister and vicious; smiling, he replied, "It wasn't me; perhaps some righteous worker couldn't stand it anymore. Haven't you seen that I've been reported myself?"

"Tch!"

Fu Fu Haibo shook his head and said, "I see things very directly: whoever benefits is the one who did it."

Li Li Xuewu smiled and asked, "Then does that mean the incidents at Jiaodaokou and Beixinqiao were your doing as well?"