Until they left the room, these people were suddenly aware that their backs were soaked with cold sweat.
There was no other reason.
The pressure of facing the leader head-on was simply too immense.
The key issue was that Kong Xiangdong’s actions were completely unpredictable.
At his best, like now, he was reasonable and very friendly.
But when he did explode, he was like a pure madman, killing over trivial matters.
One can imagine the kind of pressure someone would endure working under such a leader.
Yet despite this, there were still a lot of Sea Gatherers working under Kong Xiangdong, second only to the former Old Leader.
The reason was simple: even though Kong Xiangdong was violent and crazy, he exploited his subordinates the least.
Especially for those Sea Gatherers, as long as you paid your dues, Kong Xiangdong rarely bothered you.
And when trouble did arise, he would stand up for you without hesitation.
It was these two seemingly simple standards that allowed Kong Xiangdong to stand out, making others overlook his violence and madness.
Imagine what others must be like in comparison.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the afternoon of the next day.
Afternoon only lasted two hours from lunchtime to sunset.
So time was very pressing.
Zhao Ya and Jing Rou had just finished lunch at the inn when Yang Zhan arrived.
He led the two to a brothel.
At this time of day, the brothel was remarkably quiet for once.
The Sea Gatherers, exhausted after a busy night, had left in the morning to continue their desperate fights at sea.
Those who had gains hadn’t yet made it back to the brothel, providing a rare moment of leisure for the women there.
They would use this precious time of their own to rest, sleep, drink, and chat.
Cold weather made alcohol the most popular commodity in town.
Even these women indulged, enjoying the brief euphoria of drunkenness.
So when Zhao Ya walked into the brothel, he saw a scene of women reeking of alcohol gathered in the warm hall, laughing and talking loudly.
Fuel was precious in the small town, so in the absence of customers, the women’s rooms remained unheated.
To stay warm, they gathered in the hall to enjoy what little warmth was available.
At this moment, some of these women were wildly complaining about their customers, others were silently weeping, pulling at their hair.
Some even jumped onto tables, dancing as if no one was watching.
Seeing these unrestrained women, Zhao Ya felt deeply moved.
To be honest, these women were not attractive.
Young and beautiful ones wouldn’t risk their lives coming to such a godforsaken place.
Yet this only heightened Zhao Ya’s sense of their desolation.
"Hey, handsome young man, come over here, let sister have a word with you!"
One woman noticed Zhao Ya, waving her hand and calling out loudly.
"Hehe, he’s even handsomer than I was when I was young. Young man, how old are you? Do you have a family? If not, how about me? Sister’s got the skills to make you feel heavenly!" Another woman said boldly.
Before Zhao Ya could reply, someone nearby spat, "Pah, you could be his mother and still dare to say such shameless things. Young man, don’t listen to her, come and let sister take care of you!"
No matter how powerful Zhao Ya was, he still felt overwhelmed by these women and quickly walked a few steps to escape their teasing.
A burst of laughter erupted behind him as Yang Zhan turned back to Zhao Ya with a smile.
"Little brother sure is popular with women, but don’t mind them, these ladies have always been bold, daring to say anything."
Zhao Ya returned a smile without saying a word.
They passed through the main hall and entered the backyard.
When they saw Kong Xiangdong, he was eating.
The meal was simple, just a large bowl of rice fried in lard.
Yet Kong Xiangdong ate with great care, chewing each bite thoroughly before swallowing.
Even Zhao Ya’s entrance didn’t disrupt this process.
Yang Zhan didn’t rush him, just stood by with a smile, waiting.
Since he said nothing, Zhao Ya and Jing Rou also remained silent.
The three of them quietly watched as Kong Xiangdong finished the entire greasy bowl of rice.
After eating, Kong Xiangdong let out a loud burp, then leaned back in his chair, satisfied, before looking up at Zhao Ya.
"Did you kill my man yesterday?"
With this question, the room’s atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Even though only Kong Xiangdong was present, Zhao Ya’s perception ability told him that at least fifty men were hiding around the building.
Yet Zhao Ya showed no sign of panic, simply nodding.
"Yes, it was me!"
Kong Xiangdong’s eyes gradually narrowed, but he said nothing.
The room fell into dead silence.
But soon, Jing Rou, standing behind Zhao Ya, sensed a slight breeze in the room.
At the same time, a strange scent, both fishy and fragrant, drifted by.
Jing Rou was taken aback, noticing that Yang Zhan, who had been standing in front, had retreated to a corner with a very serious expression.
It was then that Kong Xiangdong spoke, "A practitioner of the Poison Dao?"
"Aren’t you one too?" Zhao Ya replied calmly.
Silence engulfed them again, but the dining table between them began undergoing an astonishing transformation.
The large bowl of rice quickly turned black, and cracks appeared in the wooden table, which then turned into powder.
Startled, Jing Rou moved to a distant spot, holding her breath, not daring to watch further.
Clearly, Zhao Ya and Kong Xiangdong were engaged in a Poison Dao duel.
This was far more dangerous than a direct fight with blades.
At least blades could be seen.
Poison Dao duels were invisible, able to kill silently.
At that moment, the hardwood table collapsed silently into black powder.
"You lost!" Kong Xiangdong suddenly said with a smile.
Zhao Ya stepped back two paces, revealing a large black hole in the chest of his clothes, but his expression remained unchanged, and he waved his hand.
"Not necessarily!"
As he spoke, a black spot the size of a copper coin appeared on Kong Xiangdong’s wrist, rapidly expanding.
Although the black spot’s spread was quickly halted, then shrank back into nothingness, Kong Xiangdong looked grim.
Because by then, the hole in Zhao Ya’s chest had already revealed the smooth skin beneath.
The outcome was clear.
"Your Poison Technique is impressive!" Kong Xiangdong, being straightforward, conceded.
"Yours is not bad either," Zhao Ya replied blandly.
Meanwhile, he silently counted himself lucky.
If not for the Immune to Hundred Poisons ability, that strike would surely have hit him.
For no other reason.
Kong Xiangdong’s poisoning technique was too skillful.
The poisons used were complex and bizarre.
"Hahaha, who would’ve thought I’d meet such a master of the Poison Dao in this forsaken place. It’s exciting—bring the wine!"
After receiving praise from Zhao Ya, Kong Xiangdong was elated and immediately ordered wine and a feast to be prepared.
Soon, a lavish banquet was set up.
Kong Xiangdong sat in the center, with Zhao Ya beside him.
As for the others...
They sat as far from the two as possible.
No way around it.
It was simply too frightening.
Especially Yang Zhan, who looked at Zhao Ya with a complicated expression, thinking it was no wonder he had asked for a jug of Baijiu last night—he already knew there was more to it!
"Come, since we both study the Poison Dao, let’s drink first!" Kong Xiangdong said, raising his cup, very excited.
Zhao Ya didn’t refuse and drank the cup in one go.
From a distance, Jing Rou watched this scene, secretly worried for Zhao Ya.
This unorthodox Kong Xiangdong was unpredictable; drinking the wine he poured, was this really okay?
"Good, very bold!" Kong Xiangdong laughed heartily, also downing his cup.
After finishing the drink, Zhao Ya glanced at Kong Xiangdong and suddenly said, "You seem to be poisoned with a deadly toxin?"