"Regarding your question on this matter, I believe it primarily involves the following three points..."
Liao Zihui really wanted to beat Sun Junfu to a pulp; he even wished this person would vanish from Puluo State. However, he couldn’t do that. The pen on his chest would record his every word and deed in Puluo State. Once the inspection concluded, Sun Junfu would personally take it back to the Outside Provinces.
BANG!
Just as Sun Junfu was getting to his second point, the steam car’s tire suddenly burst. The four bodyguards in the car, including the driver, immediately prepared for combat.
Sun Junfu thought it was a traffic accident. He angrily glared at the driver, "What’s going on? Don’t you people ever prioritize safety when you drive?"
BANG!
The driver exploded into a spray of blood and gore. Flesh and blood splattered across Sun Junfu’s face. His body began to tremble, and his features contorted.
"Err, errr..." Sounds squeezed from his throat, but it was unclear what he was trying to say.
The driver had been a Fifth Layer Cultivator. He died just like that, and no one on scene had even glimpsed the assassin.
The bodyguard in the passenger seat was at the Seventh Layer of cultivation, the highest among them. He immediately slid into the driver’s seat. While gripping the steering wheel, he pulled out a lever from beneath it and pumped it up and down twice.
The entire steam car suddenly vanished.
The car sped toward the Defense Agency, with Li Banfeng following unhurriedly behind.
Soon after, the two Sixth Layer bodyguards in the rearmost seat exploded one after the other. Even now, Liao Zihui hadn’t seen a trace of the assassin.
Liao Zihui panicked.
Liao Zihui curled up in the car, holding down the terrified Sun Junfu. He ripped open the leather upholstery on the back of the front passenger seat, pulled out a hand-crank, and turned it clockwise three times.
HUMMM.
After a muffled thrum, the Border Defense Envoy’s steam car disappeared.
This time, it had truly vanished. Even Li Banfeng, pushing his Golden Gaze Autumn Hair Technique to its absolute limit, could no longer detect any trace of the vehicle.
he wondered.
Li Banfeng tugged the brim of his hat lower and melted into the night.
However, at that moment, Liao Zihui and the others had not returned to the Defense Agency. They were still in the same spot, only now in a place Li Banfeng couldn’t see.
It was pitch black, and Liao Zihui couldn’t see what was outside either. All he could do was wait. Experience told him that waiting until daylight was the wisest choice.
But after ten-odd minutes, Liao Zihui changed his mind.
A suffocating stench assailed his nostrils. Liao Zihui looked at Sun Junfu beside him and asked, "Did you shit your pants?"
Sun Junfu’s face was deathly pale. He stammered, trembling, "I want to go back! Take me back immediately! I want to go back..."
Liao Zihui removed the pen from inside his shirt, held it to his mouth, and shouted, "Old Sun! You actually soiled yourself! Is this how you repay the trust placed in you? Is this how you shoulder the heavy responsibilities you were given?"
Truth be told, Liao Zihui was terrified himself.
...
Chu Huaijun sat in Yingchun Tower, chain-smoking.
His Strategist, Yuan Xionghui, said gently, "My Lord, the food is cold. Please, have a bite."
Chu Huaijun shook his head. "I’ve been thinking for ages, and I still can’t fathom the Border Defense Envoy’s intentions."
"Let’s not speculate on this," Yuan Xionghui advised cautiously. "We’ll send someone tomorrow to find out if something has happened at the Defense Agency."
Chu Huaijun’s expression was grave. "I’m not afraid of *them* running into trouble; I’m afraid the trouble is meant for *me*. Chief Envoy Liao is displeased with me, yet even now, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. We’ve done so much for the Defense Agency; we can’t let someone else steal our Peach at a time like this!"
The more Chu Huaijun thought about it, the more agitated he became. He completely lost his appetite, threw on his coat, and left Yingchun Tower.
A carriage was waiting downstairs. Just as Chu Huaijun boarded, he heard incessant whistling near his ear.
"It’s men from the Three Heroes Gang!" Strategist Yuan Xionghui recognized their distinct whistles.
Chu Huaijun remained very composed. "Sound them out first. Tell them to state their business clearly. No need for these crude tactics in front of me!"
Yuan Xionghui had intended to exchange a few words, but the whistling made him increasingly uneasy.
"My Lord," he said urgently, "they’re here to kill!"
Chu Huaijun sneered. "This is Yingchun Tower. This is the territory of the Chu Family and the Defense Agency. I’d like to see if they truly have such audacity."
The words had barely left his mouth when Shen Jinzhong, leading several dozen of the Three Heroes Gang’s top fighters, crossed the street toward them.
Yuan Xionghui stepped forward and called out, "Shen Great Gold Seal! Why not come inside for a cup of tea? We can discuss things calmly."
"Discuss my ass! Get out of my way! I’m here for your master," Shen Jinzhong spat, then gestured to Chu Huaijun. "I’ve already picked out a nice Stone for you—for your tombstone. Just give me your birthdate and time. Once I’ve collected your corpse, we can get you buried right away."