Young Master Lu’s two bodyguards reacted instantly. One massive boulder blocking the path could be an accident; two boulders blocking the road was undoubtedly a conspiracy. One guard remained in the car protecting Young Master Lu, while the other quickly stepped out, directing the men from the two trailing vehicles to form a tight defensive circle.
Zhou Tengyun gradually materialized from the darkness and walked toward them. The guard who had alighted spoke in a loud voice, “May I ask your esteemed name, sir? Have we offended you in any way? Do you know who is in that car?”
“Heh heh, there’s no need for you to know my name. Knowing too much is useless for men who are about to die.” Zhou Tengyun wore a rare, devil-may-care expression.
“Sir, the person in the car is the eldest son of the Lu family of Shuzhou Province. Are you absolutely certain you haven’t mistaken your target?” The guard noticed Zhou Tengyun’s powerful stride, his deep, steady breathing, and the dense killing aura radiating from him, which made the guard himself flinch. He quickly explained, “The man in the car is the eldest son of the Lu family from Shuzhou Province.”
“Oh, is that so? I’m indeed looking for the Lu young master from Shuzhou Province. Thank you for confirming that for me,” Zhou Tengyun said with a grin.
Seeing Zhou Tengyun’s overwhelming presence offered no room for negotiation, the guard signaled. Immediately, two burly men stepped forward and rushed toward Zhou Tengyun. Zhou Tengyun made no effort to dodge; he simply charged into them. Both men were sent flying, the crisp sound of snapping bones echoing as they were airborne, their breaths already extinguished before they hit the ground.
“Is this the level of your subordinates? Truly disappointing!” Zhou Tengyun shook his head, genuinely appearing to pity Young Master Lu.
“All of you, now!” The guard waved his hand, and the remaining eight strongmen immediately swarmed in, surrounding Zhou Tengyun in the center, while the guard pulled out a handgun.
“Individual strength is lacking, but numbers can be somewhat interesting,” Zhou Tengyun said with a smile. He then swiftly plunged into the cluster of men, using fists and feet until the entire group of bodyguards lay defeated on the ground. While Zhou Tengyun was amidst the melee, the guard hesitated to shoot for fear of hitting his own men. Seeing his companions all down, he instantly raised his weapon and fired.
Zhou Tengyun laughed heartily and casually pulled a shield from behind his back, bracing it in front of him. The bullet struck the shield with a dull thud, failing to penetrate; the projectile dropped uselessly to the ground. The guard was greatly astonished and fired several more shots in quick succession. Unfortunately for him, Zhou Tengyun’s shield was large enough that with slight rotations, he deflected every round.
The guard threw his now-empty handgun at Zhou Tengyun, then his feet blurred as he rapidly circled around to get behind him, kicking sharply toward Zhou Tengyun’s neck. Zhou Tengyun still did not evade, merely pivoting the shield to block the blow aimed at his throat. Seeing that he could not injure Zhou Tengyun, the guard employed his Qingshen technique, darting quickly around Zhou Tengyun, hoping to find a weakness.
Zhou Tengyun ignored him and walked toward the car where Young Master Lu was seated. The guard grew desperate, seizing a momentary gap, and threw a punch at Zhou Tengyun. Zhou Tengyun simply moved the shield to meet the incoming fist, blocking it instantly. Just then, there was a sharp explosion from the door of Young Master Lu’s car, and the door blew open, flying straight toward Zhou Tengyun.
Zhou Tengyun had already noted the most formidable guard inside the vehicle. Seeing the door hurtling toward him, he merely extended one hand and grasped the flying door firmly. The guard inside silently followed behind the door, delivering a palm strike toward Zhou Tengyun’s chest.
Zhou Tengyun suddenly tossed the shield he held, then swept the car door horizontally. The first guard reacted too late; he only saw a flash of white light, felt a strange numbness at his waist, watched his vital energy rapidly drain away, and then fell limply to the ground, utterly powerless. As he fell, he was still bewildered—how could his lower body still be standing there?
Having dispatched the first guard with the lightning speed of the car door, Zhou Tengyun rapidly retreated, narrowly dodging the palm strike aimed at his chest from the guard in the car.
The remaining guard stopped his pursuit and asked in a deep voice, “Your skill is extraordinary; we are no match for you. If you are opposing us for money, name your price. We will pay you a satisfactory sum if you stop now.”
“Heh heh, now you think of spending money to buy your life? Where was that generosity before? Besides, I wouldn't spare a glance for your petty sum. I came here today specifically to take your lives,” Zhou Tengyun continued to smile.
“Forgive my poor sight, but we have never met you before, surely we bear you no grudge? Why must you press us so relentlessly?” the guard demanded loudly.
“You talk far too much. Do you think stalling will bring you saviors? Or perhaps you’ve watched too many movies where the villain, before killing the hero, prattles on endlessly, answering all the hero’s myriad questions, only to let the hero stage a comeback?” Zhou Tengyun chuckled.
“You…” The guard tried to say more, but Zhou Tengyun gave him no further opportunity. He took a single stride and appeared beside the guard. The guard, fearing Zhou Tengyun’s might, tried to evade, but Zhou Tengyun suddenly spun behind him, seizing both of the guard’s shoulders. His hands acted like terrifying machinery, ripping the guard’s arms off, followed by a kick to the man’s back that sent him soaring into the sky. The guard spewed great gouts of blood while airborne and expired before he even landed.
Zhou Tengyun slowly turned and approached Young Master Lu’s car. There was no movement from within. Zhou Tengyun peered inside and discovered that Young Master Lu was not there. Enraged, he delivered a fierce kick that sent the car flying upward, tumbling down the hillside.
“Third Brother, why the anger? That brat isn’t going anywhere.” Liu Hui slowly emerged from the darkness, holding a struggling person in his grasp—it was none other than Young Master Lu. He tossed Lu in front of Zhou Tengyun.
While Zhou Tengyun was locked in intense combat with his bodyguards, Young Master Lu had quietly slipped out of the car, intending to flee through the small mountain path under the cover of darkness. However, he had been spotted by Liu Hui, who was concealed in the shadows, and subsequently recaptured.
“Two great sirs, spare my life! I can give you immense wealth, please let me go! Just name your price, and I will meet your demands immediately,” Young Master Lu pleaded, kneeling on the ground, trembling violently.
“Heh heh, now you’re willing to spend fortunes to save your skin. So why were you so stingy before?” Zhou Tengyun gazed down at Young Master Lu, smiling.
“Ah, I remember you now, you are from that Peach Blossom Spring…” Young Master Lu suddenly recognized Zhou Tengyun.
Zhou Tengyun didn't wait for him to finish. He lashed out directly with a whipping kick to Young Master Lu’s neck. The immense force snapped the man’s neck, sending his head flying a considerable distance until it rolled to a stop on the ground. His headless torso immediately collapsed.
Liu Hui stepped forward, retrieved a cell phone from beneath where Lu’s body had fallen. The phone was still connected, displaying a dialed number labeled “Dad.” Liu Hui hung up, pinched the phone between his palms, and crushed it with a sharp squeeze until it disintegrated into its components.
“Third Brother, let’s leave quickly. He just connected the call; we might be exposed,” Liu Hui urged.
With his vengeance exacted, Zhou Tengyun’s expression reverted to his usual icy demeanor. He picked up Young Master Lu’s severed head from the ground, placed it in a sack, and slung it onto his back. He then meticulously inspected the scene, erasing every possible trace, before leaving with Liu Hui. They reached the base of the hill and quickly drove away in the van.
Along the way, Zhou Tengyun remained silent, and Liu Hui didn't know what to say.
“Boss, I plan to take a couple of days off to return to my hometown and pay respects at the graves of my wife and daughter,” Zhou Tengyun suddenly stated.
“Oh, you took that Lu fellow’s head as an offering for them?” Liu Hui inquired.
“Yes. Once Ma Lao Er is dealt with, the score will be settled,” Zhou Tengyun replied.
“Alright, you go ahead. Light an incense stick for my sister-in-law and little niece for me, and contact me immediately if anything comes up.”
By the time Liu Hui returned to his villa, it was two in the morning. Huang Huali was frantic with worry over his sudden disappearance and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him safely back.
Feeling exhausted from the day's events, Liu Hui collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep, waking only the next morning. He habitually reached for his phone to check the time, only to realize it had been powered off since the previous night.
Liu Hui quickly turned on his phone. As soon as it booted up, dozens of missed call notifications flooded in, all from Liang Jingyue and Mei Peng. Startled, he immediately called Liang Jingyue. After a brief pause, she answered.
“Jingyue, I just turned my phone on. Why have you called so many times? What happened?” Liu Hui asked anxiously.
“Ahui, my father is in trouble,” Liang Jingyue choked out.
“What happened to Uncle?”
“Last night, several customers were dining at our Ju Wei Xuan restaurant. They suffered severe food poisoning. Those customers are currently in the hospital fighting for their lives. The police have detained Father, and Mei Peng and I are at the Public Security Bureau right now.” Liang Jingyue wept softly.
“Jingyue, don’t panic yet. I’ll make a call and find out the situation,” Liu Hui comforted her.
Liu Hui hung up on Liang Jingyue and dialed Secretary Wei. Secretary Wei sounded dispirited, his voice lacking energy. Upon learning what Liu Hui reported, he paused before saying, “Little Liu, I have heard about this incident. I can arrange for them to release your father-in-law for now, but I cannot completely resolve this trouble for you. This is because the people poisoned at your father-in-law’s establishment last night were personnel from the Ministry of Public Security. Their condition is still critical, and their superiors are relentlessly pursuing legal action to have your father-in-law imprisoned!”
“Then I thank you for your assistance, Secretary Wei,” Liu Hui said, hanging up. A deep sense of powerlessness flooded his heart. In Huaxia, he was merely an insignificant ant, easily crushed by countless powerful entities. Liang Bo’s incident last night was definitely not as simple as it appeared; knowing the other party was from the Ministry of Public Security confirmed it. Why did endless trouble keep finding him? The conclusion remained the same: he lacked the strength to truly defend himself. His long-established plan for future development was correct—he had to leave Huaxia to truly expand his career and realize his dreams.
Under the protection of his bodyguards, Liu Hui arrived at the police station where Liang Bo was being held. Liang Jingyue and Mei Peng were waiting there. They rose when they saw Liu Hui approach, and he quickly reassured Liang Jingyue.
At that moment, a policeman emerged from the interior and called out loudly, “Who is Liang Bo’s next of kin?”
Liang Jingyue immediately approached him and said, “I am Liang Bo’s daughter.”
The policeman looked at her and then stated, “Sign here, and you may take your father home.”
*Hidden Fish Goes to Sea* has become a laughingstock; its fourth application for the 'Three Rivers Recommendation' was rejected again. However, this time, Hidden Fish Goes to Sea has come to terms with it: he started writing purely for enjoyment. Recommendations are nice, but not essential. As long as the work he creates garners attention and affection from readers, Hidden Fish Goes to Sea is perfectly content. After all, he has his own job and does not rely on typing words for a living.
Hidden Fish Goes to Sea thanks the reader *Cat Cat Panda* (200) for the generous tip. Thank you!
Finally, I must say: if readers feel this book has potential, please bookmark and recommend it often! This would be a great show of support and help for Hidden Fish Goes to Sea.