Chapter 85: Contact

“Oh, isn’t this Li Qi? Tsk tsk tsk, I heard you killed someone and fled, so why are you back? Aren’t you afraid of the constables? You’re right here, you caused a death, and running away was one thing, but now you’re back. Do you really think the yamen officials don’t care about adding to their performance at the end of the year?” Zhang Caitou made a strange sound, tsk-tsk-ing incessantly, when he saw Li Qi return.

This was the reason Li Qi had fled in the first place.

If you killed someone and fled, that was that. The constables would pretend it never happened, wouldn’t file a case, and nothing would come of it, since no one cared anyway.

But if you stayed put, they wouldn’t mind casually arresting you to boost their year-end performance.

Li Qi shook his head, not saying much.

However, Zhang Caitou suddenly realized that there was an extra person in front of him.

So fast!

How did he rush in front of him so silently!?

Of course he was fast!

In the mountains, Li Qi could race against goats with a flick of his finger, and his explosive speed allowed him to run a li within ten seconds.

That was a mountain path, requiring climbing and jumping to advance.

Now, on a clear straight path, Zhang Caitou didn't even react before he saw a black shadow rush over!

The next second, his vision went black, and he only felt a dull ache in his chest.

After several seconds, Zhang Caitou finally felt… pain.

Pain assailed him from all around his body.

The pain in his chest was especially severe! He instinctively knelt down, his body curled up like a shrimp, and he started coughing.

“Cough cough… cough cough… Ugh!”

He coughed and vomited, and his lower body even became incontinent.

Saliva, tears, vomit, snot, urine, all mixed together, he lay limp in a pile of his own filth, his eyes vacant, feeling nothing but pain and nausea.

That was natural. His vital chest and abdomen had been hit squarely by Li Qi’s punch, which incidentally broke several ribs, and he might even have internal bleeding. The fact that he didn’t die from this punch meant his body was quite robust.

“Hey, Zhang Caitou, don’t just focus on pissing yourself, what, weren’t you asking what the good news was?” Li Qi squatted down, looked at Zhang Caitou, and said faintly, “The good news for the Paibo Gang is that I’m back, that’s why everyone is so happy. Any problems?”

However, Zhang Caitou could no longer answer him.

His brain was currently muddled, his vision was no longer filled with stars but darkness, his whole body twitched uncontrollably from the intense pain, his eyes were pitch black, and his ears rang incessantly, clearly indicating he could no longer answer Li Qi’s words.

A Ninth-Grade Martial Artist like Zhang Caitou, twenty of them together, would only take two or three seconds.

After entering the ranks, a fundamental gap had already opened up between them and ordinary people.

The other Boat Towmen, however, were now completely silent.

Their necks seemed to have rusted as they stared blankly at Li Qi.

They knew Brother Li had become stronger after returning.

…Zhang Caitou, who had one or two hundred farmers under him, whose cultivation method could utilize earth power, ‘rooting’ himself in the ground like plants, was reputed to be able to withstand a full-force charge from a savage bull without moving back, as long as he stood on the ground.

This was already terrifying. A savage bull in this world was like a light tank from World War II. To be charged by a tank and then stop it with your body…

This was Zhang Caitou’s strength, and also the confidence he had to come to the Paibo Gang alone.

Once he arrived, the Paibo Gang wouldn't be able to keep him.

However, Zhang Caitou, who was said to not retreat even when hit by a savage bull, was directly punched by Li Qi and crumpled to the ground like a shrimp, unable to even speak, only able to vomit and shed tears.

With Martial Dao Ninth-Grade, plus the burst of Carp Current Intent, a full-strength blow could reach twenty to thirty thousand jin, which is the strength of four oxen.

Moreover, the force area of a fist is much smaller.

After throwing that punch, Li Qi frowned, looking at the stunned crowd, then stood up and waved his hand: “What are you standing around for, waiting for him to wake up? Haven’t you done this kind of thing with me before?”

These words immediately brought the Boat Towmen back to their senses.

They instantly became excited, cheering. Some looked for sticks, others for ropes, preparing swiftly and methodically, breaking Zhang Caitou’s toes to prevent him from escaping, then tying him up tightly with ropes and hanging him up.

They were well-versed in this kind of thing.

For low-level Gangs, mutual brawling and fighting for their lives were commonplace. Li Qi had led people to do many such things before!

At this reminder, the many Boat Towmen immediately regained their muscle memory, swarming forward, skillfully breaking legs, tying people up, and hanging them, laughing as they tied, and then everyone cheered together.

Indeed! Brother Li was still that Brother Li!

Still that Brother Li who was the smartest, bravest, most righteous, and most considerate of his brothers in the Gang!

In the past, when Brother Li led them out to fight for interests and territory, he often did this kind of thing!

Now, the powerful and unfamiliar Li Qi, and the familiar Li Qi from before, gradually merged into one figure. The Boat Towmen no longer had any doubts. After finishing their tasks, they all gathered in front of Li Qi.

Some praised him, some chatted about daily life, and of course, most of them asked what had happened to Li Qi over the past half month.

“Alright! So many people chattering, it’s deafening! Shut up, go buy some wine and meat first, we’ll talk slowly when we eat tonight!” Li Qi waved his hand, dismissing the crowd, and instructed them.

Since Brother Li had spoken, the Boat Towmen naturally wouldn’t be tactless. One by one, they joked, happily linking arms with each other, holding the gold Li Qi gave them, passing it around, taking a bite each, finding it incredibly novel.

That’s right, they had never actually touched gold before.

This was gold!

Such a small piece was worth tens of thousands of coins!

Watching their expressions, Li Qi couldn’t help but sigh, Uncle Liu was still more composed, with a steady demeanor, the first thing he considered when he got the gold was how he would use it, and then how he would distribute it.

Then he heard a crack.

“Hmm…?” Li Qi was curious about the sound. He looked back and saw Uncle Liu clutching his mouth, hopping in pain, still clutching a gold cake in his hand.

He had bitten the gold cake and chipped his tooth.

Elderly people have poor teeth.

Seeing this, Li Qi slapped his forehead.

Well, I take back what I said.

Let’s first look at Zhang Caitou’s matter.

The person had already been hung up, just weakly dangling, without even the strength to raise his hand.

Li Qi grabbed some Lifter’s water bottle, raised his hand and splashed it on Zhang Caitou’s face, at any rate, he first managed to wake him up.

“Zhang Caitou, now can you tell me who that important person behind you is? Why did you suddenly think of coming alone to the Paibo Gang to cause trouble?”

However, just as Li Qi finished asking, it wasn’t Zhang Caitou who answered him.

“As expected of a state capital, it truly is a place of Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons. Even in this small Lifter Gang, there’s actually an Innate Martial Artist hidden.” A voice came from behind Li Qi, sounding quite distant.

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