Seventy SevenThe position that Li Shi Qing and Yan Ming stood allowed them to take in the whole scene all at once.
In the split second that everything happened, the person that was supporting Lu Wu from behind, reached his hand out to touch his neck before he started to slowly collapsed. Chen Wu—who was standing beside him—immediately raised his hand. Since he has a tall physique, even his slight movement could be seen by everyone present. With his signal, someone suddenly revealed a weapon, and the sound bang, bang, bang, along with a burst of urgent screams resonated. As quickly as it happened, it ended with seven or eight people collapsed in a pool of blood.
The last remaining people were not in the least surprised and instead appeared to have long expected this scene.
Li Shi Qing had already figured it out while Yan Ming and Ah Long, who stood beside him, were horrified by this sudden change of event that they could not utter a sound for a short while.
After Lu Wu collapsed, the person that had supported him a moment ago, now held onto him while shouting, “Wu Ye! Wu Ye!” Then he lifted his head to look at Chen Wu, and although his voice was pressed with panic, but the expression in his eyes carried a sense of awareness that seemed to smile. “Chen Wu, Wu Ye is dying!”
“What’s going on?” Chen Wu asked with severity.
“It’s poisoned!” That person answered, “Wu Ye has been poisoned!”
Rather than saying anything, Chen Wu simply lifted his eyes and looked over at Yan Ming.
“Poisoned?” he said, “Who did Wu Ye come in contact with a moment ago?”
There were no emotions in those eyes as it remained on Yan Ming who was like a deer in the headlight. Both of his legs stiffed, locking him place before he spoke, “I…this situation……it had nothing to do with me……”
“What do you mean it has nothing to do with you?” Chen Wu sneered, “You’re not only an expert in using poison and drugs but also the last person to be in close contact with Wu Ye. If it’s not you, who else could it be?” He waved his hand, “Seize him to avenge Wu Ye!”
When Yan Ming saw some people rushing toward him, he immediately pushed Li Shi Qing forward and ran toward Li Shi Qing’s car but just as he pulled the door open, someone grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. He struggled with all his might but to no avail as he was no match for four pairs of hands holding him down; quickly he was subdued by Chen Wu’s men.
“How unexpected,” Chen Wu crossed both his arms and looked at Yan Ming who had been pushed to stand in front of him. “From the surface, you appeared to have surrender to Wu Ye but you actually had an ulterior motive and poisoned him to death!”
By now, Yan Ming has already known that he has been completely tricked and death was inevitable. He boldly stood up and let out a hearty laugh, “Okay, okay…if I, Yan Ming, am able to be Haozhu[1] Chen’s scapegoat, than it is a worthy dead!”
Chen Wu looked at him blankly and waited for his laughter to come to a halt before he faintly said, “Who said I want you to die?”
Yan Ming instantly stared in shock.
The corner of Chen Wu’s mouth pulled back, exposing a smile. “I heard that you don’t take drugs, is that true?”
Yan Ming turned pale with fright and struggled to get free, “What do you want to do? Chen Wu! Don’t be so overbearing!”
“What is overbearing?” Chen Wu laughed cynically and asked, “I want to lock you up and make you become a drug addict then release you while announcing that the murderer who has poisoned our Wu Ye to death has escaped, and the one that captures him will be greatly rewarded. Yan Ming, is this considered overbearing?”
“Chen Wu! Chen Wu, f.u.c.king kill me now!!” Yan Ming’s face was deathly pale as he shouted and trembled, “There are no grievances or hatred between us, why are you treating me like this?!”
He cried out piteously as Chen Wu’s subordinates dragged him into a car; probably annoyed that he was be overly raucous, someone ruthlessly punched him. Whether he pa.s.sed out or not from that punch, his loud wail came to a spontaneous ending before the silent once again took over.
Since Li Shi Qing’s hands were tied to his back and Yan Ming had pushed him to the ground a moment ago, he maintained his position and did not get up. Seeing Yan Ming’s miserable situation—something that it could also happen to him—especially since it was his own nephew, Li Shi Qing couldn’t help but to break out in cold sweats. While he was panic-stricken, a shadowy figure has already shrouded over him, Chen Wu stood in front of him.
“You,” Li Shi Qing opened his mouth only to discover that his own voice was dry and rough. He immediately coughed and said, “Are you also going to treat me like that?”
“I actually do want you two, uncle and nephew, to keep each other company.” Chen Wu laughed grimly, “Unfortunately, Xiao Li did not agree to it.”
Li Shi Qing frowned.
“Do you think you understand him well? Let me tell you then,” Chen Wu crouched down in front of him, “Three years ago, Xiao Li didn’t come find me, I was the one that went looking for him. Who do you think told him the truth about what happened back then?” He stared at Li Shi Qing, revealing an even more ice-cold smile. “When he was locked up in the neighboring province’s prison that time, it also wasn’t him who came looking for me. I had thought of a way to intercept and stop him. Also, do you really thought it was Yan Ming’s plan when I lived with Xiao Yang?”
He reached out to grab Li Shi Qing’s collar and lowered his voice, “I hate Lu Wu. I thought Xiao Li would surely hate you as well but it was strange that he tried his best to be loyal to you whenever possible. He hesitated until now before making a move. And now that Lu Wu is dead, you get to live? What rights do you have?” He looked over carefully at Li Shi Qing with a very puzzling tone, “An old b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you, what rights do you have?”
Li Shi Qing looked at him with a complicated expression but then he suddenly smiled that held a miserable meaning behind it. “You’re asking me? How would I know?”
Chen Wu’s brows creased together as he thought about it. Then he snorted and stood up to face Ah Long and said, “You acted in accordance to Xiao Li’s opinion and protected this old thing, aren’t you annoyed as f.u.c.k?”
Ah Long smiled and took a few steps forward to stand beside Chen Wu. Chen Wu walked away with him then gave his subordinates a command. He watched as they took Li Shi Qing and his three bodyguards and tied them up in the car. After that, he and his subordinates brought Lu Wu and several other dead bodies into their respective cars. Soon, more than a dozen or more cars departed without a second thought, leaving behind stains of blood on the ground.
Li Shi Qing was tied up in the driver’s seat. He struggled for a long while only to discover that it was impossible to get loose. His expression slowly faded to grey as defeat lined his face. He’s been mixed up in this world all his life, and had encountered many mortal situations but now, there is a bone-chilling sensation slowly running up his spine that he has never experienced before. At the same time, his agile and robust body, and proud smile and demeanor subsequently faded slowly. There was only a pair of eyes that revealed a desolate look which would cause people to reminisce of a sadden wolf beneath the lonely moonlight.
He stared tenaciously at the road in front of him with a gloomy and resentful gaze, similar to a stone statue. It was only until half an hour later when he heard the sound of sirens in the distant did his eyes suddenly shifted. The distraught and bitterness instantly stopped and his eyes now filled with calmness did not move from the direction that the siren was coming from.
A total of three police cars appeared in the distance and stopped nearby and as one of the car door open, Xiao Li emerged.
He had on a black pants and a white shirt with rolled up sleeves. Underneath the moonlight, his tall and slender figure showed a gently and harmless handsomeness.
Li Shi Qing stared attentively at him and the heat in his eyes nearly burn the windshield.
However—without hesitation, Xiao Li went around to the other side of the police car, opened the door and helped Qi Xiu Yuan out who then leaned on his crutches.
In Li Shi Qing’s eyes, Qi Xiu Yuan was just an ordinary person. Not only did he lacked in grandeur, he was very much a useless and sorry figure. But Xiao Li used the kind of gentle gaze that looked at him as though he was not a wounded person with an arm cast hanging in front of his chest…as though he did not just slowly and unsightly got out of the car…as though he was not even a bit humiliated. More so, the expression on Qi Xiu Yuan’s face did not look like he was ashamed of himself. It was more like, he did not think he was ridiculous and it seemed, Xiao Li should not look at him like that either.
Li Shi Qing watched as Qu Xiu Yuan swayed and saw Xiao Li immediately reached out to support him. He watched as Qi Xiu Yuan placed his hand on Xiao Li’s waist. He watched as the two chatted, looked at each other and smiled, then after all that, he watched as they walked side by side toward his direction.
He closed his eyes and felt that all hope has turned to dust.
Translator’s Note:
[1] Haozhu Chen - is what Chen Wu is known as (Porcupine Chen). It’s like how Xiao Li’s Daoba Xiao (Scarred face Xiao)
Breakdown of what happened if you’re confused: After Lu Wu was stabbed, the person standing behind him quickly reached to touch his neck (pretending to support him) and poisoned him. Mini shootout; Chen Wu quickly blame Yan Ming for the poison since in the gang world he is known to work with drugs and poison but not use it. Chen Wu tells Li Shi Qing he is the one that told Xiao Li about his mother’s death, then subsequently he revealed that Ah Long—who is Li Shi Qing’s close bodyguard as mentioned in previous chapters—is actually working with Xiao Li and him. Everything else is clearly stated.