Chapter 49. Today's Misfortune

The carriage Jinhai was riding in was blocked by the subordinates of the Black Cat Gang. In the chaotic scene where people were trying to calm the startled horses and others were shouting, someone was slapping the cheek of my subordinate who was disguised as a coachman.

What angers me now is not that my subordinate was slapped. It’s because the coachman is originally a member of the Haomen Clan. Therefore, to me, it looked like an ordinary coachman was being slapped, not a subordinate of the Black Cat Gang.

Without slowing down my lightness of body, I leaped into the air. A flying kick is a basic attack technique that boys can start practicing from around seven or eight years old and can easily perform until they are eighty. It’s often called the typical martial art of clumsy boys. As a representative of such clumsy boys, I, of course, can perform a flying kick.

First, while in the air, I extended my right leg straight. I slightly bent my left leg to act as a counterweight to maintain balance. It’s good to extend my right arm parallel to my right leg. I clenched my left fist slightly and pulled it back like a bowstring, ready for a counterattack.

With this posture, it’s a perfect flying kick that even the instructors of the Martial Arts Alliance would have no complaints about. With a “thud,” the person who was slapping the coachman flew far away, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

Jinhai, wearing a mask, couldn’t be seen clearly, but he was looking at me.

“What is a smelly servant doing here?”

“A smelly servant... That’s true. But I can’t tolerate being mocked for still smelling bad even after a bath.”

Jinhai retorted, “What nonsense? Do you think I’ll just let you off because you’re a senior brother’s servant?”

At this moment, the person who had been flown away by an unpowered flying kick approached.

“Master, I’ll take care of it.”

I crossed my arms and then moved at an incredible speed to deliver a side kick to the approaching swordsman. The swordsman barely managed to draw his sword halfway before being hit by the side kick and rolling on the ground. This time, he was unconscious, lying quietly.

I didn’t infuse my flying kick with internal energy, but I did for the side kick. That’s the difference. If you can’t gauge the situation even after I show you, I’ll have to hit you for real.

Jinhai scratched his cheek that had slipped out from under his mask. He seemed to be pondering something, having gauged my skills.

“You’ll have to answer to Senior Brother for your actions.”

Then, Jinhai sensed something strange and carefully observed the faces and atmosphere of the coachmen around him.

“You deliberately did this. You know I’m a disciple of the Great Monk and a member of the Jinshan Trading Company, don’t you? If you are Senior Brother Miao’s subordinates, the entire Black Cat Gang will face the Great Monk’s wrath. If you were paid to do this, our trading company will find out. I have an appointment today, so consider it fortunate that I’m letting you off with this.”

Jinhai pointed at me with his finger.

“And you, you don’t seem to be a servant. It’s not hard to uncover your identity if I spend some money.”

Jinhai saw me as an infiltrator from outside the Black Cat Gang. He’s smart, thinking of various possibilities.

I nodded as I approached Jinhai.

“Whether you find out or not.”

“Don’t come closer. You smell.”

I moved close to Jinhai and said, “I said I took a bath, but you’re still hitting me. Surround him widely so he can’t run.”

My subordinates moved back and took positions at various points along the road. Meanwhile, Jinhai and I engaged in a staring contest.

If Jinhai’s martial arts skills are around the seventh or eighth level, it means he is in the middle among the Twelve Divine Guards.

Jinhai, looking at me, quickly extended his right palm. I immediately extended my left palm.

A “crack” sounded as we began to clash with palm force. We simultaneously explosively increased our internal energy, releasing a powerful aura. Instantly, Jinhai’s billowing clothes swelled as if filled with wind.

Jinhai forced the fight into a palm force contest because he is the son of a trading company. This means...

Originally, as the son of a wealthy family, he was more confident in internal energy battles than in messy fights. Of course, it was a poor choice because he didn’t know my true identity.

The problem was that neither Jinhai nor I expected...

The Heaven Jade’s absorption phenomenon occurred. Because our palm centers (the center of the palm) were perfectly aligned, Jinhai’s internal energy was suddenly sucked into my palm.

Startled, Jinhai swung his left palm, and I had no choice but to block it with my right palm.

“Crack!”

The speed at which internal energy was being sucked in increased. The ground beneath our feet sank from the shock. Two powerful palm forces clashed, mixed, and were absorbed, leaving Jinhai in a state of shock, using all his strength.

Jinhai’s whole body trembled, and with a “thud,” his golden pig mask cracked. Only then did I see his expression.

Sweat poured down the face of a man who had never experienced hardship. He managed to speak.

“Let... let go!”

At this moment, I realized the selfish nature of the Heaven Jade. It was mercilessly absorbing the other person’s internal energy.

If I stopped this rashly, I might suffer internal injuries from the incoming palm force. Therefore, I had to stay alert.

If I didn’t end this at the right moment, Jinhai would lose his life. Although I intended to deal with all the Twelve Divine Guards, Jinhai’s death would be a serious issue.

However, I didn’t want his soul or ghost to stick to the Heaven Jade. If that happened, I would be no different from the leader of the Demon Sect.

I want to survive in my own way, not become a monster like the leader of the Demon Sect.

Fortunately, when Jinhai’s internal energy was partially absorbed by the Heaven Jade, the strength of his palm force noticeably weakened. I managed to stop the absorption without any major issues. Jinhai staggered back and fell on his buttocks.

“Thud...”

I scratched the back of my head slightly.

‘I came to steal money, but ended up stealing internal energy.’

Jinhai looked at me with a lost expression.

“What did you do?”

Would this guy realize that I saved him out of kindness? How many chivalrous people like me are there in the world?

I said to Jinhai, “You attacked first. I just defended. If my martial art hadn’t pushed you away, you would have died right here. You know I deliberately stopped the palm force contest. Do you want me to absorb the rest of your internal energy?”

I squatted down and met his eyes.

Jinhai looked at me with a dazed expression.

“...”

I ordered my subordinates.

“Check the carriage. If we’re going to steal, we might as well take everything.”

Jinhai said, “Stop. There are items for Baiyu Xinjiang. Can you handle that?”

“Baiyu Xinjiang?”

Was Jinhai threatening me, or did he slip up?

I replied after hearing my subordinates’ report.

“Bring that small box over.”

A subordinate ran over with the small box and opened it without being asked. Inside were four roots of the same hundred-year-old white yam I had eaten.

I said with a surprised expression, “You’re making business unpleasant. Three roots for the Black Cat, four roots for Baiyu. You’re planning to bankrupt the Black Cat through a martial arts gambling match. Is that it?”

Jinhai smirked and replied, “Do you have any evidence?”

I slapped Jinhai’s cheek and said, “No, you little brat. What do you think?”

My subordinates replied, “Isn’t it a rigged match? Instead of deciding the ranking with martial arts, a middleman was cheating. Even in the underworld, this is a despicable act.”

A smart subordinate added, “If the Jinshan Trading Company gives half its wealth, they might not be punished.”

Jinhai was more afraid of the damage to the Jinshan Trading Company than today’s misfortune. His face was pale.

Not knowing how to threaten, I demonstrated.

“Should I report to the Black Cat Gang or the Great Monk? You choose. I don’t mind either. What do you think?”

My subordinates replied, “We like it too.”

“Sure, why not.”

“What if we report to both?”

I shook my head.

“That would be no fun. I’m trying to live an interesting life. Jinhai Xinjiang, it’s time to choose. Which one?”

I pretended to tap a small drum.

“Tap, tap, tap, choose quickly.”

Jinhai said with a troubled expression, “If you had a grudge against me, you would have killed me by now. In the end, humiliating me like this is not because of a grudge but for the wealth of my family. Let’s be honest about what we want. If you don’t report to the master, I’ll give you plenty of money.”

Before I could reply, a deep voice came from the other end of the road.

“Senior Brother, I’m here.”

Everyone’s attention shifted. Hongxin, looking tired, walked over, holding someone’s mask. Hongxin didn’t look well either, with bloodstains on his arm and part of his sleeve.

Jinhai looked at Hongxin in surprise.

“Why are you here?”

Hongxin looked at Jinhai and replied, “Were you caught too?”

Hongxin handed me a bloodstained green dog mask.

“The ambush failed, but I fought properly and settled the ranking. He’s in heaven now. Can you give me the antidote for this poor sister? I sometimes need to go to the bathroom urgently and can’t fight properly. Please show some mercy. The diarrhea keeps...”

I stood up and replied, “Hong Sister, well done. We should keep our promise.”

Jinhai looked at me again and asked, “Who are you?”

I made a deliberately displeased expression, and Hongxin, with dark circles under his eyes from diarrhea, slapped Jinhai’s cheek.

“What kind of attitude is that to Senior Brother?”

I nodded at Hongxin.

“Well done, Sister.”

“Thank you.”

I looked around and summarized.

“Good. Put the box back in Jinhai’s carriage. Clean up the rest and head back. Take the unconscious guy and release him later. I have to go somewhere with Hong Sister and Jinhai, so we’ll part here.”

I kicked Jinhai’s buttocks and said, “Call your coachman. We have a place to go.”

When Jinhai tried to speak, I looked at Hongxin.

Hongxin raised his hand silently.

“Golden Pig, don’t argue with Senior Brother.”

Jinhai, who didn’t say anything, was slapped again by Hongxin.

“Slap!”

I looked back and forth between Jinhai and Hongxin.

Was Jinhai originally unable to move against Hongxin, or was he holding back because he had lost his internal energy?

In any case, Hongxin was taking out his frustrations on Jinhai.

I mediated in a calm voice.

“Don’t fight so often, Senior Brothers.”

Jinhai touched his cheek and looked at me, while Hongxin slightly bowed his head.

“I’ll be careful.”

The three of us got into the carriage, with Hongxin and Jinhai sitting side by side and me opposite them.

The coachman asked, “Where should we go?”

I replied solemnly, “Hong Sister was cut by a sword, and Jin Disciple suffered internal injuries. We should go to a doctor, of course.”

“Which doctor should we go to?”

“There’s a doctor your master often calls.”

“Oh, I’ll take you there.”

I extended my hand to Hongxin, who placed the green dog mask on my hand. Has Hongxin reached the level where he can understand my intentions just by looking at my eyes? It was spot on.

I deliberately put on the green dog mask slowly...

Hongxin slowly made a fist salute and said, “Greetings, Senior Brother Lü.”

Jinhai’s eyes widened in shock.

“...!”

Hongxin, still in the fist salute position, frowned and glared at Jinhai. Expecting another slap, Jinhai fidgeted and made a fist salute to me.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Lü.”

I replied with a cold expression and a commanding tone.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

“...Yes.”