Chapter 80: Li Longhu
For several days in a row, Li Ye did nothing else, focusing solely on striking the underground forces within Ningjiang City.
Originally, Huang Qingyi was quite worried, but after Li Ye took out Xiang Tian, he felt at ease.
The one who defeated a Second Realm martial artist must be a Second Realm martial artist himself, and one capable of nearly instant kills like that was no ordinary Second Realm.
Especially after learning from Li Ye himself that he had broken through three passes to achieve Second Realm, it was like a massive boulder settling in his heart, unshakable.
The Deputy Bureau Chief was only Second Realm, and only with a single breakthrough at that— no different from these powerful gang bosses.
For someone from Six Dragon Gate like him to worry about Li Ye, who was Second Realm with three breakthroughs, was like a beggar worrying about whether a billionaire was doing well.
A few days later, at a high-end restaurant somewhere in East City District.
Huang Qingyi had just parked his motorcycle when a group of people came out to greet him at the entrance.
Leading them was Song Zhengyu with a face full of smiles. He bowed slightly and said fawningly with a smile, “Captain Huang, forgive us for not welcoming you from farther away. Please come in, please come in.”
Huang Qingyi was clearly stunned for a moment as he looked at Song Zhengyu. “Boss Song, what’s this?”
Leading the group was Song Zhengyu, the new boss of Fei Peng Gang’s Fei Peng Company. Beside him was Wang Yong, the boss of the largest nightclub in East City District. Behind them were the leaders of various large and small gangs in East City District.
In ancient times, these were local tyrants and outlaws. Times had changed, and so had their identities, but their essence remained the same.
This one wasn’t contracting some earthworks infrastructure project; that one was running some security company or another, or perhaps commanding a group of men to monopolize demonic creature resources in some deep mountain forest.
None of them were weak—after all, the weak couldn’t rise. The weakest were like Huang Qingyi, at Six Dragon Gate level.
Originally, when Li Ye told Huang Qingyi to come, he had been quite reluctant—these people looked down on him. But now the situation felt off. What was going on with them?
“It’s because Captain Huang came, so we’re giving you a welcome.”
Song Zhengyu had a fawning look on his face. He glanced around cautiously and asked, “Captain Huang, that… Captain Li…”
“Oh, Captain Li has something to do and isn’t coming. He asked me to pass on a few things.”
No sooner had he spoken than he clearly saw these people breathe a sigh of relief. Song Zhengyu’s slightly bowed posture straightened right up.
“If it’s Captain Li’s orders, of course we’ll listen respectfully. Captain Huang, we’ve prepared a simple meal. Let’s talk over food.”
Song Zhengyu made a welcoming gesture, leading Huang Qingyi forward while positioning himself obsequiously at his side behind.
The people behind formed a circle and spontaneously followed behind Huang Qingyi.
This made Huang Qingyi even more unaccustomed to it.
The group escorted Huang Qingyi to a luxurious private room, crowding around him to seat him at the head position and even bringing out a bottle of fine liquor.
“Rough tea and plain food, prepared in haste—please forgive us, Captain Huang.”
“Can’t drink. Still need to confirm demonic creature traces tonight.”
Huang Qingyi waved his hand. “I’m just here to relay Captain Li’s—”
Before he could finish, Song Zhengyu’s expression turned serious, and he clapped his hands:
“Captain Huang toils for the safety of Ningjiang City—we martial artists all look up to you as a model. And Captain Li, the esteemed elder, handles affairs day and night, laboring for Ningjiang City’s safety. We admire him deeply, admire him deeply!”
As he spoke, the group who had just sat down stood up one after another, faces full of admiration, clapping nonstop.
Huang Qingyi’s expression grew even stranger.
Captain Li the esteemed elder…
Hadn’t he just turned eighteen?
But suddenly, Huang Qingyi understood the source of his discomfort.
He’d never experienced this kind of respect and flattery before.
The Disinfection Bureau had dealt with these people before. Small gangs would give a bit of face, but only a bit. The big ones couldn’t care less, with an attitude of ‘investigate if you want, then get lost after you’re done.’
Even former squad captain Yue Duan and Captain Tang Zhe hadn’t received treatment like this—just a little extra face at most. If you pushed them too far, they’d even hit people.
That uniform was for dealing with demonic creatures, not them.
They were all martial artists—who was afraid of whom?
But now they were truly afraid. And the one they feared was none other than Li Ye, who had been on a killing spree these past few days.
Song Zhengyu didn’t know what Huang Qingyi was thinking and wouldn’t care if he did. He was genuinely afraid.
Li Ye really had gone on a killing spree these past few days.
Dragon Mountain Gang in North City District had risen by relying on Dragon Mountain’s ley lines. On Li Ye’s second night, they came knocking. Their gang boss Ye Ming was a Second Realm martial artist who had broken through Army Breaking Pass, with masterful staff techniques.
He was even three points stronger than Song Zhengyu’s late older brother. A figure like that had his iron staff twisted into a pretzel by Li Ye’s bare hands, then thrust from throat to abdomen, turning him into a skewer.
West District’s Jiang E Sect was even a local sect remnant, ranking as Ningjiang City’s top gang. Sect Master Jiang E not only excelled at Vajra Pass but had notable achievements at Qi Meridian Pass.
He had a group of nurtured disciples under him, strutting imposingly in West District—even the Ren Family treated them politely.
But Li Ye went there, and they were gone.
All of Jiang E Sect’s core disciples were killed, not a single one left. The sect master had his limbs torn off by Li Ye, heart pierced, head removed, and his entire family wiped out along the way.
When Song Zhengyu heard this news, he was truly both terrified and relieved.
Relieved that his luck had held and he hadn’t died; terrified that it was good he’d obediently listened, or he’d probably have met the same end.
If even he was this afraid, those who had personally experienced it but weren’t as strong as Song Zhengyu were even more terrified. As for the small gangs lucky enough not to be visited by Li Ye… hearing these feats and seeing stronger people trembling in fear.
What more was there to say? They surrendered outright.
In just these few days, Li Ye’s name spread throughout the downtown area’s underworld. Anyone who wasn’t afraid upon hearing it was already dead.
His claw technique was formidable, like a fierce tiger ripping prey; his aura enduring and long, like a dragon’s whisker touching the ground.
He fought his way to the title of Li Longhu in the underworld.
Pan Zhengyang was more famous, but his light didn’t reach these people—after all, they hadn’t torn faces back then; everyone still followed the rules.
If faces were torn, well, there was still the Ren Family—it had nothing to do with them.
But now it was different. Li Ye had barged right in for a thorough purge.
He’d killed off a good number of people in the process.
What about the Ren Family?
Why wasn’t the Ren Family coming out to save them!
Oh, the Ren Family was being blockaded at their door by Pan Zhengyang.
Soldier against soldier, general against general—and the generals hadn’t settled the score yet, but the rank-and-file were massacring the enemy side clean.
All they could do was surrender.
This extended even to Huang Qingyi, who usually stayed by Li Ye’s side. Normally, they’d have no dealings and wouldn’t even glance at him, but now a single call from him had them rushing out obediently to greet.
Was that Huang Qingyi?
There were only two Disinfection Officers in the downtown area. Normally Huang Qingyi was just Huang Qingyi, but at key moments, he was Li Ye’s incarnation!
Like right now!
“Boss Song is too polite.”
Huang Qingyi looked at the crowd still clapping, slightly pressing down his hand, and the applause around him stopped immediately.
Looking at this scene, and at the dishes on the table all made from high-end ingredients—better than the Disinfection Bureau canteen food, and clearly meticulously prepared— a trace of intoxication flashed in his eyes.
He hadn’t drunk any alcohol, but he was drunk.
Fox borrowing tiger’s might wasn’t good, but if the fox doing the borrowing was himself, then forget he said anything!
“First, let me relay Captain Li’s message.”
Huang Qingyi said, “Captain Li said you’ve all been very obedient these past few days and performed well. But for greater stability, he wants you to do one thing. Captain Li thinks that with the underground calmed, the surface isn’t. Our Disinfection Bureau still hasn’t restored ingredient supplies—Captain Li’s been working on an empty stomach.”
“Captain Li said, you shady types—you representatives—had better set an example.”
The original words were that you gutter rats should play a role in cleaning up filth, but Huang Qingyi ultimately didn’t dare say it outright and softened it a bit.
“This…”
Song Zhengyu stiffened. He understood what this meant.
It was telling them to act as vanguards and poke at the Ren Family’s legitimate industries.
But this was tricky.
Getting them to obey Li Ye was easy—they cooperated with the Ren Family mainly on interests, plus centuries of history there. It looked like they sided with the Ren Family, but not siding made them wallflowers at worst—no big issue.
But directly hitting Ren Family industries was another matter entirely—it meant making an enemy of the Ren Family.
“No problem! I’ll handle it right now! Whichever one Captain Li wants me to hit, I’ll hit it!”
The voice came from Wang Yong.
Song Zhengyu hesitated, but Wang Yong didn’t care.
He was purely a surrender faction—afraid of death, he’d thrown in with Li Ye. If the Ren Family won, he definitely wouldn’t fare well; he could only go all the way down this path… to the end? White?
“Fine!”
But he only hesitated a moment before gritting his teeth and agreeing. “East City District area—leave it to us!”
Being enemies with the Ren Family meant deaths; being enemies with Li Ye also meant deaths.
Either choice was death, so pick the path to dying later!
Hadn’t they heard he was hungry?
Dragon and tiger were both ferocious beasts—when hungry, they ate people!
