Chapter 8: Dock
Once a fifty-year-old man gets aroused, it’s like an old house catching fire—impossible to put out…
Imperial Envoy’s Headquarters, Xiahou Lei had been restless since morning, feeling like a lovesick boy, as if time itself had frozen, unable to wait for the hour agreed with the beautiful woman.
He could almost hear the resentful and alluring zither music from Miss Qianqian outside the headquarters, on West Lake, expressing her longing for him.
Enduring bitterly until noon, a lavish meal costing over ten thousand cash was tasteless to him. After the meal, the old fellow finally couldn’t hold back and said to his nephew who had come with him, “Bupo, it’s the Third Month Festival today, nothing to do anyway, why don’t we go out for a stroll.”
The man named Xiahou Bupo, in his thirties, thin and pale-faced, coughed twice upon hearing this and said, “Second Uncle, with major events at hand, we must exercise restraint.”
“Am I not restrained enough?!” Xiahou Lei was provoked into anger and shouted loudly, “Over a month out of the capital, not a drop of alcohol touched my lips, no women approached—now I can’t even go out for some fresh air?”
“Second Uncle, calm down.” Seeing his second uncle’s flushed face, Xiahou Bupo felt sympathy, knowing he had truly been pent up this time. Moreover, as a junior, he couldn’t be too harsh. With this in mind, Xiahou Bupo sighed and said, “Bring more guards, no drinking, go and return early.”
Xiahou Lei was overjoyed, then a bit uneasy as he said, “You won’t report to the clan leader, will you?”
“Just this once.” Xiahou Bupo couldn’t help but bitter smile, “But on the condition that nothing goes wrong.”
“Thank you, thank you!” Xiahou Lei felt as if granted a general amnesty and insincerely added, “Want to come along?”
“I won’t disturb Second Uncle’s enjoyment.” Xiahou Bupo respectfully declined.
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Xiahou Lei returned to his room, where his house servant hurriedly helped him change clothes and flattered, “Master, everything is arranged, Miss Qianqian has been waiting for Master since morning.”
“Mm.” Xiahou Lei nodded in satisfaction and said in a deep voice, “Make sure not to reveal my identity…”
“Master, rest assured, they only think Master is a lavish spender,” the house servant laughed, “There won’t be any problems.”
“Hey, like being a thief!” Xiahou Lei examined the seemingly dignified old man in the mirror and sighed self-mockingly, “My nephew takes the clan leader’s words too seriously!”
The house servant didn’t dare respond further, hung the jade pendant on Xiahou Lei, then attended to him putting on shoes and going out. Several Xiahou Clan warriors in plain clothes were already waiting by the carriage; the leader saluted and said, “We subordinates are ordered to follow Second Master.”
“Hmph, meddlesome.” Xiahou Lei knew this was Xiahou Bupo’s arrangement, grumbled, and went along with them.
The carriage drove out of the headquarters; the government soldiers didn’t dare question them and quickly removed the roadblock, respectfully seeing them off.
The Xiahou Clan house servant driving the carriage arrogantly ordered, “On official business by order, no following allowed.”
Lu Xin had planned to bring men to follow behind but had to give up upon hearing this.
The carriage circled around the city before stopping at Flower Harbor on the east shore of West Lake, after which the group transferred to a cruise boat and sailed to a double-decked painted boat anchored in the lake’s center.
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At the same time, at Wulin Gate Pier, the dark-faced man named Shankou, dressed as a coolie, sat at a tea stall, sipping coarse tea from a large bowl while casually scanning the people coming and going on the pier.
White Ape Society operations were always meticulous and cautious, no exception this time. Besides Shankou, there were over a dozen assassins on the pier disguised in various identities, with clear divisions of labor and covert actions. Since morning, they had silently checked every boat docking at the pier. No one on the boats escaped their eyes…
Though the sun was setting and half a day had been fruitless, Shankou showed no impatience; in their line of work, patience was more important than courage. He had once squatted in wait for half a year for a mission. Half a day was nothing to him.
At this moment, another passenger boat docked. The pier coolies jumped onto the boat before the ship plank was even lowered, vying to carry luggage for passengers. The assassin assigned to watch this boat followed aboard and spotted the target at once!
That big-bearded, black-eyepatched cyclops stood out strikingly among the crowd!
But the assassin didn’t act rashly; he kept eyes on the cyclops and signaled his shore companions.
Shankou saw the signal, still steadily at the tea stall, only signaling his men with a glance to prepare to strike!
The cyclops had a fierce look and only carried a small bundle, so the coolies didn’t dare pester him. But as soon as he stepped off the boat, several shop assistant-dressed servant boys surrounded him eagerly, “Sir, staying at an inn?”
“No.” The cyclops rasped hoarsely, striding forward to shake off these annoying flies.
But one persistent shop assistant followed, chattering behind him, “Sir, our Great Fortune Inn is by West Lake, elegant surroundings, and the meals are superb…”
The cyclops frowned, quickened his pace, soon leaving the shore far behind, reaching the crowded pier area.
“And we have girls too…” The shop assistant behind kept talking, but a sharp knife slipped from his sleeve, silently stabbing toward the defenseless cyclops’s back!
At the critical moment, the bundle on the cyclops’s shoulder suddenly fell with a clang, blocking this unavoidable strike!
The cyclops had actually sensed the attack from behind!
The cyclops roared in fury, punched backward viciously, while grabbing the short knife from the bundle with his other hand and turning back—but the shop assistant was gone!
As he vigilantly searched for the assassin, a cart loaded with goods barreled straight toward him!
At the same time, the wonton-selling old woman behind suddenly hurled a pot of scalding boiling water at his head!
Two coolies drew sharp blades, lunging at him from left and right!
It was all too fast; the pier crowd continued about their business, not even noticing the anomaly yet!
Shankou smirked coldly; even a Yellow Rank expert couldn’t escape such a perfect kill setup!
However, the next moment his pupils shrank; the scalding soup splashed on the cart, the two coolies’ blades hacked into the cart’s sacks! Their target had vanished into thin air!
No, not vanished into thin air!
The cyclops had leaped into the air, barely dodging the collision and hot water, legs extended straight in a split, banging twice as he kicked the two coolies in the face!
The two screamed and flew backward, knocking down many passersby!
The pier crowd was finally alarmed, the scene thrown into chaos!
Shankou watched the cyclops land in the chaotic crowd, trying to escape, seething with shock and rage!
Shocked at the target’s strength, seemingly beyond Yellow Rank! Furious that the carefully laid kill trap was so easily broken!
“Where do you think you’re going!” Shankou roared, springing up. Unable to outsmart, he would overpower! As a Black Rank expert, his strength still surpassed the target!
His accomplices around also drew weapons, charging at the cyclops!
Seeing so many armed warriors appear on the pier, the crowd screamed, dropping luggage and goods, scattering like headless flies. Boats on the pier panicked and cast off, fearing to be caught in the crossfire!
The utter chaos hindered the White Ape Society assassins, preventing them from reaching the cyclops all at once!
The cyclops wielded his single short knife with eerie and exquisite technique, always striking where opponents were most vulnerable, forcing them to block!
The cyclops repelled several assassins and was about to escape the pier! Then Shankou arrived, swinging his iron rod tipped with barbs, whistling as it smashed down on the cyclops!
That heavy, thunderous strike left the cyclops no time to counter or block, forcing a lazy donkey roll to barely dodge!
Shankou blocked the cyclops’s path, relentlessly smashing down several full-force blows; the qualitative gap between Black Rank and Yellow Rank meant no need for technique—pure power overwhelmed all!
The cyclops dodged and blocked frantically, his short knife nearly knocked flying, completely on the defensive!
Several Yellow Rank assassins also lunged forward; the cyclops had nowhere left to dodge!.
At this moment, a small boat, dodging the fleeing vessels in panic, sailed close to the shore!
The cyclops knew this was his only chance, flinging several black pellets at the enemies!
“Thunderclap Pellet!” Shankou cried out in shock, not expecting the cyclops to have the Mohist secret!
The assassins scattered upon hearing, fearing injury from the legendary king of hidden weapons!
However, the things splatted on the ground, emitting only wisps of black smoke before going inert—no fire or explosion as expected!
“Fakes!” Shankou’s eyes bulged in rage; he had been tricked!
By then, the cyclops had rolled and crawled to the shore, leaping onto the small boat, pressing his short knife to the boatman’s neck, ordering him to sail quickly!
The boatman hurriedly poled the small boat into the waterway.
By the time Shankou and his men reached the shore, the small boat was already seven or eight zhang away.
Shankou was furious beyond measure and bellowed, “Get boats! Pursue!”
By the time his men seized two fast boats and began pursuit, the small boat was already thirty zhang ahead!
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Shankou’s face was purple with rage as he stood at the bow gripping his iron rod; his mood was rotten! This operation turning into such a mess would surely earn him a tongue-lashing from the shopkeeper! If the target escaped scot-free, he’d bear all the losses! And definitely get demoted!
This he absolutely could not accept!
“Chase them down or die!” Shankou smashed the cabin roof to splinters with a heavy blow!
The boat’s sailors paled, paddling with all their might!
The small boat also went full speed, even the cyclops grabbing an oar to help paddle, but its speed clearly couldn’t match the pursuers!
One chasing the other, they weaved through the busy waterways, the distance gradually closing…
