Wu Village (Third Update—Please Follow and Vote)

"Damn, who's got a death wish and wants to go to the Wu Clan?"

Someone immediately replied. The speaker was called "Shadow Sama."

"Just asking around. I want to make a few deals with them."

Lu Li continued.

"Haven't you read the manga? The Wu Clan are all dangerous people. Even if you're skilled and bold, this isn't the way to play it."

Someone else chimed in.

"Yeah, and do you even have the money? If you want to do business with the Wu Clan, you'd better have at least ten billion yen, or you're just kidding yourself."

The Public Channel erupted into discussion about the Wu Clan. Before long, the topic had gone completely off track, and a flood of messages buried Lu Li's original question. Just as he was about to ask again, an Explorer named "Little Mushroom" posted coordinates in the Public Channel.

"This is Wu Village. Good luck."

Lu Li checked the coordinates. They were latitude and longitude. He located them on the map and figured the other party probably was not messing with him. The destination was roughly five hundred kilometers from Tokyo, matching the original story's description.

"Thanks. If the coordinates are accurate, I owe you one."

After replying, Lu Li set off. He planned to visit the Wu Clan first for a round of martial arts exchange.

The Wu Clan was a powerful family in the world of Kengan Ashura, and they also had certain ties to this world's ultimate boss.

The Wu Clan of modern Japan were the kings of the underground assassination world. No other organization was more capable in their line of work. As long as the price was right, the Wu Clan would even dare assassinate the prime minister.

In Lu Li's view, the scale of their influence was utterly absurd. Their home, Wu Village, was a city. Its population was conservatively estimated at several hundred thousand, while the Wu Clan itself had tens of thousands of members.

For such an armed force to develop within a country while openly running an assassination business, and for the government to simply ignore it... all he could say was that this world's setting was truly bizarre.

The Wu Clan's origins actually lay across the sea. Their main family still remained there—the Wu Family.

The Wu Family's inheritance shared the same history as that ancient eastern nation. It had been five thousand years since Wu Hei, the founding ancestor of the "Wu," first established the family.

Then, thirteen hundred years ago, something happened that directly split this enormous family into three branches, scattering them across the world.

They became the Wu Clan that came to Japan, the Wu Family that remained in the eastern homeland, and the Conquest West Faction in the West.

The brutal internal struggles throughout history had caused countless secret techniques to vanish into the river of time, but one secret art had been passed down by all three branches.

That was Lu Li's purpose in coming to the Wu Clan—Liberation (Ghost Soul).

According to the manga's explanation, this secret technique removed the brain's restraints on the human body, releasing all of the body's power.

Lu Li considered it a powerful burst skill, one with enormous value when facing formidable enemies.

As for Possessing Spirit, used by Tokita Ohma, the "protagonist" of the manga, Lu Li felt that it had far too many side effects. Overall, it was less practical than Liberation.

After half a day of travel, Lu Li arrived at Wu Village by Shinkansen.

He watched the office workers moving along the streets, the intermittent calls of roadside shopkeepers, and the high school girls after class strolling along while eating crepes...

Lu Li's first impression was that it was a small third- or fourth-tier city. The pace was slow, and the atmosphere was peaceful.

But a closer look revealed that among the pedestrians, a small number had black sclera and white pupils. Their eyes were abnormal enough to be unsettling, yet the people here seemed entirely accustomed to them.

"The Wu Clan is out on patrol again. You've worked hard. These potato croquettes just came out of the fryer—take some back and eat them."

The middle-aged woman selling fried potato croquettes by the roadside warmly greeted a patrol squad. That smile was not an act.

"No, Auntie Yoko. We're still on duty. Maybe next time."

The young Wu Clan man at the front declined with a smile, leading his people onward while greeting quite a few locals along the way.

Lu Li stroked his chin. It seemed the Wu Clan was highly respected here.

He had not finished the manga back then, but he had caught up on it in the space. Although he had long known that the Wu Clan was a strange family of assassins who protected the local people, seeing it in person made them seem even more human than he had imagined.

Lu Li walked down the street and passed the Wu Clan patrol. Stopping in front of the fried potato croquette shop, he said, "Give me ten croquettes."

Before long, the croquettes were fried and ready. After paying, Lu Li carried the bag in one hand and held a paper-wrapped croquette in the other, about to take a bite.

But after taking only two steps, he was surrounded.

Lu Li unhurriedly blew on the croquette and took a bite. "This is somewhat unexpected. You all look so weak, yet you can sense that I'm different?"

Six Wu Clan members surrounded Lu Li, each wearing a grave expression as their white pupils fixed on him.

The young man at the front spoke. "For a wanted criminal, you seem to have no self-awareness at all."

Lu Li froze for a moment. He had thought these people had become wary after sensing his strength. He had forgotten that he was an escaped convict.

Thinking about it, it made sense. Escaping prison was one thing, but he had also killed the president of Gao Communications. Without some powerful figure protecting him, being wanted was only natural.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not here to cause trouble. I only came to have a little martial arts exchange with the legendary Wu Clan."

Lu Li put on what he believed was a friendly smile. Inwardly, he praised the Wu Clan's efficiency. In only a few moments, people had already taken up the high ground in all directions. Three sniper rifles were trained on his head.

This city belonged to the Wu Clan. Throughout history, no one who caused trouble here had ever gotten away unscathed. After all, the Wu Clan was an assassination family, not pure fighters. If a real fight broke out, they would not bother with one-on-one duels. In a group battle, they would use every cold weapon and firearm available.

Lu Li had not come to challenge their school. He truly had arrived at the Wu Clan with peaceful intentions for an exchange, but judging by the situation, they did not seem to welcome him.

"You want to have a martial arts exchange with us? A wanted criminal like you?"

The Wu Clan youth sneered. "Surrender quietly. We'll send you back to prison."

Lu Li's expression turned strange. He swallowed the remaining half of his croquette. "You're an assassination family, and now you want to send me to prison?"

He felt that this world was truly wondrous. The Wu Clan carried out assassinations every day, yet not only did the government ignore them, they did not even seem to be wanted.

Some Wu members had even gone out to find ordinary jobs. For example, Wu Karura's family lived in Tokyo, and Karura attended school there. Whether her parents had a side business besides their jobs was hard to say.

Seeing Lu Li's casual expression and that he had no intention of surrendering, the young man at the front moved. A dagger slid from his long sleeve and slashed straight toward Lu Li's neck.

The Wu Clan were the guardians of underground order and the protectors of this city. He would never allow a dangerous murderer like Lu Li to move freely within it.

Clang—

A sound like metal striking metal rang out. Under the disbelieving gazes of the surrounding Wu Clan members, the dagger stopped three inches from Lu Li's neck.

And what had blocked the dagger was not a weapon, but... a single finger.

Lu Li looked into the youth's black eyes, baring a mouthful of pale teeth in a grin. "Looks like I'm not welcome. If the young lady up there opens fire, I wouldn't mind turning this place upside down."