Considerations

So, he even gritted his teeth and sent people to intercept and kill him!

Killing someone is no small matter.

Because, generally speaking, Lizhou City is still a country with strict laws. Stealing already involved great risk. The reason he dared to instigate the theft was mainly because Li Qi had never produced that Outer Way item.

There was no way he could prove that strange item belonged to him, so reporting it to the authorities wouldn't lead to an investigation. Coupled with the backing of a powerful figure, he had no fear.

But now it was different. Not to mention that murder was more serious than theft, but unlike theft where there was no evidence, so no one would care.

If murder escalated, Diviners would definitely be brought in to investigate the clues.

He didn't want to go that far.

However, having his sorcery stolen was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

Even at the risk of being discovered, he had to do it.

So he made many arrangements, repeatedly instructing his capable subordinates to be clean and discreet, to ensure Li Qi died without proof as much as possible.

He also had people monitoring the Wave-Pushing Gang to prevent any moves from them.

He only intended to kill Li Qi, who had peeked at the sorcery, to prevent its spread, and did not plan to publicize it.

Now was not the time to escalate things. The Divine Will Inheritance was too profound, and he needed at least a year to study it. By then, the gang members who had received the Divine Will Inheritance would gather, and then they would seize other territories!

With just one sorcery, they could easily overturn the entire riverside. Lizhou City could only have one Boatman Gang!

The Boatman Gang could develop into a gang like the Fish Market Bosses, monopolizing all business in the city.

It wouldn't be a major gang, but it would definitely no longer be at the very bottom.

By plundering the cultivation methods of the other two gangs, plus a new sorcery, it would definitely allow the Mighty Gang to reach a new level!

For this, bearing some risk was completely acceptable.

As long as Li Qi was eliminated, and then they lay low and trained diligently for a year.

This wasn't the first time he had killed someone. The gang forces at the lower levels were intertwined, and they often clashed. A few deaths, if not reported to the authorities, wouldn't even warrant the government office's attention.

If the people don't complain, the officials won't investigate. That's how it was at the lowest level; it was too normal for the lower-level forces to fight amongst themselves, and they couldn't manage it all.

However, if someone insisted on reporting it to the authorities, the government office would still intervene because the government office had regulations for annual assessments, and the murder case clearance rate was a very important statistic.

For example, if his stolen Outer Way item truly belonged to Li Qi and he reported it to the authorities, constables would indeed be dispatched. Whether they could find out the truth was another matter, but the government office would still get involved.

However, if the government office lacked confidence in solving the case, they would generally pretend not to see the murder case. Because if they failed to solve it, it would be a significant bad debt, and they would be severely criticized by their superiors at the end of the year.

Moreover, as long as they could make the government office back down, there was no need to worry about the Wave-Pushing Gang filing a complaint.

After all, were the Wave-Pushing Gang's dark pasts few? If he reported them, and they reported him, it would drag everyone down, and no one would be able to live.

If the rules were broken, it would definitely drag the Water-Horse Gang, and even the Fish Market Bosses and the Grain Transport Army into it!

That would truly be a path to damnation.

Lu Shan thought to himself.

Everything was calculated precisely; there would be no flaws.

It's just that he was getting impatient.

The people he sent to monitor were fine, but why hadn't the ones sent to kill returned yet?

They were the two best fighters in the gang besides himself. Each had a brute strength of 1,500 jin, and a single hammer blow could shatter a boulder.

He knew Li Qi's skills.

With Wave-Pushing Strength, in the water, he could easily handle two opponents, even kill them.

But on land, he could at most deal with one. If two people attacked him together, especially with a sneak attack, there was no chance of survival.

Just as Lu Shan was getting anxious, the person he was waiting for finally returned.

"Boss Shan!" A short, stout young man darted over from outside.

"What is it? Did something happen with the Wave-Pushing Gang?" Lu Shan stood up and asked quickly.

This was the person he had sent to monitor the Wave-Pushing Gang. There were three of them in total, and it seemed only one had returned. He was likely here to deliver a message, with the other two probably still on surveillance.

"Boss Shan, Li Qi returned, but he seems to be injured, and quite seriously. The Wave-Pushing Gang is in chaos right now, discussing selling pigs to hire a doctor!" the young man said happily, his tone filled with joy.

But Lu Shan's expression suddenly sank.

Injured?

The ones sent to kill hadn't returned?

Damn it, is this Li Qi that strong!?

"You go back first and continue monitoring the situation there. Try to figure out the specifics of Li Qi's injuries," Lu Shan said with a dark expression.

"Boss Shan, all three of us saw it clearly. He pretended to be fine when he returned, but blood was still seeping through his clothes. After a couple of steps, he even fell. He must be seriously injured! I wonder what he ran into, hehe, serves him right!" the short, stout youth said gleefully.

But this cheerfulness was increasingly grating in Lu Shan's ears.

"Alright, stop talking. Hurry back and keep watching. Report again if anything happens!" He suppressed his anger and waved his hand, dismissing his subordinate.

The short, stout youth didn't understand why his boss's expression had suddenly turned grim, but he didn't want to court disaster, so he quickly ran back.

Lu Shan closed his eyes, pondering the intelligence he had just received.

Li Qi wasn't dead, but he was very likely injured.

Could he be faking it?

It's possible. That scoundrel has always been cunning.

But the probability is low. I know his abilities well. Those two were formidable fighters, ranked among the best in all three gangs.

Li Qi's skills wouldn't allow him to escape unharmed.

So, it seems Li Qi must have been incredibly sly, using a stratagem to lure the two into the water, and then fighting them there.

This is the only possibility. Only in the water, with the help of Wave-Pushing Strength, could he have achieved this.

Deducing these events, Lu Shan sat on his chair, his expression fluctuating between dark and bright, his face shifting between red and black.

"Whether he's injured or not, I can't hesitate. His survival is the greatest threat. I can't let him learn that sorcery!" Lu Shan hardened his heart and made his decision.

Although he didn't even know the name of that sorcery, the Divine Will Inheritance required self-comprehension. It was essentially like having a teacher in your mind, but whether you could learn it still depended on yourself.

That important figure had told him that with his talent, he might grasp the basics in a year, and by then, he would naturally know the name of the sorcery.

However, he couldn't wait a year now.

He suddenly stood up. "I'm going all in!"

Then, he walked out the door and shouted, summoning all the Boatmen nearby.

Under the cover of night, and with the Wave-Pushing Gang likely drunk and drowsy after their feast, He would gather his men and launch a surprise night attack on the Wave-Pushing Gang, killing Li Qi!

Even if the government office pursued the matter afterward, he could claim it was a counterattack after their cultivation method was stolen.

As long as he didn't engage in indiscriminate killing, the blame wouldn't be too severe.

If the government office wanted to investigate further, it would inevitably involve that important figure.

He didn't know who that person was, but being able to casually produce a sorcery and speak so much about the Dao made him willing to believe that the figure's influence could deter the government office!

He was taking the gamble!