Die for Me!

Three graceful women stepped out together, united in their hostility, their gazes fixed on Zhao Changhe not far away, who still clutched a grenade in his hand, expressions laced with disgust.

"The street vendors of Guanglin Street support the livelihoods of countless families—innumerable common folk of Ping City survive by setting up their stalls here. Ping City lies along the Li River basin, with thriving canal transport and a constant flow of traveling merchants and passengers... Many merchant ships stopping at Long Wind Pier almost always come here to buy supplies..."

"The Su Family provides these vendors with shelter and aid, so it is our duty to speak up for justice at a time like this!"

Su Yu's pretty face was stern, her words crisp and clear, as she shouted to the crowd gathered on all sides.

Not far away, some vendors who hadn't yet packed up their stalls had tears welling in their eyes, their hearts twisting painfully... Unlike rickshaw pullers, who could earn money anywhere with their vehicles, these vendors had only two places in Ping City suitable for their trade: one was the snack street outside Qunyu Garden, but most of those spots had long been snapped up by sharp-witted people; the other was Guanglin Street, beloved by merchants, tourists, and foreigners alike for its distinctly Eastern market-town charm.

Though each stall was small, the foot traffic here was enough to support their families.

Losing their stalls, with unknown Demons and Monsters outside the city, petty warlords killing for sport on claimed land, and heartless landlord clans...

It was essentially a death sentence—their families would stumble toward ruin.

"That woman—I know her, old man! That's Miss Su Yu!"

"Who'd have thought the Su Family would still speak for us at a time like this? But Miss Su is from the third branch of the Su Family, so she doesn't have much say—can't really represent the Su Family..."

Just as the three women drew the crowd's attention, someone else recognized Chen Manqing and Sun Shuhua.

"Look, look—I know that one! That's Chen Manqing, the eldest miss of the Chen Family, and the other is Sun Shuhua, the eldest miss of the Sun Family... both from Ping City's great clans."

"Are they speaking up for us too?"

The scene, which had been suppressed by Zhao Changhe's intimidation, gradually boiled over again.

Zhao Changhe's gaze swept over the riled-up crowd, a flicker of cruelty in his eyes. He quietly pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it into the crowd, instantly throwing everything into chaos as the gathered vendors and commoners scrambled to flee.

Though Chen Manqing and the other two weren't hit by the grenade, they too stumbled back in alarm.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves rang out. Three saddled black horses thundered down Guanglin Street from the far end, led by a young man in a brown jacket over a gray vest.

Luo Bin, standing behind the crowd, immediately recognized him as a trained Martial Master.

Moreover, the restrained, inward-gathering aura about him carried a heavy weight—this was an expert.

The man rode straight for Zhao Changhe, then reined in his horse, halting in the middle of the street.

"Zhao Changhe, what's going on? Clearing out a street and making this much noise—I could hear it from the Racecourse nearby."

Zhao Changhe's heart jolted at the sight of the man's face, but then surged with joy. He'd been fretting over how to handle the situation, and now a big shot had arrived.

This was the youngest Jade Bone Pass Martial Master serving as a guest elder of the Shuo Gang. Though Zhao Changhe was dull in talent, his ability to keep his eyes and ears open had never failed him—he was meticulous in gathering information, especially about powerful Martial Masters, whom he treated with the utmost respect.

After all, in the Demon Martial Chaos Era of the Great Xin Republic, Martial Masters and heavy firearms practically defined violence and power!

The young man on horseback was named Shao Yancheng. He'd spent a few years making his way in Jinmen before returning to his hometown of Ping City, where he was highly valued by Jiang Lin, head of the Jiang Family.

Heaven truly helps me!

"Elder Shao, I had no choice. These vendors backed by the Su Family refuse to pack up. You know Young Master Cao is on his way—if he sees Ping City in disarray, the family head and the city government will have a hard time explaining..."

Shao Yancheng sat upright on his horse, considering this for a moment. "Well said."

Zhao Changhe was overjoyed and pressed on: "Since they wouldn't leave, I used some forceful measures. But then the three misses of the Chen, Sun, and Su Families stood together to denounce me and our Jiang Family. I don't know if I did wrong or right..."

With that, Zhao Changhe hung his head like a chastened child, saying no more.

Shao Yancheng's gaze swept around and landed on Chen Manqing, Sun Shuhua, and Su Yu. He let out a surprised sound: "Miss Sun is here too? I recall the Sun Family and our Jiang Family have a decent relationship, don't we?"

"Decent or not, that doesn't give you the right to treat lives like grass!" Sun Shuhua couldn't help but shout.

Luo Bin's blood was already boiling with a fighting spirit. The burly man on horseback actually stirred his Pure Yang Qi and Blood...

Shao Yancheng chuckled lightly, his thin lips curving upward. "The eldest Miss Sun is quite the good person—not like your father at all."

"Zhao Changhe!"

"Here!"

"Take them all away. I'll send someone to clean up this street next."

Zhao Changhe finally breathed a sigh of relief, burying deep in his heart the contempt for life and the fear that had shown in his eyes.

Being the "Jade-Faced Grenade King" wasn't easy. The gang had sent him, a man of low standing, to clean up Guanglin Street, inevitably clashing with the Su Family and even offending some Martial Masters, since many veteran escorts from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency had family members running businesses here.

When he took on this task, he'd been prepared to die. He never expected to survive.

It was an unexpected blessing. Now, whatever Shao Yancheng told him to do, he'd do it—whether it involved the precious daughters of three great families or anything else. He had nothing to lose. Even if Shao Yancheng ordered him to take the three women back and secretly rape them, he wouldn't hesitate.

"Do it now!" Zhao Changhe was ecstatic.

He waved at his men, who began to surround Chen Manqing and the other two.

Watching all this from the crowd, Luo Bin wore an expression like he had the chessboard in hand.

He was itching to fight this man. His Pure Yang Body-Forging Technique had yet to be tested, and he could sense that he could definitely take on a Jade Bone Pass Martial Master...

But starting a fight recklessly would put him at a disadvantage. Fortunately, an opportunity had come.

This man ordering the three women taken away was a blatant slap in the face to the three great clans behind them. As someone aligned with the Chen Family, Luo Bin stepping out to protect Chen Manqing now—that was reasonable, right?

And protecting Sun Shuhua along the way—also reasonable, right?

To protect Chen Manqing, it would be more reasonable to keep all three women safe, wouldn't it?

In that case... This Humble One will accept the debts of gratitude from all three families at once!

With that thought, Luo Bin no longer concealed his aura. Pure Yang Qi and Blood surged forth from his entire body, coalescing into a faint golden mist. Then, the meridians of his body heated and boiled, and the Qi and Blood withdrew beneath his skin, into his muscles.

In an instant, an intensely scorching aura radiated outward, sizzling the damp air around him like oil popping over mushrooms. The members of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency standing before Luo Bin felt the air at their backs turn blistering hot, as if touched by a branding iron, and they swiftly turned to check the situation.

Duan Qing was the first to react, a hint of wariness in his eyes. "Faint golden Qi and Blood, so scorching hot... Is this merely the Golden Skin Pass?

My master once said that it is only before the Evolution of Inner Landscape that different attributes of Qi and Blood and true essence are born..."

The crowd turned their heads, unconsciously making way for Luo Bin to pass toward the center of the street.

Only a voice, light as a feather yet carrying the force of thunder upon closer listening, rang out: "Is the Jiang Family truly this overbearing?"

"Die!"