Fist Like a Tiger, Diverting Disaster Eastward (Seeking Further Reading)

Outer City.

The struggle for territory between the Green Snake Gang and the Black Water Gang had grown increasingly severe.

Throughout Crooked Snake Alley, roughly half the refugees and commoners had already moved away.

Most had fled to alleys governed by other gangs. Though they had to pay a few extra copper coins at first, at least their lives were protected. They no longer had to fear running into Black Water Gang members whenever they stepped outside and suffering a beating, as they had over the past two months.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Returning to Crooked Snake Alley,

Jiang Shu saw light still shining through Old Man Li's window. Rather than hurrying home, he knocked on the door first.

He had been in Pingling County for six months.

Old Man Li was someone who truly expected nothing from him, yet treated him well.

Now that he had become an official disciple of the Hungry Tiger Martial Hall, he would obtain registered status tomorrow and move into the Inner City.

No matter what, he had to come and let Old Man Li know.

It was only because he now traveled between two worlds, and the secret could not be revealed. Moreover, having just become an official disciple, he had already asked Old Man Chou to settle his registration issue and felt too embarrassed to make further requests.

When he became a martial artist someday, if the opportunity arose, arranging a small Inner City house for Old Man Li would not be difficult.

Rain poured over Jiang Shu, and his brows gradually furrowed.

As a martial practitioner who had achieved the Whole Body Qi and Blood Great Circulation, once he calmed his mind and focused his senses, he naturally heard that there was more than one person breathing inside.

And though the lamp was clearly lit, no one had come to open the door after several knocks.

Could something have happened?

Just as Jiang Shu considered breaking in, the door creaked open. Old Man Li's face appeared in the gap, and he said with exaggerated grimaces, "What child is this, knocking on doors at random? This old man is about to sleep!"

"Uncle Li, what are you talking about?"

Had it been anyone else, Jiang Shu would naturally have left the moment he sensed something was wrong.

A gentleman did not stand beneath a crumbling wall.

But with Old Man Li acting this way, Jiang Shu pretended not to understand anything. He pushed the door open, went around Old Man Li, and entered the room.

An oil lamp glowed like a bean.

A faint scent of blood hung in the room.

An unfamiliar, brawny middle-aged man lay on Old Man Li's bed. The arm exposed outside the covers was covered in wounds, blood seeping from them.

He had a face full of whiskers, and the muscles beneath his short shirt were exceptionally developed. Though lying down, he glared fiercely toward the doorway. Only after seeing Jiang Shu enter did he relax and slowly sit up from the bed.

"Old Man Li, what's this little fellow called? He's rather handsome. Come closer and speak."

The lamplight fell over Jiang Shu's handsome face. Once the middle-aged man relaxed, the longer he looked, the more entranced he became. He could not help speaking aloud.

"H-Hall Master Zheng..."

Old Man Li's legs trembled, and fear rose within him again.

He was not afraid for himself.

He feared that Little Brother Jiang would not know his limits and accidentally offend this true fiend.

Zheng Kun, Hall Master of the Green Snake Gang's Poison Fang Hall!

He had been wounded in today's battle with the Black Water Gang.

Claiming that neither the hall nor the gang headquarters was safe, he had come straight here.

Old Man Li had waited upon him with every ounce of care, not daring to slack in the slightest.

He had thought that once night fell and he woke from a sleep, everything would be fine.

He had not expected Little Brother Jiang to come.

This...

Having swept floors at the Poison Fang Hall for so long, how could he not know what sort of person Hall Master Zheng was?

Little Brother Jiang...

He gritted his teeth, about to say something.

Yet he saw Little Brother Jiang standing in the doorway, staring straight at Zheng Kun. "Hall Master Zheng? Hall Master Zheng of the Green Snake Gang's Poison Fang Hall?"

"Oh? You know me?"

Zheng Kun smiled, his body relaxing further.

This time, to evade pursuit, he had not stayed at the hall, nor gone to the gang headquarters, nor sought out one of his lovers. Instead, he had slipped into the home of Old Man Li, the unnoticed floor-sweeper, and quietly nursed his wounds.

As long as the Black Water Gang could not find him, in a few days he would recover and fear no one again.

He had thought he would be bored for a while, but Heaven had treated him well.

Knowing he was bored, it had even sent him a lovely beauty.

"I know you."

Jiang Shu's tone was calm. He gave Old Man Li a slight push, moving him beside the door, then walked toward Zheng Kun.

Though Zheng Kun found Jiang Shu's actions puzzling, seeing him approach at an unhurried pace still made joy rise uncontrollably in his heart.

He suddenly remembered that about two months ago, some gang members had told him there was a rather good-looking youth in Crooked Snake Alley.

He had assumed those gang members had made it up to curry favor with him.

He had not expected it to be true.

What a pity. Had he known earlier, he could have come sooner and enjoyed himself sooner.

"Come here. Let your master have a good look at you."

Zheng Kun narrowed his eyes, unable to stop himself from imagining what would happen next.

Yet just as his mind began to sink into those thoughts, a cold voice suddenly rang beside his ear:

"I had not come looking for you, yet you came seeking death first?"

The moment the words fell, Jiang Shu mobilized his Blood Qi. With nine hundred jin of strength in a single strike, he threw a punch, its wind fierce and biting.

How could Zheng Kun, lying on the bed, evade it? He hastily raised an arm to block, only for Jiang Shu's punch to smash into it.

"Bang!"

"Crack."

His arm bone broke. The wounds on his arm split open at once, blood streaming out like rushing water.

Jiang Shu's fist was stained with blood. One punch failed to finish it, so a second followed.

"Y-you're from the Black Water Gang?"

As a gang hall master, Zheng Kun had abundant combat experience.

He rolled off the bed in a flash and opened several paces of distance from Jiang Shu in the cramped room, narrowly dodging the punch. Cold sweat soaked his entire body. He had never imagined that this seemingly handsome youth was, like him, a martial practitioner who had achieved the Whole Body Qi and Blood Great Circulation!

No.

Such a young martial practitioner could never be from the Black Water Gang.

He knew every hall master of the Black Water Gang. None of them possessed such sharp Killing Moves.

Could he be an official disciple from an Inner City martial hall?

But which official disciple would come to the Outer City?

And who would seek to kill him the moment they met?

Zheng Kun was horrified. He wanted to flee, but Jiang Shu stood before him, and behind him was only an earthen wall.

Jiang Shu offered no answer to Zheng Kun's question. Instinctively, his limbs and bones moved as one, all the strength in his body pouring into a single fist.

This was a small technique he had comprehended from the Hungry Tiger Howling Mountain Force.

Now was the perfect time to test it!

With this punch, his fist emerged like a tiger!

The heavy stench of blood drifted through the room. Jiang Shu's heart brimmed with killing intent, Blood Qi surging endlessly through his body.

"Bang! Bang!"

How could the already wounded Zheng Kun withstand Jiang Shu's relentless assault?

One punch struck his nose, blood bursting forth, leaving his nose crooked and his eyes askew.

One punch struck his teeth, knocking out his front teeth and robbing him of speech.

Zheng Kun fell to the ground, struggling but unable to rise. He could only watch as the final punch came straight down at his forehead!

"Bang!"

For a moment, heaven and earth went dark.

Jiang Shu withdrew his fist and stood still.

At his feet, Zheng Kun's blood flowed freely. He was already like a dead dog, no longer breathing.