A Killing Punch from Qin Geng

At Xun River Wharf, a biting river wind swept up the peculiar mingled stink of fish, coal cinders, and sweat, driving it straight into people's noses.

The wharf, usually bustling, had fallen frighteningly quiet.

Two groups faced each other across five or six paces. The air seemed ready to congeal.

On the left stood a force cobbled together from Xu Jin's Shanty and Ma Village Shack.

Uncle Jin clutched his chest, his face waxen. A streak of blood still marked the corner of his mouth, and he stood slightly hunched, plainly suffering from an internal injury.

Ma Laifu beside him was little better. Though a strip of cloth bound the gash on his arm, blood had still soaked half his sleeve dark red.

Behind them stood a crowd of carriage drivers gripping shoulder poles and broken sticks. Fire burned in their eyes, along with a fear they could not hide.

On the right stood the men of Yi He Shantytown.

Most kept their hands tucked in their sleeves, which bulged conspicuously. Anyone with eyes could see they were hiding weapons.

At their head stood a man in a black, front-buttoned jacket.

He was big and burly, with a string of prayer beads of dubious authenticity around his neck. His fleshy face and narrow eyes radiated menace.

He barely deigned to look at anyone. He simply rolled two iron balls around in his hand, making them clink.

His name was Chen Sanpi, a trained fighter hired by Yi He Shantytown.

The confrontation had been at the point of spilling blood. Then several men arrived and forced it to a halt.

Four men in long gowns and skullcaps stood between the two groups.

At their head was Boss Lin, who managed the South City Carriage House.

A smile plastered across his face, Boss Lin wiped nonexistent sweat from his brow with a handkerchief and cupped his hands toward Chen Sanpi.

"Brother Chen, take a word of advice. Let's put this business on hold for now."

Chen Sanpi raised his eyelids. The iron balls kept turning in his hand. "Boss Lin, it's not that I won't give you face. I was paid to do a job. Brother Lai Tou from Yi He Shantytown got hurt, and they paid a fortune for me to set things right. How can I stop before I've done that?"

"Come on, Master Chen!"

Boss Lin lowered his voice and pointed toward a huge steamship belching black smoke and sounding its whistle out on the river. "Just look! The Dragon Head of Ping'an Cart Company is about to dock!"

At the words "Dragon Head," the iron balls stopped abruptly in Chen Sanpi's hand.

Though he only moved on the fringes of the Grain Transport Gang, he knew what a formidable figure Ping'an Cart Company's Dragon Head was.

To draw blades in front of that man was to be tired of living.

"If it's the Dragon Head's ship, that's another matter."

Chen Sanpi reined in some of his ferocity, nodded slightly, and smiled. "I'll give the Dragon Head face."

"Much obliged! Thank you for understanding, Brother Chen!"

Boss Lin breathed a long sigh of relief. Turning to the restless carriage drivers around them, he roared, "Put your damned weapons away! Got a death wish, every last one of you? Stand up straight! Save your rotten little dispute until the Dragon Head is back in town!"

The other three bosses, who managed the eastern, western, and northern parts of town, also began berating their men.

For a while, the only sound at the wharf was the rumble of the approaching ship.

Before long, the black-smoke-belching passenger ship docked.

Once the gangplank was set, passengers filed off with bags and bundles of every size.

Ordinarily, the moment passengers disembarked was when the drivers fought hardest for fares. But today, a hundred drivers stood like wooden posts. Not one dared move.

Some passengers stopped to watch out of curiosity. Others feared getting caught up in trouble, while a few grumbled and cursed.

Only after the crowd had mostly dispersed did a figure appear at an unhurried pace on the gangplank.

He was a man of about fifty.

He was dressed with exquisite care: a navy-blue silk gown beneath a finely tailored vest, a Western hat in one hand, and a silver-inlaid Western cane in the other.

At first glance, he looked like a wealthy gentleman returned from abroad.

But he walked with a limp. Each step made his somewhat plump face twitch with pain.

This was Guan Ershun, the Dragon Head of Ping'an Cart Company. Known as "Lame Second Master," he was a man whom both sides of the law in Ping'an County Town treated with respect.

There was a story behind his title of "Second Master" in Tianjin.

The people of Tianjin revered Lord Guan, the warrior sage whose loyalty reached the heavens.

Guan Ershun, though, was the second son in his family. In his youth, he had been ruthless enough to scheme against his own elder brother to get ahead.

Once he had made a name for himself, people jokingly called him "Lord Guan." He liked the sound of it, but dared not truly lay claim to the warrior sage's title, so he had them call him "Second Master" instead.

As for his lame leg, it was an old affliction. Every few days it would grow red, swollen, hot, and so painfully tender that he could not put weight on it.

At first, it had been his foot. Later, his knee began hurting too.

The moment Guan Ershun appeared, Boss Lin and the other three ran up as though they had spotted their own father.

"Oh, Second Master! Take it slow!"

Boss Lin rushed ahead of the others, fawning as he reached out to support him. "What did those foreign doctors say on your trip to Shanghai? Can they cure that old trouble with your leg for good?"

The question struck a raw nerve.

"The hell would they say!"

Guan Ershun stopped and thumped his cane against the ground, spittle flying. "Those foreign devils don't know shit! They poked me all over with their strange little tubes, then said I eat too much meat and fish. Called it a rich man's disease!"

The flesh on Guan Ershun's face quivered with anger. "To hell with a rich man's disease! Since when does eating make a man sick? Starving makes a man sick! My leg hurts because I starved too much as a child and cold seeped into my bones! Those foreigners are stupid and rotten. They just wanted my money! I wasted a trip to Shanghai, nearly got caught in foreign gunfire, and still learned nothing useful about this illness."

The bosses around him hurried to agree.

"Exactly! Second Master's right!"

"Those foreigners are all swindlers. What do they know compared with the wisdom of our ancestors?"

"Second Master's body is an Indestructible Diamond Body! More meat is just what you need!"

Once Guan Ershun had cursed his fill, his leg seemed to hurt worse. He waved a hand impatiently. "Our ancestors were damned swindlers too. Quit spouting nonsense and get me a carriage. Take me home."

The bosses exchanged looks.

They had all risen from the ranks of carriage drivers.

But now they were respectable men managing hundreds of workers. They rode in carriages themselves these days; it had been ages since they had pulled one...

As they hesitated, their chance nearly slipped away.

Boss Lin's eyes darted. He ducked low and sprang like a nimble monkey toward a driver standing nearby in a daze. Snatching the handles from him, he pulled the gleaming carriage up before Guan Ershun.

He expertly lowered the handles, dusted off the seat, and bowed with an inviting gesture, smiling from ear to ear.

"Second Master, hop in! Little Lin will pull you today. Smooth and fast, I promise!"

The whole performance flowed without a hitch or a trace of embarrassment.

The other three bosses finally caught on. Watching Boss Lin help Guan Ershun into the carriage, they ground their teeth and cursed him inwardly.

That Lin dog has no shame! What a bootlicker!

But curse him as they might, they dared not stand idle. All three rushed over, some steadying the wheels, others hovering behind Guan Ershun to support his back, then trotted along beside the carriage.

"Hold on tight, Second Master!"

Boss Lin called out and put his strength into his legs. The carriage started without a jolt, and before long he had pulled Guan Ershun out of sight at the far end of the wharf.

The Dragon Head and four bosses were gone, but the oppressive mood at the wharf did not lift. Without Boss Lin, it grew even harder to breathe.

With no one in charge to hold them back, the powder keg was ready to blow.

Every gaze returned to the center of the confrontation.

Farther away, dockworkers and idlers who had gathered to watch began whispering among themselves.

"That's Chen Sanpi? He looks every bit as vicious as they say."

"He's a trained fighter. They say he once took a Grain Transport Gang expert as his master, hoping to learn River-Turning Hand. Shame he was thick as a brick, had no aptitude, couldn't read, and was lazy and greedy to boot. His master eventually threw him out."

"He may have been thrown out, but he's got brute strength and picked up a few tricks. That's more than enough to deal with ordinary folks like us."

"Right. Who in South City dares cross Chen Sanpi? The men from Xu Jin's Shanty are in for it today."

A battered flatbed cart stood quietly at the edge of the crowd.

At its shafts was Xia Jingyi, dressed as a man.

On the cart, Zhou Yonghe sat resting with his eyes closed.

"Master."

Xia Jingyi frowned at the scene, indignation in her voice. "This is nothing but the strong bullying the weak. Isn't it obvious?"

Her gaze settled on the ferocious-looking Chen Sanpi, full of disgust.

Zhou Yonghe slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was calm as still water.

"Remember this, Jingyi."

Zhou Yonghe said, "Tianjin is full of every sort of trade and every sort of person. Each has its own way of surviving and its own rules. When carriage drivers fight over territory, they're fighting for their livelihood. Lose that, and their whole family goes hungry. When survival is at stake, they'll use every means they can."

"Hiring someone to fight for you is a skill in itself. If you can pay the price, no one can fault you for it."

"This isn't the strong bullying the weak. It's the law of the streets."

"..."

Xia Jingyi remained unconvinced. "I wasn't talking about those drivers. I meant Chen Sanpi. He's a trained fighter, but he came here to beat up men who do manual labor for a living. What kind of skill is that?"

"Take a man's money, shoulder his troubles."

Zhou Yonghe's tone hardened. "I had you pull a carriage, not play the wandering hero."

"Why was Qin Geng able to reach the next level?"

"Because if he doesn't pull a carriage, he can't afford food. He'll starve! For him, pulling that carriage is life itself!"

"It's how he earns his living. Only by truly treating the trade as his livelihood, by staking his life on it, can he reach the next level."

"I made you pull a carriage to temper your character. If you can reach the next level through it, you'll naturally grow serious about martial arts."

"Think hard about that. Otherwise, all this suffering will have been for nothing, and so will your talent for martial arts."

After her master's scolding, Xia Jingyi still found Chen Sanpi hateful. But she could only lower her head and answer glumly, "Yes, Master. I'll remember."

While master and disciple spoke, the confrontation had reached the brink of violence.

Shing—

With a faint metallic hiss, several drivers from Yi He Shantytown finally lost patience and drew gleaming short blades from their sleeves.

Sunlight flashed off the blades, dazzling the eye.

On Xu Jin's Shanty's side, the men instinctively took a step back. Sweat slicked the hands gripping their shoulder poles.

Chen Sanpi stood at the front. He tucked the iron balls into his clothes and rolled his neck, making it crack.

His narrow eyes locked onto Old Jin, who was clutching his chest. A cruel smile curled his lips.

"Fuck. You, Jin. Weren't you acting tough earlier? Thought you were strong, did you? You dared crack me from behind with a club?"

Chen Sanpi stepped forward, his Killing Intent bearing down on them. "Come on! I'm feeling generous, so I'll give you a chance to fight me one-on-one. We'll trade blows fair and square, and I'll beat you to death!"

Old Jin's face went pale. Cold sweat poured down his forehead.

In the chaos earlier, he had struck Chen Sanpi from behind with a club to save Li Gou.

The blow had landed solidly on the back of Chen Sanpi's neck. An ordinary man would have collapsed, but Chen Sanpi had acted as though nothing had happened. He had struck back with one punch and made Old Jin cough blood. Even now, his chest burned with pain.

Chen Sanpi knew how to fight. Carriage drivers with nothing but strength could not handle him.

"Master Chen..."

Old Jin gritted his teeth against the pain. "We're just trying to make a living. There's no need to wipe us out, is there?"

"I know the rules. I won't wipe you out."

Chen Sanpi cut him off impatiently. "Take three punches from me without falling, and I'll let you all leave today! What's more, the territory at Xun River Wharf will belong to Xu Jin's Shanty from now on. I won't interfere! But if you fall, I can't say what the others will do."

"There. Don't say I, Chen Sanpi, don't know the rules."

The whole crowd erupted.

Three punches?

With fists as big as cooking pots, Chen Sanpi could kill an ox with one blow. If Old Jin took three head-on, how could he survive?

"Is that a promise?"

Old Jin's eyes lit up instead.

He knew exactly what his old brothers were capable of. If blades came out, they would not only lose; many of them would die or be injured.

If his one life could buy everyone's safety, or win them this lucrative patch of territory, it would be worth it!

"I'm somebody in South City. My word's as good as a nail driven home!"

Chen Sanpi folded his arms, his face full of disdain.

Old Jin took a deep breath and looked back at the worried faces behind him.

Xu Chun stamped his feet in panic. "Old Jin! Are you crazy? That bastard means to kill you!"

Ma Laifu shouted too. "Brother Jin! Don't listen to him! We'll fight them together!"

Li Gou, barely more than a boy, had pulled a small knife from somewhere. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Chen Sanpi, burning the man's face into his memory.

"Nobody move!"

Old Jin's roar stopped the others in their tracks.

He turned back to Chen Sanpi and laughed. "All right! Master Chen, I'll take your word for it! Come on!"

Old Jin took his hand from his chest and forced himself upright. Though pain twisted his face, his spine stayed straight.

A flicker of mockery crossed Chen Sanpi's eyes as he loosened his wrist.

"First punch!"

He roared and was about to strike.

Just then, a shout came from the distance.

"Uncle Jin!"

The voice drew closer with astonishing speed.

Before anyone could react, a figure rushed into the clearing with the wind at his heels and planted himself in front of Old Jin.

The newcomer stood tall and wore a carriage driver's clothes.

It was Qin Geng.

"Xiao Wu?!"

The moment Old Jin saw him, his expression changed. He looked even more anxious than before. "What are you doing here? Go! This has nothing to do with you!"

To Old Jin, Qin Geng might be a strong, capable driver now, but he was still a child.

If Qin Geng died here, Old Jin would never rest in peace.

"Xiao Wu, listen to your uncle!"

Xu Chun shouted in alarm too.

Qin Geng did not budge.

With his back to Old Jin, he looked calmly at Chen Sanpi, who stood before him like an iron tower. His voice was steady and firm, carrying an authority that allowed no argument.

"Uncle Jin, step back."

"Leave him to me."

Just a few simple words, yet somehow they carried an inexplicable force.

Old Jin froze. Looking at Qin Geng's broad back, he found himself shaken by that force and instinctively took two steps back.

Chen Sanpi frowned at the youth who had appeared out of nowhere and looked him up and down.

He saw nothing but a greenhorn. Aside from his sturdy build, there seemed to be nothing special about him.

"Well, well. What rock did you crawl out from under?"

So furious he laughed, Chen Sanpi pointed at Qin Geng's nose and cursed, "Boy, are you looking to die in that old bastard's place?"

"I said I'd let you go if he took three punches from me. Since you insist on sticking your neck out, don't blame me for hitting hard!"

"I'll beat you to death first, then him! You're the one who broke the rules!"

Before the words had left his mouth, a savage gleam flared in Chen Sanpi's eyes.

"Die!"

Without the slightest flourish, Chen Sanpi sprang into a surprise attack. He drove off the ground and lunged at Qin Geng.

Riding his momentum, he swung his right fist high and smashed it toward Qin Geng's face, a vicious wind following in its wake!

The punch looked like a wild haymaker, but it carried tremendous weight. If it landed cleanly, it could split Qin Geng's skull.

"Ah!"

Some timid onlookers in the distance were already covering their eyes.

Yet Qin Geng's expression did not change in the face of that ferocious punch.

"Too slow."

Qin Geng shifted his feet and turned sideways.

Whoosh—

Chen Sanpi's fist skimmed past Qin Geng's face, the wind of it lifting the tips of his hair.

"What?!"

Chen Sanpi's pupils contracted sharply.

The sudden loss of balance as his punch missed sent terror through him.

An expert could tell another expert the moment he made a move.

In the blink of an eye, this boy had turned and stepped aside, steady as an old pine. He definitely knew how to fight!

I'm in trouble, Chen Sanpi thought.

Qin Geng's eyes snapped wide open, and a sharp crack that set teeth on edge came from his spine.

Crack!

It was the sound of his great tendons snapping taut!

The great dragon of Qin Geng's spine seemed to come alive, releasing like a mighty bow drawn to its limit.

A terrifying force rose from the soles of his feet and traveled up his spine into his right arm without losing a shred of power.

The muscles of his back swelled in an instant, like a monstrous dragon rolling over.

"..."

Qin Geng used no fancy technique. He threw a simple straight punch.

That punch was quick as lightning and heavy as a thousand jun!

Though he struck second, his fist arrived first!

Boom!

A dull, tremendous impact rang out, as if a battered hide drum had been struck beside everyone's ears.

Qin Geng's fist slammed squarely into Chen Sanpi's chest.

Pfft—!

Chen Sanpi's feet left the ground, and he flew backward!

Still in midair, he sprayed a great mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his organs, tracing a crimson arc.

Crack...

With a bone-breaking sound that made scalps crawl, Chen Sanpi crashed to the ground five meters away, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A large part of his chest had visibly caved in. His breastbone had been shattered.

Amid the broken bone lay a mass of iron fragments. The two iron balls Chen Sanpi had tucked inside his robe had been smashed by Qin Geng's punch and driven into his chest.

"Hhh... hhh..."

Chen Sanpi lay on the ground, his throat wheezing like a broken bellows.

Shattered bone and iron shards had pierced his lungs, and bloody froth kept spilling from his mouth.

His limbs jerked violently a few times. His eyes bulged wide.

Seconds later, Chen Sanpi's head lolled to one side, and he went still.

One punch.

Just one punch.

Chen Sanpi, who had thrown his weight around South City and claimed to know how to fight, lay motionless.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

It was as though every sound had been drained from the docks in an instant.

Only the river wind continued to howl.

The carriage drivers from Yi He Shantytown stood with their mouths hanging open and their eyes nearly popping out, staring at the young man in the middle of the clearing as if they had seen a ghost.

One carriage driver hurried forward and checked Chen Sanpi's breathing. He was dead.

"He... he killed someone!"

"Master Chen is dead!"

"Run!"

Clang!

Short blades fell to the ground.

What had become of the viciousness these carriage drivers, so fond of brawling, had shown just moments ago?

They were scared out of their wits. No one dared collect Chen Sanpi's body from the ground. They scattered in a frenzy, as if cursing their parents for not giving them two more legs.

Over at Xu Jin's Shanty, Old Jin, Xu Chun, Ma Laifu, and Li Gou stood rooted to the spot.

In the distance.

Xia Jingyi's beautiful eyes were wide as saucers.

She turned to look at her master beside her.

Zhou Yonghe, the Su Family's chief House Guard, normally would not have changed expression even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. Now he leaned forward, staring hard in Qin Geng's direction, his eyes full of turmoil he could not hide.

"Power running through his back... a spine like a dragon..." Zhou Yonghe muttered, bewilderment in his voice. "Does that boy have a twin? His bones weren't like that when I examined them last time. How did he go from middling talent to a Born Killer?"