Chapter 51: Sneak Attack

Song Hu led two subordinates into a secluded alley.

One of them couldn't help but whisper, "Brother Hu, that kid surnamed Chen... does he really have something to do with this?"

"It's hard to tell for now." Song Hu's expression was as grim as iron.

He had been raised by his uncle, Song Tie, since childhood, and all his martial arts resources had been provided by Song Tie. After two years of training at a martial arts hall with no hope of a breakthrough, he had traveled far away to become a hired blade.

To his shock, upon his return, he heard the devastating news that his uncle had been murdered. In a fit of grief and rage, he had stormed the Tiger Gang that very night and personally executed its leader, Xu Chengfeng.

What chilled him even more was the shocking truth Xu Chengfeng revealed before dying. The Tiger Gang had learned of Song Tie's hiding place through a leak, and the fatal blow had not been dealt by the Tiger Gang. Someone else had killed his uncle, Song Tie.

Borrowing a knife to kill, cleaning the scene, framing others... the person behind this series of maneuvers not only knew Yazi Bay like the back of their hand but was also a meticulous and cold-blooded character.

Who had the motive to kill his uncle? Was it a personal grudge? Or was it for political advancement? To be able to ambush and severely wound a master at the peak of the Mingjin stage in a narrow alley, the killer's own strength had to be at least at the Mingjin level.

And Chen Qing, a mere fisherman from Yazi Bay, just happened to have started practicing martial arts and gained sudden fame during this exact period. All of this forced Song Hu to pin a sliver of suspicion on Chen Qing.

The other man chimed in, "Brother Hu, then what do we do now...?"

A ruthless glint flashed in Song Hu's eyes. "Hold our position for now to avoid alerting the enemy. Once I return, I will pay a heavy sum to bring out Old Constable Liu to investigate thoroughly!"

"Old Constable Liu?!"

Both men's eyes flashed with excitement upon hearing this. That man was a renowned master of solving cases, quite famous even within Yunlin Prefecture.

But the man beside him hesitated, "But Brother Hu, Old Constable Liu's fee..."

"We just obtained this treasure from the Tiger Gang; do you think I'll worry about a little silver?" Song Hu pressed his bulging chest firmly, gritting his teeth as he spoke word by word, "No matter who killed my uncle, I will make them pay in blood, a thousandfold the price."

"Yes! We shall make that bastard die without a bur—"

The man's words cut off abruptly.

*Thud—!*

A dull sound, like a heavy hammer striking meat! The man who had been speaking was sent flying as if struck by lightning, crashing violently into the brick wall to the side. At the moment of impact, a heavy echo reverberated through the alley. Blood sprayed from his mouth, splashing against the mottled wall in a striking crimson pattern of plum blossoms, before he slumped down like a heap of mud.

"Who—?!"

Song Hu was terrified out of his wits, alarm bells ringing in his head. However, before he could turn to react, a figure as fast as lightning struck with the momentum of rolling thunder.

It was Chen Qing!

His left foot kicked off the bluestone slab violently, his waist and hips driving his spine to twist like a millstone, his joints letting out a series of bone-chilling cracks. His right arm instantly became as supple as a snake, yet contained a mountain-crushing, penetrating force!

*Whoosh!*

A low, air-bursting sound exploded in the narrow, dark alley. Chen Qing's fist, wrapped in a terrifying wind, did not travel in a straight line. Instead, like a steel whip charged with lightning, it traced a strange and tricky arc—from bottom to top, from back to front—striking the other man ruthlessly.

The other man felt a mountain-toppling force penetrate his torso; he didn't even have time to perceive the pain.

*Crack, crack, crack—!*

The sickening sound of breaking bones rang out suddenly; it was the sound of several ribs being instantly pulverized by the violent internal force. His body was flung away like a torn sack, hitting the ground less than three steps in front of Song Hu with a "bang," falling silent.

In the blink of an eye, two men were dead!

Song Hu was, after all, a master who had experienced life and death; a sense of crisis was etched into his very marrow. The moment the air burst, a bone-chilling cold rushed to the top of his head. He forced his body to turn, his short blade clattering out of its sheath. A cold light flashed like a venomous snake's tongue, whistling through the air as he slashed behind him.

*Shing!*

The blade swept past! But Chen Qing seemed to have anticipated it. As he dodged to the side, his arm coiled like a spirit snake around a vine, seizing Song Hu's wrist holding the blade! A subtle, eerie, and highly penetrating internal force erupted instantly from Chen Qing's pores, drilling straight into Song Hu's wrist bone!

"Not good!"

Song Hu's expression changed drastically. Knowing the terror of internal force, he desperately abandoned his blade and yanked his arm back.

*Clang!*

The short blade fell to the ground. Taking advantage of this gap, Song Hu used his right foot as a pivot, spinning his body like a ghost to circle behind Chen Qing, his left palm striking like a knife toward Chen Qing's heart. This retreat and advance brought sudden killing intent!

But Chen Qing seemed to see through his intentions clearly. With a mere light step, the fatal palm grazed past his spine, missing its mark. Simultaneously, Chen Qing moved like a shadow, once again seizing Song Hu's front.

Without a moment's hesitation, the blood qi within Chen Qing's body boiled instantly. He unleashed the "Mountain-Crushing Style," a killing move of the Tongbi Fist, descending with the force of a mountain torrent. Both fists struck together like a dragon emerging from the sea, the howling wind completely enveloping Song Hu.

The moment his arms surged with the punch, his joints popped like thunder! The ferocious momentum was like a man-eating tiger breaking free from its chains.

*Shameless!*

*Too shameless!*

Song Hu roared in his heart. Chen Qing was far stronger than him, yet he was still resorting to sneak attacks. How could there be such a shameless person!

However, losing the initiative in one move meant losing it step by step. Chen Qing's blood qi surged, and his strength exploded fully, slamming into Song Hu's arm.

*Bang!*

Song Hu felt an aching pain in his arm as the bones and tendons were shattered by the powerful force, followed by a continuous flow of large beads of sweat. This was the tyranny of internal force!

Chen Qing naturally would not let this golden opportunity pass. He split his hands to break through Song Hu's guard, landing a "Spirit Ape Paying Respect" strike squarely on Song Hu's chest.

*Crack! Pfft—!*

A dull sound came from Song Hu's mouth—the sound of his sternum breaking and his internal organs being crushed. As Chen Qing's punch landed, he stepped backward.

Song Hu's face turned the color of gold before flushing deep red. A gurgling sound rose from his throat, his eyes bulged, and his body swayed as if struck by a heavy blow. He suddenly sprayed a large mouthful of blood.

"..."

A final burst of will to live and resentment flared in his pupils, but all struggle was futile. His body convulsed twice and then crashed to the ground, devoid of all breath.

Chen Qing's eyes were cold as he quickly searched the three corpses. When his hand reached into Song Hu's bosom, his fingertips touched a tough parchment scroll. Without hesitation, Chen Qing tucked it into his own clothes, then activated his internal energy, delivering successive heavy blows to the joints and vital bones of the corpses until they were no longer recognizable as human.

Having finished, he scanned his surroundings warily, his figure flickering as he silently vanished into the shadows of the alley.

(End of Chapter)