Chapter 145: Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand

Chapter 145: Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand

Zou Sijiu’s expression was calm, composed as if he had voluntarily hung himself in Li Jun’s tiger maw, rather than being lifted into the air by another.

He even found the leisure to comb the messy locks hanging over his forehead back atop his head, his speech utterly unaffected.

"The things you did in Chengdu Prefecture have already spread throughout the entire Southwest region."

"The bounties from the Qingcheng Group and the Gu Family are currently posted on the Huangliang Network of the underground black market. They are meticulously detailed, recording every bit of information about you clearly."

As Zou Sijiu spoke, his fingers flicked, and an image was projected before Li Jun.

The projection showed a list; at the very top, two glaring, blood-red characters: 'BOUNTY'. Beneath them, black text on white detailed Li Jun's relevant information.

Below the list bloomed a flower, red as fresh blood; at its open pistil were written the words: 'Reward: 25 Million in Huahong Treasure Notes'.

At the signature block were two lines: Chengdu Prefecture Qingcheng Group on top, Gu Family Shudao Logistics Group below, each stamped with their respective organizational seals.

Li Jun scanned the bounty content from top to bottom, immediately discovering several strange and suspicious points.

Besides specifying his identity as a Martial Rank Seven Solitary Man, the full text of the bounty detailed many events from his time in the Paoge Society and Shudao Logistics.

Even his secret dealings with Lord Ma in Mianzhou County had been dug up.

Yet regarding his Embroidered Uniform Guard identity, not a single word was mentioned.

Even Yu Kou was brushed over with just the four characters 'Daoist Family Dependent'.

Be it the Qingcheng Group or the Gu Family, both chose silence regarding the Embroidered Uniform Guard's involvement.

The deeper meaning therein was worth savoring and pondering.

"Although the Daoist sect has its internal squabbles and infighting, fundamentally they are still of the same breath and branch. Now that you've killed Yu Kou, the sole heir of a Qingcheng Group shareholder, the Qixia Group won't let you off either."

"Instead of sitting and waiting for death, waiting for them to dig you out, why not join forces and strike first, take the initiative, and finish them off? Only then can you stay in Chongqing Prefecture with peace of mind."

Li Jun ignored Zou Sijiu's interest analysis entirely, asking in a deep voice: "You just said you have a way to repair the Mo Jia core?"

"I do!" Zou Sijiu's tone was certain. "The Mo Family's 'Ming Gui' technology, though mixed with quite a bit of Lu Ban craftsmanship, is fundamentally based on the human soul."

Zou Sijiu curled his lips into a conceited smile. "In this regard, even if I were to be modest, the Yin-Yang Sequence is undeniably number one. As long as the Mo Jia core's consciousness hasn't dissipated, I can summon her soul back."

"She isn't a Mo Jia puppet. She is human."

Li Jun fell silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke a sentence of inexplicable meaning: "You should have been waiting for me for a long time, right?"

"Waiting? It's sheer longing!"

Zou Sijiu ran both hands back from his temples, smoothing that slick, shiny pompadour into place. "However long I suffered in the Qixia Group's hands, that's how long I've longed for you."

Greasy and slick to the eye, Li Jun instantly released his fingers, tossing Zou Sijiu away, shaking his hands with a look of disgust. "Why?"

Zou Sijiu re-tied his disheveled tie. "Now that the Three Teachings have ascended, there aren't many who dare fight the Daoist sect."

Li Jun sneered, returning Zou Sijiu's own words to him. "This is Chongqing Prefecture, where what we lack least are money-grubbing hyenas. Those were your words."

"Their price is too high."

Zou Sijiu buried his head, struggling with a wrinkle on his outer cuff, only smiling in satisfaction after painstakingly smoothing it out. "And they like stabbing you in the back."

Li Jun countered, "Are you so confident I won't stab you in the back?"

"Before meeting you, I carefully divined a hexagram. That hexagram was Nine-Two: The Dragon Appears in the Field, Favorable to See the Great Man, Supreme Good Fortune."

Li Jun waved a hand, cutting him off directly. "Speak human language I can understand."

A bunch of stubborn brutes who don't believe in evil!

Zou Sijiu sighed, speaking slowly: "If you were Martial Rank Eight, I might still have concerns. But since you can advance to Solitary Man, you are mortal enemies with the Daoist Sequence."

He spread his hands. "Since we are mortal enemies, what is there to worry about?"

Li Jun neither confirmed nor denied, turning instead to say: "Just the two of us, wanting to topple a Daoist Group—are you sure you're not courting death?"

"Not every Daoist branch possesses the massive scale of the Qingcheng Group, able to monopolize the fat and blood of an entire prefecture."

Zou Sijiu smiled. "This Qixia Group only has two or three cats, big and small. As long as we kill the leader, toppling them is child's play."

"What level is the leader?"

"Dao Rank Seven, Golden Elixir Guest. But at most, mid-stage."

Li Jun nodded. If it was just a mid-stage Dao Seven, it wasn't impossible, provided he could get close.

Just as he pondered, Li Jun caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that Zou Sijiu's expression seemed subtly unnatural, and a sudden flash of insight struck him.

"Zou Sijiu, what Sequence are you?"

"Yin-Yang Eight, Nuo Duke."

"Goodbye!"

With a boom, the tightly shut main door of the White Tiger Hall was kicked flying by Li Jun.

"Brother, don't be impulsive! We can talk this out nicely!"

Zou Sijiu stood behind Li Jun, wanting to step forward to stop him but fearing these brutes with more guts than brains might hurt him; his foot stepped out then retracted, hesitant and indecisive.

"Talk about what?" Li Jun's tone was grim.

"After it's done, not only will I help you summon the soul, but we split the profits seven-three!"

Li Jun didn't stop; half his body had already crashed out the door.

"I'll sweeten the pot further—a Grade Seven Limited Edition Yingshi Mask!"

"What the hell is that?"

"A priceless treasure, unbuyable on the market. It can change your face and hide your tracks!"

"I want the profit in cash!"

"."

Li Jun walked slowly out the gate of the Peace Hotel, his face grimacing and twitching, yet he felt not the slightest resistance or strangeness on his face, only a cool, icy sensation, indescribably comfortable.

"This Yingshi Mask really is a good thing. Though both are Grade Seven constructs, its functions are far superior to the Xiting Lang."

Just as Li Jun was adapting to his new face, a violent explosion rang in his ears.

Boom!

The shop door of a store across the corridor suddenly shattered. Amidst the debris flying horizontally, a black shadow flew backward, smashing straight toward Li Jun.

Li Jun's steps shifted slightly; he sidestepped to avoid it.

He lowered his head to look. The black shadow had a delicate face resembling a woman's, currently looking at him with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, brother. Got blood all over you."

He Zangjia slowly stood up, holding a head with eyes wide open in anger, shaking it at Li Jun.

"This son of a bitch actually installed so many defensive measures in his own lair. If I hadn't dodged fast, I almost got dragged down as his burial companion."

He Zangjia glanced at the shop door behind Li Jun, looking familiarly at ease, and laughed: "What brings you here for fun? Those god-sticks don't really know how to play."

"Tried it. Indeed, not great."

Li Jun replied in a flat tone, then brushed past He Zangjia and walked on.

"This man's eyes and features—why do they feel so mismatched?"

He Zangjia regarded Li Jun's retreating back with a face full of suspicion, though he soon looked away.

In this Iron Tower, a hundred souls likely harbor a thousand secrets; a mere reconstructed face is scarcely worth mention.

He lifted Dai Xitu's severed head to eye level, staring into those eyes that refused to close in death, and spat with contempt.

"A mere 'One Point' strutting like he owns the world—don't you have even the faintest notion in your heart just how small you truly are?"