socalfunplaces Chapter 5 Waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump, leaving no one alive.
Chapter 5 Waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump, leaving no one alive.
The layout of the capital city resembles the Chinese character "井" (well).
To the north is Xuanwu Street, to the south is Zhuque Street, to the east is Qinglong Street, and to the west is Baihu Street. Each of these "main streets" is divided into several smaller streets, each with a different layout.
Xuanwu Street is a residential area, mainly inhabited by officials, while the most central location is naturally the Imperial City.
Zhuque Street is a commercial district, filled with shops where you can find goods from all over the country.
White Tiger Street and Green Dragon Street are a melting pot of all sorts of people, from the underworld to the legitimate world, and all kinds of "paths."
The martial arts factions in the capital were also divided in this way.
Jinfeng Xiyu Tower is located on Baihu Street, Liufenbantang is located on Qinglong Street, Linglong Pavilion is mainly for business, Yang Yan lives on Xuanwu Street, and her business is on Zhuque Street.
Besides the three major underworld forces, there are also small and medium-sized forces such as Snake King, Li Yanbei, Du Tongxuan, Beggar Gang, and Wanjia Chamber of Commerce, which are intertwined with each other.
The various forces are intertwined, like a labyrinth, hiding countless unpredictable and treacherous schemes. Any seemingly insignificant old man could be a giant of the demonic path.
Xu Qingya led Doubao across the Rainbow Bridge, and the scene of the Qingming Scroll slowly unfolded before their eyes. The aroma of food carried on the wind whetted their appetites.
"Woof woof~~"
Doubao barked softly twice, nuzzled Xu Qingya's trouser leg with its head, and dragged Xu Qingya toward the roast meat shop under the overpass, sticking out its tongue and panting.
This shop is not small; it has four rooms: one is the shop, one is the kitchen, one is the bustling oven room, and the last one is the bedroom.
The shop owner was a native of Guangdong, speaking with a heavy Lingnan accent. He was short and thin, looking like a monkey, and was in his fifties, without a spouse.
Not only does he have no spouse, but he also has no waiter, no accountant, and not even a cook. The boss takes on all the roles and is so tired every day that he can't straighten his back.
Even when walking, she would subconsciously stand on her tiptoes, as if that would save her some energy.
In a small restaurant where the owner also serves as the chef, waiter, and general helper, the food will definitely be served slowly and the service will not be very attentive, often leaving customers feeling frustrated.
A shop like this, which can afford to rent four rooms and is always full of customers, must have a very good owner with excellent skills.
"Boss, one roast goose, one braised chicken, two pounds of crispy pork, and three big pork bones, please!"
Xu Qingya found a seat and handed the shopkeeper a piece of silver. The man's surname was Mai, and he was known as Old Mai from Guangdong. When he saw the silver, a greenish glint flashed in his eyes.
It's like a drunkard encountering a century-old vintage wine, a lecherous man encountering a courtesan, or a hungry beast seeing its plump prey, filled with greed and lust.
Old Mai asked in a low voice, "Not drinking?"
"Give me twenty catties of strong liquor!"
Xu Qingya tossed out a large wine flask.
Mai Laoguang put away his wine bag and slowly went to the kitchen. After waiting for a while, Mai Laoguang came back with roast goose, braised chicken and crispy pork, along with a large bowl of white porridge.
"Boss, I need to ask you something!"
"Sir, what can I do for you?"
"In the past few days, many families in this area have lost their children. Have you seen any suspicious-looking strangers or people with very distinctive physical characteristics?"
"..."
Mai Laoguang looked up at Xu Qingya.
I. An outsider, newly arrived in the capital;
Second, his characteristics are obvious; Jun is unreasonable.
Third, his behavior is suspicious. There are countless people in the martial arts world who carry knives, but who would use such a long knife?
Fourth, having a yellow dog on the left and a hawk on the right is the standard attire for wealthy young masters. Wandering swordsmen are lucky if they can feed themselves, let alone have spare money to keep dogs.
Old Mai didn't say anything.
His eyes said it all.
Xu Qingya rubbed his chin. From the perspective of solving a case, he was indeed quite suspicious.
Xu Qingya's eyes darted around, and he asked, "The worst thing in business is encountering thieves. Have you ever seen a master thief?"
"What kind of thief?"
"Among the most notorious thieves in the martial arts world, the top-ranked thief is Chu Liuxiang, followed by Bai Yutang, the Saint of Thieves, Sikong Zhaixing, the King of Thieves, and Fan Liangji, the Lone Thief."
These are all master thieves, darting around at high speeds, rarely seen by ordinary people. But I've heard of an old thief named Feng Qiwu, who steals everything.
Each time Feng Qiwu takes action, he will commit at least a dozen major cases before stopping. He always swallows the criminals whole, leaving not a single copper coin behind.
Boss, making money selling roast meat isn't easy. If you run into a phoenix perched on a wutong tree, you're probably in for a bad time!
The roast meats were great! The flavor was authentic!
Xu Qingya looked at Mai Laoguang with a half-smile.
A flicker of fear flashed in Mai Laoguang's eyes. Although he tried his best to hide it, he couldn't completely conceal it. He made up an excuse and took the broken bones to the kitchen.
Xu Qingya sneered, looked down at Doubao who had finished gnawing on three big bones and was quite satisfied, glanced at the kitchen, and got up to leave the roast meat shop.
Inside the kitchen, Mai Laoguang clenched his fists, his palms soaked with sweat, and he couldn't help but shiver.
Mai Laoguang was a notorious thief and robber who left no one alive. His infamy lay not in killing, but in his extreme greed for money.
Every time Feng Qiwu committed a crime, he would completely empty the target's house, even taking the eggs and cured meat from the kitchen, and the chickens, ducks and geese raised in the backyard.
The nicknames of ordinary martial arts figures are mostly exaggerated. Feng Qiwu's nickname "No Chickens or Dogs Left Behind" is exactly what it sounds like, and even that is a bit of an exaggeration.
Of course, that's not the point!
Xu Qingya didn't come here to catch the thief!
The key point is that Doubao smelled an odor on Feng Qiwu that shouldn't be in the roast meat shop.
The fragrance of flowers!
A faint, lingering, and refreshing aroma—the greasy smell of a roast meat stall, unable to mask the fragrance of flowers.
Coincidentally, among the missing children was a family that ran a cosmetics business, especially skilled at making "sachets" for the wives of high-ranking officials.
……
evening.
Mai Laoguang drove his cart out of the city.
There is a small town fifteen miles from Luoyang. A wealthy man in the town is celebrating his birthday and specifically requested that the banquet be made with roast geese from Mai Laoguang. He ordered a full thirty-nine geese.
Mai Laoguang had no choice but to rush to deliver goods in his small cart.
He stuffed two duck legs into the hands of the old soldier guarding the city. At the last moment before the city gates closed, Old Mai left the city, got into a car, and ran away. He just thought... Good heavens!
Two figures stood guard on the official road.
One is Zhui Ming, and the other is Xu Qingya.
Zhui Ming said coldly, "Old Mai, or as you'd call me, Feng Qiwu, know what's good for you and kneel down to surrender. If we, Old Cui, were to make a move, the consequences wouldn't be pleasant!"
Xu Qingya sneered, "Feng Qiwu, do you know what kind of thief is easiest to catch? It's a miser like you who'd rather die than part with his money."
Zhui Ming calmly added insult to injury: "You clearly know your identity has been exposed, and you know the Six Doors have a hundred ways to catch you, but you just can't bear to part with your money!"
Xu Qingya added the conclusion: "Therefore, you will definitely take advantage of the darkness to run away with the stolen goods. As long as we set up an ambush along the way, we can wait for you to walk into our trap."
Before Xu Qingya could finish speaking, Feng Qiwu suddenly rushed over. Feng Qiwu knew that Zhui Ming's martial arts were far superior to his own, and his lightness skill was even more superb.
The only way to survive is through hostages!
Xu Qingya was in his early twenties, with a youthful innocence on his face, making him the perfect entry point.
As long as he captures Xu Qingya, he can threaten Zhui Ming to clear the way and thus gain a chance to survive.
Feng Qiwu had been a thief for many years, so his speed was undeniably fast. His Eagle Claw Kung Fu was at least 70-80% mastered, making him at least as good as the son of Yin Tianzheng, the leader of the Sky Eagle Sect!
"Swish! Swish!"
Feng Qiwu grabbed Xu Qingya's chest with his left hand and his throat with his right. His withered hands stirred up a sinister wind, like the claws of a ghost.
Xu Qingya did not draw his sword.
Catching the phoenix perched on the parasol tree is a trivial task; the real feast is the person behind the phoenix perched on the parasol tree.
Xu Qingya once trained at Changbai Tianchi, where he met an old master who taught him a set of martial arts skills.
"You wicked scoundrel, take this Heavenly Pool Divine Palm!"
Before the move was even made, a tiger's roar echoed from mid-air, like a thunderclap. Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger, and with the howling sound, the cold wind in the mountains and forests grew even more fierce.
Tianchi Divine Palm - Listening to the Spring!
He twisted his waist to the side, generating power from the ground, and kicked out in a straight line like an arrow. As if listening to a spring, he found stillness in motion. With a crack, Feng Qiwu's arms were broken.
Before Feng Qiwu could turn and run away, Xu Qingya kicked out with alternating kicks, like a white goose paddling on water, his attacks continuous and relentless, accompanied by a series of cracking sounds.
"Snap! Snap! Snap!"
Feng Qiwu didn't know how many bones in his body had been broken by the kicks; he only knew that when he landed, he didn't even have the strength to move a finger.
"You...you lack martial ethics..."
"How can I not uphold martial ethics?"
"You were clearly talking about... the Divine Palm..."
"The sole of the foot is also a sole!"
Xu Qingya was not joking. The Heavenly Pool Divine Palm is indeed a leg technique, said to be simplified from a peerless leg technique that has reached the pinnacle of skill, and has unlimited potential.
Zhuiming was an expert in lightness skills and leg techniques. When he saw Xu Qingya make his move, his eyes were filled with shock.
Xu Qingya was young, but his kicks were fast, his moves were precise, his landings were accurate, and his power was incredible. It was as if he had been training for decades, and he was definitely not a novice.
Ximen Changhai is not good at leg techniques!
Where did you learn this leg technique?
How... how come it looks so much like...
Zhui Ming suddenly remembered a legendary leg technique!
The spiritual world is a thousand years in a second.
Without much thought, Zhuiming grabbed Feng Qiwu's collar and angrily demanded, "Feng Qiwu, who hired you to steal children? Where are those children?"
Feng Qiwu sneered: "The Four Great Constables! What a prestigious title! How does it feel to be tricked by a roast meat vendor? I'm not telling you!"
If you're so capable, try to torture me!
Lao Tzu said one word: "You raised this dog!"
"There's no need for torture to deal with you!"
Xu Qingya took a roast goose out of the cart!
"Guess what I'll do next?"