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Gou Jie stared at Zhou Yunli in astonishment. “Miss Zhou, what’s going on?”

She answered coolly, “Did I not mention earlier? Bandits run rampant around Guiyang City.”

“You are the bandits!” Gou Jie exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face.

“We might dabble in banditry. It’s our side job.” Mo Wu smirked, drawing his blade and giving it a languid lick.

Suddenly, his face contorted in pain. His weapon clattered to the ground, and his followers behind him began collapsing, many coughing up purple blood.

“Poison…” gasped Mo Wu as his head grotesquely swelled.

Oddly, only Zhou Yunli seemed unaffected. As Qin Huai approached her, she spoke in a pleading voice, her robe falling away slightly to reveal a bare shoulder, “If you spare me, I am yours to command.” A hint of a blush colored her cheeks as she continued, “With your strength, marrying into the Zhou family isn’t impossible.”

But in a shocking twist, blood sprayed from her, causing her to cry out in horror, “What have you done?!”

“You said I had free rein,” Qin Huai retorted coldly. “I have…unique tastes.”

“I’m the Zhou family heiress! Killing me means making an enemy of them!” Zhou Yunli’s voice shook with rage and fear.

Qin Huai remained unfazed. “The Zhou family rules a mere county. We can always run away. Do you think they can catch us? East Qingzhou is vast,” he taunted, watching her intently.

With a defiant sneer, Zhou Yunli said, “Didn’t I say the Guiyang City bandits had powerful backers?”

Qin Huai feigned surprise. “Someone more powerful than the Zhou family?”

“You shouldn’t underestimate the person backing me,” Zhou Yunli stated with confidence. “You can’t even imagine their power.”

Qin Huai raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “And who might that be?”

She took a moment before saying, “Li.”

Qin Huai’s face fell, revealing his concern.

Zhou Yunli smirked, recognizing his fear. She had used this name to instill fear in others many times before. “If you’re wise,” she continued, “you’ll release me. Otherwise, leaving East Qingzhou will be impossible for you.”

Gou Jie, previously behind Zhou Yunli, revealed a group of bound individuals in the carriage — young women and children, some as young as five.

“Human trafficking?” Qin Huai murmured.

She looked pointedly at Qin Huai, sizing him up. His strength, especially his poison technique, made him valuable. Losing Mo Wu had been a blow to the Zhou family, and she considered roping Qin Huai in as a replacement.

“Sounds like many are involved in this,” Qin Huai observed.

“A lot,” she boasted, hoping to sway him further.

“And this ‘Li’? His full name?”

Zhou Yunli hesitated, “I don’t know. While the Zhou family is influential, even we don’t know everything. But Li’s power? It’s immeasurable.”

“Thank you for the information,” Qin Huai responded, smiling.

Zhou Yunli relaxed, thinking she’d secured an ally. “Then come with me…”

But her relief was short-lived. With a swift motion, Qin Huai separated her head from her body. Her life ended in shock, never expecting such a move after revealing her powerful ally.

Soon after, the rescued victims knelt in gratitude before Qin Huai and Gou Jie, tears of relief in their eyes.

“You’re free now,” Qin Huai declared, promising, “This won’t happen again.”

The freed captives stood still, seemingly unsure of what to do next.

“Why aren’t you leaving?” Qin Huai inquired.

One of the seasoned warriors stepped forward, a melancholic smile on his face. “We can’t simply walk away. Those people have our names, faces, and hometowns. If they find out we’ve escaped, they’ll send assassins. Two managed to escape once, but were killed within weeks. Everywhere in East Qingzhou is under their control.”

Qin Huai sighed. “So thorough… Do you know who represents them in Guiyang City?”

“It’s Gao Jie, the deputy city lord!” the warrior exclaimed. “He’s behind the hunts. Last time, he personally delivered the heads of the escapees.”

Nodding, Qin Huai offered a solution, “Stay hidden in the nearby woods for now. You’ll hear when it’s safe to return to the city.”

The man nodded in gratitude. They had no choice but to trust Qin Huai.

…

Meanwhile, in Lingjiang City’s Seven Heroes Restaurant, there wasn’t a single empty seat. Customers filled even the makeshift tables outside, with a line waiting for a spot.

Sitting in a discreet corner, Qin Huai and Gou Jie enjoyed their meals.

“This place is bustling,” Qin Huai commented, taking a sip of wine.

Gou Jie nodded. “The food and drink here are unlike anything in Qingzhou.”

Qin Huai recalled his time with the Blood Poison Gang, “I’ve tasted delicacies across Qingzhou, but never like this.”

Suddenly, a burly man slammed into a seat beside them and said, “Hope you don’t mind sharing.”

With a nod, Qin Huai invited him to sit. The man, both lively and chatty, dove straight into the latest gossip.

“Have you heard? Guiyang City’s deputy lord, Gao Jie, was murdered! The entire East Qingzhou is talking about it.”