Han Li stood with his back to the Black Bear, facing the crowd of fighters. Although the Black Bear tried to tread lightly, he couldn't escape Han Li's keen senses.
So when the Black Bear, just a few steps away from Han Li, began to aggressively lunge forward, Han Li subtly shifted his body, suddenly turning to face the Black Bear with a mysterious smile as he approached.
The Black Bear was taken aback, but already in mid-lunge, he couldn't retreat. Helpless, he roared and thrust out his two hands, covered in black fur, aiming to grab Han Li. He hoped this young man had no combat experience, that his fierce demeanor would intimidate him enough to succeed.
Seeing the Black Bear still daring to attack, Han Li's expression darkened. With a swift motion, he disappeared from the Black Bear's sight.
The Black Bear realized he was in trouble and hastily halted his steps, intending to turn and run. But suddenly feeling a cold sensation at his neck, a sharp sword tip emerged from his throat. Then just as suddenly, it disappeared. The Black Bear desperately clutched his neck, blood spurting out, trying to speak but only managing a few dry gasps before collapsing to the ground.
Sun Er Gou's face turned waxen. He watched in horror as the young man, like a ghost, appeared behind the Black Bear and effortlessly pierced his throat with a flexible sword drawn from his waist. Meanwhile, the other party was wiping the blood off the gleaming sword with a piece of white cloth.
The young man seemed to sense Sun Er Gou's gaze. He looked up, flashed a light smile at Sun Er Gou, who recoiled as if he had seen a venomous snake. Sun Er Gou realized the death of his adversary brought him no joy; instead, he felt a sense of impending doom.
He now fully understood—the young man wasn't a lamb to slaughter but a grim reaper. And he and his men had blindly walked into this trap. Sun Er Gou's only hope now was that his men could subdue the giant, giving them a chance to negotiate and save their lives.
But when Sun Er Gou finally glimpsed the situation with the giant, he was stunned. Over twenty men lay motionless on the ground, covered in blood, while the giant stood tall, his hands folded over his chest. Catching Sun Er Gou's gaze, he stared back coldly.
Although the giant's face was hidden by a cloak, Sun Er Gou felt a beast-like bloodlust emanating from him, turning his already pale face even whiter.
Han Li had been observing Sun Er Gou's changing expressions coldly. He could see the man had no martial arts skills and was now terrified. He had no interest in dealing with him personally.
"Qu Hun, kill him," Han Li finally ordered, turning his head back.
"No, please! I surrender! I'm willing to offer all my wealth to Young Master. I'm willing to serve Young Master as a slave. I know everything about Jiayuan City, and I can be of great help to Young Master..." Sun Er Gou pleaded desperately as the demonic-looking giant approached him step by step.
"Hmm!" Initially intending to ignore Sun Er Gou's words, Han Li's interest was piqued upon hearing about his familiarity with Jiayuan City.
"For now, hold on," Han Li called out to Qu Hun, who was about to snap Sun Er Gou's neck, and walked a few steps forward to stand in front of the man.
"Are you very familiar with Jiayuan City?" Han Li asked with a gentle smile, appearing quite amiable.
But Sun Er Gou, who had just witnessed Han Li's merciless side, didn't dare to show any negligence. Trembling, he stammered, "Very familiar, extremely familiar. I've grown up in Jiayuan City since I was a child. I know every little detail here like the back of my hand!"
He clung to this lifeline, hoping to exaggerate his words enough to make the young man believe he was useful.
Upon hearing this response, Han Li rubbed his nose, tilted his head in thought, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a porcelain bottle.
He poured out a pill the size of a longan, handing it to Sun Er Gou.
"Either take it or die," Han Li said bluntly.
Sun Er Gou's hand trembled as he held the pill. He hesitated, but when his gaze met the icy stare from across, he shuddered and reluctantly swallowed the pill.
"Good, now I'll believe you," Han Li nodded in satisfaction.
"This pill is called the Corrosive Heart Pill, my exclusive poison. You must take the antidote once a month, or your organs will rot, leading to death. I believe you're a sensible person and won't have any second thoughts," Han Li said ominously.
Although mentally prepared, Sun Er Gou's face still showed despair upon learning the pill's effects.
"Don't worry. Once you help me with Jiayuan City, I'll completely remove the poison and grant you your freedom. With your skills, I won't need you elsewhere," Han Li assured him, knowing that dangling a carrot and wielding a stick would make Sun Er Gou obedient.
"Really, Young Master?" Sun Er Gou's spirits lifted slightly upon hearing this.
"I'll leave the money for you to handle things here. I don't want anyone to know what happened here. Understand?" Han Li tossed Sun Er Gou a bag of silver, giving him a casual order.
Taking it, Sun Er Gou felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps working for this generous young man wasn't such a bad thing after all.
"Young Master, rest assured, I'll handle things here properly and won't cause you any trouble!" he said with a flattering smile, eager to please.
"Alright, I'll leave first. I'll find an inn to rest. Come find me tomorrow morning. As the local boss, you should have no trouble finding me," Han Li ordered without hesitation.
"Yes, yes! I'll come to you first thing tomorrow morning and await your orders, Young Master!" Sun Er Gou, now in this situation, eagerly took on the role under Han Li's command.
Han Li smiled and motioned for Qu Hun to carry the large bundle as they slowly left the area. After walking a considerable distance, Han Li turned to look back at Sun Er Gou, who was still standing obediently in place, watching him leave with a loyal expression.
"Fascinating!" Han Li suddenly found this person very interesting, realizing he might be quite perceptive and could prove to be very useful.
