Chapter 4: Heartless

Li Qingyuan saw Wang Lei stop and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. His small eyes darted around as he coldly said: "Old man Wang, the life of that old fellow is in my hands. If you harm anyone again, I will cut him once. For every additional injury, I will make another cut on him... Hey, are you scared now?"

The person before me is no longer the Wang Lei of the past

The county magistrate has issued an order, open the door immediately

Wang Lei's expression was resolute, conveying a sense of determination

He wore a smile on his face, yet in his heart, he was calculating his own interests

A loud voice came from outside the door, and upon hearing it, Li Qingyuan's heart skipped a beat. He looked at Wang Lei with a strange expression, wondering if this kid had actually taken the county magistrate as his godfather

A sudden shout came from the entrance, as more than thirty people charged in with an imposing presence

Wang Lei remained cold-faced and said coldly: "The old man is a kind and honest elder, your senior. It is your duty as a junior to serve him well with food and drink. I heard from the old man that when you were born, you did not make a sound at all. It was only after he gave you a slap on the bottom that you cried out normally; otherwise, whether you could have survived to this day would have been a question."

He took Wang Lei hostage and retreated to the hall, watching as more than thirty people surrounded Wang Lei completely. His smile grew even brighter as he said with a sinister tone: "Old Du, Wang Laohu was raised by you. Even if he is fierce as a tiger, facing more than thirty people, he can only meet his death. If you agree to my demands, I will spare his life."

This fellow speaks with conviction and acts decisively. Wang Lei's fierce determination is renowned in Ye County, and his martial prowess is the strongest among the three major heroic factions on the streets of Ye County, thus earning him the title of "Tiger"

Wang Lei shrugged and exclaimed, "I am so scared!"

Li Qingyuan blinked and thought to himself that the person who had gone to seek help had already left for some time

Who is afraid of whom

Wang Lei smiled gently and thought to himself, how could you possibly know that the original Wang Lei has long since disappeared

Li Qing was so angry that his teeth itched, yet he feared Wang Lei's threats

Bringing up a matter repeatedly is clearly a deliberate attempt to buy time

Did Old Master Du ever say that?

Li Qingyuan's expression changed dramatically in an instant as he sensed Wang Lei's determination

Wang Lei scoffed inwardly, this person is truly a fool

Li Qingyuan, with a smiling face, replied: "You have a thick skin and an even harsher heart. I dare not provoke you; this matter is my fault. However, the old scoundrel came to my residence, and I treated him well, yet you injured the guards of my residence. How will you compensate for that?"

Li Qingyuan felt a burning sensation on his face, and his gaze towards Old Master Du became even colder than that depicted in the illustrations.

Wang Lei is not an impulsive person; he knows how to gauge the situation.

Master, I have returned

He stared at Li Qingyuan and said in a deep voice: "Li Qingyuan, if anything happens to the old man, even a hair on his body, I will make your entire family pay with their lives. You can act against the old man; feel free to strike. I will not interfere, and I will turn and leave. But once I leave West Street, I will definitely seek revenge. As long as your family steps outside, I will ensure your family is killed. I am all alone, with nothing to tie me down. Your whole family, I do not believe that they can hide for a lifetime."

Bluffing!

Regardless of the circumstances, he must hold Wang Lei back

The sound of knocking suddenly rang out

Li Qingyuan's smile suddenly appeared on his face, instantly casting aside the matter of Wang Lei's acquittal. He said triumphantly: "Wang Lei, oh Wang Lei, my men have already returned, where do you think you can escape? The earlier conversation was merely a tactic to buy time; now, I will ensure your utter destruction." He looked at the person who had rushed in and shouted: "Close the door and kill him for me."

Wang Lei squinted his eyes, exuding a chilling aura, and spoke slowly: "It is said that Wang Lei of the East Market is a tiger, Liu Quan of the South Gate is a wolf, and Li Qing of the West Street is a pig. As expected. I was just teasing you, yet you perceived my fear. How embarrassing. With your current demeanor, Li Qing, do you think I would kneel before you? Can you handle it? It seems you might be struck by divine retribution."

Li Qingyuan had made up his mind and immediately set the plan into action. He put on a smile and said softly, "Wang Laohu, today's incident is a misunderstanding. However, you have injured the guards of my residence, and I need an explanation from you before I release the old man."

Li Qingyuan was so angry that his teeth itched, and he exclaimed: "Find a piece of cloth to stuff that old rascal's mouth!"

Old Master Du patted his thigh and laughed heartily, saying: "Well said, Tiger Head. I didn't expect that after your stint in prison, your tongue has become even sharper. Surviving a great calamity surely brings future blessings; the words of our ancestors are indeed correct"

Li Qingyuan coldly laughed and said, "A dead duck won't admit to its own faults. By the time Wang Lei is beaten half to death, you will agree."

Wang Lei calmly retorted: "Who says I escaped from prison? The county magistrate is astute and knows that it was not I who committed murder that day, but rather others who sought to kill me, forcing me into a situation where I had to resist. The act of killing is not my fault"

Wang Lei's sword-like eyebrows stood upright as he shouted, "Stop your nonsense. The East Market and West Street are distinctly separate; the well water does not interfere with the river water. I, Wang Lei, am enjoying my freedom in the East Market and have not provoked you. It is you who intruded into the East Market with your people and took the old man away. I have not settled this matter with you, yet you have come to attack me first. I have seen shameless people, but I have never seen anyone as shameless as you. As the saying goes, a tree without bark will surely die, and a person without shame is invincible in the world. Your face is truly thick; it is even thicker than the skin of pigs in a pigsty."

Old Master Du's eyes were filled with anxiety, yet he refused, saying: "No way!"

Li Qingyuan frowned, this matter is somewhat strange

Wang Lei glanced at the person who rushed in and said coldly: "You are stalling for time waiting for someone, but am I not doing the same? Li Qingyuan, release the old man immediately; I will not pursue this matter, otherwise, I will not let it go."

Otherwise, how could one be acquitted, and now someone is coming to provide assistance?

Li Qingyuan, unable to contain his excitement and full of vigor, commanded: "If you are afraid, kneel down and kowtow to beg for mercy"

Bang! Bang!!!

However, when he thought of Wang Lei saying that he was a kind and honest elder, he felt a sense of elation; that remark was quite commendable

Li Qingyuan was so enraged by Wang Lei that he stamped his feet. When he encountered Old Master Du's provocation, he thought to himself, this old man is provoking me time and again, does he really think I dare not take action? A trace of hostility flashed in Li Qingyuan's eyes as he resolved to make Old Master Du suffer a bit.

Upon hearing this, Wang Lei couldn't help but burst into laughter

Wang Lei noticed the change in Li Qingyuan's demeanor and felt a surge of anxiety. At this moment, it was essential to stabilize Li Qingyuan and also intimidate him; otherwise, if Li Qingyuan decided to go all out, he would lose control.

Li Qingyuan was arrogant and overbearing, while Wang Lei was unyielding.

Li Qingyuan let out a sound of exasperation and helplessly raised a hand to stop the guard beside him. A flash of inspiration struck him, and his small eyes narrowed into a slit as he smiled and said: "Wang Laohu, previously you were arrested for gathering a crowd to fight, and according to the rules, you should have been executed. Now that you have escaped, it seems you have fled. If I report your situation to the county magistrate, you will undoubtedly face death. Murder and prison break combined, even ten heads would not be enough to pay for your crimes. As long as you no longer involve yourself with Old Du's matters, I will let you leave, even escort you out of the city."

Wang Lei shouted, "Do you dare!"

Li Qingyuan laughed heartily and exclaimed, "Come on, life and death are irrelevant!"

Barefoot people are not afraid of wearing shoes; Wang Lei is the barefoot one, and he has a large family to support. Faced with such a thick-skinned and ruthless person, if he cannot keep Wang Lei, it is impossible for him to completely sever ties.

Just wait a little longer, someone will be here soon

If Wang Lei agrees to the compensation, he will temporarily release Old Master Du and then wait for his subordinates to return before seizing the opportunity to take action; if Wang Lei does not agree to the compensation, he will continue to drag things out with Wang Lei.

This old scoundrel was shameless even in his youth. He muttered under his breath about Wang Lei's thick skin, then continued, "Well, let it be, I might as well have fed my fine food and wine to the dogs. As for the wine and meat, let's not mention it..." Just as he was getting into his speech, he suddenly heard Old Master Du muttering, "I had fine food and wine, and you also had fine food and wine; it wasn't just me who enjoyed it."