"I don't know either, but there's supposedly a bounty on someone," Liu Fei said.
"Mm-hmm," responded Li Meng.
Liu Fei sat down, picked up the wooden carving, and thought about what had happened in the past few days. There was no doubt that the bounty was for the young man who had bullied Su Zijing. Only he had the financial means. In the slums, human life was worthless. Not to mention twenty thousand Zhuo'er coins, even two thousand wouldn't be willingly offered.
"Liu Fei, you mustn't die!" Li Meng said anxiously when he noticed Liu Fei's silence.
"Life and death are up to fate, success or failure is in heaven's hands! If I have to kill, then I'll kill!" Liu Fei replied.
With those words, Liu Fei's carving knife suddenly fell, its blade flashing as it completed the final stroke on the wooden carving. This stroke landed on the flowing scarf in front of the two figurines, the momentum was as fierce as a rainbow, heart-stopping and awe-inspiring. What was once a beautiful symbol in the wood carving was now destroyed by this stroke, emitting a strong aura of battle. The two lovers in the carving seemed to be holding hands in a bloody battle.
"Oh..." Li Meng knew nothing about carving, yet he could sense the stunningly fierce and grandiose aura. His heart raced wildly. He couldn't fathom why a mere piece of woodwork could evoke such a sense of oppression in him.
"I've got something to attend to, so I'll head out." Liu Fei tidied up the metal desk and packed the wooden carving into a paper box.
"Oh, hey, Liu Fei, I've got some good news for you, hehe."
"Hmm?"
"I've been accepted into the martial arts academy through special means. They're not charging me tuition fees, haha!" Li Meng laughed with joy.
"Really?" Liu Fei was initially taken aback, feeling a bit skeptical. He had heard some rumors about the distant universe martial arts academy, suggesting that it was struggling financially, so it didn't make sense for them to accept students for free.
"Yes, really," Li Meng chuckled. "I go to the academy every day now. I moved the master there, and he said he recognized me as one of his disciples, even though I don't have to pay tuition. But, I still have to do some odd jobs every day to cover my expenses."
"Well, that's not bad then," Liu Fei replied, somewhat reassured.
"Yeah, Liu Fei, I've resigned from Zuo'er Mech University. Leave the slums to me, and don't worry. Let's see who dares to cause trouble. I, Meng Ge, will flay them and pull their tendons!" Li Meng said fiercely.
"Didn't someone challenge you when we had dinner last time?"
"I'm too busy to bother with that idiot." Li Meng sneered.
"Why should the slums be handed over to you?" Liu Fei suddenly asked.
"Hehe, Fei Ge, you don't know this? After I climbed up to the martial arts school, I became someone with connections and power. Just think about it, with the distant universe martial arts school backing me up, it's like ascending to the heavens. By then, the slums will naturally become my territory," Li Meng said excitedly, his face flushed with excitement. "Haha..."
"Let's go," Liu Fei said, looking at Li Meng's smug face, feeling stunned. He had never imagined that his usual companion would have such grand ambitions, actually aiming to conquer the entire slum area.
"Uh, I... I have to go. I need to help my master with his foot bath," Li Meng stammered.
"Huh..." Liu Fei was left dumbfounded.
"Ahem... well... my master isn't feeling well. He needs a hot foot bath every day, as well as nail trimming, ear cleaning, and massages. As his disciple, it's my duty to help him," Li Meng chuckled awkwardly. "I'll be going now."
"Uh... okay," Liu Fei nodded, watching Li Meng disappear into the entrance. He sighed heavily. He wanted to tell Li Meng that for the current state of the distant universe martial arts school, accepting a disciple meant closing its doors, implying that the school would never regain its former glory.
Liu Fei speculated maliciously that the head of the distant universe martial arts school probably wanted to find a disciple to take care of him in his old age. Without a doubt, Li Meng was the ideal candidate.
Of course, Liu Fei didn't want to stop Li Meng. Li Meng was already deeply involved, and no one could stop him, just like no one could stop Liu Fei from entering Zuo'er Mech University.
After hearing Li Meng's landing sound, Liu Fei carefully wrapped a high-quality alloy, shaped like a ruler, in leather and tied it around his calf with a complex knot. When needed, he could easily undo the seemingly intricate rope in an instant.
This was one of the skills Liu Fei had learned from Ironhead.
The rope in Iron Head's hands is not just for tying shoes and ties, its knotting techniques are extremely complex and profound. Liu Fei witnessed Iron Head's magical use of ropes, being able to build houses, tents, and traps in the wilderness. A single rope, in Iron Head's hands, could achieve astonishing effects that left people speechless.
Liu Fei saw Iron Head use a single rope to capture twenty-three swift birds, five wind-chasing wolves, and three gold-hungry turtles in just one hour. There was a period when Iron Head almost made Liu Fei live in ropes. The most unbearable part was when Iron Head would frequently use complex knots to trap Liu Fei in certain places, and Liu Fei had to untie the knots to get food.
Undoubtedly, it was a period of inhumanity, but it honed Liu Fei's mastery of ropes to perfection. Like binding a knife to one's hand for combat, it was just one of the most basic uses. Many people overlook this seemingly ancient method of protection in battle. In fact, by binding a knife to the palm with a rope, one's combat effectiveness can be doubled, especially in chaotic battles where outnumbered. There is no need to worry about angles or weapons falling, one can completely focus on fighting, and the lethality speaks for itself.
After tidying up, when leaving the mech, Liu Fei carefully moved a spider web to the entrance and remembered its approximate shape. After completing all this, Liu Fei took a long breath. Strangely, he remembered Iron Head. If Iron Head were here, he wouldn't have to worry about his safety at all.
Now, everything relies solely on himself.
...
Su Zijing has been feeling very restless these past few days. Members of her family keep contacting her, asking if there's any problem. This is causing her a lot of distress. Of course, if it were just inquiries, she wouldn't mind, but the key issue is that her brother, Su Ziyun, is actually on his way to Zorstar.
Who is Su Ziyun?
Ordinary people naturally wouldn't know who Su Ziyun is, but Su Zijing is well aware.
Su Ziyun is Su Zijing's older brother. He is not only the top martial artist among the younger generation of the Su family, but also the second most skilled in the entire family. No one can ignore his presence, and his influence within the family is growing day by day. If nothing unexpected happens, he will be the next head of the Su family. Of course, this is a distant matter, as the current head is their father, who is still in his prime.
The fact that the most outstanding young talent of the Su family is being dispatched indicates how much attention the family is paying to Su Zijing.
Su Zijing doesn't want to escalate the situation, nor does she want to trigger a conflict between the two major families. Therefore, she has never mentioned the humiliation she suffered on Fallen Street.
However, secrets cannot remain hidden forever. The Su family is one of the top one hundred families in the Zorstar region, and its extensive network of information has been built over hundreds of years. As the cherished daughter of the family head, it is inconceivable that Su Zijing's suffering would go unnoticed.
Although technology is advancing rapidly, people's attitudes remain outdated, especially in some large families where the concept of female chastity is considered extremely important. The fact that someone of Su Zijing's status has been humiliated is not just her own affair; it is a disgrace to the entire family.
If Su Zijing were to be dishonored, it wouldn't just be her own reputation that is tarnished, but also the interests of the entire family. With Su Zijing's exceptional qualities, she could easily form a marital alliance with a more powerful family.
Many families have risen to prominence through marital alliances, making them an indispensable force in the rise of some families.
In fact, the current wife of the head of the Su family, Su Yushi, also comes from a family of great influence in the Zorstar region, ranking in the top ten...
If Su Zijing were to be humiliated, it would not only be a shame for the Su family, but also a heavy blow to its development. This is a period of flourishing for the Su family.
...
Su Zijing was very distressed and unaware of the importance of the situation. She simply didn't want things to escalate too much, especially since she hadn't suffered any substantial harm.
It seems that the universal outlet for women's frustrations is just one: shopping.
Now, Su Zijing was alone, indulging in a frenzy of shopping on the pedestrian street. It was so excessive that not only was her spatial ring filled to the brim, but her hands were also loaded with shopping bags, making her look like a Christmas tree adorned with gifts.
Just as Su Zijing was preparing to head home, her body suddenly froze as she stared blankly at the graceful figure ahead, a figure that was so familiar.
It was Chen Chen!
Su Zijing shivered inexplicably. It was this woman who had caused her embarrassment. Hmph!
Without making a sound, Su Zijing stealthily followed behind Chen Chen. Today, Chen Chen was dressed in a sleek black suit, looking dignified and elegant, which filled Su Zijing with envy from behind.
Finally, Chen Chen stopped in front of the "Cheng's Woodcarving" shop. After standing still for a few seconds, she used a card to open the heavy wooden door.
A woodcarving shop!
No wonder Liu Fei was into woodcarving. It seemed that this pair of adulterers had already formed a liaison. Su Zijing gritted her teeth with hatred, but after a moment, she prepared to leave. Just as she turned around, she saw another familiar figure.
Liu Fei.
Almost instinctively, Su Zijing used the shopping bags in her hands to cover her face as she brushed past Liu Fei.
Watching Liu Fei enter the woodcarving shop, Su Zijing suddenly woke up. Why was she trying to avoid him?
Why?
She hadn't done anything wrong. Why hide?
With a determined stomp of her foot, Su Zijing lifted her head high, proudly carrying her bags, and marched confidently into the Cheng's Woodcarving shop...