As soon as Han Li stepped out of the pier, he instructed two porters to walk ahead, leading him to a nearby inn for a rest before considering other matters.
The two men agreed and led Han Li towards the city. However, after wandering through several streets and alleys for some time, they still hadn't found the inn.
Although Han Li followed behind the porters, he noticed that the paths they took were getting more remote, with fewer people encountered along the way, which made him furrow his brow.
Despite lacking experience staying in large towns, Han Li knew that an inn wouldn't be located in such secluded areas where hardly any guests would visit.
Therefore, when they arrived at a filthy, dark alley, Han Li couldn't help but smile bitterly, feeling that he should take immediate action against the two men and interrogate them to see what their intentions were.
Just as Han Li was about to act, a group of a dozen or so burly men suddenly emerged from the depths of the alley, looking somewhat familiar, as if Han Li had seen them in the sheds at the pier.
These men, wielding various iron rods and knives, now regarded Han Li and Qu Hun with hostile intentions, while the two porters who were carrying parcels suddenly rushed into the crowd, turned around, and smirked at Han Li.
Han Li sighed. It seemed he didn't need to interrogate them to understand their motives. Unexpectedly, he encountered a plot of robbery and murder as soon as he set foot in Doctor Mo's hometown.
"Kid, don't blame us for being ruthless. It's your own fault for carrying so much silver. Blame your bad luck!" a rough voice came from behind.
Han Li turned around to see seven or eight sturdy men behind him, two of whom were particularly notable: one was stout and burly with a dark complexion, while the other was thin with a crooked head and shifty eyes—Black Bear and Sun Er Gou.
These two were no strangers to robbery and murder for money. They understood that as long as they finished the job cleanly, leaving no survivors, cases like the disappearance of non-locals wouldn't be investigated by the authorities. After all, there were too many missing people in this area every year for the authorities to bother searching for each one.
Therefore, after Black Bear finished speaking, he didn't hesitate and signaled to the dozen or so men. They then wielded their weapons fiercely and charged towards Han Li and Qu Hun, who were trapped in the middle.
Han Li watched the bloodthirsty and ferocious expressions of these big men, and a hint of killing intent flashed in his eyes. He could tell that these people had done this kind of thing more than once; otherwise, they wouldn't all carry the smell of blood.
"Kill them, no need to hold back!" Han Li coldly commanded Qu Hun.
Upon hearing Han Li's words, Qu Hun let out a few low roars, mixed with a hint of excitement. He suddenly leaped out and rushed into the crowd coming towards them.
With a swift punch, he struck a big man's head like lightning. The burly man flew sideways like a sandbag, crashing against the stone wall, blood and brain matter spilling all over the ground, leaving only half of his head intact.
At this moment, however, a sharp knife and a thick iron rod simultaneously descended towards Qu Hun's back.
Without turning his head, Qu Hun swung his other hand back in a half-circle. With two "bangs," the weapons of the two men barely made contact with his arm before flying into the air, their hands dripping with blood.
Then, Qu Hun planted one leg on the ground and swept his other leg like a sickle, swiftly striking the two men in the waist and abdomen. They flew horizontally over ten feet away, falling to the ground motionless.
This scene sent chills down the spines of those watching, and even the men surrounding him showed fear, some hesitating to step forward.
But even if they stopped, Qu Hun continued mercilessly, smashing the skulls of two men beside him without waiting for Han Li's command.
Sun Er Gou and Black Bear's faces looked ugly. It was evident that they had made a mistake; this big guy was no ordinary bodyguard, unexpectedly very capable.
"Kill this giant man, and each person will be rewarded with twenty taels of silver!" Sun Er Gou's heart had an ominous premonition, and he hurriedly announced a hefty reward to the "experts" around him.
Upon hearing Sun Er Gou's words, the faces of the men around him showed delight. They were all crude martial artists who knew a little about fighting and couldn't tell the vast difference between them and Qu Hun. They thought the other was just a bit stronger and more skilled, and didn't feel any fear. Now, stimulated by this substantial reward, they rushed towards Qu Hun one after another.
At that moment, Black Bear was silently cursing his luck. Unlike Sun Er Gou, he had reached his current position through sheer grit and bloodshed, relying on real combat rather than just talk. This meant he not only had decent fighting skills, barely enough to be considered a third-rate fighter, but also possessed keen eyesight.
So, when he saw Qu Hun take action, his heart sank. He immediately recognized Qu Hun's exceptional skill. Even if their leader came in person, they might not stand a chance, let alone them, mere small-time thugs. But he didn't dare to turn and run because it was obvious that this giant hadn't exerted his full strength yet. If he showed any sign of wanting to escape, he might end up dead even sooner.
In order to survive, it seemed the only option was to target that rustic young man. It was clear that this young man's status was much higher than the giant's. Only by taking him hostage would they have a chance to escape. As for the idea of that money, he dared not even consider it anymore. With such a formidable bodyguard by his side, how could he possibly be the son of some wealthy man? Clearly, he was a young master from some prestigious family, disguised and wandering around. Even if he could escape today, it would be a miracle, let alone carrying such a heavy package. That was out of the question!
With these thoughts in mind, Black Bear discreetly signaled to Sun Er Gou as a few of his subordinates charged forward. Then, he quietly edged closer to the center of the scene.
