This Is Famine

Haichiling, Toudaoling, Lu Dongjun's residence. Every guard stood on high alert as the entire estate came under siege. The Extinction Mosquitoes, which had previously vanished from Toudaoling, were back. Not only had they returned, but they were also immune to Lu Dongjun's medicine. Lu Dongjun had rice mixed with the medicine thrown and scattered everywhere, yet it did not do the slightest bit of good. Toudaoling had been caught completely unprepared. Everyone had assumed they would never see the Extinction Mosquitoes again in their lives, so they took no precautions whatsoever. The little grain they had painstakingly scraped together was wiped out in one fell swoop. Having only just escaped the sea of suffering, Toudaoling was once again plunged into desperate straits. However much reverence they had previously felt for Lu Dongjun was matched today by how much they hated him! The mob laying siege to Lu Dongjun's estate was made up primarily of gangs of every size, though common folk had joined in as well. Relying solely on these people, breaching Lu Dongjun's residence would prove rather difficult, as Lu Dongjun had spared no effort on the estate's defenses. Yet the various prominent families had also reached their hands into the fray. With a cigarette dangling from his lips, He Haisheng stood right in the crowd, accompanied by Han Yaomen, the chief of the Qingyun Association. Both men had concealed their faces with numinous objects, making it nearly impossible for ordinary folk to recognize them. Listening to the waves of curses rising louder and louder around Lu Dongjun's estate, Han Yaomen sneered. "A few days ago, I brought congratulatory gifts and waited half an hour outside his doors just to see him, yet he refused to grant me an audience. In a moment, I'll have my men tear down his gates and let this entire crowd flood in. Let's see if he'll see people then." He Haisheng glanced at Han Yaomen. "Brother Han, making a personal trip here yourself couldn't just be about stripping Lu Dongjun of face, could it?" Han Yaomen smiled faintly. "Face definitely won't be spared. As for whether his life is spared, that depends on what Third Master He has to say." "My say alone won't decide anything." He Haisheng looked all around. "There are plenty of people who want a say today." Ma Chunting, Eldest Master of the Ma family, was present. Chu Huaijun, Eldest Young Master of the Chu family, was present. Zhang Xiuling, head of the Baihua Sect, was present. Other prestigious families had sent plenty of men as well. They were still waiting—waiting for the right moment to strike. Though they held the upper hand in both numbers and fighting strength, no one wanted to rush to the very front. Nobody wanted to face Lu Dongjun directly. No matter how utterly incompetent he showed himself to be in other matters, when it came to fighting, he was an expert. Lu Maoxian, the Old Master of the Lu family, had once remarked that among the entire Lu family, the most capable fighter was the second son, Lu Dongjun. Even Lu Dongliang had conceded that in a ring match, even he might not necessarily defeat Lu Dongjun. This was not merely the advantage of being a martial cultivator; it was also one of Lu Dongjun's few true talents. Barring schemes and trickery, as long as it came down to pure combat, both his fighting prowess and his tactical responses far surpassed ordinary men. Unfortunately, Lu Dongjun had poor luck; anyone who sought to deal with him always struck at him through schemes. Han Yaomen was still watching the movements of the other families and gangs. To his considerable surprise, two groups had sent no one. "No one from the Sanying Gate showed up, and Monkey Qiu hasn't sent anyone either. Word has it the Sanying Gate doesn't want to wade into these muddy waters, but what about Monkey Qiu? Does he not want revenge on Lu Dongjun?" He Haisheng shook his head. "Monkey Qiu's thoughts are hard to fathom. I've been wondering—is the Lu family going to take the surname Qiu in the future?" *** Inside the mansion, Lu Dongjun was drenched in cold sweat. A guard covered in bruises rushed in and reported, "Master, we searched all of Toudaoling, but we couldn't find Mr. Wan!" "Couldn't find him?" Lu Dongjun's cheek twitched. "If you couldn't find him, why the hell are you coming to tell me?" "Master, we're almost unable to hold the line!" "Where can't you hold?" "Nowhere! Master, there are experts hiding out there. Several of our brothers have already been killed!" *Killed my guards?* *With just that rabble?* Lu Dongjun might be careless in other matters, but the guards around him had all been meticulously handpicked. Not only were their cultivation levels high, but their experience was also exceptionally seasoned. A moment's thought was enough to realize that ruthless experts had made underhanded moves. Where did such ruthless figures come from? They undoubtedly belonged to the various major families and gangs. Lu Dongjun rubbed his forehead and sat down on the sofa in the living room. Three days ago, on this very sofa, Lu Dongjun had pointed at the nose of the Chu family's eldest young master and cursed him out, and Chu Huaijun hadn't dared utter a peep. The next day, in this very living room, Lu Dongjun had kicked Ma Junjiang, and Ma Junjiang hadn't dared squeak a word. Who could have guessed that in the blink of an eye, something like this would happen? Just where had Wan Jinxian gone? Could it be that he lacked the ability to contain the plague, so he fled ahead of time? The more Lu Dongjun thought about it, the more terrified he became, feeling he had placed far too much trust in Wan Jinxian. Another guard approached Lu Dongjun. "Master, reporters have arrived. Will you see them?" Lu Dongjun waved a dismissive hand. "I won't." The guard turned to leave. Lu Dongjun called him back. "Bring the reporters in. I have something to say." Before long, the reporters entered. A photographer first snapped a few pictures of Lu Dongjun. Another cameraman stood by, filming with a motion picture camera. A reporter asked, "Mr. Lu, what is the reason behind the resurgence of the Extinction Mosquitoes? Is your medicine unable to thoroughly eradicate them, or was the previous dosage insufficient?" Lu Dongjun said with a composed expression, "The dosage was insufficient. But at its root, the fundamental issue is cost. The cost of the concoction is simply too high, leaving me short on funds. On top of that, various prominent families have recently taken issue with me, tripping me up with dirty tricks behind the scenes, leaving me stretched thin." The reporter looked at Lu Dongjun in surprise. "Mr. Lu, are you saying you've run out of money?" Lu Dongjun nodded. "It is indeed a financial issue. However, you need not worry. I, Lu Dongjun, remain right here and am going nowhere. I am willing to sell off my family assets and empty my coffers. Even if I, Lu Dongjun, am reduced to sleeping on the streets tomorrow, I will conquer the insect plague of Haichiling! I must trouble you gentlemen to pass a message to our friends outside: even if the sky falls, Lu will prop it up for Haichiling!" Cameras flashed continuously, the motion picture camera whirred without pause, and the reporters' pens flew across their notepads. Once the interview concluded, the reporters departed. Lu Dongjun said to the guards, "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep for a bit." The guards were dumbfounded. The mob outside was practically breaking down the doors, and he could still sleep? Of course Lu Dongjun couldn't sleep. Returning to the bedroom, he removed his false teeth and wedged them into the mouth of a stone lion. The lion's eyes lit up, sealing the bedroom. Lu Dongjun brought out Lu Xiaolan's necklace and rapidly altered his appearance. He transformed into the likeness of a guard. This necklace was of an exceptionally high tier, and it was now his only way out. Lu Dongjun opened a secret compartment in the wardrobe, which held a guard's uniform. Besides the clothes, there were also bank drafts worth hundreds of thousands of silver dollars, along with some loose cash. Once he was properly packed, Lu Dongjun leaped out the window. After getting outside, he had two tasks: first, do everything possible to locate Wan Jinxian; second, gather the cash from his various businesses and leave Haichiling as quickly as possible. If Wan Jinxian could not be found, his reputation would be completely ruined. When that time came, his only choice would be to take hard cash and seek an opportunity to turn things around elsewhere. *** A Red Flower cudgelman from the Baihua Sect stood beside Chief Zhang Xiuling. Pointing at a guard walking out of the compound, he whispered, "That man in the vest is the guard who gave us trouble the other day. Looks like he's trying to run." Zhang Xiuling glanced over and recognized the guard as well. Two days ago, when she came to see Lu Dongjun, Lu Dongjun had refused to see her. The Red Flower cudgelman had tried to stand up for his chief, clashing with that very guard. Zhang Xiuling had no desire to bother with such a minor figure, but the Red Flower cudgelman held a grudge. "Chief, wait here a moment. I'll be right back." Zhang Xiuling frowned. "You're already at this age—why are you still acting on impulse?" The cudgelman was in his fifties, certainly no longer young, but he had just this sort of temperament. "Chief, I must vent this frustration." Zhang Xiuling sighed. "Watch yourself, and don't make too much noise." "Rest assured." The Red Flower cudgelman went after him. Gangs were like this: so long as boundaries weren't crossed, subordinates had to be allowed an outlet. This Red Flower cudgelman was a Tier 6 body cultivator; Zhang Xiuling was confident nothing would happen to him. Following the guard into a small alley, the Red Flower cudgelman stepped forward to block his path. Chuckling, he asked, "Still recognize me?" The guard raised his head and looked at the cudgelman without a word. The cudgelman sneered, "What's the matter? Seeing your master falling from grace, you're looking to slip away? Shouldn't we settle the score between us first?" The guard still said nothing. The cudgelman suddenly turned sideways as a long tail whipped out from below his waist, its tip bearing a barb aimed right for the guard's head. It was a scorpion. The cudgelman went for a lethal strike right from the start. His chief had told him not to cause a commotion, and he had no wish for an extended clash. The strike was blindingly swift—an ordinary person could never dodge it. The scorpion's stinger carried deadly venom; as long as it drew blood, the target was doomed. The guard made no move to evade. Grabbing the cudgelman's tail with one hand, he twisted his wrist, snapped the tail off, and tossed it to the ground. The cudgelman was terrified. He had traded blows with this guard before, and by his recollection, the man was merely a Tier 4 martial cultivator—he couldn't possibly possess such skill. He could never have dreamed that the person standing before him was actually Lu Dongjun. The cudgelman's left arm transformed into a pincer, and he leaped forward at Lu Dongjun. Lu Dongjun seized the pincer and twisted his wrist again, snapping it clean off. The cudgelman stood frozen, his consciousness wavering from the severe trauma. Grabbing the cudgelman by the hair, Lu Dongjun took the severed pincer and drove it through the man's skull. With the situation dire, Lu Dongjun had no time to dispose of the corpse and departed immediately. Half an hour later, sensing something was wrong, Zhang Xiuling ordered her men to search the area and found the cudgelman's body in the alley. A Tier 6 body cultivator, dead just like that? Without making a sound? Who could have killed him so easily? Zhang Xiuling pondered for a moment before summoning her subordinate. "Tell Third Master He that Lu Dongjun has fled!" *** Emerging from a stretch of wilderness, Li Banfeng saw the long-missed sunlight. He had walked out of the newland and finally reached Haichiling! He could barely keep his eyes open, not just from the piercing glare of the sun, but also from the clouds of mosquitoes blotting out the sky. There were simply too many mosquitoes. With every breath, they threatened to fly up his nostrils, preventing Li Banfeng from seeing his surroundings clearly for a moment. Once his vision cleared, he found himself in a village—a village as rustic and simple as Lanyang Village. Why compare it to Lanyang Village? Because right before him stood an honest, simple villager. This villager's complexion was ruddy and glistening with a heavy sheen of grease. Although Haichiling was suffering a disaster, judging by his color, his diet seemed rather decent. Brandishing a scimitar, the man looked at Li Banfeng and said, "I want one of your hands. You won't die. I'll hack it off from the shoulder down, and once it's off, I'll let you go. It sounds a bit scary, but missing a hand really isn't much. My blade is exceptionally sharp—it won't hurt a bit when I chop it." Li Banfeng wore a look of bewilderment. "Does it really not hurt?" The man chuckled. "Really doesn't hurt. If you don't believe me, why not give it a try?" Li Banfeng nodded. "Do you want the left hand or the right hand?" The man tilted his head and stared at Li Banfeng. "Do you think I'm joking around with you? I'm going to chop off one of your hands, do you hear me? If you don't understand, take a look over there—there's an example ready-made." Nearby, a woman was pinned to the ground with her mouth covered by two burly men, while a third burly man held an axe, preparing to hack off her arm. On the ground lay quite a few corpses. Some were missing limbs, and others were reduced to bare ribcages, yet their heads remained intact. No wonder every one of them was gleaming with grease; they truly hadn't gone hungry. These people still possessed some common sense—they knew not to eat heads. Famine. This was famine! In a famine, humans turned into ghosts. The man looked at Li Banfeng. "If you understand, stick your hand out. If you don't, you'll end up just like them." Li Banfeng adopted a solemn expression. "I understand. I'm sincerely asking: do you want the left hand or the right hand?" The man froze, feeling a prickle of unease. *Why doesn't this guy know fear?* Tightening his grip on the blade, he said to Li Banfeng, "I want the left hand." "All right!" With a half-step, Li Banfeng closed the distance and snatched the blade away. "You want the left hand, so give me the right hand." With a squelch, Li Banfeng hacked off the man's right hand. The man shrieked, collapsing to the ground and rolling back and forth. Li Banfeng frowned. "Didn't you say it wouldn't hurt at all? It's wrong to lie. You're not getting your left hand either." *Squelch!* Li Banfeng chopped off the man's left hand as well. The man passed out, lying motionless. The others were frightened out of their wits; even the woman pinned to the ground was dumbfounded. Abandoning the woman, they grabbed their weapons and charged to mob Li Banfeng. Holding the blade, Li Banfeng discussed matters with them one by one. "Do you want your left hand or your right hand? "Won't say? Then I'll chop both off for you, and you can take your time picking. "What about you? You won't say either? "Then I'll just have to chop off your legs!"