Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 532 - 371: Xiuer, Let’s Get Serious Part 3

I survived the fiercest storms, only to be brought down by this soda-selling scum—how utterly humiliating! Brother Seven, please, you mustn’t tell anyone about this; I simply can’t afford to lose face like that."

Li Banfeng shook his head upon hearing her words. "Sister, there’s no shame in this."

He Yuxiu lifted her head. "I was outsmarted by a bunch of thieves, and that’s not shameful?"

Li Banfeng asked, "Have you read ’Three Kingdoms’?"

He Yuxiu shook her head. "No, I’ve only heard a few excerpts from the storytellers."

Li Banfeng smiled. "Do you know who Lu Bu is?"

"Of course, he’s the strongest fighter in ’Three Kingdoms’!"

"How did Lu Bu die?"

"He died at White Gate Tower, bound by his own men to be presented to Cao Cao."

"What were the names of his men?"

He Yuxiu blinked and shook her head. "I can’t remember that."

"Zhang Fei was called the enemy of ten thousand men. How did he die?"

"He was also killed by his own men."

"What were their names?"

He Yuxiu scratched her head, unable to answer.

"You’ve forgotten, haven’t you?" Li Banfeng continued. "How about Guan Yu’s death?"

He Yuxiu pondered for a while. "I remember he was brought down by a trip rope."

"Who set the trip rope?"

He Yuxiu said, her eyes wide, "How would I know?"

"Exactly! I don’t know either!" Li Banfeng said earnestly. "There have been many heroes who’ve capsized in the gutter, but a hero will always be a hero. Xiuer, you fought your way out of a siege of over a hundred Cultivators; you are a hero. There’s nothing shameful about being caught in an ambush when you’re at the end of your strength!"

He Yuxiu replied with her head down, "I’m just afraid others will mock me. I can’t go around telling everyone that I fought my way out from over a hundred people. If I keep saying that, won’t it make me even more of a laughingstock..."

Li Banfeng looked at He Yuxiu. "Let them laugh. They laugh behind our backs, and we can’t hear them. Let them have their fill of laughter. But if they dare laugh in our faces, we’ll knock out their teeth and see if they can still laugh."

He Yuxiu, holding her bowl of wine, looked closely at Li Qi. She was not good with words; some things she couldn’t express clearly. But for some reason, she felt that calling him ’Brother Seven’ was truly worth it.

"Xiuer, what’s your next move?"

He Yuxiu thought for a moment and said, "I’ll head for New Land. Soda Kiln’s New Land also has He Family plots. Ma Wu was right; only New Land can really hide me."

"You were betrayed in Proper Land. Do you think New Land will be any different? Let’s go back to Greenwater City; we’ll return with honor and dignity."

"With honor and dignity?" He Yuxiu said. "Just buy a train ticket to Greenwater City? I’m afraid we won’t even make it into the station."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "Buy train tickets? How would that work? Doesn’t the He Family have a private train? Call for it and have it bring the Family Head home!"

He Yuxiu was stunned. "That’s too ostentatious."

"Scared?"

After a moment of contemplation, He Yuxiu drained her bowl of wine in one gulp. "I’ll listen to you. I’m not scared!"

Li Banfeng nodded. "That’s more like it. We brothers must maintain that level of dignity!"

Dignity was one thing, but could their lives truly be protected?

"Brother Seven, I’ve lost all my Magical Treasures, and I can’t contact my family now. As for trusting others, I don’t dare to anymore."

"I’ll think of something."

Li Banfeng contacted Luo Zhengnan and asked him to notify Ma Wu to reach out to the He Family and arrange for the private train to set off immediately to Soda Kiln to pick up their Family Head.

Ma Wu didn’t understand Li Banfeng’s thinking; this could get He Yuxiu killed. After a brief deliberation, he still contacted the He Family.

The He Family immediately dispatched the private train with over a hundred attendants aboard to retrieve their Family Head. The train departed on the same day and was expected to arrive at Soda Kiln in three days.

The He Family’s attendants were prepared for a deadly battle; they were even ready to fight on the train if necessary.

The Defense Agency received the news and realized that He Yuxiu was openly challenging them. They ordered the Jiang Xiang Gang to capture He Yuxiu at all costs, dead or alive, and demanded results within three days.

The Soda Hall was now deserted, as the Defense Agency had brought in considerable reinforcements from other Hall Entrances. The Border Defense Envoy’s orders were clear: He Yuxiu’s life must be taken at Soda Kiln. She must not be allowed to board the train back to Greenwater City, and it had to be done with utmost secrecy.

Even with the covert support of the Border Defense Envoy, this was no small feat for the Jiang Xiang Gang. Elites from several Hall Entrances arrived, and they deployed every tactic available.

Over the next three days, the entirety of Soda Kiln would be turned upside down!

On a steam freight train bound for Greenwater City, He Yuxiu sat up from a coal-filled freight car, wiping the soot from her face. "Brother Seven, is this the dignity you spoke of?"

Li Banfeng snorted. "What, you look down on me? Is this how you speak to your elder brother? Have we abandoned all family discipline?"

"It’s not that I look down on you. It’s just that our journey here feels a bit... you know..."

Li Banfeng, with a stern expression, replied, "I’m telling you, I’m not afraid of them. I’m just avoiding the brunt of their attack. I’m doing this for..."

"Brother Seven, I think the conductor’s coming!"

Li Banfeng lay still in the coal pile, not moving an inch.