Chapter 6: This Is Called the Fist of Saving Lives

"Come on, how could I turn my back on a brother?" Lu Ye burst out laughing. "Anyway, after today’s mess, I doubt any company in Mingzhu City would dare hire you. Just stay here with me and be a security guard."

Lu Ping nearly lunged at him, teeth bared. Damn it, wasn’t it all his fault that he'd fallen so low? If Lu Ye hadn’t offended Zhang Yunjie and shifted all the blame onto him, would his bright future have been destroyed? He was furious enough to spit blood.

Returning to the security office in high spirits, Lu Ye announced his success. "Well? I chased away all the flies! Aren’t you going to praise me?"

Su Qianqian remained unmoved, calmly replying, "Isn’t that your job as a security guard for Yiren Group? Why should I compliment you for doing your work?"

"Aren’t you curious why Zhang Yunjie knelt to me and begged for mercy?"

Su Qianqian paused. "Why?"

Lu Ye, hands on his hips, boasted, "Compliment me a little, say something nice, and I’ll tell you!"

Su Qianqian rolled her eyes. "Fine, keep your secrets. Who cares? Now go get the car, I want to go home for dinner."

Ha, this woman could actually suppress her curiosity? Impressive—she won this round.

Su Qianqian’s personal driver had been on extended leave for days, so Lu Ye had to keep filling in. He drove the Porsche Panamera to take her home. Su Qianqian warned, "After humiliating Zhang Yunjie like that, he’s bound to seek revenge. Be careful."

Thinking of the immense influence the Zhang family wielded, Su Qianqian couldn’t help but worry. Lu Ye pondered seriously for three seconds, then nodded, "You’re right. Want me to move in with you tonight for safety?"

"Scoundrel!" Su Qianqian wished she could slap herself—why had she dug this pit for herself and invited in the wolf? She’d really underestimated the thickness of Lu Ye’s skin.

With a resigned sigh, she said, "Fine, I’ll give you half a day off this afternoon. Go home and pack."

"Yay, long live my wife!"

Su Qianqian’s beautiful eyes glared. "Don’t call me your wife!"

"Alright then, long live the old lady!"

"Watch it, I'm only twenty-five!"

"Twenty-five and still not old enough for you? I’m only twenty-two, a genuine fresh-faced youth. You’re getting a real bargain!"

Pfft!

It felt like a heart attack.

Scoundrel, scoundrel, scoundrel!

Su Qianqian wisely fell silent—there was no way to win against this shameless man.

Zhang Family Villa.

Zhang Boquan stared at the battered figure before him, so bruised he was almost unrecognizable. "Who are you? Who let you in here?"

Zhang Yunjie, using two fingers to lift his swollen eyelids, wailed, "Dad, it’s me, your son!"

Zhang Boquan stared for a long moment before realization dawned. He slammed the tea table in fury. "Who the hell did this?"

"It was that damned security guard, Su Qianqian’s fiancé!"

"He dared lay a hand on you? Has he lost his mind?"

"Dad, listen, here’s what happened..."

After Zhang Yunjie recounted every detail, Zhang Boquan sucked in a sharp breath.

"You’re saying that security guard knows about our dealings with the Hongying Society—and might even have evidence?"

"I can’t be sure if he has evidence, maybe he just happened to pick up a clue and is bluffing to threaten me," Zhang Yunjie said.

Zhang Boquan’s eyes grew cold. He turned to his assistant. "Find a few men and probe this Lu Ye’s background!"

"Yes, Chairman Zhang!"

Once the assistant had left, Zhang Yunjie pressed anxiously, "Dad, what about my wedding with Qianqian? The ceremony’s this Sunday!"

"Don’t worry." Zhang Boquan’s face was dark as he sneered, "After I teach Yiren Group a lesson, Su Qianqian will have no choice but to come crawling to us."

...

After freeloading lunch at the Su residence and dropping Su Qianqian back at the office, Lu Ye headed home to pack, delighted at the thought of moving in with her that evening.

Just as he was driving Su Qianqian’s Panamera down the street, a wobbly electric scooter swerved right in front of him, ridden by a middle-aged man heading straight for the car’s nose.

"A scam?"

Lu Ye hesitated briefly, but his instincts took over—he yanked the steering wheel, the car drifted in a graceful arc and screeched to a halt right beside the scooter.

Bang!

He hadn’t even touched the scooter, but the middle-aged man suddenly toppled over, confirming Lu Ye’s suspicion of a scam.

Lu Ye walked over, nudged the man’s leg with his toe. "Drop the act, my dashcam caught everything."

"Hey? Still pretending to be unconscious?"

Something felt off. Leaning down, Lu Ye saw the man’s face was ashen, lips bluish, his expression twisted in pain and completely motionless. Feeling for a pulse, he found it dangerously faint.

Well, seems I misjudged—it wasn't a scam.

"This man’s been poisoned by Corpse Rot Toxin!"

After a closer examination, Lu Ye’s expression changed dramatically.

"Who is this guy to have provoked someone willing to use Corpse Rot Toxin?"

"Still, meeting me is your luck today, old man."

Supporting the middle-aged man’s back with his left hand, he let the man’s head rest on his shoulder. Then, pressing his right hand’s two fingers firmly into the man’s solar plexus, Lu Ye applied such force that the man’s chest visibly caved under the pressure.

"Ugh!"

The man suddenly spewed a mouthful of black blood, his previously unfocused eyes regaining clarity. He gazed at Lu Ye, vision still blurry, and managed a weak, "Thank you, young man."

"Don’t speak yet—you’re not out of danger."

With that, Lu Ye formed a fist and struck the man’s chest several times. The blows were so powerful that the gusts raised dust from the ground, yet instead of worsening his injuries, the man’s pallor gradually turned rosy.

After vomiting several more pools of black blood, the man could finally sit up on his own. Feeling his rapid recovery, he asked in amazement, "Brother, what technique was that? It’s incredible!"

Lu Ye flexed his wrist and grinned, "That’s called the ‘Fist of Life and Death’."

“There are really such bizarre martial arts in this world?”

"The name sounds like kung fu, but it’s actually a special kind of traditional Chinese massage."

The man gave a baffled "oh," clearly not understanding.

Lu Ye asked, "Who did you offend? The person who poisoned you is ruthless."

Corpse Rot Toxin was an artificially concocted slow-acting poison—not extremely potent, but with a long onset period. Once poisoned, there was almost no cure. Within months or up to a year or two, the victim’s body would gradually stiffen like a corpse and eventually rot into a puddle…

The toxin was extremely rare; Lu Ye had only come across it in obscure records. Luckily, his mother had taught him the Fist of Life and Death, allowing him to force out most of the poison, though a stubborn trace still remained.

The man exhaled heavily. "My name is Lin Zhongze. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?"

Lu Ye was stunned. He hadn’t just heard the name Lin Zhongze—it was legendary in Mingzhu City. His reputation echoed from every corner.

Mingzhu boasted countless entertainment venues—bars, clubs, KTVs—businesses that inevitably dipped into the gray areas. Only someone with real clout could run such places. Behind almost every venue in Mingzhu, one would find Lin Zhongze’s shadow.

His status in Mingzhu was akin to a kingpin, yet he never engaged in anything illegal. Instead, he watched over his establishments, strictly forbidding prostitution, gambling, and drugs.

Naturally, this cut off the profits of many shady types, making Lin Zhongze many enemies—most of them desperate criminals with nothing to lose.

As captain of the Apostles, Lu Ye knew all about Lin Zhongze. He just never expected this legendary figure to move about so humbly, riding an unremarkable electric scooter.

"So it’s you, Mr. Lin. I’ve long admired your reputation."

Lu Ye truly respected Lin Zhongze—a man of principle in the underworld.

Lin Zhongze waved off the praise, embarrassed. "I’m not worthy of that. You’re my savior."

Lu Ye smiled, "Just call me Lu Ye. ‘Savior’ sounds too awkward."

Lin Zhongze, a forthright man, agreed at once. "Alright, I’ll gladly call you brother!"

"Fine, Brother Lin."

Lu Ye didn’t mind forming this bond; after all, Lin Zhongze’s vast network could prove invaluable for gathering intelligence in the future.

"Brother Lu, what’s this poison called? How should I track down the one who did this?"

"It’s called Corpse Rot Toxin. There aren’t many ways to administer it, but the simplest is through intimacy between husband and wife..."

This method numbed a man’s senses before striking at his most vulnerable moment. It was, in short, "poison hidden in pleasure."

Naturally, Lu Ye refrained from voicing such an inelegant term aloud.

He described the toxin and its methods in detail, watching Lin Zhongze’s eyes grow colder with every word. Clearly, he already had a suspect in mind.