Chapter 80: Lu Bu Lives

Jiang Ruoxue's words left Lao Lv and Zhang Chenze feeling a bit dumbfounded.

But with the situation so urgent, there was no time for further thought.

Zhang Chenze took three deep breaths, grabbed the shard of glass, and charged out.

At that moment, Qi Xia was tying his jacket around his arm, trying to hold off the two men.

"Qi Xia! I'm here to help you!" Zhang Chenze raised the glass shard and stood beside Qi Xia.

"Help me?! Are you crazy?" Qi Xia gritted his teeth and said, "Get out of here!"

"It's okay..." Zhang Chenze seemed to be reassuring himself, "We'll be fine..."

Seeing Qi Xia distracted, the blond thug, Jin Mao, rushed forward. If he could thrust the knife into his opponent's chest at this critical moment, everything would be over.

"Qi Xia, watch out!" Zhang Chenze stepped forward, tightly shut his eyes, and thrust the glass shard forward haphazardly.

Jin Mao found the sight amusing. Did his opponent really think he could kill someone with that glass shard?

He sidestepped to dodge the woman, but unexpectedly stepped on a metal box on the ground.

"Huh?!"

His body lurched, and he lost his balance, pitching forward and impaling his throat on the glass shard.

"Cough... cough..." Blood gushed from Jin Mao's mouth. "You..."

Qi Xia was stunned and quickly shoved Jin Mao away.

Freed from the shard, Jin Mao's throat sprayed blood like a burst pipe.

"A Li!!" The bald thug, Guang Tou, roared and rushed to support his companion.

Guang Tou desperately pressed his hand against the wound on Jin Mao's throat, looking utterly panicked.

Qi Xia stared at the scene in shock.

That metal box had fallen there when he attacked the green-haired thug earlier, and now it had unexpectedly come in handy...

What a fortunate coincidence.

Only then did Zhang Chenze open his eyes and realize his hands were covered in blood.

"Ah!!" She dropped the glass shard in fright.

She had talked tough about killing someone, but now that she actually had, the lawyer by profession was terrified.

Without hesitation, Qi Xia picked up the dagger that Jin Mao had dropped as soon as Zhang Chenze let go of the glass shard.

The fight wasn't over yet—they couldn't let their guard down.

"You bastards are asking for it!!" Guang Tou roared like a madman and charged with his dagger swinging.

Qi Xia immediately pushed Zhang Chenze back into the room and retreated several steps.

This kind of reckless attack was the hardest to evade, as there was no way to predict where it would strike. Qi Xia could only try to keep his distance from Guang Tou.

But Qi Xia was at the end of the hallway, and in just a few steps, he was backed into a corner.

Though both held daggers, Qi Xia was only thinking of self-defense, while his opponent was like a rabid dog.

"I'll take you down with me!!" Guang Tou slashed fiercely with his dagger, and Qi Xia dodged to the side.

Seizing the opening from the missed swing, Qi Xia slashed deeply into Guang Tou's arm, cutting what felt like straight to the bone.

"If you want to die, just try it!" Qi Xia threatened.

Guang Tou ignored the pain and turned to stab at Qi Xia's heart.

Qi Xia couldn't dodge in time and lowered his body, so the knife ended up piercing his shoulder instead.

He let out a muffled groan of pain and thrust his own dagger toward Guang Tou's abdomen.

But in the next second, Guang Tou extended his left hand and gripped Qi Xia's blade tightly, letting the dagger pierce straight through his palm.

"Think you can kill me with that...?!" Guang Tou glared fiercely and said, "Have you ever killed anyone?!"

Before Qi Xia could respond, Guang Tou twisted the knife in Qi Xia's shoulder, tearing away a chunk of flesh.

"Urgh!!!"

Qi Xia screamed in agony, nearly blacking out from the pain.

At that moment, a pudgy figure suddenly rushed in and bear-hugged Guang Tou from behind.

Guang Tou was caught off guard, and the dagger slipped from his right hand.

"Damn it..." Guang Tou realized the person holding him was the "spy" Lao Lv and grew even more furious. "You're the one who destroyed our key, aren't you?"

Though terrified, Lao Lv held on tightly, knowing that if he let go, Qi Xia would be done for.

Guang Tou flipped his left hand, pulled the dagger from his bloody palm, and stabbed it into Lao Lv's ribs.

"Huh?"

Lao Lv froze, feeling something cold pierce his flesh—an sensation he'd never experienced before.

Gritting his teeth, Guang Tou yanked the dagger out and stabbed several more times.

Only then did Lao Lv feel the searing pain, but he still didn't loosen his grip. He opened his mouth and bit into Guang Tou's shoulder, tearing off a large chunk of skin and flesh.

Guang Tou howled in pain and raised his dagger to finish off Lao Lv, but Lin Geng suddenly appeared out of nowhere and stabbed him in the arm with a glass shard.

"Qi Xia!! If you don't move now, Lao Lv is going to die!!" She shouted frantically.

The yell jolted Qi Xia back to consciousness. Though his entire left side was numb, this wasn't the time to collapse.

Seeing the situation clearly, Qi Xia's face paled. Without hesitation, he pulled the dagger from his shoulder and, with a roar, plunged it into Guang Tou's neck.

Guang Tou instantly went limp, and the group collapsed from exhaustion.

"Lao Lv..." Qi Xia shoved Guang Tou aside and hurriedly checked on Lao Lv, but one glance made his voice tremble. "Lao Lv... how are you?"

Lao Lv lay on the ground, convulsing, his left ribs a mangled mess of blood and flesh.

"Qi, my boy... you're not too sharp in a crisis..." Lao Lv managed a bitter smile, his face already deathly pale.

"Yeah... I'm not as clever as you..." Qi Xia reached out with shaking hands to press on the wound, but the blood kept seeping through his fingers. "Lao Lv, don't die... I still haven't paid you back for that ticket..."

"How could I die..." Lao Lv sighed. "Qi, my boy, if you knew my real name, you wouldn't worry..."

"What's your name...?"

"Don't laugh... I said you wouldn't laugh..." Lao Lv chuckled dryly. "My real name is Lv Fengxian... My parents gave it to me... Doesn't it sound like I won't die?"

"You're like Lv Bu reincarnated, of course you won't die..."

Qi Xia knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, until his head throbbed with pain and Lao Lv stopped moving.

...

Qi Xia pulled Lao Lv close and said quietly, "There are a few things I need to tell you."

"Tell me?" Lao Lv was confused. "Qi, my boy, do you have a plan? The game is about to start—spill it quick."

Qi Xia thought for a moment before replying, "It's not exactly a 'plan.' Lao Lv, if they invite you to join, you can agree."

"What?" Lao Lv paused, then understood. "'Deception within deception,' right? I agree first, then take them down from the inside..."

"No." Qi Xia shook his head. "Lao Lv, let's part ways here."

"Huh?"

"I've thought it through carefully. We've only known each other a short time, and if the team risks everything for you, no one will feel at ease." Qi Xia explained seriously. "So the best option is for you to leave the group early. That way, when the confrontation happens, there's no pressure on anyone."

"You..." Lao Lv looked disappointed, like a wronged child despite being a middle-aged man.

"I'm sorry, Lao Lv, I'm just making the right choice."

"Qi, my boy." Lao Lv suddenly interrupted. "You said your team can't risk their lives for me, but I can for you."

"What?"

"Don't act yet, no matter what your plan is. I'll show my 'sincerity' right away, and you can decide after you see it." Lao Lv said.

"But if we don't accept you at the end, you'll die."

"You're not that kind of person." Lao Lv grinned. "I've sold socks all my life, but I'm good at reading people. Just wait and see!"

"Sigh..." Qi Xia shook his head helplessly. "Well said, but I still won't fully trust you—I'll judge based on your actions."