20demayo Chapter 11 The Man Who Was Played
Chapter 11 The Man Who Was Played
Lu Da followed the waiter to the wilderness east of the city, wondering what was going on. Just as he was pondering this, he saw the waiter turn around.
His heart tightened instantly, and he knew something was wrong. He suddenly darted out from the shadows.
Lu Da pounced on him like an eagle catching a chicken, grabbing him by the back of the collar and shouting, "You scoundrel, what are you doing heading east of the city for no reason?!"
The waiter was terrified and stammered, "I...I was just passing by..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Da's fist, as big as a vinegar jar, had already smashed into his ribs.
This punch, though only seven-tenths of its force was used, still made Xiao Er's internal organs churn, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Tell the truth! Do you have some kind of deal with that Zheng Tu?!"
Lu Da lifted him up like a chick.
The waiter, tears streaming down his face, dared not hide the truth any longer: "It was Master Zheng... who gave me a string of cash and instructed me... to make this trip to the east of the city..."
After saying that, he took out the string of copper coins from his pocket and presented them with both hands.
Upon hearing this, Lu Da's anger flared. He released the man and slammed him to the ground, his mind filled with a mixture of surprise and doubt: "Damn it! This Zheng Tu is usually as crude and stupid as a pig, how come he suddenly has such wisdom today? Could it be...?"
He stamped his foot angrily, "Could it be that this scoundrel has caught wind of something? He knew I was going to make trouble for him!"
Without further hesitation, he left the waiter behind, turned around, and strode off into the city.
This run was truly: each step shook the ground, and his sleeves carried the wind and thunder.
Pedestrians on the street saw a large, dark-skinned man approaching in a cloud of dust and were all alarmed and gave way. Those carrying loads overturned their loads, and those selling vegetables spilled their baskets. In an instant, chaos ensued.
The reason is simple: when Lu Zhishen gets into a fight, he's so dangerous that a single bump or collision can be fatal!
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lu Da had already run back to a quiet alley in the west of Weizhou City, the very place the waiter had pointed out—Zheng Tu's house.
The two wooden doors remained tightly shut.
Seeing this, Lu Da felt somewhat relieved and laughed, "Well done, Zheng Tu! I've finally cornered you! I won't let you off today! I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"
He then stepped forward and pounded on the door with his fist.
"Zheng Tu! You murderous bastard! Why are you avoiding me? Do you think you can hide like a coward? Open the door now, or I might spare your dog's life!"
He shouted three times, and the courtyard fell silent.
Lu Da assumed Zheng Tu was feigning death out of fear, and grinned, saying, "If that's the case, don't blame me for being rude!"
He took two steps back, gathered all his strength, and kicked the door panel hard.
With a loud crash, the two heavy, solid wooden doors, frame and all, were kicked open and smashed onto the bluestone ground in the courtyard, scattering wood fragments everywhere.
Lu Da strode into the courtyard, looked around, and then froze.
The courtyard was empty, the main room door was wide open, and only a few overturned benches could be seen; there was no one in sight.
"That bastard..."
Lu Da's heart sank, and he rushed into the house to search.
I searched all three tiled houses, but there wasn't a soul in sight.
Just as he was about to unleash a torrent of curses, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a corner of clothing peeking out from under the bed in the inner room. He rushed forward, lifted the bed board, and found the corpses of a man and a woman curled up inside.
There were deep purple marks on his neck, and he was already stiff and cold.
Lu Da bent down to examine it closely, and saw that there was only one ligature mark. It was clean and neat, which showed that the perpetrator was ruthless and did not hesitate at all.
There were several bruises on the shoulders and backs of the male and female corpses, and the locations were precise, precisely targeting vital acupoints that could instantly paralyze a person. The person who struck them must have been skilled in martial arts!
Looking at the man's palm again, the calluses on his hands were as thick as iron, clearly indicating that he knew martial arts. How could he have been so easily subdued?
"Excellent tactic!"
Lu Da stood up, his face grave. "Such a clean and swift attack, such precise and ruthless pressure point strikes... how could an ordinary butcher do this? This Zheng Tu is no ordinary butcher!"
"Well done! Well done! You've really fooled me! I actually thought you were just a butcher selling meat!"
He paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought.
"Such superb martial arts skills, such ruthless methods, and such a clever strategy of luring the enemy away from their stronghold... Why would such a person disguise himself as a mere butcher?"
"Located in Weizhou City... a crucial military stronghold in the northern route of our Great Song Dynasty, and bordering Western Xia..."
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck, and with a clash of fists and palms, everything became clear!
"That's it! Weizhou is a strategic point in the northwest, a major military stronghold of our Great Song Dynasty in the north. Western spies have always been as numerous as hairs on a cow... This fellow is hiding his identity here, possesses martial arts skills, acts ruthlessly, and is adept at luring the enemy away from their stronghold. What else could he be but a spy from Western Xia?!"
"It must have been when I asked Zhen Guanxi about him at the restaurant the other day that his spies overheard me."
With this in mind, all the doubts were resolved, and the clues were all connected!
"Then I came looking for him, but my status as a military officer made him think that my whereabouts had been exposed, so he tricked me into leaving and then swiftly killed the woman to silence her!"
This woman was with him day and night, so she must have known a lot about him, which is why Zheng the butcher killed him so cruelly! This man…”
He glanced at the male corpse.
"Most likely they're accomplices, or insiders!"
Thinking of his own dignified position as the Commander of Guanzhong, he first served under the old General Zhong, eventually rising to the position of Inspector of the Five Routes of Guanzhong.
He was completely outmaneuvered by a meat-selling spy, and a nameless rage surged up to his head.
Lu Da roared and slammed his right fist into the ground.
"Boom!"
With a loud crash, a crater the size of a large bowl was smashed into the blue brick and stone ground, and fragments of brick and stone flew more than ten feet away.
"Zheng Tu! You treacherous spy, worse than a dog or a pig!"
Lu Da's hair and beard bristled, and his roar was like thunder: "I'll chase you to the ends of the earth and tear you to pieces!"
It is:
A fierce tiger descends the mountain to search for a jackal, only to find that a cunning rabbit already has three burrows.
.........
Meanwhile, Zheng Tu and Li Zhong had already traveled more than thirty li from Weizhou City.
Zheng Tu, riding on his horse, looked back from time to time. Seeing that there was no dust rising behind him, he felt a little relieved.
He reached out and touched the satchel in front of the saddle. The gold and silver inside clattered and made a heavy sound. He thought to himself, "The ancients said, 'Those who kill and set fires wear golden belts,' which is no exaggeration. Although these were my savings over the years, it took a lot of effort to retrieve them this time."
Just as I was pondering this, a three-way intersection appeared ahead.
Under an old locust tree, the road marker is now faded and barely legible.
Li Zhong suddenly reined in his horse, clasped his hands in a fist salute on the saddle, and said, "Master Zheng, as the saying goes, 'Even after seeing someone off for a thousand miles, we must eventually part ways.' At this fork in the road, I wish to go east to visit an old acquaintance, so I will take my leave here."
Zheng Tu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "Although I paid to hire this tiger-slaying general, he did manage to overcome dangerous situations with me. It's a pity that I am not a man like Song Jiang, who can inspire heroes to follow me wholeheartedly."
He didn't show it on his face, but simply nodded and said, "In that case, I won't insist that you stay."
After saying that, he took out a silk money bag from his satchel, weighing about twenty taels, and threw it over.
Li Zhong hurriedly accepted the gift, and said in surprise, "Since you have already given me a horse, sir, this..."
Zheng Tu laughed heartily on horseback: "We've been through life and death together, how can gold and silver measure our bond? Consider it travel expenses, don't refuse!"
Li Zhong took the money bag, unsure of what to think.