Chapter 87: The Moment, Sudden Outburst

The notorious executioner squad had finally appeared.

The leader looked down at the two of them with a cold curl at the corner of his mouth. “Pretty sharp, aren’t you?”

“But you still won’t escape death.”

“Perfect. You’re both here.”

“Today, I’ll send you both to the grave.”

His voice was steeped in bloodlust and cruelty.

Liu Lele narrowed her eyes. “Who sent you?”

The executioner shook his head with contempt. “No one in this line breaks the rules so easily.”

“No comment.”

Liu Lele lifted her brows. “Even if you keep your mouth shut, I can still guess a thing or two.”

“The one who hired you... was it that woman surnamed Wang?”

In truth, the moment they appeared, Wang Lan’s identity as the hidden hand behind everything had already become obvious.

After all, regarding the starting point and route of the journey, Liu Lele had only shared them with her father, Liu Zhenhua, and Wang Lan.

The butcher’s smile looked even more ferocious in the dim night, a twisted blend of disdain and madness, as though he were not standing at the brink of life and death, but in some trivial game.

“You think you are the fisherman casting the net, but you do not know that in this world the waters run deep, and the undercurrents are everywhere.”

His voice was low and magnetic, every word like a hammer struck from the depths of his throat, pounding against everyone’s chest.

Liu Lele’s smile did not fade; if anything, it grew more playful. She gave a slight shake of her head, as though pitying his ignorance.

“Confidence? No. I simply believe that every scheme has its flaw. This trap today may have been carefully laid, but it may not turn out as you wish.”

Her tone was composed and elegant. Even in the face of the approaching storm, she remained serenely unruffled.

The arrival of the first business vehicle was like a black bolt of lightning slashing through the night, tearing apart the earlier stillness.

The five bodyguards in black suits, weapons in hand, were like ghosts in the dark, silently encircling the area.

Their eyes were cold and firm, as if declaring that anyone who dared provoke the Liu family’s authority would be punished without mercy.

Yet the butcher’s reaction surprised everyone.

He showed not the slightest intention of backing down; instead, he laughed even more wildly, a laugh that mocked fate and challenged the limits of life itself.

“Fishing? Hah. In this chaotic underworld, who is really the fisherman? Perhaps you and I are both fish in the net—only I would rather be the shark, devouring every threat that dares come close.”

With that, his gaze sharpened instantly, eagle-like.

“Second brother, take the little fish and shrimp at the rear. Let them see what we’re made of.”

Then he turned to the woman beside him—his third sister, a heroic woman of no mean skill.

“Third sister, stand with me. Let these so-called elites learn what despair means.”

At his command, the air thickened with the stench of blood, and a contest between survival and destruction quietly unfolded upon the land beneath the night.

In the tense standoff, a man with a close-cropped haircut and a masked face, a sharp dagger in hand, launched a sudden, lightning-fast charge at the five arriving bodyguards.

These five had all been carefully selected martial experts. Faced with the abrupt assault, they reacted at once, drawing their weapons and meeting him without fear.

But the moment they clashed, they realized their opponent was no ordinary man. His agility and viciousness far surpassed those of common desperadoes.

The masked man’s dagger traced dazzling arcs through the air; with every swing came a flash of blood, revealing his terrifying combat power.

In this one-against-five fight, he showed no fear at all. On the contrary, he fought with ever greater ferocity, driving the five bodyguards back step by step and throwing their formation into chaos.

Meanwhile, another battle had already begun. The butcher and a yellow-haired woman surged forward like two bolts of lightning, aiming straight for Liu Lele and Li Chao.

Seeing this, Liu Lele hurriedly turned a pleading look toward the man beside her, her voice edged with urgency.

“Master Liang, everything depends on you now!”

Liang Meng burst into hearty laughter at her words, thumping his chest with utter confidence.

“Don’t worry. With me here, the two of you will be safe!”

No sooner had he spoken than he sprang forward like a wild horse freed from its reins, charging toward the butcher and the yellow-haired woman.

His movements were swift and forceful; each step seemed to strike with tremendous weight, revealing a level of martial cultivation far beyond the ordinary.

This sudden battle instantly wrapped the entire scene in tension and violence.

The forces of all sides intertwined; the contest among the masters was dazzling to behold, and Liang Meng’s brave assault added yet another brilliant stroke to the melee.

Indeed, the situation grew ever more harrowing. The yellow-haired woman swung her black whip like a giant serpent escaped from the underworld, carrying a shrill, tearing whistle straight toward Song Wan.

The speed of that whip was enough to chill the heart; one touch would be disastrous beyond imagining.

Yet Liang Meng displayed a composure and strength beyond the ordinary.

Facing the furious strike, he did not retreat. Instead, with fingers hard as iron, he pinched the tip of the whip precisely, as though wrestling with a true black snake.

Then he yanked hard.

The force was so great that the yellow-haired woman immediately lost her balance and stumbled toward him.

A cold smile touched Liang Meng’s lips, carrying an arrogance that could not be ignored. He drove a shoulder into her with the steadiness and power of a mountain.

With a dull thud, her entire body was sent flying by the impact, and the whip slipped helplessly from her grasp into Liang Meng’s hands.

The sight shocked everyone present.

“Good!”

Liu Lele clapped excitedly from the side, her eyes shining with admiration and joy.

She knew Liang Meng’s strength was unfathomable, but seeing him so effortlessly neutralize the yellow-haired woman’s attack still made her cheer.

By comparison, Li Chao seemed far more composed. He stood quietly to the side, eyes deep as if pondering something.

As a lucky man who had only just inherited the martial arts legacy within the ancient tower, he knew his own strength still needed tempering. Compared with these seasoned experts, there was much for him to learn and improve.

So he did not let the battle before him cloud his judgment. Instead, he kept a clear head and prepared for the challenges ahead.

At any rate, if it were me stepping in, I could handle it just as easily.

Of course, if Liang Meng could shoulder everything himself, that would be the ideal outcome.

Being cautious by nature, Li Chao presently preferred to watch and wait, at most cheering Liang Meng on from the side like Liu Lele, shouting how impressive he was.

With one man brought down, Liang Meng’s confidence swelled even further.

He casually tossed the captured whip aside, straightened his short shirt, and looked at the butcher with bright, burning eyes.

“My iron fists have never tasted defeat anywhere in Western China!”

“Meeting you today is nothing but your misfortune!”

“If you surrender now, I may spare your lives!”

Liang Meng’s words drew a burst of mocking laughter from the butcher, who immediately roared with mirth.

“What iron fists? Nonsense!”

“Soon I’ll let you taste what it feels like when I crush each one of your fingers, one by one!”

With that, the butcher, knife in hand, lunged at Liang Meng like a gale.

His eyes, gleaming blood-red in the night, looked like those of a starving beast, murderous and chilling to the bone.

And Liang Meng, skilled and fearless, met the charge without the slightest hint of dread.

He had not even brought a weapon, charging in barehanded.

Crackling blows rang out.

Dust swirled into the air.

After a dozen exchanges or so, one figure swayed several times, then was struck by a kick and forced to stumble back seven or eight steps before finally regaining his footing.

It was Liang Meng.

By then blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth, and several new cuts marred his body. His breath had visibly weakened.

Seeing this, Liu Lele’s heart lurched, and even her delicate face went pale.

She knew full well that Liang Meng was now her greatest reliance.

If he lost, how could she possibly withstand the assassins before her?

Could it be that this time she had truly hooked a man-eating shark?

Liang Meng forced himself steady, glaring at the butcher across the way and cursing furiously, “Despicable! Shameless! When did you poison me?”

The yellow-haired woman stood beside the butcher, whip in hand, its length soaked in venom. Her smile was as cold and poisonous as a snake and scorpion, and her ridicule cut like a blade into the heart.

“Hmph. Overestimating yourself. The poison on this whip can drop even an elephant in an instant.”

Her tone was full of triumph, as though Liang Meng’s defeat had already been foreseen.

Liang Meng, once hailed as an invincible legend of the martial world, was now in utter disgrace—his face darkened and swollen, every breath tinged with despair.

He cursed himself inwardly. To think that a lifetime of reputation would be ruined by the hands of mere women—what a monstrous humiliation.

At the same time, on the other side of the battlefield, the five high-paid bodyguards had long since lost their former valor under the masked man’s ferocious assault, leaving only fear and panic.

They scattered in all directions, caring only to flee this place of death. Where was their loyalty or courage to protect their employer now?

The masked man did not pursue them. His target had always been the same—Liu Lele.

In a flash, like a phantom, he appeared among the encirclement meant to kill Liu Lele, deepening the chill in her heart.

The arrangement she had carefully planned with Ye Wuji had now collapsed like a bubble. The situation took a drastic turn, leaving her completely off guard.

“Master Liang, you...”

Liu Lele’s voice trembled. She did not want to believe what she was seeing, nor accept the failure of her plan.

She looked anxiously toward Liang Meng, hoping he could become the final hope. But Liang Meng’s helpless wave of the hand and pained expression were like cold reality, shattering her illusion mercilessly.

“President Liu, retreat first. I’ll hold them off!”

The driver’s voice rang out with unusual firmness in the night. He knew his own strength might not be enough to contend with a ruthless man like the butcher, but for Liu Lele’s sake, he was willing to stake everything.

But courage could not make up for the gap in strength. He had barely taken a few steps before the butcher kicked him away as easily as a falling leaf. He crashed heavily to the ground, his body twitching uncontrollably, and finally fell unconscious.

The butcher’s laughter echoed across the open ground, full of mockery and scorn.

“That’s all you’ve got, and you still dared plot against us? Pathetic beyond words!”

As he spoke, he advanced slowly toward Liu Lele, the military knife in his hand flashing with a heart-stopping chill in the moonlight, as though it could claim a life at any moment.

“You really do have a fine figure. Such a pity—you’re about to become another soul under my blade.”

His gaze roamed over Liu Lele, filled with a nauseating greed and evil.

“But before you die, letting me enjoy myself a little won’t be considered unfair to you.”

His words were steeped in contempt for life and insult toward women.

Yet faced with the butcher’s threat, Liu Lele showed not the slightest panic or fear.

She pressed her lips tightly together, her gaze burning bright, as though expressing resistance and defiance in her own way.

She knew that at this moment, any weakness or retreat would only place her in greater danger.

Then, the butcher suddenly ordered in a cold voice, “This woman is mine. The rest of you take care of the other two. Finish it quickly. Leave no survivors!”

His command sounded like a death sentence, filling everyone present with unprecedented pressure and despair.

Liang Meng wore a bitter expression, his brows locked tight, as though bearing a thousand-pound burden. His eyes were full of helplessness and self-reproach.

Every breath he drew seemed especially heavy, as if even the air could not bear such weight.

Liu Lele, meanwhile, had gone ashen. Her lips trembled slightly, and all the brilliance in her eyes had vanished, leaving only endless fear and despair intertwined.

Those once intelligent eyes were now empty and lifeless, as though she had already seen the fate from which she could not escape.

She gave a bitter smile to herself. Though she could read the world and calculate the human heart, she had never calculated that she would end up like this.

She had laid her plans with painstaking care and advanced step by step, never imagining that all her calculations would crumble into nothing beneath the other side’s cold and merciless gaze.

Watching that figure advance step by step, she felt an indescribable revulsion and terror rising within her.

There was cruelty and mockery in the man’s eyes, as though he were savoring a brutal drama about to unfold.

She knew that she was now a fish on the chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered, and what made it even harder to bear was the possibility that he intended to heap further humiliation upon her.

In this abyss of despair, Liu Lele almost gave up all struggle and hope.

She reached for her phone, trying to grasp even the faintest chance of survival, but reason told her it was all futile.

In this barren, deserted place, no one could possibly arrive in time to drag her out of the endless darkness.

And yet, just as she was about to surrender, an unexpected figure suddenly entered her sight.

The person’s steps were firm, his body agile, and he blocked her before her like a streak of lightning.

Liu Lele looked up and saw a face set with determination, eyes burning with unquestionable resolve and courage.

It was Li Chao—the physician who was usually gentle and refined, always wearing a warm smile. At this moment, however, he seemed an entirely different man, radiating a force and authority that could not be ignored.

“What are you doing?”

Liu Lele’s voice trembled slightly, with surprise and confusion intertwined.

She had never imagined that at such a critical moment, it would be Li Chao who would step forward to protect her.

Li Chao turned back and smiled faintly at her, a smile that was both confident and warm.

“Rescuing a beauty, of course.”

He spoke lightly, as though it were no great matter.

“Don’t all those superheroes in the movies show up at the very end? Now it’s my turn to take the stage.”

With that, he turned around and faced the menacing enemies, his eyes showing not the slightest fear.

He gently tapped the pocket over his chest, where he kept the secret weapon he never easily revealed: a heart determined to protect others and guard justice.

“Leave the rest to me.”

Li Chao’s words were simple yet powerful, each one striking Liu Lele’s heart like a heavy hammer.

She looked at his steadfast back and felt an unprecedented tide of emotion and hope.

Though she had never seen him fight, at this moment she inexplicably believed that this ordinarily obscure physician would surely create a miracle and pull her back from the abyss of despair.