Liu Huihui frowned, "Brother Hunter, your plan sounds solid, but hasn't the Skull Gang's deputy leader, Zhou Longyun, seen us? What if he recognizes us? That could be disastrous."
Hunter Liu nodded thoughtfully. "True, Zhou Longyun has seen us. If he encounters us again, he'll recognize us immediately, which would put us in great danger within Poyang City. But don't worry. The only people in the Skull Gang who saw us clearly were Zhou Longyun and four of his enforcers. I've memorized their faces, and I'll take them all out one by one. Once they're gone, no one in Poyang City will know we're from Liu Song Village."
"Brother Hunter, are you serious? How could you kill Zhou Longyun and his enforcers? Even if we set Zhou Longyun's strength aside, his enforcers alone are all at least at the Meridian Opening stage, while you're only at the eighth tier of Body Tempering. They could take you down with a single finger," Liu Qin said, deeply worried.
Liu Huihui also frowned, recalling the brief clash between Hunter Liu and Zhou Longyun's men earlier. Back then, Hunter Liu relied on his speed to avoid defeat, but that was partly due to the terrain. In an open fight, a small mistake could easily get him surrounded and killed.
Hunter Liu replied, "We have no other choice if we want to establish ourselves in Poyang City. Unless you prefer living in the shadows?"
With that, Hunter Liu shook his head, deciding to let his assassination skills do the talking. His current strength might be limited, but with the Half-Grade Star Art Hua Shan Art, he could advance rapidly—much faster than ordinary cultivators.
Though Liu Zun had said it would take three months to reach the Meridian Opening stage, Hunter Liu knew that was a conservative estimate. He intended to shorten that timeframe significantly, aiming to reach that level in two months, one month, or perhaps even half a month.
"Stop! Damn it, stop right there! How dare you steal my wallet—you must be tired of living!"
Just then, a furious shout echoed from up ahead. Hunter Liu saw a ragged-looking youth sprinting toward them at high speed.
"What impressive speed…"
Hunter Liu watched the youth closely, surprised by his agility. Despite lacking any cultivation training, the youth was faster than most sixth- or even seventh-tier Body Tempering martial artists.
Chasing close behind him was a middle-aged man with a bushy beard, moving even faster. His aura exuded the intense energy of someone at the ninth tier of Body Tempering, his expression filled with anger and hostility.
Hunter Liu quickly sized up the situation. The youth appeared to be a beggar who had likely stolen the man's wallet out of desperation.
Realizing the youth would soon be caught, Hunter Liu's brow furrowed.
"Out of the way…"
The youth was so focused on his escape that he didn't notice Hunter Liu until he was nearly upon him. Unable to slow down and unwilling to divert his course, he collided straight into Hunter Liu.
"Heh, interesting…"
Rather than feeling angry, Hunter Liu smiled with amusement. "It seems I'll have to give this kid a hand. Otherwise, he'll be caught for sure."
Extending his right foot, Hunter Liu stepped on a stone. As the middle-aged man came within five meters, he suddenly kicked the stone forward.
Whoosh!
The stone shot out like lightning.
Thud!
It struck the middle-aged man's knee, causing him to stumble and lose his balance, crashing to the ground.
"Haha…"
Liu Qin, unaware that Hunter Liu had intervened, assumed the man had tripped accidentally and couldn't help but laugh.
Hunter Liu gently rubbed his forehead. "Damn, are all women this dense? Can they get any sillier?"
As soon as Liu Qin's laughter rang out, the fallen man picked himself up. Watching the ragged youth vanish into the distance, his face twisted with rage and frustration. Then, gritting his teeth, he turned his glare toward Liu Qin. "What's so funny? Do you not take the Qingshan Gang seriously?"
The man, bolstered by his gang affiliation, strode toward them. He scanned Liu Qin from head to toe, then sneered. "Well, well. I didn't expect to find such a pretty young lady here. Seems like luck's on my side. Little girl, you look like you're from one of the nearby villages. I'm a member of the Qingshan Gang, one of Poyang City's esteemed middle-ranked gangs. How about I take you there and show you around?"