Chapter 89: Subduing Li Xiong
Chapter 89: Subduing Li Xiong
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Lu HaiKong was a protective sort, and although he didn't feel a strong sense of camaraderie with Zhang Wen, he was still one of his own. Without hesitation, Lu HaiKong stood firmly by Zhang Wen's side.
But he never expected that such protectiveness would yield such results. Turning back to see Zhang Wen's excited face, Lu HaiKong suddenly felt that loyalty seemed like a trait that could be easily cultivated.
As for Li Xiong, he had been keeping a low profile ever since Lu HaiKong's appearance, acting obedient and docile like a well-behaved child. But this was just an act, and inside, he held Lu HaiKong in contempt.
Li Xiong was a smart man, with an above-average IQ. He had a clear understanding of his situation and knew that Lu HaiKong was trying to persuade him to surrender.
However, Li Xiong didn't take Lu HaiKong's offer seriously. In his eyes, Lu HaiKong was just a reckless brute, and even though he had a few capable subordinates, it didn't change the fact that as a mountain bandit, his future prospects were limited. Li Xiong didn't consider himself superior, but he also wasn't content with living as a bandit in a mountain fort, constantly fearing the government's crackdown.
It was important to note that although Li Xiong was a bandit, he wasn't just any ordinary bandit. His group, the Dark Wind Fort, had substantial differences from common bandits. They controlled the trade routes of several medium-sized Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes and even had alliances with other foreign tribes. In terms of wealth and power, they far surpassed not only bandits but also most ordinary aristocratic families.
As the second-in-command of the Dark Wind Fort, Li Xiong enjoyed a privileged position, almost second only to the leader himself, with thousands of people beneath him. Why would he give up such a comfortable life?
Moreover, Hu Yinxiong's death would surely anger the leader, and when the leader took action, someone like Lu HaiKong would be easily dealt with in a matter of minutes.
Under these circumstances, how could Li Xiong possibly surrender to Lu HaiKong?
Li Xiong made up his mind. No matter what Lu HaiKong said, he would pretend not to hear, ignoring both threats and temptations. He would act like a submissive child and see what Lu HaiKong could do to him.
"Open the door!" Lu HaiKong ordered Zhang Wen.
"Yes," Zhang Wen quickly took out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door that held Li Xiong captive. He then stood respectfully to the side.
Lu HaiKong nodded at Zhang Wen and stepped into the iron cage.
The cage wasn't large, measuring only about six feet in length and width. Inside, there was a bed, and as soon as Lu HaiKong entered, the already cramped space felt even smaller. Li Xiong tried to move to the side, desperately attempting to create some distance between them, but his efforts were in vain.
Lu HaiKong walked straight up to Li Xiong and, without saying a word, grabbed him by the neck with one hand and lifted him off the ground.
With his level 5 Bull Power, Lu HaiKong's strength was immense. Li Xiong, a robust man weighing around a hundred kilograms, was lifted effortlessly as if he were a mere paper doll.
Lu HaiKong's grip tightened, and Li Xiong's face visibly turned red. At first, the color was faint, but within moments, it became blood-red and even started to purple.
Initially, Li Xiong thought Lu HaiKong was just trying to scare him, but as the grip tightened, the feeling of suffocation began to overwhelm him. His ears rang, and his vision blurred as everything turned blood-red.
"I'm going to die, I really am going to die. This lunatic truly wants to kill me!"
Li Xiong came to this realization, and his limbs began to struggle frantically, trying to escape Lu HaiKong's grasp. However, the disparity in strength between them was immense, and due to oxygen deprivation, Li Xiong couldn't muster his full power, so he was unable to break free from Lu HaiKong's arms.
In the end, Li Xiong's limbs went limp, his mouth hung open, and drool flowed continuously. It seemed as if he was on the brink of death when Lu HaiKong finally let go, casually tossing him onto the bed.
"Someone told me that only those who have brushed with death can truly understand the value of life. Now, I ask you, is this true?" Lu HaiKong said coldly, grabbing Li Xiong's hair and speaking sinisterly into his ear.
At this point, Li Xiong was still reeling from the fear and despair of near-death, his bloodshot eyes filled with confusion. But upon hearing Lu HaiKong's words, he instinctively wanted to respond in terror, but his throat, having just suffered a heavy blow from Lu HaiKong, couldn't produce any sound, and he could only whimper in response.
However, from his terrified expression and pleading eyes, it was clear that Lu HaiKong's actions—doing as he said without hesitation—had truly frightened him. Or perhaps it was the recent brush with death and fear that had shaken him to the core, a feeling he never wanted to experience again.
"I don't know what you're talking about. How about this: I'll give you a chance to live. Soon, my subordinate, the one you ignored, will use the surrender technique on you again. If you surrender, that's best. If you don't want to surrender, that's fine too. I just happen to know a way to kill someone, but I've never tried it before, so we can experiment."
Lu HaiKong lowered his head to Li Xiong's ear, who was gradually regaining consciousness, and said in the coldest, most ruthless tone, "I'll weave the finest net from the thinnest rope, strip you naked, bind you in the net, and hang you up. With a small knife carved from bamboo, I'll order someone to cut your flesh bit by bit, day by day, immersing you in endless torment. It will take forty-nine days of this before you finally die."
In the 1619 version of the book, this is all correct!
As he spoke, Lu HaiKong shuddered.
"That scene, I think, is cruel, but rest assured, I won't do it myself. I'll find someone else to do it, so please believe me."
As Lu HaiKong said this, Li Xiong, who had just faced the brink of death, experienced a mental breakdown. It was only then that he realized he wasn't as strong as he had imagined. This seven-foot-tall man suddenly burst into tears, crying like a child.
It wasn't just him; even Zhang Wen, standing nearby, was terrified by Lu HaiKong. It wasn't until Lu HaiKong signaled him to use the surrender technique that Zhang Wen snapped out of his daze, trembling as he approached Lu HaiKong to perform the technique on Li Xiong.
At this moment, Zhang Wen's heart was pounding with anxiety, fearing that his attempt to persuade Li Xiong might fail and incur Lu HaiKong's wrath. After all, Lu HaiKong had genuinely scared him. Fortunately, the surrender attempt went surprisingly smoothly, and Li Xiong, whose mental state had already crumbled, immediately chose to surrender without hesitation.
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PS: We're about to establish a mountain fortress. What do you think would be a good name for it?
(End of Chapter)
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