C20 A Blessing for All

"Tsk tsk, just look at those eyes of yours," the man sneered before gesturing to the other slaves behind him.

"Snatch their steamed buns. If you succeed, you'll have food to eat today. Otherwise, you'll starve right here with them!"

Upon hearing the man's command, the slaves hastily nodded, their eyes betraying a flicker of fear.

After a brief moment, bolstered by the man's menacing stare, the slaves overcame their trepidation and shifted their focus to Jiang Wen and his companions, gradually edging closer.

"Brother Jiang, what do we do? Should we take them on?" Gu Feng asked urgently.

Jiang Wen shook his head, his gaze hardening as he watched the approaching slaves. "Throw them the steamed buns first!" he ordered sharply.

Guang Tao and the others grasped Jiang Wen's intent. As they were in the midst of their escape, they needed to remain inconspicuous, unlike before, and had to exercise restraint.

Exchanging glances, they were about to produce the steamed buns when Kong Qing fortuitously arrived.

"Brother Jiang!" Kong Qing exclaimed with relief upon seeing Jiang Wen and his group.

At the sound of Kong Qing's voice, Jiang Wen and the others quickly turned.

"Brother Kong!"

"Kong Qing!"

Before Kong Qing could speak, the slaves had already reached Jiang Wen's side, standing there, unsure of what to do next.

"Well, well, what do we have here? An accomplice!" the man nearby exclaimed in astonishment.

Kong Qing, having just arrived, was taken aback. "What's going on here?"

"Brother Kong! Forget about us, get out of here!" Jiang Wen urged, glancing at the slaves nearby.

The man, however, stepped forward with a taunt, "Leave? And just where would you go?"

"Hmm?" Kong Qing's expression darkened instantly, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"What are you waiting for? Attack them now!" the man barked.

The slaves, obeying the command, lunged at Jiang Wen and his companions.

Without hesitation, Jiang Wen threw a punch, striking one of the slaves squarely.

"Bang!"

The slave stood no chance against Jiang Wen's punch and was instantly sent flying into the distance.

Bang! Bang!

Gu Feng and another companion struck simultaneously, swiftly bringing several slaves to the ground.

"In District 43, you're the first to dare cross me," Du Huan declared abruptly.

"I believe we won't be the last," Kong Qing retorted without hesitation.

Du Huan's expression darkened upon hearing Kong Qing's words. Clenching his fist, he fixed his gaze on Kong Qing and, with explosive speed, charged right up to him.

Kong Qing was quick to respond, meeting the charge with a punch of his own.

Boom!

Their fists collided, yet neither Kong Qing nor Du Huan retreated an inch, indicating that neither had gained an advantage in this initial clash.

Kong Qing was inwardly stunned. Du Huan's behavior suggested he was just an ordinary man; otherwise, he wouldn't need to command a handful of slaves.

Yet, this seemingly ordinary man had managed to withstand Kong Qing's punch without faltering, which truly astonished him.

Du Huan, equally surprised, knew his own strength well. Kong Qing was a mere youth, not yet twenty. How could he match Du Huan's formidable power?

"Well done, lad! You're certainly no ordinary fellow!" Du Huan exclaimed, his gaze sharpening.

Kong Qing swiftly withdrew his fist and scoffed, "Hmph, I was just born strong. Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived this long!"

"How come I've never seen you around before?" Du Huan inquired with a smile.

Kong Qing and his companions felt a jolt of apprehension at the question, but Kong Qing replied coolly, "We simply chose not to cross paths with you before. But today, you decided to mess with my brother."

Du Huan's suspicion dissipated with Kong Qing's answer; clearly, Kong Qing was aware of the stolen steamed buns incident.

After a brief pause, Du Huan smiled faintly, "Have you ever considered becoming one of my followers?"

Kong Qing and his group were not only skilled fighters but also young. If they stayed with him, wouldn't Du Huan be able to snatch steamed buns in District 43 with even greater impunity?

Wang Luan had a thought that had been nagging at him for some time: he was just a few good helpers short of success.

"Lackeys?" Kong Qing's mouth twitched in distaste. He couldn't help but think the slave had a point—Wang Luan had lost his mind.

At that moment, Jiang Wen joined Kong Qing, and together with the others, they regarded Wang Luan with grave expressions.

Despite usually following Jiang Wen's lead, everyone was now looking to Kong Qing to make the call.

Wang Luan mistook Kong Qing's silence for hesitation and his face brightened as he tempted him further, "If you become my lackey, you'll no longer have to toil away day and night. Plus, you can eat all the buns you want. How does that sound?"

Jiang Wen, who was standing nearby, felt a surge of hope upon hearing Wang Luan's offer. He had been anxious about surviving in the forty-third district, and it was clear that Wang Luan was no ordinary man; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get away with his misdeeds unchecked.

While the idea of being Wang Luan's lackey wasn't the most honorable, in the Ancient Quarters, reputation meant very little.

Jiang Wen expected Kong Qing to accept, but instead, Kong Qing slowly lifted his head and asked coolly, "Become your lackey just to help you steal buns?"

Wang Luan, interpreting Kong Qing's response as acquiescence, was elated. "Exactly! With thousands of slaves here, you think you'll run out of buns to eat?"

Kong Qing let out a cold laugh and dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand, "Forget it. Leave these easy pickings for someone else."

Kong Qing turned to leave, but Jiang Wen was taken aback and hastily whispered, "Brother Kong, this could be a great chance!"

Ignoring him, Kong Qing continued to walk away.

Wang Luan's brow furrowed at this, his smile fading into a scowl.

Jiang Wen and the rest, though puzzled, followed Kong Qing's lead.

"Wait a moment!" Wang Luan called out sharply.

Kong Qing, as if deaf to the call, simply rubbed his ears and kept walking.

"Don't you regret this!" Huo Luan bellowed.

"Hmph!" Kong Qing let out a cold snort before vanishing from Huo Luan's view.

Huo Luan, seething with anger, kicked the slave who was feigning death on the ground. "Get up! Do you plan to spend the night here?"

The slave, struck by Huo Luan's kick, stood up slowly, trembling with fear.

"So, you're planning to go against me, huh?" Huo Luan sneered, watching the direction Kong Qing had gone. He was plotting something sinister in his mind.

Irritated at the slave who remained motionless, Huo Luan's anger flared. He lifted his hand and delivered a punch to the slave.

Bang!

...

"Brother Kong! I never expected you to still be alive!" Jiang Wen exclaimed with joy.

Kong Qing gave a wry smile. "I thought I was a goner, but thankfully, they believed my words."

"That's a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune," Jiang Wen said with a chuckle.

Guang Tao also spoke up with gravity, "Kong Qing, I, Guang Tao, owe you my life!"

Quickly, Kong Qing patted Guang Tao on the shoulder, "If you consider me a brother, then there's no debt between us."

Hearing this, Guang Tao refrained from further pleasantries, instead making a silent vow to remember this moment.

It was rare to find someone who thought of others in peril. Guang Tao admitted to himself that if Kong Qing had been the one in trouble, he wouldn't have acted as selflessly.

"Kong Qing! I, Gu Feng, owe you an apology!" Gu Feng suddenly said, fists cupped in respect.

"I, Shang Dong, feel the same!" Shang Dong echoed, mirroring Gu Feng's gesture.

"Brother Gu, Brother Shang, your apologies are something I, Kong Qing, cannot accept!" Kong Qing stated abruptly. "Such a plan requires trust in a dear friend, and I understand that!"

"Great! From now on, Kong Qing, you are my brother-in-arms!" Gu Feng declared, his face alight with happiness.

Shang Dong nodded in agreement.

"Haha, no need for more words. We're all brothers here. If we make it out, we'll share our fortunes and face our troubles together!" Jiang Wen chimed in with a laugh.

"Yes! We'll face them together!" Gu Feng roared with laughter, extending his fist in solidarity.

Seeing the gesture, everyone else extended their fists, touching them together in solidarity.

Exchanging glances, they all declared loudly, "We'll share our blessings and face our challenges together!"

For Kong Qing, it had been three years since he'd felt the bond of friendship, especially one built on mutual trust and brotherhood.

The resolute look in their eyes bolstered Kong Qing's belief that they could truly make their escape from the Ancient Quarters.

With a collective smile of understanding, they lowered their fists.