Republic of China era: A hundred-year-old still practicing martial arts? Is that right?

Du Qingyi's eyes lit up instantly, and she let out a long sigh of relief:

"Mr. Lin's words are enough."

"I'm busy with internal affairs, so I'll take my leave now."

He didn't linger any longer and got up to take his leave.

Liu Qingzhu also got up, preparing to go back to the Green Robe Gang with him to arrange matters.

The two walked out of the stronghold side by side.

In the darkness, Du Qingyi glanced at Liu Qingzhu beside her, and suddenly:

"Master, you seem to have changed."

Liu Qingzhu's heart skipped a beat, and her ears instantly burned, but the darkness concealed her feelings, so no one else noticed.

"The gang leader is joking."

"I'm not joking." Du Qingyi's tone was tinged with emotion.

"You used to be like a block of ice, so cold it hurt people, but now... you've become a bit more human."

Liu Qingzhu lowered her eyes, quietly clenched her fingertips, and didn't say anything more, but her pace quickened unconsciously.

Inside the room, Lin Ji got up and was about to leave.

Shen Jinluan glanced at him sideways, seeing right through his thoughts:

"Oh, old man, are you in such a hurry to see little Yu'er?"

Seeing that Lin Ji did not deny it, she picked up a shawl and draped it over her shoulders:

"I'll go with you. I'm worried about that girl living alone."

Lin Ji did not refuse.

The two hurried towards the south of the city.

Upon arriving at the small courtyard in the south of the city, the courtyard was completely empty.

Lin Ji's face darkened.

A sense of worry arose in my heart.

"Where did this girl go?"

Shen Jinluan also frowned, her worry evident on her face.

Lin Ji's heart stirred, and the black and white jade pendant in his sea of ​​consciousness glowed faintly. He silently recited in his mind:

"See the big picture from small details!"

The new ability activates instantly.

The faint scent of Bai Yu'er lingered in the air as we followed the streets and alleys westward.

His gaze sharpened, locking onto the direction.

"At the market entrance ahead."

Shen Jinluan was slightly suspicious, but did not ask any questions. She then quickly followed Lin Ji out of the alley.

The two followed the scent and hurried over, and saw a crowd gathered at the street corner in the distance.

In the center of the crowd, several Western soldiers were pulling at a thin girl, who was none other than Bai Yu'er.

She struggled desperately, her face streaked with tears, and the vegetable basket was already smashed to pieces.

The crowd of people gathered in circles, all looking reluctant, but no one dared to step forward.

Those Western soldiers were carrying guns and had bayonets hanging from their waists; no one dared to gamble with their lives.

"The foreigners are kidnapping people again... What a tragedy."

"Keep your voice down, don't let them hear you."

Whispers mingled with Bai Yu'er's cries, revealing a chilling indifference and despair.

Lin Ji's eyes instantly turned cold.

He casually broke off a willow branch, about the thickness of a finger, from a willow tree by the roadside.

Shen Jinluan stood beside him and said softly, "Are you going to make a move?"

"Hmm." Lin Ji's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable chill. "These bastards dare to run wild on Jiangcheng's territory."

Before he finished speaking, he had already moved.

The leading Western soldier was leering as he reached for Bai Yu'er's collar when suddenly, a willow branch lashed out at him.

"court death!"

He cursed and raised his gun to block.

The willow branch, though seemingly soft, snaked around the gun barrel like a nimble snake, and with a flick of the gun tip, it pierced his throat with a "plop."

The Mountain and River Calming Spear technique, when launched, resembles the cascading of mountains and rivers, seemingly gentle but actually concealing deadly intent.

"Well--"

The soldier's eyes widened, and he made a hoarse sound as he fell straight down.

The others were both shocked and furious, and they all raised their guns and aimed.

"Bang bang bang!"

Gunshots rang out one after another, but Lin Ji moved like a willow catkin in the wind, his feet moving in a Tai Chi style, and all the bullets grazed the hem of his clothes.

The willow branch seemed to come alive in his hands, each strike hitting the vital points with precision.

There are no fancy moves, only the purest spear intent—the calming of mountains and rivers, breaking through all laws with sheer force.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Three muffled thuds followed in succession.

The remaining three Western soldiers didn't even have time to scream before they fell to the ground one after another, each with a small bloodstain between their eyebrows, the wounds inflicted by the willow branch.

It took no more than three breaths.

A well-equipped squad of Western soldiers was completely wiped out.

The surrounding crowd was completely silent, utterly dumbfounded.

Who would have thought that an unassuming old man in a gray shirt, wielding an ordinary willow branch, could instantly kill four armed foreigners!

Lin Ji casually tossed aside the blood-stained willow branch, walked to Bai Yu'er's side, and took off his outer robe, draping it over her shoulders.

"Don't be afraid, it's alright now."

Bai Yu'er threw herself into his arms, trembling all over, and cried uncontrollably.

Shen Jinluan walked over, gently patted her back, and said to Lin Ji:

"We can't stay here any longer. Let's take them back to the Sea Dragon Gang's stronghold first."

Lin Ji nodded.

Taking advantage of the crowd's stunned silence, the three quickly left Caishikou.

By the time they returned to the Sea Dragon Gang's stronghold, it was already late at night.

Shen Jinluan settled Bai Yuer in her own boudoir and found her a clean set of clothes to change into.

Bai Yu'er was frightened and curled up in the soft silk quilt, not daring to make a sound.

A familiar scent lingered around her nose: the rouge of Shen Jinluan, the faint masculine aura of Lin Ji, and a hint of cool, orchid fragrance, like the one Liu Qingzhu often carried.

Three scents mingled together, and Bai Yu'er vaguely wondered, "Why is Miss Liu here... and Old Man Lin and them..."

Her mind was in turmoil, her cheeks were burning, she shrank deeper into the blankets, but finally succumbed to sleepiness and fell into a deep sleep.

Outside the bedroom, Lin Ji leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the bed curtains.

Beneath the thin blanket, two sections of fair shoulders were faintly visible, one on the left and one on the right. On one side was Shen Jinluan's charming languor, and on the other side was Bai Yu'er's gentle tranquility.

A thought flickered in his mind, and he paused in his steps.

"What are you looking at?"

Shen Jinluan walked over and gave him a push with a smile:

"There will be plenty of opportunities to see in the future, but not tonight. Yu'er has been frightened, and I have to stay with her."

Her eyes crinkled into a smile, with a hint of mischief.

"Old Lin, don't get any funny ideas."

Lin Ji chuckled and shook his head:

"You're just too scheming."

He didn't linger and turned to walk downstairs.

Shen Jinluan is right, he has more important things to do.

Just now, when he made his move, he heard the Western soldiers talking in English. In the few words they exchanged, they repeatedly mentioned "Zacks," "White Girl," and "Seduction."

Clearly, capturing Bai Yu'er was not accidental; it was a trap deliberately set by Zack to lure him out.

"Since you want to play, I'll play with you."

Lin Ji muttered to himself, and by the time he reached the corner of the stairs, he had already applied disguise paint to his fingertips.

When he stepped out of the stronghold, he had changed completely.

His back was more hunched, and the wrinkles on his face were deeper. He looked exactly like a centenarian who was about to die. No one would give him a second glance when he walked down the street.

He looked up towards the south of the city, where the lights of the British Concession were particularly dazzling in the night.

Zacks.

I was originally thinking about who to target first, but since you've come to me, I'll start by collecting some interest.

He walked with a hunched back, his steps slow but firm, gradually blending into the night as he headed towards the British Concession in the south of the city.

A storm is brewing, and it will first overturn half the sky.