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

"All factions in Jiangcheng are currently making moves." Gao Ran picked up his teacup again, bringing the rim to his lips.

"The Hongmen, the Tongmenghui, the four major families, various gangs and martial arts schools, and even the Japanese are all scheming about how to gain a foothold in Jiangcheng."

"If you want to complete the Empire's plan, we must remain inactive, watch them fight it out, and wait until they are both severely weakened before we intervene to clean up the mess," Gao Ran said, taking a sip of tea.

"At that time, let alone a mere Dark Strength Lin Ji, Jiangcheng, and even the provincial capital will be ours for the taking."

Prus snorted coldly.

Although he was very reluctant, he knew that this was the safest way to complete the imperial plan.

He stared at the ruins of the small building outside the window, gritting his teeth: "Li Shuwen... I'll see if you can protect Jiangcheng."

……

at the same time.

The second floor of the Japanese Consulate.

Bright sunlight streamed into the room through the glass windows.

Jingmei, who had just finished listening to his subordinate's report while sitting on the sofa, suddenly looked up, his face instantly drained of all color:

"What did you say? Li Shuwen came to Jiangcheng? And he even caused a scene at the British Consulate?"

"Yes! Your Highness is absolutely right. Even the two newcomers from Guanghua Provincial Capital who joined forces yesterday couldn't stop him."

Jingmei slumped on the sofa, her wrists weakly gripping the armrests.

These are the names of two heroes.

He was a household name in Japan back then.

That man was a true master of internal energy who had fought his way to the top; at least a thousand alien souls had died by his spear.

Jingmei sat slumped, her mind blank.

They thought that with Tie Muling's help, taking Jiangcheng was a sure thing, but with Li Shuwen's arrival, all plans are likely to be thrown into chaos again.

He dared not delay and shouted to his men, "Go to the north of the city and inform Mr. Timuring."

"yes!"

The person behind Jingmei remained motionless throughout.

His face was covered in ulcers that had congealed, making it impossible to distinguish the flesh from the blood. His skin was ashen and his eyes were sunken, drooping over his cheeks. He looked extremely eerie.

……

A pharmacy in the north of the city.

Tie Muling held the book, his face even more handsome in the sunlight.

He listened carefully to the report beside him, his brows unconsciously furrowing.

They've arrived so quickly?

Since that's the case, we'll just have to speed things up.

Behind the medicine cabinet.

He gently rubbed his palm together.

"Snap!"

A pale gold syringe was crushed in his palm.

The golden liquid mixed with the blood from the glass shards swirled in his palm a few times before merging back into his body.

……

The sun is setting.

There were hardly any pedestrians left on the streets in the north of the city.

In just one day, more than a dozen more households hung white banners above their doors, and mournful music played continuously in the streets and alleys, making people feel uneasy.

A few passersby covered their mouths and walked quickly, not daring to say much to each other.

There have been rumors of a plague in the city since daytime; if you get infected, you're dead.

The female student who had led the earlier march was lying in bed, her cheeks flushed red from a high fever.

A series of heart-wrenching coughs echoed from her throat, and she even coughed up blood.

Upon hearing the symptoms, the doctor who had reached the door turned pale and hurriedly waved his hand, leaving as if fleeing.

The entire northern part of the city was shrouded in a gray and oppressive atmosphere.

It's like another invisible hand, slowly choking everyone.

Xia Long'an's face was deathly pale. By the time he dragged his heavy steps home, it was already completely dark.

I just pushed open the courtyard gate.

He then heard a series of coughs coming from inside the house.

Enter the house.

The daughter-in-law was clutching her chest, coughing so hard she couldn't straighten up.

Gouwa remained curled up on the kang (a heated brick bed), his breathing so weak that even his coughs were almost gone.

Only Nannan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her face filled with deep anxiety, her little hands constantly patting her younger brother's back.

Xia Long'an's heart tightened, and just as he was about to ask a question, a sudden, intense itch rose in his throat.

"Ahem!"

A constant coughing sound came from his throat, making his vision blur.

He rubbed his palm together, and a smear of scarlet blood appeared between his fingers.

He slowly straightened up.

He looked at his wife and children coughing under the dim light.

A sudden chill ran down his spine and up to his head.

For a fleeting moment, he regained his senses.

This... is not a cold at all.

……

Early the next morning.

The Tongmenghui members noticed something was wrong.

Xia Long'an, who usually comes to check the accounts at dawn, has not shown up by now, even though it is already past Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Zhao Qiaosheng waited in the courtyard for a long time, flipping through the account book three times, but still no one came. He was getting worried.

Old Xia is always punctual. Could it be that his illness worsened yesterday?

"Shihao, you know him well. Go to the north of the city and visit Old Xia's house." Zhao Qiaosheng beckoned to Zhang Shihao, who was standing in the courtyard.

"If he's really sick, please help him find a doctor. Old Xia has it tough enough."

"Alright, Brother Zhao, don't worry. After all, Old Xia came from my residence."

Zhang Shih-hao responded and turned to walk towards the north of the city.

Zhang Shihao walked all the way to the courtyard where Xia Long'an lived. The door to the main room was ajar. He knocked lightly twice and waited for a while, but no one answered.

"Not home?"

Zhang Shih-hao muttered something under his breath and gently pushed the door open.

A strong smell of blood mixed with the scent of medicine hit him, almost making him vomit.

Suppressing the churning in his stomach, Zhang Shih-hao called out:

"Brother Xia? Sister-in-law?"

He called out twice, but no one answered.

He stepped into the house, and as soon as he entered, a sudden numbness ran down the back of his head.

At the threshold of the main room, Xia Long'an remained in a crawling posture, his fingers digging into the mud.

His entire body was stiff and rigid, his face was ashen and bloodless, and even the corners of his mouth were splattered with blood.

Zhang Shih-hao's brows furrowed sharply as he forced himself to walk into the inner room, enduring the chill down his spine.

As soon as he lifted the tattered curtain, the chill on his back instantly turned icy.

Xia's wife and Gouwa lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), their eyes still open, but they had long since stopped breathing, their stiff skin turning an unnatural deathly gray.

In the corner of the kang (a heated brick bed).

The little girl hugged a faded rag doll tightly, huddled up close.

Her face was deathly pale. When she saw someone come in, her eyes were glazed, and she called out in a wooden voice.

"Uncle... my dad and my mom... what's wrong with them? Why aren't they talking to me?"

moment.

Tears welled up in Zhang Shih-hao's eyes, and he forced back a sob as he hugged Nannan tightly.

"Come on, Uncle will take you away."

……

"What did you say?"

Inside the Tongmenghui compound, Zhao Qiaosheng's account book fell to the ground with a "thud".

He looked at the listless little girl in Zhang Shih-hao's arms, and his face instantly darkened.

"They're all dead? The whole family of three is gone?"

Zhang Shih-hao nodded slightly and patted Nannan's back gently with his large hand: "Yeah, when I went there, Brother Xia, Sister-in-law Xia, and Gouwa were all hard."

"The neighbors on the street said that many people have died in the north of the city in the past few days. They all started coughing, then vomited blood, and died within two days..."

Zhao Qiaosheng's head buzzed.

"Ahem!"

Before he could even speak.

A soft cough came from the stove behind him.