Tokyo Knights: The Odd Jobs X Files

"Boom!"

An explosion rang out, water splashed everywhere, and Li Xin turned his head to look. He saw a group of naughty children blowing up a water vat, and the one leading them was none other than Angel.

If we're talking about who's the happiest during the New Year, it has to be Angel.

In the Central Plains, the happiest people during the Spring Festival are always the children. This is not only because they get new clothes and delicious food, but also because even the strictest parents will be more lenient with their children during the Spring Festival, not demanding that they study and allowing them to go out and have fun.

Li Xin also granted Angel and Ayane special permission during the New Year to not have to attend extra classes or do homework, and to play late as well, which made Angel extremely happy.

With Li Xin's permission, and Angel's naturally outgoing personality, she quickly overcame the barriers of race and skin color and played with the children from the Eighteen Miles. She even became the undisputed leader of the children because of her strength.

Right now, Angel, the leader of the children, was leading a group of kids to set off firecrackers on someone else's water tank. After attracting the attention of the homeowner, they immediately took off running, leaving the homeowner only able to vent his anger on the children's retreating backs.

"Hahaha!"

Angel ran and laughed, this prank was so much fun!

Angel's joy was short-lived. While running, she bumped into something, fell backward, and landed hard on her bottom.

"Ouch...that hurts!"

Angel rubbed her nose and said.

Li Xin stared at Angel with a blank expression, making Angel feel uneasy.

"Uncle..."

Angel swallowed hard, and the children who were lagging behind shouted "Brother Xin" when they saw Li Xin. Then, no one knew who was the first to take off, all the children ran away in a flash.

"Hey, how can you guys be so disloyal!"

Angel was furious, but sensing Li Xin's shadow, she immediately put on a "I'm very obedient" expression: "Uncle, they made me do it, I was coerced!"

With a "thud," Angel was hit on the head, and the pain brought tears to her eyes.

"You can play, but you can't cause trouble for others. If I see you like this again, you'd better go home and go to school. I won't be taking you to play next year's Chinese New Year."

Li Xin admonished.

Shibalipu Village is barely connected to electricity, but it has no running water. The daily water supply mainly relies on two wells at the front and back of the village. Water is drawn from the wells and poured into water tanks for backup. The water tanks placed outside the houses are for fire prevention.

"Okay, I got it... I won't do it again next time..."

Angel said with a bitter face.

Although there aren't as many things to do in a rural village like Shibalipu as in a big city like Tokyo, as long as she doesn't have to go to school or tutoring, she can still have a lot of fun even without the amusement park rides in the city. Besides, the countryside isn't actually that boring; with a little development, there are many fun games that can be created. She's had a great time these past two days, and she hasn't had enough yet. She's not willing to go back to Tokyo.

Li Xin shook his head slightly. When a child says, "I won't dare to do it again next time," it probably means "I will dare to do it again next time."

Li Xin dragged Angel to the house of the family where she had blown up the water tank to apologize and make amends. Only after she apologized did Li Xin let Angel leave. Then, he found Leona curled up in a corner.

Li Xin: "..."

Leona: "..."

The two stared at each other for a while, and finally Li Xin couldn't hold back any longer and asked Leona, "Leona, what's wrong with you...?"

"Shh! Don't talk to me, the enemy will find me."

Leona whispered.

"Enemies? Where are the enemies?"

Li Xin was stunned for a moment, and then he heard several firecrackers go off. Judging from the sound, they were probably just low-powered snap pops.

During the Lunar New Year, this sound would always suddenly appear. Li Xin was already used to it, but Leona was very sensitive to this sound. She quickly jumped away from her hiding place and headed in the opposite direction from the sound of firecrackers.

Li Xin was stunned again. Could it be that the enemy that Leona was talking about was firecrackers?

Then Li Xin quickly realized that Leona was a mercenary who had been fighting on the battlefield since she was a child and was extremely sensitive to the sound of explosions.

After figuring this out, Li Xin couldn't help but laugh and said, "Leona, those are just firecrackers, not bombs. It's alright, don't be afraid."

Leona, however, shook her head firmly.

Leona couldn't understand why the people of the Central Plains would use gunpowder to make fireworks and firecrackers, and why there was a special festival throughout the year for setting off these fireworks and firecrackers.

Gunpowder is something used to make weapons and incite war, isn't it?

She couldn't convince herself to adapt to the sound of the explosions. As a mercenary, if she lost her sensitivity to such sounds, it would cause serious problems on the battlefield in the future.

Li Xin looked at Leona, who continued to search for a hiding place, with a sense of helplessness, but there was really nothing he could do.

After all, it's the Lunar New Year; does he expect others not to be allowed to set off firecrackers?

Just as Shibalipu Village was immersed in the New Year's atmosphere, in the deep mountains not far from Shibalipu Village, a figure hurried along the rugged mountain road. Despite carrying a large man on his back, he walked as if on flat ground, showing his extraordinary lightness skill.

The figure stopped by a stream, put the man on his back down, and said respectfully, "Young master, you must be tired after running all night. Have some water first."

After the man's feet touched the ground, he vomited uncontrollably. Having been carried all night, not only were his feet numb, as if he had lost all feeling, but his stomach was also churning violently, making him extremely uncomfortable. He could barely bear it while on the man's back, but after landing, he could no longer hold back and vomited.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

The man coughed, and the man behind him looked around. He found a rock the size of a head, picked it up, and with his bare hands, he cut it in half. Then he dug around the half rock a few times, hollowing it out into the shape of a bowl, filled it with half a bowl of stream water, and handed it to the man.

"Young master, please have some."

The person carrying the man said to the man being carried.

The man being carried took the stone bowl and rinsed his mouth, finally feeling much better, before drinking the rest of the water.

After seeing the man on his back drink the stream water, the man who was carrying him squatted down by the stream and scooped up some water with his hands to drink.

The stream water carried a slightly bitter, earthy taste, which made the man, who usually only drank spring water, extremely uncomfortable. He couldn't help but say bitterly, "I never thought that I, Zhao Kurui, would have a day like this..."

That's right, the man being carried away through the deep mountains and forests is none other than Young Master Zhao Kurui.

The man who had carried him away got up and said to Zhao Kurui, "Young master, the master has deposited a large sum of money for you in Hong Kong. Once you get there, you will definitely be able to make a comeback."

"Hong Kong..."

A glimmer of hope ignited in Zhao Kurui's heart. He asked the man who had carried him as they fled, "How far is it from here to Hong Kong?"

The man shook his head: "Young master, the land and sea routes from Handong to Hong Kong are blocked. We can't go there for the time being. We can only hide here for a while. Once things have calmed down, I will take you to Hong Kong."

This man was a loyal follower trained by Zhao Liqiu and the last reliance of the Zhao family. Before Zhao Liqiu was taken away, he ordered him to take Zhao Kurui to Hong Kong, and he would do anything to ensure that Zhao Kurui arrived in Hong Kong safely.

"Hiding in this godforsaken place?"

Zhao Kurui looked around. There were only trees everywhere. Forget about fine wine and beautiful women, he couldn't even see a rabbit.

The assassin nodded and said, "Yes, young master, the terrain here is complicated and it's located deep in the mountains. Those people from the prosecution department will definitely not be able to find this place. Moreover, there's a village nearby where we can steal some daily necessities, which should make life a little easier."

"The village?"

Zhao Kurui asked in surprise, "This godforsaken place even has a village?"

"Yes."

The assassin nodded: "There is indeed a village nearby, and it's notoriously poor. There probably isn't anything good there. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with this for the next few days, young master."

"What's the point of talking about feeling wronged now... I should just be thankful I didn't get arrested."

Zhao Kurui gave a wry smile, then, as if remembering something, he couldn't help but say, "But speaking of villages... it seems like my bad luck only started after I went to a run-down village..."

He naturally didn't know that the village the assassin mentioned was the dilapidated village he had visited before.

Shibalipu Village was established a long time ago to escape the war. The ancestors of Shibalipu Village chose to build the village here because it was remote and close to the mountains. If the Japanese invaders came, they could quickly hide in the deep mountains.

The assassins shared the same idea as the ancestors of Shibali Village, who also hid in this desolate mountain to avoid capture.

"Young master, are you hungry? I'll go find you something to eat."

The assassin said to Zhao Kurui.

"Okay, thank you for your help, Ah Zhong."

Zhao Kurui nodded. In the past, Zhao Kurui didn't really care about this assassin, but now, his life and death were entirely in the other party's hands. Even the usually arrogant and conceited Young Master Zhao became respectful and humble.

Ah, this is probably what they mean by "a courtesy given to someone is always for a reason."

Just as the assassin Ah Zhong was about to find food for Zhao Kurui, he suddenly sensed something, pushed Zhao Kurui away, and struck out with his palm in one direction, but was knocked back several steps.

"Azhong!"

The sudden turn of events startled Zhao Kurui. He looked in one direction and saw a middle-aged man in a black suit with a clean-shaven face standing in front of him, looking at him with pity and saying, "Such martial arts skills. It's such a pity that someone with such skills is a lackey of a corrupt official."

Ah Zhong, who had been driven back by the middle-aged man, looked at the middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared and said indifferently, "I don't care about corrupt officials or not. Master saved my life, so my life belongs to Master. I will do whatever Master wants me to do."

"You are indeed a loyal and righteous man, but unfortunately, your loyalty is only petty."

The middle-aged man said.

Ah Zhong smiled slightly, as if he wanted to say something. Just as he piqued the middle-aged man's interest, he suddenly made his move, sending countless fine needles, each as thick as a cow's hair, flying towards the middle-aged man.

Not only did he throw out the flying needles, Ah Zhong also lunged at the middle-aged man with a self-sacrificing attitude.

Having just exchanged blows, Ah Zhong knew very well that the newcomer's martial arts were far superior to his own. He only had one chance to strike; if he missed it, neither he nor the young master would escape.

Faced with the sudden killing move, the middle-aged man's eyes widened, he spread his arms and shouted, "'All rivers flow into the sea'!"

The powerful burst of internal energy deflected all the fine needles, which struck Ah Zhong, who was lunging forward, leaving countless red marks on his face.

"what!"

The red dot turned black in the blink of an eye. The needle was coated with a deadly poison that could kill on contact with blood. Ah Zhong was injured by the hidden weapon he had just launched, and he only had time to let out a scream before he died.

When the middle-aged man saw Ah Zhong die, even though the man had just used a hidden weapon to kill him, he still sighed, walked up to Ah Zhong, and closed his wide-open eyes.

After dealing with Ah Zhong, the middle-aged man looked at Zhao Kurui, only to see that Zhao Kurui was also lying on the ground, his face black, and he had indeed died from poisoning.

The middle-aged man examined Zhao Kurui's corpse and found several poisoned needles on his body. Clearly, the poisoned needles that the middle-aged man had just knocked away did not all land on Ah Zhong; some of them were knocked onto Zhao Kurui, accidentally killing him.

"This is terrible..."

A middle-aged man rubbed his forehead.

Although this was entirely Zhao Kurui and A Zhong's own doing, they did die during his pursuit. How many self-criticisms will he have to write when he gets back...?

Just as the middle-aged man was feeling frustrated, a powerful aura locked onto him, rendering him unable to move.

"Who are you? Why are you near Shibalipun Village and why are you killing people?"

Li Xin walked up to the middle-aged man and looked at him coldly.

Not far from Shibali Village, Li Xin quickly sensed the overflowing true energy from the middle-aged man's fight with Ah Zhong. Worried that some bad guys might threaten Shibali Village, Li Xin immediately rushed to the scene.

Upon seeing Li Xin, the middle-aged man only hesitated for a moment before loudly explaining, "Are you Mr. Li Xin? I'm from the 'Special Department' Handong Branch, also working part-time in the Prosecutor's Office. I'm here on orders from the Prosecutor's Office to apprehend Zhao Kurui!"

"Ah, they're from the 'special department'..."

After hearing the middle-aged man introduce himself, Li Xin immediately concealed his aura and looked down at the two corpses on the ground. He didn't recognize one of them, but the other was an old acquaintance, Zhao Kurui. He believed the middle-aged man's words a little more.

"May I ask your name?"

Li Xin asked the middle-aged man.

"My name is Ji Zhengchun, Mr. Li Xin, you can call me Xiao Ji!"

The middle-aged man smiled and said that although he was much older than Li Xin, he knew Li Xin's strength and dared not act like a senior in front of Li Xin just because he was a few years older. He directly lowered himself to the junior level.

"Huh? Little Ji... You can't call him that!"

Li Xin waved his hand repeatedly.

Chapter 652 Flag

"Ah-Xin, where did you go? You suddenly disappeared."

Secretary Wang asked Li Xindao.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just heard some noise outside and thought there was a thief, so I went out to check."

Li Xin answered casually.

After hearing Li Xin's words, Secretary Wang couldn't help but laugh and said, "In a place like our Shibali Village, you think we can find thieves?"

Even in this poor and remote village of Shibali, a thief would have to drop off a couple of coins if he came by, because he couldn't bear to do it!

Li Xin smiled and said, "That was before. Now Shibali Village is doing much better."

Secretary Wang paused, then said with a touch of emotion, "That's right, Shibalipu Village is not what it used to be..."

After the road was built, the people of Shibalipu Village could go out to work and earn much more money than before. Their lives were indeed much better than before. Once the dehydrated vegetable factory was built, Shibalipu Village might really be able to get rid of poverty and become rich.

Suddenly, Li Xin remembered something and asked Secretary Wang, "Secretary Wang, I want to ask you something. Was the bet you made with that person about whether you could help Shibalipu Village escape poverty and become prosperous?"