Chapter 30: True Strength Lies in One’s Own Power

Liu Xie let out a cold snort, and the man before him trembled visibly, fear gripping his body. Yet upon hearing Liu Xie promise to spare him, a hint of relief flickered across his face.

“Alright, you may leave now!” Liu Xie barked.

Without a second thought, the man turned and fled, legs pumping furiously. He dared not linger; staying any longer might mean a death so swift he wouldn’t even understand how it happened. Better to escape while he still could.

“Good!” As soon as the man had disappeared, the crowd of townsfolk surrounding them erupted in cheers, their voices rising in unison. Applause followed, loud and fervent.

Ordinarily, these government soldiers colluded with the Liu family, making the people’s lives miserable. Now, finally, someone had dared to stand up to them. The feeling was exhilarating, a rush unlike anything they’d experienced before. Excitement surged through them.

A faint smile tugged at Liu Xie’s lips as he turned to face the crowd.

“Everyone, I believe many of you know the situation of Jiayu’s household,” he declared, gesturing to the house behind him.

The townsfolk gradually quieted, waiting for Liu Xie to continue. They were well aware of Jiayu’s plight: her first husband, a businessman, had died far from home, leaving her a widow. Then, the Liu family’s son seized both her and her property, ruthlessly taking everything. Once most of her assets were claimed, she was cast aside, left utterly destitute.

This affair had caused quite a stir in Wan City at the time. Jiayu became renowned throughout the area as a figure of misfortune and sorrow—many knew her story.

“Listen well. Here and now, I swear an oath,” Liu Xie proclaimed. “Within three days, I will win justice for Jiayu. I vow to restore everything that was stolen from her—every last possession. If I fail, I will answer for it with my life.”

His words were passionate and bold, igniting the spirits of the gathered townsfolk. Many clenched their jaws, hearts pounding with emotion. It had been so long since they’d felt anything like this—such power, such conviction.

Because of Liu Xie’s speech, people began to remember his name, to remember the man who would fight for Jiayu’s justice. Some were moved to tears.

After all these years, finally someone had the courage to oppose such wrongs.

“But there are two things I want to say,” Liu Xie continued. “I know many of you have suffered at the hands of the Liu family. But I won’t always be in Wan City—I’ll leave eventually. If you don’t learn to resist, to defend yourselves, what will happen when I’m gone? Today it’s the Liu family; tomorrow it could be the Li family or the Wang family.”

“My point is simple: if you want to avoid being bullied, you must rely on yourselves. Do you understand?”

“What about the Liu family? They’re people too. If you strike them, they bleed and die.”

“To put it bluntly, even if you fight them to the death, exchanging your life for theirs—is that really a loss? No. You may not fear death, but do you think they do?”

Liu Xie now resembled a salesman from the twenty-first century, delivering a rousing speech before the crowd, pacing back and forth as he spoke. His words stirred something deep within them; their faces were grim, their resolve awakening.

“Of course, you needn’t worry,” he said. “I will lead by example. If I succeed, I hope you’ll stand with me. Will you?”

He fixed the crowd with a serious gaze. No one spoke, but Liu Xie understood their silence. Their presence was assent enough.

Especially his words: “You may not fear death, but do they?” struck at the heart of every listener. Yes, they were humble folk, but if pushed to the brink, why not fight back? Their lives may be cheap, but the Liu family’s members would value theirs more. If the people did not fear death, the Liu family most certainly would.

“Alright, you may disperse,” Liu Xie said. “Consider today as if nothing happened, as if you never witnessed any of this. That way, the Liu family won’t trouble you. But remember: relying on others is useless if you want to avoid being oppressed. You must rely on yourselves. Only when you grow strong will true strength be yours.”

Liu Xie continued his speech, fists raised with fervor. Gradually, the crowd dispersed, saying nothing. He knew, however, that each person was making their own calculations, plotting how best to deal with the Liu family.

Then Liu Xie began directing the Wolf Shadow team to clean the estate, swiftly removing the corpses and bloodstains. He wanted Jiayu—and especially her daughter Niuniu—to see a tidy home, not a hellish scene of carnage.

In no time, more than a hundred bodies were carried away and dumped far from the estate. After a thorough cleaning, the courtyard looked much improved.

Much later, Fushou led Jiayu and her daughter out of the house. It was easy to see from Jiayu’s face that she was anxious.

“Master Liu, how are things?” she asked timidly, glancing around.

She saw nothing amiss, and uncertainty settled in her heart.

“Don’t worry, everything’s been taken care of,” Liu Xie replied simply.

Jiayu was no fool; she knew a fierce battle had just taken place here. The noise from outside made that clear. Yet when she stepped out, nothing remained. The Wolf Shadow squad had tidied everything so thoroughly, there was no evidence left to find.

“Are you sure everything is alright?” Jiayu asked again, her voice cautious.

Liu Xie gave her a reassuring smile. “Trust me, when I say it’s over, it’s over.”

“Alright, carry on as usual; nothing will happen,” he instructed.

He knew well that all his actions thus far were mere groundwork. Yes, things were calm for now, but that didn’t mean the matter was settled. On the contrary, if anything else happened, it would be something momentous.

After all, killing over a hundred government soldiers in a single day was enough to shake all of Wan City to its core.