BSI Chapter 114 Child's Play
Chapter 114 Child's Play
Que Xuan glanced at Li Sheng and thought to himself: Whether what he said is true or not, we'll find out by testing it.
"good!"
Que Xuan patted the armrest, and the smile on his face became meaningful.
"I have the utmost respect for those with exceptional martial arts skills. Now that we have the opportunity to meet, General, would you be so kind as to allow me to witness your prowess?"
He turned to look behind him, his gaze sweeping over the leaders.
"I have several brave and skilled men under my command who are very fond of martial arts. Today, I'd like to have them learn from the general. I wonder if the general could offer them some pointers?"
The guards following behind Li Sheng changed their expressions and were about to speak when Li Sheng raised his hand to stop them.
Li Sheng did not respond immediately. Instead, he showed a troubled expression and hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.
"I dare not presume to offer guidance. It's just that fists and feet have no eyes, and I, Li, am not careful with my strength. If I were to injure any of your brothers under the governor's command... that would be quite unpleasant."
After observing for a short while, he had confirmed that this Que Xuan was just a charlatan, lacking both shrewdness and decisiveness, and devoid of wisdom.
This so-called alliance meeting is really just like the men in the village vying to be the leader, competing to see who is the best.
Since that's the case, there's no need for him to pretend anymore.
Que Xuan sensed the hesitation in his words and became even more convinced that this brute was bluffing.
He laughed heartily and waved his hand.
"It's alright! Since it's a friendly exchange, some clashes are inevitable. General, please go all out; I will have no objections."
Li Sheng nodded, his gaze passing over Que Xuan and landing on the silent men behind him, his tone neither hurried nor slow.
"Since that's the case... may I ask which brothers would like my guidance?"
A glint of light flashed in Que Xuan's eyes, and he raised his hand and gestured backward.
The guards immediately stood up and strode to the open space inside the tent.
There were four people in total, all of them broad-shouldered and burly.
The leader was bare-armed, with a scar on his face revealing bulging muscles; the other man had a towering build, his fists like bronze hammers, and his knuckles covered in thick calluses; the two behind him were slightly shorter, but they also had broad shoulders and thick backs, fierce eyes, and exuded the rough and tumble air of those who had roamed the underworld.
The moment the four of them stood there, the light in the air seemed to dim a bit.
Que Xuan pointed at the scarred man at the head of the group, his smile playful.
"Let him consult the general first. Liu Er, ask General Li for his advice properly, and don't be impolite."
Liu Er clasped his hands in a salute, grinned, and revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth.
"Please enlighten me, General."
Li Sheng waved his hand.
"There's no need to do it one by one."
He glanced at the four burly men, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about a trivial matter.
"Let them all come at us together."
Everyone in the tent was stunned.
Attack together?
The four guards behind Que Xuan exchanged glances, their faces first showing astonishment, then rising with anger.
They all snorted coldly, their gazes turning fierce.
Li Sheng, however, did not rush to get up.
He slowly looked at Que Xuan, his tone carrying a hint of sincere apology.
"Envoy, I'll say it again, fists and feet have no eyes. These four brothers all look like heroes. If they attack together, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself and they might get hurt, which would damage the harmony between our two families."
Que Xuan's lips twitched, cursing inwardly.
Don't pretend. You didn't hesitate at all when you said "come at me together." But he still had a smile on his face and waved his hand.
"General, you are overthinking it. Since it is a friendly exchange, we should give it our all. If they are injured by you, it is because they are not skilled enough, and they have no one to blame but themselves."
Li Sheng nodded, as if he had finally been persuaded. He unfastened the sword from his waist and handed it to his guard, then took off his helmet and placed it aside. He stood up and walked to the open space in the tent.
"Then please."
The four guards exchanged glances, and Liu Er gave a low shout.
"superior!"
Before he finished speaking, the four of them pounced on him.
The towering giant charged head-on, his fists like hammers, aiming for Li Sheng's chest; Liu Er slid from the left, sweeping a whip kick towards Li Sheng's knee; the short, stocky man on the right bent down to grab Li Sheng's leg; and the one behind him jumped up, spreading his arms, trying to lock Li Sheng's neck from behind.
The four worked together seamlessly, clearly having undergone extensive training; their first move was a deadly strike.
Li Sheng's eyes narrowed.
He stomped his right foot hard on the ground, his body slightly lowered, dodging the two punches from the front. At the same time, he reached back with his left hand and accurately grabbed the belt of the man who jumped up behind him. Using the force of the man's forward lunge, he pulled him forward, and the man flew over Li Sheng's head and crashed heavily against the tent door.
Immediately afterwards, Li Sheng slammed his right elbow down, striking the back of the man who was hugging his leg on his right. With a crisp "crack," the man fell to the ground, unable to move.
The burly man's second punch was already aimed at Li Sheng's face. Li Sheng neither dodged nor evaded; he raised his left hand, spread his fingers, and caught the hammer-like fist head-on.
With a "smack," fists and palms collided.
The burly man felt as if his fist had been smashed into an iron clamp, unable to move forward or backward, his entire arm numb. His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
Li Sheng gripped his fist, sidestepped, and the burly man stumbled and crashed into Liu Er on his left. Liu Er, who was kicking out, didn't have time to stop and kicked the burly man in the waist, and the two rolled into a heap.
It took no more than three breaths.
All four people collapsed to the ground.
The scene was deathly silent.
Que Xuan's personal guards stared wide-eyed, as if they had seen something unbelievable.
The four guards struggled to their feet, some groaning in pain, others grimacing, and none of them dared to step forward again.
"This...how is this possible..."
"Four leaders... couldn't even withstand a single move from him?"
"Is that person even human?"
Whispers spread among the believers, their voices filled with horror.
Li Sheng's men straightened their chests in unison, their eyes filled with respect and pride.
Someone shouted first.
"General, you are mighty!"
Then, a hundred people shouted in unison.
"General, you are mighty! General, you are mighty! General, you are mighty!"
Three loud shouts echoed across the land.
Que Xuan sat in the tent, the smile on his face completely gone.
His face looked ashen, as if he had just eaten a pound of bitter herbs.
How could this happen...?
Everything he had meticulously crafted was shattered by the sight of those four people lying on the ground.
Even the way his followers looked at Li Sheng had changed from initial hostility to awe.
The people of the Eastern Han Dynasty were both superstitious and worldly.
Although they were superstitious about Que Xuan, the messenger of the gods, it did not stop them from worshipping Li Sheng, a hero with unparalleled martial prowess.
They looked at the general, never expecting that someone of such small stature could be so formidable.
With his strength, he could probably subdue tigers and leopards, right?
Li Sheng took the cloth handed to him by the guard, wiped his hands, and then looked at Que Xuan, his tone still calm.
"Envoy, would you like further instruction?"