GBP Chapter 1893 If I don't go to hell, who will?
Chapter 1893 If I don't go to hell, who will?
At this moment, Li Xiangnan and Song Ziming were walking on their way to the Red Star Clinic.
The closer you get to your destination, the more different the atmosphere becomes.
The lively atmosphere in ordinary hutongs is gradually fading, replaced by a subtle silence that carries distance and scrutiny.
The gates of the courtyards on both sides of the road seemed to be closed even more tightly, and when pedestrians occasionally passed by, they walked quickly and looked wary.
“Brother Nan, just around the corner, that’s the territory of the Red Star Ganghouse! I’ve been here twice when I was little!” Song Ziming said in a low voice, silently unbuttoning the collar of his Zhongshan suit. He also unbuttoned the last button of his shirt, which he had never unbuttoned before, revealing a belt disguised as a soft sword underneath.
Clearly, he was prepared for a fight at any moment. Turning his head, he saw Li Xiangnan looking around and reminded him, "Brother Nan, these guys are strict and hot-tempered... Saving people is secondary; the main thing is whether we can get out of here unscathed..."
Li Xiangnan did not stop walking, and there was no fear on his face, only a calm determination.
He tightened the strap of the medicine box on his shoulder, his voice steady and reassuring: "Zimo, do you know what my brother-in-law often said when I was fighting in Jiaozhi back then?"
Song Ziming was slightly taken aback.
Li Xiangnan looked ahead into the depths of the alley, which resembled the giant mouth of a monster.
"Some battles, even knowing they're traps, we still have to fight! Some roads, even knowing they're treacherous mountains of knives, we still have to forge ahead! This isn't about playing the hero; it's about the fact that some troubles are unavoidable, and only by facing them head-on can we find a glimmer of hope! Neither of us knows the current situation at home. Although the old man is overseeing things at home, the other side's methods are ruthless and constantly evolving! If I hadn't come, they would definitely have had more tricks up their sleeves, constantly harassing us until we slip up, or... until they get what they want!"
At this point, he turned to look at Song Ziming and said, "Give me a cigarette!"
After lighting a cigarette, Li Xiangnan continued, "Rather than passively taking a beating, we might as well take the initiative! Besides, I suspect that the gang leaders here are just kidnapped people! They've been abandoned. Since they have such a large force and so many people, and the other side doesn't want them, then they'll just have to give in to me! I'll see what kind of hellish place this so-called dragon's den or tiger's lair really is! If I don't go to hell, who will?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unwavering and resolute force.
This sense of responsibility and composure touched Song Ziming deeply. He patted Li Xiangnan's shoulder heavily, his words conveying everything, "Alright, then I'll accompany you through this hell today, through fire and water, brotherhood with you!"
After turning the corner, the scene before me suddenly changed.
The alley is noticeably wider than other places, and the ground is paved with large blue bricks, which have been polished by the years and are as smooth as a mirror, carrying a heavy sense of history.
The houses on both sides were no longer ordinary residences, but rather mansions with towering gates and thick walls.
Although there was no plaque above the door, the number of door studs and the style of the stone drums subtly revealed a grandeur and structure that was different from that of ordinary people's homes.
The most eye-catching feature is a particularly magnificent gatehouse deep in the alley, in front of which stand two vermilion wooden poles, each as tall as two people, on either side.
Its bar is shiny and smooth, having borne countless weights and witnessed countless storms.
This is the core of the Red Star Clinic.
Even as times change, the inherent refinement and arrogance that once served the royal family, which emanates from their very bones, has not completely dissipated.
And this moment.
A dozen or so strong men, all dressed in short-sleeved shirts, stood or sat in front of the gate tower. Even in the winter, they left their shirts open, revealing their muscular chests and bronze skin. Their eyes were fierce, exuding the rough and untamed spirit of the common people, mixed with the arrogance that once belonged to them as imperial porters.
When Li Xiangnan and Song Ziming appeared, all eyes turned to them, like wolves eyeing two little rabbits, their hostility undisguised.
A burly man with tattoos on his arms strode forward, blocking the way, and said menacingly, "What are you doing? This isn't a place for street urchins to loiter! Get lost!"
Just as Song Ziming was about to go out to negotiate, Li Xiangnan stopped him, stepped forward, calmly looked at the other party and the group of unfriendly eyes behind him, and spoke in a powerful voice that instantly drowned out the noise at the scene.
“My name is Li Xiangnan. It was your pallbearers who carried your head pallbearer’s father, begging and urging me to come and treat his illness! Now that I’m here, you don’t recognize me? Then I’ll leave?”
His words caused a stir among the men present. They whispered among themselves and looked at Li Xiangnan with malice, anger, and disbelief, as if they hadn't expected him to actually come.
The tattooed man paused for a moment, his fleshy face twitched, and he sneered, "Tsk, Li Xiangnan, haha! You're that arrogant Li Xiangnan who refuses to help those in need? Damn it, it took us brothers a lot of effort to get you here!"
His provocative and sarcastic words immediately drew laughter from those around him.
"Exactly, I think you only came because you were scared after you found out it was us from the brothel that invited you, right?"
"I still prefer your old, unruly self. Why didn't you think of that before?!"
"Kid, once you enter this door behind me, if you're a dragon, you'll have to coil up; if you're a tiger, you'll have to lie down. Hahaha!"
A cacophony of shouts and curses erupted, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.
Song Ziming placed one hand on his waist, silently using his body to block half of Li Xiangnan's body. His eyes were alert, and his muscles were tense, ready to deal with danger at any time.
Faced with this overwhelming hostility, Li Xiangnan smiled.
"Shut the hell up, you all!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like an icicle, piercing through all the noise.
His gaze was sharp as lightning, sweeping over the loudest shouters before finally settling on the tattooed man.
"Whether I'm arrogant or not is none of your business to judge! But I can tell you clearly that the poison your old man has been poisoned with is no ordinary poison. It's the rarest poison in the world, the Ice Marrow Leech! Its coldness corrodes the meridians and freezes life. Go out and ask around. Besides me, Li Xiangnan, who else would dare to take this job? Go and find out if there's anyone else in Yanjing City who can save him!"
He paused, then said with a resolute threat, "Since I'm here today, I don't want to watch a life be lost like this! But my concerns are limited. If any of you dare to waste another word on me or put on this show of force, I, Li Xiangnan, will turn around and leave right now!"
He actually took a step back abruptly, as if to leave, and said in a crisp voice, "Heh, when the time comes, whether your old man lives or dies, that responsibility will fall on you bunch of brainless, road-blocking idiots! Let's see if you can bear it!"
boom!
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shocking all the men into exchanging bewildered glances, their arrogance instantly suppressed by more than half!
"..."