Chapter 106: The Sudden Assassination

"Public opinion is a powerful force, and for the moment, I am at a loss as to how to handle this," Li Yi said, affecting an air of helplessness.

The yamen runner realized instantly that Inspector Li Yi had no intention of helping them at all. He had been played. Accustomed to the unchecked arrogance and high-handedness of official service, he found this sudden, public slap in the face—delivered before such a crowd—entirely intolerable. Blinded by rage, he impulsively raised his wooden staff and struck the manager of the Farmers' Association. Taken by surprise, the manager took a blow to the head and let out a sharp cry as blood began to stream down his face.

This act thoroughly enraged the villagers. Seeing that Inspector Li Yi was on their side, they lost all fear and surged forward, raining blows upon the yamen runners. The other runners and clerks scrambled to hide, begging for mercy. "We didn't hit anyone! Justice has its source and debts have their debtors—why are you attacking us?"

Amidst the chaotic scene, Master Zheng’s eyes lit up. He saw the thugs he had planted earlier taking advantage of the confusion to mingle with the villagers. Just as he stretched his neck, hoping to see the plan succeed, a hoe struck him in the face, knocking him flat to the ground.

In the melee, the thugs shouted loudly and charged to the front, brandishing their weapons. Once fully integrated into the crowd, they bellowed, "Officials are all scum! Fight them to the death!" With that, they charged toward Li Yi. Some of the more hot-headed villagers, caught up in the fervor, were incited to follow suit.

The thugs were overjoyed. One of them, getting carried away with his performance, leaped onto a table and screamed, "If you are heroes and men of honor, follow me and kill the inspector!" He then charged at Li Yi with a broadsword, bringing it down in a vicious hack.

Li Yi watched him coldly. He took a step forward, seized the hilt of the sword, and delivered a swift kick. The thug shrieked as he flew backward like a sack of rags, crashing to the ground. His chest was concave, blood bubbled from his nose and mouth, and after a few convulsive shudders, he lay still.

Two more thugs attacked from either side. Li Yi parried with his own broadsword and countered with a backhanded strike. His strength was immense and his movements lightning-fast; before the first thug could react, half his skull was shorn off. With a sickening "splat," blood and brains splattered everywhere.

The other thug turned to flee, but as Li Yi stepped forward to strike, a figure hidden in the crowd suddenly moved. He threw back his long robe, revealing a short-barreled firearm.

Li Yi’s senses were razor-sharp, and even in the heat of the pursuit, he remained vigilant. The moment he saw the firearm, his hair stood on end, and a surge of dread gripped his heart. Without a second of hesitation, Li Yi twisted his body and held his sword in front of his chest.

The assassin had already taken aim. At a distance of five or six meters, there was no chance of missing.

"Boom!" It sounded like a clap of thunder. The trigger was pulled, a deafening roar erupted, and amidst the swirling smoke, a lead ball tore through the air. Li Yi felt his sword shudder violently, followed by a sharp pain in his chest. He let out a low growl and stumbled back a step.

At that moment, Liu Zongmin, sensing something was wrong, lunged in front of Li Yi, his blade swinging toward the assassin’s throat. The figure dodged, his small frame darting nimbly through the villagers until he leaped onto a low wall, intent on escape.

Suddenly, an arrow whistled from Buyan’s bow, striking toward the figure’s back. The man twisted to avoid it, but just as he prepared to jump from the wall, a second arrow pierced his back. With a shrill, piercing scream, he tumbled from the wall. By the time he scrambled to his feet, the murderous, battle-hardened youths had surrounded him. Without a moment’s hesitation, the man plunged a dagger into his own heart and died instantly.

The sudden roar of the firearm had shocked the villagers into silence. The bloodied manager of the Farmers' Association, furious, kicked one of the dazed villagers and shoved them, shouting, "Are you all bloody idiots? The Inspector is here to help us! Get out of here, all of you!" The villagers came to their senses and hurried back.

The manager rushed over, bowing low. "Inspector, are you hurt?"

Li Yi pushed him aside, clutching his chest, and walked over to the corpse beneath the wall. The ragged robe had been pulled back, revealing the body of a small man. From the way he had committed suicide rather than be captured, Li Yi knew he was a dead man—a trained assassin. Had his sword not blocked the shot, he would have been dead or severely wounded. His eyes grew colder at the thought.

Even the militia, along with Liu Zongmin and Buyan, looked on with a sense of trepidation. After a long silence, Li Yi turned to the manager. "Clean your own house. Have the villagers identify the outsiders and root them out." He then looked at Liu Zongmin and said quietly, "You are responsible for the arrests."

Liu Zongmin shuddered, nodded, and retreated. Before long, the two surviving thugs were captured and dragged to kneel beside their companion’s corpse. Li Yi stood silently to the side, his sharp gaze fixed upon them.

The two thugs were terrified by the bloody scene, shivering and cowering with eyes full of dread. Li Yi narrowed his eyes. "Who sent you?"

Just as the thugs began to stutter out an answer, Master Zheng suddenly emerged. Grabbing a saber from somewhere, he slashed it across one of the thugs' throats. The neck was half-severed, and blood sprayed forth, impossible to stem. Master Zheng then turned and drove the saber into the chest of the second man, not stopping until the thug died clutching the blade in disbelief.

Li Yi watched him coldly. "Master Zheng, what is the meaning of this?"

Master Zheng turned to face him, his face twisted with spite. "Meaning? These men attacked an official of the Great Ming; they committed a capital crime. I am merely executing rebels."

"They had surrendered, and I was questioning them."

"Li Yi, stop putting on an act before me. You dare to toy with me? If these rebels didn't kill you today, I will report you to the Magistrate upon my return for inciting civil unrest and resisting the authorities." With that, he turned to leave.

The militia stood blocking the door. Master Zheng dared not force his way through and turned back to Li Yi. "What? Does Inspector Li intend to kill a witness to cover his tracks?"

Li Yi shook his head. "I do not wish to kill, but I do not intend to be killed either. Master Zheng, I have learned your methods today. Another day, I shall return the favor."

Master Zheng trembled, looking at Li Yi with newfound fear. "What do you mean by that?"

Li Yi gave him a long, deep look. "Let him go."

The militia stepped aside. Master Zheng, his eyes full of panic, dared not linger and fled the scene. The yamen runners and clerks, bruised and battered by the villagers, followed suit.

Li Yi turned to Liu Zongmin. "Find a carriage. Transport the corpses to Mizhi County and have someone identify them."

Liu Zongmin nodded, looking concerned. "Inspector, is your injury alright?"

Li Yi released his hand from his chest, revealing a bloody hole the size of a finger, just an inch from his heart. Lingering fear turned to deep hatred for the mastermind behind this. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth—he would not let them get away with this.

After instructing the manager to settle the villagers, Li Yi headed back to Mizhi County.