Chapter 92: Liu Heita the Assassin

A sturdy man in the corner called out to stop Luo Shixin, saying, "He is but one man, and you are three. To face a challenge head-on is the mark of a truly brave soul. While he may be in the wrong, your relentless tag-teaming to brutalize him is hardly a refined method. Why not hand him over to me? I shall handle the aftermath for you. How about it?"

"Who are you? How do we know you aren't in cahoots with him? Are you trying to trick us together?" Luo Shixin tightened his grip on the legs of the half-dead, dark-skinned giant, asking with clear dissatisfaction.

"Shixin, enough of this nonsense," Qin Qiong commanded, stopping him. He then bowed slightly to the sturdy man and asked courteously, "I am Qin Qiong. Might I ask for your name, sir?"

Li Dong mused that Brother Qin was right. From the start, this man had stayed in the corner simply watching. If he were an accomplice to the giant, he would have attacked them long ago. Since he hadn't, he clearly wasn't one of them. But why, then, did he choose to intervene now?

The man returned the bow and said, "So it is the famous Qin family forge, with its limit of ten pieces a day. Your reputation precedes you. I never expected to meet you here, or under such circumstances. It is truly an honor." After a moment of contemplation, he continued, "I am Dou Jiande of Zhangnan. I once served as a village head, and I take pleasure in befriending gallant men across the land. I have a modest reputation..."

"Oh! So you are the 'Little Mengchang' Dou Jiande? Your name is like thunder to my ears! It is a pleasure to meet you!" Qin Qiong bowed again. He then turned to Luo Shixin and said, "Third brother, for my sake, let him go for now. Hand him over to Master Dou."

Li Dong stepped forward and asked, "Handing him over is fine. But we wish to know who instigated this. And what method will you use to make him confess?"

Li Dong was stunned to hear the name Dou Jiande. He knew the man was incredibly capable, someone who would eventually rise from a group of barely two hundred men to establish the Great Xia Kingdom and wage a life-or-death struggle against the Tang. He was a man of great wisdom and talent.

Letting the giant go today for the sake of Dou Jiande, and thereby getting to know a future hero, was not a bad outcome. However, he was unsure if Dou’s intervention was a blessing or a curse. He decided to test the waters. If he could find out the source of their danger, they could prepare for the future.

Dou Jiande smiled with quiet confidence. "I have long heard of Qin Qiong, and to meet you today is a stroke of fortune. I shall treat his affairs as my own. And how should I address this young gentleman?" He glanced toward Li Dong.

Qin Qiong smiled. "I forgot to introduce you. This is my second brother, Li Dong of Zhangqiu, the one who recently defeated the 'Know-the-World' hero. And this is my third brother, Luo Shixin. He has no trade at the moment and works with me at the forge."

At this moment, the giant lying on the floor heard the names Li Dong and Qin Qiong. He struggled to sit up, his face bloodied and his spirit broken. With a weak, astonished voice, he gasped, "You are... Qin Qiong and Li Dong?"

His bizarre behavior left everyone present stunned.

He had launched such a vicious attack without even knowing who his targets were; he had been reckless indeed.

"I have been used! That villain deserves to die!" the giant cursed. Exhausted, he collapsed back onto the floor, gasping for air. Cold sweat poured down his face, and though clearly in agonizing pain, he gritted his teeth and did not let out a single groan.

Dou Jiande was taken aback. He knelt to examine him and said, "These are but superficial wounds; he will recover in a few days. But..." He paused and asked, "May I ask your name? How could you be so rash as to take a contract without knowing who your target was?"

"My name is Liu Heita... Because I owed too much gambling debt and couldn't pay it back, I met... *cough*... I met a man who said if I crippled the person in this portrait, all my debts would be... *cough*... wiped clean. So... blinded by greed, I... *cough*..."

His appearance truly matched his name; no wonder he was called Liu Heita. A gambler, and a desperate one at that. Yet, knowing there were three of them, he had dared to challenge them. Even though he had been bested, his bravery was exceptional.

Had it not been for Luo Shixin’s innate, god-like strength, it would have taken a great deal of effort for Li Dong and Qin Qiong to subdue him. It was a pity his skills were misdirected; on the battlefield, he would have been the material of a great general.

Dou Jiande asked, "Whose portrait was it?"

Liu Heita did not speak. He coughed softly and gestured toward Li Dong.

Li Dong stepped back, speechless for a long time. The person who had hired an assassin to strike at them was none other than Liu Heita! And this was the first time Dou Jiande and Liu Heita had ever met. The coincidences of history were so strange, so absurd, and so unbelievable.

Who would have a portrait of him? The answer was simple enough to guess. But why? This did not make sense; he held no deep grudge against the man. However, it was surely related to the warnings his father and Brother Du Yu had given him before his departure. He still needed to clarify which of them had actually orchestrated this.

"Do you remember what the person who showed you the portrait looked like?" Qin Qiong, seeing Li Dong’s shock, knew the matter was grave and pressed the question.

Li Dong also wanted to know, so he asked, "Was the person who sent you surnamed Cui or Ye?"

Liu Heita seemed severely injured; he only coughed and did not answer. After a long bout of coughing, he clutched his chest, vomited a mouthful of blood, and lost consciousness.

Li Dong hurriedly knelt, pressed on his chest, and massaged his pressure points, but after a long time, Liu Heita remained unresponsive. Li Dong knew he had merely fainted, but he was disappointed that he had fallen so deeply unconscious before they could get the answers they needed.

Dou Jiande was also regretful. He checked Liu Heita’s pulse and said, "He is still breathing, though it is faint. I have an ox cart downstairs; I must take him to a pharmacy and have a physician save him."

Li Dong and Qin Qiong exchanged looks of hesitation. Once they parted ways, who knew when they would meet again?

"Once he wakes, I will get to the bottom of this and certainly pass the truth on to you!" Dou Jiande added, sensing their hesitation.

Qin Qiong pondered. He had heard Dou Jiande’s name mentioned by many heroes who visited the forge for weapons. He reasoned that such a man would not make empty boasts. Furthermore, a man who values his reputation would not tarnish it by lying. He decided to trust him.

"Very well. Meeting 'Little Mengchang' today is a blessing for me, Qin Qiong. I will trust you this once!" Qin Qiong said, bowing as he prepared to leave.

Li Dong said, "Actually, I have already guessed most of it. But I would still appreciate it if you could uncover the confirmed facts, Master Dou."

"Rest assured, everyone. Please await the good news!" Dou Jiande picked up Liu Heita and headed down the stairs.

Once they reached the ox cart and settled Liu Heita inside, Dou Jiande chuckled and said, "Brother Liu, how much longer do you intend to keep up this act? We are safe now. Tell me everything you know."