A Life of Attributes Starting as a Nobleman in the Republic of China Era

"Friend!" The leader's voice came through the gunfire, coming from behind the brick wall. "Come out! You can't escape! We've deployed twenty men around this ghost market! Even if you had three heads and six arms, you wouldn't get out today!"

Chen Che leaned against the cold stone mill, breathing heavily. His true energy was circulating wildly within his body, maximizing his senses—he could feel the breathing and heartbeats of at least ten people rapidly converging from three directions.

We can't fight it head-on.

The Mannlicher M1888 rifle uses a straight-pull bolt action, boasting a high rate of fire and great power. Chen Che knew this. His cultivation level was only at the Qi Condensation stage; he couldn't directly withstand bullets, nor was he confident he could escape unscathed from a volley of five or six rifles.

More importantly, Mr. Zhong is still inside the cave dwelling.

"Friend!" the leader's voice rang out again, laced with cruel laughter, "If you don't come out, I'll smash this cave into rubble!"

Chen Che's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his nails digging deep into his palms, causing a slight stinging pain.

Two soldiers, guns at the ready, crouched low as they walked into the cave.

A resolute glint flashed in Chen Che's eyes, his gaze like that of a trapped beast, or a quenched blade.

He took a deep breath, and his internal energy surged like a river.

"It seems that today... we have no choice but to massacre everyone here."

A golden glint appeared in Xiang Qing's eyes as he slowly rose from behind the stone mill, like a ferocious beast awakening from the abyss.

A series of gunshots, like popping beans, suddenly rang out from behind the pile of rubble on the east side of the freight yard!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

It wasn't the crisp, single shot of a Mannlicher rifle, but a much denser, more rapid barrage! The gunfire came from different directions, weaving together into a deadly web of fire. The muzzle flashes merged in the darkness, indicating that at least four or five muskets were firing simultaneously!

The bullets struck precisely at the outer edge of the encirclement—the Shenji Battalion soldiers who were flanking Xiang Qing from the side!

Screams suddenly rang out. Three soldiers, caught off guard, were shot in the back and fell to the ground. The remaining soldiers hurriedly turned their guns, but they couldn't see the enemy at all.

The bullets came from the darkness; the shooter was clearly an expert in night combat, firing one shot and moving to a different position, the muzzle flashes appearing only for a fleeting moment. Screams rose and fell, but soon fell silent.

"Who?!" the leader exclaimed, both shocked and furious. "Which gang are you from? You dare interfere in the affairs of the Divine Machine Battalion?!"

His reply was a desolate yet familiar cold laugh.

"The Divine Machine Battalion? Bah! Sui Zhenwu's traitorous dogs dare to call themselves 'Divine Machine'?"

A group of people slowly emerged from the deepest shadows of the freight yard. About a dozen of them, dressed in old, mottled cotton-padded jackets, each carrying a gleaming black flintlock pistol.

The guns were modified short-barreled shotguns and flintlock pistols, better suited for close combat.

Their steps were light, their movements carrying a seasoned, tacit understanding, as they quietly took up advantageous positions.

The man in the lead was Yu Ban.

He carried a still-smoking shotgun on his shoulder, his one eye scanning the field before turning to the leader of the Divine Machine Battalion.

The leader gritted his teeth, "Who do you think you are? Daring to cause trouble for the Divine Machine Battalion? From now on, you won't be able to move an inch in Shanghai!"

"What are we?" Yu Ban laughed.

He raised his gun, aimed it at the leader, and pulled the trigger.

The scene was deathly silent, the thick smell of gunpowder pressing against everyone's noses.

The Shenji Battalion has six men left, while the Yu Ban side has thirteen, and they occupy advantageous terrain and have the initiative.

More importantly, Yu Ban's men all had fierce eyes and ruthless movements; they were clearly seasoned veterans who had lived on the edge.

The body of the Shenji Battalion leader lay on the ground, a bloody hole in his forehead, his eyes still open.

Gunshots rang out over the cargo yard.

The moment Yu Ban pulled the trigger, the dozen or so men behind him opened fire simultaneously. The roar of shotguns and the crisp crack of flintlock pistols intertwined into a symphony of death.

Before the remaining six men of the Shenji Battalion could even raise their guns, they were engulfed by a dense hail of bullets.

Bullets tore through flesh, splattering puffs of blood. Some fell instantly, others struggled to run, only to be finished off with a bullet through their backs.

The screams were brief, lasting at most three to five breaths, before falling completely silent.

The smoke of gunpowder slowly dissipated in the morning breeze.

There were about twenty corpses lying haphazardly in the yard, and the stench of blood was overwhelming.

Yu Ban handed the shotgun in his hand to the subordinate next to him, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and slowly wiped the blood splattered on his face.

"Young Master Chen," he looked up, a smile playing on his single eye, "I'm sorry you had a fright."

Chen Che walked out from behind the stone mill, his gaze sweeping over the corpses in the field before landing on Yu Ban's face.

"Boss Yu's move is a bit too ruthless..." Chen Che said, frowning.

"Ruthless? Does Young Master Chen know who Sui Zhenwu is?" Yu Ban asked.

Chen Che said, "I've heard of his name, the commander of the Shanghai Garrison, but I don't know any more details."

"Let me put it this way, if we leave him alive to take his message back, my brother, Elder Zhong, and even you, within three days..."

Yu Ban's voice sounded particularly somber in the morning mist.

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Chen Che's brows furrowed even deeper.

Yu Ban raised his head and looked at Chen Che.

"Young Master Chen, is there something on you that Sui Zhenwu wants?"

Chen Che remained silent for a moment.

He remembered the divination token. He remembered what Old Master Zhong had said—"The one who can use Western poison to improve the divination token must be someone collaborating with foreigners, and someone in a high position."

Sui Zhenwu, the garrison commander, held considerable military power and dealing with foreigners was a regular occurrence for him.

Could it be him?

As Chen Che was deep in thought, Yu Ban patted him on the shoulder: "It's not safe here. Let's find somewhere else to talk. Let's go to Pudong."

Pudong, across the Huangpu River, is still mostly farmland and villages, rented by local farmers. It's a place where various forces can't reach, making it a good place to talk.

Moreover, Pudong is three times the size of Puxi, so if you find a secluded place to hide, no one will be able to find you.

"How do I get there?"

"Let's split up," Yu Ban said. "You come with me. My brothers will go their separate ways."

He turned back and called out into the shack, "Seventh Brother!"

A lean man emerged from the shadows; it was the same one who had been carrying the shotgun.

"Big brother?"

"I led my brothers away. Those who needed to go back to the dock went back to the dock, and those who needed to go to the warehouse went to the warehouse."

The seventh brother nodded, asked no more questions, and turned to disappear into the ruins.

Soon, the figures in the multicolored cotton-padded jackets dispersed in twos and threes, merging into the morning mist like a group of ghosts.

Mr. Zhong also left alone.

Yu Ban made a gesture towards a spot not far away.

A rickshaw came galloping from the street corner. The driver was a man in his forties, his coat open.

Yu Ban lifted the carriage curtain, letting Chen Che get in first, and then followed him in.

"The Shiliupu Wharf," he said.

The driver nodded, picked up the handlebars, and started running.

Rickshaws travel through the streets in the early morning.