Chinese martial arts: From being shot and killed by the armed police during a mountain search to bec

The news reached the county government early the next morning.

Wang Yucheng was having breakfast, a bowl of plain porridge and two small dishes, eating slowly and deliberately. The visitor knelt down in the hall and recounted what had happened at Cuiyun Pavilion the previous night.

Captain Ma was killed, the murderer escaped, Li Fuqun was injured, and the police station searched all night but couldn't find him.

"Snapped!"

Wang Yucheng smashed the bowl of porridge on the ground, splashing white porridge all over the floor.

"Useless!" He stood up, his face ashen. "More than twenty constables, and you haven't even caught a glimpse of the murderer? Bring that Li Fuqun here; I want to question him myself!"

The man lowered his head and said, "Li Fuqun was injured in a fight with the thugs last night, but when the police went to look for him this morning, he was gone."

Wang Yucheng frowned: "Gone?"

"Yes. His room was empty, and he took his luggage. I reckon... he's already out of Sanhai County."

Wang Yucheng sneered, "What a fine 'guess'! This person must be the murderer of Captain Ma, otherwise why would he have fled in the dead of night?"

He paced back and forth a few times, then asked, "What is the background and identity of that Li Fuqun?"

"Reporting to the county magistrate, all we know is that he is Captain Ma's senior brother, a former outlaw, and extremely skilled in martial arts. We heard from the police that he once crushed bricks in front of them, and the heads of several martial arts schools in the county are probably no match for him."

Wang Yucheng's expression darkened further.

At this moment, a man emerged from behind the screen; it was Wang Zhiyuan, the county magistrate's son. He was wearing a Western-style shirt, his hair was slicked back, and he held a cup of coffee in his hand. He spoke slowly, "Father, this man may not be the murderer."

Wang Yucheng turned to look at him: "What do you mean?"

"He had no reason to kill Captain Ma." Wang Zhiyuan took a sip of coffee. "The two had no past grudges or recent conflicts, and were even fellow disciples. They drank together last night and went to a brothel together. If he wanted to kill Captain Ma, why wait until night? He could have done it at the dinner table."

Wang Yucheng remained silent for a moment.

Wang Zhiyuan continued, "I find Chen Hongwu of the Chen family quite suspicious. He has a fiery temper and is skilled in martial arts. A few days ago, he was chased like a dog by Captain Ma and his men and almost lost his life. Now that he has escaped, it's hard to guarantee that he won't harbor thoughts of revenge."

He put down his coffee cup and took a few steps closer: "Father, think about it carefully. Chen Hongwu had just returned, and Captain Ma was murdered that very night. Don't you think that's too suspicious? In my opinion, the murderer is most likely that boy from the Chen family."

Wang Yucheng paced back and forth in thought, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

A moment later, he stopped, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Pass down the order." Wang Yucheng's voice was not loud, but every word was chilling. "The police station should send men with guns to surround the Chen family residence. No one is allowed to enter or leave."

The person responded and turned to leave.

"Wait," Wang Yucheng called out to him again, "Surround them without attacking. Don't make a move. I want to see how that old fox Chen Huaijin will handle this."

Wang Zhiyuan nodded repeatedly, his face beaming: "Father is wise! This tactic of surrounding without attacking can both intimidate Chen Huaijin and test his strength. If he is guilty, he will surely show his weakness. If he is tough, we will have an even better excuse to take action."

Wang Yucheng glanced at his son. "Idiot!"

Wang Zhiyuan's smile froze.

---

Outside the city, on the official road.

Li Fuqun carried a bundle on his back and walked briskly along the official road. He had changed into a gray cloth short jacket and wore a straw hat pulled low over his head, covering half of his face.

The shoulder wound has been bandaged, but I still feel a slight pain when I walk. There are five finger-sized holes, neither deep nor shallow, just enough to pierce the skin and touch the fascia.

He thought about it for half the night, but still couldn't figure out who the man in black was.

That man from last night was skilled in boxing, and could easily use Xingyi and Bagua, both of which are northern styles of boxing. How did he end up in the south?

In April of this year, under the leadership of Li Fulin, commander of the Guangzhou National Army, they contacted Chen Gongzhe, Chen Tiesheng and other Jingwu Association elders to go south and set up a Jingwu branch, which can be regarded as breaking down regional prejudices and starting the southward spread of Northern Kung Fu.

But how long has it been?

Is it possible that someone has reached this level of skill? Could there really be martial arts prodigies in this world who can learn something at a glance and master it instantly?

"Never mind." Li Fuqun shook his head. "I'd better stay away from this mess in Sanhai County. I'll stay as far away as possible."

He quickened his pace, intending to reach the next town before dark and catch a boat to leave Guangdong.

After walking for about the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, at the bend in the official road, a large banyan tree stood, its canopy blocking out the sun.

Under the shade of a tree, a person leaned against the trunk, a straw hat covering their face, arms crossed, as if asleep.

Li Fuqun walked past the man without stopping.

"Master Li, are you in such a hurry to leave?"

The voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, as if someone were speaking right next to your ear.

Li Fuqun was startled and turned around abruptly.

The man took off his straw hat, revealing a young face—in his early twenties, with a stern expression, slightly bulging temples, and a sharp, restrained glint in his eyes.

"Who?"

Li Fuqun subconsciously took a half step back, his right hand resting on his waist. There lay a dagger, his last resort for self-defense.

"We just met last night, and Master Li has already forgotten everything. Truly, important people have bad memories," Chen Hongwu chuckled.