Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

His pupils contracted suddenly as he stared at the figure in blue robes that had appeared out of nowhere.

"I am Quan Longxiu, Elder of the Red Lotus Law Enforcement, and I greet the Martial Arts Champion."

He forced a smile and said sincerely, "Today's chaos on the street and the insolence of my disciples are all a misunderstanding. I hope the martial arts champion will show leniency."

"Misunderstand?"

Li Xin looked up to the west, his gaze piercing through the layers of houses, locking onto the direction of Fuyuan Restaurant.

"Was the hidden machine guns and heavy artillery, and the Japanese soldiers poised for battle in Fuyuan Restaurant, also a misunderstanding?"

Quan Longxiu's expression suddenly changed on the rooftop. The last bit of hope in his eyes vanished completely, and his face turned ashen.

On the second floor of Fuyuan Restaurant, outside the long street, Colonel Hans, who had been holding binoculars and staring intently at the battle, suddenly trembled violently.

He no longer cared about hiding or lying in ambush, nor about the changing situation of the battle.

He threw down the binoculars, screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice urgent and fierce:

"Fire!"

Boom boom boom...

Bang bang bang!

Two 77mm field guns fired first, their deep, heavy cannon fire shaking the earth and making the surrounding houses hum and the doors and windows tremble.

High-explosive shells and shrapnel shells were fired in succession, trailing trails of flames as they pierced the air...

Immediately following, dozens of heavy machine guns and repeating rifles opened fire simultaneously.

A dense barrage of gunfire erupted...

Bullets rained down like a torrential downpour, weaving an impenetrable net of death fire that covered the area.

The coldness and ruthlessness in Hans's eyes had not yet faded, but his gaze had already become vacant.

Within his sight, the tall figure in blue robes on the rooftop suddenly vanished into thin air.

They vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

Only Quan Longxiu, with his broken leg and severe injuries, remained, standing alone on the rooftop.

There is no way to avoid it, no way to escape it.

A hail of bullets pierced his body instantly, and flames exploded.

In a mere instant, this Red Lotus Sect law enforcement elder was completely reduced to a pile of minced meat and charred mud.

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Chapter 184 Listen to the Dragon's Roar

A heavy rain had just fallen in the afternoon, and thick, dark clouds hung over the capital, like a soaked black cotton wad, completely covering the entire city.

The rain stopped, but the wind remained muggy and the air was damp and uncomfortable against the skin. Even breathing felt hot and stuffy.

A faint smell of gunpowder lingered in the streets and alleys, mixed with the earthy smell after the rain and a faint trace of blood, clinging tightly to the bricks, tiles and vegetation.

The deafening gunfire that had been exploding just moments before suddenly ceased completely.

The noise vanished instantly, and the entire street fell into a deep, deathly silence, so quiet that it made one's chest feel heavy and even breathing felt suffocating.

The recent barrage of artillery fire nearly turned Xiangyang Street upside down, leaving this once beautiful old street unrecognizable.

Broken tiles and broken wood littered the ground; thick roof beams snapped in half and collapsed with a crash; old earthen walls were blasted away in large chunks by artillery shells, revealing rough and mottled rammed earth walls.

The walls and roof were riddled with bullet holes, the bluestone pavement was full of potholes and rainwater, splinters of wood and hot bullet casings, and scattered bloodstains soaked in water, all made even more oppressive by the sweltering air.

The once bustling and intact old street has been reduced to a dilapidated ruin in the blink of an eye.

On the second floor of Fuyuan Restaurant, Colonel Hans of Germany gripped the binoculars tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. His face was terribly gloomy, and his eyes were filled with disbelief and astonishment.

He could see clearly that the wave of artillery fire that had just covered the entire area was their strongest, most powerful weapon.

The entire roof was repeatedly bombarded by artillery shells, bricks and stones were shattered, and wood was burned to black ash. Not to mention a living person, even a hard rock would be blown to dust.

But Li Xin simply vanished without a trace.

There was no jumping or dodging, no scaling walls to escape, not even the slightest movement to use leverage. It was as if he had completely melted into the smoke and fire, as if he had never been on the roof at all.

The most frustrating thing was that his secret collusion with the Red Lotus Sect and the carefully laid double trap did not harm Li Xin at all. Instead, all the people he had ambushed were killed by his own cannon fire, and the whole thing collapsed.

Damn it!

Hans roared in a low voice, his chest churning with rage, yet a chilling coldness crept into his heart.

He had fought overseas for over a decade, encountering incredibly fast martial artists, immensely strong men, and fiercely combative warriors, but he had never seen anyone like Li Xin.

He never confronted enemy fire head-on or charged in with brute force. He always managed to find a tiny gap in a seemingly impenetrable trap and escape silently without leaving a trace.

In his decades-long understanding, being bombarded from all sides meant certain death.

Even the most skilled martial artist, when faced with such concentrated firepower, will either suffer severe injuries from enduring it or die on the spot.

But Li Xin's appearance directly shattered the common sense he had upheld for half his life.

The adjutant, Lansk, stood to the side, his face ashen, his hands gripping his rifle so tightly that his knuckles ached, and his arms trembling slightly.

Suppressing his panic, he whispered, "Colonel, we can't fire anymore. The firepower is already at its maximum. With this bullet density, even armored warhorses can be torn apart instantly; flesh and blood simply can't withstand it."

He must have hidden himself in the shadows beforehand. Continuing this indiscriminate bombing will create too much noise and attract the attention of the Imperial Guards of Beijing. If the Qing court makes a fuss, it will be difficult for us to explain ourselves, and if things escalate, all our plans will be completely disrupted.

"Cease fire immediately and withdraw. Consult the embassy before making further plans."

Hans, with the deep-rooted arrogance and prejudice of a foreigner, gritted his teeth and growled, his attitude absurdly tough: "Retreat? Absurd! Our Japanese firearms are the best in the world, our ships are strong and our cannons are powerful, and our military strength is invincible. Do you think a mere Qing warrior is worthy of making our entire army retreat?"

If we back down today, all the embassies of the nations will mock us, laughing at the Imperial Army for fearing a mere civilian… Keep bombing! Flatten this entire block, let's see how long he can hide!”

The more than thirty Japanese soldiers downstairs had long since lost their composure.

At first, relying on machine guns and heavy artillery, they were all arrogant and believed that their firepower could crush everything.

Let alone one person, even if ten times the number of enemies charged, they could be slaughtered in an instant.

But in a very short time, the situation completely reversed.

Two top experts of the Red Lotus Sect died one after another. They used all their trump cards to bombard Li Xin, but they couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes.

The huge gap shattered everyone's confidence.

His once skillful and fluid shooting and reloading movements gradually became stiff and slow, and the arrogance on his face completely faded, leaving only lingering panic and unease.

"Keep firing! Don't stop! Seal off the entire block!" Hans forced down the fear rising in his heart and roared the order.

Throughout his life, he believed that firearms were the only truth and guns and cannons were invincible power.

So-called martial arts techniques and physical body are all just empty formalities.

As long as the firepower is dense enough and the coverage is complete enough, no living being in the world can escape.

Now that the ambush has been exposed, we will use overwhelming firepower to seal off the entire area, giving Li Xin no chance to counterattack.

Even if it means destroying homes, damaging streets and alleys, and affecting innocent civilians, we must preserve the empire's pitiful dignity.

Lansk froze, as if frozen in place, his hand gripping the gun trembling more and more violently, his voice filled with despair: "Colonel...it's no use, it's really no use."

Every volley of artillery fire missed its mark; it was a complete waste of effort. You have to accept reality; we simply can't contain him.

"Reality my ass!" Hans's eyes were bloodshot; he had completely lost his way.

He simply refused to believe that his well-equipped and fully armed elite force would be defeated by a young Qing dynasty general.

..............................

The long street was already in complete chaos.

In the past, the battles of the martial arts world were far removed from ordinary people; at most, the common people would watch from afar with fear.

But this time, the foreigners launched a real, indiscriminate bombardment with machine guns and cannons. Stray bullets flew everywhere, explosions were constant, houses caught fire, and buildings collapsed. Staying on the street meant certain death; there was no chance of survival.

"The foreigners have really opened fire! Run! If you don't run, you'll all die here!"

The piercing screams and cries of children echoed throughout the street.

Countless people, dragging their families along, stumbled and screamed as they fled in all directions.

The long street was packed with people, one after another. The elderly, weak, women and children could not run and could only be swept along by the crowd, staggering forward.

Cries, shouts, and screams mingled together, and despair, like an impenetrable net, firmly enveloped the entire neighborhood.

The old mud-brick houses could not withstand the impact of artillery fire. They were repeatedly pierced by stray bullets, their doors and windows were blown to pieces, and their roof tiles collapsed layer by layer. Dust filled the air, obscuring the sky in a gray haze.

Several civilians who were running slowly were hit by stray bullets flying around them. Their shrill screams were cut short as they fell heavily onto the cold bluestone road.

Warm blood instantly spread out, its bright red color starkly contrasting against the gray ruins, making one's heart clench.

....................................

At the entrance of Li Garden, the guards were terrified. They gripped their knives and clubs tightly, their muscles taut, and they dared not even breathe too heavily.

The scene before them was no longer an ordinary martial arts fight; it was a real massacre involving artillery fire.

The young guard looked at the collapsing houses in the distance and the bullets flying everywhere. His face turned pale and his voice trembled: "Brother Sun, the foreigners' heavy artillery is terrifying. It can blow up thick walls. Is there really anyone in the world who can dodge such indiscriminate firepower?"

Even if Brother Xin's martial arts skills are superb, he probably won't be able to hold out this time.

Having experienced the ways of the martial world for a long time, Sun Liancheng had seen all kinds of masters and had even witnessed Li Xin break through the foreigners' machine gun formation single-handedly. His mentality was far more composed than that of others.

He gazed at the smoke and fire filling the sky and slowly shook his head: "Don't worry, it's alright. Bullets are inanimate and don't bend. The artillery fire may look dense, but it's actually full of gaps. This kind of dead end can trap ordinary people, but it can't trap him."

Lin Zhengxing frowned, his face grim as he stared at the battle: "This trap is too insidious and too meticulous. The Red Lotus Sect first launched a sneak attack to disrupt our peace of mind, and then the foreigners used artillery fire to block all our escape routes."

The collusion between insiders and outsiders was intricate and interconnected, making it virtually impossible to guard against. However, despite their meticulous planning, they ultimately underestimated Master Li's capabilities.

“Ordinary martial artists, when faced with artillery fire, would only panic and flee, stubbornly fighting to the death, ultimately meeting their demise. But Master Li possesses exceptional perception and unpredictable movements, allowing him to anticipate all deadly attacks.” Sun Liancheng’s eyes were filled with admiration, followed by deep resentment. “Foreigners, relying on their superior ships and cannons, dare to openly fire and kill people right under the emperor’s nose. This court is far too weak!”

Lin Zhengxing's face was grim. He sighed deeply, his heart filled with pent-up frustration: "A weak nation has no diplomacy, and the weak have no human rights. We can only stand by and watch as foreign enemies wreak havoc and slaughter our people in the capital. No one can swallow this insult."

Under the eaves of the inner courtyard of Li Garden, Zhuang Hongxiu stood quietly, gazing at the flames and thick smoke that filled the sky in the west of the city.

The continuous sound of cannons made the entire courtyard tremble slightly, and the branches and leaves of the flowers and trees in the yard swayed incessantly. A suffocating atmosphere filled the entire courtyard, making people feel uneasy.

The maids were terrified, their faces pale and their backs sweating. They huddled together, their bodies trembling, their eyes filled with unconcealed fear.

Xiaoyue gripped her sleeves tightly, her face deathly pale, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Sister Hongxiu, will Second Brother be in trouble? There are bullets everywhere, there's no way to dodge them!"

Zhuang Hongxiu gently put her arm around Xiaoyue's shoulder, soothing her softly with a steady tone, but there was a hint of tension in her eyes: "Don't be afraid, your second brother never does anything he's not sure of."

Foreigners only believe in the brute force of artillery, thinking that strong enough firepower can crush everything; this is their shallowness.

When martial arts are practiced to their fullest potential, it is never about head-on confrontation, but about adapting to the situation, taking advantage of the opponent's momentum, and finding an opening to hide.

The artillery fire appeared impenetrable, yet each volley had minute gaps. Your second brother possesses keen senses and unparalleled agility; he will surely escape safely.

While she tried to reassure everyone, her left hand was already clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white, her eyes fixed on the smoke and fire in the distance, not daring to relax for a moment.

....................................

The rooftops in the west of the city were already in a terrible state, with charred wood, dried blood and mud, and scattered bullet casings covering the ground. The scene was extremely tragic.

No one knew that at the moment when the artillery fire was most intense and the killing intent was at its peak, Li Xin took advantage of the smoke and dust and the sound of cannons to conceal his aura and glide low over the roof tiles.

They slipped silently into a quiet alleyway on the side, perfectly avoiding all deadly fire.

With his feet firmly planted on the ground, Li Xin let out a soft breath. There was no panic in his eyes, only an icy chill.

Quan Longxiu's feigned weakness and reconciliation before his death were all a trick to lull him into a false sense of security.

The Red Lotus Sect had long been secretly colluding with foreigners. This ambush was meticulously planned and ruthless, far more deadly than any previous assassination attempt.

"A few foreign cannons, dozens of foreign guns, plus a few heretics, and they dare to set up a deadly trap in the heart of Beijing to take my life?"

Li Xin muttered to himself, raising his eyes to pierce through the layers of smoke, his gaze precisely locking onto Hans on the second floor of Fuyuan Restaurant.

The enemy was hiding in the shadows of a tall building, occupying a commanding position and possessing deadly heavy firepower, believing they had victory in the bag.

But in Li Xin's eyes, this hiding place, which he thought was safe, was nothing more than a grave he had dug for himself.

A sudden gust of evening wind swept through the alley, and Li Xin moved, completely merging into the wind and smoke.

Under the cover of the booming cannons and the smoke and dust, he moved quickly through the gaps between the houses, his footsteps so light that they made no sound, step by step approaching Fuyuan Restaurant, heading towards the end of this battle.

On the second floor of the restaurant, explosions and fire continued to erupt, the roar deafening.