Chapter 1: The Entanglement of Fate and Enmity, Haicheng's Solitude

  Li Huqiu pulled out a steel ball the size of a pigeon egg from the stove and electric fan, and Wang, a young man, burst into applause. "You're the only one I've ever seen who's mastered this technique among all the thieves," he said. Li Huqiu bowed his fist and said, "Please, Brother Wang!" The young man waved his hand and said frankly, "I won't show off my inferior skills. Although I can do it too, I'm definitely slower than you. Just by looking at your movements when you released the steel ball, I can tell its temperature isn't high. After I pick it up, I don't dare to be as calm as you." Li Huqiu said that since that's the case, please give me the treasure map, and I'll take it back to report.

  The young man with the surname Wang smiled and said, "No rush for now, it's rare to meet a talented young man like you, I'd like to delve deeper into this." Li Huqiu said, "Please draw your sword, elder brother." The young man with the surname Wang stretched out his thumb on one hand and supported the wrist of that hand with the other, smiling and saying, "I am Tiger Head Branch's 'Bookworm', reporting for duty." Li Huqiu returned the courtesy, raising both thumbs and saying, "So you are Bookworm Wang Maoge, I dare not claim to have any skills in front of elder brother."

  In the jianghu, it's customary not to mention one's name directly, but if you're a junior or someone of no great importance, it doesn't matter. Li Huqiu speaking his own name is an act of humility. The scholar Wang Mao was quite pleased with himself and smiled: "Younger brother isn't from my sect, yet this skill is something I've rarely seen on the jianghu path - who's your master?"

  Li Huqiu said, "I'm not skilled enough to mention my master's name, and he has already passed away, so I don't dare let him be shamed." Wang Mao said that the person who could teach such a talented disciple must have been a high-ranking member of their school, unfortunately, they had passed away. He also said, "The thing your younger brother wants is something my junior fellow apprentice 'Fire Fox' retrieved from a wealthy man surnamed Huang - a copy of Yan Liben's Song Dynasty painting, not a particularly valuable item. If you want to take it away at any time, although our school may be poor, we wouldn't begrudge such a small thing. However, this wealthy man surnamed Huang is quite arrogant and bullying, constantly causing us trouble, first sending people to rob us and then sending people to steal from us, using every trick in the book. This person has no regard for the martial arts world and isn't someone you can deal with easily, so how did your younger brother get mixed up with him?"

  Today's rivers and lakes are becoming increasingly blurred, and the number of people who still insist on this concept is decreasing. Li Huqiu was born in a romance that was not romantic between his father and mother, grew up in the treacherous and cunning rivers and lakes, he was used to the rivers and lakes, and also liked to be a rivers and lakes person. In his eyes, the rivers and lakes are just a black kingdom, where people, no matter how bad they are, will not make him feel afraid. He fights or interacts with others freely and unrestrainedly, because the rules of the rivers and lakes have never been restrictive. The difference between the rivers and lakes and the secular world is like the difference between grasslands and forests, and cities and villages. Their survival laws are their biggest differences. Li Huqiu likes Wang Mao's tone when talking about the rivers and lakes, he is very curious why a person like Wang Mao has never heard of his name on the road.

  Wang Mao told Li Huqiu that the Jianghu has always existed, only it's getting smaller and more isolated from the secular world. In the past, it existed between cities, but now it can only survive in the wilderness outside of society. Many things rumored to exist in the Jianghu have never disappeared. Lightness skills, internal strength, people who can jump 5 meters forward and 4 meters backward still exist. It's just that currently, our country doesn't want the common people to believe in internal strength, special functions, and other mysterious arts, labeling them as "pseudoscience" and intentionally restricting the development of Jianghu. Li Huqiu asked if he could do it? Wang Mao smiled and said I can't, but my junior fellow apprentice Huo Huli can.

  The two chatted happily, unaware of the time passing. Li Huqiu heard many new things from Wang Mao and his horizons broadened as he couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. It wasn't until the clock in the room struck that Li Huqiu remembered that this trip had a time limit. Before parting ways, Wang Mao told Li Huqiu: "That guy surnamed Huang has an older brother who is a deputy mayor, he himself specializes in buying and selling cultural relics, the Thieves' Guild is a Jianghu organization, many things are inconvenient to let outsiders know, even more unwilling to deal with the authorities, you can take the thing away, but I advise you one sentence, don't meet that guy surnamed Huang again, we Jianghu people are natural sworn enemies of this kind of person."

  After Li Huqiu left, a tall and sturdy man came to Wang Mao's side and asked: "Third brother, are you going to let him take away that painting? The one surnamed Huang promised to buy it back for 100 million, but during the transaction, he secretly calculated against Sixth Brother. Can we just let him get away with it so easily? Moreover, this kid kicked and broke Dahuang's jawbone." Wang Mao didn't even look at him and said: "You know he kicked your dog to death, yet you ask me such a stupid question. This young man's speed is simply unimaginable. Just now I used the fourth gear of the wind fan, and even when it was on its fastest setting, he could still pluck chestnuts from the fire. Even if it were your Fourth Brother Ghost Hand, he might not be able to do that! This person's skills are not inferior to Second Brother White Wolf, and his thieving techniques are not below Ghost Hand's. With just us few, plus an injured Old Six in bed, we're no match for him! Why don't we just go with the flow and make friends? With his abilities, he'll eventually enter the jianghu."

  About the theft, Wang Mao didn't say much. He only told Li Huqiu about some existing gangs and their fascinating stories in the Jianghu world. Li Huqiu had a desire to roam the world and was strongly curious about the outside world. Wang Mao lifted the veil that separated the secular world from the Jianghu for him. After bidding farewell to Wang Mao, Li Huqiu took the He Ming Tu he got from Pan Daoer and left the mysterious villa, with thoughts rising one after another in his mind. He decided not to see the middle-aged man again, and could ask Gao Chufeng to pass on the map for him. As for the five million, Li Huqiu didn't have the habit of doing things for people without getting paid, he was determined to get it himself!

  In the small park, Li Huqiu and Gao Chufeng sat in a small shop selling hot drinks. Li Huqiu briefly recounted how he obtained the map, only saying that it was won through skillful means, without mentioning anything about the Jianghu or the Thieves' Guild. The two chatted for an afternoon, during which Li Huqiu taught Gao Chufeng some minor tricks such as "covering heaven and crossing the sea" and "concealing one's tracks". He told her that to be a good thief, one must first not draw attention to oneself, and that one's attire should inspire trust in others. Before making a move, one must understand how to utilize people's blind spots and psychological changes. "With your current appearance, as soon as you approach someone's side, they'll be on guard against you," he said. "You can only succeed with the help of an inside accomplice." Gao Chufeng asked, "Don't you want to ask me why I like stealing things?" Li Huqiu smiled and replied, "Everyone has the right to do what they enjoy doing. You have the means to pursue this hobby, so go ahead and indulge in it if you like. Why should I ask?"

  Gao Chufeng asked him where he was going. Li Huqiu glanced at the young man who rushed past the small shop outside, stood up with his hands in his pockets, and said as he walked: "Someone owes me a debt, I have to go collect it. After that, I still have to return to Haicheng to repay someone else's debt. By the way, I forgot to tell you, I actually have a goddaughter to take care of, a little oil bottle, so please don't fall in love with me." Gao Chufeng suddenly stood up, hugged Li Huqiu and kissed him bravely, then said: "I am in charge of my own life, who I like or dislike is no one's business. Wild boy, sister has taken a liking to you." After that, she left first.

  A high gate and large household in Shenyang.

  In the spacious and bright living room, Huang Baojiang was examining the "Crane's Cry" painting brought back by Gao Yunfeng with his nephew Huang Shaotang under the lamp. Huang Shaotang, in his early twenties, 1.75 meters tall, looked quite elegant. The uncle and nephew each held a magnifying glass, scrutinizing the painting extremely carefully. Finally, Huang Shaotang let out a sigh of relief and spoke up: "Hmm, it's correct! It's the painting we lost, and it's finally back." Huang Baojiang's face showed no sign of relief, his brow furrowed as he said: "How this painting came back is questionable. If someone has seen its secrets, all our efforts to retrieve it would be in vain."

  Huang Shaotang said with a hateful tone, "It's a pity that this matter can't be handled through official channels. Otherwise, why bother making such a big deal out of it? Now that the map has been retrieved, can't we just get the armed police to raid that den of thieves?"

  Huang Baojiang nodded solemnly and said, "Sending someone is a must, but in my estimation, there won't be any gains. Once these people hand over the goods, they will definitely withdraw. I'm not too worried about these people, after all, the map has been in their hands for a long time, and they haven't discovered its secrets yet. What I'm worried about is the person who sent the map back through Gao Yu Feng. If I'm not mistaken, this person must be that escaped thief."

  "Uncle means this person can't stay?" A hint of ruthlessness flashed across Huang Shaotang's refined face.

  Huang Baojiang said: "If possible, everyone who has come into contact with this painting cannot stay behind. You go find Gao Chufeng later and ask her a few questions to confirm whether the person who handed over the painting is Li Huqiu or not. Old Qin is particularly dissatisfied with this matter. If it can be confirmed that it was him, he will have to pay with his life!"

  Huang Shaotang nodded and said, "I'll go find that female demon head to get some information. If it's him, this person can't be left alive. He stole the map but didn't dare to meet us, which at least shows he has his guard up against us. A clever person like him already knows about the map, and just this one point is enough to warrant his death."

  Li Huqiu hung upside down from the eaves of Huang's house, peering into the room with his ears plugged with a stethoscope, carefully listening to the movements inside. The conversation between Huang and his nephew was all heard by him. Li Huqiu didn't feel much surprise about this. It is said that people in the jianghu are cruel and ruthless, killing people, robbing, cheating, and doing all sorts of evil things. But if Li Huqiu had a choice, he would rather deal with scoundrels like Hao Cuizi than interact with peaceful gentlemen like those in the house. His purpose for coming today was to get that five million, and now he has become extremely interested in this painting. What secrets could be hidden within?

  Huang Shaotang went upstairs to another room. Huang Baojiang carefully rolled up the Crane's Calligraphy and Painting, left the living room and rushed to the back room, which seemed to be a specially designed treasure room. Li Huqiu exerted his waist and eyes, his body suddenly flipped onto the roof. Along the slope of the two-story building, he lightly jumped onto the third floor at the back. He crawled in through the window on the attic.

  The attic is quite large, and the room Li Huqiu drilled into was a storage room. Further outside was a bedroom. Li Huqiu heard someone talking inside the storage room at the door, so he didn't dare move. The voices belonged to a man and a woman, the man was Huang Shaotang, and the woman was Gao Chufeng.

  Huang Shaotang: "Young lady, what kind of ultimate skill are you practicing?"

  Gao Chufeng's breathing was a bit heavy, as if he were doing some exercise. Panting heavily, he replied: "Other people teach training methods to improve their skills, you don't understand." Huang Shaotang said: "Isn't it just the few petty theft techniques that Bao Wenjing taught you? What's so hard to understand?" Gao Chufeng said: "What Bao Wenjing taught me, she didn't even teach me properly. This technique was learned from someone else." Huang Shaotang asked with feigned surprise: "You were missing for over an hour today, did you learn it then?"

  Gao Chufeng: "Why should I tell you?" Huang Shaotang said, "You don't say it, but I already know who taught you." Gao Chufeng pouted and said, "Go ahead and brag, see if you can guess who taught me!" Huang Shaotang said, "It was the person who plotted against you, we've already caught him." Gao Chufeng suddenly lost his temper, hastily asking, "What did you do to him?" Huang Shaotang smiled and said, "His name is Li Huqiu, right?" Gao Chufeng nodded, anxiously saying, "Quickly tell me what happened to him!!!! Ah! No, good, you're a sly one, Huang Laosi, you dare to trick me, just wait for me to deal with you!" Huang Shaotang smiled smugly and quickly turned around to leave.

  Li Huqiu heard a loud door closing sound from outside and thought Gao Yufeng had chased him out. With no time to hesitate, he hurriedly walked out of the storage room. Suddenly, he heard Gao Yufeng's footsteps coming back, and it was too late for him to retreat. It turned out that Gao Yufeng hadn't actually chased him out earlier; she had just run to the door and slammed it shut, standing there in a daze. When Li Huqiu suddenly walked out of the storage room, she hadn't expected anyone to be inside. Earlier, she had been practicing her pull-up speed and was covered in sweat, so she wanted to take a bath. At the door, she started undressing, first kicking off her lower body's sports pants, leaving only a small pair of underwear. Then, she rolled up her top, taking off the bra underneath along with it, and walked back into the bedroom just as she was stripping completely naked! She bumped right into Li Huqiu!