The West Market Cockfighting Arena in Chang'an.
This was the most extravagant den of iniquity in the entire Han Empire — a place where feathers, blood, sweat and heart-wrenching roars were intertwined.
When Liu Bingyi stepped into this place again, he had altered his appearance. He no longer wore his patched clothes, but instead a tatty blue robe obtained by A Qi. He still held the seemingly fragile, bald rooster in his arms.
[God-level Mimicry: a self-important but bluff fallen nobleman].
He held his head high and his eyes radiated an arrogance that seemed to say, 'My ancestors were once wealthy.' However, upon closer inspection, one could detect a hint of unease and apprehension hidden deep within his eyes.
This kind of 'acting within acting' was highly effective at luring in gamblers who thought themselves clever.
'Get out of the way! Get out of the way! I have an 'Ever-Victorious General' cultivated with an ancestral secret recipe. Who dares to fight me?' Liu Bingyi shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice sharp but unconvincing. The surrounding gamblers looked at him as though he were an idiot.
'This bald-headed beast? He's not even as spirited as the stewed chicken in my pot!'
'This kid is probably a spendthrift from a fallen noble family, obsessed with money.'
[Eye of Insight, Fully Activated] Countless data points flashed in Liu Bingyi's field of vision. Ignoring the small fry, he fixed his gaze on a strikingly beautiful young woman in a fiery red hunting outfit sitting in a private room on the second floor.
[Target: Huo Chengjun (daughter of Huo Guang)] [Identity: Daughter of a powerful Han Dynasty official, currently on an incognito tour
[Real-time inner thoughts: 'These idiots again. Utterly boring. But this young man's eyes... are interesting. He doesn't seem like a complete fool.' Liu Bingyi sneered inwardly: the big fish has taken the bait!
To make things more challenging, Liu Bingyi's first match was extremely "brutal". His opponent was twice the size of his bald rooster, which was chased relentlessly, its feathers flying everywhere. It looked as if it were about to die.
"Come on, Black General! My entire fortune is on you!' Sweating profusely on the sidelines, Liu Bingyi pulled out a flask of liquor laced with stimulants obtained from the system and sprayed it on the rooster's head.
[System notification: Localised physical enhancement; more precise nerve reflexes. Just as the bald rooster was about to be pecked blind, it suddenly went berserk and executed a swift 'dragon's tail swing', slashing back with its sharp claws and slicing across the red-crested rooster's neck.
A Pyrrhic victory! Liu Bingyi collapsed to the ground, clutching his rooster and panting heavily. His 'thank God, I almost went bankrupt' expression made everyone think he had just been incredibly lucky.
'Good luck once, can it come twice?' A malicious voice rang out — it was Liu San, lackey to the Huo family. His greedy eyes fixed on the copper coins that Liu Bingyi had won. 'Boy, dare you bet a hundred gold coins with us? I'll bet on whether your chicken can withstand three moves from Young Master Zhang's 'Iron Claw Emperor'!"
Liu Bingyi pretended to be afraid, pulling his money pouch further into his robes. "A hundred gold coins? What if I lose?"
"If you lose, you'll be a slave to the Huo family!"
Liu San pressed on relentlessly. Suddenly, Huo Chengjun on the second floor spoke up, her voice clear and melodious. "This young lady also bets a hundred gold coins on this young master losing."
She looked at Liu Bingyi, her eyes filled with mockery. Liu Bingyi looked up and met Huo Chengjun's gaze. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
'Since Miss has spoken, this humble one takes the bet!'
The match began and the entire arena held its breath. Young Master Zhang's 'Iron Claw King' was a formidable opponent in the cockfighting arena, its legs adorned with sharp steel spikes.
Liu Bingyi closed his eyes and connected with the Miniature Control Module in the system. 'General Black, the performance begins.' The bald chicken stopped running and shifted half an inch to the side the instant the 'Iron Claw King' pounced, its movements as precise as a rehearsed dance.
The first move was a miss, the second a dodge, and on the third move the bald chicken leapt up suddenly, drawing a near-perfect arc in the air. Its claws were like sharp blades and seized "Iron Claw King's" eyeballs directly! There was a loud bang as the killing machine crashed to the ground and the entire arena fell silent. You could have heard a pin drop.
Liu Bingyi slowly opened his eyes and his demeanour changed subtly at that moment. He no longer hunched his shoulders but stood ramrod straight, holding the arrogant bald chicken in his hand. He gazed across the crowd at Huo Chengjun on the second floor.
"Young Miss, thank you for the hundred gold coins."
He curled his lips into a half-smile, the kind of amusement a predator feels when it sees its prey fall into a trap. [Ding! Using acting skills to lure a powerful figure into the game: completing an advanced version of 'getting something for nothing'! Reputation +500! System reward: Permanently loading [God-Level Mimicry – Noble Young Master's Demeanor].
[Detected: the key figure, Huo Chengjun, has developed a great curiosity. The main storyline, 'Love and Hate', has been triggered.] Liu Bingyi swaggered out of the cockfighting arena carrying several hundred gold coins and ingots amidst the greedy, astonished and angry stares of the crowd.As he stepped out of the door, he whispered to Han Zeng, who was secretly following him, "Go and cripple Liu San's hands and feet, but don't kill him." 'Go and cripple Liu San's hands and feet, but don't kill him. Tell him to go back and tell the Huo family that we have only just begun to settle this debt."
The moment he stepped outside, the clamour of the cockfighting arena faded from his memory. However, he knew that the most spectacular 'final act' of the show had only just begun.
He slowed his pace deliberately, walking into a dark, damp, narrow alley in the West Market.
'Halt! Do you think you can just walk away after taking the young lady's money?'
Several servants in tight-fitting clothes emerged from the shadows. Leading them was Liu San, who had shouted in the arena earlier. Now, any gambler's fervour had left his face; only a chilling, murderous intent remained.
At the entrance to the alley, a lavishly decorated carriage stood silently. The curtain fluttered slightly and a pair of cold, beautiful eyes pierced through the gap, fixed intently on the young man clutching the bald rooster.
It was Huo Chengjun. She wasn't upset about the hundred taels of gold; she simply couldn't accept that she had misjudged him.
Holding the chicken, Liu Bingyi trembled slightly as he leaned against the wall. His voice trembled as he said, 'Third Brother, you can have the money, just don't kill me!'
[God-Level Mimicry: A Cornered Commoner]
'Keep the money, or leave your life here!' Liu San grinned maliciously as he drew a short knife from his waist. The instant he charged, Liu Bingyi's eyes changed. The weakness and fear receded like a tide, replaced by a deep, chilling killing intent that seemed to freeze the air.
[Imperial Guard Combat Technique – Instant Kill: Activated]
Liu Bingyi didn't even put down the chicken. His body swayed slightly and, in the fraction of a second it took for the short knife to pierce his chest, he executed a textbook sidestep. With a bang, he extended his left hand lightning fast, gripping Liu San's wrist precisely and twisting it sharply. The sound of cracking bone was clearly audible in the silent alley.
'Ah—!' The scream had barely left his throat when Liu Bingyi's right leg swung out like a steel whip and struck Liu San squarely in the ribs. Before the other servants could see what had happened, their leader was sent flying like a sack of potatoes and crashed heavily into Huo Chengjun's carriage.
Liu Bingyi elegantly dusted off his sleeves; his calm demeanour was in stark contrast to his earlier appearance. He walked past the groaning servants and headed straight for the luxurious carriage.
He stopped three steps away and bowed slightly.
'Since you can't afford to lose, I'll return the money to you.' With that, he casually tossed his hand and a heavy gold ingot traced an arc before embedding itself deeply into the wooden beam of the carriage with a 'thud'.
At that moment, the carriage curtain was lifted by a slender hand, revealing Huo Chengjun's stunningly beautiful, yet fierce, face.
'Who exactly are you?' Huo Chengjun stared at him. An ordinary commoner would never dare attack the Huo family, let alone possess such astonishing skill. 'I am Liu Bingyi.'
He raised his head, his eyes as deep as an ancient well, capable of sucking in one's soul. His voice carried a hint of provocation. 'A poor wretch who crawled out of a pile of corpses, only wanting to buy his wife some meat.'
[Eye of Insight] Feedback:
Target: Huo Chengjun
Real-time thoughts: 'Is he provoking me? Is he looking down on the Huo family? No... there's something in his eyes that I can't see. This man is far more interesting than the obedient puppets in the house.'
Affection level: 10 → 35 (extreme curiosity mixed with a hint of desire to conquer).
'Liu Bingyi? The descendant of that deposed crown prince?' Huo Chengjun sneered. 'Do you know the consequences of offending the Huo family?'
'Consequences?' Liu Bingyi took a sudden step forward, getting so close to Huo Chengjun that she could smell her expensive perfume. Lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear, he said, 'Young Miss, while the Han dynasty may indeed be ruled by the Huo family, the winds of this long night may not obey their commands. Consider today's hundred gold coins my 'greeting gift' to you. Next time we meet, I'll show you what a true 'miracle' is.'
Having said that, he turned to leave with a flourish, no longer looking at Huo Chengjun's astonished and angry face.
[Ding! Successfully attracted the deep attention of the core female supporting character, Huo Chengjun. Host's charm value permanently increased by 5! Reward: Special forces assassination equipment: steel wire noose and an ancient version of a simplified disguise manual. When Liu Bingyi emerged from the narrow alley, Han Zeng and several beggar agents had already been waiting there for some time.
'Boss, those servants...'
'Crippled their hands and feet. Throw them at the gate of the Huo residence,' ordered Liu Bingyi coldly. 'Tell all the thugs and ruffians in Chang'an that, from today onwards, it is Liu Bingyi of Shangguan Lane who rules this southern city.' He looked at the thick wad of banknotes in his hand; the outline of his plan was already forming in his mind.
'Huo Guang, your daughter seems quite interested in me. I wonder how interesting your expression will be when you discover that your most beloved darling has become a pawn in my hands?'
In the moonlight, Liu Bingyi's shadow stretched out long and thin, like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, ready to devour a dragon.