As soon as they stepped off the dock, Han Li instructed the two porters to walk ahead and guide him to the nearest inn, so that he could rest properly before considering any further matters. The two men readily agreed, leading Han Li and his party toward the city. Yet, despite several twists and turns, they walked for a while without seeing a single inn in sight. Although Han Li remained behind the porters, he noticed that the streets grew increasingly remote and the number of people they encountered steadily declined, prompting him to furrow his brows. Even without prior experience staying in large towns, he knew that an inn could not possibly be established in such a secluded location—how could any guests find their way here? When finally brought into a particularly dirty, dark alley, Han Li smiled faintly, feeling that he should immediately seize the two men, interrogate them thoroughly, and find out their true intentions. Just as Han Li was about to move, suddenly a group of fifteen men emerged from the deeper part of the alley. They looked somewhat familiar—Han Li had seen them before, perhaps in the sheds at the dock. These men, each holding iron poles or sharp knives, now watched Han Li and Qu Hun with good intentions. The two porters carrying the packages suddenly rushed into the crowd and turned to face Han Li, grinning slyly at him. Han Li sighed—seemingly, he didn’t need to be interrogated to understand their intentions. It was a clear case of robbery and murder, and he had only just arrived in the old home of Mo Doctor. Such crimes—depriving people of their lives and their wealth—this pair had not committed them for the first time. They both knew that as long as the job was done cleanly, with no survivors, and especially when the victims were outsiders, even if someone filed a report, the local authorities would likely pay little attention. After all, the number of missing persons in this region was simply too high for officials to pursue each case individually. After speaking these words, Black Bear no longer hesitated. He gave a clear signal to the group of fifteen men, who immediately raised their weapons and charged fiercely toward Han Li and Qu Hun, who were trapped in the center. Seeing the fierce, bloodthirsty expressions on the faces of these men, Han Li could not help but feel a spark of determination. He had noticed that these men had not carried out such crimes merely once—each of them bore a distinct scent of blood, indicating repeated experience. "Kill them—don’t spare a single one!" Han Li commanded coldly to Qu Hun. Qu Hu immediately roared in response to Han Li's words, his voice filled with excitement. With a sudden burst of energy, he leapt forward and plunged straight into the crowd rushing toward him. A powerful punch erupted—swift as lightning—crashing into the head of a sturdy man. The giant instantly collapsed like a sandbag, skidding sideways against the stone wall, his head splattered with blood and brain matter, leaving only half of his skull intact. The scene struck everyone else as they watched, all of them drawing in sharp breaths, while the men surrounding him grew pale and hesitated, some even faltering in their advance. Yet even as they halted, Qu Hu didn't flinch—he launched strikes on both sides, shattering the skulls of two men standing beside him. Without a word from Han Li, he would not pause. Sun Er-gou and He Xiong found themselves visibly shaken, clearly having underestimated this towering figure—he was no ordinary bodyguard, but a formidable opponent. "Kill this giant! Each of you shall receive twenty taels of silver!" Sun Er-gou, sensing an ominous shift, immediately issued a generous reward to the several "experts" at his side. Upon hearing the announcement, the men around him—rough, unpolished fighters with only basic martial skills—bore bright smiles of relief. They had always thought Qu Hu merely strong and more agile, never imagining the vast difference in skill between them and the giant. Now, spurred by the substantial reward, they surged forward, eager to confront him. After listening to Sun Erou's words, the black bear's facial muscles twitched slightly, then he settled into a serious expression, silently glancing back and forth at Han Li with a restless gaze. At this moment, the black bear was secretly cursing inwardly. Unlike Sun Erou, who had achieved his current status through sheer determination and relentless combat, the black bear had earned his position through his own courage and grit, fighting hand-to-hand and earning every inch of progress. As a result, he not only possessed a solid skill set—enough to qualify as a solid third-tier hand—but also had excellent eyesight. When he first saw Qu Hun move, his heart sank instantly, as if dropped to the very depths. He immediately recognized Qu Hun's exceptional prowess—so high that even if their master himself came to face him, victory would not be guaranteed, let alone their own lesser fighters. Yet he dared not turn and flee, because it was clearly evident that this towering figure had not yet fully unleashed his strength. If he were to show any sign of wanting to escape, he feared he would meet his end even sooner. To survive, it seemed clear that they had no choice but to target that plain-looking young man. Clearly, this young man held a much higher status than the towering giant; only by making him their hostage could they hope to escape. As for the silver sum, he was absolutely certain he wouldn't dare press that point—having such capable bodyguards at his side, he could hardly be the son of some ordinary landowner. He was clearly a noble-born, disguised as a mere visitor. Today's escape was already a miracle, thanks to divine protection; if he were to carry such a heavy bundle along, that would be utterly impossible! At this thought, Black Bear, seizing the moment when the several attendants also charged forward, gave a subtle signal to Sun Er-gou and then quietly moved closer to the center of the scene.