After kicking that person out, Li Yan had already turned back and stood beside Shinohara Mirai and Matsushima Kui, just like before, as if nothing had happened. It seemed as if he had just turned around in response to the scream. Many people were crowding to get off the bus just now, and no one noticed the scene.

The bus drivers, driving every day, have seen everything. Whether it's a thief getting stabbed or someone stealing from a thief, there's no surprise for them. After passengers got on and off, they naturally closed the doors and left. The vehicle started moving again in the crowded street.

Seeing the two of them looking at him in surprise, Li Yan knew they had seen it and said softly, "I didn't do it on purpose just now. That person tried to squeeze me to lower my guard..."

Shinohara Mirai nodded rapidly, seemingly understanding his meaning. Matsushima Kui also smiled apologetically, "Got it, you aren't a pervert..."

Her voice was a bit loud, making Li Yan sweat, but thankfully she didn't say "creep." Most people around didn't know what "pervert" meant, likely assuming it meant "a passionate man."

Seeing the knife just now and Li Yan calmly handling the danger, both women were full of trust in him. Standing beside him felt like having a layer of protection—an intimate protection. Shinohara Mirai had never experienced such narrow, crowded environments where Kawada, her robust bodyguard, wouldn't allow anyone with ill intentions to approach or desecrate—with just a glare or shout he could scare people away—never experiencing the danger of someone nearing you with a knife.

After a few more stops, Li Yan got off with them, casually strolling down the street, then pointed out a restaurant and a ramen shop. "I don't know what's fun around here, but you've come to Yun Country; it's a must to try authentic Yun Country cuisine. Haha, hotel restaurants are too high-end; if you want to try unique small dishes, you'll have to go to a regular little eatery."

"Yun Country cuisine?"

"Ramen?"

Beihai Country, deeply influenced by Yun Country, shares the same enormous interest in food.

"This cuisine is one of the eight major cuisines of Yun Country. Although the small restaurant looks humble, its ramen is well-known. You Beihai people really love ramen, don't you? Interested?" Li Yan introduced.

Shinohara Mirai and Matsushima Kui looked almost drooling, excitedly discussed a bit but seemed troubled, saying: "Want to eat Yun Country cuisine, and ramen too..."

"Then grab a spot in the restaurant, and I'll go get a bowl of ramen packed for you."

"Really? But do they allow external food?"

Shinohara Mirai regrettably said, "Too much, it'll make me fat. Let's have ramen tonight!"

Li Yan nodded in agreement; he wouldn't be accompanying them for dinner, but he was relieved he didn't have to pack ramen. He took them into the restaurant.

It was already lunchtime peak hour, but they managed to find a four-person table by the window.

The menu came up, with the genuine "Yun Country cuisine," colorful and mouthwatering, making the two excitedly discuss in Beihai language, picking dishes by looking at the pictures.

Li Yan lit a cigarette, glanced out the window.

Feng Wuqing must have followed, yet he wouldn't come close to avoid being discovered. That person earlier was merely trying to stir trouble, not expecting an ordinary person to take down the King of Assassins.

From his cautiousness, although like Peng Duandao and Liu Yunqing, he yearned to challenge the King, compared to the two who were already deceased, he estimated Li Yan higher, being more prudent. It might be Feng Wuqing's style, or maybe because he knew about Peng Duandao and Liu Yunqing's deaths, making him extra careful.

...

"Mr. Li, what would you like?" Shinohara Mirai asked with bright eyes, looking at Li Yan.

Seeing their excited looks and speaking in Beihai language, the waitress assisting with the menu was enthusiastic, flipping through the menu recommending dishes shot alluringly in photographs, pointing out with pictures so no words were needed, her recommendation done by giving a big thumbs up.

At this moment, Shinohara Mirai and Matsushima Kui couldn't resist the temptation, ordering quite a few dishes.

Li Yan smiled, "I'm easygoing, whatever you order is fine with me."

The three of them quickly ordered five or six dishes, and the waitress was very excited, noting Li Yan wasn't someone who could be tricked, so she didn't continue to ask for his preferences.

Just as the young waitress was leaving with the bill, another waitress approached Li Yan and said, "Sir, I'm sorry, a phone call came to our counter asking for you. Could you come over to take it?"

Taking up the delivery phone, they weren't too happy about it either. If it's actually a guest, they'll ask, but if the guest doesn't want to listen, they'll hang up right away.

Upon hearing her words, Li Yan stood up, "Thank you, take me there." With that, he gestured to Matsushima Kui and Shinohara Mirai, indicating he was going to take a phone call.

When he reached the service desk, the cashier handed the receiver over from inside, and Li Yan picked up the phone, gazing through the glass door at the restaurant's exterior.

"Who's looking for me?"

"Honorable King! Can you still recognize my voice? It's your former subordinate, Feng Wuqing."

Li Yan laughed, "Ha ha, you're not dead yet! I thought you were already gone, kid."

What he said was from the heart, and to the ears of the waitress it sounded like a joke among close friends, so no one paid attention.

"I didn't act with Old Peng and Old Liu. That was just a set-up. However, you'd wish me dead, you should also know I've gone rogue in a way." Feng Wuqing's voice was very calm.

Li Yan's gaze remained fixed outside, across the street near the noodle shop, a phone booth had a pair of feet visible from this angle, someone was making a call inside the booth.

"I've spoken with Old Liu and understand your reasons. You've just gone rogue, different from them, come back! I don't want to lose you." Li Yan implored.

"You don't see me as a traitor? I didn't participate in their job, but I took a private job. I've just left a note for you, which is my job. I don't know if it's a coincidence meeting you... or if you're truly so godlike to handle me. But now, if I don't challenge you, I won't be reconciled." Feng Wuqing continued.

Li Yan smiled calmly, "If you meet me, it's destined to fail!"

"Really?" Feng Wuqing sneered, "Up till now, everything seems under my control. Honorable King, are you still so confident?"

Li Yan pointed to the fridge beside him, gesturing to the waitress to give him a can of Wanglaoji, "Stop it, brother, don't think I don't know where you are. Believe me, I can rush over right now and drag you out? Or why not come back, we can all have a meal together!"

"Since I'm challenging you and it's within my grasp, why would I be intimidated by you now?" Feng Wuqing was equally filled with confidence.

"Really?"

The Wanglaoji can Li Yan was playing with suddenly was hurled with force, before anyone reacted, it struck a customer's back of the head like "lightning fast," causing the customer to collapse at once!

This incident stunned the cashiers, not understanding why he suddenly attacked someone.

Li Yan handed the phone back, explaining, "I intended to toss it to my table companions, but lost my grip, I'll go and check."

The cashier was speechless, throwing a can of drink so far? Even if you could toss it there, wouldn't the recipient be knocked out cold? Seeing the table Li Yan came from, it was two fashionable girls, making her secretly pity them, wouldn't this guy be a maniac?

Before nearby diners could react or the restaurant staff could catch up, Li Yan had already arrived at the person he had hit, then lifted him up from the floor, escorting him out of the restaurant as if they were familiar.

Outside, Li Yan placed the dazed man with a struck back of the head on the ground, squatting in front of him: "Brother, did you really think arranging someone at the phone booth to attract my attention would really sway my suspicion? Even if I didn't go out but stayed at the cash counter, you'd have the chance to act before I could come over. Hmm, the plan was okay, but you shouldn't have underestimated me."

Feng Wuqing, a bit clearer now, was pale. The headache in the back of his head was severe but paled compared to the feeling of psychological defeat. After spotting Li Yan's shadow in the hotel, he immediately adjusted the plan and quickly added and enriched some steps. Including the false message setup, he didn't dare get close, always driving, keeping a distant track. The first arranged person was dispatched when they waited for a ride; the second was sent to the phone booth after they entered the restaurant.

He also quickly came in looking like he had already made plans once Li Yan and the others had settled at their table, heading straight for the restroom. After hitting the takeout phone behind the glass pane, successfully drawing Li Yan over, he gradually emerged without getting close to the cash counter, using earphones, not holding a phone. He basically risked everything, attempting to complete the task before the King, hoping to achieve the challenge, safely escaping wasn't considered. Because whether King stayed at the cash counter or was really tricked into going to the phone booth across the street, it was nearly impossible to escape with him there.

Yet he hadn't thought watching the opposite phone booth was also Li Yan's ploy. Granted, even if the speed was fast, it needed time to reach over, but he didn't imagine while listening to the phone, Li Yan would suddenly throw a Wanglaoji can and simply knock him down with ease, it's a tragedy.

(Thanks to the brothers with guaranteed monthly passes for helping out don't let people look down on us. Thank you all for your support!) (To be continued, for the rest of the story, please log on to www.qidian.com, where there are more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.