The madam froze for a split second at Li Qinwu's sudden attack—
Then her expression twisted.
Her hand shot behind her back.
Weapon.
---
But Li Qinwu was faster.
Gas grenades already deployed, he stepped forward—water pipe in his left hand, large-caliber homemade pistol in his right.
The madam drew—
A small-caliber pistol.
Too slow.
---
Li Qinwu's water pipe came down first.
Crack.
The blow landed squarely on her wrist. Bone snapped instantly. The pistol flew from her hand.
Her scream was shrill. Animal-like.
---
No hesitation.
Li Qinwu raised his pistol—
And fired.
Bang!
Her kneecap shattered.
She collapsed, shrieking, body folding under her own weight.
---
Zhenzhen and Ailian flinched—
Then reacted.
No retreat.
Knives drawn—from hidden places in their clothing.
They lunged.
---
The underhive did not reward weakness.
Lose your job—
Lose your place—
And you'd be dragged into some corner and slowly consumed by the rats.
---
So they chose to fight.
Even against something like him.
---
Li Qinwu's response was immediate.
The water pipe swung.
Thud.
Zhenzhen's skull caved in under the impact. The force drove inward—eyes bulging under pressure as her body collapsed, twitching.
---
Ailian screamed and stabbed forward.
Li Qinwu shifted his weight, letting the blade pass—
Then countered.
The pipe slammed into her abdomen.
Air exploded out of her lungs. Her body folded, but she still tried to strike—
---
Second hit.
To the neck.
Crack.
Her spine gave way instantly.
She dropped.
---
Lianlian reacted differently.
She dove—
For the fallen pistol.
---
Her fingers closed around it—
But before she could lift—
Li Qinwu stepped down.
Hard.
---
Her hand—and the weapon—were pinned beneath his boot.
"Aaaaah!!"
She twisted, trying to bite through his leg—
---
Bang.
Her head snapped back.
Silence.
---
Li Qinwu picked up the pistol, checked it briefly, and tucked it away.
Then—
He turned.
---
The first floor was now filled with yellow-green poison gas.
Figures stumbled out—
A dozen thugs, coughing violently, clutching their throats as if trying to tear the air back into their lungs.
Combat ineffective.
---
Li Qinwu adjusted his grip on the water pipe.
Gas mask sealed.
Unaffected.
---
He walked forward calmly.
Located the embossed insignia of the Water Purification Guild on the pipe—
And swung.
---
Crack.
Leg.
---
Crack. Crack.
Another.
And another.
---
Systematic.
Efficient.
Every thug—crippled.
---
When he finished—
He turned back to the madam.
---
She was crawling.
Dragging her broken limbs across the ground, leaving a smear behind her.
---
Li Qinwu removed his gas mask and tossed it aside.
He crouched.
Grabbed her hair.
Forced her to look up.
---
"Do you know who you offended?"
---
Her face was soaked—tears, mucus, blood.
"I—I was wrong! How much did Renault pay you?! I'll give you three times—no, ten times!"
---
Li Qinwu nodded slowly.
"Good."
---
Then he flipped her over.
Pinned her.
And brought the pipe down—
Again.
And again.
---
The remaining limbs broke under repeated impact.
Her screams echoed across the street.
---
By now—
A crowd had gathered.
Underhive scavengers.
Rats.
Watchers.
---
Their eyes gleamed.
Not with fear—
But calculation.
---
Li Qinwu stood, satisfied.
Mission complete.
Mood excellent.
---
Seeing the audience—
He cleared his throat.
Raised the pipe.
---
"Listen up."
---
He pointed at them.
---
"Run your businesses with integrity."
---
Opening the Key Room
With the job finished—and his "advice" delivered—Li Qinwu tossed the water pipe aside and melted back into the crowd.
---
He headed toward the Water Purification Guild.
Before reaching it—
He saw the line.
---
Hundreds.
No—
Over a thousand.
---
From the elevator district all the way to the shantytowns.
Waiting for water.
---
He was about to merge into the crowd—
When a voice called out.
---
"Over here!"
---
Reno.
Flanked by over a dozen guards armed with stun batons.
---
Li Qinwu walked over, expression relaxed.
Reno was smiling.
Clearly—
He already knew.
---
"Mr. Honest Business… you move fast."
---
Li Qinwu didn't react to the nickname.
"Payment."
---
"Come."
---
They entered deeper into the Guild's territory.
---
The so-called "safe zone" of the underhive was a lie.
Violence was everywhere.
---
But here—
Near the central elevator—
Things were different.
---
These shops were controlled by mid-tier authorities.
Backed by higher powers.
---
Cause trouble here—
And enforcement would find you.
No matter where you hid.
---
Their entrance drew attention.
The scavengers in line stared.
---
Inside—
The Guild was simple.
Massive pipes.
Workers filling crude ceramic containers.
Water distribution.
Nothing more.
---
Reno led him into a back office.
Pointed at a box.
---
"Your payment."
---
Li Qinwu opened it.
Inside—
100 purification tablets.
10 filter cartridges.
---
He smiled.
With this—
Water independence.
---
Ding! Mission Complete
Favorability: Reno (Lv.1)
Unlocked:
Water purification supplies
Brewing yeast
Filtration & distillation equipment
High-energy drinks
---
Li Qinwu's attention shifted immediately.
The distillation apparatus.
---
"How much?"
---
Reno chuckled.
"That? Tried making alcohol. Failed. It's junk to me."
"5,000."
---
No hesitation.
Li Qinwu paid.
---
Both understood.
The price wasn't about value.
It was about relationship.
---
Reno handed him a drink.
"Try this."
---
Li Qinwu opened it.
Drank.
---
Sweet.
Complex.
Strong.
---
Effective stamina recovery tool.
---
"I'll take more."
---
A case.
20 cans.
18 remaining.
10 each.
---
He paid.
Reno accepted.
Clean transaction.
No debt.
---
"More jobs?"
---
Reno hesitated.
Then—
Decided.
---
"There is one."
---
"Water Ripple Monitoring Station."
---
Pre-war installation.
Tracked underground water flow across hundreds of kilometers.
Stored in memory panels.
---
Lost during the rebellion.
---
"You want it recovered."
---
"Yes."
---
"The underground section is sealed."
---
Reno handed him a key.
---
Ding! Quest Item Acquired
Water Ripple Station Key (Durability: 1/1)
---
"Bring it back."
"100,000."
"Everything inside is yours."
---
Li Qinwu nodded.
Simple.
Clear.
---
"Done."
---
Upgrading the Brewing Machine
After finalizing the deal, Li Qinwu purchased additional containers and brewing yeast.
Then—
Prepared to transport the filtration and distillation unit back to his hideout.