Dapao saw Li Yu come in, hurriedly put his feet down, straightened his expression, and said seriously:

"Brother Yu, I asked clearly, the organizer was the guy you stomped his head in, called Bao Min. There were only five of them in total. They had no other accomplices, and they knew that doing this might cost their heads, so they didn't publicize it.

Their motive for attacking you was pretty much as I just said. They saw Zhong Chuchu and those folks being able to stay in Oil City and thought it was unfair, so they developed some sinister thoughts.

Their original plan was to hijack you first, then threaten for food and firearms, and make a run for it at dusk, but they didn't expect to kick a hard wall."

Li Yu nodded slightly after hearing Dapao's interrogation results.

The organizer, members, target, and plan were all clearly explained by Dapao, indicating that their interrogation methods were becoming more standardized.

He naturally trusted Dapao's interrogation capabilities, but he dared not let his guard down.

These people had the guts to do this deed, and while they didn't have accomplices, it didn't mean others didn't share their thoughts.

Then, he walked up to the individuals under interrogation, noting their skin torn and flesh gaping. Without anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, they wouldn't live long with such injuries.

Li Yu stared silently at the three of them for a long while.

Then he said to Dapao and the others, "Alright, since the interrogation is done, deal with these people."

As soon as the words were spoken.

The person suspended in the middle promptly said, "Didn't you say you wouldn't kill us? Didn't you promise that as long as we told the truth, we could be spared? You...."

Li Yu turned his head and glanced at him, then said to Dapao, "Did you promise them that?"

Dapao replied a bit sheepishly, "That was just to trick them."

"May you die a terrible death!" the condemned cursed vehemently.

Li Yu frowned, then said to Yang Tianlong, "Since Dapao promised not to kill them, Tianlong, then kill them and hang them at the main gate, for three days."

Upon hearing this, Dapao smiled, as Brother Yu still kept his word.

Yang Tianlong nodded upon hearing Li Yu's words and swiftly dispatched the three with a blade.

Afterward, he and Dapao carried their bodies outside, erected some tall poles at the main gate, and hung their bodies up.

This was both a deterrent and a warning.

Li Yu had already made up his mind; he didn't plan on expanding in Oil City, so there was no need to win people's hearts.

Slaughter seemed to have a more deterrent effect, as gentle methods would only make them think this side was too soft and easy to bully.

Thunderous means to suppress the petty villains.

By dusk.

Old Bi, as usual, was distributing food to the cooperative personnel who came to repair the city walls today.

Many people feared that what happened earlier would lead to a halt in food distribution, but that didn't occur, and things proceeded as usual.

In Li Yu's view, grievances fall on the head of the offender, and whoever causes trouble, it's that person who gets killed, and the innocent won't be affected.

However, these people didn't see Li Yu and his team as benevolent; when they received the food and passed through the main gate, the heads hanging from the poles fluttered in the wind, reminding them of the scene earlier when Li Yu decisively executed those two.

Li Yu almost forgot something.

It wasn't until after dark that he remembered Noble Consort was actually not far from him, and that the three people who rushed towards him were closer to Noble Consort.

Though that Noble Consort kindly warned him to be careful, it didn't make much difference to Li Yu.

However, Noble Consort took a risk shouting a warning in such a situation; it might have easily prompted the person nearest to her to kill her on the spot, a very real possibility.

Thinking of this, Li Yu asked Old Bi to give Noble Consort a box, containing five days' worth of food rations, two cans of beef, two fresh fruits, and some vitamin C tablets.

Moreover, she was awarded some contribution points.

When Noble Consort received the box from Old Bi,

She was somewhat baffled.

After Old Bi explained, she wanted to decline, because seeing what happened in the afternoon, she was very clear that even if she didn't shout, Li Yu wouldn't have been injured, nor would those people have succeeded.

Yet little did she know, Li Yu felt that her daring to shout was enough to merit a reward.

Noble Consort accepted the box nonetheless, primarily because, after her miscarriage, her body was weak and lacking in nutrition. With these supplies, she could recover faster while working during the day.

Once Old Bi handed her the goods, he left the canteen.

Noble Consort pulled the food out of the box and placed it inside her personal pouch, holding the supplies tightly as she leaned against the wall, staring blankly.

She used to possess these things when she was part of the Motorcycle Gang too.

But back with the Motorcycle Gang, the feeling was sheer torment; though her body was alive, her spirit was dead, functioning as Old Ghost's baby-making machine, she found life worse than death.

She was like a Walking Dead, devoid of a soul.

Yet in that moment, she gazed at the bright moonlight on the ground, truly and genuinely feeling like a person!

And she was alive.

She wasn't asking for much, merely wishing to live with dignity!

Inside, she felt a bit of belonging to this newly joined force.

.....

(Seeking monthly tickets)