Who were these people?
Why were they all bare-chested, strung together by a thick rope, and being driven by several burly men with whips, like cattle, into the forest in sub-zero temperatures (not even the coldest time yet)?
Zhao Tingshan didn't need to ask—
He knew immediately who these people, treated like livestock, were, and why they had been dragged out just as the negotiators arrived!
He was stunned at first.
Then he suddenly raised his hand, yanked off his hat, and his usually gentle and refined face was filled with uncontrollable rage.
He turned to look at Jessica and asked in a low voice, "Madam Rhode, what is the meaning of this!?"
What meaning?
I don't know either.
I just got here, didn't I?
Jessica looked bewildered, shrugged her elegant shoulders, and spread her hands, clad in black leather gloves.
Sigh.
The patriarch of the Moses family, with a look of pity, sighed and made a cross over his heart.
Xiao Bai's eyes widened, and he was about to walk towards Rhode, Luna, and the others who had come to greet them.
Li Xiao raised his hand.
Xiao Bai immediately stopped.
Li Xiao, with a "serene expression," walked slowly towards Rhode and the others with his hands behind his back, and asked in a gentle tone, "Can someone tell me why those people are being treated like this?"
Looking at this refined and polite man, Rhode inexplicably felt a tremor of fear and subconsciously took a step back.
Luna, with a defiant expression, stepped forward.
She looked at Li Xiao and said coldly, "Those Eastern dogs are too used to being pampered. Since they came to Blackwater Forest, they've always complained about the cold. To help them resist the harsh cold, we've arranged for them to participate in volunteer labor, to go to the forest to collect firewood and start a fire to keep warm."
Upon hearing Luna utter the words "Eastern dogs," the face of the Moses patriarch changed slightly.
His gaze at Luna clearly indicated he was looking at a dead person!!
Zhao Tingshan's face, which had been flushed with anger, also turned ashen upon hearing her words.
However, he knew very well—
He absolutely could not lose his temper!
Because any fool could see that this was a deliberate trap set by the enemy, a performance arranged specifically for him.
It was designed to make him angry!!
The most crucial thing in negotiations is to maintain emotional stability, as impulsiveness can lead to grave mistakes.
"Oh, oh."
Li Xiao nodded, rubbed his hands together by his mouth, and asked Luna, "I'm also very cold. What should I do to warm up?"
Before Luna could say anything, Li Xiao continued, "I'll give you three seconds to come up with the best solution."
Before his words had even finished—
Xiao Bai shouted loudly, "Three, two, one!"
Jessica suddenly realized something and raised her hand, about to say something.
But it was too late!
Because—
As Xiao Bai's countdown ended, Li Xiao's right fist slammed into Luna's face.
*Poof*—
Luna's beautiful head, struck with the full force of the Lord of the Dragon Ruins' right fist, instantly turned into a mashed watermelon.
With a *poof* explosion!
White and red splattered, blooming brilliantly in the sunlight.
The human skull is the strongest part of the body.
Even if an ordinary person struck Luna's head with a sledgehammer, at most, it would deform her head.
But it would never explode like a watermelon.
What bones?
Skin?
All the brain matter, blood vessels, teeth, and everything else exploded outwards with Li Xiao's punch.
To put it more bluntly—
Luna's head was punched off by Li Xiao!
And her corpse, unaffected, remained standing there.
This punch!!
How terrifying the speed, how unimaginable the force?
Silence.
At this moment.
Not only had the defiant Luna fallen silent, but so had Zhao Tingshan, Jessica, Rhode, and the more than ten guards behind Rhode holding submachine guns. They were all petrified on the spot.
Even the vast snowfield—
Fell into a deathly silence!
After "punching off" Luna's head, Li Xiao's right hand grabbed the headless corpse's shoulder.
It looked as if he were standing there, reminiscing with a headless corpse.
He still wore a gentle smile and looked at Rhode, "You are Mr. Rhode, who led the Rhode team in the encirclement of Blackwater Forest, correct? I'm still very cold, please give me some advice on how to warm up."
Rhode's eyeballs remained glazed over.
He was scared silly.
"Lord Li!"
Jessica was the first to regain her senses and shouted sternly, "Please don't forget, you are here in Blackwater Forest as a neutral mediator! You are here to broker peace and facilitate negotiations between the warring parties! Not to stand with the East and arbitrarily harm my people!"
"Madam."
Li Xiao slowly turned his head and looked at Jessica with a detached tone, "Please also don't forget. I, Li Xiao, am from the East."
Anyone who dares to insult us as dogs in front of me.
Their head will be blown off!!!
Jessica's lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.
The reason Li Xiao gave after punching off Luna's head was irrefutable.
Yes.
Li Xiao's visit this time was indeed as a neutral mediator, just like the Moses patriarch.
But don't forget—
He was from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East!
Luna openly called them "Eastern dogs" in front of him, wasn't that asking for death?
"Alright, a foolish person brought this upon herself. It's not Li Longzhu's fault."
Seeing Jessica speechless, Alexander stepped forward in time to smooth things over.
Li Xiao still had to show respect to the Moses patriarch.
He wiped his right hand on the headless corpse and let go.
Luna, now headless, fell backward.
Beautiful, she was.
Even without a head, her corpse still possessed graceful curves.
"Mr. Zhao, Lord Li, please."
Alexander smiled and gestured for them to proceed.
Zhao Tingshan gave Li Xiao a deep look and nodded before stepping forward.
To be honest.
Zhao Tingshan was indeed shocked by the sudden brutality displayed by Li Xiao.
But the anger that had filled him, and his agitated emotions, had miraculously calmed down.
He thought of a famous quote—
Truth always lies within the range of artillery fire!
Similarly.
Truth also always lies within the control of absolute power!!
According to the intelligence Zhao Tingshan possessed, Luna was the second-in-command of the Rhode Group.
And she had her head blown off by Li Xiao's punch just for saying "Eastern dogs."
And after she was gone, neither Jessica, nor Rhode, nor even the Moses patriarch could say a word!
If he didn't possess such terrifying martial prowess, if he weren't the Lord of the Dragon Ruins, who would dare to touch Luna?
The two top guards accompanying Zhao Tingshan looked at Li Xiao with almost fanatical admiration.
Rhode, who commanded the Rhode team, was filled with fear.
He knew very well.
If it weren't for the Moses patriarch stepping in, his fate would have been no better than Luna's.
Rhode began to regret his decision to bring out those "fat pigs" to intimidate the people from the East.
"Tell Bill to bring everyone back. Get them dressed and give them something hot to eat and drink."
Rhode, also highly intelligent, immediately instructed his subordinate in front of Li Xiao.
The subordinate turned and fled as if escaping.
They had intended to display their strength to the Easterners.
Now it seemed—
Damn it.
Luna couldn't even achieve the basic "rest in peace," let alone with her eyes closed!
Displaying strength in front of the Lord of the Dragon Ruins was, it turned out, the most laughable thing in the world.
As Jessica walked past Rhode, she gave him a cold glance.
Rhode instinctively flinched and quickly bowed deeply, murmuring, "Madam."
"Some things can be done, but they must never be spoken aloud. I hope you all remember this bloody lesson."
Jessica also lowered her voice and reprimanded him unceremoniously, "Useless. Can't you see that the Dragon Ruins have long wanted to intervene but have been unable to find an opportunity due to certain treaties?"
"Madam, I was wrong. I will never make such a low-level mistake again."
Rhode criticized himself from the bottom of his heart.
Inside the command post of the snowfield (a large container), it was very warm.
The lighting was also bright, and the steaming coffee and fragrant tea were just right.
"This place is quite nice. When I have time in the future, I'll come here to relax for a few days."
Li Xiao looked around the interior after entering, appearing appreciative, and murmured to himself.
Rhode's heart inexplicably trembled.
"Mr. Zhao, you all talk first."
Li Xiao looked at Zhao Tingshan and said with a smile, "I'm new here and want to take a walk in Blackwater Forest to clear my head."
He was going to find the people trapped in the forest!
Everyone present immediately understood.
Jessica immediately objected, "Lord Li, according to protocol, you cannot meet those people."
Before Li Xiao could say anything—
Xiao Bai said calmly, "Under the premise of being neutral, our Lord can go wherever he wants. Who dares to stop him?"
Who dares to stop him!?
No one.
Not even the Moses family patriarch dared to stop Li Xiao from going into Blackwater Forest.
Because Xiao Bai was absolutely correct.
Under the premise of being neutral, Li Xiao could go wherever he pleased!!