If Xu Ke handled things this way, he could not only save his life and complete his mission but also wait for an opportunity to deal with Xu Ke. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?!

Seeing Li Lang remain silent, Sun Luo immediately started cursing, "Hurry up and agree! What are you hesitating for?"

Chang Yi, on the other hand, had been quiet the whole time. He was worried it was a trick. But if Xu Ke could truly keep his promise, he would naturally be willing to accept.

As for Tang Yingchang, he didn't say a word. Although he had only known Xu Ke for a very short time, he knew what he had to do—just follow Xu Ke's orders!

"You..." Li Lang hesitated.

Frankly, Li Lang hadn't expected this. He had thought he would be greeted with a report of victory, but instead, he received the dreadful news of Lin Zhongtian's failure. The situation had become an utter mess!

Just then, Xu Ke suddenly spoke up. "However, I have one condition."

Upon hearing this, Li Lang's eyes narrowed. There were indeed conditions! But to his surprise, Xu Ke's condition wasn't directed at him.

Instead, Xu Ke turned to look at Chang Yi and Sun Luo. "In the carriage, you said I could use poison to control you and that you wouldn't leak this information, delaying the Wong Ting's attention on me. Does that offer still stand?"

Chang Yi was taken aback, then realization dawned. So Xu Ke wasn't tricking them with his offer to release the hostages! He had truly been persuaded! It wasn't surprising that he'd make such a decision, given his wariness of the Wong Ting and his fear for his sister's life.

As Chang Yi thought this, he felt a hint of pride. It seems my words were truly effective.

Chang Yi nodded, but then he added, "However, isn't it a bit late for me to take poison now?"

His meaning was clear. An exchange of two lives for one was an equivalent trade. Demanding that he take poison on top of that was asking too much.

But Xu Ke slowly replied, "If Li Lang kills my sister, he will die regardless, so he won't do it. But he will definitely stall. If he drags this out, the Wang Family will arrive. By then, I'll have a hundred ways to make him release her, while you and Sun Luo will find it hard to escape death. Understand? I do think I should lay low for a while, but with so many eyes watching, that will be difficult."

Chang Yi immediately understood that if he didn't take the poison, Xu Ke wouldn't feel secure enough to release him. The situation would devolve into a stalemate. If the stalemate continued, the Wang Family would arrive. Xu Ke couldn't possibly conduct a direct hostage exchange in front of so many people; otherwise, it would give the Wang Family leverage to use against him. His only option would be to kill.

Once he killed, Chang Yi would be dead, and Xu Ke could no longer stay under the radar. He would likely be targeted by the Wong Ting until his own death. It was a lose-lose situation.

So, the choice before Chang Yi was crystal clear. Refuse the poison, and they both lose. Take the poison, and he saves his own life. Xu Ke would also be able to continue lying low without being targeted by the Wong Ting.

"Fine, but what poison do you plan to give me?" After weighing his options, Chang Yi finally agreed.

But a question arose in his heart. Could my earlier guess in the carriage about Xu Ke's backing be wrong? If he truly had such a powerful backer, why would he still choose to lay low?!

"If I really wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need to go through all this trouble," Xu Ke said, taking out the remaining Hundred-Day Bone Erosion Poison. "This is the Hundred-Day Bone Erosion Poison. Without the antidote, you'll die in one hundred days."

Seeing this, Chang Yi stopped arguing and obediently agreed to drink it. After swallowing it, he felt the True Qi within his body and breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that the poison would destabilize his True Qi, just like what had happened to Qiu Changyang on the boat. But after drinking it, he was confident that there shouldn't be any issue!

With this thought, Chang Yi felt a bit more assured. If Xu Ke tries to make a move while releasing me later, I'll still have the ability to protect myself!

Xu Ke turned his gaze toward Sun Luo.

Seeing this, Sun Luo became furious. He was livid. That useless Xu Ke's threat to kill them was surely just talk. The coward must be wary of the Wong Ting, so he would definitely have released them in the end. But then this idiot Chang Yi had to open his big mouth in the carriage about being willing to be poisoned, and now they both have to be poisoned! He's truly more of a hindrance than a help! Now I'm also being forced under Xu Ke's control!

But he had no choice. He could only accept.

...

After both Sun Luo and Chang Yi had taken the poison, Xu Ke signaled for Tang Yingchang to leave. A hint of solemnity was in Tang Yingchang's eyes, but he complied nonetheless.

With the two men tied up securely, Xu Ke walked up to Kang Dehui and Li Lang. "Let her go!"

At this, Xu Yi was also brought forward, stopping two or three meters away from Xu Ke.

But Li Lang did not agree immediately. "First, let me and Kang Dehui leave. After we're gone, I'll have my men make the exchange with you."

"Leave?" Xu Ke's eyes turned cold. "You dare to make more demands?"

"What's the problem?" Li Lang said confidently. "Xu Yi isn't coming with me anyway. You can just have your bodyguard come back. Once we're a safe distance away, I'll have my men release her. Simple, right?"

Kang Dehui hastily nodded in agreement, but he didn't dare to speak, fearful of drawing Xu Ke's attention.

"Heh," Xu Ke chuckled. If Li Lang leaves, how will my plan proceed?

Seeing that Xu Ke didn't agree immediately, everyone was startled. Could it be that his offer to release the hostages was a lie from the start?

And just as everyone was lost in thought...

BANG!

A dark shadow suddenly burst out from behind Li Lang, sending the thug holding Xu Yi flying with a single punch.

BANG—

The explosive sound stunned everyone.

"Get Xu Yi!" Li Lang paled with fright.

But the men around Xu Yi couldn't react in time before they were all swept aside by the dark shadow. The figure was incredibly powerful and had been lying in wait for a long time. Seizing this moment of laxness, he rescued Xu Yi with ease.

Xu Yi was stunned. She glanced at Xu Ke, somewhat baffled. This must be someone Xu Ke arranged, right?

Immediately afterward, she was pulled to the side by the dark shadow.

Seeing this, Xu Ke's pupils shrank. Who is that?

But since Xu Yi was now safe, he immediately sprang into action, kicking both Sun Luo and Chang Yi.

BANG!

The two were sent flying. Xu Ke then lunged forward and landed a fierce punch on both Li Lang and Kang Dehui.

BANG—

The punch was so powerful that it made both men double over, vomiting bile.

"Ahhh..." The already injured pair completely collapsed.

Li Lang's heart was filled with terror. Is Xu Ke really going to kill me?

Witnessing Xu Ke's ferocity, the thugs didn't dare to block him and instead backed away.

However, Xu Ke did not press his attack. He had no intention of killing anyone in front of so many witnesses. I didn't kill anyone at the Martial Alliance, and I won't be so foolish as to do it here...

Seeing Xu Ke stop, Li Lang let out a sigh of relief. Thank God, thank God. I'm not dead!

After dealing with the two men, Xu Ke fixed his gaze on the dark shadow who had taken Xu Yi aside. He was worried this figure had ill intentions. What if Xu Yi was being abducted?

However, when he got a clear look at the shadow's face, he froze.

How is it the old man in black who saved me in the alley that day?!