Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Song Zhigang was at home, anxiously awaiting news from his father. It was after eight o'clock when he suddenly heard a RUMBLE, RUMBLE coming from outside the gate.

What was that sound?

Two guards rushed in. "Young Master, it's bad! Someone has driven a road roller right up to our doorstep!"

"Who the hell is this? Who let them drive a road roller into the village? Damn it…"

Song Zhigang feigned great anger, but in reality, he wasn't angry at all. His heart was filled with nothing but fear.

Soon after, another guard came in to report, "Young Master, there's a lunatic outside! He says he's giving us ten minutes to move out, or else he'll drive the road roller into the courtyard!"

"How can we move out in ten minutes? Ignore that lunatic! Shoot him!"

The guard acknowledged and went outside.

Would he really dare to shoot? Even if he could borrow the courage, he wouldn't dare.

Too many strange things had happened in the past couple of days: the chief steward had disappeared, the old master had disappeared, the second young master was nowhere to be found, and the eldest young master had lost a fight in the wilderness.

Rumors were rife outside: Blue Poplar Village would no longer belong to the Song Family.

The eldest young master must be anxious about this, but the guards had no need to share his anxiety. If the eldest young master himself didn't dare to fight to the death, why should the guards?

The guard reached the gate, saw Li Banfeng atop the road roller, and dared not say much.

Ten minutes passed quickly. Li Banfeng glanced at his pocket watch and smiled. "Time's up."

A braver guard stepped forward to try to reason with Li Banfeng. "Sir, please calm down. There's a saying, 'Spare a person if you can.' You told us to move out, but we have to wait for our master to return. You've parked the road roller at our gate, but can you really drive it in? If you ask me, you should first…"

Li Banfeng pushed the throttle; with a WHOOSH, the road roller started and smashed into the main gate.

The guard was so frightened he went numb all over and scrambled for his life.

A few road workers stood watching from a distance. One worker, named Xiao Genzi, lowered his head and asked, "Can we really do this? Just lend the road roller to an outsider to wreak havoc like this?"

Xiao Chuanzi shot him a disdainful look. "How can you call him an outsider? That's the Fifth Young Master!"

Xiao Genzi was worried. "But the point is, he's been kicked out of the family!"

Xiao Chuanzi sneered. "I ask you, is this any of your concern? Master Wu paid us. We took the money, so what are you afraid of? Worst case, we quit. From now on, we'll follow Master Wu."

Li Banfeng crashed into the courtyard wall.

The Song family's residence was quite sturdily built, making it somewhat difficult for the road roller to break through directly.

But Li Banfeng had made preparations beforehand, quietly placing Stone-Boring Silkworms in some key areas.

Many bricks in the front wall had already been hollowed out. The road roller broke through this weakened section and drove straight into the courtyard.

Song Zhigang stood in the front yard, his voice trembling with fear. "What are you doing? What do you want? The worst punishment is death, and that's that! What more are you trying to do?"

Li Banfeng pulled out his pocket watch, smiling at Song Zhigang. "I'll give you another ten minutes. If you don't leave by then, the road roller will drive into your house."

All the guards had run away. The women of the household were running around, terrified.

Song Zhigang grabbed a guard. "Quick, bring Ni Ruiliang here!"

The guard shoved Song Zhigang aside. "Call him for what? Ni Ruiliang skipped town long ago!"

Ni Ruiliang's departure made him soberly realize one thing: the Song Family had fallen. He even guessed that Song Jiason must be dead.

He knew the Ma Family was not to be trifled with, but he faintly sensed this wasn't their handiwork. Behind Ma Wu, there seemed to be another power, one Ni Ruiliang couldn't comprehend. So insane, so ruthless—he had never encountered anything like it in his entire life.

With a Fourth-Layer cultivation level, he could make a living anywhere. There was no way he'd stay here and risk his life.

Song Zhi tried to rally his guards, but Li Banfeng just watched coldly.

Wasn't Li Banfeng afraid? Of course not. With Third-Layer Home Cultivation and Second-Layer Travel Cultivation, he had nothing to fear. Let these lackeys come at him all at once. He'd take on as many as there were—they'd all just be delivering meals to his wife!

Song Zhigang clenched his teeth, wanting to fight it out with Li Banfeng, but no matter how much he yelled, not a single guard responded.

There were some things Song Zhigang had heard his father mention when he was little—he knew what they meant by "when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."

But he never thought his family's tree would actually fall, much less did he expect the 'monkeys' to scatter so quickly.

In the blink of an eye, another ten minutes had passed. Li Banfeng's hand was on the lever, and Song Zhigang shouted, "Sir, even if you're a grim reaper, let me catch my breath! I'll get people to start moving right now!"

That very evening, Song Zhigang, along with his entire family, moved out of Blue Poplar Village.

They had mostly packed up all the valuables in the house. Some of the furniture couldn't be moved immediately, and Song Zhigang no longer cared about it. The furniture was decent, but Li Banfeng had no interest in it.

Li Banfeng told Xiao Chuanzi to spread the word from one end of the village to the other: the Song Family had been driven out, and everyone should hurry to their house to take things.

At first, the villagers were skeptical. Xiao Chuanzi had a few workers take the lead and start moving items.

When the villagers saw people running past their doors with tables, chairs, beds, and even washbasins…

They're even taking washbasins?

We have to go!

Hurry, let's go!

If we don't go now, there'll be nothing left!

That did it. The villagers couldn't sit still any longer. They rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their carts, and rushed towards the Song residence.

Li Banfeng had Ma Wu stand at the Song family's main gate and continue his rousing speech.

"Folks, listen to me! Over the years, we've all suffered at the hands of the Song family. They ate meat but wouldn't even give us a sip of the broth! They sucked our marrow dry and wouldn't even leave us the dregs! From now on, there's no Song Family in Blue Poplar Village! Everyone going hunting in New Land, just give us a heads-up! As for the prices at which the Song family sold their goods, from now on you come to me and Qi…"