Chapter 112 - 52: What to Seek? (3)

Chapter 112: Chapter 52: What to Seek? (3)

"Why must you insist on coming here to die?!" he muttered, striding toward the front courtyard.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven... three..."

Just as the street thugs outside counted to "three"—

CRACK!

The main gate to the front courtyard burst open.

However, before delight could spread across the thugs’ faces, they witnessed an unbelievable scene. Their eyes widened, and their expressions instantly twisted into terror!

"Up!"

Fang Rui became a human catapult, heaving the massive stones piled by the gate one by one, aiming for their heads.

’So this is what they mean by "strength to uproot mountains, an air to conquer the world"!’

The stones were so large that precision was unnecessary. A glancing blow meant injury, a direct hit meant death...

BOOM! BOOM!

In the blink of an eye, the two or three thugs in the lead were smashed into a bloody pulp, their bodies twisted and broken.

"Fuck, is this the Entry Grade Martial Artist you told us about? You’ve gotten us all killed!"

"Ah, don’t hit me!"

"Spare me, brave hero!"

...

After a chorus of screams, the battle entered the mop-up phase.

Ignoring those already smashed to a pulp, their bodies mangled and stone-dead, Fang Rui stepped out with his Broadsword. He finished off the wounded and chased down those who fled, cutting them down without hesitation...

The immense, blood-curdling screams from this area deterred many other thugs in the distance from approaching.

The entire process took no more than twenty or thirty breaths.

To be honest, the terrain was restrictive and awkward, making it difficult for Fang Rui to charge in and slaughter them freely. He was also afraid of being linked to the incident, so he didn’t dare use lime powder or iron nails...

Otherwise, the fight would have ended even faster.

Afterward, Fang Rui disposed of the dozen or so mangled corpses, tossing them a little farther away to avoid the nauseating sight.

Only then did he turn and go back inside.

"Mother, Third Sister, and you too, Ling’Er, Nannan... don’t worry. I’ve sent those people away. Everything’s fine now."

Fang Rui sat down with a relaxed expression, not mentioning the bloody battle. He changed the subject, saying, "The Taiping Bandits have entered the city. Their control over Changshan County Town is now a certainty..."

"From now on, we can’t call them ’Taiping Bandits’ anymore. We have to change how we refer to them. Call them the ’Rebel Army’. Be careful not to let it slip."

"We understand."

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady both nodded seriously, committing it to memory before reminding the two little girls again.

He had barely been sitting for a moment when a sudden, urgent knocking came from outside.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Someone else is here."

The hearts of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady tightened. Even the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, trembled.

"It’s alright, it should be Brother Jiang and the others... Mother, Third Sister, you two watch the girls and stay in the house. I’ll go take a look."

After giving his instructions, Fang Rui went to the front courtyard.

He opened the gate.

It was indeed Jiang Ping’an, and with him were Sister-in-law Jiang, Niu Dun, and Xiaodouya. But besides them, there was another man. He wore an official’s uniform, had an unremarkable face, and looked to be in his thirties.

Fang Rui had a keen eye and noticed at a glance: the man’s hands had large knuckles, dark in color, as if forged from black iron.

’Clearly, he’s a martial artist.’

"And this is?" he asked.

"Brother Fang, this is Chief Huang..."

Jiang Ping’an’s face was impassive, but a hint of bitterness showed in his eyes. "I have to go defend the County Magistrate’s Office. I brought your sister-in-law, nephew, and niece here, hoping you could help look after them..."

"Chief Huang, could you allow me a private word with Brother Fang...?" he asked, looking at Chief Huang.

"Old Jiang, make it quick!"

Chief Huang waved his hand, a little impatient.

’Go defend the County Magistrate’s Office at a time like this?! Isn’t that like signing up for a lost cause at the very last minute? How could Brother Jiang be so foolish? Unless... he’s being forced?!’

Fang Rui mused inwardly but remained outwardly calm as he followed Jiang Ping’an to the side.

"Brother Jiang, what’s going on?"

Martial Artists have sharp hearing. At this distance, deliberately lowering their voices wouldn’t do much good, so he just asked vaguely.

Jiang Ping’an knew this as well. As he spoke, he secretly shot Fang Rui a meaningful look. "...The County Magistrate’s Office is in peril. Chief Huang is fiercely loyal, so how can I fall behind? Chief Huang is an Eighth Grade Martial Artist, and with him leading..."

’Just as I thought. There’s more to this story. Brother Jiang is being coerced by that Chief Huang...’

A thought sparked in Fang Rui’s mind. He quickly extracted two key pieces of information from Jiang Ping’an’s words: one, this Chief Huang was a die-hard loyalist of the Court; two, the man was an Eighth Grade Martial Artist.

"...If we brothers work together... I’ll entrust your sister-in-law, nephew, and niece to you... I wonder, Brother Fang, can you take good care of them for me?"

As Jiang Ping’an spoke, he made a subtle vertical chopping motion with his right hand. With his back to Chief Huang, he wasn’t afraid of being seen.

Obviously, his words had a hidden meaning. He wasn’t asking if Fang Rui could ’take good care of his sister-in-law, nephew, and niece,’ but rather: if the two of them teamed up, could they take down this Chief Huang.

Perhaps there was an even deeper meaning: if it was possible, they would team up and do the deed. If not, he would abandon all hope and throw himself to the wolves.

’A mere Eighth Grade Martial Artist...’

Fang Rui nodded slightly. "Brother Jiang, you can rest assured!"

"Then I’m counting on you!" A flicker of excitement appeared in Jiang Ping’an’s eyes.

The two men walked back side by side.

"Chief Huang, we’re all set. Let’s go!"

As Jiang Ping’an spoke, his right hand slowly drifted down, reaching for his Waist Saber. He was just waiting for Chief Huang to turn his back so he and Fang Rui could strike together.

However, Chief Huang didn’t move. He looked straight at Fang Rui. "I can see you’re a Martial Artist too, aren’t you? Why not come with us to defend the County Magistrate’s Office?"

’Such wishful thinking for a dead man!’

Fang Rui’s thoughts churned, but he refused. "My apologies, but I am not affiliated with the Government Office. I also have my mother and sister... to look after..."

"And what if I insist you go?!"

Chief Huang’s expression turned hostile, and he barked, "You brat, can’t you tell right from wrong?! Country comes before family! As a citizen of the Great Yu, everyone has a duty to defend the land..."

’A loyal minister in troubled times? If it weren’t for the fine silk lining inside that official’s uniform of yours, and the high-quality white jade hanging from your waist... I might have actually believed you...’

’Guilt-tripping me? Or perhaps you’re trying to pull the same stunt, using force to coerce me?’

Fang Rui found it amusing.

If he hadn’t found the sight so nauseating and thrown those dozen or so bloody corpses farther away, he wondered if this man would still dare to speak this way.

Earlier, when Fang Rui had dealt with the dozen-plus thugs, the entire incident was brief, lasting only a few dozen breaths... At that time, Chief Huang was at the Jiang Family’s home. He hadn’t seen what happened, only heard the horrific screams. But while those screams might scare others, they weren’t enough to frighten him.

At that moment, while Chief Huang’s attention was on Fang Rui, Jiang Ping’an quietly took two steps back, seized the opportunity, drew his Waist Saber, and swung.

A Martial Artist’s ability to locate by sound is exceptional. Chief Huang, who had been speaking to Fang Rui, felt his expression change slightly and instinctively dove to the side.

SCHRRRIP!

This killing blow failed to land perfectly.

It only tore through Chief Huang’s official uniform and inner lining. With a sound that set teeth on edge, the blade sliced through skin as tough as ox-hide, leaving a bloody gash on his back.

"How dare you!"

Chief Huang bared his teeth, spun around, and dodged another of Jiang Ping’an’s slashes. Then, his hand, as large as a cattail fan, shot out like an eagle snatching a chick, grabbing for Jiang Ping’an’s throat.

His grip contained the force of several hundred pounds. A savage grin was already spreading across his face, as if he could already see Jiang Ping’an’s neck being snapped.

However, just as he was a hair’s breadth away—

SNAP!

Chief Huang’s hand was caught, clamped as if in a massive iron vise, completely unable to move.

Fang Rui had made his move!

’Such immense strength...’ Chief Huang’s eyes widened instantly. He instinctively started to turn his head, only to be kicked off his feet.

Fang Rui strode forward, Broadsword in hand.

"You... you..."

Chief Huang, who had face-planted in the dirt, struggled twice but couldn’t get up. He could only feel that the spot where he’d been kicked had gone numb, and a tingling paralysis spread through his body, sapping his strength.

"Don’t come any closer... Stay back... Insolent fool... Do you... do you actually dare to kill an official?!" Chief Huang roared, his face a mask of terror and fury.

Fang Rui said nothing. He walked up to the man, and his blade flashed like a bolt of white silk.

SHLICK!

A head rolled to the ground, Chief Huang’s terrified expression frozen on his face. Blood gushed forth like a fountain.

"Are you still an official?"

Fang Rui flicked the blood from his Broadsword, looking at Chief Huang’s headless corpse with an indifferent expression. "Once these city walls are breached, the people’s hearts are scattered. Officials are no longer officials, and the common folk are no longer the common folk!"

...