Chapter 62 - 29: Ruthless (3)
Chapter 62: Chapter 29: Ruthless (3)
Soon, it was Gao Yao’s turn, and he came up to Yuan Da’s side.
Just then, the sharp-eyed Fang Rui noticed that as Gao Yao was smiling obsequiously, bowing and calling out "Lord Yuan" in greeting, his left hand slipped into his right sleeve in a subtle, furtive movement.
And then, chaos erupted.
A step behind him, the black snake coiled around Cao She’s wrist, its tongue flicking, suddenly went berserk. It launched itself toward Gao Yao like a black streak.
"Aargh!"
Gao Yao threw up a hand to shield himself, letting out a pained scream.
This sudden turn of events stunned everyone present.
Bystanders like Fang Rui, Cao She, and even Yuan Da himself.
For a brief moment, the scene fell silent.
The only sound was the faint thrashing of the black snake biting the back of Gao Yao’s hand, its body and tail twisting frantically.
Fang Rui’s sharp eyes caught sight of Gao Yao’s wrist, which was already turning black.
However, after his initial surprise, a look of intrigued amusement flashed across his eyes.
Just then, Cao She snapped back to his senses. His face pale, he frantically blew his Snake-Control Whistle, trying to recall his snake. But the creature didn’t respond, continuing to thrash wildly while its fangs remained sunk into the back of Gao Yao’s hand.
Left with no other choice, he had to step forward and retrieve it by hand.
The other bystanders also began to recover from the shock, breaking into hushed whispers.
"Isn’t that the ’Snake Handler,’ Cao She? How dare he make a move in the Black Market?"
"Yeah, what nerve! When was the last time that happened? After all this time, someone finally dares to pull the tiger’s whiskers."
"Doing this anywhere else would be one thing, but this is the exit to the Black Market, right in front of Lord Yuan! This is just... he’s got a death wish!"
"I think there’s something strange going on here. Look at Cao She’s expression—it’s like he didn’t expect this to happen either..."
"So what? He still made a move in the Black Market. That’s a fact."
...
Behind Yuan Da, two on-duty Black Market guards shouted at Cao She.
"You dare make a move in the Black Market?"
"How dare you!"
Yuan Da raised a hand, silencing the two men instantly. He slowly sat up from his lounge chair, glanced at Cao She, then narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on Gao Yao.
Gao Yao didn’t dare meet his gaze, instinctively lowering his head. But he still seized the opportunity, clutching his injured left hand and crying out, "Lord Yuan, I beg you to seek justice for me! This Cao She broke the rules and brazenly attacked me right here in the Black Market..."
"Shut up!"
Cao She cut Gao Yao off, then, pale-faced, hurriedly explained to Yuan Da, "Lord Yuan, it wasn’t me! I don’t know why my snake did that! I didn’t give the order!"
"No, wait—this man is behind this!"
He was no fool. As his panic subsided, it all suddenly clicked into place.
’Gao Yao really is the one pulling the strings!’
Fang Rui recalled Gao Yao’s earlier movement and made the connection to the Beast Taming Technique. A glint appeared in his eyes. ’So, Gao Yao must have been prepared. He has something on him that can drive Cao She’s snake berserk at close range, making it attack him...’
’Tsk, tsk. What a desperate gamble, seeking life from the jaws of death. What if he had failed to block it, and the snake had bitten his neck or another vital spot...’
All one could say was: Cao She was vicious, but Gao Yao was even more so.
Fang Rui was curious to see how Yuan Da would handle the situation.
"Perhaps."
Yuan Da stood up, nodding slightly.
A look of joy spread across Cao She’s face, thinking Yuan Da had taken his words to heart and was about to investigate the matter.
But in the next moment.
FLASH!
A blade flashed, swift and bright as a bolt of white silk.
The expression on Cao She’s face froze solid. After a pause that lasted a single breath, his head tumbled and rolled away. Blood gushed from his neck like a fountain, and his headless body collapsed with a THUD.
...