abnabooks Chapter 68 Kill—!
Chapter 68 Kill—!
On the city wall, Wang Wei and Xu Zhiyuan stood side by side, their robes fluttering in the evening breeze.
The two of them were composed, as if they were watching a grand spectacle that had nothing to do with them.
Xu Zhiyuan's gaze swept over the chaotic dock, and he said softly, "Sir, this kid... he's got quite a few tricks up his sleeve. The elite of the Guzhu Gang, as well as Zhang Zhenshan's old subordinates, have all been mobilized."
Wang Wei nodded slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the thin figure draped in hemp clothing at the core of the formation. His tone carried a hint of amusement and insight: "Using leverage is not surprising. What's rare is that he dared to have such an idea, and... he was able to be so ruthless."
He paused, then chuckled softly. The laughter sounded somewhat ethereal in the night wind, yet it carried a strange certainty. "This kid, when he grows up, will probably be a fierce figure who can make Fengming County... and even more distant places tremble."
In the distance, in the center of the Chensha River, an elegantly decorated multi-story ship is quietly moored.
County Magistrate Wang Mingyuan and Chen Wenyuan leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance.
Wang Mingyuan's gaze lingered between the dock and the churning demonic energy and shattered blades of the Blackwater Ferry in the distance.
His brows furrowed, and he finally couldn't help but turn his head, lowering his voice to ask the scholar in blue beside him, "Wen Yuan, this series of deadly moves... were you really not the one who orchestrated it?"
Chen Wenyuan slowly shook his head, his gaze still calmly fixed on the figure on the dock, his tone carrying a strange complexity: "My lord, you are wise, no. This kid... truly crawled back from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, this ruthless spirit of never giving up is etched into his bones. It is not something that can be forced by human power."
He lowered his gaze slightly, looking at Zheng Chaoyang, who stood as still as a rock on the deck below, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.
"Your Excellency, please rest assured. Once the news of Captain Wang of Heishui Ferry's 'martyrdom in battle' reaches us, Master Zheng will naturally take over as the county's captain. At that time... this dead end in Fengming County will truly be put to rest, and the overall situation will be settled."
……
Everyone's gaze, regardless of distance or position, was now drawn by an invisible magnet, firmly fixed on the small pier at the East Wharf.
On the main road at the entrance of the pier, Zhang Jian, who has only one arm, is dressed in rough hemp clothing, like a banner summoning a soul.
Zhang Jiumei and several little beggars stood silently beside him, their eyes calm, like sharp blades blending into the shadows.
Zhang Jiumei quickly stepped forward and presented Zhang Yuan with a linen garment of the same material.
Without pausing, Zhang Yuan reached out and took it, then spread his arms and slipped it over his body. The rough linen instantly covered his original clothes.
He tightened his belt, moved swiftly and quickly, and continued walking towards the depths of the pier, towards the direction where Qin Hu was!
That glaring hempen robe, reflected in the firelight and water, looked like a flag declaring war, or a shroud of revenge!
This scene was clearly witnessed by everyone in Tingtao Pavilion.
"Wearing hemp clothing?!" a member of the Chen family exclaimed in a low voice, his face full of astonishment and confusion. "Zhang Qingyang... does he really consider those lowly beggars as his own relatives?"
A young man from a small family standing nearby wore a complex expression, whispering with a hint of admiration, "This is what camaraderie in the military and brotherhood in the martial world are all about... Zhang Qingyang may be young, but his sense of responsibility and prioritizing 'righteousness' is truly rare!"
The schadenfreude on Wang Chengyu's face had vanished without a trace, leaving only an indescribable gloom and a hint of barely perceptible panic. He stared intently at the hempen clothes on Zhang Yuan's body, letting out a suppressed snort.
It seems Zhang Qingyang had been preparing to deal with the Black Tiger Gang for some time.
The Black Tiger Gang is backed by the Wang family. How did Zhang Qingyang have the guts to do this?
Wang Chenglin, standing beside him, had his brows furrowed into a knot, a strong sense of unease like a cold snake coiling around his heart.
On the pier, a Black Tiger Gang member guarding the entrance clearly recognized Zhang Yuan. Filled with shock and anger, he was about to shout a warning: "You little bastard, you—"
Before the words were even finished!
A burly "coolie" who looked exhausted and slumped down next to a basket suddenly jumped up!
The heavy basket, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed hard into the back of the gang's heads!
"Bang!"
The henchmen responded and fell forward.
Just as his body leaned forward, his head drooped, and his vital parts of his neck were fully exposed—
A dark, almost imperceptible black line was silently drawn from Zhang Yuan's hand!
"Sizzle—!"
The blade of the short sword "Hidden Kill" was like the cold fingertips of a lover, gently yet fatally kissing that thick neck.
The movements were extremely concise, without the slightest hesitation, and so precise it was breathtaking!
A large amount of warm blood gushed out like a fountain, splashing a dazzling crimson in the dim light!
【Ding! 】
[Slaying a martial artist at the early stage of the Acquired Realm increases lifespan by 23 years!]
A cold system notification rang in Zhang Yuan's mind, bringing a strange warmth, but it did nothing to shake the icy killing intent in his eyes.
This sword strike was clean, swift, and ruthless!
In the waterside pavilion, Li Decai clapped his hands, his eyes gleaming, and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "Excellent! Decisive and ruthless indeed! This young man... is extraordinary!"
On the ship, Magistrate Wang Mingyuan looked at the splattering blood and the thin figure in blood-stained hemp clothing. A genuine, approving smile finally appeared on his face. He nodded and sighed softly, "Like father, like son! Zhang Zhenshan can rest in peace now that he has such a fine son!"
On Tingtao Pavilion, the young talents who had just been looking down on the show or watching the drama unfold all changed color at this moment. Many of them subconsciously took half a step back, their faces drained of all color.
Zhang Yuan's ruthless sword strike instantly shattered all their preconceived notions about the "eight-year-old child," leaving only chilling fear and shock.
This is no child! It's clearly a young beast disguised in human form, returned from hell!
The chaos at the dock was like boiling oil thrown with a boulder, exploding completely!
"Laborers," "street vendors," and even "panicked passersby"... all these figures suddenly sprang to life!
Baskets, carrying poles, winnowing baskets, and even short sticks hidden in sleeves were transformed into deadly weapons, smashing down on the unsuspecting Black Tiger gang members!
Screams, the sound of bones breaking, and the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground all blended together!
Zhang Yuan's figure moved and darted through the chaos like a ghost.
Every swing of the short sword is accompanied by the passing of life.
One of the gang members was knocked down by a carrying pole and struggled to get up.
Zhang Yuan flew over, twisting his body in mid-air, and with the momentum of his fall, he precisely pierced the man's back heart with the short sword he was holding upside down!
"Well……"
The gang member's eyes bulged out, and he died instantly.
Zhang Yuan landed and rolled without stopping.
A fellow member next to him had just had a basket placed over his head, causing him to lose all vision, and was frantically trying to rummage through it.
Zhang Yuan's short sword, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, pierced through the gap in the winnowing basket with lightning speed!
"Pfft!"
The sound of the sword tip piercing through the wooden strip and skull was teeth-grinding.
Draw your sword!
A string of sticky blood beads fell off!
Zhang Yuan suddenly looked up, his cold gaze piercing through the chaotic crowd, locking onto the burly figure in front of him who was being surrounded by his confidants, retreating in panic while roaring angrily—Qin Hu!
"kill--!"
A deep, rumbling command, like a muffled thunderclap, burst forth from the depths of Zhang Yuan's throat!
At this command, more than ten veterans, including Wang Ergou and Li Dachui, on both sides of the pier pounced on the Black Tiger Gang members like lurking wolves, with flashing blades and spears bringing a bloody storm!
Screams of agony rose and fell as the unsuspecting gang members collapsed like mowing grass.
The veterans moved with lightning speed, cutting a bloody path through the air in just a few breaths, rushing to Zhang Yuan's side, and quickly forming an ironclad triangular wedge formation, firmly protecting him at the core!
A fierce and murderous aura, reminiscent of someone who had survived countless battles, suddenly filled the air, utterly silencing the hustle and bustle of the dock!