Chapter 8: Courting Death

The night wind suddenly rose, and the full moon was swallowed by a shroud of black clouds. Darkness reclaimed the world, filling the air with an uneasy panic. On the narrow mountain path leading to the Thousand Peaks Territory, one could barely make out the route in the gloom. Wang Yuanwu, frantic and overwhelmed by fear, had never imagined Gu Yan would be so desperate as to bite her tongue and attempt suicide.

Gu Feng’s eyes were bloodshot, his reason lost to a storm of rage. All he could think of was butchering Wang Yuanwu and eradicating the bandit gang of Thousand Peaks.

In his frenzy, Gu Feng moved with terrifying speed, closing the gap between them. Seeing Gu Feng drawing ever nearer, Wang Yuanwu was consumed with fury. He had come in search of a woman, and not only had he failed in that, but he’d also landed himself in this disaster. With Gu Feng almost upon him, Wang Yuanwu saw no other option—he hurled Gu Yan toward Gu Feng with all his might.

“Take her!” he shouted.

Unburdened by Gu Yan, Wang Yuanwu’s speed increased significantly. Although Gu Feng was blinded by wrath, his mind lost to madness, he still remembered his sister. Seeing her thrown toward him, he could only catch her gently. He longed to give chase, to kill Wang Yuanwu, but upon noticing his sister’s perilous state, he was forced to give up the hunt.

After Wang Yuanwu escaped, he was still seething, his anger with nowhere to go. All he wanted now was to vent his rage on some woman. His mind turned to Widow Li in Forest Village. Though he still feared Gu Feng, he didn’t believe fate would be so cruel as to let Gu Feng catch him twice in a row. Emboldened, he doubled back toward the village.

Gu Feng knelt, cradling his sister, his heart aching. “Silly girl, why would you do something so reckless?”

Gu Yan’s breath was faint, her voice barely more than a whisper, laden with guilt. “Brother, I’m sorry. I—I can’t stay with you any longer.”

“Nonsense. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Old man System, I need to save my sister.”

“That’s simple enough. There are plenty of life-saving medicines. Look for yourself.”

Without hesitation, Gu Feng entered the System Store and searched for miraculous healing elixirs. What he found stunned him—their prices bordered on daylight robbery.

“System, are you sure you didn’t mislabel these?”

“Honest business here. Buy if you want, no one’s forcing you.”

Gu Feng erupted, “The problem is I can’t afford them!”

“You should have said so! The System offers credit loans. Would you like one?”

Not knowing exactly what a credit loan was, but desperate to save his sister, Gu Feng agreed at once.

“Based on your current status, you may borrow up to one thousand gold coins. Shall I process the loan for one thousand?”

“Yes, do it!”

“You have received a loan of one thousand gold coins. Daily interest: one gold coin.”

“What? One gold coin in interest every day? Why not just rob me outright?”

“Heh heh! No need for robbery. You accepted the loan yourself.”

“Fine! I won’t forget this, you old system cheat.”

Though Gu Feng was aggrieved, he had no choice—his sister’s life came first. He exchanged 688 gold coins for a Life and Death Restoration Pill, administered it to his dying sister, and waited, hope burning in his chest.

The pill, worth 668 gold coins, did not disappoint. Gu Yan’s pallor improved visibly.

After about a quarter of an hour, her color was nearly normal. She looked at her brother, who was right beside her, and called out, “Brother!”

Gu Feng rejoiced—his 668 gold coins had not been wasted.

“Are you all right? Why were you so foolish? Promise me you’ll never do something like this again.”

At his words, Gu Yan burst into tears, clutching her brother. “Brother, I have nothing left, no honor—how can I go on?”

“Silly girl, what nonsense. You’re perfectly fine. Go home now. I’ll take care of that bastard and avenge you.”

“No, brother, I’m scared.”

“What’s there to be afraid of? That bastard isn’t my match. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have tried to use you against me.”

“But…”

Gu Yan wanted to say that she wasn’t afraid her brother couldn’t beat the bandits, but that she was terrified of going home alone, especially after being abducted by Guo Nan earlier. The thought of walking the night road alone filled her with dread.

“No buts. Listen to me and go home first. Don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine.”

Seeing her brother would give her no chance to explain, Gu Yan could only muster her courage. “All right, but brother, please be careful. Without you, I can’t go on living.”

“Yes, I know. Now go. Be good.”

Gu Yan walked into the darkness, looking back at every step.

Watching her leave, Gu Feng drew a deep breath and asked, “Old man System, can you locate Wang Yuanwu?”

The System replied, “A trivial matter. Anyone you’ve come into contact with, their aura is recorded. Tracking them is child’s play.”

Instantly, the System projected Wang Yuanwu’s current situation into Gu Feng’s mind. The images were as vivid as memories. Seeing them, Gu Feng’s fury ignited once more.

He hadn’t expected that, instead of hiding, Wang Yuanwu would double back and commit another atrocity—this time assaulting Widow Li of the Du family in the southeast corner of Forest Village.

In the vision, Widow Li, disheveled in her nightclothes, wept and begged for mercy. Gu Feng, seething, cursed, “Courting death!” and charged toward her house.

“Help! Someone help me!” Widow Li’s desperate cries reached the nearby homes, but no one dared intervene, each fearful of inviting disaster upon themselves.

It was hard to blame them; they were ordinary folks, and trying to help could only bring harm.

“That’s Widow Li’s voice,” said someone farther away—in the home of Zhou Dalong. Startled awake, Zhou Dalong realized his lover was in danger. Who could be so bold as to touch his woman? He leapt out of bed, only to be stopped by his hefty wife.

“Where do you think you’re going? Are you really involved with that Widow Li?” she demanded.

Zhou Dalong’s heart skipped a beat. He could never admit it. “What nonsense are you spouting? Would I ever do such a thing?”

But his wife wasn’t fooled. “If you step one foot out that door, I’ll sit on you until you’re dead.”

Glancing at her enormous backside, recalling the many times he’d nearly been crushed beneath her, Zhou Dalong broke out in a cold sweat.

Widow Li’s pleas grew louder, and, seeing that Zhou Dalong had not come to her rescue, she shouted his name, “Zhou Dalong, you bastard! I’m being assaulted and you pretend not to hear. But you were eager enough when you wanted me, you shameless wretch!”

Hearing this, the wife’s face turned black as thunder, her eyes blazing. “Zhou Dalong, I want a divorce!”

Bang!

True to her word, she kicked Zhou Dalong clear across the room. He hit the wooden wall, shaking the whole house, then scrambled to his feet, glaring at his tyrannical wife.

“Divorce it is! I’m leaving right now!” He dashed out the door, secretly delighted—he’d longed for this day, and now, with the beautiful Widow Li in mind, he felt his springtime had come.

His wife, left in disarray on the bed, watched him flee. Something felt off—wasn’t she the one getting the short end of the stick if they divorced? She hurried out after him, shouting, “Zhou Dalong, you stop right there!”

Zhou Dalong raced straight to Widow Li’s house, shouting as he went, “Widow Li, I, Zhou Dalong, have come to save you! Let’s see which bastard dares lay hands on my woman!”

Bursting into the yard, he saw the scantily clad Widow Li pinned to the wall by a burly, bald brute. Overcome with rage, he rolled up his sleeves and bellowed, “You son of a bitch! How dare you touch my woman? I’ll show you what you’re made of!”