Chapter 9: Cursing Himself as a Fool

Hearing someone threaten to deal with him, Wang Yuanwu let out a cold laugh. Pressing down upon the exhausted Widow Li beneath him, he turned his head toward the dilapidated gate of the courtyard, wanting to see who dared utter such bold words, who had the audacity to challenge him. A joke, really—who in Sen Village was he afraid of, except for Gu Feng?

Zhou Dalong, burly and confident, strode over with a single-minded determination. When the figure he'd been watching intently suddenly turned around, Zhou Dalong took a closer look and, upon recognizing the perpetrator, froze in terror. His body trembled, and a thousand curses swept through his mind, leaving only bitterness behind.

Never could he have imagined that, in the dead of night, the one assaulting Widow Li was Wang Yuanwu, a minor leader among the bandits of Qianfeng Territory. To think—Wang Yuanwu was a formidable warrior. Zhou Dalong would never have believed that Wang Yuanwu would fancy Widow Li. If he desired, he could have any woman in Sen Village.

But what was happening tonight? Was it an illusion? He was witnessing Wang Yuanwu violating Widow Li.

Wang Yuanwu recognized Zhou Dalong as well and paused, then sneered, "Zhou Dalong, you’ve got guts to interrupt my business. Tired of living, are you?"

He released Widow Li, grabbed the heavy saber nearby, and strode toward Zhou Dalong.

Watching Wang Yuanwu approach, Zhou Dalong felt his soul nearly leave his body. He pleaded shakily, "Brother Wang, spare me! I didn’t know it was you!"

"Hmph! You interrupted me—there's only death for you."

Zhou Dalong knew Wang Yuanwu would not let him go. Paralyzed by fear, he finally summoned his courage and turned to flee.

"Trying to escape?" Wang Yuanwu snorted, dragging his saber and accelerating after Zhou Dalong.

The saber clanged against the stone slabs, ringing out through the night. Without looking back, Zhou Dalong knew Wang Yuanwu was on his heels. Cold sweat drenched him, and he ran with all his strength, wishing for more legs to escape.

"Help! Somebody help!" Zhou Dalong cried out in panic as he ran, regretting deeply that his reckless lust had brought him face-to-face with a bandit leader.

His desperate cries echoed like a slaughtered pig, frightening the nearby villagers. They cowered under their blankets, afraid to invite disaster upon themselves; no one dared step outside to help him.

Instead, Zhou Dalong’s wife rushed out from the courtyard, blazing with fury as she saw her husband being chased. "Whoever tries to kill my husband is a bastard!" she roared.

Zhou Dalong’s wife was confident in her size and feared nothing of Wang Yuanwu. She had used her bulk to subdue many strong men before and didn’t take Wang Yuanwu seriously at all.

Zhou Dalong, seeing his fierce wife, was deeply moved. No matter how unattractive she was, her willingness to risk her life for him would touch even a beast. He cried out mournfully, "Wife!" He knew full well that she was no match for Wang Yuanwu, and this charge would likely be her death.

Wang Yuanwu, watching the woman barrel toward him like a human cannonball, was thoroughly disgusted. He cursed, "Courting death!" and swung his saber at her neck.

Faced with mortal danger, Zhou Dalong’s hefty wife finally felt fear. She halted her charge and, staring at the murderous Wang Yuanwu, trembled all over.

No matter how massive she was, she was no match for a blade.

"Stop!"

Gu Feng, panting and just arriving, saw a villager about to be killed and couldn’t help but shout in anger.

Hearing Gu Feng’s voice, Wang Yuanwu shuddered, his heart filled with terror, and cursed, "Damn it, how did that brat catch up?" No longer daring to kill, he abandoned Zhou Dalong’s wife and turned to flee.

Zhou Dalong and Widow Li, witnessing this scene, were dumbfounded.

Gu Feng sneered, "Trying to run?" and hurled his refined steel short sword at Wang Yuanwu.

Whoosh!

The sound of the sword slicing through the air startled Wang Yuanwu. He spun around and struck at the sword with his saber.

With a resounding clang, sparks flew as the sword was knocked aside.

Gu Feng charged forward, shouting, "Die!" and smashed his fist toward Wang Yuanwu’s face.

Bang!

The sheer force of the blow distorted Wang Yuanwu’s face.

Zhou Dalong, his wife, and Widow Li in the courtyard watched in terror.

They recognized the figure. "Isn’t that Gu Feng? How could the timid, cowardly Gu Feng be so powerful?"

Wang Yuanwu was furious. He hadn’t expected Gu Feng’s speed and reactions to be so swift—he hadn’t even had a chance to respond before he was struck in the face. His head spun, his nose went hot, and blood gushed forth, pain overwhelming him.

Staring at Gu Feng, Wang Yuanwu roared, "You dare hit me, brat? You’re asking for death!"

Gu Feng regarded the miserable Wang Yuanwu with a cold smile. Thinking of what Wang Yuanwu had done to his sister, escaping would have been enough, but he dared return, even assaulting a widow and threatening villagers. Without hesitation, Gu Feng’s fists rained down upon Wang Yuanwu.

"Ah...!" In the dead of night, Sen Village echoed only with Wang Yuanwu’s wails and the sound of Gu Feng’s fists.

Under Gu Feng’s relentless barrage, Wang Yuanwu had no strength to resist. He screamed and howled in despair.

"Please—spare—me, don’t—hit me anymore. If you keep—going, you’ll—kill—me."

Bang, bang, bang...

Recalling Wang Yuanwu’s deeds against his sister, Gu Feng could not stop, wanting only to vent his anger.

Wang Yuanwu’s bones were broken in countless places. The pain numbed him, and soon he lost all signs of life.

Ding!

"Killed Wang Yuanwu. Gained 50 experience."

"Bandit squad elimination mission complete. Level +1."

"What? Dead? I haven’t killed myself yet!" Gu Feng suddenly ceased his assault, staring at his increased level and doubled strength, feeling a wave of frustration.

He hadn’t killed himself yet. Without suicide, he couldn’t gain the death reward, and without the death reward, it was so hard to grow stronger.

Having lost the opportunity, Gu Feng, under the shocked gazes of Widow Li, Zhou Dalong, and his wife, left dejectedly, heading home.

On the road back, surrounded by darkness, Gu Feng suddenly remembered—his sister was still alone on the path to Qianfeng Territory.

"Oh no, my sister."

Uncertain if she had returned home, Gu Feng could only rush back to check, sprinting toward his house.

Bursting into the house, Gu Feng called out, "Sister!" There was no reply. He searched the courtyard and rooms, confirming she had not returned.

He slapped his forehead, cursing himself for being a fool. The first time he’d left his sister alone, she’d been captured by Guo Nan. Now, once again, he’d left her alone in the wild. If she encountered a wild beast...

Gu Feng dared not think further, anxiety gripping him as he sped toward the path to Qianfeng Territory. In his heart, he prayed ceaselessly, "Heavens, please protect her. Sister, you must be safe."