One room after another lit up.
Chaos erupted throughout the inn, with cries and screams rising one after another.
Though Shopkeeper Huang had a huge belly, he ran the fastest, clearly experienced in such matters.
"My lord, this old man's entire family depends on this inn to make a living. It is only a small business and cannot withstand such turmoil. I beg you, my lord, show mercy!"
Shopkeeper Huang ran before the Silver Armored General, dropped to his knees with a thud, and wept bitterly.
With such a huge commotion, if fighting broke out, his inn would definitely be wrecked. Who knew how much silver he would lose?
"You brazen commoner! I am apprehending a criminal, yet you dare obstruct me?"
The Silver Armored General kicked Shopkeeper Huang aside, then barked:
"Men! This man is suspected of obstructing official business and harboring a criminal. Drag him away and lock him up!"
"Yes!"
Several vicious-looking soldiers emerged from behind the Silver Armored General, slammed Shopkeeper Huang to the ground, and dragged him away.
"My lord, my lord, I would never dare! I have been wronged!"
Shopkeeper Huang's miserable cries silenced the entire inn.
The people inside obediently lined up and came out one after another for inspection.
At the inn entrance, two soldiers held portraits and carefully compared them one by one.
On the other side, several soldiers thoroughly searched every person.
The soldiers were slightly more polite toward those from whom they found silver.
"Fine, it's not this one. Move along. Next!"
Their attitude turned vile toward those who had no silver on them.
"This one is suspicious. Drag him away and interrogate him!"
The agonized screams of everyone dragged away made one's scalp go numb.
Those behind quickly learned their lesson. Quite a few quietly returned to their rooms and brought some silver with them.
Ning Chuan carried the two children on his back and watched everything through the window.
"What a dog-eat-dog world. Soldiers and bandits are one family, officials and bandits are one family. Ordinary people are nothing but cattle and horses, without the slightest power to resist!"
As fewer and fewer people remained, Ning Chuan sensed the atmosphere inside the inn growing increasingly tense.
The Silver Armored General had one hand on his sword hilt, while the archers had their bows and crossbows drawn taut, all prepared for battle.
Ning Chuan glanced at the portrait in a soldier's hand downstairs and flew into a rage.
"Fuck your mother, that really is my portrait? Since when did I become a vicious bandit?"
Ning Chuan's expression darkened as he pondered.
"Surrounded on all sides, I'm not afraid—but the two children on my back are another matter. If I fail to look after them...?"
The more he thought about it, the more infuriated he became. His eyes reddened as towering fury rose within him.
"Damn it, in this fucked-up world, vicious bandits are everywhere and nobody cares, yet they come after me—the man who killed vicious bandits!"
"Who is it? Who is pulling the strings behind all this? They had better not let me find out!"
Suddenly, he thought of the Imperial Guard and the token Leng Hanshuang had given him. He took it out and gripped it in his hand.
"Perhaps the Imperial Guard token will be useful. It would be best if I could avoid fighting. Otherwise, one careless mistake might hurt the two children on my back."
He rubbed the token in his hand, and his heart settled somewhat.
Soon, the last old man in the line was dragged away, leaving Ning Chuan as the only person in the inn.
Ning Chuan emerged from his room with the two children on his back. Just as he was about to display the Imperial Guard token, he heard the Silver Armored General point at him upstairs and roar:
"That's him! Fire!"
Bows and crossbows rang out from every direction, and a rain of arrows converged on Ning Chuan.
"Damn it!"
Ning Chuan hurriedly leaped back into the room behind him. Outside, whistling and thudding sounds rang out without end.
Peering through a crack, he saw arrows embedded across the floor, pillars, and walls, their tails still trembling faintly.
"Stop! The Imperial Guard is here! Whoever dares make a move will be treated as a traitor!"
Ning Chuan shouted outside, holding the token in one hand and extending it through the window.
Hearing Ning Chuan's words, the atmosphere outside froze. Everyone was clearly intimidated, and the scene fell briefly silent.
How could the Silver Armored General let him have his way? His eyes shifted, and he bellowed:
"Do not listen to his nonsense! This is a notorious bandit. The Imperial Guard token was stolen by this scoundrel. Recovering it is also this general's duty. Shoot!"
At the Silver Armored General's words, another barrage of arrows shot through the window with sharp puffs.
Arrows pierced the window and shot inside, filling the room everywhere.
Ning Chuan hid behind the wall, catching the arrows flying toward him while shielding the two children tightly.
These arrows had been fired by ordinary soldiers. Even if they struck him, they could not pierce his skin. His only concern was the two children behind him.
What grudge does this man have against me? He is determined to put me to death. Even the Imperial Guard token is useless.
There is only one option now—kill my way out of this encirclement!
"Brother, I know you're not a vicious bandit. You're a good person. Why are they framing you?"
Big Dog's voice sounded from behind him, and Xiao Hua burst into loud tears.
"Because they are all bad people, and they all deserve to die. Big Dog, are you afraid?"
"Brother, Big Dog isn't afraid of bad people!"
"Good. Then comfort your sister, and don't open your eyes either. Brother will take you out of here!"
Seeing that the arrows could not harm Ning Chuan inside, the Silver Armored General hardened his heart.
"Use fire arrows! Shoot him!"
Hearing that they intended to use fire to deal with him, Ning Chuan did not dare delay.
He grabbed several arrows from nearby, twisted off their metal arrowheads, then seized a bed plank as a shield.
Boom!
Ning Chuan lashed out with a kick. The wall exploded, and a wooden wall panel flew out.
Three metal arrowheads in his hand targeted the Silver Armored General.
Meteor Chasing the Moon!
The Silver Armored General saw the three hidden weapons flash through the air and was about to dodge.
In the next instant, his pupils constricted sharply. The hidden weapons had already exploded against his chest.
Meteor Chasing Moon—swift as a meteor's sudden appearance; whoever saw it lost their soul and life!
He could see them, but he could not dodge!
With a deafening clang, the Silver Armored General's chest armor exploded apart, his clothes exploded apart, and his heart-protecting mirror exploded apart. Three blossoms of blood burst from his chest.
The tremendous force sent the Silver Armored General flying several meters backward, crashing into a group of soldiers.
The Silver Armored General spat out a mouthful of blood. Someone beside him helped him up, and he slipped into the archers behind them.
Ning Chuan inwardly cursed his bad luck. The man's layers of protection had actually let him escape.
This man was truly afraid of death. He had clearly cultivated a profound body-tempering art, and even wore a heart-protecting mirror beneath such thick armor!
At the same time, amid a dense barrage of thudding sounds, Ning Chuan swung the bed plank and blocked every fire arrow in a volley, then charged straight through the archers.
Dozens of archers were struck so hard that their bones shattered and sinews snapped. Some died on the spot, while others wailed endlessly on the ground.
Before the several hundred people could react, Ning Chuan had already broken through the encirclement. He ran several hundred meters toward the city gate, beyond the archers' range.
"Kill!"
The martial heroes behind him shouted and gave chase.
At the very front were four high-stage Ninth Grade martial artists.
After running beyond arrow range, Ning Chuan tossed aside the bed plank bristling with fire arrows and turned around.
"You dare chase me? Now it's my turn to show my might!"
The hidden weapons flew from his hand one after another. Amid a series of explosive pops, the heads of the front row of martial artists burst open.
The group of martial heroes was horrified and immediately stopped, too frightened to step forward.
Ning Chuan coldly watched the crowd that had surrounded him moments ago. Several hundred people all took a step back in unison.
"A martial arts master!"
Someone's palms sweated. Regretting joining tonight's operation, he quietly edged backward.
Though they had great numbers, most of them were merely ordinary people.
Seeing how formidable Ning Chuan was, their legs had long since gone weak with fear.
Before you continue