Blown to Bits

Blown to Bits

"There's another!"

That voice rang out again.

Bald Sanpao's eyes shifted. Gritting his teeth, he pulled another gun from his body and tossed it into the distance.

Then the voice spoke again. "Bald Sanpao, I know you're playing tricks. Everyone knows of your Dual Guns reputation, but I know you have a Third Gun. Throw that one out too, or I'll put a bullet through you. I'll still make money, but you'll lose your life."

Bald Sanpao's expression changed drastically. From the beginning, he had never intended to surrender obediently. He had planned to trick his opponent into showing himself; as long as that person appeared, he was confident he could take him out. But now it seemed his opponent had not fallen for it and had instead turned his own scheme against him.

Bald Sanpao clenched his teeth hard, his face shifting between light and dark.

"Heh. If you don't take it out now, I'll shoot you directly. You won't get a chance to regret it, Bald Sanpao," Jiang Hao said teasingly.

Bald Sanpao was filled with hatred, but it was too late now. His scheme had failed, and he could only let himself be handled as others pleased.

He fumbled around in his crotch and pulled out another short gun, then threw it at his feet.

Bang!

The sudden gunshot made Bald Sanpao jerk. He thought the other man had shot at him and broke out in a cold sweat.

"Bald Sanpao, you still dare play tricks with me? Throw the gun farther away." Jiang Hao's voice sounded again.

Knowing that his thoughts had been seen through, Bald Sanpao's last shred of hope vanished. He kicked the pistol hard, sending it flying far away.

"Brother, is this enough now?" Bald Sanpao spread his hands, looking as though he had nothing left on him, appearing blunt and carefree.

Zhuangzi said, "Caution catches cicadas that live a thousand autumns; careful sailing lasts ten thousand years." Jiang Hao agreed with that completely. The closer one came to the end, the more careful one had to be.

"Now, do as I say. Lie on the ground."

Bald Sanpao had no other choice and obediently lay down.

"Put both hands on your head."

Bald Sanpao could only comply.

"Cross your left foot over your right."

Bald Sanpao did as he was told again. The position was extremely uncomfortable. With his face pressed to the ground, every breath stirred up dust that choked him.

Only then did Jiang Hao stand up. Holding his gun, he never took his eyes off Bald Sanpao as he slowly descended the dirt slope. Reaching the pistols, he found two Box Cannons. Damn, the last gun was actually a Colt M1911. It was rare indeed for a bandit to have something that good.

Who knew how much effort that bastard had spent getting it?

He picked up all three guns, slung the long gun over his back, put the two short guns into his satchel, and kept one Box Cannon in hand. Jiang Hao carefully inspected it. It was fully loaded, and Bald Sanpao had not used this one before. He pulled back the bolt and fired a shot. The shell casing flew far away. It was a good gun. Only then did Jiang Hao walk over to Bald Sanpao.

Looking down at Bald Sanpao, whose head was buried in the dirt, Jiang Hao thought that this most famous bandit within a hundred miles had probably never imagined he would fall here one day.

"Get up," Jiang Hao said in a deep voice.

Bald Sanpao struggled to his feet, clutching the wound on his left shoulder with his right hand. He looked at Jiang Hao, who was powerfully built and bald like himself, his eyes turning as he said, "Friend, is there some misunderstanding between us? If I offended you before, Sanpao apologizes first."

"I wonder which road you're from. I, Bald Sanpao, have many friends across the rivers and lakes. Maybe we can find some connection."

Bald Sanpao spoke in the manner of the underworld, trying to sound Jiang Hao out, but Jiang Hao was not going to fall for that.

"Cut the crap. I'm not from your line of work. Move. We're going to the Butcher Shop."

Bald Sanpao's two underlings had died by the roadside. The three horses they had ridden had been startled at first, but they had calmed down now and stood by the road, chewing on sparse, short grass.

But Jiang Hao could not ride, so he could only leave them there and force Bald Sanpao onward.

The place where Jiang Hao had set his ambush was around three or four li from the Butcher Shop. After walking for a while, the two saw the shop by the roadside: several lonely mud-brick houses with a few cow skulls hanging outside. Their pale white color would have been especially creepy at night.

At the entrance, Bald Sanpao looked at Jiang Hao behind him, gun in hand.

"Go in," Jiang Hao said in a deep voice.

Pushing open the door, they found an old man and an assistant inside. The moment they saw Bald Sanpao, they shouted, "Chief is here!"

But after saying it, they suddenly realized something was wrong. They saw the blood all over Bald Sanpao, then Jiang Hao behind him with his gun raised, and were too frightened to speak.

Jiang Hao swept his gaze around. Jiu'er was nowhere in this room. Pointing his gun at the two butchers, Jiang Hao asked, "Where is Jiu'er?"

"Who is Jiu'er?" the old man asked blankly.

"The woman you kidnapped the day before yesterday, the owner of the Distillery at Shibali Slope," Jiang Hao said grimly.

Only then did Bald Sanpao understand. So this bastard had come for that woman. He regretted it beyond measure. He had asked around, and she had no backing, just a village woman. Who could have known she would bring out such a murderous star?

The old man and the assistant exchanged a glance, then both looked at Bald Sanpao. Bald Sanpao cursed, "What the fuck are you looking at me for? Go!"

Though the two were part of the bandit gang, they normally only butchered meat and guarded captives. They were not fighters. Hearing Bald Sanpao curse them, they hurriedly opened the room beside them.

Jiang Hao saw a crude wooden cage in the corner of that room, a little over half a person tall and roughly two square meters in size. Jiu'er sat curled up inside, her hair disheveled. A basin containing several bones sat beside her. Hearing the movement, Jiu'er looked over, her eyes filled with terror.

The sight made Jiang Hao instantly furious.

"Fuck your mothers!"

Jiang Hao cursed and pulled a short homemade shotgun from his waist, firing at the two Butcher Shop assistants. Boom! Boom! Two thunderous shots rang out. The two assistants were riddled with holes, blood spurting from their bodies as they collapsed beside the meat pot, dead beyond doubt.

Throwing aside the homemade shotgun, Jiang Hao kicked Bald Sanpao. Bald Sanpao was already wounded and had lost a great deal of blood. After struggling through several li, his whole body had gone weak, and Jiang Hao's kick sent him straight to the ground.

Jiang Hao grabbed a rope used for tethering livestock from nearby and quickly bound Bald Sanpao tightly. Then he strode rapidly to the wooden cage.

Jiu'er stared blankly at Jiang Hao.

"Jiu'er, how are you?" Jiang Hao asked anxiously.

Jiu'er said nothing, only stared fixedly at him.

Jiang Hao tugged hard at the large iron lock on the cage, but it would not budge. He scanned the room and found a large axe for chopping cow bones. Grabbing it, he swung it down hard on the lock. With a crack, the iron lock shattered, and Jiang Hao opened the cage door.

"Jiu'er..."

Jiang Hao called out, afraid she had been frightened senseless.

"Waaah!"

Jiu'er burst into tears, crawled out, and threw herself into Jiang Hao's arms. Her sobs grew louder and more miserable. Yet Jiang Hao let out a slight sigh of relief. It was good that she was crying. As long as she could cry, she would not have any major problems.

PS:

This book has officially been signed. Time to celebrate! Da Yu asks for recommendation votes, reading list saves, and rewards.

∠(｀ω*) Salute.