Interrogating the Mastermind

"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss~"

A skyful of spear shadows swept past. Lang Ge's body was covered in tiny spear wounds. After a tearing sound, his black clothes had been shredded into strips, and he was sent flying back in a miserable state.

"Peh~"

Lang Ge climbed up from the ground and forcefully spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm. Though Teng Qingshan had followed Gu Sheng's instructions and spared his life, he had not held back at all. That barrage of spear shadows had seemed to only damage his clothes, but he had actually suffered severe internal injuries.

"I recognize you. You're from the Li Manor of the Yangzhou Salt Merchants Association."

Gu Sheng stood in the middle of the road ahead with a hunting knife in hand. He laughed heartily as he said to Lang Ge, "You made things difficult for us in every way and refused to pay. Then, after paying, you colluded with bandits to rob and murder us. Is this how Li Commerce Company does business?

"Or was this someone else's idea? Speak! Who sent you here? As long as you cooperate, I can spare your life." Gu Sheng wore a sunny, guileless smile that made him seem utterly harmless. At first glance, he looked like a saint overflowing with kindness, completely unrelated to the ruthless poisoner from before.

"Fine, I'll talk! I'll talk! Just spare me!"

Lang Ge looked at Gu Sheng's extraordinarily approachable smile, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes. With the tip of his blade dragging across the ground, he slowly walked toward him. Another fool. He had encountered such saints before—a disciple from a sect who had just entered the martial world.

That fool had clearly gained the upper hand, yet just like this fool, he had said he would spare them as long as they turned from evil. In the end, Lang Ge had gotten close and killed that fool with a single slash. By luck, he had even obtained a saber manual and cultivated Inner Force, which was how he came to enjoy his current glorious life.

"Isn't this much better? Harmony is the most important thing!"

Gu Sheng smiled as he watched Lang Ge approach. Teng Qingshan, however, wore a somewhat strange expression. After spending so much time together, he had become accustomed to Teng Qinghu's gradual changes. He knew Gu Sheng would not fall for something so easily, so he said nothing.

"The person who ordered me was... was... die..."

When Lang Ge came within a step of Gu Sheng, the Jade Chill Blade dragging on the ground suddenly twisted, its edge turning toward Gu Sheng before slashing upward from below.

Gu Sheng moved even faster. Just as Lang Ge turned his blade, the hunting knife he had been holding aloft had already fallen. The path of its edge was precisely Lang Ge's continuously rising right arm.

"Slice~"

A dull tearing sound rang out as a right forearm, still clutching a blade, fell to the ground.

"Aah~"

Lang Ge clutched his severed right arm and howled as he collapsed. Catching sight of Gu Sheng's still-smiling face from the corner of his eye, an icy chill rose from the depths of his heart, filling him with terror.

"Tell me. Why were those vicious bandits lying in ambush for us? And why were you two outsiders here in the first place?"

Gu Sheng sheathed his hunting knife, bent down, pried open the pale severed hand, and picked up the Jade Chill Blade. He blew a puff of white breath onto it, then took a scrap of cloth and carefully wiped and inspected it. His smiling demeanor throughout the process seemed all the more terrifying and sinister to Lang Ge and Er Gouzi.

It had to be said that Teng Village's century-old craftsmanship was no joke. Teng Qingshan was a fierce man capable of lifting a thousand jin. His recent heavy strikes had landed squarely on the Jade Chill Blade's edge, yet the blade remained smooth as a mirror, without so much as a chip or curl.

This showed just how formidable that man called Qin San was. With only a slight flick of his finger, his Inner Force had damaged a weapon that even a Third-Rate martial artist would find difficult to break.

Based on Teng Qingshan's previous estimates and Gu Sheng's own observations, Qin San's Inner Force far surpassed Teng Qingshan's current level. He was at least an expert with the strength of three thousand jin, far beyond ordinary Second-Rate fighters, whose strength was around two thousand jin.

"I'll talk, young master. I'll tell you everything."

Er Gouzi, the triangular-eyed man, shuddered and repeatedly responded, "This was all Lang Ge's doing—his orders. It has nothing to do with me! I was only delivering messages!" Er Gouzi did not hesitate to sell out the one-armed Lang Ge.

"Lang Ge works for Old Master Li, the great salt merchant of Yangzhou. This time, his leader ordered him to find people to deal with you. That leader seems to be the one who placed an order with you and paid you ten thousand taels of silver.

"Lang Ge also said... that leader never intended to give you those ten thousand taels in the first place. Their group had planned to keep all that money for themselves and divide it up. He said he was supposed to get a hundred taels! But because of you, they had to pay an extra nine thousand taels instead, so that leader sent him to kill you."

"I see."

Gu Sheng did not lower his head to look at them. He continued carefully wiping the Jade Chill Blade, but this indifference only put even greater pressure on the two men. Lang Ge was nearly scared out of his wits. Suddenly, Gu Sheng's expression changed, and his entire body froze. Er Gouzi and Lang Ge, who had been watching him closely, were terrified.

"Ding!"

A notification suddenly sounded. "Reincarnator 111 has completed the first phase of the Slaughterer title quest: Hundred-Man Kill (kill over one hundred people in this world). Slaughter Points awarded: 124. Note: Upon leaving this world, Slaughter Points may be exchanged for Lord God Points. One point is equivalent to one Slaughter Point."

"Ding-ling!"

Another notification sounded. "System reminder: Congratulations, Host. 124 Luck Points have been credited. Your current balance is 134 Luck Points."

"Kill people! Seize luck!"

Those two words suddenly flashed through Gu Sheng's mind. He had once read a novel with an interesting premise: killing people allowed one to seize their luck, which was why some evildoers kept growing stronger.

But it had also said that killing people entangled one in karmic sin. If the amount became too great and one's luck could not suppress that karma, one would be forcibly reduced to an idiot and then repeatedly crushed by those blessed with great luck. Could all of this be real?

"Cousin!"

Teng Qingshan's call interrupted Gu Sheng's thoughts. He looked up and saw that not only Teng Qingshan, but Teng Yongfan and the other hunters had also hurried over.

"Qinghu, your poisonous smoke really is powerful. Those fellows all died at once."

Teng Yongfan arrived with more than ten strong men who bore no injuries. The rest had likely stayed behind to bandage wounds and clean up the battlefield.

"Mhm."

Gu Sheng gave them a slight nod. He now understood why the points had been credited. After his poison took effect, all those who died had apparently been counted as his kills, earning him the Slaughterer title. Lost in thought, he turned his gaze back to Er Gouzi and Lang Ge, who were trembling like sieves.

"Young master, we've told you everything. Spare... spare our lives!"

Lang Ge clutched his still-bleeding right arm and begged. He had just repeated the entire matter in front of everyone.

In short, Qin San was the sort to seek vengeance over the slightest grievance. He had never planned to pay the silver in the first place. This time, not only had his scheme failed, but he had suffered a huge loss and paid an extra nine thousand taels.

With his temperament, how could he swallow this anger? He did not dare provoke Lord Li or Miss Li, nor did he dare vent his anger on his senior brother. But could he not make trouble for Gu Sheng and the others? Thus came this attempted ambush and murder.