The Moment He Struck

As Chen Yin Fu spoke, the whole courtyard fell silent. Everyone turned to watch the four people approaching.

Zhou Liang grew anxious and tugged at Chen Yin Fu's sleeve. "Brother Chen, are you really going to hand the Second Young Master over!?"

Chen Yin Fu snapped, "Don't ask so many questions."

Zhou Liang said no more, but a sorrow beyond words welled up inside him. He looked at the Brocade Robe Youth with pity and heartache in his eyes.

Zhou Liang understood why Chen Yin Fu would sacrifice his son to save the Chen Family, but he was a martial artist through and through, with a streak of righteousness in his bones and no shortage of courage.

He couldn't help feeling sorry for the Second Young Master.

The Chen Family had once been a fine lineage, but now only three descendants remained.

Chen Wu, Chen Yu'er, and Chen Mo.

Chen Wu was a good boy, but he was still young, and his martial talent and social skills were far inferior to Chen Mo's. Without Chen Mo, once Chen Yin Fu grew old, the lineage would surely decline.

Chen Wu and Chen Yu'er alone would never be able to hold on to the family estate.

But the bandits were ferocious beyond measure. Zhou Liang wanted to kill them, but he lacked the strength.

At the thought of it, Zhou Liang couldn't help crying out in sorrow. "Brother Chen, I'm useless. I'm sorry."

Chen Yin Fu paid Zhou Liang no mind. He continued to smile ingratiatingly at Liu Mazi, bowing and scraping.

"Hahaha, Old Chen sure knows how to handle things!" Liu Mazi roared with laughter. Then he sheathed his soft sword and hurried toward Lu Wei with Bald Head and Axe Man.

As for the servant supporting Lu Wei, Liu Mazi didn't give him a second thought.

The Chen Mansion's most capable guards had already fought. This servant had only just appeared, so he was surely an ordinary one. Besides, he wore an old robe and carried no weapon. He was probably as ordinary as they came.

When he reached Lu Wei, Liu Mazi stopped. "You've suffered, haven't you? Did the Chen boy bully you while you were there?"

Lu Wei looked dazed. His eyes were open, but he couldn't speak. His arms and legs were so weak he could barely stand.

Hm?

Liu Mazi's gaze sharpened. He stared at Chen Mo, who stood beside him in a servant's robe. "What happened to my little brother?"

Chen Mo gave him the excuse he had prepared earlier. "He caught a chill and has had a high fever that won't break. But we've already had a doctor examine him. It's nothing serious. He just needs to rest for a while."

Liu Mazi felt Lu Wei's forehead. It was indeed burning hot, so he had no doubts. He glared at the "Chen Mo" being supported by Qiulan in the distance and snorted. "At least you Chen boys still have a little conscience. If anything happens to Lu Wei, I won't let you off."

The "Chen Mo" bowed again and again, his manner thoroughly obsequious.

Chen Mo began handing Lu Wei over to Liu Mazi, his face showing shock and fear. "Everything that happened to Lu Wei was the young master's doing. I don't know anything. I'll hand him over to you now, hero."

Though he sounded frightened, Chen Mo was actually watching in every direction and listening for every sound.

After observing them, he was secretly alarmed. Besides Liu Mazi, there were two more Blood Rush Realm experts. No wonder they'd dared to invade the Chen Mansion and beat Uncle Zhou and the others until they were sprawled across the ground. If I fought them head-on, I might win, but I'd probably get hurt too. Good thing I prepared a little trick.

Hidden in Chen Mo's sleeve was a sturdy, half-foot-long steel dagger. It was small, but sharp enough.

He ran through the situation again.

Liu Mazi was closest to him. The towering man carrying an axe stood five meters to the right, with a ferocious expression and a body steeped in bloodlust. The armed Bald Head stood five meters to the left, on guard with his blade ready. He seemed cautious and would be difficult to kill in a sneak attack.

He had to kill Liu Mazi first, then Axe Man. With only Bald Head left, he would be no threat.

With his plan set, Chen Mo didn't hesitate. He kept edging closer as he handed Lu Wei toward Liu Mazi, all the while watching Liu Mazi's expression closely.

Liu Mazi clearly thought victory was already his and had no suspicions. After all, Lu Wei was right in front of him.

The distance between them narrowed, little by little.

One meter.

Half a meter.

Seeing how limp Lu Wei was, Liu Mazi felt his heart twist with unease.

He had grown up alongside his cousin and her son. Before he became a bandit, his family had been desperately poor, with barely enough to eat. His cousin had done needlework outside the home to support him and Lu Wei.

Later, overwork had damaged her lungs, and she'd died young, leaving only Lu Wei behind. On her deathbed, she had held Liu Mazi's hand and made him promise to treat her son well.

Though Liu Mazi was a bandit, he knew how to repay a debt of gratitude. He had always kept his cousin's dying wish in mind, indulging Lu Wei at every turn. Even when Lu Wei often went into the city to seek out Yao Jie'er, bullied people everywhere, and caused him no end of trouble, Liu Mazi still spoiled him.

Now Lu Wei had come down with a high fever and a chill. Liu Mazi felt he had let his cousin down, and his thoughts tangled into a knot.

Just then, Liu Mazi reached out and steadied Lu Wei. "If anything happened to you, how could I face your mother? Come back with me. I'll find the best doctor and make sure you get well.

"It's all the Chen boy's fault for being so thoughtless and making you suffer. Don't worry. I'll take him back with us, let you beat him and vent your anger, and then hand him over to the Old Woman."

With that, Liu Mazi wrapped his arms tightly around Lu Wei. "Come on, I'll take you ho—"

Before he could finish the word "home," Liu Mazi suddenly sensed a powerful, inexplicable threat. A flash of silver light glinted before his eyes.

Not good!

Danger!

Liu Mazi instinctively reached for his sword. Before his hand could touch the hilt of his soft sword, a chill shot straight toward his forehead.

Too fast!

He tried to react, but it was too late.

A wet squelch rang out as a bone-cold dagger plunged viciously into his forehead. His eyes flew wide as he stared at the "timid, cowardly" servant before him.

He tried to speak, but his consciousness was already fading fast. Then his vision went black, and he toppled stiffly backward.

At that critical moment, Chen Mo had finally seized his chance to strike!

He had waited a long, long time for this one instant.

At that instant, Bald Head and Axe Man both turned toward Chen Mo. Before Liu Mazi's body had even hit the ground, Chen Mo had become a blur, charging toward Axe Man, five meters away.

By the time Axe Man realized his big brother had been killed, Chen Mo was already right in front of him, driving his dagger hard toward his chest.

"You mangy dog! How dare you kill my big brother? You're asking for death!" Axe Man yanked up his axe and held it across his body. It blocked the dagger solidly with a loud clang.

Thinking he had blocked the attack, Axe Man saw his chance to counterattack. But in the next instant, he realized the servant was no ordinary man.

The force behind the dagger's thrust was frighteningly strong. Axe Man staggered backward again and again, his body on the verge of losing its balance.

Axe Man thought, This is bad.

Bang!

Chen Mo drove the towering, two-meter-tall man backward. His left hand, hidden in his sleeve until now, came out and swung like a giant hammer, smashing hard into the flat of the axe.

Third Form of the Mysterious Yin Hand: Carry Block Strike!

Axe Man had already been struggling to keep his balance. After taking that blow, he staggered backward even faster, completely thrown off balance.

Axe Man panicked.

This servant was far more fearsome than Zhou Liang. When had the Chen Family hidden a master like this?

Before Axe Man could think further, Chen Mo's dagger was free. It slipped around the axe and slashed across Axe Man's throat.

Splurt!

A crimson head shot three meters through the air before falling to the ground. Blood burst and sprayed from the severed neck.

In the blink of an eye, two Blood Rush Realm experts had died!

Only then did Bald Head come to his senses. He shouted, "Old Chen, you dare ambush us! Kill that servant—"

Before he could finish, he saw the servant seize the third man's giant axe and charge at him with the ferocity of a tiger pouncing on its prey. The sight nearly scared Bald Head out of his wits.