A Killing Intent Took Root

Outside the window.

Lin Zheyu took a deep breath.

He concealed himself in the darkness.

He reached into his clothes, took out a black set of knuckle dusters, and slipped them over his fingers.

Knuckle dusters, also known as iron fists, brass knuckles, or iron four-finger guards, were weapons used specifically for boxing. Worn over the fingers, they increased the damage a punch could inflict.

It wasn't as if he'd never killed anyone before.

Back when he was mixed in with the refugees, Lin Zheyu had taken down more than one person who tried to steal his food.

Now that he knew these men were planning to harm him, how could he possibly let them off?

Lin Zheyu clenched his fists, his feelings complicated.

He only wanted to live a quiet, peaceful life, one free of worldly strife.

But this world was simply too cruel. Even if you didn't take the initiative to hurt others, they would still set their sights on you.

After the men inside finished discussing their secret plans, they didn't leave right away. Instead, they brought out some wine and started drinking.

The houses in the Outer City weren't as tightly packed as those in the Inner City.

They stood far apart from one another. Some were even surrounded by farmland, with a lone house in the middle.

The moon rose, and a gentle breeze stirred.

Winter had already arrived, and the weather was somewhat cold. With Lin Zheyu's current constitution, though, he barely felt it.

The three men drank until late into the night before finally staggering out of the house.

They had a decent tolerance for alcohol. Even after drinking for so long, they were only slightly drunk, their steps wavering a little.

The house seemed to be the men's temporary hideout. After drinking and shooting the breeze, they each headed home.

One at a time. I'll deal with the two weaker ones first, then take down the big guy.

Lin Zheyu quietly followed the weakest-looking man. He would deal with him as quickly as possible, then go after the other two.

"Damn, it's still this cold after a few drinks. I need to put on more layers."

"Once we've robbed that kid, I'll have the money to buy myself a warm set of clothes."

Wen Biao walked down the narrow path, chuckling to himself.

He was a timid sort, greedy for Lin Zheyu's money yet afraid something might go wrong.

Hic—

After letting out a burp, Wen Biao felt much better.

Under the moonlight, a black figure hurried toward him.

"What the—"

Wen Biao saw the shadow, but before his mind could catch up, a knuckle-duster-clad fist slammed into his temple.

The tremendous force left Wen Biao reeling, while the sharp studs on the knuckle dusters pierced into his temple.

He opened his mouth, trying to cry for help, but no sound came out. A cold, rough hand clamped over his mouth.

Lin Zheyu held Wen Biao's mouth shut with his left hand, pinning him firmly against his chest. His right fist struck rapidly toward the temple.

After three punches, the man in his arms went limp. Only then did Lin Zheyu stop, blood staining his fist and clothes.

Looking at the body that had gone still, his arm trembled slightly, but a note of resolve flashed in his eyes.

In this chaotic world, good people don't live long.

"Phew—"

He exhaled slowly once more, suppressing the emotions roiling inside him.

Then he took off after the other man.

Since he'd already made his move, he had to eliminate everyone who might pose a threat to him.

Lin Zheyu didn't want a bunch of rats from a stinking ditch thinking about him all day long.

Meanwhile, Yan Ling was feeling a little tipsy. His steps unsteady, he walked home by moonlight.

"If I get back late, my wife'll nag me again."

"What does a woman know? Times are hard, and earning money's no easy thing. If this job works out, we'll be set for a year or two."

Yan Ling grumbled, venting his frustration.

He stood beside a ditch and pulled out his member to relieve himself.

Too much wine always went straight to the bladder.

His whole body shuddered, and Yan Ling muttered, "Why'd it get dark all of a sudden?"

Thud—

Gurgle, gurgle—

A burst of intense pain struck between Yan Ling's brows. He toppled into the ditch and struggled to get back up, but a large hand pressed down on him, holding him firmly in place.

Bubbles gurgled up from the ditch. A moment later, all was still.

The two men were ordinary people with no martial skills, and neither was as sturdy as Lin Zheyu was now. He had dealt with them easily.

"One left."

Lin Zheyu looked impassively at the man lying motionless in the stinking ditch.

You and I had no quarrel. But you set your sights on me, so you brought this death upon yourselves!

He didn't rush to deal with the scene. The two men had delayed him, and Gao Yu had already gotten some distance away.

Lin Zheyu pushed off hard, his feet kicking up clumps of dirt.

Of the three, Gao Yu was the only one with any real strength.

He was a burly fellow, about six feet tall. His family hunted for a living, and he had practiced some crude martial arts as a child, though he'd let them lapse as he grew up.

"Heh heh..."

Gao Yu walked along the road, chuckling and humming a tune, in a good mood.

He'd found himself a fat sheep ripe for the plucking. Once this job was done, he'd be able to enjoy himself for a while again.

"That kid's a capable one, too. If I could keep him under my thumb and make him earn money for me, that'd be great."

Gao Yu muttered to himself, though he knew it wasn't possible.

Rustle, rustle.

The cold wind swept past, and the trees rustled.

Gao Yu tugged his clothes tighter and quickened his pace.

It was late. He'd better hurry home. His wife had already warmed his bed for him.

Whoosh—

A dark figure darted by, its movement swallowed by the howling wind.

With a little alcohol in him, Gao Yu didn't notice anything amiss.

Gao Yu rounded a bend and passed a house. After walking another thirty feet, the surroundings fell utterly silent.

Just then, Lin Zheyu sprang into action.

His knuckle-duster-clad fist shot toward Gao Yu's temple, one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. A fatal blow there could leave the brain spinning—or kill in a single strike.

Thud!

Gao Yu lost his balance and fell to the ground.

He'd been raised by hunters and had experience fighting wild beasts, so he actually managed to struggle and kick at Lin Zheyu as he closed in.

Lin Zheyu dodged to the side, grabbed Gao Yu's leg with both hands, and used his body weight to forcefully press down on it.

A crack rang out. Lin Zheyu had broken Gao Yu's leg.

Because he'd been drinking, the pain took several seconds to register. By the time he opened his mouth to scream, a rough hand had clamped firmly over it.

Thud, thud, thud—

Punch after punch landed on Gao Yu's forehead. Within moments, he stopped breathing.

Lin Zheyu sat on the ground, breathing hard, trying to push down the emotions he couldn't put into words.

This was the first time he'd killed someone of his own accord. Back when he was a refugee, he'd only fought back because he had to survive.

He didn't stay stunned for long. Lin Zheyu quickly got to his feet.

"Better deal with this quickly."

He knew the odds of the authorities tracing these deaths back to him were slim, but to be safe, it was better to take care of things.

He carried Gao Yu's corpse to a deserted patch of wasteland and abandoned all three bodies there.

"Broke as dirt. There isn't even a hundred copper coins among them."

Lin Zheyu looked at the money he'd taken from the men and shook his head.

After returning home, Lin Zheyu lit a fire and burned the bloodstained clothes.

He went into the courtyard and washed himself over and over, yet still felt as though the blood of his own kind clung to him.

He'd spent too long living a peaceful life in his previous world and had received decades of civilized education. He couldn't quickly accept the idea that human life was as cheap as grass, or kill someone of his own kind without feeling any psychological burden.

Lin Zheyu lay down to sleep, but when he couldn't, he got up and washed himself again. He did this several times before finally falling asleep late into the night.

Cluck-cluck-cluck—

Morning.

The rooster with its rusty-gong voice crowed again, rousing Lin Zheyu from his sleep.

He blearily opened his eyes, pulled the quilt over himself, and went back to sleep.

He slept until the afternoon.

Haa—

Lin Zheyu yawned as he arrived at the Bidan Tea House.

"Did you go partying at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion last night? You look half dead," Steward Wu teased.

"I missed home. I didn't sleep well last night," Lin Zheyu replied.

He'd spent the whole night having nightmares, one bizarre scene after another. He hadn't slept well at all.

"It's still early. Why don't you go get some more sleep?" Steward Wu suggested.

"Sure. Wake me when it's time."

Lin Zheyu didn't refuse. He really did need to catch up on sleep.