Beneath the moonlit sky, the night was deep and still.
A gust of wind swept past, making the trees the Su Family had planted outside the gate rustle.
Zeng Xiaofan wore black clothes and a Peach Blossom Mask over his face. With a light leap, he landed atop an old tree and looked down at the Su Family residence ahead. Beneath the mask, his ugly face revealed a sinister grin.
Some time ago, Mingzhu City had been caught in a treacherous upheaval, so he had been forced to keep a low profile to avoid being inexplicably dragged into the turmoil. But over the past few days, the situation seemed to have improved. He could no longer restrain the burning lust in his heart and had decided to make his move on the Su Family's young lady.
"I heard long ago that the Su Family's young lady has a plump figure, skin as fair as cream, and breathtaking beauty. Tonight, I'll have a taste first and see whether she's really as luscious as everyone says." Zeng Xiaofan licked his lips, then lightly leaped down into the courtyard without making the slightest sound.
He closed his eyes and raised his head to sniff the air. Then excitement appeared on his face. He had already caught the scent of the Su Family's young lady. She really did smell wonderfully fragrant and luscious.
But at that moment, his heart suddenly began to race and throb. His hands and feet grew weak, and the symptoms rapidly worsened.
"What happened?"
Uneasy and bewildered, Zeng Xiaofan hurriedly took out three pills and swallowed them.
These pills were all high-grade treasures, combining detoxification and purification effects. In the past, whenever he had snuck into homes to steal women's virtue, no matter what traps his targets had prepared, these three pills had always ensured that he could complete his mission and retreat safely.
Yet after swallowing the three pills, his condition did not improve. Instead, he grew increasingly terrified.
He had no idea where this fear came from. It was as if a demon's hand had seized his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe.
No good. Could it be a barrier? The Su Family can afford a barrier?
Zeng Xiaofan immediately realized that the situation was bad, and the thought of retreat quickly sprouted in his mind.
In Mingzhu City, Barrier Masters were absolutely the rarest high-end talents. Moreover, the vast majority had been recruited by the three major powers. Being able to hire a Barrier Master to set up a barrier around one's residence was absolutely a symbol of wealth and influence.
Although Zeng Xiaofan thought highly of himself, he also knew that soft persimmons should be squeezed first.
He had originally assumed that the Su Family was merely a small- or medium-sized clan that sold potions. Now, however, it seemed that the Su Family had other hidden forces.
This place isn't safe to stay in. I need to leave!
He looked at the pitch-black residence ahead, as though it concealed some ferocious monster, and thought to himself.
But the moment he turned around, everything before his eyes turned black and white.
At the same time, he saw billowing black mist churning across the ground.
His eyes went wide. He swallowed hard before slowly raising his head.
A black cloak. A dim lantern hanging from his left hand. A huge scythe resting on his right shoulder. Looking higher, beneath the hood was a constantly shifting skull-like face.
With one glance, every hair on his body stood on end, and a chill surged from the soles of his feet straight to his forehead.
Zeng Xiaofan collapsed onto the ground and supported himself with both hands to keep from falling completely. Yet golden liquid gradually flowed from between his legs, and the nauseating smell of urea spread through the air.
"Zeng Xiaofan, nickname Short-Legged Teddy. One point five meters tall, with a vulgar and despicable appearance that women don't like. Your mind gradually twisted and became perverted. Over the past ten years, you've harmed hundreds of women and killed sixty-five of them to silence them. Have I gotten anything wrong?" Zhang Ping looked down at the disgusting predator before him and asked coldly.
That morning, he had heard Zeng Xiaofan muttering to himself while scouting out the Su Family through the Wind Whisperer, so he had remembered the matter.
At first, however, he had not known that Zeng Xiaofan was Short-Legged Teddy. He had merely assumed that some Awakened had grown lustful enough to reach his obscene claws toward the Su Family's young lady.
He had come specifically to sever this man's dog claws.
But after arriving and seeing Zeng Xiaofan nimbly scale the wall and enter the residence, he sensed that something was wrong.
This was not a novice's work. It looked more like the work of an old hand.
So he had silently used Appraisal on Zeng Xiaofan.
After obtaining Zeng Xiaofan's basic information, he had used Appraisal on his equipment as a precaution.
When he appraised Zeng Xiaofan's Peach Blossom Mask, he saw countless scenes that sent his rage soaring.
That was how he had ended up standing behind Zeng Xiaofan now.
The autumn wind was bleak.
Leaves drifted over the wall and into the courtyard, finally landing softly beside Zeng Xiaofan's feet.
He moved backward inch by inch. His walnut-sized brain had already been thoroughly intimidated by the Reaper's Mask. Combined with the effect of the Fear War Scythe, he could not even summon the courage to resist.
Zhang Ping was furious yet calm. During this period, he had seen far too many tragic scenes and had developed a certain resistance to them. No matter how angry he became, he could still think calmly instead of acting on impulse.
"This strike is in memory of that unyielding girl who would rather die than submit."
Zhang Ping lightly waved his hand, and the Fear War Scythe instantly swept across Zeng Xiaofan's ankle.
The pain made Zeng Xiaofan retreat faster.
"This strike is in memory of that girl you forced into the water, who still desperately tried to tell the world your true identity!"
Zhang Ping held the Fear War Scythe and brought it down from Zeng Xiaofan's knee. Zeng Xiaofan immediately let out a miserable howl. His body rolled over, and with his back to Zhang Ping, he frantically crawled forward.
"This strike is in memory of that mother who fed herself to the dogs and used her life to protect her daughter."
Zhang Ping's voice was hollow and sinister. He raised his hand and brought the scythe down, sweeping it directly between Zeng Xiaofan's legs. Zeng Xiaofan's head jerked upward. He opened his mouth but could not make a sound, his entire face flushed from holding it in as large drops of sweat streamed down his cheeks.
Zeng Xiaofan desperately wanted to beg for mercy, but Zhang Ping clearly had no desire to speak with him. He had also wanted to resist, even kill Zhang Ping and turn the tables, but he could not summon the courage. He did not even dare meet Zhang Ping's eyes.
"This strike is in memory of that hero from the Patrol Team."
That Patrol Team member had gotten drunk and collapsed by the roadside. In the middle of the night, he heard a woman's cries for help and followed the sound into a residence, where he discovered that everyone inside, young and old alike, had been slaughtered.
He rushed into the room where the woman's cries had come from, only to be ambushed by Zeng Xiaofan. A trap had pierced through his knee.
Even so, the Patrol Team member still fought Zeng Xiaofan to the death. He even found an opportunity to let the woman escape the residence, fighting until he died without ever showing fear.
Unfortunately, the woman had been poisoned by Zeng Xiaofan. She collapsed not far after escaping and ultimately still fell victim to his vicious hands.
"This strike is in memory of that pitiful father."
To avenge his daughter, that father had hidden and watched the streets of Mingzhu City night after night. One day, he finally happened upon Zeng Xiaofan, and the two became locked in combat. In the end, however, he was no match for Zeng Xiaofan.
So that night, Zeng Xiaofan carried the father, whose limbs had been broken, back to a place where he had committed crimes in the past...
"This strike is in memory of that righteous detective."
"This strike is in memory of that nameless adventurer."
Strike after strike, Zeng Xiaofan's height shrank from one point five meters to one meter. Bloodstains and pieces of his body littered the ground behind him as he crawled.
He no longer had the strength to flee. He lay on the ground waiting to die, but the deathblow was slow to fall.
"I won't kill you. There are many medicines in this world, and your injuries may not be beyond treatment."
"How about this? As long as you can crawl to the gate and get outside, I'll spare your life."
Zhang Ping stood beside Zeng Xiaofan and looked at the utterly exhausted man as his hollow voice slowly rang out.
Death could be easy, but sometimes it could also be agonizing.
Zhang Ping did not want Zeng Xiaofan to die too easily. He did not deserve such an easy death.
Sure enough, a light called "hope" appeared in Zeng Xiaofan's eyes again. He did not want to die. Countless young and beautiful women were still waiting for him to enjoy them. How could he die in a place like this?
He endured the agony and gritted his teeth as he continued crawling. Sure enough, the terrifying Reaper did not attack him again.
I can do this!
I can survive!
Driven by a powerful will to live, he slowly crawled toward the gate. The short stretch of only a few meters seemed endlessly long. He even felt as though a century had passed.
Every time he crawled, the friction between his wounds and the ground caused unbearable pain. He was even afraid to move, but for the sake of survival, he had no choice.
Gradually, he drew closer. Gradually, he reached the gate. When he prepared to push it open with his blood-covered hand, he discovered that it was secured by a bolt.
The bolt was about a meter above the ground.
The problem was that his legs had almost been hacked away. He could not reach the bolt at all.
"No!"
He pounded on the gate with all his strength.
But the gate was extremely sturdy. Even as a High-Level Awakened, he still could not budge it.
Zhang Ping's voice drifted over ominously. "The wood used for this gate was found outside the city by adventurers at Su Cheng's request. Its core was a Mutated Iron Pear Tree, whose wood was seven parts harder than refined iron. Although Su Cheng knew this gate couldn't stop an Awakened or a Mutated Beast, it was the best material he could find through his utmost efforts. It carries his resolve to protect his entire family."
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Hearing Zhang Ping's sinister and terrifying voice, Zeng Xiaofan shouted in despair and frantically hammered the gate, leaving mottled bloodstains across it.
"Zeng Xiaofan, you've failed!"
"Therefore, I hereby pronounce that your time of death has come!"
Zhang Ping slowly raised the scythe in both hands, then spoke in a low voice.
At that moment, Zeng Xiaofan turned around. Fear, hatred, and unwillingness filled his eyes as he glared at Zhang Ping and screamed hysterically, "What right do you have to sentence me to death? I'm willing to turn myself in! Even if I am to be judged, it should be the City Lord who judges me!"
Zhang Ping's face remained expressionless as he raised his hand and brought the scythe down.
"I was just playing along with the joke."
Zhang Ping lightly swung the scythe, and all the blood on its blade scattered to the ground.
He turned and walked two steps away, then raised his head to look at the bright moon in the sky and sighed softly. What use was killing anyone? Those who had died could never come back to life.
"Oh, right. Looting the corpse!"
Zhang Ping fell silent for a moment before suddenly remembering that Zeng Xiaofan had quite a few good things on him. He turned back, crouched beside Zeng Xiaofan's corpse, and removed his equipment piece by piece.
At last, with an expression of disgust, he grabbed Zeng Xiaofan's hair and lifted his head before removing the mask with his other hand.
Beneath the mask was an ugly face with a ratlike appearance. It was indeed as vulgar as expected.
Zhang Ping put the mask away and tossed the head back onto the ground. Then he glanced at the Su residence, hoping that the Su Family would not be too frightened tomorrow.
He had already helped the Su Family avert disaster. It was only right for the Su Family to deal with some "trash" for him in return.