Bang!
Qin Zheng reached out and shoved the gate open with force.
Before his eyes lay a complete mess: scattered food and shattered bowls littered the ground, along with streaks of dried blood.
At the sight, Qin Zheng's eyes abruptly narrowed, and he rushed into the courtyard in a single stride.
With his senses fully spread, he found no one in the courtyard, then swept his gaze over the place.
He bent down and picked up some of the food scattered on the ground.
These dishes had likely been prepared two days ago.
In other words, this incident had occurred the day after he left, following the bandits' assault on the city!
But all of Black Goose City knew that Qi Yan and the others were under his protection!
After his reputation spread, no one had dared harass them.
Yet he had only left the city for a few days, and someone had already set their sights on them!
Did they really think he would die during the bandit suppression?!
Qin Zheng's gaze darkened as surging fury rose within his heart.
After confirming that there were no other clues in the small courtyard, he immediately turned and headed toward the western part of the city.
Alone, it would indeed be difficult for him to find a handful of people in the vast Black Goose City.
But he could start by investigating the likely suspects!
And so far, the only potential enemy Qin Zheng had made in Black Goose City was the Canoe Gang!
Therefore, he was going to the Canoe Gang first to get some answers!
Although Zhang Wei, the Canoe Gang's chief, had been extremely cordial in their subsequent meetings and had never mentioned what happened that day.
Who could say that he was not two-faced, that after seeing Qin Zheng leave in pursuit of Zhang Xiuwen and fail to return for so long, he had assumed Qin Zheng had died beneath the bandits' blades?
Then he might have captured Qi Yan and the others whom Qin Zheng had protected, venting his resentment through them!
The more Qin Zheng thought about it, the heavier his heart sank.
Two days had already passed.
I'm afraid...
Qi Yan and those little beggars had already been tortured beyond endurance and were no longer among the living!
At that thought, the fury in Qin Zheng's heart swelled even more violently.
At first, he had merely agreed to the old monk's request and stepped in to ensure their safety.
But they had lived together for a time. Qin Zheng was not cold-blooded, and feelings had long formed between them.
Now, whenever he thought of those young, sensible children possibly being cruelly executed after enduring torment,
Qin Zheng felt an indescribable ache in his heart.
And there was that figure who was always by the stove, hurriedly preparing meat for him, and who reminded him to be careful every time he left.
Qin Zheng's eyes gradually turned icy cold, and a vast, violent malevolence that warned strangers away radiated from his entire body.
His appearance immediately drew repeated glances from the people on the street, who hastily avoided him as well, afraid of brushing against him.
"Amitabha!"
"Benefactor, the malevolent aura on you is so intense. This is truly not good, truly not good!"
Just then, from the side of the street, a monk clad in white robes stepped forward and came before Qin Zheng, blocking his path.
"This humble monk needs only one hundred taels of silver. If you recite Buddhist scriptures with me, benefactor, you will surely dissolve the malevolence in your heart and return the killing intent on your body to peace."
He pressed his palms together, looked at Qin Zheng, and spoke with a smile.
Qin Zheng looked at the monk before him, walked around him, and continued toward the west of the city.
But at that moment, the monk actually reached out and grabbed Qin Zheng's shoulder.
The smile on his face gained a touch of chill as he emphasized once more, "Benefactor, this humble monk needs only one hundred taels of silver!"
"Get lost!!"
Violence flared in Qin Zheng's eyes. With a shake of his shoulder, he instantly threw the other man's hand off.
The monk's expression changed, turning vicious in an instant. He darted forward, both hands clawing toward Qin Zheng's eyes.
But he had ultimately chosen the wrong person to bully.
Qin Zheng stretched out one hand, moving like a phantom, and struck the monk's chest with a palm.
Bang!
In an instant, the monk was blasted backward by the tremendous force. After hitting the ground and rolling several times, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Qin Zheng did not even look at him. After sending out that palm strike, he turned and continued toward the western part of the city.
He had not used much force in that strike, so the monk was only injured and would not die on the spot.
But Qin Zheng had infused it with some of the force from the Black Fiend Palm. For the next several days, the monk would suffer unbearable agony in his heart.
Whether he could endure it had nothing to do with Qin Zheng.
At this moment, Qin Zheng's heart was full of violence, and his actions were even more ruthless than usual.
As he walked, Qin Zheng unconsciously employed his lightness skill, streaking through the city like a phantom.
A short while later, his figure arrived at the riverbank in the west of the city.
He first went to a dock, seized a Canoe Gang disciple, and demanded, "Where is your chief?!"
That Canoe Gang disciple had been shouting orders at a group of laborers when he was suddenly lifted by a tremendous force, and fury first welled up within him.
But when he turned his head and saw Qin Zheng's violent expression, he was so frightened he nearly wet himself.
Wasn't this the lord who had pierced straight through the Gathering Heroes Pavilion with a single slash a few days ago?!
Had the chief provoked him again?!
Fear surged through him, and he immediately said in a trembling voice, "Lord Qin... the chief is recovering from his injuries at the headquarters... He isn't here."
"Take me there!"
Qin Zheng released him and barked coldly.
The Canoe Gang minor leader repeatedly nodded at once, leading the way ahead as he brought Qin Zheng toward the Canoe Gang headquarters.
The sight caused everyone at the docks to look over, but no one knew what had happened.
Under the minor leader's guidance, Qin Zheng quickly arrived at the Canoe Gang headquarters.
"Who goes there—"
The disciples guarding the main gate on both sides had initially seen Qin Zheng's coarse cloth attire from afar and wanted to shout him to a halt.
But upon seeing his face, every one of them wilted, ingratiating smiles appearing on their cold faces.
Qin Zheng paid them no attention and followed the minor leader straight into the Canoe Gang headquarters.
Along the way, seeing Qin Zheng's violent face and the dense killing intent radiating from him, the Canoe Gang disciples all felt their hearts turn cold.
Before long, Qin Zheng saw Zhang Wei, the Canoe Gang's chief.
Bandages wrapped his body as he sat in a reclining chair, with two beauties attending him at his side.
Upon seeing Qin Zheng, surprise appeared on his face, after which he waved away everyone around him.
"Brother Qin, you're back?"
Zhang Wei rose to his feet and said with a smile.
But Qin Zheng stepped forward in a single stride and shook his shoulder. The Ghost-Head Saber fell into his hand.
As the long saber swept down, it seemed capable of slicing the air apart.
In the end, its sharp edge came to rest right against Zhang Wei's neck.
The movement was swift and fierce, without the slightest hesitation, leaving even Zhang Wei, a veteran Muscle-Refining Realm martial artist, no time to react.
In an instant, cold sweat appeared on Zhang Wei's forehead and dripped down as an intense sense of impending death erupted within him!
He had actually become this strong?!!
At that moment, Zhang Wei's heart held nothing but frantic shock and deep fear.
"The courtyard in the south of the city. Where are the people under my protection?!"
Qin Zheng looked at him and spoke coldly, getting straight to the point.
Brothers, tomorrow is Tuesday, the day Qidian checks follow-up reading data to determine recommendation placements. The fate of this book rests in your hands. I sincerely beg everyone to help this little author tomorrow by reading through to the latest chapter and following along. Please!
Before you continue