Two chops to the neck, one to the head-even the King of Hell would call him dead (part two)

At those words, Fan Shang narrowed his eyes.

Looking at the idiot before him, Fan Shang, who was in a fairly good mood, felt amused enough to reply.

"I don't particularly want to answer a dumbass like you, but I'll say this: I don't have that many supplies, let alone a whole big bag."

Fan Shang was telling the truth. Even with the supplies he had scavenged from the vehicle and the one and three-quarter packets of instant noodles he already had, there wasn't enough to fill an entire bag.

"Huh?"

"Brother Li, let me explain. This kid says he doesn't have a whole bag's worth, but I saw his supplies just now. He's got plenty-enough for us to have a good meal."

The sleazy young man hurried to explain.

But upon hearing that, Fan Shang shook his head in refusal without a second thought.

"No can do. These are my supplies, and I never agreed to give them to you."

The sleazy young man looked a little stunned at first, then laughed.

"Hey, kid, Brother Li wants this stuff. You think you can just say no? Seems to me you don't quite understand the situation."

"Let me make this clear. Whether you agree or not, we're taking this vehicle, these supplies, and that axe."

"Anyone in favor? Anyone against?"

With that, the sleazy young man looked around.

The people around them began whispering.

"Fuck, Li Qiang and his three buddies actually got to him first. Damn it, what gives them the right? It's bad enough they keep taking supplies from everyone in the convoy because the Sequence Users don't interfere. Now a fat sheep finally shows up, and they're hogging him too. Why should they?"

"Heh, why should they? If you want a piece so badly, go up there yourself. Why even ask? What, nothing to say now? Don't tell me you're scared."

They traded remarks back and forth.

But most of what they said amounted to jealousy and resentment.

Aside from a few university students who protested the injustice, most people in the convoy said much the same thing.

Yet for all their talk and envy, not a single person dared step forward.

Li Qiang and his three companions had a vicious reputation.

Nobody wanted to risk getting hurt by clashing with them.

But while that was what everyone else thought, Li Qiang himself was starting to break out in a cold sweat.

Looking at the white-haired Fan Shang, he involuntarily took a step back.

Now he could be sure-no, he was absolutely certain.

Although some of the university students had dyed their hair white, Li Qiang was absolutely certain Fan Shang wasn't one of them.

At that thought, the implications began to terrify him.

After all, who was Fan Shang?

He was one of the lucky survivors who had finally made it back alive after the groups farther behind encountered supernatural horrors.

Yes, that identity made sense. It was perfectly plausible, and the state of his vehicle alone showed how dangerous his journey had been.

Yet this survivor, who had supposedly escaped pursuit by sheer luck, had returned with white hair after finally slipping free of those horrors.

That didn't quite add up.

After all, would someone running for his life dye his hair along the way? Did that make any sense?

In mere moments, Li Qiang had already thought of two possible reasons for Fan Shang's transformation.

The first was that his hair had changed because a supernatural horror attacked him. Perhaps one had parasitized him, or perhaps he had become one himself, or something else Li Qiang couldn't comprehend had happened.

The second was that Fan Shang hadn't escaped through luck at all. He had awakened a sequence and escaped through his own strength, with the white hair being a side effect of that awakening!

As for why Li Qiang knew so much, he had once wanted to become a sequence transcendent himself.

He had specifically asked the convoy's three Sequence Users about it.

But this clearly wasn't the time to dwell on that.

Because Li Qiang had realized something: whichever of those two possibilities was true...

Neither boded well for them.

With that in mind, Li Qiang was just about to stop them, but he was too late.

When Fan Shang remained silent, a mocking smile curled the sleazy young man's lips.

"What's wrong, kid? Cat got your tongue? Who are you trying to scare with that axe? Don't think a fire axe lets you do whatever you want. With that scrawny body, you'll probably drop dead after a few swings."

As he spoke, the sleazy young man peered into Fan Shang's vehicle, hoping to find something inside.

"So you'd better think carefully before you try anything. There are four of us, counting Brother Li. You'd better know what's good for you!"

Just as he finished, the sleazy young man spotted something inside Fan Shang's vehicle. Looking closer, he saw a black cat lying on the passenger seat.

His eyes widened, and he swallowed.

"Holy shit, is... is that a cat?"

His shock gave way to wild delight.

What did a cat mean? Meat! There was meat!

"Brother Wang, Brother Li, look! This kid's even got a cat in his vehicle. We've hit the jackpot!"

As he spoke, the sleazy young man reached inside.

In his mind, Fan Shang's continued silence after his threats meant the kid had already chickened out and posed no threat whatsoever.

But seeing this, Li Qiang wanted nothing more than to yank the idiot back and slap him twice.

Then a voice spoke.

It was slightly hoarse, with emotion held tightly in check.

"Hey."

"Keep your hands off my fucking cat. Got it?"

The sleazy young man's hand stopped.

His expression stiffened, but more than anything, he was annoyed that Fan Shang had interrupted him.

"Kid, were you talking to me?"

"..."

At those words, Brother Wang and the other man stepped forward, ready to surround Fan Shang.

But Fan Shang acted as though he hadn't noticed. He simply watched the young man and the hand reaching toward Little Black.

His face betrayed no emotion.

Yet the sight of that expression sent an inexplicable surge of anger through the young man.

What gave this kid the nerve to speak to him like that?

"You don't want me touching it? Well, I fucking will. What are you gonna do about it?"

As he spoke, the young man drew a knife and stabbed toward Little Black.

They were going to kill the cat for meat anyway, so he might as well slaughter the animal now.

As he struck, Brother Wang and the other man also drew their weapons-a knife and a steel pipe.

They intended to catch Fan Shang off guard and finish him while he was vulnerable.

But Fan Shang didn't even turn his head.

He lifted the fire axe slightly, then hurled it at the young man. Immediately afterward, his right hand shot out.

He grabbed the fruit knife Brother Wang was thrusting at him and drove it straight toward the other man's neck.

His reaction was so swift that Brother Wang couldn't respond, and the immense force nearly snapped his wrist.

A wet squelch rang out.

It was the sound of a blade sinking into flesh.

The fruit knife pierced right through the neck of the man holding the steel pipe. Dark red blood gushed out, coating the hand gripping it.

Before Brother Wang could recover, the steel pipe swung down with tremendous force.

It struck him squarely in the back of the head.

BAM!!

Brother Wang's mind reeled.

But Fan Shang clearly had no intention of letting him recover. He pulled the fruit knife out of the other man's neck and repeated the maneuver, driving it up beneath Brother Wang's jaw, through his mouth, and into his brain.

Another wet squelch! rang out as the blade sank into flesh.

The two men who had attacked Fan Shang fell to the ground, one clutching his neck and the other his chin.

They tried to stop the blood pouring out.

But it was useless. No matter how hard they pressed, the blood kept flowing.

They knew they were dying, yet their remaining awareness made them instinctively keep their hands in place.

All they wanted was to live a little longer.

It was a living creature's fear of death.

The entire process had taken Fan Shang less than five seconds.

Before anyone could react, another scream rang out.

"AAAAAH!!!"

They looked over to see the sleazy young man clutching his right hand and screaming.

A fire axe was embedded in his right hand, its sharp blade buried in the flesh as blood streamed out.

The agonizing pain twisted his face.

That was the very hand he had used to try to stab Little Black.

Watching him, Fan Shang remained expressionless and slowly walked toward him.

When he saw Fan Shang approaching...

Terror crept onto the young man's contorted face.

He didn't even have time to dwell on the pain before he began begging.

"Aaah! Y-you... don't come closer! Don't come closer..."

"P-please, spare... spare me! Let me live..."

Fan Shang said nothing to his pleas. He simply walked up to him in silence.

Then he crouched and wrenched the fire axe out of the young man's hand.

Another scream erupted.

"AAAAAH!!!"

Without a word, Fan Shang raised the fire axe high.

At the sight, even though the young man was already rolling on the ground in agony, he kept begging.

"P-please, spare me! D-don't you need supplies? I have lots of water and supplies. If you let me go, I'll give you all of them..."

"Just let me go! Just let me live! I... I can give you all that stuff..."

But Fan Shang couldn't have cared less.

After all, the supplies would still be his once he killed the young man. Besides, the bastard had tried to hurt his cat.

That alone was reason enough for him to die.

"It's fine. Be more careful in your next life!"

With that, Fan Shang gave him no chance to curse or say another word.

The fire axe swung straight down.

It struck his neck, knocking his head askew and exposing the spine within. His voice cut off abruptly.

But... that wasn't the end. Taking no chances...

Fan Shang raised the axe and swung again.

Two chops to the neck, one to the head-even the King of Hell would call him dead.

Everyone watching wore an expression of terror.

"Th-that's... that's brutal!"