Clearing Out the Trash

The last remaining lackey was scared out of his wits by Xiao Yan's icy words and the threat of death looming right before him. He had never been made of stern stuff; he had merely tagged along with the powerful men back home. When had he ever witnessed such eerie, silent methods? The sight of his companions vanishing into nothing in an instant utterly shattered his defenses.

He nodded over and over, so violently that he seemed about to snap his own neck. Hoarse gasps rattled in his throat, his eyes brimming with pleading and terror. He no longer dared entertain even the slightest thought of resistance.

There was no need for much interrogation. The fellow, as timid as a mouse, spilled everything he knew like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube. That included the location of their hideout, the number of people guarding the children, and the exact places where those children "worked." His words tumbled out incoherently, his voice trembling, as he begged only to keep his miserable life.

Xiao Yan marked each location on the map, then handed it to Xiao Yi. Their eyes met, and without another word, they reached an understanding. "I've marked the locations. I'll leave finding the children to you. I'll be right back."

Xiao Yi nodded and glanced at the ring again before turning to push his strange-looking bicycle. In an easygoing tone, he told the children, "Don't be scared. The snow monsters caught all the bad men. Do you have any other friends? Where are they? I'll take you somewhere safe..."

The lackey was still kneeling in the snow, tears and snot streaming down his face as he begged for mercy. "Spare me, sir! Please spare me! I've told you everything! Please let me live!"

Xiao Yan's face remained expressionless, his voice icy. "Take me to your den."

With the trembling lackey leading the way, Xiao Yan followed like a specter come to claim lives. They passed through several even more secluded alleys, where the snow lay deeper, and soon arrived before a small, dilapidated courtyard.

Outside the rundown courtyard, the walls were low and the gate stood ajar. The clamor of drinking games could faintly be heard from within, along with the aroma of wine and meat. Clearly, the people here still knew nothing of what had happened outside.

Xiao Yan's gaze turned cold. Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed open the gate and walked inside. A handful of men were gathered around a greasy wooden table, eating and drinking heartily amid a jumble of cups and dishes. At Xiao Yan's sudden intrusion, they first froze, then fierce expressions spread across their faces. One man slammed his hand on the table and sprang up, about to curse at him.

But in the next instant, ghastly white flames swept through the entire courtyard like a cold tide surging from the depths of the netherworld. There were no screams, no struggles, only the faint hiss of flames burning silently. In the blink of an eye, the clamor and figures vanished without a trace. Only a few human-shaped heaps of ash remained, along with a tableful of unfinished wine and meat, steeped in an eerie deathly stillness in the gentle breeze.

Yao Chen sighed softly inside the ring. He had long since grown accustomed to such scenes, though he could not help reflecting that these scum who preyed on the weak deserved every bit of their deaths.

Xiao Yan stood at the courtyard gate, looking at the now-empty patches of ground where white smoke had risen moments earlier. A strange feeling welled up inside him.

All of this... ended a little too quickly. From discovering the clues to eliminating every villain, he had barely needed to lift a finger. Vile though those men had been, their silent disappearance, without even the slightest chance to resist, left him feeling that it was somehow unreal.

Just as doubts arose in Xiao Yan's heart, Yao Lao's slightly disdainful voice sounded in his mind. "What? Think it was too easy? They were nothing but scum who bullied the weak and feared the strong, targeting children in particular. How much strength could they possibly have? If they truly had any ability, why would they stoop to such dirty business? Don't overthink it. Dealing with those degenerates just now was nothing more than burning a few pieces of trash."

Xiao Yan fell silent at Yao Lao's explanation. Indeed, there was no need to feel anything when dealing with villains like these. What he had just done was merely clearing out the trash.

By the time the dust in the courtyard had settled, Xiao Yi arrived with the little beggars from the alley entrance, along with others he had brought from elsewhere.

After Xiao Yi soothed the children and gathered them temporarily in a corner of the rundown courtyard that still offered some shelter from the wind, Yao Lao's voice sounded in Xiao Yan's mind again, this time with a hint of gravity.

"These children have suffered greatly. Their bodies are severely depleted, and some are also badly frightened. They need proper treatment to recover. Tell that lad to ride his 'bicycle' to an apothecary in the city and fetch some medicinal ingredients. Hmm... we'll need spirit-calming seeds to soothe their minds, spring-rejuvenating grass to strengthen their foundations and replenish their vitality, bone-melting essence copper and tendon-toughening vine to repair any hidden injuries, and blood-activating flowers to promote the circulation of blood and qi. Oh, and get some cold-averting wood as well. I'll do my best to keep the children from suffering any lasting effects."

Xiao Yan's heart stirred at those words. Leaving these children in the very place where they had suffered would probably make it impossible for them to feel at ease. It was no long-term solution, after all. These children needed a home where they could truly feel safe and warm.

Xiao Yan turned to Xiao Yi and said solemnly, "We shouldn't stay here. These children have suffered too much. I'll take them back to my old courtyard at the Xiao Clan first. It's simple, but at least it's safe, and it'll be easier to care for them there. Also, wait for me to write down the medicinal ingredients, then go buy them."

No sooner had Xiao Yan finished speaking than he noticed that money-grubber Xiao Yi scavenging the ill-gotten gains. "You certainly move fast..." Seeing Xiao Yi so consumed by his love of money, Xiao Yan could not resist making a jab, though there was little reproach in his tone. After all, buying medicinal ingredients required money. Meanwhile, he had already begun writing down the ingredients Yao Lao had just named.

Xiao Yi carefully tucked the money he had gathered into his clothes, stood up, and dusted off his hands. He grinned at Xiao Yan. "Of course! Even a tiny mosquito is still meat. This should be enough to buy some of what we need. Have you finished writing down the ingredients?"

At that, Xiao Yan immediately handed Xiao Yi the finished note. Taking it, Xiao Yi walked over to the bicycle by the gate. "You got it! Leave this to me! Take the children back to the Xiao Clan first. I'll be right back!"

He deftly righted the snow-covered bicycle parked by the courtyard gate, swung himself onto it, and pushed down on the pedals. The wheels rolled over the snow, and he soon disappeared around the corner of the alley, leaving only a winding trail of tire tracks behind.