The clack of the third-watch night watchman's clapper sounded in the distance, breaking the dead silence of the night.
Just then, an extremely faint rustling drew closer.
The lame youth, Su Tong, arrived as promised and raised his hand to tap three times on the wooden door. The hinges turned with a creak.
A narrow gap appeared.
Qing Chen and Qing Jie had long been waiting by the stone blocks below. Seeing the youth approach, they stepped out soundlessly.
Su Tong hurried closer and lowered his voice. "Big brother, our chance has come! As you instructed, I gave the thugs in the compound only a light dose. It'll take a while to kick in.
"They've eaten and drunk their fill now. The two leaders and several lesser bosses have all taken the young ladies and maids they abducted back to their rooms to have their fun."
As he spoke, Su Tong caught sight of the cold gleam of the saber in Qing Chen's hand. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he involuntarily gulped.
"Lead the way. We'll go to Golden-Eyed Eagle first."
Qing Chen nodded approvingly, his voice low, without a single wasted word.
He turned to Qing Jie. "Guard the main gate. Don't let anyone out.
"The people inside have been drinking and have been drugged. They won't be able to pull any tricks and won't have much fight in them. Be ruthless."
"Golden-Eyed Eagle's bedroom is in the third courtyard of the west wing. The carved wooden door has a beast-head bronze ring. Iron-Winged Hawk is in the east wing..." Su Tong hastily added.
"Go."
Qing Chen cut him off, his right hand gripping the saber tightly.
With the arrangements made, Qing Chen followed the lame youth, slipping sideways into the residence.
The vermilion main gate stood ajar, the rich aroma of wine and food drifting through the gap.
This had once been the residence of a wealthy family. Though it had now fallen into decline, traces of its former grandeur remained.
The spacious courtyard and exquisite rock gardens, even overgrown with weeds, could hardly conceal their former extravagance.
The lame youth led the way, moonlight casting their shadows onto the mottled spirit screen, now visible, now hidden.
At times they hugged the walls, concealing themselves in the shadows; at others they hid behind the rock gardens;
They deftly avoided several lackeys wandering about the courtyard after getting "drunk."
As they rounded a rock garden piled from Taihu stones, a woman's moans suddenly drifted through the night breeze, sounding both pained and pleasured, enough to melt the soul and eat into the bones.
Su Tong stiffened, his breathing suddenly growing heavy. He swallowed, and cold sweat seeped into his palms.
"Turn left," Su Tong whispered, pointing toward the covered walkway. "Through that moon gate..."
The instant the two passed through the moon gate, a burst of lewd laughter tore through the night sky.
A woman's stifled sobs mingled with a man's roars, like a dull knife scraping viciously across everyone's eardrums.
The west-wing room drew closer and closer. The beast-head bronze ring on its door gleamed coldly in the moonlight, giving off a savage air.
Just then, Golden-Eyed Eagle's wild laughter erupted from inside. "Little lady, scream louder!
"Let the brothers outside hear the voice of the Liu family's young lady too! It feels so damn good hearing you, hahahaha!"
Hearing that voice, Su Tong clenched his hands until his knuckles turned white, and his body began to tremble.
Qing Chen reacted instantly. One iron-clamp hand seized the back of his neck while the other covered his mouth and nose.
Qing Chen remained unmoved by any of it.
The woman's fate did not factor into his calculations at this moment.
All his attention was focused on listening to the movements inside the room, intent only on waiting for the drug to take effect.
Inside, the red sandalwood bed creaked loudly, and Golden-Eyed Eagle's wild laughter turned into rapid breathing!
"You've got some strength in you, little lady. If I hadn't been drinking, I'd have swallowed you alive already! I've sampled one of those trained courtesans before, but you, the Liu family's young lady, are even more coy than a whore! Your clothes are already off. What are you still pretending for?"
Qing Chen pressed close to the wall, silently counting the time.
As the sounds inside gradually diminished, Golden-Eyed Eagle's curses also grew weak.
A little while later, a cold glint flashed through Qing Chen's eyes. He knew the drug had begun to take effect.
The chance was here!
He shoved the door hard, not expecting it to be unlocked.
In an instant, Qing Chen pounced into the room like a wildcat.
On the bed, the Liu family's young lady huddled in a corner in terror, holding a quilt over herself.
Golden-Eyed Eagle shook his head, trying to dispel the dizziness brought on by the drug. The three-inch scar on the back of his head resembled an ugly centipede.
On his back, a tattoo of a green-faced, fang-toothed yaksha bared its claws, contrasting with his dazzlingly white belly. His right hand still clutched half a torn piece of clothing.
His massive body swayed on the bed. Clearly, the knockout drug had begun to work, leaving his limbs weak and his consciousness hazy.
"You are..."
Golden-Eyed Eagle had barely uttered those words when Qing Chen's saber swept toward him with a shriek of wind.
The blade traced a half-moon through the waterlike moonlight, flashing with a chilling gleam.
Golden-Eyed Eagle's scalp prickled with terror. He hastily used Eagle Claw Art to block, but the drug dulled his reactions, making his movement a beat too slow.
The sharp blade cut precisely into his right hand, sending blood spraying like a fountain and nearly severing it!
Immediately afterward, Qing Chen turned his wrist and delivered a backhand slash. The blade's gleam wheeled back, slicing his hand clean off at the wrist.
The severed hand fell. Golden-Eyed Eagle's eyes went round, pain written all over his face.
But before he could recover, Qing Chen's scabbard slammed onto the crown of his head with tremendous force.
Thud!
Amid the sharp crack of bones, the heavy blow shook blood from all seven of Golden-Eyed Eagle's orifices, leaving his body swaying on the verge of collapse.
He was just about to open his mouth to call for help when Qing Chen, without hesitation, drove the blade's tip into his throat with the precision of a venomous snake!
"Urgh!"
The blade's tip pierced the soft flesh and stopped against the hard cervical vertebrae, producing a teeth-grating scraping sound.
One strike, a fatal blow-ruthless!
At the same time, the Liu family's young lady, huddled in the corner of the bed, witnessed the bloody scene. Her pupils abruptly contracted, and her mouth opened wide.
She absolutely could not be allowed to scream!
Qing Chen pushed off with his toes and swiftly swept across the bed. His left hand shot out like lightning-not to strike an acupoint, not to deliver a knife-hand blow, but to clamp directly over her mouth and nose.
His right hand pressed against the back of her head, and he twisted with merciless force!
A sharp crack rang out.
The woman's neck broke, and the scream she had yet to release became a muffled whimper in her throat.
Qing Chen reached out and steadily caught the limp, falling corpse, gently lowering it to avoid making a sound.
The entire process was calm and efficient, without the slightest hesitation.
"Whew!"
Qing Chen let out a long breath. To keep this woman's scream from ruining the plan, he had decisively killed her.
At the sight, Su Tong's eyes reddened, and a trace of grief appeared on his face. Then his stomach churned like rivers and seas overturned, and he nearly vomited.
Qing Chen patted his shoulder and said in a low voice, "If she hadn't died and had screamed, we would have had to die.
"Think of your elder sister. To escape the Twin Eagles Association's control and live a peaceful life, you have to pull yourself together."
The lame youth took a deep breath, drew a short dagger from his sleeve, and viciously stabbed Golden-Eyed Eagle's corpse several times.
He vented all the resentment that had long been pent up in his heart.