Questioning

The moon rabbit hung high in the sky.

Suming County was much quieter beneath the night sky. Vast stretches lay pitch-black, with lights still burning only in certain places.

Outside a shabby house.

Zhou Muzhi wore blue martial robes, a band tied around his head, his entire outfit neat and trim.

He was walking forward with his hands behind his back, his steps steady, his footfalls sounding at an even rhythm.

Behind him, all expression had vanished from Lao Xu's face.

His face was solemn, and one palm, thick with calluses from practicing martial arts, rested against his saber's hilt, ready to draw at any moment.

"By the way, Lao Xu, what realm are you in?"

Zhou Muzhi disliked asking questions. This time, he only asked to make thorough preparations.

Lao Xu answered earnestly, "Young master, I haven't reached Gate Knocking yet. My martial skills count as major accomplishment within Body Condensation."

That seemed decent. At least in terms of strength, he could crush ordinary people.

Zhou Muzhi asked again, "Where does that put you in all of Suming County?"

Lao Xu answered honestly, "Somewhere in the middle, I suppose. In our little town, anyone who's passed Gate Knocking is an honored guest. Even entry-level Body Condensation is enough to land a good job. Of all the guards the Zhou Family hired, I'm the only one in Body Condensation."

Zhou Muzhi immediately had a rough idea. From the looks of things, his current realm already surpassed Lao Xu's. Still, considering the difference weapons made, he would not underestimate a weapon wielder like Lao Xu.

Finally, he added one more question.

"Would you dare kill someone?"

Lao Xu: "..."

Had things already gotten that serious?

After thinking it over, Lao Xu rubbed his neck, exhaled, and forced out his answer. "Yes!"

Just from witnessing Zhou Muzhi's miraculous rise over the past few days, he had already boarded the Zhou Family's great ship without realizing it.

Besides... the master had treated him well.

Whether this was a test or not, he had to stand on the right side.

"Good!"

Lao Xu's attitude greatly pleased Zhou Muzhi.

Outside the house, they could hear the sounds of drinking within, or people playing finger-guessing games. The clinking wine bowls and loud laughter sounded especially grating in the night.

Looking around, the neighboring houses were all fairly far apart.

Zhou Muzhi glanced around by moonlight and spotted a convenient place to scale the wall.

Strength surged throughout his body, and his feet seemed to grow a little lighter. Approaching the wall, he kicked off it and vaulted over.

Lao Xu followed close behind.

Once they landed inside the property, the drunken laughter became clearer still.

Zhou Muzhi stood in a corner by the wall and swept his gaze around, taking in everything inside.

First came the level courtyard within the property. The outer walls looked gray-black beneath the moonlight, and light spilled through a wooden door that had not been shut tightly.

Only after entering did he faintly hear a woman whimpering. Her voice was so quiet that it could not be heard outside.

Zhou Muzhi's expression did not change as he advanced step by step.

Lao Xu tightened his grip on his saber. The blade he carefully maintained every day gleamed like snow, and by the time he reached the doorway, he had drawn it completely.

Just as Zhou Muzhi prepared to kick the door in, a string of strange laughs came from inside.

"Boys, Old Man Wang's granddaughter really is a fresh little beauty. If we hadn't given him a thorough beating, we'd never have gotten our hands on her."

"Cut the crap. You're only going first because we lost to you at cards. Hurry the fuck up, got it?"

"Don't worry, Brother Gui. He'll only last a count of ten."

"Hahaha!"

Well, he had originally intended to rely mainly on intimidation.

Now he had another reason to act.

Lao Xu reacted more strongly than Zhou Muzhi. This middle-aged martial artist had a sound moral compass, and encountering such injustice inevitably angered him.

Had the fourth young master not been beside him, he might already have rushed in to mete out heaven's justice.

Bang!

The sound of the door being kicked open drowned out every other noise.

Zhou Muzhi kicked the door with one leg, using a little too much force and sending half of it flying.

Only when they heard the door panel hit the ground did the people inside snap to attention.

"Who the hell are you? Coming onto our turf in the middle of the night-got a death wish?"

A glance revealed four people inside, each looking like a vicious fiend. The most distinctive among them was the heavily built Brother Gui.

He had one foot on the floor and his other leg curled up on an armchair. Narrowing his eyes, he sized up the intruders, paying particular attention to the burly man with the drawn saber.

The brute carrying a girl in plain cloth clothes with her hands and feet bound was glaring at Zhou Muzhi in displeasure. He had also been the one to speak just now.

"What?" Zhou Muzhi stepped forward, pulled out a chair, and set it beneath himself. Once seated, he folded his arms. "Don't recognize me anymore?"

Brother Gui seemed to recall that face, and his pupils trembled.

He could hardly be blamed for only remembering now. In the past, Zhou Muzhi's face had reflected his depleted vitality and spirit.

Now he suddenly looked vigorous. Along with the changes to his skin, even his facial muscles had changed through martial training. It was perfectly normal not to recognize him.

"You... Zhou Muzhi!"

He looked as though he had seen a ghost, his face visibly paling.

Seeing his reaction, Zhou Muzhi knew he had come to the right place. He spoke softly. "Looks like you know something."

"I don't know anything!"

Brother Gui shook his head furiously, denying it over and over.

Having found a lead, Zhou Muzhi beckoned. "Lao Xu."

Martial men broke prohibitions through force. Once someone possessed power, only his own heart or an even greater power could restrain him.

Lao Xu's strength was formidable here. The person restraining him had indicated that he could act, and his own heart told him it was time to draw his blade.

Shing!

The long saber slashed down like a ribbon of snowy silk.

Not one of the four men in the room reacted in time. By the time they looked around in bewilderment,

the brute carrying the girl had had his throat cut and was falling to the floor, clutching his neck. His eyes bulged like those of a fish stranded on shore as he died.

Lao Xu moved faster still. He had already carried the girl around behind Zhou Muzhi before speaking quietly.

"Young master, this girl's blindfolded. Could we spare her?"

Zhou Muzhi: "..."

Right now, he really wanted to know exactly what sort of person Lao Xu thought he was.

"We won't kill her."

Hearing that, Lao Xu set her down and swept his saber down with one hand, cutting her bonds.

"Go. Forget everything you heard tonight."

The girl kept her eyes closed and slammed her head against the floor six or seven times, her tears never stopping for an instant. Whimpering, she had blood running from her forehead after only a few bows. Then she got up and left the place that had nearly ruined the rest of her life.

The three surviving men were all streaming cold sweat, especially Brother Gui, who swallowed with difficulty.

"Look, Young Master Zhou, this business of yours has nothing to do with me!"

"You don't have to talk." Zhou Muzhi's words had just allowed Brother Gui to breathe a sigh of relief when the rest nearly sent his soul flying out of his body again. "You have two choices. I kill you, or you kill me."

Brother Gui glanced at Lao Xu, who was wiping his saber with the fabric of his sleeve, and thought, What's the difference? I die either way.

Zhou Muzhi pursed his lips, then clicked his tongue again.

"I don't understand. I can take your life right now, yet you're still hesitating over whether to tell me what you know."

The moment his words fell,

a fierce gust swept past, forcing Brother Gui to squint.

Only after a muffled sound like a watermelon bursting did the smell of blood abruptly grow much stronger.

Brother Gui turned his stiff neck to the left, little by little. He could feel the stickiness on his face.

Zhou Muzhi still held his punching stance, his fist aimed at where his underling's head had been. Now, the place that had once held a head was empty.

Strength sufficient for Gate Knocking, combined with the explosive burst of a short-distance charge, had resulted in a single punch blasting the man's head apart.

With blood spattered across his face, Zhou Muzhi faced Brother Gui, spread his lips, and smiled. "I'll give you one more choice. Remember, just one."

This time, the sole surviving underling broke down first. Crying, he crawled to Brother Gui's legs and clutched his trouser cuff.

"Tell him, Brother Gui, or my head's going to explode."

Brother Gui's courage was completely gone as well. He slumped as though resigning himself to his fate and murmured, "I'll talk. I'll tell you everything I know."