Kill Zhang Quan

Zhang Quan wore a faintly mocking smile, his gaze cold and sinister. Hatred churned within him, nearly drowning all reason.

He had never expected this little brat, whom he had never taken seriously, to dare stab him in the back.

Meeting Zhang Quan's vicious gaze, Wen Qingkong's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood.

It was because of Old Cai.

He had exposed himself through the stitching.

The stitches on Old Cai's three corpses were fine and meticulous, displaying exceptional skill. Old Cai did not possess such skill, nor did any of the other Corpse Seamstresses.

Zhang Quan had seized on that point.

He had realized that Wen Qingkong had secretly helped Old Cai.

In the end, Wen Qingkong had not expected Old Cai to dare splatter Zhang Quan's blood within five paces. Zhang Quan therefore hated Old Cai to the extreme—and hated Wen Qingkong, who had helped him, just as much.

The two Yamen Runners in dark uniforms and boots shifted their feet, closing in on Wen Qingkong from the left and right.

Zhang Quan looked up toward the second floor.

"Your newlywed wife is quite pretty. If she were sold off, she should fetch a decent price."

He gave a cold chuckle and glared down at Wen Qingkong, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"You little bastard, who do you think you are?"

"You saw that Cai fellow was pitiful, so you helped him?"

"Can you afford the price?"

"I'll teach you a lesson today and let you know the consequences of meddling in other people's business!"

The Yamen Runners on either side stepped forward and took fighting stances.

Wen Qingkong remained calm on the surface, but he was already prepared to kill his way out.

It was a pity to abandon such a fine Corpse Seamstress Workshop.

He had planned to lie low here for a while longer.

"Sir!"

"Eunuch Cao has arrived!"

At that critical moment, a Yamen Runner rushed to the doorway with an urgent expression.

Zhang Quan frowned.

But he quickly made his choice.

Wen Qingkong could be dealt with anytime, but he did not dare make Eunuch Cao wait.

"Little bastard, wait until I'm done and come back to deal with you!"

After saying that, Zhang Quan had the Yamen Runners load Zhou Wu's corpse onto a cart, then hurried toward the office.

"Eunuch Cao..."

Wen Qingkong murmured.

He tidied himself up slightly and quickly went upstairs.

Li Lan'er had already gotten up with Shuang'er and was cleaning up.

Wen Qingkong said, "I have something to do today, so I'm going out. If anyone comes looking for me, say I'm asleep and tell them to wait until I wake up. Do not open the door, no matter what."

Li Lan'er's heart pounded as worry showed on her face.

Wen Qingkong smiled and reassured her. "It's nothing, just a small matter. If it were truly serious, we'd already be running away."

Hearing him say that, Li Lan'er relaxed considerably.

Wen Qingkong watched her lock the doors and windows. Then he changed into black clothes and used a piece of black cloth to cover half his face.

Leaping across rooftops, he raced toward Zhang Quan's office.

Zhang Quan was a man who held grudges. Since he had set his sights on Wen Qingkong, he would definitely retaliate.

At that point, Wen Qingkong would have no choice but to reveal his martial arts, kill Zhang Quan, and flee.

Because once someone like Zhang Quan had decided something, he would not care how Wen Qingkong explained or proved himself. He would simply act.

Fortunately, Wen Qingkong had caught a rare stroke of luck. This Eunuch Cao had summoned Zhang Quan away.

As long as he killed Zhang Quan and those two Yamen Runners near the office, he could retain his identity as a Corpse Seamstress and continue lying low in Corpse Seamstress House Number Nine.

Wen Qingkong lay prone behind the roof ridge, holding his breath and focusing. A sudden sense of tension seized him, like a cat with its fur standing on end. He did not dare make the slightest movement, even stopping his breathing.

He saw a pale, beardless eunuch with a thin frame and an effeminate air about him emerge from the office under Zhang Quan's escort.

An immense sense of danger rose in Wen Qingkong's heart, making every hair on his body stand on end. A chill crept up from his tailbone and shot straight to the back of his head.

This eunuch had to be Eunuch Cao.

His martial arts had to be terrifyingly powerful.

Otherwise, he would not have given Wen Qingkong such a feeling.

Suddenly, the eunuch paused and glanced toward the roof ridge where Wen Qingkong lay hidden. He lingered for a moment before leaving.

Wen Qingkong remained prone and did not dare show himself.

He silently calculated the time.

One incense stick, two incense sticks, three incense sticks...

Wen Qingkong had a hunch. It was the instinct he had developed through countless missions in his previous life as a soldier.

He was in danger now. He absolutely could not make any move.

Four incense sticks, five incense sticks.

"Eunuch Cao, why have you come back again?"

Zhang Quan's voice rang out once more.

"I've lost something. I came back to see if I left it here."

The sharp, effeminate voice made Wen Qingkong break out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, the instincts he had accumulated on the battlefield had not faded. This eunuch must have sensed that something might be wrong here, but he had not been certain, so he deliberately waited a full five incense sticks before returning.

Only after confirming that nothing was wrong did he relax. Along with Zhang Quan's fawning voice, the dangerous feeling in Wen Qingkong's heart finally faded away.

Wen Qingkong waited a while longer. Once he confirmed that the eunuch had left, he quietly raised his head and carefully observed the area.

Who exactly was this eunuch?

Just what realm had his martial arts reached?

At the very least, neither the monk nor Zhou Wu, whose stitching memories Wen Qingkong had inherited, had been a match for this eunuch.

Wen Qingkong recalled the scene from the monk's memories, where Marquis Lingwu of the imperial army shattered the monk's Shaolin Golden Bell Shield with a single palm strike and killed him.

He wondered whose martial arts were greater: Marquis Lingwu's or this eunuch's.

After confirming that the eunuch had left, Wen Qingkong leaped down.

Near the office, the two Yamen Runners in dark uniforms who had previously followed Zhang Quan to collect the corpse were chatting and boasting.

The two men only saw a flash before their eyes, then found themselves unable to breathe. Their vision went black, and their lives ended.

Wen Qingkong shattered their throats, caught them after they died, and slowly lowered them down.

Then he quickly knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Wen Qingkong pushed the door open and slipped inside.

"What is it?"

"..."

"Who are you?"

Zhang Quan looked at the black-clad man before him and rose in terror.

Wen Qingkong had no intention of speaking to him. He lunged forward and threw a punch!

Zhang Quan had some fighting ability, but he was only at the level of an ordinary man. He was not even a martial artist, much less capable of avoiding Wen Qingkong's full-force strike.

Bang!

Wen Qingkong's fist slammed into Zhang Quan's chest.

Zhang Quan's internal organs were instantly pulverized by the force of the blow.

After killing Zhang Quan, Wen Qingkong dragged the two Yamen Runners inside as well.

Finally, he set the office on fire.

The eunuch's appearance had made Wen Qingkong realize that his martial arts were still too weak. If he left the corpses of Zhang Quan and the other two behind, some expert might notice something.

After all, no one knew what special abilities those experts might possess.

It was better to burn everything and put an end to all trouble.

After finishing everything, Wen Qingkong fled through the air.

He returned to Corpse Seamstress House Number Nine, changed out of his clothes, and went upstairs.

When Li Lan'er saw that it was him, she opened the door.

"Did anyone come looking for me?"

Li Lan'er shook her head.

Wen Qingkong said, "Remember, I never went out today."

Li Lan'er hurriedly nodded and said firmly, "This servant understands."