Volume One, Chapter 18: Hunting Li Ergou

Li Ergou rolled his eyes at his lackey. "What a blockhead," he muttered.

Face flushed with rage, Li Ergou kicked the man hard and roared, "Get out of here! Chase him down, you idiots!"

After pursuing for some distance, Li Ergou looked around, but could find no trace of Liu Feng. "Damn it! What is this kid made of? He runs so fast, it’s like he vanished into thin air!"

He stomped his feet in frustration while his lackeys stood around, looking at each other in confusion.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, one of the men let out a blood-curdling scream. A sharpened log had sprung from the ground, piercing straight through his chest. Blood sprayed everywhere. The man’s eyes bulged, his face still twisted in terror, before he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"Damn it..." Li Ergou, now even more furious, screamed at the top of his lungs, "Liu Feng, you coward! If you’ve got the guts, come out and fight your Grandpa Li to the death! Hiding like a rat—is that all you’ve got? You think you’re something special because you have two pretty wives? Just you wait! Now that Master Zhang is gone, once I kill you, I’ll ravage your wives and show them what a real man is!"

Hidden in the shadows, Liu Feng’s gaze was as cold as a serpent’s, his face devoid of emotion. Li Ergou had many men; if he engaged them head-on, he could kill them, but the situation was different now. If he were to sustain even a minor injury, he would have no way to treat it on this mountain, which would be disastrous. His only option was to slowly whittle down their numbers and wait for the perfect moment to strike.

As a top-tier mercenary, he had seen it all; he would not let the enemy's insults cloud his judgment. He slowly raised his crossbow, took an ordinary arrow from his quiver, steadied it on the string, and aimed at one of the men beside Li Ergou. He didn't aim for Li Ergou yet. He would clear out these minions first, then deal with him slowly, making him realize how miserable the price would be for coveting his wife.

*Whoosh!*

The arrow tore through the air like a meteor, instantly piercing the throat of a henchman. Blood gushed out; the man clutched his neck, let out a painful gurgle, and slowly slumped to the ground.

"Over there! Get him!" Li Ergou shouted, pointing in the direction of the arrow, and charged forward with his remaining men.

Liu Feng remained unhurried, drawing his bow again. The string hummed, and another man fell to the ground, his chest pierced by an arrow that embedded itself deeply into a thick tree trunk behind him.

In the blink of an eye, only two men remained by Li Ergou’s side. Their faces were deathly pale, their legs shaking so violently they could barely stand.

"Die!" Li Ergou roared, locking his eyes on Liu Feng’s shadowed figure and charging with his heavy blade raised.

Liu Feng calmly stowed his bow and drew the steel spear from his back.

*Clang!*

Blade met spear, showering the air with sparks. Liu Feng delivered a crushing blow, his spear descending with the force of a falling mountain. Li Ergou felt a massive surge of power, his arm went numb, and he was forced back several steps.

Seizing the opportunity, Liu Feng flashed forward toward the two terrified lackeys. The cold glint of the spear tip flickered, and one man fell, clutching his spurting throat. Without pausing, Liu Feng spun around and vanished into the brush, perfectly executing the mercenary’s creed of striking and retreating, always focused on the final objective.

"Chase him!" Li Ergou’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. He rushed forward recklessly, completely oblivious as his last man was struck in the throat by a stray arrow. The man stared ahead in disbelief before slowly collapsing.

And so, Li Ergou was left alone. His eyes were scarlet, like a bloodthirsty beast, as he stared at Liu Feng’s retreating back and gave chase with everything he had.

Before long, Li Ergou was panting, his clothes soaked in sweat. Whatever stamina Liu Feng had, even if this body was somewhat weak, his experience as a mercenary gave him the edge. In a test of endurance like this, Liu Feng completely crushed him. He was just a fool walking to his death; if Liu Feng hadn't wanted to make him suffer, he would have ended him with a single arrow long ago.

Li Ergou chased desperately, but he couldn't catch up. He swung his blade wildly, hacking through branches and bushes, cursing incessantly. "Liu Feng, you damned bastard! Do you think hiding can change your fate? Just you wait! Tonight, I’ll have your two wives, and I’ll make sure you don't find peace even in the afterlife. The way they scream will be delightful, ha ha ha..."

Li Ergou cursed with vigor, but finally, after rounding a turn, he stopped. Liu Feng had halted in a relatively open clearing in the woods, slowly turning around to stare coldly at the approaching Li Ergou.

"The feng shui here is good," Liu Feng said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "It’s a suitable place for your grave. Let it serve as your final resting place; consider it a stroke of luck."

"You spew nothing but filth. I will cut out your tongue first, then gouge out your eyes as punishment for desecrating my wife. Finally, I will leave you in these mountains for the wild beasts to tear you apart, chew you up, and scatter your remains."

Li Ergou spat on the ground and sneered, "Go to hell! Those are the words I should be saying to you!"

With that, he brandished his blade and charged at Liu Feng. The two clashed once more. Although Li Ergou was aggressive, he was no match for Liu Feng. Even with full stamina, he wouldn't have been a rival, let alone in his current state. With his energy nearly spent, he was no match for a seasoned mercenary. Liu Feng’s moves were precise and ruthless; Li Ergou was soon reduced to merely parrying, unable to mount a counterattack. After a few rounds, Li Ergou was covered in wounds, his rough linen clothes soaked in blood.

"First, for your vile words and coveting my wife. Second, for your arrogance in kicking down my door. Third, for making my wife cry in fear. Fourth, for your manipulation that led me to addiction and caused me to hurt my own wife. For each of these, you deserve death. I will collect this debt with your life!"

Liu Feng raised his spear high. Sunlight pierced through the leaves and mist, casting a chilling glint on the spearhead. Just as he prepared to deliver the final blow, a bone-chilling cold surged from his feet to his scalp. His sixth sense as a top-tier assassin screamed a warning—a lethal danger was approaching. He instinctively stepped back, bracing himself.

Li Ergou froze as well, an unprecedented terror flashing in his eyes, an instinctive tremor seizing his entire body.

A deafening roar suddenly erupted, like a crack of thunder. It was so loud that Liu Feng felt his eardrums might burst. The surrounding trees trembled, leaves showered down like rain, and a flock of birds took flight in a panic, forming a dark, oppressive cloud in the sky.

Liu Feng’s grip on his spear tightened until his knuckles turned white. The person approaching was undoubtedly a master.