Chapter 26: Using a Broadsword to Kill a Chicken?

"Watch out!"

"Are your eyes just holes for decoration? What a waste!"

Atop the rammed earth courtyard wall, a burly, rugged man with a thick beard barked in a low voice at the younger fellow scouting ahead. The young man dared not retort, hurriedly nodding and bowing in apology.

Nearby, Hou Wu, who had also climbed onto the wall, chuckled quietly and said, "Second Master, you don't need to be so cautious. That bastard surnamed Li is nothing more than a penniless scholar—weak as a kitten and utterly useless! Besides, his house is at the edge of the village, with hardly any neighbors around. As long as we don't make a ruckus, no one will notice a thing. Once we've dealt with that wretch, his lovely young wife will be yours to enjoy first, Second Master..."

Hou Wu was laying it on thick, trying to curry favor with the bearded man. This time, to fulfill Xue An's instructions and secure his place with the Xue family, Hou Wu had gone to great lengths, especially by bringing along this formidable Second Master as backup.

"Well, you have a point," Second Master replied with a sneer, holding a knife in one hand. With a single push, he leapt down from the wall with flair and declared, "Hou Wu, calling me out for this is like using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken. But for the sake of those sixty taels of silver, I won't hold it against you. Now, hurry up and keep up! Let's get this done quickly—I've got women waiting for me back at the brothel."

With that, Second Master swaggered into the courtyard. "Alright," Hou Wu replied eagerly, hopping down to follow him, his face twisted with excitement like a demon on the prowl.

Li, you miserable wretch, your day of reckoning has come! Let's see how your Fifth Master deals with you. You’ll regret ever being born!

Soon, the three of them reached the door. Second Master shot a glance at the young man, who immediately understood. Producing a small tool, he slipped it into the crack of the door. Clearly, this young man was the skilled hand—his job was to pick the lock.

Meanwhile, in the small east kitchen, the old village chief silently held up three fingers to Li Yuanjing, who instantly understood: Hou Wu’s group consisted of only three men. Li Yuanjing found this almost laughable—just moments ago, Second Master had boasted he was overqualified for the job, and now it seemed Li Yuanjing himself had overestimated Hou Wu’s abilities.

Still, though everything was under control, Li Yuanjing remained cautious. He nodded to the old village chief, tacitly handing over command of this small skirmish.

The village chief was all the more satisfied with Li Yuanjing's composure, admiring the young man’s ability to remain calm under pressure. With a meaningful glance, he crept quietly to the kitchen door. Li Yuanjing, meanwhile, gave Yuniang a reassuring squeeze before following closely behind.

Yuniang, terrified, could not stop her tears from streaming, yet she bit her soft lips, refusing to make a sound. All she could do was pray silently to the gods and spirits above to protect her brother.

The young man at the door proved himself skilled, quickly picking the bolt and carefully pushing the door open a crack. By the firelight, the quilt atop the kang was noticeably puffed up, clearly showing two figures fast asleep. Second Master grinned wickedly and gestured for Hou Wu and the youth to enter first.

Hou Wu and his companion, already brimming with excitement, gripped their cleavers and charged inside.

Crash!

But the moment they crossed the threshold, one of them—whether Hou Wu or the youth—tripped over something and both fell to the ground with a cry. At that instant, a large basin of ice-cold water crashed down on their heads.

The old village chief, seeing the moment was ripe, charged out with his knife, shouting, "Attack! Kill these thieves!"

From the other side of the room, Zhang Kun and Zhao Zengjin, who had been lying in wait, leapt out with a shout, rushing at the prone Hou Wu and his companion.

"Not good! Time to run!" Second Master was quick-witted—he had remained at the doorway and, seeing the ambush, yelled out before leaping down the broken steps to escape.

But the old village chief had been waiting for this. Without a word, he swung his knife straight at Second Master’s head.

"Ah—!"

Inside the room, Hou Wu and the young man had already met their end at Zhang Kun and Zhao Zengjin's hands—shrieks and the stench of blood filled the air.

Second Master, struggling against the old man’s assault, was shaken by the screams behind him and instinctively glanced back.

Clang!

The harsh ring of metal striking metal echoed out as the old village chief’s regulation army blade clashed with Second Master’s heavy knife.

"Old fool, I'll kill you!" Second Master roared.

Though the old chief had the advantage of surprise, age had taken its toll on his strength. Not only did he fail to subdue Second Master, but his hand throbbed from the impact.

Second Master was clearly a seasoned fighter. In a flash, he spotted the old chief’s weakness and, with a shout, swung his blade at the old man’s face. Though the chief’s army blade was finer and sharper, in close combat, the heavier weapon held the advantage—especially since Second Master was a brute of a man, with terrifying force behind his blows.

Clang!

Another fierce clash rang out, sparks flying. The old chief managed to withstand the blow, but his balance failed him, and he fell hard onto his backside, a sweet metallic taste rising in his throat.

"You decrepit old bastard, die for me!" Second Master snarled, seizing the moment to finish the job.

"It's over for me," the old chief thought in despair, closing his eyes in pain. The doorway was cluttered, making it impossible for Zhang Kun and Zhao Zengjin to come to his aid in time.

But just as he was about to give up hope, a sudden cloud of white dust swept before his eyes, making him instinctively squeeze them shut.

"Ah—!"

If the old chief was caught off guard, Second Master, at the center of the lime powder’s assault, suffered even worse. In an instant, the burning agony of high-grade lime in his eyes made him scream like a stuck pig, dropping to the ground in pain.

But before he could even collapse, a sharp hatchet plunged mercilessly into his side, straight through to his back.

Li Yuanjing, committing his first killing, didn’t dare hesitate. Afraid the man might not die immediately, he abandoned the hatchet and smashed his fist into Second Master's face.

Second Master was already barely able to breathe; this brutal punch nearly knocked him out cold. But Li Yuanjing wasn’t finished. Using his full weight, he knocked Second Master to the ground, straddled him, and rained down blows on his face like a hailstorm.

In moments, Second Master’s face was pounded into a bloody pulp.

By the time Zhang Kun, Zhao Zengjin, and the old village chief—who had just struggled to his feet—arrived, they were all stunned speechless by what they saw.