Chapter 074: Assistance at the Turtle Dove Shop

The thief who broke into the Collared Dove Shop was slain by Li Dong with a single stroke of his blade; his weapon clattered to the ground before him. Li Dong bent down for a closer look and, to his astonishment, saw the characters for “Qin Family Forge” clearly inscribed on the weapon’s surface.

This discovery left Li Dong momentarily stunned. How could a thief come to possess a weapon forged by the Qin family?

There were thousands of miles between Dong’e and Qi County, and yet, after killing a random thief, he encountered a weapon from the Qin family. Was it because the Qin family’s reputation was so widespread and their weapons so numerous that one had found its way here, or had the local blacksmiths begun to imitate the Qin family’s mark?

Li Dong’s mind swirled with doubt. Did the other thieves also carry weapons bearing the same insignia?

“Master, your skills are as swift as they are clean—well done!” From a nearby hiding place, Cheng Yaojin whispered his admiration, flashing a thumbs-up in Li Dong’s direction, praising him for dispatching the thief in a single move, so swiftly that the man hadn’t even time to groan.

Li Dong nodded in acknowledgment, forcing a faint smile. What mattered now was to quickly determine whether the other thieves’ weapons bore the same mark.

He turned to pursue another group of thieves, Cheng Yaojin following closely behind.

After a short chase, they heard, not far ahead, a man’s raucous laughter mixed with desperate cries for help—the laughter brimming with arrogance and disdain. Thieves had certainly invaded the village ahead, and it seemed they had already succeeded in their plunder.

Li Dong crouched low, swiftly approaching the courtyard from which the laughter came.

The courtyard wall, built of yellow earth, stood about the height of a man but had crumbled and become pitted with age and neglect. Li Dong quietly rose, peering through a gap to survey the scene within.

Inside, more than a dozen thieves brandished weapons of varying lengths, hauling grain and valuables from the house. The family that owned the courtyard had been forced into a corner, two thieves pressing blades to their throats and chests, forcing them to watch helplessly as their hard-earned possessions were dragged away. They could do nothing but wail for help, their cries desperate and futile.

“Shut up! Wail again and I’ll send you to the underworld with a single slash!” one of the thieves barked, waving his long blade before their eyes—perhaps fearing discovery, knowing escape would be impossible if they were surrounded.

But the family, terrified beyond measure, only cried louder. The thief, enraged, raised his blade, intent on killing one or two of them as a warning.

At that critical moment, just as Li Dong prepared to rush in, he suddenly sensed a chill behind him—a gust of wind, and a shadow leapt past, vaulting into the yard.

The newcomer landed with both feet, swung his long spear, and roared, “Vile bandits, halt! Cheng Yaojin is here!”

A thief guarding the family, his back to Cheng Yaojin, hadn’t even turned before he felt a sudden pain in his chest; the spear tip had pierced from back to front, blood gushing from his body and pooling on the ground.

“Aaah!” the man howled in agony, terror in his eyes as he dropped his blade. His cry had scarcely begun when Cheng Yaojin jerked the spear free—blood sprayed several feet, splattering the family with crimson.

The other thieves had only just reacted when Cheng Yaojin spun his spear in a deadly dance, cutting down every last one in the courtyard within moments.

The homeowner, wiping his face, realized it was all blood. With mouth agape, he shouted, “Murder!” putting all his strength into that single, terrified cry.

Li Dong, unwilling to be outdone, quickly leapt into the yard as well. He picked up a weapon dropped by one of the thieves and, sure enough, it too bore the mark of the Qin Family Forge.

Just then, a shout came from outside—the thieves carrying grain had heard the commotion and were about to rush in. Li Dong concealed himself by the gate, ready to ambush them.

The first thief had barely stepped through the doorway when a spear flew past Li Dong, piercing the man’s chest and lifting him off his feet. With only a muffled groan, the thief’s body twitched and then lay still.

Li Dong cursed his luck.

He had not meant to kill the thief outright—his plan was to capture him alive and question him about the origin of the weapons before deciding his fate. But Cheng Yaojin’s swift and ruthless strike had ended the man’s life, foiling the plan.

Li Dong shook his head. Cheng Yaojin was still as bold and fearless as ever, and though not lacking in subtlety, he was not quite meticulous enough. Wasn’t that why, at his home, he’d failed to notice the flaw in the couplet Li Dong had composed?

If Qin Qiong had handled the matter, the outcome would surely have been different. Li Dong also thought of Luo Shixin, whom he had not seen in three days and missed dearly. If Luo had acted, he might have been even more formidable than Cheng Yaojin, perhaps tearing the thief in two with his bare hands.

At that moment, Cheng Yaojin bent to reassure the shaken family, telling them not to cry out further, for the bandits were all dead. He then went outside to retrieve the grain and valuables. Only then did the family regain their senses and thank the two men profusely.

With the matter settled, the pair left the courtyard. After a moment’s thought, Li Dong said, “Next time we encounter thieves, let’s keep one alive—I have questions to ask.”

Cheng Yaojin, a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and chuckled, “Alright. Your strategies are always brilliant—if you have a request, I’ll do as you say.”

Elsewhere, the third group of thieves was much larger than the previous two, numbering around one hundred and fifty. However, they were heading toward a large pond. The local militia had plenty of arrows and crossbows; if they could force the thieves to the water’s edge and unleash a volley, the odds would turn greatly in their favor.

By the time Li Dong and Cheng Yaojin reached the pond, they found the militia skulking like mice, furtively laying their trap. Upon seeing Cheng Yaojin, their spirits lifted, and one hurried over to report.

From their report, Li Dong and Cheng Yaojin learned that the largest group of thieves not only plundered money and grain, but also kidnapped people. Any village woman with a hint of beauty—some even well past their prime—had been seized, tied to horses, and were to be taken back to the bandits’ lair for their depraved pleasures.

Cheng Yaojin’s face darkened. “Not a single one must be allowed to escape!” he ordered. Then, recalling Li Dong’s request, he amended, “Leave one alive if you must!”

Li Dong added, “Keep one alive to question about their stronghold—it will help us root them out in the future!”

The militia nodded their understanding, quickly passing the message along before hiding themselves.

After some time had passed, a mass of horses appeared at the village head, each ridden by a bandit with a bound village woman thrown across the saddle. There were over a dozen women, their hands and feet tied, struggling desperately to escape their fate, their eyes filled with hope of rescue.

But no matter how they struggled, the ropes held fast, and their longing for salvation shone in their eyes.

Li Dong and Cheng Yaojin also hid, gripping their weapons tightly. With so many thieves on horseback and carrying the women, it was too risky to loose arrows en masse for fear of collateral harm. Only one method remained—to fight these ruthless killers face to face.

As the group of thieves reached the pond, Cheng Yaojin sprang out first, bellowing a thunderous battle cry: “Kill!”

Even as his shout faded, arrows began to fly, targeting the densest clusters of thieves without hostages. The ambush threw the thieves into chaos—horses rearing, men screaming, the air filled with the sounds of carnage. In moments, half their number had fallen.

Cheng Yaojin charged into their midst, his spear a whirlwind of death, killing everyone in his path until he was drenched in blood, his eyes blazing red. Where he passed, dismembered limbs and bloody rain stained the yellow earth.

Li Dong, too, dashed forward, wielding his sword’s scabbard as a club, smashing in the skulls of thieves—blood and brain matter mingling on their faces.

The pair fought with unmatched valor, the slaughter exhilarating.

The thieves faced arrows ahead, water behind, and two ferocious demons among them. Some, their courage failing, abandoned the women, the horses, even their loot, leaping into the water in a desperate bid for survival.

The militia emerged from hiding, killing enemies amid the chaos and freeing the captive women. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, nearly all the thieves were dead. A few managed to escape on horseback, fleeing the battlefield.

But men had been stationed in advance at the village outskirts, and their skills surpassed even Cheng Yaojin’s, so he was not worried.

Among the corpses, they found one man lightly wounded, groaning in pain. Like a chick snatched by the neck, he was dragged before Li Dong. Cheng Yaojin released his grip, sending the man sprawling at Li Dong’s feet.

Li Dong picked up a weapon, examining it—the mark of the Qin Family Forge was still there. He asked, “Where did you get these weapons?”

The man, terrified out of his wits, begged for his life. “Mercy, great sirs! Spare my wretched life—I have elders above and children below. I was forced to this path, I had no choice…”

“I’m not here to kill you. Just tell me—why do all these weapons bear this mark?” Li Dong pressed.

“I don’t know! I don’t know how to forge weapons. Our leader handed these out—we just use what we’re given! I know nothing, I swear!” The man trembled, disclaiming all responsibility. “I know nothing, what can you do to me?”

Cheng Yaojin’s eyes flashed with anger. He kicked the man savagely several times, cursing, “Ungrateful wretch! Don’t make me cut out your tongue if you won’t speak the truth!”

The man, terrified, clutched his mouth and nodded frantically at Li Dong, seeing him as the more reasonable of the two.

Li Dong ordered a militiaman to fetch a horse that had survived the battle, and to take the thief back to the Cheng residence for further interrogation. This matter was too grave to be taken lightly.