The series of unexpected events left everyone present stunned.
Ma San’s two lackeys stood as if stupefied. A while ago, Ma San had gone across the river to abduct people and lost quite a few of his underlings. These two hadn’t been following him for long and had never seen someone so ferocious.
One second, he was greeting them with a smile; the next, he drew his blade with cold, ruthless precision.
Xu Guang stared at the two men coldly. His fierce gaze resembled that of a tiger about to hunt.
The last string of courage in their hearts snapped. They stumbled back, practically crawling in their haste to run away.
"Halt! Take Ma San with you," Xu Guang ordered.
The two paused. Bracing themselves, they carried Ma San’s corpse.
Xu Guang watched their retreating figures, his eyes brimming with murderous intent. It was noon, and the streets were empty, but he wasn’t confident he could kill them both simultaneously.
Once the two were far away, Xu Chun finally broke the silence. "Brother Guang, you..."
Xu Guang looked at Wang Wen. "Wen, are you scared?"
Wang Wen was a bit bewildered. He was too young, and Xu Guang was still stained with Ma San’s blood. For a moment, he didn’t know how to answer.
To Xu Guang’s surprise, Mrs. Xu—whom he thought would interrogate him endlessly—was the calmest of all.
"Brother Guang, are you sure he is dead?"
Xu Guang nodded. He had stabbed the man dozens of times, aiming squarely for his internal organs. Rupturing just one was usually fatal; with that many destroyed, even the medical technology of his past life couldn’t have saved him.
Mrs. Xu finally looked relieved. "Are you alright? Has that Ma San really practiced martial arts?"
Xu Guang felt the throbbing pain in his shoulders and back, then smiled and shook his head. "That Ma San only relied on a burst of ruthless Force. He hasn’t practiced martial arts at all."
Xu Chun wanted to say something, but after a sharp glare from Mrs. Xu, she didn’t dare speak.
Xu Guang changed his clothes, and the group resumed their journey. The road ahead, however, was filled with a heavy silence, even from Wang Wen, who had been quite rowdy earlier.
Xu Guang did not regret killing Ma San in public, though it might have been a bit impulsive. But he wasn’t some protagonist with a lone-wolf destiny. He had a mother, an older sister, a younger sister, and a nephew behind him. An outsider had already bullied them to their faces. Perhaps, if it had been him from a few days ago, he would have endured it.
But he was now one of the Abnormal People! The inability to avenge his father was already a torment to his heart. How could he watch someone insult his family right in front of him?
Besides, if he didn’t kill Ma San today, and his family was destroyed because of it in the future, what good would it do even if he exterminated Ma San’s entire extended family then?
For some reason—perhaps because he was used to seeing corpses over the years, his hands already stained with Life—he didn’t feel the slightest bit of discomfort after killing Ma San. Instead, he felt an inner thrill. He even found it somewhat a pity. It was a pity that, in front of his mother and older sister, it wasn’t convenient to collect the man’s blood. What a waste.
"Uncle, did that man die just now?"
After killing someone, Xu Guang exuded an unapproachable aura. Wang Wen was not being carried in his arms anymore.
Xu Guang chuckled softly. "He died. But I didn’t kill him without reason. That man insulted your mother just now. Do you think he deserved to die, Wen?"
Initially, he didn’t expect his six-year-old nephew to be able to judge this question.
"It’s just that I’m still small. I can’t kill him." Wang Wen chewed on his finger, looking at Xu Guang with an anxious face.
Xu Guang burst into laughter. "Hahaha, then we’ll wait for Wen to grow up to protect your mother! For now, your uncle is here."
Xu Chun pulled Wang Wen away. "Don’t teach the child bad things."
She had never imagined that her younger brother—who had been smart since childhood but always somewhat meek—would one day possess such courage.
His brother-in-law’s home wasn’t far from the Inner City, but it was quite a distance from the Wang Family ancestral estate. It was a property he had purchased himself. The courtyard wasn’t too large, consisting of a total of five rooms.
His brother-in-law, Wang Ming, was still at the Government Office at the moment. There was only a young maid at home.
"Madam, you’ve returned."
Xu Chun nodded nonchalantly. "Wen is tired. Cai, take him to sleep first." She then turned to Xu Guang. "Brother Guang, once your brother-in-law gets off work later, I’ll have him take you to look for a house. You and Mother should go rest as well."
Xu Guang familiarly made his way to a small room. Only after sitting down alone did he begin to think in silence.
Ma San had managed human trafficking for so many years; he definitely had backers. Although it was unknown whether they would seek revenge for him, it was best to take precautions early.
Thinking of the Cheng Family he was supposed to visit tomorrow, a thought flashed through Xu Guang’s mind. Perhaps, before the Searcher finished cooling down, he could first see just how much Miss Cheng valued talent.
If it meant selling himself into servitude, he would pass. But if it was akin to sponsorship or investing in his future, he could give it a try—as long as the conditions weren’t too harsh. Joining a master’s sect would provide him with a background, giving him an excuse to have his mother stay in the city. With his brother-in-law protecting them in this area, their safety would be guaranteed.
He just didn’t know if the eldest daughter of the Cheng Family was an Angel Investor.
Because the Blood Eye possessed the Power of Bloodline Stripping, he worried that others might have similar methods. For the time being, he didn’t dare expose his identity as one of the Abnormal People. What if someone in Feiyun City had access to such methods? As a wild Abnormal Person of the commoner class with low strength, he was essentially a human Treasure.
Xu Guang leaned against the head of the bed, feeling the changes within his body. The modification from his Bloodline Power was still ongoing. He could feel his muscles writhing constantly, his internal organs often felt a warm moisture, and an itchy sensation emanated from his bones.
At least for now, everything was changing for the better.
In the afternoon.
A young man wearing the standard uniform of the Government walked into a brokerage with a handsome, elegant teenager.
"I was wondering why the magpies were singing. It turns out Lord Wang has arrived."
The Yazi was very enthusiastic. Wang Ming, accustomed to this, merely asked casually, "Are there any courtyards for rent nearby?"
"Yes, not far from here. Please, follow me."
After walking about a block, the two arrived in front of a courtyard. It looked as though it hadn’t been lived in for a long time, overgrown with weeds, but the layout was nice, and there was an ancient well in the middle.
Xu Guang and his brother-in-law, Wang Ming, took a walk around and inspected it closely. The courtyard wasn’t large, roughly a hundred square meters, and there were only three rooms, but it was more than enough for Xu Guang and his mother.
"Erlang, what do you think?"
Xu Guang nodded, too lazy to keep browsing. "This will do." He then looked at the Yazi. "Who used to live in this courtyard?"
The Yazi hesitated slightly.
Wang Ming immediately barked, "My brother-in-law is asking you a question! Do you want to go drink tea in the prison?" He was quite arrogant and domineering.
Xu Guang was long used to this. His brother-in-law’s personality was just this brash and lacked restraint; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been resented by the eldest young master of the third branch.
Figuring he couldn’t hide it anyway, the Yazi gritted his teeth and said, "The original owner’s entire family was massacred."
Xu Guang didn’t care about this at all, but Wang Ming unleashed a Thunderbolt of fury, feeling that the Yazi was being dishonest.
However, Xu Guang stopped him. The Yazi offered a steep discount. Xu Guang originally wanted to pay, but Wang Ming absolutely refused to let him, likely under orders from his older sister.
Having secured the house, the two didn’t stay long. Since Mrs. Xu definitely wouldn’t want to live in her son-in-law’s home, the whole family mobilized to clean the new place.
In the courtyard, Wang Ming and Xu Guang sat facing each other.
"Erlang, I’ve finally gotten you to move into the city. Don’t leave anymore. The Government Office will be recruiting Prison Guards in a while. For the next few days, I’ll give you my meat supplements first so you can nurse your body back to health. When the time comes, I’ll figure out a way to get you in.
"Haven’t you always wanted to practice martial arts? Once you become a Prison Guard and enter the Government Office, you’ll have the chance to come into contact with cultivation methods."
Wang Ming’s words made Xu Chun, who was standing nearby, look astonished. She knew the price such an arrangement would entail. Although she could be considered half a Voldemort, she couldn’t bear to sacrifice her husband’s future just to give Xu Guang a chance to access cultivation.
Seeing the couple’s expressions, Xu Guang immediately knew that the cost behind those few casual words was beyond his imagination. He quickly waved his hands.
"You can’t do this. Those who know the truth say you married my sister, but those who don’t might think you married me!
"There are plenty of ways to practice martial arts. Didn’t my sister say that Miss Cheng values talent and doesn’t care about class prejudices? Maybe I’ll be highly regarded by Miss Cheng."
Wang Ming smiled, and Xu Chun chimed in from the side, "Exactly. Our Brother Guang is a man of striking appearance and astonishing loyalty. Miss Cheng will definitely value him." As she spoke, she glared at Wang Ming.
Wang Ming let out a bitter laugh. Today, in order to prevent Xu Chun from being humiliated, Xu Guang had killed Ma San in the street. Wang Ming was deeply moved. He had always appreciated Xu Guang, and now, even more so. Anyone who could draw a blade and step forward when their family was insulted was undoubtedly someone who knew how to repay kindness.
"Brother Guang, you have a point. I was being presumptuous."