Chương 56: Thwip! Thwip! One Fork, One Kill!

Thwip! One Fork, One Kill!

Su Zhe placed a hand over his heart and reflected carefully. Although Yadan's grandfather had unintentionally caused him trouble, he had ultimately gifted Su Zhe a treasured weapon. Because of that, Su Zhe had been able to cultivate the fourth-grade treasured martial art— Scythe-Shadow Mantis Slaughter Art. All things in the world carried cause and effect. Karma had its own balance. The old man had planted the cause. Su Zhe would, as conveniently as possible, return a "result."

As for the ten taels of silver—if that girl Yadan knew how to keep a low profile and avoid drawing envy, it would be enough for her to grow up safely. Beyond that… Su Zhe truly could not be bothered to interfere.

"Benefactor… benefactor…" Yadan stood up, intending to chase after him. But how could her speed possibly match Su Zhe's? He was already gone, swallowed by the endless darkness. Yadan came to a halt. A voice echoed faintly in the air.

"My killing of the storehouse supervisor used only a steel fork. Remember that."

"If you speak carelessly… even to the ends of the earth, I will kill you." Yadan could not see Su Zhe's figure, but his voice still lingered in her ears.

"Could it be… the 'Blood Shark' kills people with other weapons too? Why have I never heard of this?" She looked around at the empty night and murmured to herself. But only silence answered her—along with the faint chirping of insects in the mountain wilderness.

"A martial artist… I must become a martial artist…"

"I will never live like Grandpa—honest and upright all my life, only to be crushed so easily!" Yadan turned back, knelt beside her grandfather's corpse, and gently closed his unseeing eyes. Her gaze grew firm. A spark of determination ignited within. Su Zhe never would have imagined. Years later, when he saw Yadan again, she would be an entirely different person.

He also did not know that this simple rural girl would one day join one of the most powerful assassin organizations in the world and become a renowned figure. But that was a story for later. … The Earth Temple Deep in the night mountains, miasma filled the air, severely reducing visibility. Mist swallowed the mountains; the small gatehouse sat in eerie silence. The fog blurred the line between sky and earth. Occasional beast growls echoed through the darkness, unsettling the heart.

Seven or eight men stood around a bonfire, their faces haggard and anxious. The fire kept away the cold of the mountain night, but it could not dispel the unease in their hearts. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"We've waited a whole day… could something have happened to my lord?" someone sighed.

"Shut your cursed mouth!" another snapped angrily.

"My lord has been biding his time, already reached peak third-grade strength, and carries both treasured techniques and treasured weapons granted by the Pursuit Bureau! If pushed to the edge, he can even invoke the Divine Summoning Method to borrow the power of a divine spirit!"

"How could he possibly be trapped in Lu County?" The group was composed of storehouse clerks from Lu County's treasury. They had served for years and knew their superior's capabilities well.

"Look… what is that?" Someone pointed outside the Earth Temple. Everyone turned. Through the mist, they saw a figure staggering forward, as if drunk.

"Be on guard!" someone hissed. Eight clerks immediately drew their weapons, internal energy surging through their bodies. The mountain fog was thick, and at midnight visibility was nearly nonexistent. And they themselves were fugitives of serious crimes. If the county constables arrived, even these Blood Refinement Cult elites—each a third-grade martial artist—would be in grave danger. Their vigilance was naturally extremely high.

"No… that clothing… it's official uniform…"

"It's the Storehouse Supervisor!" As the figure approached, they relaxed slightly. The supervisor was not a formal official of the Great Qian dynasty, but still ranked above them. His uniform was made of silk and fine hemp, and embroidered with delicate floral and cloud patterns. In contrast, ordinary clerks wore rough grey cloth with no decoration. Under the moonlight, the supervisor's robe reflected a faint sheen. Seeing this, the clerks collectively breathed out in relief.

"Sir Supervisor!" One of them waved with a smile. But the figure continued forward like a walking corpse. Silent. Rigid.

"Sir Supervisor?" someone frowned.

"Something's wrong! Look at his face… why is it so pale?"

"Wait—there's blood coming from his seven orifices?!" A shout rang out. Now the figure stood barely ten steps away. Under the moonlight, they finally saw clearly. His face was as white as wax. Blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Thick dark blood had already begun to congeal, leaving terrifying streaks like writhing snakes across his face. And on his body… dark purple blotches covered his skin.

"Corpse spots!" someone cried out in alarm. They had done plenty of dirty work over the years and recognized them immediately. Corpse spots appeared one to two hours after death. Which meant— The supervisor was already dead. But then… why was he still walking? A ghost?! Damn it! Cold sweat erupted across everyone's backs. A chill surged through their bodies. Just then— A large sack flew through the air. Before anyone could react, a heavy hammer descended. BOOM! The sack exploded under tremendous force.

White powder scattered in all directions, engulfing several meters. Visibility instantly dropped to near zero. At that moment, Su Zhe kicked the corpse of the supervisor aside. His body twisted. Dragon Technique—Rising Cloud Step! In an instant, he crossed several meters. Steel fork in his left hand, forging hammer in his right. The slaughter began. Bang! One strike shattered a third-grade martial artist into a spray of blood. Whoosh! The steel fork pierced straight through another man's skull.

These clerks were elite members of the Blood Refinement Cult, all third-grade fighters. Although Su Zhe was strong, he was still only at early third-grade. In a frontal fight, he could not kill all eight without risk of escape. But Su Zhe was a cautious and ruthless man. He first used the environment—hiding behind the supervisor's corpse to mask his approach. Then he threw the sack of flour he had taken from Yadan's home, instantly blinding the battlefield. In the chaos, he struck first.

Within three to four breaths, four or five men had already fallen. Screams echoed endlessly. In the silent night, the sound was bone-chilling.

"Ghost! The Supervisor has turned into a ghost!"

"He's here to take our lives!" Panic spread. Rationality collapsed.

"No! It's not a ghost—it's someone pretending!"

"It's flour!" One man swung his blade wildly, releasing internal energy, accidentally splitting a stone statue in the Earth Temple clean in two. The screams abruptly stopped. The last calm clerk slowly retreated until he reached the bonfire, the warmth slightly restoring his composure.

"You're quite clever…" Su Zhe stepped forward as the powder settled, looking at him. The clerk stared at Su Zhe's shark mask. Then at the seven corpses on the ground—and the supervisor's body.

"You… you are… Blood Shark…" Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Seven rapid strikes. The last clerk collapsed into a pool of blood.

"Go to the underworld and settle accounts with Blood Shark." Su Zhe said calmly. Cold wind swept through the mountain, lifting dry grass and dust. The steel fork in his hand dripped blood, each drop echoing faintly in the silence. Moonlight spilled over him. The shark pattern on his mask looked especially eerie under the pale glow—only his eyes remained visible, cold and emotionless. The wind continued to howl. Under the moonlight, the Earth Temple felt more like a haunted ruin.

The killer was the water bandit king—Blood Shark. But… what does Su Zhe have to do with any of that?