Chapter 41: Repayment? Slaughtering My Entire Family?

Fang Ning waited until the city gates were locked before heading back. Gazing up at the towering walls, she sighed helplessly, "Young Master, you should have let me return earlier. I can’t scale walls or leap over roofs; without tools, there's no way I can climb this."

Si Yuheng cast a sidelong glance at her. "I can take you in."

Fang Ning’s eyes darted about. "Young Master, could you teach me light-foot kung fu? It would make running errands for you much more convenient, wouldn't it?"

"If you want to learn, just say so. Don't make excuses; you can't even fool yourself."

"Young Master's perception is truly remarkable; nothing escapes your notice. If you were a magistrate, you would surely be a brilliant judge, a paragon of justice."

"Stop the flattery."

Si Yuheng frowned slightly. Fang Ning's mouth never seemed to rest! If it weren't for the fact that she was genuinely capable, he would have been tempted to sew her lips shut.

When night fell, Si Yuheng grabbed Fang Ning by the collar without warning and leapt into the air. Fang Ning felt herself soaring, the wind whistling past her ears, and before she could even react, they had landed inside the city walls.

Fang Ning: "..."

Regardless of the method, she had to get Si Yuheng to teach her that light-foot technique! It was just too convenient, wasn't it? In the future, she wouldn't even need to carry tools to scale walls.

Before Fang Ning could catch her breath, Si Yuheng grabbed her again and began darting across the rooftops. In no time at all, they arrived at the inn. In such a small town, there was no nightlife; as soon as darkness fell, everyone washed up and went to sleep. But for a band of outlaws, this was their time to act.

Crouching on the roof tiles, Fang Ning listened to the conversation below and carefully lifted a tile to peek inside. There were exactly eighteen of them—no more, no less.

"You two head to the cloth shop, you two to the cosmetics store, you two to... the remaining four, come with me to the silver shop. Remember, leave no survivors!" the man with the thick beard said in a cold voice. "Third and Fourth, go deal with the innkeeper and his assistant downstairs first. Tonight, we’re pulling off a big one and turning this Donglin County upside down!"

"Boss, what about those two in the room next door?"

"Consider it their lucky day. Get to work, make it quick, and clear out as soon as it's done."

"How exciting, I can't wait."

"Heh, let's kill to our heart's content tonight. Let’s see what the authorities can do about it!"

"Enough talk, move out."

As soon as the bearded man finished speaking, the outlaws exited the room in silence. Their synchronized movements made it clear that they had committed many murders before.

"You take care of the four shortest ones; leave the rest to me." As Si Yuheng spoke, he grabbed Fang Ning and leapt down.

Fang Ning: "...I am not an object. Could you stop lugging me around like one?"

Si Yuheng heard this, and the corners of his lips rose involuntarily. "Hm, you are indeed not an object."

Fang Ning: "..."

A slip of the tongue—she had just insulted herself!

The outlaws had just reached the bottom of the stairs, intending to kill the innkeeper and his assistant who were sleeping on the counter, when Si Yuheng leaped forward. He kicked a long bench, which struck the leading outlaw squarely on the head, leaving him bleeding profusely.

"Ah..."

The scream echoed through the inn. The innkeeper and his assistant were jolted awake.

Fang Ning had already grabbed a long bench and charged in. Relying on her small stature, she struck with precision. In an instant, six of the outlaws had fallen victim to her, collapsing to the ground.

"Innkeeper, go report this to the authorities! These outlaws are here to kill and rob!" Fang Ning shouted.

"You damn brat, daring to ruin my plans! Tonight, I'm going to skin you alive!" The bearded man didn't take Fang Ning or Si Yuheng seriously; he brandished his blade and lunged at Fang Ning.

Fang Ning rolled across the floor. The heavy blade slammed into the spot where she had been standing just a moment before. Then, the glint of steel flashed toward her eyes again. But this time, the blade was caught between two long, jade-like fingers.

The bearded man pulled with all his might. It wouldn't budge. He pulled again. Still, it remained immovable. The man's expression twisted in terror. He had hit a wall he couldn't break. He immediately abandoned his weapon and turned to run.

Si Yuheng flipped the blade and hurled it back.

"Ah!"

The blade pierced the bearded man's knee, causing him to scream and collapse to the ground. Yet, the man was desperate. He scrambled back up, dragging the blade with him, and kept running. Fang Ning used all her strength to hurl the long bench in her hand. It struck him square in the back. The man spat out a mouthful of blood.

Si Yuheng flickered and appeared before him. The bearded man looked into those calm eyes and felt a chill run through his body. "Young hero, we are all people of the underworld. If you spare my life, Zhao San, today, I will surely reward you in the future!"

"Reward me? By slaughtering my family?" Si Yuheng sneered.

Zhao San’s eyes turned vicious. A hidden blade appeared in his hand, which he thrust fiercely toward Si Yuheng’s heart. "Go to hell!"

At that critical moment, Si Yuheng dodged to the side, snatched the blade with his bare hand, and hurled it at Zhao San’s other knee, piercing the bone once more.

"Ah..."

Zhao San fell forward, howling in agony.

"Watch him." Si Yuheng looked at Fang Ning and tapped the table beside him. The chopsticks in the bamboo holder flew into the air, then shot out in all directions.

Cries of pain erupted as the remaining five outlaws all collapsed to the ground. The smell of blood filled the inn. The innkeeper and his assistant were clearly terrified out of their wits and hadn't moved to report the crime.

Seeing this, Fang Ning frowned. She walked to the counter, found a gong beneath it, ran out of the inn, and began to strike it. The entire street was awakened.

The night patrol officers arrived first. Seeing the bodies scattered across the inn lobby, their faces turned pale. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Officer, these outlaws attempted to rob the cloth shop, the cosmetics store, and the silver shop. We have knocked them unconscious. Please, call for backup to take them to the prison!" Fang Ning said calmly.

The innkeeper finally regained his senses and crawled toward the officers. "Officer, they really are outlaws! If it weren't for these two young men acting in time, our lives would have been forfeit tonight!"

The two officers did not dare to be negligent; they immediately sent one of their own back to the county office to report to the magistrate.

"Innkeeper, find some rope and tie them up quickly. Otherwise, if they wake up, it will be another fierce battle."

"I'm going, I'm going right now."

The inn was brightly lit, and the neighbors who had been awakened watched in horror. The Donglin County Magistrate, not even fully dressed, hurried over with his bailiffs and officers.

Si Yuheng stepped forward and tore the fake beard off Zhao San’s face. The magistrate gasped, "Is this... is this not the notorious bandit Zhao San? Men, seize him and put him in shackles!"

The onlookers outside heard the magistrate's words and turned deathly pale.

"Who is Zhao San?" Fang Ning asked, unaware.

Someone exclaimed in shock, "Young master, you captured them, and you don't know who Zhao San is?"