With the Blade

Thus, after a few punches and kicks, the thousand-man butcher simply lay on the ground.

"Don’t kill me!"

Seeing his giant scissors, which had killed thousands, snatched away easily, the butcher realized something was wrong and decisively chose to apologize.

"I’m sorry! Don’t kill me! I just... No, no, no! Don’t you want to keep me alive to witness your strength?"

"Huh?"

Du Chengfeng frowned at his words.

"Who are you that I need you to witness anything? You’re not even someone I know."

"Ah?"

The butcher was at a loss, completely not expecting his plea to be ineffective.

A true strongman should let him go like an ant, right? But why is this stranger not buying it at all?

"Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! I’m willing to become someone familiar! Getting to know each other will make us familiar, right? Let me tell you, I have some fame here..."

"Oh?"

Du Chengfeng, holding the blazing fire blade, looked the bandit up and down.

"You’re willing to become familiar?"

"Yes! I’m willing!"

The butcher nodded vigorously from the ground.

It seems every strongman has a different character. If he’d known, he’d have tried to get close sooner.

As long as they’re familiar, he thought, he wouldn’t be killed, so he must establish a good relationship with the strongman.

The butcher made up his mind at that moment.

But then, a rabbit dashed out from the roadside.

The unlucky rabbit, seemingly frightened by the earlier commotion, ran the wrong way in panic — only to burn itself on the five-zhang-long blazing blade.

The aroma of roasting drifted over, announcing it was well done.

"So you said earlier that you want to be familiar, right?"

Picking up the unexpected rabbit, Du Chengfeng tore off some meat and ate, raising the knife to the butcher as he spoke.

"How done do you want to be?"

"I..."

The butcher tried to say something, but the blazing blade had already come down.

The aroma of roasting rose again, indicating it was well done.

From the smell alone, you could tell Du Chengfeng’s precision with the fire.

"Well done."

Tearing off another piece of rabbit leg, Du Chengfeng nodded in satisfaction.

He then tore half a rabbit and handed it to the bandit.

"Lead the way, and this is yours."

"This... okay."

The butcher swallowed hard and nodded with difficulty.

Half a roasted rabbit wasn’t worth leading the famous butcher forward, but if he didn’t, he might be the next to get "well done."

Luckily, the butcher realized his value to the strongman. As long as he was useful, he wouldn’t die for now — as long as he lived, everything would be fine, even if he had to kneel and call him dad.

After all, getting acquainted with such a terrifying strongman was, in fact, him moving up the social ladder.

"So where’s the hero going?"

"I don’t know."

"...Ah?"

The butcher was at a loss again; he’d never heard that before.

Not knowing where to go, how was he supposed to lead?

"Just take me to where you think it’s safest."

After some thought, Du Chengfeng gave this answer.

This puzzled the butcher even more.

To the safest place... his lair would be the safest, an old base he’d set up secretly over a decade ago.

But quickly, the butcher realized the answer wasn’t so simple.

After half a day’s journey, he indeed returned to his lair, a hidden spot in the hills, unknown to outsiders. As he opened the dusty wooden door, he sighed in relief.

But is it really safe here?

When the butcher tried to lie back for rest, he noticed the brawny man with the saddle bag had followed — seeing his massive frame and the twin swords in his hands, the butcher trembled in fear.

They’d been walking all this way, why doesn’t he put the sword away?

"Uh... Hero."

The butcher forced a smile.

"Want to rest?"

"I’m not tired."

Du Chengfeng chuckled.

"Sleep if you want."

"..."

The butcher didn’t dare to lie down anymore.

Unsafe, it’s completely unsafe here. Seeing that double-handed sword, he shivered uncontrollably, the cold reflection blinding his eyes, how could he sleep here?

I must think of a way to escape! Or I’ll never sleep in peace!

Thinking this, the butcher quickly got up from the bed.

"Hero, I know where it’s safest!"

"Oh?"

Du Chengfeng showed interest.

"Where?"

"Another hill, about ten miles away..."

The butcher recalled and roughly pointed out a direction.

But it wasn’t a safe route but a dangerous one. If he remembered correctly, a mutated monster lurked on that hill, one he’d avoided from afar, who knows how many it killed.

But now, the danger from the monster represented safety for him.

Yes, the monster would certainly kill the man with the sword, and once that man was dead, he’d be safe.

At that moment, the butcher felt his wits working better than ever, making his steps lively.

"We’re here! This is the hill!"

Upon arrival, the butcher nodded.

"This is the safest place!"

"Really?"

Du Chengfeng scratched his head.

"But I feel there’s a big beast here, look at the footprints."

"Probably old ones, or perhaps it’s a child’s prank."

Seeing the tiger-headed monster silently appear, pouncing at the man’s back, the butcher was secretly pleased.

"I’ll go look nearby; there should be a place to stay..."

Saying this, the butcher was set to run.

He might not outrun the beast, but faster than the man with the burden would be enough.

The monster had its eating order, by the time it finished with the man, he’d be far away...

"Whoosh—"

The sound of a weapon piercing flesh rang out.

Soon after, the roasted aroma wafted from behind the butcher, unmistakably well done.

"I knew there was a beast here."

The charred monster corpse lay on the ground, Du Chengfeng pulled his large sword from it.

"So where were you going?"

"I... I think it’s not safe enough here."

Looking at the charred beast, the butcher’s mouth twitched.

Looks like there’s only one way left.

"Let’s go to the city."

The butcher forced a smile.

"To Songzhou City, it’s surely the safest there."