With the Blade

"They might have used some unconventional methods."

When Jiang Wenyuan tried to approach the surviving refugees, Shan Bing immediately pulled him back.

In places ravaged by monsters, trying to survive requires unconventional methods — be it by smearing poop on oneself or burying oneself in the ground. The idea is simply twofold: either make oneself appear unappetizing or ensure the monsters can’t reach you.

But there’s a third way.

"There’s not much dirt on them, and no sign of poop either."

Shan Bing’s face grew solemn.

"They might have killed their own."

Indeed, that’s the third way: killing one’s own before the monsters attack, enduring the madness brought by the Evil Qi, and acquiring new strength — though it merely brings the Evil Qi into their bodies, it greatly enhances their reactions and physical capabilities.

Moreover, they don’t necessarily need to fight the monsters; they just need to be able to run faster than other refugees.

"Killing to exchange for Evil Qi..."

Upon hearing Shan Bing’s suggestion, Jiang Wenyuan’s expression became somber.

Having once been a Capturer, Jiang Wenyuan was more familiar with this sort of thing, which is precisely why he looked so grim. If these refugees truly survived the monster attacks by stepping into Evil Qi through murder, it only indicated how much more corrupted the northwestern land far from Jiankang is than imagined.

Simply because the people here already understand the benefits of breaking the rules.

Killing begets death; it’s a universally accepted truth. That’s why, all along, the Capturers executed those civilian murderers immediately — certainly, a large part of this was to uphold the law and authority, but for someone like Jiang Wenyuan, who had become a Chief Constable, there was a deeper significance.

That is, to do one’s utmost to prevent people from encountering Evil Qi.

Consider the situation: if everyone could access Evil Qi, the world would descend into chaos. Once people realize they could grow stronger by killing, there’d be no order; everyone would prey on each other, and no one would focus on living and working. In such an environment, everyone is on high alert, and production becomes trivial — when there’s enough might, why bother farming or working when looting earns more?

"If everyone in the world accesses Evil Qi, this world will eventually become a wasteland."

Though opinions differ in other areas — whether among civilian soldiers, regional elites, officials of the court, or the royal family — on this matter, there exists a common consensus.

Such a dangerous thing must not be left unchecked, as it would lead to extremely serious consequences.

Therefore, all along, the court has deliberately been blocking the spread of Evil Qi, using laws, violence, and all means to at least build a basic semblance of order — of course, this can never be fully concealed, and always, one or two exceptionally gifted individuals slip through the net.

At this point, the court chooses to win them over, offer concessions, or even bluntly present the dangers, letting these rising masters realize that widespread Evil Qi benefits no one.

The facts prove that doing something is better than doing nothing. Under the suppression of order, though crazed Evil Qi-users still occasionally appear, in general, people can maintain some semblance of normal life, the so-called "living," with none going on indiscriminate killing sprees to boost their strength or targeting ordinary people around them.

But now, life can’t go on.

When living becomes impossible, all so-called order becomes illusory; to stay alive, anything can be done — if eating poop keeps you from being eaten by monsters, you eat poop; if burial keeps monsters from biting you, you bury yourself.

Likewise, if killing gives you the power to survive, you kill.

No need for thought, everything flows so naturally.

"Perhaps we should just kill them all."

Jiang Wenyuan’s hand instinctively reached for his iron ruler at his waist, a habit from his days as Chief Constable.

It’s merely a group of Evil Qi-crazed madmen, no longer human. Killing them all wouldn’t invite punishment from any superior officer.

"But... can you kill them all?"

The partially drawn iron ruler froze.

He could kill these people, if necessary, call on Shan Bing, two skilled experts from the Hundred Weapons Chart, to handle a group of refugees newly infused with Evil Qi — more than adequate. However, even if he killed these refugees, what good would it do?

There would always be new refugees emerging, towns devastated, and then the Dock Fortress — always monsters coming to eat people, with the proliferation of Evil Qi-crazed madmen... as long as people struggle to survive, some would always choose murder, reach out to Evil Qi, which can’t be fully stopped anyway.

So, why do people find it unbearable to live?