Chapter Twenty-One: Establishing Authority

"Li, I'll give you one more chance out of respect for your late brother, Li Zheng. Hand over the person who crossed the river to me right now, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, everyone in this courtyard, including you, will meet a terrible end. You know as well as I do that someone this important isn't someone you can protect. While only our Ma Clan Army knows about this, don't make a futile resistance."

Shen Lie had just reached the front gate when he heard a hoarse, domineering voice from outside. He then saw the old and young in the courtyard all standing at the gate, trembling with fear, their eyes darting away, seething with silent anger they dared not voice. Opposite them stood a group of five, led by a man with a huge scar across his head, wearing a black tank top and radiating aggression. At his feet, he was stepping on someone—Li Cheng.

"Old Zheng, I've always treated you well, haven't I? Yet you turn traitor on us. How could you face Uncle Zheng? If we hadn't taken you in, you'd be dead a dozen times over by now. Do you really think betraying us will bring you any great reward? Ha! No one will ever like someone like you, and you'll die a miserable death sooner or later!"

Even with the scarred man’s boot crushing him, Li Cheng showed no fear. He only turned his anger on a bespectacled man standing beside the scarred leader, venting his bitter resentment.

"Brother Li, it’s not that I, Zheng Ye, wanted to betray you. You know how things are—one bowl of thin porridge a day, always starving to the point of seeing stars, and living every moment on the edge of death. I can’t take it anymore! I’ve been wanting to join King Ma for a while now, but I had nothing to offer him. The kid you brought back today is just what I need to gain his favor. In a way, I should be thanking you. Too bad the news can only get me accepted; you don’t stand a chance!"

The traitorous bespectacled man grew more excited as he spoke, his face reddening until, after a glance from the scarred man, he fell silent, shrinking back with a fawning expression.

"Who’s so interested in me? I never thought I’d be such a source of pride for someone," Shen Lie’s voice and figure appeared at the gate, instantly drawing everyone's attention. No one noticed the sudden spark that flashed through Li Cheng’s eyes on the ground.

"So you’re the one who came from across the river. What’s your name? Never mind, you don’t need to say anything. Just come with me to see the King, and you can explain everything then," the scarred man said casually, waving his hand as if there was no need to consult anyone.

"Are we close? Why should I come with you to see your so-called King Ma? And this isn’t a place you can come and go as you please. If you want to leave, you’ll have to pay a price. Besides, that man absolutely cannot be allowed to leave!" Shen Lie replied coolly, pointing straight at the bespectacled traitor.

"Heh, interesting. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anything this amusing," the scarred man was briefly stunned by Shen Lie’s refusal, a flash of menace crossing his face before he grinned, clapped his hands, and withdrew his foot from Li Cheng. Coldly, he ordered his men, "Take them!"

"Don’t take Uncle Shen!" All those in the courtyard were numb with fear, none daring to speak under the tyranny of King Ma’s men. But suddenly, a childish voice rang out, and a little girl missing part of one arm stepped bravely into view.

"Tao Tao?" Shen Lie’s heart warmed as he looked at the frail figure standing firmly before him, her breath quick with terror but her stance unwavering. At least someone stood up for him.

"Take them! Kill anyone, young or old, who doesn’t know their place!" The scarred man was growing impatient; such a trivial matter had become so complicated. Since when did people with no backing dare defy King Ma’s orders?

Everyone was cowed into silence by the murderous threat. Ma Zhanlin had always been a tyrant in this town, and now, with no laws to restrain him, he could kill at will. Aside from Du Lili, even the other awakened ones had to bow to him. If he killed them today, no one would care.

Even those who knew Shen Lie was an awakened one dared not move, including Li Cheng. None knew how strong Shen Lie really was, and Ma Zhanlin's long-standing reputation had cast an inescapable shadow over their hearts.

The scene fell into a tense silence—one could hear a pin drop. In the distance, onlookers peeking from other courtyards quickly ducked out of sight. This was not the time to watch a spectacle; it could cost one their life. Gone were the peaceful days of old.

Yet among all those who had numbed themselves like quails, one person was fiercely struggling inside—Zhang Jing. Her face shifted from green to pale, her expression wavering between resolve and cowardice. As the group drew closer to Shen Lie, she finally let out a shrill cry.

"Tao Tao, come back!"

With a burst of speed, Zhang Jing dashed forward, calling out as she rushed to shield the little girl standing in front of Shen Lie. She was taking a gamble—a gamble that Shen Lie truly was an awakened one. If he was, these men would be powerless against him, and her actions would bring her great benefit. Of course, if she was wrong, her end would be grim, but she was all in; sometimes a woman’s desperation outstrips a man’s resolve.

"Courting death!" The thugs sent to seize Shen Lie saw Zhang Jing’s move, their faces darkening with rage at the brazen challenge. One young man, wielding a heavy cleaver, swung it down on Zhang Jing without hesitation!

Seeing that Shen Lie still hadn’t moved, Zhang Jing’s face filled with bitter despair. "So I gambled wrong after all?" Regret flooded her as she tackled the little girl to the ground, her last act of compassion to push Tao Tao out of harm’s way.

But after waiting with her eyes shut for a long moment, Zhang Jing felt no pain. Instead, she heard a collective gasp from the crowd. A sudden realization struck her, and she turned her head in delight.

Everyone was staring at Shen Lie as if he were a monster—some in terror, some in joy, others with bitter regret.

Shen Lie still stood calmly at the center. But now his hand gleamed with a pale golden light, gripping the heavy cleaver!

The roughly one-meter-long blade was held in Shen Lie’s hand as if it were nothing more than a loaf of bread. Not only was his hand unscathed, but, with a gentle squeeze, the blade twisted into a spiral like a piece of rope.

With a little more force, Shen Lie snapped the deformed blade in two and, looking coolly at the thugs, said, "I have no wish to kill you today. Go back and tell Ma Zhanlin that this courtyard now belongs to me, Shen Lie."

After wrestling with his murderous intent, Shen Lie decided not to make an enemy of an awakened one just yet. There would be time to settle scores once his strength had grown.

"An... an awakened one!" The scarred youth swallowed hard. All his earlier bravado vanished, leaving only fear and panic at the sight of Shen Lie’s golden hand.

"We're so sorry, we didn’t realize you were an awakened one. I’ll go back and report to King Ma at once and make sure you’re properly compensated!" the scarred youth stammered, even invoking Ma Zhanlin’s name, terrified that Shen Lie might slaughter them on the spot—an awakened one certainly had the power.

"And here—consider this my apology for offending you. I have nothing else of value, but I’ll make it up to you later." The scarred man, pained, removed a ********** from around his neck and placed it, along with two magazines, on the ground.

The gesture was sincere. Since Shen Lie had already decided to spare them, he nodded indifferently and waved his hand, "Go!"

The scarred man and his crew fled in relief, bowing and scraping as they went. But just then Shen Lie’s voice rang out again, "I said, that man is not to leave!"

A dark flash shot through the air, followed by a shriek—the informer collapsed, a black short spear piercing his chest.

Sweat poured from the scarred man’s face as he ran without so much as a backward glance, as if he’d forgotten the traitor ever existed.

"All right, someone clean this up and get back to what you were doing. Zhang Jing, come with me. Oh, and bring Tao Tao as well." Shen Lie walked over to the informer’s body, pulled out the black spear, swept a calm gaze over the crowd, and strode away down the street.