Chapter Twenty-One: Establishing Authority

“Li, I’ll give you one more chance for the sake of your dead elder brother, Li Zheng. Hand over the person who crossed the river to us right now, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, no one in this courtyard, including you, will come to a good end. You know as well as I do that someone this important is not someone you can protect. While only the Ma Family Army knows about this, don’t make a futile struggle.”

Shen Lie had just reached the gate when he heard a hoarse, domineering voice from outside. He saw the young and old in the courtyard, all trembling as they stood by the door, their eyes darting anxiously, stifling their anger. Opposite them stood five men, led by a burly man with a massive scar on his head, dressed in a black tank top, radiating menace. Beneath his foot was a man—Li Cheng.

“Old Zheng, I, Li Cheng, have never treated you badly. How could you betray us? How could you face Uncle Zheng? If we hadn’t taken you in, who knows how many times you would have died by now! You think betraying us will bring you any real advantage? Ha! People like you are never liked anywhere, sooner or later you’ll die a miserable death!”

Though pinned under the scar-faced man’s boot, Li Cheng showed no fear. He glared at a bespectacled man standing beside the scarred leader, roaring out his resentment.

“Brother Li, it’s not that I, Zheng Ye, wanted to betray you, but you know how things are. We’re lucky to get one bowl of thin gruel a day, always starving, our vision swimming, and our lives in constant danger. I’ve had enough! I’ve long wanted to join King Ma, but never had anything to offer him. Now, the young man you brought back is the perfect ticket. In fact, I should thank you! Too bad the news will only earn me a spot; there’s no more room for you!”

The bespectacled traitor grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, his face flushed. Yet when the scarred man shot him a look, he immediately fell silent, his demeanor turning fawning and servile.

“So, who finds me so interesting? Never thought I’d be the center of attention like this!” Shen Lie’s voice and figure appeared together at the threshold, instantly drawing everyone’s gaze. No one noticed the spark of light in Li Cheng’s eyes as he lay 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. Come with me to see the King—then you can explain yourself!” The scarred man’s eyes flickered at Shen Lie’s arrival, but he waved dismissively, not bothering to consult anyone.

“Are we that familiar? Why should I go with you to meet this so-called King Ma? And this isn’t a place you can come and go as you please. If anyone leaves, they’ll have to leave something behind. As for that man—he’s not going anywhere,” Shen Lie replied coolly, pointing at the bespectacled traitor.

“How amusing. It’s been a while since I’ve encountered anything this entertaining!” The scarred man was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Shen Lie’s refusal. A vicious glint flashed across his face, but he quickly smiled, clapping his hands before removing his foot from Li Cheng and coldly ordering his men, “Take them!”

“Don’t take Uncle Shen!” The adults in the courtyard stood numb with fear, cowed by King Ma’s reputation, but a clear, childish voice rose from the crowd. A little girl with a missing arm stepped forward, drawing everyone’s stunned attention.

“Tao Tao?” Shen Lie’s heart warmed at the sight of the frail figure standing in front of him, breath trembling but resolve unwavering. At least someone was willing to stand up for him.

“Take them all. Anyone who doesn’t know their place—no matter old or young—kill them!” The scarred man’s patience snapped. Such a trivial matter, yet it had stirred up so much defiance? Since when did nobodies dare defy King Ma’s orders?

Everyone was cowed by the murderous intent in the scarred man’s words, bowing their heads in absolute silence. Ma Zhanlin had always been a tyrant in this town; now, with no law left, his power was unchecked. Apart from Du Lili, even the other awakened ones had to defer to him. No one would intervene, even if he committed murder here today.

Even those who knew Shen Lie was awakened dared not move—Li Cheng included. No one knew the depth of Shen Lie’s power, while Ma Zhanlin’s reputation for ruthlessness cast an unbreakable shadow over their hearts.

The air grew so tense that even a falling pin would be heard. In the distance, onlookers quickly pulled their heads back from windows, unwilling to risk their lives for a bit of excitement. This was no longer the peaceful world it once was.

Yet among all the self-deluding, cowering souls, one person struggled fiercely within: Zhang Jing. Her face alternated between pale and flushed, her eyes sometimes firm, sometimes wavering. As the thugs closed in on Shen Lie, she suddenly shrieked.

“Tao Tao, come back!”

Zhang Jing darted forward, shouting as she ran toward the little girl standing in front of Shen Lie. She was gambling—gambling that Shen Lie was truly awakened. If so, these men would never be able to harm him, which would put her in a favorable position. Of course, if she was wrong, the consequences would be dire. But she had made her choice—when a woman goes all in, her resolve surpasses any man’s.

“Courting death!” The men coming for Shen Lie saw Zhang Jing’s move, their faces turning grim with rage at her brazen defiance. One of them, brandishing a machete, swung it at Zhang Jing without hesitation.

Seeing Shen Lie remain motionless, despair filled Zhang Jing’s eyes. “So I bet wrong after all?” Regret flooded her heart. She flung herself over the little girl, pushing her out of harm’s way—unable to let go of her last shred of compassion, hoping to shield this child at her own life’s end.

But as Zhang Jing waited, eyes squeezed shut, the expected pain never came. Instead, the crowd erupted in gasps of shock. Something dawned on her, and she turned around, astonished.

Everyone stared at Shen Lie as if he were a monster—some in terror, some in delight, some with bitter regret.

Shen Lie stood calmly in place, but now his hand glowed with a pale golden light, gripping the thick machete. The blade, nearly a meter long, looked like a loaf of bread in his grasp. Not only was Shen Lie’s hand unscathed, but with a light squeeze, he twisted the machete into a spiral.

With a slight effort, he snapped the deformed blade in two, then turned to the henchmen and said with composure, “I don’t want to kill you today. Go back and tell Ma Zhanlin that this courtyard now belongs to me, Shen Lie.”

Shen Lie wrestled with his bloodlust, ultimately choosing to hold back. Now wasn’t the time to make a mortal enemy of another awakened one. He could settle scores when his strength had grown.

“A-awakened… he’s awakened!” The scarred young man swallowed hard, his earlier arrogance utterly gone, terror and shock filling his eyes at Shen Lie’s golden palm.

“I’m sorry, truly sorry—we were blind and didn’t realize you were an awakened one, sir! I’ll report to King Ma at once and see that you’re properly compensated!” The scarred youth fawned nervously, invoking Ma Zhanlin’s name in hopes Shen Lie wouldn’t kill them all on the spot—an awakened one certainly had that power.

“And, please accept this as an apology for my offense. I have nothing better to offer right now, but I’ll make it up to you soon.” The scarred man, heart aching, hurriedly removed a piece of valuable equipment from his person and set it on the ground, along with two magazines.

The gesture was sincere. Since Shen Lie had decided not to kill them, he nodded indifferently and waved them away. “Go.”

The scarred man and his group fled, bowing and scrambling in gratitude. But as they turned, Shen Lie’s voice rang out again, “I told you—he’s not leaving.”

A black flash streaked by, followed by a shriek—the informer collapsed, a black short spear protruding from his back, piercing his chest.

Sweat poured from the scarred man’s face, but he didn’t dare pause for an instant, fleeing as if he’d never known the dead man at all.

“That’s enough. Someone clean up the body. Get back to your business. Zhang Jing, come with me. And bring Tao Tao.” Shen Lie strode over, pulled the black spear from the corpse, and after a calm glance around, walked off down the street.