Within just a few seconds, under the torment of those long, thin needles, Yang Yueru began bleeding like a ruptured fountain. Blood spurted wildly from every puncture, covering her from head to toe.
"Ahhh! You're killing me!You're killing me! I beg you—please, please!I just want to die! Just let me die—!"
Her desperate pleas, warped by agony, rang out one after another.Chen Xiao merely smiled faintly, as if listening to something pleasant.
"Shirou, save me! Don't you remember how I treated you before? Save me just once!""I—I gave you a piece of pork a few days ago, don't you remember?!""Save me once, I'm begging you!"
Tang Shirou trembled. She had never expected that the instinct to survive would make Yang Yueru say anything… even lies so ridiculous.
Yang Yueru had never treated her well.That so-called piece of pork had been rotten garbage.More importantly, this woman had tried to brainwash her every day—to teach her how to serve the beasts of the Yang family.
If Tang Xiangui hadn't been afraid the Yang family would change their mind, she would have already lost everything.
Chen Xiao's patience finally wore thin.
A Long Water Blade slowly formed in his hand.
"Noisy."
With a few clean, effortless strokes, he dismembered Yang Yueru on the spot.
Blood splattered across Yang Kai's wedding robes as he sat collapsed to the side, limbs shaking.
"Brother Chen Xiao, I—I know I'm not worthy of Shirou! I was forced by my father!"Yang Kai dropped from a limp sit to his knees, drenched in cold sweat.
Old Master Yang glared."You useless thing! If you hadn't insisted on going to Jiangnan, would anything like this have happened?!"
Yang Kai stared at him in grief.He had only wanted the Yang family to continue… to have an heir.Was that so wrong?
"Chen Xiao, it was all Tang Xiangui! He—he used the Tang girl to bait us—"
Bang!
Old Master Yang was kicked flying dozens of meters, crashing into a pillar. Blood splattered.Chen Xiao had held back deliberately.
The Yang family would not be allowed to die cleanly.They would live in suffering.
Chen Xiao turned to Yang Kai.The Long Water Blade reformed in his hand.
"Brother Xiao—let's talk! We can talk! I'll give you anything you want!""I never even touched Shirou—I swear! She's yours, Brother Xiao—"
Puchi——
"Ahhh! Brother Xiao, calm down—!"
The blade sliced off Yang Kai's left arm.
Puchi——
His right arm followed.
Blood sprayed across the stone tiles.
Puchi——Puchi——
Yang Kai's legs were cut away next.
"Aaaagh—Chen Xiao! I f***—"
Bang!
Chen Xiao's kick slammed him into a steel support post.He left him alive, but only barely—one breath left.
Yang Kai's eyes widened.He no longer begged.He only wanted to die.
But he couldn't.
Chen Xiao dragged the mutilated Yang Kai across the floor toward Old Master Yang.Blood smeared the stone into a long, horrific trail.
Old Master Yang trembled. Even after everything he'd seen in his life, his composure shattered.
He stared at his son—now just a living stump—and forced himself to speak.
"Chen Xiao… think this through. If the Yang family supports you, you could rule this apocalypse.""With our connections in the military, you won't be restrained. You will be king."
Chen Xiao's expression didn't change.
"After I destroy the top three families, no one will be able to restrain me anyway. I will still be king."
A cyan-blue halberd of [All Things Water] formed in his hand.
He hung Yang Kai from its shaft, then glanced at Old Master Yang—expression cold, mocking.
With a single, sweeping motion, he hurled the halberd.
Boom!
The halberd shot like a lightning bolt, carrying father and son with it as it pierced through the air and nailed them both to the city wall.
A yellow banner fluttered overhead—embroidered with the character "Yang."
Within ten li, everyone could see it.
The Yang father and son didn't die.But their suffering would be endless.
If they struggled, they'd fall and die.If they didn't, they would starve or bleed out.
A punishment worse than death.
Chen Xiao turned—his gaze landing on the Zhang family.
Old Master Zhang trembled instantly.
"Chen Xiao… the Zhang family has never wronged you.""I beg you to show mercy and virtue—"
Puchi!
A blue water nail shot out, severing Old Master Zhang's arm in an instant.
Zhang Yinbai tried to block it but was far too late.
"Ahhh—! It hurts—Chen Xiao! My mistake was accepting his invitation—"
"No."Chen Xiao shook his head slightly, smiling coldly.
"You still don't understand your mistake."
"Once, there was an A-rank talent. You ordered him hunted down without even asking why. Do you remember?"
Old Master Zhang shook his head frantically.
"You must be joking… how could I remember such a thing? Tell me who he is—I'll help you find him!"
A-rank?
The Zhang family had hunted hundreds of A-rank talents.
Who could possibly remember one?
Chen Xiao laughed—brightly, almost pleasantly.Then the smile disappeared.
His figure vanished.
In the next heartbeat, he appeared in front of Zhang Yinbai.
"Yinbai, save me!"[Iron Armor] + [Vitality] activated instantly, his strongest defense.
"You won't get anything from me—"
A pale hand pressed down on his forehead.
Bang——
Zhang Yinbai's consciousness shattered.His skull collapsed, half of his head slumping open across the shattered floor.
"Yinbai!"
Old Master Zhang froze.Their invincible pillar—the Zhang family's shield—was killed in a single strike.
"Chen Xiao… you can't kill me!""Officer Yuan! Save me!"
A man stepped out behind him, firm-featured, dignified.
"Chen Xiao. I am Yuan Qingzheng, Third Executive of the Capital Military Region."
Chen Xiao didn't look impressed.
"You want to protect him?"
Yuan Qingzheng shook his head calmly.
"Of course not. He's not worth my life."
"Then get lost."
Three words. No courtesy.
A chill flickered across Yuan Qingzheng's eyes.He turned to walk past—
Puchi——
His vision tilted.He saw his own headless body still standing upright.
He died without understanding.
He hadn't offended Chen Xiao.So why?
Because the slightest hint of opposition was enough.
The Long Water Blade dissolved into clear droplets on the floor.
"You killed Officer Yuan?!""Chen Xiao—you… you dare!"
Chaos erupted offstage.
"Officer Yuan was killed just like that?!""The Capital Military Region is behind the top three families!""Is this madman not afraid of anything?!""To be honest… watching all these big names die is unbelievably satisfying—""Shut up!!"
Chen Xiao didn't care.
Anyone who might threaten him—must die.
He raised the Long Water Blade again and took three steps to stand before Old Master Zhang.
He lowered his head and spoke in a quiet voice only the two of them could hear.
"Zhang Haoli… the A-rank talent you had hunted down was me."