Chapter Sixty-three: If You Kill, You Must Kill Completely

“Can you move? Black Snake... Quick, call my brother, tell him to bring people and save me! That kid is wearing Yuanyang No.1 High School’s uniform, he’s the short girl’s brother... easy to find out. I want him and his family utterly ruined.”

The youth in the floral shirt had his sternum kicked in; even the slightest movement sent waves of agony through his upper body, and he spoke through ragged breaths. He did have a phone on him, but he couldn’t use his hands, so all he could do was glare fiercely and curse.

Black Snake was in slightly better shape. His vitality was stronger, he could take more punishment… After spitting out a few mouthfuls of blood, his chest and abdomen twisted in pain and his limbs were weak, but he endured, using his good left hand to fumble a phone out of his pocket.

“There’s no need,” came a cold voice.

A sharp crack rang out. As Black Snake was about to dial, he heard the chilling tone nearby. He looked up to see a sneakered foot pressing down on Wu Tie’s throat… With a single stomp, the neck of the boy in the floral shirt was crushed like paper, the sound of snapping vertebrae echoing clearly in the night.

“You’re too naive, still thinking of revenge? Did you never consider the consequences before doing something like this?” Bloodlust gleamed even brighter in Xiao Nan’s eyes.

In this moment, he felt a flickering urge to let go, to stop suppressing the violence within him and let his negative emotions pour out.

“Earlier, I just didn’t want to act in front of my sister. She’s still young; if she saw something so brutal, it would leave a shadow on her heart and harm her growth. These things need to be taught step by step, don’t you think?”

Xiao Nan walked unhurriedly toward Black Snake, his murderous intent growing heavier with every step.

Black Snake’s mind immediately unraveled, his triangular eyes fluttering wildly. It was as if a wave of blood surged before his eyes, with a monstrous beast atop it, ready to swallow him whole. With a shriek, he flung his phone forward blindly, forced himself up despite the pain, and staggered away at a desperate run. Blood spilled from his mouth as he fled.

“Heh, you still think you can escape after being injured?”

Xiao Nan shook his head. This one had a decent survival instinct; he must have seen his share of real fights. If all the so-called “Night Bloom” thugs were like this, perhaps he’d have to put in a little more effort.

He dodged the flying phone with a slight tilt of his head, then dug his heel into the ground, sending up a spray of gravel and dust. Like a drawn bow suddenly released, he shot forward in two or three great strides, closing in on the man in black.

Xiao Nan’s gaze was cold as ice. He leaned in, one leg planted, the other raised to his waist, twisting his hips as he turned—

With a muffled groan, his right leg swept out like a guillotine, the force of the kick surging forward in a tidal wave. It was a simple, straightforward roundhouse, yet its power was indescribable.

A dull thud rang out. Black Snake’s scream was cut short, his body flying through the air like a soccer ball, crashing through the air for over ten meters before landing with a clatter, impaled on the branches of a roadside tree.

Just seeing the way his back was bent at a thirty-degree angle, his eyes rolled white as he hung on the forked trunk, it was clear that he was already gone by the time he left the ground.

“You thought I’d let you run back for help? Wishful thinking.”

Xiao Nan let out a long breath, feeling his muscles and bones grinding softly against each other. A surge of heat swept from the crown of his head through his limbs, filling him with an unspeakable, exhilarating sense of release.

He twisted his ankle, noticing that his control over his strength had grown even more precise, his body and mind more unified and harmonious than ever. The power was the same, but its use was now smoother, more fluid.

With a single thought, his energy and blood flowed through his body, strength merging with intent, soft and hard in endless variation.

“Good, I was right. Some emotions and desires are better released than suppressed… I won’t even mention hunger, but this violent urge—once vented, it’s gone. Forcing it down with sheer willpower never truly solves anything.”

After a moment’s reflection, Xiao Nan realized he had found the best way to dispel his aftereffects, and his mood improved; the blood-red light faded from his eyes.

Having killed two men in quick succession, Xiao Nan appeared truly terrifying in Zhao Lei’s eyes. The boy in the school uniform, backpack still on his shoulders, dared not even scream or beg; he only clutched his mouth, whimpering in fear.

“Afraid now? If you’d known it would come to this, would you have done it in the first place?”

Xiao Nan’s gaze was cold as frost, devoid of warmth. “Everyone wants beauty, that’s only natural. If you’d pursued a girl openly and honestly, I wouldn’t have been angry. But to use such despicable means—did you ever think about how much harm you’d do to others?”

Zhao Lei only shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks like rain. He seemed to sense what was coming, and could only sob and promise never to do it again.

“A dog will never stop eating filth.”

Xiao Nan shook his head, saying no more. His fist flew out like the wind, landing softly on Zhao Lei’s forehead…

The force flowed from his heart, gentle as spring water, explosive as thunder.

Zhao Lei didn’t even have time to grunt. His eyes glazed over, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground. The punch looked light, but it had turned his brain to mush.

When killing, one must finish the job.

Not a single one of these people could be allowed to escape. Xiao Nan had never been one to gamble with his family’s lives.

After killing Zhao Lei with one blow, Xiao Nan glanced back toward the alley entrance and saw two small heads peeking around the corner, spying on him…

He didn’t mind. Instead, he bent down to search Zhao Lei and Wu Tie for anything of value.

As for Black Snake, still hanging in the tree, he couldn’t be bothered to search.

Zhao Lei had little money on him, barely a thousand yuan, but Wu Tie’s wallet was stuffed; aside from credit cards and ID, there was over twenty-three thousand yuan in cash, so much the wallet could barely close.

This must have been Zhao Lei’s payment for the staged “performance.”

Xiao Nan pocketed it without hesitation. He’d been broke lately, and was too embarrassed to ask his mother for more allowance—money was tight at home, after all.

He pulled the black-sheathed short sword from Wu Tie’s belt and drew it. It was finely made of alloy steel, the blade sharp, the length about the size of a forearm—just perfect for a young girl to wield.

“This will be for Xiao Bei. I hope she won’t mind it came from a dead man.”

“And that knife, too.” Xiao Nan glanced at the ground nearby, where a blade gleamed coldly.

…

Of course Xiao Bei didn’t mind; the thought never even crossed her mind. Still shaken, she hurried away from the alley corner, dragging Fang Luoluo along.

“I told you not to look back, but you just had to be curious.”

Fang Luoluo’s face was pale, tears welling up. “Please, beg your brother not to kill me to keep me quiet.”

“He won’t, I know Xiao Nan. At home, he doesn’t even dare kill a chicken… He’s the kindest person I know.” Even as she spoke, Xiao Bei could hardly believe her own words. Her heart was pounding wildly.

What she’d just witnessed had completely upended her understanding. Defeating an opponent and killing one were worlds apart.

“He killed someone… What if the police come? What if there’s revenge? That guy said he had a powerful big brother…”

…

“Come on, don’t let your imagination run wild.”

Xiao Nan approached with a gentle smile. He handed Xiao Bei a short sword, still in its sheath. “It’s a bit short, but so are your arms, so it’s just right. When you’re not using it, you can keep it in your backpack—it won’t attract much attention. Of course, a weapon is only as good as how you use it. For example, this time, you shouldn’t have gone for the foot; your first strike should always target a vital spot. Otherwise, if you meet someone skilled, you may never get a second chance.”