Chapter 63
Chapter 63
He had waited for Shen Lang to come and buy him over, not sleeping a wink for three days and nights.
With two broken legs, Tian Thirteen had given up on everything, but he held on day by day with the sole intention of humiliating Shen Lang. But Shen Lang never showed up, which, ironically, left a deep sense of resentment in Tian Thirteen's heart.
*Damn you, Shen Lang, why haven't you come to buy me? How long do I have to wait for you? The only reason I'm still holding on is to take my anger out on you.*
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside.
*Shen Lang, have you finally come to buy me?*
He closed his eyes, composing his heart and expression.
*When Shen Lang comes, I'll give him a harsh humiliation. Shen Lang, asking me to betray the Gang Leader? Nonsense!*
***
But when Tian Thirteen opened his eyes, what met his gaze were six pairs of eyes. Six men dressed in black surrounded his bed. They had their faces covered, but Tian Thirteen recognized three of them. One was Liu Chengren, an expert from the City Lord's manor, and the other two were his colleagues, Tian Da and Tian Qi.
In that instant, the world Tian Thirteen had built in his mind completely crumbled, and he despaired. There is no greater sorrow in the world than despair.
“Big Brother, Seventh Brother, did the Gang Leader send you to kill me?”
His voice was as rough as sandpaper. Tian Heng's two subordinates, Tian Da and Tian Qi, said nothing. The tears welling in Tian Thirteen's eyes fell silently, and fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He said no more, simply tearing off a corner of the simple robe he was wearing. It was a silent farewell. By tearing his clothes, he signified the severing of his ties with Tian Heng. As of today, he was no longer Tian Heng's subordinate. Though in the face of death, that decision was meaningless.
Tian Thirteen said.
“Big Brother, Seventh Brother, kill me. Just spare my parents. They know nothing.”
After speaking, Tian Thirteen closed his eyes and waited for death.
“Sorry. We must eliminate any future trouble.”
Tian Da said. Hearing this, Tian Thirteen was enraged. He shot up and screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Don't touch my parents!”
Droplets of blood sprayed from his mouth with his roar. A moment later, Tian Thirteen's parents were dragged before him. Forced to their knees by Tian Heng's men, two swords were soon held to their necks.
With tears of blood streaming from the corners of his eyes, Tian Thirteen spoke.
“Why? Why?”
“You know too much. Your survival is a threat to the Gang Leader.”
“I never once thought of betraying him. I would rather die than betray him. If the Count of Xuanwu's Estate had come to buy me over, I was going to tear into them.”
“Who knows if you really would? We're not willing to take that risk.”
At that moment, the very concept of trust completely collapsed within Tian Thirteen's heart.
*So it turns out I was the only one who cared about loyalty? I thought I was ruthless, but now I see I was just a fool.*
The expert dispatched on Zhang Jin's orders said.
“Kill them. Let's send Tian Thirteen's family off. A family should be together.”
Four swords lunged fiercely toward Tian Thirteen, while the other two moved to strike his parents' necks.
“Aargh!”
In that instant, Tian Thirteen shot up and charged like a bullet toward the two assassins about to kill his parents. The two assassins were knocked to the ground by his charge.
*Shink, shink, shink.*
Tian Thirteen drew a dagger from his sleeve like lightning. In a flash, the two assassins' throats were slit, and crimson blood gushed out like a storm. No one had expected Tian Thirteen, with his broken legs, to be capable of such a sharp attack.
But in the next moment.
*Thunk!*
Tian Da pinned Tian Thirteen to the ground with his sword, immobilizing him.
“Thirteen, what are you doing?”
“I know I can't save my parents, but as a son, I must risk my life and do my best, so I'll have no regrets in death.”
At that moment, as he spoke those words, Tian Thirteen understood how Shen Lang must have felt when he had gambled by intentionally provoking Jin Mulan to save his parents.
“Foolish!”
Tian Da sighed and drew a dagger from his sleeve, preparing to slit Tian Thirteen's throat.
“N-no. Don't kill my son…”
Tian Thirteen's parents cried out wretchedly as they collapsed to the floor. Tian Qi stepped forward, about to lightly draw his dagger across the old man's throat. But then, a fragrant breeze drifted in from somewhere.
At the same time, a flash of a sword appeared, along with an exquisitely beautiful figure. With a series of clear, ringing sounds, Jin Mulan's sword moved with the speed and force of a lightning flash. All four assassins collapsed before her sword, which had severed all their wrists.
Tian Da felt a cold sensation on his wrist and was horrified to see a clean cut appear as his right hand fell away. Not only Tian Da, but the right hands of the other assassins had all been severed as well. Only then could they clearly see who the figure was.
It was Jin Mulan, the precious daughter of Xuanwu City and its greatest beauty. Tian Da knew Jin Mulan's martial arts were formidable, but he had never imagined they were on this level. How old was she? To defeat multiple opponents so swiftly in a one-versus-many confrontation! With skills like these, only someone of Gang Leader Tian Heng's caliber could possibly face her.
***
When Shen Lang entered the room, the battle was already over. He stared blankly at the four men with severed hands, then looked at his wife.
*Isn't that… a little too fast? I didn't see anything. It was over before I even came in.*
Shen Lang said to Mulan.
“My lady, I… I didn't see anything. Could you do it again?”
At that moment, the four assassins quickly hid their remaining left hands.
*I, Shen Lang, had eyes but failed to see Mount Tai. To think my wife was this incredible. I wasn't mentally prepared for this at all.*
“My lady, your martial arts are so exceptional you could defeat all these enemies alone. Why did you bring three more experts?”
Mulan quietly looked at her husband. Shen Lang noticed that Jin Zhong, Jin Hui, and Jin Zheng were standing in a triangle formation, surrounding him. Only then did he realize the three of them hadn't come to fight, but to protect him.
“My lady, if, just by chance… if by some one-in-a-million chance we were to fight, would you hit me?”
Mulan said nothing.
“Honey, if one day you become terribly angry, for the sake of our marital affection, please give me a heads-up. That way, I can run away in advance.”
Jin Zhong and Jin Hui couldn't help but turn their heads away. To utter such foolish words in such a serious situation… they had to curse Shen Lang in their hearts to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out. Mulan, having endured all she could, shot Shen Lang a fierce glare. The killing intent in her eyes was even greater than that of her sword just moments ago.
Shen Lang walked over to the four assassins and asked.
“My lady, is it safe to talk to them from this distance?”
“It's safe.”
Shen Lang tilted his head slightly at Jin Mulan's somewhat stiff and firm reply, then turned to Tian Da and spoke calmly.
“Go back and tell Tian Heng to wash his neck and wait for death! Also, tell City Lord Liu Wuyan and Lord Zhang Jin to be sure to call me when they kill Tian Heng so I can watch. I've never seen a beheading before.”
After hearing Shen Lang's words, Tian Da couldn't help but twitch. Tian Thirteen knew more of Tian Heng's secrets than Tian Da, including many matters related to the City Lord's manor. Once those secrets were exposed, things would definitely not end quietly.
Tian Heng had now become a ticking time bomb for City Lord Liu Wuyan. To prevent his own affairs from being exposed, he would have to defuse that bomb beforehand. If Shen Lang were to detonate that secret, there was no telling what the consequences would be.
“I'm taking Tian Thirteen. Any objections?”
The four assassins across from him couldn't make a sound. With the exceptionally skilled Jin Mulan standing beside him, how could they possibly object?
“Go back and deliver my message. And since your severed hands are bleeding, apply pressure so you don't bleed out. Even if you die, deliver the message before you do.”
The faces of Tian Da and the others twitched again.
*Damn you. You son of a bitch, if it weren't for your terrifying wife, I would have killed you even if I had to tear you limb from limb.*
Even though Shen Lang told them to go, they didn't move, looking only at Jin Mulan. When Mulan said nothing and lowered her gaze, the four assassins wordlessly picked up their severed hands and immediately left the room.
When they stepped outside, dozens of cavalrymen from the Count's estate were standing in the pitch-darkness, aiming powerful crossbows at them. The Count had sent them to prepare for any contingency.
The ten warriors from the Black Clothes Gang who had been standing guard in ambush outside were already all dead. Tian Da and the other three assassins mounted their horses and galloped toward Xuanwu City as if they were flying.
*A huge problem has arrived. A great disaster is upon us.*
***
Shen Lang walked over to Tian Thirteen. He saw a sword pinning Tian Thirteen to the ground. He reached out one hand to pull it out, his posture quite cool and natural.
“Ugh!”
*Damn it, they stuck it in so deep it won't come out.*
Shen Lang had to use both hands and all his strength before he could finally pull the sword out. Then, Shen Lang remained silent, looking at Tian Thirteen.
Having escaped the crisis and seen his parents alive, Tian Thirteen looked at their graying hair. He said nothing, immediately kneeling before Shen Lang, pressing his forehead to the ground and prostrating himself completely.
He was a discerning man. From this day forward, Tian Thirteen was Shen Lang's hound. A hound that would do any dirty work without refusal, without defiance, without question. For some reason, Tian Thirteen couldn't suppress the overwhelming emotions and began to sob, his whole body shaking, not wiping away the tears streaming from his eyes.
Shen Lang said quietly.
“Crying so sorrowfully, it seems you're not pleased to be serving under me.”
Tian Thirteen immediately stopped his tears. Continuing to cry in front of a petty master like Shen Lang would make the rest of his life miserable.
“From now on, you are Shen Thirteen.”
Tian Thirteen kowtowed.
“Yes, Master.”
Ah, no. He was Shen Thirteen now.
“Your parents will live in the Count's estate from now on. You might have a change of heart or disobey my orders, so having your parents in my hands will put us both at ease, wouldn't it?”
Mulan's beautiful eyes looked up at the ceiling. At this moment, she wanted to draw a clear line between herself and her husband. To so brazenly suggest holding someone's parents hostage.
“Yes, Master.”
Shen Thirteen kowtowed again, pressing his forehead to Shen Lang's shoes. Shen Lang affectionately helped him up, saying.
“Get up quickly. How can you be kneeling on the floor with your legs still broken? The floor here is damp and cold.”
Shen Lang's act of feigning affection was painfully obvious.
***
City Lord Liu Wuyan's face turned pale as he listened to his confidant's report. Of the six assassins sent to kill Tian Thirteen, two were dead. Of course, more important than the two deaths was the fact that Tian Thirteen hadn't died, and Shen Lang had rescued him.
*Shen Lang, you damn bastard, you son of a bitch. How can you be one step ahead in everything?*
He and Zhang Jin had acted very quickly, sending the assassins as soon as they left the Count's estate. And yet, they were still a step too late.
*This wretched bastard is not only cunning but also vicious!*
His trusted advisor said.
“My lord, we're in trouble now!”
Tian Thirteen was Tian Heng's confidant, so he knew almost all the secrets of the Black Clothes Gang. How many lives had been lost at Tian Heng's hands as he committed countless evil deeds? Tian Heng had even done a lot of dirty work for various lords. If Tian Heng's evil deeds were exposed, dying ten times over wouldn't be enough to atone for his sins. Moreover, Tian Thirteen even held evidence of Tian Heng's crimes, so he could provide both physical proof and testimony.
Before, Tian Heng had been their sharpest blade; now, he had become a poisoned chalice they could neither drink from nor put down. If they didn't find a safe way to dispose of that chalice beforehand, a terrifying situation would surely arise through Shen Lang, one that nobody would be able to control.
Liu Wuyan's advisor said.
“My lord, Tian Heng cannot be allowed to live.”