Chapter 28: Rescue

The final body hit the ground with a thud.

General Fan’s eyes widened as he collapsed, never having seen his assailant. The Bone Tempering Realm expert proved even more shameless than he anticipated, openly employing sneak attacks to systematically eliminate them all.

During the chaos, General Fan attempted several organized breaks for escape.

However, each time they moved, more men perished.

Especially near doorways and alleys, soldiers fell like wheat before a scythe. After just a few attempts, any hope of breaking through was shattered completely.

In the end, they could only watch helplessly as their comrades died one by one.

This relentless barrage of assassinations tormented General Fan deeply. When an arrow finally pierced his throat, he paradoxically felt a sense of relief.

“I originally intended for a thrilling, fair fight, but you chose to disregard martial ethics first.”

Emerging from the shadows, Chen Luo gazed at General Fan’s lifeless, unseeing eyes. He retrieved the iron rod he had carried throughout this journey, infused it with inner qi, and swiftly hurled it, lodging it squarely in the general’s chest.

The corpse showed no reaction.

After confirming the man was truly dead, Chen Luo approached, expressing a sense of melancholy.

During his first infiltration, General Fan had also been this cautious, never giving Chen Luo a chance for a one-on-one confrontation. Now that their positions were reversed, he naturally wouldn’t abandon his advantage by foolishly engaging in single combat.

“Let me guide you on the journey ahead.”

Chen Luo squatted down and placed his hand on General Fan’s forehead.

‘Contact with deceased brain waves, damage level 42%. Read memory?’

“Such high damage? I must have struck too hard; if only I knew earlier, I wouldn’t have aimed for the head,” Chen Luo lamented regretfully.

In the chaotic situation, to prevent General Fan from escaping and causing future trouble, Chen Luo inadvertently exerted more force than intended. He greeted General Fan with a familiar brick strike before finishing him off with a sleeve dart. As a result, even now, General Fan’s face remained bloodied, no wonder his eyes remained open in death. Few people could peacefully close their eyes under such circumstances.

‘Read!’

A unique energy flowed through Chen Luo’s palm into his forehead, and in the next moment, two insignificant ‘brains’ with hardly any special traits were discarded from his mind.

After dispatching General Fan and his men within the courtyard, Chen Luo finally felt completely at ease.

With no backup arriving despite such commotion, it seemed the soldiers searching outside had formed their own plans. This situation suited Chen Luo perfectly, saving him additional effort. After killing so many people throughout the night, even he felt somewhat numb.

“Shimei, He Shimei? Wake up.”

After acquiring a few more useful brains, Chen Luo approached and untied He Min along with several other women, gently patting their cheeks.

Unfortunately, He Shimei appeared to be deeply asleep, unresponsive to his calls.

“Is my touch too light?”

Chen Luo glanced at his hand, then looked back at the unconscious He Shimei.

After some hesitation, he ultimately abandoned the tempting thought that crossed his mind. Dragging someone out with a swollen face like a pig’s head would raise too many questions. It was better to leave her behind for Master Ma and others to deal with.

His primary objective upon returning to Qingya County had been achieved.

Now, it was time to prepare for departure. Both the Qingya County Magistrate and General Fan were connected to Prince Ning, serving as pieces in a larger scheme. By eliminating these individuals, Chen Luo effectively declared open hostility towards Prince Ning. The only advantage was that, thus far, Prince Ning remained unaware of Chen Luo’s existence.

If handled well, this could be the end of it.

As for seeking revenge against Prince Ning, Chen Luo knew he wasn’t that reckless yet. He hadn’t suffered any significant losses during these events, so there was no need to escalate further. If truly intent on vengeance, he would wait until his strength had significantly increased. The status of a prince far surpassed that of Qingya County’s magistrate. Aside from personal prowess, just the elite guards surrounding him were beyond Chen Luo’s capabilities. General Fan, whom Chen Luo struggled to defeat tonight, would likely be seen by Prince Ning as merely a slightly more useful dog - one whose name might not even be remembered.

“Hmm?”

Just as Chen Luo prepared to fetch a bucket of cold water, a nearby jade script caught his attention.

The dormant Imperial Brain within his mind suddenly became active upon seeing the jade script.

This is one of the scripts known to the Imperial Brain! A thought instantly flashed through Chen Luo’s mind.

A hidden member of the imperial family, supported by their royal uncle, secretly ventured into forbidden realms and obtained a mysterious jade script. Hoping to use it to change their circumstances, they never anticipated being betrayed by their trusted royal uncle and meeting a bitter death at an unnamed hillside. The jade script they risked everything for was subsequently seized by agents sent by the prince.

Each step meticulously planned.

If not for Chen Luo, the ‘rebellion’ in Qingya County would have been swiftly quelled, the revenge for the imperial descendant avenged, and the jade script secured by Prince Ning. The county magistrate and those involved would have gained credit for ‘eliminating bandits’, reaping both fame and benefits.

The only ones to suffer would be the common folk of Qingya County.

To those in power, however, the lives of ordinary people were merely numbers. In exchange for such gains, these peasants should have felt grateful instead.

“Senior Brother?”

As Chen Luo prepared to delve further into his study, He Min, who had been unconscious for some time, finally woke up. Several other women captured with her also stirred awake. Upon seeing the corpses strewn around them, they couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

Their reactions interrupted Chen Luo’s thoughts.

“It’s good that you’re awake. I’ve killed everyone here already. Calm them down, and get ready to leave,” Chen Luo instructed He Min while casually tucking the jade booklet into his robe. Realizing the urgency of the situation, he knew their priority was to escape first; there would be time later to examine the booklet once they were safe.

Killed everyone?

Does it mean literally all of them?

With a dazed look, He Min scanned the surroundings. Seeing General Fan’s lifeless face, she truly understood the extent of “killed everyone.”

These soldiers were truly dead, all slain by her senior brother.

But hadn’t Master Ma mentioned that Chen Luo only began studying martial arts under him a month ago? Could he have been mistaken?

“Senior Brother! Wait for me.”

By the time He Min snapped out of her shock, she found Chen Luo already at the courtyard gate, leaving only his back visible.

She hastily rose and rushed after him.

Seeing this, the other women quickly followed suit. Regardless of what awaited outside, they had no desire to remain in a yard littered with corpses. The slain soldiers had been there for some time, their blood’s scent now pervasive; it was unbearable for anyone in such conditions.

“Great Expert!”

As soon as Chen Luo stepped out, he spotted Wang Dajiang waiting anxiously nearby.

“Perfect timing. He Shimei and several rescued women are just behind us; please escort them,” Chen Luo swiftly delegated the task to Wang Dajiang. With someone else taking charge, he could now focus on studying the jade booklet without delay.

“They’re saved? Truly impressive, Great Expert!” Wang Dajiang, visibly excited, hurried towards the rear. However, after taking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and turned back.

“Oh right, where’s my elder brother?”

Wang Dajiang glanced over his shoulder, but Chen Luo had vanished without a trace.

Great Expert.

Could he have forgotten about my elder brother?