This approach proved effective. A dark glint flashed in Mo Qianzhi’s eyes as he continued, “You beast, this official advises you to surrender. Do not create more bloodshed. If you don’t listen, don’t blame me for being impolite. Even if it costs me my life today, I will bring you to justice to prevent you from harming more innocent people and disturbing the peace of our citizens.”
While these words seemed flawless on the surface, they felt somewhat strange upon closer examination.
Although Shen Du sensed something odd, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He merely glanced at Mo Qianzhi.
Mo Qianzhi straightened his back, appearing righteous and unafraid of Shen Du’s scrutiny.
The surrounding crowd, however, was in uproar. This Half-Faced Ghost was an unrepentant murderer who had already committed several heinous crimes.
From high-ranking Yingzhou officials to ordinary citizens at dawn, it seemed this person spared no one. As someone loudly analyzed, today it was Du Xiaoxuan, but tomorrow it could be any of them.
Suddenly, the citizens felt a sense of imminent danger, as everyone valued their lives.
An agitated person shouted angrily, “We are living, breathing people, not livestock to be slaughtered at will. I say we charge at him and kill him, so we don’t have to live in constant fear!”
“That’s right! Even if he’s fierce, one person can’t fight against many. Charge!” someone else added.
Despite the presence of officials like Mo Qianzhi, the crowd couldn’t contain their agitation. They began pushing forward, intending to kill the Half-Faced Ghost.
The scene descended into chaos.
Zhu Yan frowned, about to call for calm, when she was suddenly jostled and nearly fell to the ground.
Fortunately, Shen Du was quick to react. He grabbed her waist and pulled her back, narrowly averting disaster.
“Are you alright?” His concern was palpable.
Zhu Yan broke free from Shen Du’s hand on her waist, creating distance between them before shaking her head. “I’m fine.”
Now that she knew Shen Du had no intentions toward her, she naturally wouldn’t indulge in fantasies. Keeping her distance was best to prevent her heart from unknowingly falling for him, only to realize it when she was in too deep.
Shen Du withdrew his hand, his face impassive, but his heartfelt somewhat empty.
“Ah!”
A cry of pain rang out, instantly silencing the jostling crowd. Everyone turned towards the source of the sound.
They saw the Half-Faced Ghost had somehow cut a piece of flesh from Du Xiaoxuan and was chewing it in front of everyone.
Du Xiaoxuan’s face contorted in pain. Upon hearing the sound of the Half-Faced Ghost chewing raw flesh, she fainted from fright.
The citizens were terrified by this sight. Some of the more timid ones also fainted.
Others were so disgusted by the scene that they crouched to the side and vomited.
Pan Chi hadn’t expected the Half-Faced Ghost to be so brazen as to act in front of them.
His face instantly turned cold, but unfortunately, with Du Xiaoxuan as a hostage, he was at a disadvantage and dared not step forward.
It was truly frustrating.
Seeing his beloved being tortured so, Li Zimo ignored his parents’ attempts to stop him and rushed forward, falling to his knees before the Half-Faced Ghost, begging, “Eat me! Please, let Xiaoxuan go and eat me instead!”
It is said that ‘a man’s knees are worth gold, kneeling only to heaven, earth, and parents,’ yet Li Zimo was willing to kneel for Du Xiaoxuan. A grown man crying with tears streaming down his face was truly admirable.
Du Xiaoxuan’s parents also came forward crying, pleading aloud. If it meant saving their daughter, they would gladly trade a life for a life.
Seeing this, the Half-Faced Ghost sneered, “A bunch of ants thinking they can shake a tree. How truly presumptuous.”
With these words, the Half-Faced Ghost grabbed Du Xiaoxuan by the back of her neck, lifted her, and suddenly vanished from the spot.
Pan Chi frowned, about to give chase when the Half-Faced Ghost suddenly poked his head out from the city wall.
Without warning, he threw Du Xiaoxuan from the top of the wall.
This sudden development shocked the surrounding citizens who had never witnessed such a bloody scene. They scattered in panic, creating chaos.
Mo Qianzhi, worried that people might be trampled to death in the confusion, had to send men to disperse the crowd.
Zhu Yan’s heart was in her throat. She signaled Sun Tan with her eyes, telling him to save the person.
Understanding her intent, Sun Tan pushed through the crowd and moved forward.
Seeing this, Pan Chi no longer concerned himself with Du Xiaoxuan. He leaped up, heading straight for the Half-Faced Ghost, intending to capture him.
Fortunately, Sun Tan also had some martial skills. He caught Du Xiaoxuan safely and handed her over to Li Zimo and the others, instructing, “She’s lost too much blood. It’s hard to say if she’ll survive. Quickly take her to a medical hall for treatment.”
With that said, he followed Pan Chi. The Half-Faced Ghost was skilled in martial arts and cunning; he had already fled. It would be difficult for Pan Chi alone to capture him.
Seeing that the person had been rescued, Zhu Yan let out a sigh of relief and quickly pushed Shen Du. “Hurry and help!”
If they could capture this Half-Faced Ghost, many mysteries would come to light. They couldn’t let him escape.
Shen Du hesitated, worried that if he left, something might happen to Zhu Yan.
While he was deliberating, the Half-Faced Ghost had already mixed into the fleeing crowd and was approaching Shen Du and Zhu Yan.
Seeing Shen Du not moving, Zhu Yan was about to urge him again when someone grabbed her by the back of her collar.
Just as she was about to turn her head to see what was happening, she found herself lifted into the air. A sense of weightlessness came over her, and Zhu Yan nearly cursed out loud.
Shen Du hadn’t expected the Half-Faced Ghost to have such skill, capable of snatching Zhu Yan right from under his nose. His face instantly turned frosty as he gave chase.
“Stop! She’s not someone you should touch.”
“If you dare harm a single hair on her head, I’ll tear you to pieces.”
He blamed himself. If he hadn’t been distracted earlier, how could the Half-Faced Ghost have succeeded?
In the blink of an eye, the Half-Faced Ghost had taken Zhu Yan back up to the city wall.
Pan Chi heard the commotion and saw Zhu Yan captured. Cursing Shen Du’s incompetence under his breath, he also gave chase.
Mo Qianzhi, while having people disperse the crowd, also had archers prepare, determined to capture the Half-Faced Ghost.
On the city wall, the Half-Faced Ghost exchanged blows with Shen Du. Encumbered by Zhu Yan, he was somewhat at a disadvantage and nearly hit by Shen Du. He quickly pulled Zhu Yan in front of him as a shield.
How could Shen Du bear to strike Zhu Yan? Unable to stop his momentum in time, he had to change direction, landing a palm strike on the city wall instead.
The Half-Faced Ghost mocked, “Indeed, a hero’s downfall is often a beauty! Shen Du, for all your heavenly skills, you’ve now stumbled because of this beauty.”
Shen Du tensed. “Enough talk. Release her immediately.”
Shen Du’s eyes were frosty, his gaze intense as he stared at the Half-Faced Ghost.
The Half-Faced Ghost ignored this. “Only the incompetent resort to empty words. To think that the grand leader of the Internal Guard is just a man of empty show. How laughable.”
Yet such a person had aroused fear from all directions to the extent that they were willing to create chaos to draw out the snake. His arrogance was evident, but he forgot that a person respected as the ‘White King of Hell’ was not one to be underestimated.
Shen Du’s loss of composure was merely because his weakness had been seized.
Pan Chi had arrived and heard the Half-Faced Ghost’s mocking words. He couldn’t help but glare at Shen Du. “Why are you wasting words with him? Hurry and act! If anything happens to Zhu Yan, Pan will be your sworn enemy.”
Though Pan Chi appeared gentle as jade on the outside, his actions were as swift as flowing water. He immediately charged at the Half-Faced Ghost with his sword.
His swordsmanship was unorthodox but effective.
The Half-Faced Ghost knew he couldn’t match them. Not lingering to fight, he threw a handful of powder from his sleeve. As smoke rose, he and Zhu Yan vanished from Pan Chi and Shen Du’s sight.
The two men were shocked.