C11 The First Time the Kind Killer Attacked

Zhao Sheng couldn't stop thinking about Marmin Xin's delicate face, seemingly sculpted entirely from collagen, and her body, which he imagined was even softer than his wife's. He made his way slowly toward Ma Binn's house.

Given that it was broad daylight, he knew he had to act quickly. He needed to capture her and take her somewhere secluded before he could take his time with her.

Zhao Sheng had reached the edge of Ma Binn's house and was about to peer through the window when a young voice came from inside, "Sister Xin, let's go outside!"

"No, no! Going outside could frighten someone to death."

"Hmm? That's not that annoying young master's voice; he's not inside." Zhao Sheng didn't hear Ma Tianming's voice and felt it was a missed opportunity.

That boy was a nuisance, too. He could have used this chance to break his legs.

"Don't be afraid!" The boy's voice inside continued, "I won't run off to where people are... This place is just too cramped. It's no fun."

Zhao Sheng wondered, "What are they up to? The voice sounds like a child's. Surely they're not doing anything indecent, right?"

But one could never be sure. Even though it was a child, Marmin Xin could be promiscuous. The more beautiful the woman, the more likely she was to be lascivious.

With these thoughts, Zhao Sheng grew more impatient. It didn't matter what they were doing. After all, it was just a child and a beautiful woman. There was no need to be afraid of them, and if they were indeed doing something inappropriate, he would have to intervene.

Zhao Sheng walked up to the door and pushed it open with force. The door, which had been ajar, creaked loudly as it swung open.

Marmin Xin and Ma Tianyi turned abruptly to face Zhao Sheng.

"Who are you?" Ma Tianyi asked, his voice laced with anxiety as he quickly moved to stand in front of Marmin Xin.

"Zhao Sheng?!"

"Miss, you remember me?" Zhao Sheng, seeing no one else was present, felt a surge of triumph and joy.

"What are you doing here?" Marmin Xin recalled Ma Tianming's warning: not to meet with others when he was away, especially since someone as seemingly respectable as Mei Jiangshan could propose taking her as a concubine. What other evils could someone else be capable of?

"I've come to escort Miss Marmin Xin to see the master. He's quite concerned about you."

Uncle?

"Even though Uncle Zhao Mu has had a falling out with Dad and isn't on good terms with my brother, he's never been angry with me!"

Marmin Xin was aware that her uncle Zhao Mu and her mother were actually very close. When she found herself with nowhere to go, she had indeed considered that her uncle might come to find her and offer her a place to stay at his home.

Yet, Marmin Xin, ever perceptive, could tell by the look on Zhao Sheng's face that something was amiss. It wasn't just that he lacked any semblance of respect or concern for her.

It was that inherently repulsive demeanor... the kind her brother and father would describe as sleazy.

"No! I won't go back."

"Miss, you must obey! Look at this place," Zhao Sheng gestured around and continued, "What sort of place is this? Is this fit for people to live in? Come with me to the master's house, quickly."

Zhao Sheng approached as he spoke.

Is this a place for humans to live in?

Ma Tianyi was aware that their home wasn't the most elegant, but it still stung to hear someone else criticize it so bluntly.

"Back off!" Ma Tianyi pouted and yelled, spreading his arms wide as if to shield Marmin Xin.

"Little boy! I'm here to take your sister to a better life. Step aside," Zhao Sheng said, advancing forward.

With his words, Marmin Xin became even more convinced of Zhao Sheng's vile intentions and cried out, "He's a bad man."

"Miss, by calling me a bad man, don't you realize it makes it easier for real villains to target you?"

Zhao Sheng was unfazed by the children's defiance. He reached out to grab Ma Tianyi, confident that with a simple flick of his wrist, he could fling the boy aside.

"Bite him!"

Ma Tianyi suddenly yelled out.

"Bite?" Zhao Sheng was taken aback by the command. But almost instantly, he felt a sharp pain on his foot, as if an ant had bitten him. He instinctively looked down.

With a gasp, Zhao Sheng discovered a black and white snake at his feet: clearly, the source of the stinging bite.

Zhao Sheng quickly crouched down to grab the snake.

"Get away!"

As Zhao Sheng bent over, Ma Tianyi yelled out, "I've been playing with this 'silver bag iron' all day. It's very tame, and not particularly quick to move. Without a call, it probably wouldn't have run off."

Luckily, the 'silver bag iron' was indeed quick to respond to Ma Tianyi's command. At his word, it darted to the side, managing to escape just as Zhao Sheng was about to catch it.

Zhao Sheng, however, was not ready to give up on the 'silver bag iron' and set off in pursuit.

"You're going to get yourself killed."

Marmin Xin, who was usually terrified of snakes, had grown less fearful after watching Ma Tianyi interact with the 'silver bag iron' throughout the day. Given its docile nature, she was even more reluctant to see it harmed.

If Zhao Sheng caught it, the snake would surely be killed on the spot, so in her urgency, Marmin Xin began to threaten Zhao Sheng. Despite her threatening tone, her delicate face remained as radiant as a peach blossom, her beauty undiminished by her fear and anxiety.

The 'silver bag iron' had already heeded Ma Tianyi's direction and slithered into a corner, making it difficult for Zhao Sheng to catch.

Zhao Sheng did catch sight of the snake: its black and white pattern was unmistakable—it was the 'silver bag iron.'

Common in Guangnan, Zhao Sheng recognized it as a venomous snake.

Having been bitten by the 'silver bag iron,' Zhao Sheng felt little pain but understood that Marmin Xin's warning was no idle threat.

"You all dare to conspire against me?" Zhao Sheng fumed with anger, but he was most astonished to realize that the snake seemed to be obeying the young man's commands.

Hearing Zhao Sheng's curses, Ma Tianyi thought Zhao Sheng was coming to harass him and his sister Mingxin again, and he cried out, "Bite him again!"

The 'silver bag iron,' previously concealed, burst forth, prompting Zhao Sheng to hastily retreat.

"No, no, no!" Marmin Xin exclaimed. She remembered Ma Tianming's caution that the snake was extremely venomous, and despite its tractability, it should never be handled directly.

Marmin Xin was genuinely fearful that Zhao Sheng might harm them, but she couldn't bring herself to let the snake fatally poison him, so she intervened to stop it.

Ma Tianyi quickly commanded, "Hold off on biting."

The silver-coated serpent immediately ceased its attack.

It was remarkably obedient!

As Zhao Sheng backed up against the wall, he felt an intense discomfort in his legs, as though the venom was already taking effect.

The venom of the silver-coated serpent was indeed lethal; a bite could be fatal. It had earned the moniker "Gentle Killer" because its bite was painless and often went unnoticed.

But once the venom set in, survival became nearly impossible. The onset could be as rapid as a minute or two, or as slow as three to four hours.

At that moment, Zhao Sheng's leg pain was purely out of fear.

Though he wasn't fond of handling snakes, Zhao Sheng was aware of one crucial fact: the more one moved after being bitten, the quicker death would come.

He dared not move, particularly with the silver-coated serpent watching him intently, following Ma Tianyi's command. It seemed like a specter ready to strike at any moment.