C9 He Was Furious

Rustling sounds echoed as, simultaneously, shadows flickered outside the door and five more figures emerged!

Clad in identical black garb, each one was honing their blades with a menacing air. A ferocious cry cut through the air, "Kill him!"

The chilling voice was so piercing that, despite the onset of summer, it sent a shiver down the spine, as if to freeze one's blood.

The lead figure, upon hearing the cry, seemed to redouble his efforts. His steel blade, catching the light, gleamed brilliantly as it thrust into the vulnerable chest.

"Puff!"

The blade sank in, but it was abruptly halted by something unexpected. The wielder's face contorted in shock, the force behind the thrust now irretrievable.

"Bang, crash!"

A loud noise ensued. The man in black, propelled by his own excessive force, dragged Jing Chong's body through the window. The already weakened wooden frame gave way under the immense pressure, shattering instantly. Jing Chong's body burst through the window and plummeted to the ground outside.

"Is he dead?"

A tumult of excited voices rose from behind. The men in black at the forefront raised their thumbs in approval.

Yet, the man at the front withdrew his steel blade in a stupor. Under the dim light, his face turned pale with shock. "What? No blood!"

"He's not dead?"

At these words, the others quickly snapped to attention, no longer hesitating as they peered out of the shattered window.

To their astonishment, they discovered that the figure had vanished from outside the room.

"Not good, the kid's gotten away!"

Alerted by the shout, the man in black at the front regained his composure, pushed through the crowd, and was the first to leap out the window. He scanned the area, then, gritting his teeth in frustration, cursed aloud, "Damn it, that kid has the devil's own luck! He didn't die from that? Don't just stand there, chase him!"

His furious command, carried by the breeze, electrified the group. Without a moment's hesitation, they followed suit, jumping out the window. One of them approached the leader and asked in a low voice, "Big brother, which way did the kid go?"

The abrupt question caused the leader in black to glare fiercely. Without a moment's hesitation, he bellowed, "Ridiculous! Do I look like a deity to you? How should I know? That kid killed our Fourth Brother a few days ago and he's the cursed spawn of the Jing Family. His crimes are too grave for mercy. Even if we have to slaughter every last person in Dawnbreak, we can't let him escape!"

His roar invigorated the others, who followed without any resistance. He charged ahead, leaping toward the Jing Family's neighboring house. In a blink, he vaulted over the wall and into the courtyard.

"Who's there?"

As the man in black touched down in the shadowy courtyard, a frail voice greeted him. Ignoring the call, he darted toward the source of the sound.

"And you are...?"

The old voice came again, now tinged with fear.

"Old man, you'd better listen up. Hand over that Jing Family kid, or I'll end your miserable life!"

The man in black's furious shout made the elder's legs buckle, sending him crashing to the ground. "Do you mean Jing Chong?" he asked, his voice quivering.

The lack of a response was taken as confirmation. The man in black pressed on, "Where is he? I saw him enter this yard with my own eyes. Hand him over now, or I swear, I'll silence not just you, but the whole of Dawnbreak!"

At these words, the old man's face turned pale, but he remained resolute, shaking his head in denial. "I truly haven't seen Jing Chong. What has the boy done to you? Why do you want to kill him?"

Despite his overwhelming fear, the old man mustered the courage to ask, his cloudy eyes glistening with emotion.

"The brat's mother must have grown tired of living. Brother, don't bother talking to him. Just put him in his place!" Just then, several other men in black entered the courtyard. Seeing their leader entangled with the old man, they grew impatient. One of them brandished a steel blade and, with a swift motion, aimed a deadly strike at the elder, threatening to cut his life tragically short.

"Wait! Jing Chong is here; please release my second granduncle!"

In that hair's breadth moment, Jing Chong emerged from the house, brandishing a gleaming steel knife. His face was etched with remorse as he gazed at the elderly man opposite him, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Child, you... why haven't you fled?"

Uncle Li, upon witnessing Jing Chong's sudden appearance, felt his strength drain away. He regarded Jing Chong with a mix of anger and bewilderment, his cloudy eyes betraying a touch of madness.

"Second granduncle, they're after me. I can't let you suffer on my account!" Jing Chong might have been young, but he understood the importance of integrity and not burdening others.

He had been stabbed in the chest by a man in black, but the mysterious beast skin book he carried had miraculously blocked the lethal blade. Despite the book's resilience and the assailant's full force, the knife should have penetrated. Yet, it did not even flinch under the powerful strike, which also propelled him out of his home's back window.

He had braced himself for certain death in that fleeting instant, only to miraculously survive. The constant brush with death had left him numb.

In the midst of the chaos, he managed to keep his wits about him. Without a second thought, he scrambled to his feet and dashed eastward.

It was only in his headlong flight that he realized he had stumbled into the courtyard of his second granduncle, Uncle Li. As a child, seeing his granduncle felt like finding a beacon of hope, and he immediately clung to him for comfort.

Uncle Li was taken aback to see Jing Chong, knife in hand, but quickly surmised that trouble had befallen the Jing family. Without hesitation, he grabbed Jing Chong's hand and concealed him in the cellar used for storing grain.

But no sooner had he hidden Jing Chong than the man in black arrived. Faced with intimidation, Jing Chong felt compelled to step forward and confront the threat.

"Hmph, I wouldn't have expected someone as young as you to possess a courage that even adults lack. If I hadn't been under orders to take your life, I truly would have been reluctant to do so. Sadly, you can only blame your misfortune!"

The man in black gave the brave young man before him a fleeting look of admiration, a rare occurrence. But that look was short-lived, quickly replaced by a vicious intent to kill.

No sooner had he spoken than the blade turned in his hand, its cold gleam heralding another attack on Jing Chong.

"Child, run!"

Just then, Uncle Li, who had been sprawled on the ground, found an unexpected burst of strength. He lurched upward, seizing the man in black's saber-wielding hand, and bit down hard on his wrist.

"Ah!"

Following a pained cry, the man in black, infuriated, turned and struck Uncle Li with his elbow, knocking him back to the ground before lunging once more at Jing Chong.

"Run! Run! If you don't, you'll be dishonoring the passionate blood of your Second Grandfather!"

Gasping for air, Uncle Li had barely hit the ground when his booming voice filled the air, jolting Jing Chong out of his daze. "Second Grandfather!"

With a loud call and a bite of his lip, Jing Chong swung his steel saber, striking out at the man in black. The assailant, frustrated, swung his long blade and attempted to pounce again, but suddenly felt a weight dragging at his feet. Looking down, he saw Uncle Li, nearly mad with desperation, clinging to him.

"Damn this stubborn old fool, he's really asking for it!" he cursed, and with a swing of his hand, he plunged the blade into Uncle Li's back, sending a spray of crimson blood into the air.

"Second Grandfather!"

By this time, Jing Chong had managed to retreat back into the house. The man in black, positioned at the doorway, was preventing anyone from getting close, effectively blocking the entrance.

"What are you waiting for? Get in through the window and finish off that little wretch!"

Still seething, the man in black stabbed Uncle Li again. He shouted orders to his accomplices for a moment before finally yanking the steel blade from Uncle Li's body.

"Run, Jing Chong, and never come back!"

Uncle Li lay in a pool of blood, his wrinkled face deathly pale, sweat dripping in large drops. Blood spurted from his trembling lips as he gasped out his final words. The next moment, his body was ruthlessly pierced once more. After a brief convulsion, his eyes bulged, and life swiftly left him.

Jing Chong watched in horror as his last living relative was brutally slain at the feet of his enemy. Rage consumed him once again. His eyes reddened, a single tear of blood trickling down his cheek. His hair stood on end as if charged with an unseen power, and a raspy growl emanated from his throat. Suddenly, he bared his teeth in a fierce snarl.

"Awoo!"

Like a frenzied Blood Wolf, Jing Chong bolted towards the door with the speed of lightning.

One hand clutched the steel blade, slashing wildly, while the other clawed at the air, unleashing a surge of blood-red light. Even from a distance, the intense sensation of being torn apart was palpable.

"Roar!"

At last, Jing Chong's unrestrained ferocity intimidated the black-clad figure guarding the door. Overwhelmed by the wild rage, the man's mind went blank.

Seizing the moment, Jing Chong leaped into action, his hands and feet propelling him forward as he pounced on the unsuspecting man in black. The steel knife had somehow found its way to his waistband. His hands, like hardened blades, effortlessly penetrated the man's flesh. A slight curl of his fingers and a gory chunk of flesh was ripped from the man's chest.

Amidst the ensuing blood-curdling screams, Jing Chong's form darted and vanished into the shroud of the night.