Chapter 65: What Is Truly Cruel

Translator: Tim Editor: Tehrn

“Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!”

Four consecutive sounds of bone-shattering impacts echoed as Ye Mo kicked four charging men into the air. Determining the order of the kicks was impossible; even keen observers saw only a blur of motion.

The remaining attackers, bowled over by the flying bodies, crashed into a stone wall. The others froze, awestruck by Ye Mo's overwhelming strength and the devastating damage he inflicted.

A young man behind the Yue Gang leader reacted swiftly, drawing a gun. But before his finger reached the trigger, a sudden gust of wind preceded a bloody hole in his forehead. He collapsed, eyes wide open, instantly dead.

Silence…

No one dared to move. In the space of a few breaths, this man had killed seven people—five in the current confrontation and two earlier at the door—without a visible movement.

The Yue Gang leader finally grasped the situation. Recognizing Ye Mo as a powerful master, he hastily pleaded, "Friend, there must be a misunderstanding. We damaged that pagoda, but we didn't know it belonged to you… Please, I'll pay double for your losses!"

Ye Mo sneered and raised his hand. Two Yue Gang members aiming their pistols were instantly killed; holes appeared in their foreheads as their weapons flew several feet away.

This time, Wang Xian glimpsed Ye Mo's movement. A simple hand raise resulted in two more deaths. The unseen projectiles were faster than bullets; this man was impossibly strong.

"Pay for my losses? Can you afford it? You hurt my friend Fang Nan and killed his men. Even if you could, you're leaving here today!" Ye Mo's words were followed by a hail of metal nails.

He had too many opponents for his spirit sense to effectively cover them all. If they attacked simultaneously, he could be injured. So he eliminated some before they could react.

More than ten men fell before a shout of, "Brothers, kill him!" rang out. Wang Xian sought an escape route, hiding behind others.

He had initially found the stone house impressive, but now it felt like a trap. There was no back door, and the windows were firmly sealed. He struggled to force one open, to no avail.

The stone house erupted in chaos—blood, gunfire, and clashing blades. Ye Mo held the door, preventing escape. Despite his speed and ability to prioritize gun-wielding threats, his spirit sense couldn't account for every attack. A bullet lodged in his leg, but he killed the shooter instantly.

Though not life-threatening, the wound enraged Ye Mo, and his attack quickened. Within minutes, the fighting ceased. Except for Wang Xian, who still tried to pry open a window, everyone lay dead. The room was littered with bodies, yet blood was minimal; each kill was swift and precise.

Ye Mo removed the bullet, tended his wound, then addressed Wang Xian, "Give up. You can't escape."

Wang Xian's blood ran cold. He could only manage, "What… what kind of person have I offended? Over forty against one, and none survived?" Silence followed.

"Please, mercy! I'll give you everything, become your subordinate!" Death’s terror finally reached the hardened killer.

"Fang Nan, handle this." Ye Mo left, leaving Fang Nan and his men to clean up the mess.

Fang Nan stared at the scene, speechless. The bodies, and Wang Xian's trembling form.

A chill ran down Fang Nan's spine. "What is cruelty? This is cruelty!" He'd killed many, but never so many at once. Ye Mo, however, remained calm, murder apparently as easy as breathing.

Fang Nan's fear stemmed from Ye Mo’s effortless slaughter, so unlike gang violence, which involved many light wounds and few fatalities. He hadn't envisioned the day Ye Mo had visited his estate, realizing that he had just narrowly survived becoming Ye Mo’s next victim. He’d never seen such strength, such ruthlessness. He was grateful for Ye Mo’s friendship.

"Leader Fang, mercy! I'll give you everything, just spare my life!" Wang Xian's plea broke Fang Nan's thoughts.

"Kill him. Clean the room. Rock, come with me to see Brother Ye." Fang Nan prioritized seeing Ye Mo.

Fang Nan, supported by two men, approached Ye Mo respectfully. Ye Mo was now more feared than simply respected.

"Brother Ye," Fang Nan called out.

Ye Mo, deep in thought, replied, "I planned to stay, but things didn't go as planned. I'm leaving."

"Brother Ye, you're leaving? I can rebuild the pagoda," Fang Nan offered.

Ye Mo waved his hand. "Fang Nan, you're in charge of Flowing Snake now. Don't cross the line. Avoid robbing. Border business is easy, but stay away from drugs. It harms everyone. I may return someday."

Ye Mo left, needing a place where the Silver Heart Grass could thrive. He wouldn't compromise his cultivation, even to avoid the Song family. He trusted Fang Nan, but if he couldn't control Flowing Snake, Ye Mo couldn't remain.

A significant distance later, Fang Nan finally spoke, "Brother Ye, I'll follow your words." He didn't offer an escort; he dared not.