Qiang, the fearsome leader of the Hundred Red Scarf Bandits, had always commanded attention.
His towering figure and piercing gaze had garnered notice since he was a child. Growing up in a harsh world, banditry was the only viable path for him. Becoming a leader, however, was a necessity.
"Now, then... where are the others..." Qiang muttered to himself, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the frigid air.
Closing his eyes, he focused on sharpening his senses. Though he had failed as a martial artist due to his weak bones, he had picked up a few tricks during his training.
One of those was Sensory Arts - a technique that enhanced one's awareness of their surroundings. While his abilities were rudimentary, finding a few men would not pose much difficulty.
"Strange. I don't sense any of them in the houses. Are they further away?" Qiang was surprised, but his composure remained steady as he made his way through the grounds. "It's only a matter of time, anyway..."
Once he located them, they would pay the price for their defiance - just like the hapless fool from before. Qiang felt no remorse or regret for his actions, nor did he feel anything despite the blood that stained his hand. He simply moved on to his next victim.
It was their fault for being so incompetent, after all. And so, Qiang pressed on, his eyes ablaze with a menacing intensity, always searching for his next target.
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*
*
Liu's eyes widened as he felt an immense pressure approaching his house. It represented something - no, someone - incredibly powerful. All the hairs on his body stood on end as he shuddered in fear. The approaching presence emanated a bloodlust that he simply couldn't ignore. Yet, Liu feared that if he moved from his location, this entity would spot him.
"Even if they can't spot me... they're bound to sense them." Liu lifted his gaze to see the piled corpses of the six bandits he had already killed. Taking their lives one after the other had not been exceedingly difficult. The more he did it, the more he grew accustomed to using his small frame to eliminate the threats. Unfortunately, his young body had limits.
"Haa... haaa..." Liu panted, feeling a sense of desperation. If it was one other bandit, like the others he had killed, he knew he could still win as long as he used his element of surprise. However, this particular presence felt too powerful to even dream of doing something like that.
"What should I do?" Liu pondered his options. So far, his home turf had given him the advantage. However, with this new opponent - most likely their leader - Liu found himself seeking other alternatives.
"If we move outside, I'll have more room. I'm also familiar with the terrain..." Besides, his parents were in this house. If he could sense the presence of this enemy, then there was a high likelihood that the enemy would be able to detect his resting parents. Once that happened, it would be over for them.
Liu steeled himself, mustering every ounce of courage he had left. He knew the risks, but he also knew that he could not let his family fall victim to this ruthless bandit. With a deep breath, Liu prepared to make his move, determined to protect those he loved at all costs.
"I cannot allow that!" Liu exclaimed, his heart pounding with fear and determination. His parents were sleeping soundly, unaware of the imminent danger that threatened their safety. Liu knew that his only chance was to distract the incoming threat, to lead the fight away from their home and protect his family.
"But what then?" he thought, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Liu wasn't sure if he could defeat an adversary with such immense power, but he was willing to use every means necessary to try. Perhaps he could set up a trap, but time was running out. The enemy was just a few meters from his doorstep, and Liu had to act quickly.
>WHOOOOSSSHHHH!!!<
Liu moved like a shadow, nimbly traversing the short distance to the door.
'NOW!'
He swiftly opened the door before the ominous figure could get any closer, throwing two daggers aimed at the vitals of his prey.
>WHOOOOSSSHHHH!!!<
As soon as he hurled the two daggers towards his foe, Liu's muscles tensed as he flung the butcher knife he had taken from home, adding a third weapon to the aerial onslaught. But to his dismay, the enemy's casual waves effortlessly deflected his attack.
"Hmmph!" Liu grunted in frustration. The towering man standing before him was a behemoth, with broad shoulders and bulging biceps that threatened to burst out of his skin-tight shirt. A red bandana tied to his shoulders only added to his menacing appearance.
"My muscles are too underdeveloped," Liu muttered to himself, berating his scrawny frame. "I need to conserve my weapons. I've only got four more daggers left."
Liu had been fortunate to ambush the bandits who had carried daggers as their weapons of choice. Anything larger, and he would have been in trouble.
"A little kid? This is surprising. Highly unexpected," the bandit spoke, his voice laced with an unfamiliar accent that made it hard for Liu to understand.
"Focus, Liu… you have a mission!" Liu reminded himself. He was not planning on sacrificing his life to save his parents, but he was not willing to save himself at the cost of their safety either. They had to live!
"Six of my men are in there, aren't they? I can smell their blood and lifeless flesh. Were you the one who killed them?" the bandit demanded, his eyes piercing into Liu's.
Liu stayed silent, scanning his surroundings for a possible escape route. He needed to think fast and find the safest and quickest way out, even if it meant navigating through a maze of obstacles.
"I should avoid the more open places. There should still be more bandits around, so they might be gathered there…" Liu's intuition whispered to him, urging him to be cautious.
He didn't know how and why he knew these things, but his instincts had never failed him before. He trusted his gut and prepared himself for what was to come.
"I just have to--" Liu's thoughts were cut short as he leaped into action, determined to survive at all costs.
"Or… could it be your parents? No, they're fast asleep in their room, are they not?" The bandit's words hit Liu like a thunderbolt, causing his bloodshot eyes to widen in shock and fury.
His careful planning had been in vain. He couldn't run, not with his parents behind him. If he fled, the bandit would easily catch up and finish them off before turning back to Liu.
Liu's mind raced as he weighed his options. Fighting the hulking man head-on was tantamount to suicide, but he couldn't just stand there and let his parents be slaughtered.
The odds were against him, and his chances of survival were bleak, but Liu refused to give up.
He tightened his grip on the remaining daggers, his knuckles turning white with determination. He may not have been the strongest, but he was fast and agile. He could outmaneuver his opponent and strike when he least expected it.
Liu took a deep breath, centering himself. The bandit may have been bigger, but he was not invincible. Liu had a plan, a risky one, but one he was willing to take.
His heart racing, Liu charged at the bandit, his daggers glinting in the moonlight. It was now or never.
Liu stood firm, defying his instincts that screamed at him to flee. In front of him, a menacing figure blocked his path, but Liu refused to budge. With a deep breath, he spoke, his voice wavering but resolute.
"I know the risk, but I cannot abandon them," Liu said, his eyes locked on his opponent. He wasn't thinking of escape or evasion, but of victory. His mind raced, calculating the best way to defeat the enemy standing before him.
Despite the fear gripping him, Liu gritted his teeth and readied himself for the fight. His parents' safety weighed heavily on his mind, and he couldn't bear the thought of leaving them to a gruesome fate.
"I won't allow it!" he declared, his fists clenched tightly by his side.
As the adrenaline surged through his body, Liu knew that this could be the fight of his life. But he was determined to emerge victorious, no matter the cost.
"Oh? What an amusing brat…" Qiang thought to himself as he watched the young boy before him take a battle-ready stance. The child dropped two daggers onto the ground, then held two others with a tight grip, as if his life depended on them.
"He must have taken the weapons from their corpses. How peculiar." Qiang couldn't help but find himself intrigued by the kid's determination and grit.
As a child, Qiang had been told off many times because of his menacing eyes and intimidating build. People always assumed the worst of him, and he was often blamed for violent incidents, even when he was innocent. That's why he chose the path of violence. He believed that his ominous looks and imposing demeanor were a sign that destiny had chosen this for him.
But, as he watched the child in front of him, Qiang felt a sense of unease creeping up on him. This kid was different. He could sense a darkness within him that no child should have. Even grown men shouldn't possess such a deep, swirling abyss of carnage. The kid's cold glare sent shivers down Qiang's spine, and he knew that he was facing someone who was more than just a mere child.
When the boy threw his daggers at Qiang, he easily deflected them due to their paltry weight. But, he couldn't help but notice where they were aimed. Any slower, and the daggers would have pierced his vital organs. Even if they didn't deal a fatal blow, the consequences would still be deadly. It was clear that this was no ordinary child.
Qiang weighed his options. He knew that he could eliminate the boy, but then he thought of the money. Dangerous or not, the kid would fetch a good price. He couldn't afford to let such a valuable commodity go to waste.
And with that realization, Qiang prepared to capture the boy.
"I'll immobilize him—maybe cripple him… no, that'll reduce his value." Qiang pondered his options carefully, trying to decide the best course of action. However, before he could make a move, the boy vanished from his sight. Qiang was caught off guard by the sudden disappearance, leaving him vulnerable.
In the next moment, the child reappeared beside him, his two blades flashing in the air, aimed at Qiang's lower regions. Qiang quickly evaded the attack, but the boy threw one of his daggers to gain more reach, causing it to fly directly towards Qiang's targeted location. Qiang's reflexes kicked in, and he dodged the blade with ease. But, to his surprise, the boy had already launched a second dagger, this time aimed directly at his eye!
In a split second, Qiang had to utilize a special martial art move called the "Hollow Steps Of The Mountain" to move faster than his usual speed, just barely avoiding the deadly strike. Qiang's head was ringing as he felt the pain in his legs from the sudden movements. The boy clicked his tongue in frustration, and Qiang realized that he had underestimated him.
"I was mistaken! He wasn't just aiming for my legs. He was going after my eyes too! He just made it appear as though…" Qiang couldn't believe what he was seeing. This child was not to be underestimated. He was a force to be reckoned with.
The decision to eliminate him had been made - Qiang knew he was too deadly to be kept alive. But he was also too valuable to kill. Should he cripple him instead? Yes, that seemed like the best option. Without a second thought, Qiang prepared himself to unleash his Martial Arts. Despite his weak bones, he rushed at his prey with a swift and deadly technique known as the Hollow Steps of the Mountain, reinforcing his body with the powerful Hollow First Fist of the Mountain.
The boy was no match for Qiang's speed and strength. In a flash, he realized that killing the child would be the most profitable option. After all, a crippled child was as worthless as a rag. The value of a child lay in their latent abilities, talents, and future prospects - and this boy had all three. But Qiang couldn't ignore the danger the child posed. He had to be eliminated.
With unshakable resolve, Qiang trusted his instincts and went for the kill. But just as he was about to strike the fatal blow, a loud voice erupted from the stone house. Qiang and Liu were both stunned - they had been so focused on their fight that they hadn't noticed the boy's parents standing behind the door.
"M-mom! Da--!"
The boy's words were cut short by Qiang's swift movement. In a moment of brilliance, he decided to take the parents hostage instead. With a fierce cry, he struck down the father and seized the mother by the throat. Blood spattered on the stone pavement as Qiang's crimson-coated hand firmly gripped the innocent and struggling woman.
"D-da… M-mo—!"
"Kid, if you know what's best for you, you'll stand down," Qiang snarled, a twisted smile spreading across his face. "Cooperate with me, and I'll spare her life. Refuse, and I'll snap her neck."
Liu's heart pounded in his chest. He looked from his father's lifeless body to his mother, who was struggling in Qiang's grasp. The bandit's grip on her throat was tight, cutting off her breath.
But in that moment, something sparked in Liu's mind. A plan. Qiang only needed one hostage, and Liu knew just what to do. He would offer himself up for sale as a slave, and in exchange, his mother would be spared. Qiang wouldn't be able to do anything, as long as Liu had his mother.
With a cold grin, Qiang thought to himself, "He'll break just like the rest. He has no choice."
Liu's expression shifted from shock to confusion to anger, and finally to resignation. Qiang had won.
"Fine," Liu muttered, his voice barely audible. "I'll do it."
Qiang chuckled, relishing in his victory. "Good. You'll be sold to a merchant, and you'll cooperate. Or else, your mother dies."
The words dripped with power, and Qiang felt it coursing through him. He was in control now. Liu was silent, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and confusion.
But then, in a soft whisper, Liu uttered a word that sent chills down Qiang's spine.
"Shit."
Qiang was a martial artist, but even with his training, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong. He couldn't quite make out what Liu had said, but he knew that it was significant.
Qiang's plan was not as foolproof as he had thought. He realized this as he watched Liu's face, which was initially clouded with confusion, transform into something else entirely. Something that even Qiang couldn't quite understand.
"Bullshit! You'll kill her anyway!" Liu roared, grabbing the dagger from the floor and rushing towards Qiang in a screaming frenzy. Qiang's heart raced as he realized his mistake. "I was wrong!" he thought, "He's not like the others."
Despite Liu's maddened scream and the terror of death that emanated from his every move, Qiang was done playing games. He flung the woman in his grasp directly at Liu, causing them to collide with each other. In the chaos that ensued, Qiang made his move.
Without a second thought, he sent his hand launching in a straight line. The sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the room as Qiang's hand passed through the delicate woman's body with precise motion. He drove his hand into her until it reached the throat of the completely shocked Liu.
In that instant, Qiang had successfully killed the hostage, but he had also captured the target. A devilish grin spread across his face as he turned to Liu and said, "You're right, kid. I would have killed her anyway."
The room fell silent as Qiang's words hung in the air. Liu stared at Qiang with a mixture of horror and disbelief, and Qiang's grin only widened. He had won. He had completed his mission. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.