"..."
The Landlord and Landlady were utterly bewildered!
As top-tier martial artists, they were well aware of the infamous name of The Beast. Even though they had never crossed paths with him, they knew he was considered an unbeatable figure in the martial world.
The idea that The Beast had almost been killed by the young man standing before them was simply unbelievable!
Under normal circumstances, the Landlord and Landlady would have outright dismissed such a claim. However, after witnessing the immense power Chen Ye had just displayed, they had to admit it was possible.
Chen Ye had toyed with them as if it were child's play.
They were now severely injured, while their opponent hadn't even revealed his true abilities…
Such a terrifying figure was something the Landlady and Landlord had never encountered in their lives!
"So, do you still intend to stop me?" Chen Ye asked, looking down on them.
The Landlord and Landlady exchanged a glance, and the Landlady spoke up, "I have one last technique. If you can withstand it, we'll stay out of this."
"A special technique?" Chen Ye chuckled, responding casually, "Is it the Lion's Roar with a giant bell?"
"How...how do you know?" The Landlady was stunned, staring at Chen Ye in disbelief.
This special technique was something she had developed in seclusion and had never used on anyone.
Chen Ye couldn't be bothered to explain and simply said, "Though I'm confident I could withstand your technique, I'm not interested in playing with you two any longer. You no longer have the qualifications to waste my time. I'm going to take the lives of those three, and you'd better not interfere. If you do, I'll kill you both as well!"
In truth, if Chen Ye didn't have a certain level of respect for this "Heroic Couple," he wouldn't have even bothered talking—he would've acted immediately.
He knew the storyline, and he knew that despite their outwardly selfish and greedy behavior, the Landlord and Landlady actually had noble hearts. In Pig Sty Alley, they had always protected the villagers.
People like them, even if they were just characters in a fictional world, didn't deserve to die.
Of course, if they continued to push their luck and test Chen Ye's patience, he wouldn't hesitate to deal with them harshly.
"Second-in-command!" Chen Ye called out.
The strategist quickly came forward, bowing and scraping, "Boss, what are your orders?"
"These three killed the third-in-command. According to the rules, what should their punishment be?"
"Boss, the rules say they should be hacked to death with axes, and their families buried alive!" the strategist answered quickly.
Hearing this, the three fighters—Ku Li Qiang and his companions—turned pale.
The surrounding villagers were also terrified.
Even Chen Ye felt the brutal nature of the Axe Gang's rules.
No wonder no one dared to cross the Axe Gang in SH City.
Who would want to mess with such a bunch of lunatics?
"Out of respect for you two," Chen Ye said to the Landlord and Landlady, "I'll make their deaths quick as revenge for the third-in-command. Beyond that, I'll let everything else slide."
Chen Ye had given them ample respect. If they still didn't appreciate it, he would have no choice but to act decisively.
The Landlord and Landlady exchanged another glance, and both saw hesitation in each other's eyes.
"Thank you for stepping in to help us," the old tailor said, breaking the silence. "But there's no need to get involved any further."
Suddenly, Ku Li Qiang stood up, his one good eye fixed on Chen Ye. "I'm the one who killed the Axe Gang member. I'll take full responsibility—leave the others out of it!"
"Whoosh!"
Before Ku Li Qiang could finish his sentence, his head flew into the air.
Chen Ye had used his psychic power to control a flying blade, beheading him instantly.
Then, with a simple gesture, Ku Li Qiang's head flew to the strategist's feet, startling him greatly.
"Second-in-command, bury the third-in-command. Place this head in front of his grave!"
"Yes, Boss!"
The strategist, suppressing his disgust, picked up Ku Li Qiang's head and stuffed it into a bag.
The Boss was too terrifying!
The strategist dared not disobey any of his commands.
Chen Ye then turned his gaze to the remaining two: the old tailor and the noodle shop owner.
In truth, all three of these men were admirable!
But they insisted on taking responsibility for the third-in-command's death.
Given the situation, as the gang leader, Chen Ye had to take a stand!
Otherwise, how would his subordinates view him?
Even though Chen Ye wouldn't hold the position of gang leader for long, the Axe Gang was still necessary for his upcoming plans.
"Both of you, rest in peace!" Chen Ye said, waving his hand.
"Crack! Crack!"
The sound of bones breaking echoed.
The descendants of the Five-Lung Bagua Stick and the Hong Family's Iron Wire Fist had their necks twisted by psychic force…
Throughout the entire ordeal, the Landlord and Landlady did not intervene again.
"Sigh!"
Watching the three fall one after the other at Chen Ye's hands, the Landlord sighed softly.
They knew that even if they had intervened, they wouldn't have been able to stop Chen Ye.
This young man was too terrifying!
All they would have done is throw their lives away for nothing.
Chen Ye cleared his throat and addressed all the villagers, "Listen up! From now on, this place falls under the jurisdiction of the Axe Gang. Every person here must pay a protection fee—one dollar per person per month. Once you've paid, you won't have to pay the government's grain tax anymore!"
The strategist had intended to remind Chen Ye that this was too little, but when he caught Chen Ye's gaze, he was so frightened he didn't dare say a word.
Initially, the villagers were dismayed at the thought of paying a protection fee, but upon hearing the rest, they were overjoyed.
One dollar a month?
That protection fee was incredibly low.
And no grain tax after paying the fee… It was like light from heaven!
In these chaotic times, the grain tax was exorbitantly high!
Most of these farmers had to give up the majority of their yearly harvest.
Now that Chen Ye was helping them avoid the grain tax, how could they not be pleased?
If it weren't for the Axe Gang's fearsome reputation, these villagers would have cheered on the spot…
…
"Landlord, Landlady, if you ever have time, you're welcome to visit me. The Beast would certainly be interested in sparring with you!"
Leaving these words behind, Chen Ye ordered his men to carry the unconscious Sing and Fei Zai Chong away, then turned and walked out of Pig Sty Alley, getting into his car.
It wasn't until Chen Ye's car engine started that the Reincarnators dared to start talking.
"Damn, Boss Asura is just too powerful!"
"Yeah! He's practically unbeatable. The Landlord and Landlady were like children in front of him."
"There were rumors that Boss Asura's strength surpassed A-rank, and now I believe it!"
"Only someone with Boss Asura's strength could hold the position of Axe Gang leader. The rest of us wouldn't stand a chance!"
"But who is this Beast? There's nothing about him in any of the guides."
"I'm curious too. Who on earth is this Beast? His name sure sounds impressive!"