Chapter Twelve: The Peach Blossom Spring

"Wu Zinan... do you know that you are the person I most want to kill in this world?" Liang Zhi crouched down, a mocking smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Wu Zinan smiled as well. "I don't think you'll kill me today."

Liang Zhi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why is that?"

"I'm part of a vast organization. We never let anyone who opposes us walk free. If you kill me, neither of you will survive," Wu Zinan said earnestly.

Liang Zhi let out a snort of laughter. "You really have the nerve to use threats straight out of some old-fashioned novel."

Grandpa Crow fluttered down, circling Wu Zinan. With a sharp tug of his claw, he pulled up Wu Zinan's sleeve, revealing a pink peach blossom tattoo the size of a coin.

"This guy isn't lying. He's from 'Peach Blossom Spring.' That pack of lunatics never lets a grudge go—they're like leeches, absolutely revolting," Grandpa Crow remarked.

Liang Zhi shot Grandpa Crow a look of exasperation. "And where were you during the fight? Also, what the hell is Peach Blossom Spring?"

At the mention of Peach Blossom Spring, Wu Zinan's eyes flashed red. "Are you talking to that myna? Since you know about Peach Blossom Spring, this makes things easier. My left eye is a micro-camera. I've already sent your faces to my superiors. Now, you only have one option left."

The moment Grandpa Crow heard the word "myna," he immediately launched himself at Wu Zinan's face—clawing, pecking, and even flinging bird droppings. These moves couldn't really hurt him, but they certainly made things unpleasant.

Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling...

"Grandpa Crow, something's ringing in your wing," Liang Zhi reminded him.

Startled, Grandpa Crow pulled out a black, playing card-sized device from his wing. They had seized it earlier in Antai Town from "Doctor Su." Now, one side of the device lit up.

Liang Zhi tapped it twice and found it worked like a very basic cell phone. It even displayed two photos—one of him and one of Qiu Shilu.

"Impossible! That's my superior's communicator. How could it possibly be in your possession?"

Wu Zinan was dumbfounded—these communicators were standard issue for all Peach Blossom Spring members. Outsiders were never supposed to have one.

Liang Zhi grinned. "Your superior is Liang Feng, isn't he? What a coincidence—I am him." He pulled out the Grand Pass and held it up for Wu Zinan to see.

"Impossible!"

Wu Zinan was thrown into chaos, but Liang Zhi had already placed his hand against Wu Zinan's throat.

Since the threat had failed, there was no need for further words. It was time for him to die.

Wu Zinan's collar began to contract, tightening mercilessly until his face flushed, veins bulged, and even the metal at his neck began to warp.

Liang Zhi wanted to fuse all the clothing together, but Wu Zinan's neck was in the way. Well then... he'd just snap the neck.

Liang Zhi's ability didn't have much immediate effect, but given time, it could unleash terrifying power. Wu Zinan's neck grew thinner and thinner, cracks spiderwebbing across the metal.

Pop!

Wu Zinan's head burst off like an overripe fruit squeezed too hard. The collar sealed the severed neck, not even allowing the blood to spurt out.

Liang Zhi then manipulated the metal in Wu Zinan's body, grinding his limbs to pulp—a slaughter so brutal it could have come from a meat grinder.

"What's gotten into you?" Qiu Shilu had once thought Liang Zhi was a good man, but now she was no longer sure.

Grandpa Crow pressed his wing to his chest, looking gratified. "He's finally starting to act like a true villain. All thanks to my excellent tutelage."

Liang Zhi's savagery was a last resort; no one could be certain what it took to truly kill a cyborg. In his mind, robots just needed a new chip to come back to life. Even if Wu Zinan couldn't replace his chip, there could still be something hidden inside him, storing information that could threaten Liang Zhi.

So, he had no choice but to utterly destroy him.

When it was over, Liang Zhi took out his wish list and opened the "Chapter of Killing."

The number had updated to 9999. Though the book seemed ordinary, it was clearly imbued with supernatural power, automatically judging whether Liang Zhi had fulfilled the wishes inscribed within.

The reward for completing the "Chapter of Killing" was an ability called "Flesh Warlock," but Liang Zhi doubted he'd ever finish that particular wish. He wasn't about to slaughter a city, or personally kill ten thousand people. Even killing dozens would label him a maniacal murderer—what would ten thousand make him?

Killing Wu Zinan was Liang Zhi's first time taking a life, but instead of discomfort, he felt an exhilarating satisfaction.

Such scum, and a cyborg to boot, belonged in hell as soon as possible.

He put away the wish list, looted Wu Zinan's money, and cleaned up any traces they'd left in the courtyard.

Next, he approached the two burly men he had subdued earlier.

The two, brash just moments before, were now terrified at the sight of Liang Zhi drenched in blood.

"We were forced into this! We didn't know he was a cyborg! Whatever he was planning, we had nothing to do with it!"

"Yeah, yeah! Curse that damned Wu Zinan, he brought this on us. My poor wife—"

Liang Zhi hesitated slightly. The two men, sensing hope, immediately started begging for mercy with flowery words.

Qiu Shilu, still sitting on the ground, shouted, "What are you hesitating for? Neither of them deserves to live! Letting the enemy go is just harming yourself!"

Liang Zhi looked at her in surprise, then shook his head. "No, you misunderstand. I was just considering how to make their deaths a bit more 'artistic.' Still, your urging me to be ruthless—now that's unexpected."

With a clench of his fist, the earthen shells encasing the two men contracted sharply. The sound of bones shattering was unmistakable. Deprived of air, they suffocated quickly.

"Since you were in such a hurry, I let them die swiftly."

He checked around and found the two men whom Qiu Shilu had knocked out earlier were already dead.

Suddenly, Liang Zhi glanced toward the house, sensing faint noises from within.

"You're not mistaken. There are people hiding in that house—probably more of Peach Blossom Spring's lot. Go finish them off," Grandpa Crow whispered in his ear.

Liang Zhi lowered his head and strode toward the building, a murderous glint in his eyes.

He was a notorious fugitive, and tonight he had revealed his true face in this very courtyard. He couldn't risk letting any enemy who had seen him escape.

The door was locked, but locks meant nothing to Liang Zhi.

Bang!

He shoved the door open, and piercing screams rang out from inside.

Seven bedraggled, terrified children, no older than seven or eight, huddled together. Some squeezed their eyes shut, others sobbed uncontrollably.

Liang Zhi instantly realized these were the children Wu Zinan had abducted. He tried to appear kind, but one look at himself made him abandon the idea. In his effort to utterly crush Wu Zinan, he had splattered himself with things no one should bear to see. Even adults would be terrified by his appearance, let alone children who had just endured trauma.

After a few seconds of silence, he turned and left without a word.

"These human cubs are so rude. You saved them, you know! Not only did they not thank you, they're cowering in fear," Grandpa Crow grumbled on Liang Zhi's behalf.

Liang Zhi smiled. "Isn't that just as well? How can I be a great villain if people feel grateful to me?"

He didn't need anyone's gratitude. He only needed to be able to face himself.