Chapter 013: Boasting

Tang Mubai hadn’t finished speaking when Xu Dalu, standing nearby, suddenly shouted in shock and anger, his eyes fixed fiercely on the middle-aged man. “You bastard, you dare to come to the Miracle Mercenary Corps’ headquarters! Do you really think we won’t do anything to you?”

A strange grin split the lips of the man named Luo Mingchang. “Xu Dalu, if you have the guts, kill me!”

“Fine, I’ll grant your wish,” Tang Mubai replied, and stomped down with force, pressing his foot heavily on Luo Mingchang’s chest.

Blood spurted from Luo Mingchang’s mouth; his already pale face grew even paler. His bulging eyes stared at Tang Mubai, disbelief written in their gaze. “You… you…”

He struggled to speak, but the words never came. His legs jerked, his neck twisted, and he died without another breath. His wide-open eyes remained unclosed.

Clearly, Luo Mingchang could never have imagined that Tang Mubai would really kill him.

Even Xu Dalu was stunned at that moment. He stood there dazed, gazing at Tang Mubai, his lips moving, unable to find the words.

“Grandpa Xu, do you think I did wrong?”

Tang Mubai withdrew his foot, walked over to another man dressed in black, and ripped off his mask.

“Huang… Huang Weidong!?” Xu Dalu stammered, swallowing hard, taking deep breaths to steady his agitated emotions and force himself to calm down.

“You… you did nothing wrong!” Xu Dalu exhaled heavily, gritting his teeth. “Those two came to attack us in the middle of the night—there’s no way their intentions were good!”

Or rather, their motives were all too clear. Not only Tang Mubai, but Xu Dalu and Lin Tianzhen were likely their targets as well.

Their scheme was obvious: to wipe out the Miracle Mercenary Corps entirely. If Tang Mubai and the other two died, the weapons, martial arts, and wealth left behind would be theirs for the taking.

By the time the Security Bureau discovered their corpses, the killers would have vanished without a trace. If they were ruthless enough, the bodies could be hidden away, never to see the light of day again.

That was why Tang Mubai had killed Luo Mingchang so decisively.

As for Huang Weidong, Tang Mubai had no intention of letting him live either. While Huang was unconscious, Tang Mubai kicked him in the neck, ending his life.

There was, of course, the psychological burden of killing. But when others are trying to kill you, Tang Mubai would hardly stand idly by!

The first time he struck, he killed two men, but he felt neither discomfort nor disgust.

The moment Luo Mingchang and Huang Weidong died, the system prompted Tang Mubai to reclaim lost vitality, adding 9.7 years to his lifespan.

Tang Mubai could barely contain his joy!

“Grandpa Xu, who are these people?” Tang Mubai asked, collecting his thoughts.

“They were martial artists whom the old captain intended to invite into the group while he was alive,” Xu Dalu said softly. “Back then, they kept boasting and demanding exorbitant signing bonuses. After the old captain passed, their attitude seemed amicable at first. But when I approached them about registering the Miracle Tavern under their names, their greed showed. They were willing, but only if we gave them eighty percent of the shares!”

Tang Mubai spat on Luo Mingchang’s corpse. “Eighty percent—how shameless!”

If they agreed, would the Miracle Tavern even belong to the mercenary corps anymore?

“I thought refusing them would make them give up, but who would’ve guessed they’d sneak in here and try to kill us!” Xu Dalu’s eyes blazed, his body shaking with rage.

If Tang Mubai hadn’t discovered them and shot them with an arrow, the three of them would have ended up meeting the old captain tonight…

Wait a minute!

Suddenly, Xu Dalu realized something and looked at Tang Mubai in surprise. “Captain, how did you manage to shoot them? As far as I know, you’ve never used a bow. Huang Weidong is only a professional second grade, but Luo Mingchang is not just anyone—he’s professional eighth grade! Captain, you…”

Xu Dalu’s face was full of confusion. He couldn’t understand how Tang Mubai had done it.

One was professional second grade, the other eighth. Together, even a professional ninth grade might not be able to beat them.

Of course, Tang Mubai might have ambushed them, wounding them with a surprise shot. But even then, at most, he could injure one before the other noticed.

With Tang Mubai’s “Qi and blood: 3 cards,” and his “Tiger Roar Fist” still at the beginner level, no matter whom he faced, he would surely die!

Yet Tang Mubai emerged unscathed. How did he do it?

Xu Dalu was genuinely perplexed.

“Well, I was planning to wait until I got my martial artist certificate before telling you, Grandpa Xu,” Tang Mubai said with a light cough, deciding to be honest. “The reason I could shoot them is that I’m now half a professional martial artist!”

“Today, I passed the Qi and blood and physical fitness tests at the Martial Artists’ Association. In two days, once I pass the combat assessment, I’ll have the certificate… Hey, hey, Grandpa Xu, don’t walk away—I’m not lying! I really am half a professional martial artist; once I get the certificate, I’ll be a true professional. According to the Qi and blood grading, my rank is professional second grade!”

Martial artist levels: Amateur, Professional, Practitioner, Master, Grandmaster.

Each rank is divided into grades based on Qi and blood values.

For example, Qi and blood at 30 cards means professional third grade.

Luo Mingchang, as a professional eighth grade, had a Qi and blood value between 80 and 90 cards.

Tang Mubai said he was professional second grade, planning to raise his Qi and blood to above 20 cards in the next two days.

But Xu Dalu clearly didn’t believe him.

The old man didn’t scold or mock him; he simply turned around, shaking his head. “I’m going to fetch the corpse-dissolving fluid. Captain, you go ahead.”

With a heavy sigh, he strode to the door.

Six days to go from amateur third grade to professional second grade? That was an outrageous boast!

Xu Dalu left, sighing, leaving Tang Mubai both amused and exasperated.

The truth, it seemed, was never believed.

But thinking about it, it was understandable. Before he got the system, Tang Mubai wouldn’t have believed anyone could improve so quickly either—especially someone known as a hopeless student and martial arts failure!

Xu Dalu didn’t believe him, so no explanation would help. When Tang Mubai passed the combat assessment and got the certificate, that would be the ultimate proof!

With that thought, when Xu Dalu returned, Tang Mubai stopped “bragging.”

Corpse-dissolving fluid, as the name suggested, was a liquid used to melt bodies.

This pale blue fluid was excellent for destroying evidence.

The corpses of Luo Mingchang and Huang Weidong soon melted into two puddles of dark brown water, giving off a slightly pungent smell.

Xu Dalu wiped up the two puddles with a cloth, then burned the cloth to ashes.

Two living men vanished silently from the world.

“I wonder if they told anyone else before coming here…”