The Demon Lords

"You're mistaken! I didn't massacre the village! That wasn't me!" Zheng Fan shouted with all his might.

"Facing death and still trying to argue? Do you take me for a fool?"

"..." Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan suddenly felt that this Mr. Chen's situation was very similar to what Shatuo Queshi had experienced. Shatuo Queshi's tribe had been annihilated, the old, weak, women, and children slaughtered. This had forced him to relinquish his position as Left Valley King of the Royal Court, solely to go to the Earl of North Border's residence and demand an explanation.

This fellow, on the other hand, had come because his village was wiped out. He had traveled all the way from Qian State specifically to kill him.

The only difference, perhaps, was that the Earl of North Border's estate and the Green Willow Fortress couldn't be compared on any level.

As a result, Shatuo Queshi had died. This man, however, had nearly succeeded.

"I really didn't massacre any village!"

Truthfully, if you ordered Zheng Fan to massacre a village, he genuinely wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it. His own moral compass simply wouldn't allow such an act. Unless the villagers all picked up hoes and actively tried to fight him to the death or block his path, why would he do such a thing without reason? He wasn't a bloodthirsty madman, after all.

"No more excuses. Their restless souls are waiting for you below."

Zheng Fan was truly at a loss for words with this great hero.

"That village... was it your hometown?"

"No."

"Then?"

"Last year, when I was traveling and passed through there, the villagers treated me to two bowls of noodles."

"..." Zheng Fan.

"This year, when I passed by, I found the village was gone."

"It really, really, really wasn't me."

"Battlefield slaughter, wars between states – these are matters for soldiers. What have they to do with unarmed villagers?" Mr. Chen declared.

"Exactly! That's what I think too."

"Say no more. Go down and atone to them."

Mr. Chen raised his sword, aiming it at Zheng Fan's forehead.

At this moment, Zheng Fan's mind began to race.

There's no explaining this. For some reason, this Mr. Chen is utterly convinced I'm the one who massacred the village.

The sword descended.

Zheng Fan immediately shouted, "Not everyone in the village is dead!"

The tip of the sword halted, right at Zheng Fan's nose.

The distance between life and death was now as minuscule as a tiny blackhead.

"There are... survivors?" Mr. Chen stared at Zheng Fan, questioning him.

Nearby, Xue Three, though not dead, had fallen silent, holding his breath.

Blind Bei's body also trembled slightly as he waited.

This great hero had defeated them all. Whether they could survive, whether any hope remained, now depended entirely on their lord's quick wits.

Although they had only met a short time ago, Zheng Fan felt he had already grasped this man's character.

This fellow is a true righteous hero. That village… last year, some villagers merely treated him to two bowls of noodles, and to repay that kindness, he traveled all the way from Qian State to Yan State to kill me.

Even after paying the price of a leg, his face showed no hint of regret.

"Yes, a few are still alive. A few young girls. I brought them back from Qian State. Their previous names… their previous names were, I think… I think they were called…

Something like Huahua, or Niuniu, or Ni'er..."

Let me get it right, please let me get it right, let me get it right! Zheng Fan prayed fervently in his heart. It seemed that many girls were given such nicknames in this era, much like how certain naming trends emerge and become popular in later generations.

A look of delighted surprise appeared on Mr. Chen's face, and he exclaimed, "What? Xiao Hua, Niuniu, and Ni'er—they're not dead?"

"..." Zheng Fan.

Holy crap, all of them correct! Zheng Fan himself was stunned.

Xue Three couldn't help but start coughing, spewing blood with each mouthful; clearly, he couldn't hold it in anymore.

Blind Bei remained prostrate, his forehead pressed against the floor tiles, but his body was twitching faintly.

It was a pity they were all seriously injured. Otherwise, if they could have commented as bystanders, their myriad thoughts would likely have converged into a single sentence: What the hell? That actually worked?

"Yes, Niuniu, Xiao Hua, and Ni'er are still alive. I captured them and brought them to Yan State."

"Where are they now?"

"They're… they're in a house in a village near the Green Willow Fortress."

Upon hearing this location, Mr. Chen frowned slightly. Looking at Zheng Fan, he said, "I feel like you're lying to me."

The great hero's intuition is truly sharp!

"I'm not lying. If I were, how would I know their names? Right?"

Mr. Chen considered this and nodded.

"I didn't kill them because I figured they'd be valuable. You know, little ladies from Qian State are quite popular with the dignitaries and nobles in our Yan State. If I could sell them to the tribal chiefs of the Desert Barbarians, I could make even more!"

"Shameless. Despicable." That was Mr. Chen's assessment of Zheng Fan.

"Yes, I am greedy! I am lustful! I am murderous! I am cruel! I am a beast in human form!"

To save my life, demeaning myself like this is worth it!

"But I didn't mistreat them. I want to make money off them, get rich off them, use them as gifts to influential people so I can get promoted.

I haven't touched them, and they haven't been harmed. Since they're still a bit young, I specifically rented a house near my garrison fortress to keep them. I'm waiting for them to get a little older, then I'll train them properly. They'll be of great use then.

I even hired an experienced madam from a brothel to instruct them. Really, truly, they're still alive, still in that house, and living quite well!"

"I will go and rescue them," Mr. Chen stated.

"But you don't know the exact location. And let me tell you, see those two subordinates of mine lying over there? Back at my fortress, I have several more. They are very loyal. If I don't return tonight, they will definitely follow my prior instructions: dispose of all assets and dismantle their operations, then retreat elsewhere to avoid being captured all at once.

So, if I don't return tonight, my men might sell off those little ladies in the house, or even… kill them outright!"

The logic was somewhat flawed, but in the heat of the moment, Zheng Fan couldn't concoct a more plausible excuse.

Fortunately for him, Mr. Chen was… straightforward!

"Quick, take me to your fortress! I want to retrieve them!"

"I can return them to you, but could you… spare my life?" Zheng Fan asked, a villain's hopeful expression on his face.

Mr. Chen, still being forthright, shook his head and said, "No. You must die. You must atone!"

A villain's disappointed expression reappeared on Zheng Fan's face.

Finally, Zheng Fan gritted his teeth. He turned his head, looked at Blind Bei and Xue Three lying in the distance, and said, "Then please, spare these two servants of mine. They… they did not accompany me to Qian State."

Hearing this, Mr. Chen nodded. "Though they followed the wrong person, their loyalty is commendable. Very well, I can spare them. Let them live."

"Alright. I can't walk. Take me to the Green Willow Fortress, and I'll hand them over to you."

HEH HEH. A Fifth Rank Sword Cultivator... so powerful, truly powerful, is he? Then come with me to the Green Willow Fortress. There, I have a gift prepared just for you!