Chapter Five: Vengeance Fulfilled

After trailing behind for nearly an hour and seeing that the village was already close, Lin Yanghao prepared to make his move.

“You all wait for me here, I need to relieve myself,” said Tiang Ergou just as Lin Yanghao was about to act. “That makes it much easier to get rid of him,” Lin Yanghao thought.

As Tiang Ergou was preparing to relieve himself—

“Tiang Ergou, I swore long ago to kill you. Meet your death!” A sudden furious shout rang out, startling Tiang Ergou so badly that he wet his trousers on the spot.

“What are you doing? If you kill me, don’t think you’ll walk out of the town alive,” Tiang Ergou threatened when he recognized Lin Yanghao, taking in his armed figure.

“Do you think such threats will work on me? Die!” Lin Yanghao replied, raising his blade to strike.

“Please, don’t kill me! Whatever you want, I can give you. Even our past grievances—I’ll let them go. Anything you want, it’s yours. Just spare me!” Now Tiang Ergou was truly terrified. Seeing the blade about to fall, he begged for his life, desperate and sincere.

“Please… don’t kill me.”

This useless fellow was so scared he wet himself!

But Lin Yanghao had no intention of listening to Tiang Ergou’s pleas. With a single stroke, the blade fell, and Tiang Ergou’s head was severed. His body was left a bloody mess.

Having killed Tiang Ergou, Lin Yanghao knew that if he didn’t escape, he would meet a grisly end. The Tian family would tear him limb from limb.

Though Tiang Ergou was only a collateral member of the Tian family, his father held a high position due to great contributions he had made. The family respected him, and he had the power to mobilize all their resources to hunt down his son’s killer. It wouldn’t take long before suspicion fell on Lin Yanghao, so he immediately fled toward the Chaoyang Mountains, just as he had planned.

He knew that after killing Tiang Ergou, he must escape into the mountains, where the complex terrain would help him evade the Tian family’s pursuit.

“Daniu, go see why Brother Tian has been gone so long!” After waiting for ages with no sign of Tiang Ergou’s return, one of the cronies instructed another to check on him.

“Alright,” answered Daniu, hurrying off.

Soon, wailing could be heard from ahead. “Ah—ah—Brother, something terrible has happened! Come quickly!”

“What’s wrong?” the one called Brother Er led the others running over at once.

“Brother, Brother Tian is dead! What do we do?” Daniu shouted as the others arrived.

“What? Don’t joke—” But before he could finish, he saw Tiang Ergou’s corpse. His head had been hacked off, and though it was stained with blood, it was clearly Tiang Ergou.

“Hurry, before the killer gets far! The rest of you search, I’ll go back to report to the Tian family!” Brother Er ordered, then dashed off toward the Tian residence.

The Tian family (here referring to the Tian family of Little River Village, as will be the case throughout).

The young man called Brother Er now stood before a plump middle-aged man, reporting the news of Tiang Ergou’s death.

When Tiang Ergou’s parents heard of their son’s death, it was as if thunder had split the sky. His mother fainted on the spot, while his father trembled uncontrollably, his face turning from blue to purple.

“Find him! Mobilize the entire family, search every inch if you have to! I want the killer torn to pieces! Only then will my hatred be sated!” At last, a heart-wrenching roar came from Tiang Ergou’s father, echoing throughout the entire courtyard.

Tiang Ergou was their only child, an only son for three generations. His parents had doted on him excessively, which had turned him into the village bully.

Meanwhile, Lin Yanghao was running for his life, covering miles in a single breath. He sighed, glancing at the terrain. “Just a bit further, I’ll reach Chaoyang Mountain. Once I’m inside, I’ll be safe.”

“Hey, Xiao Hao, have you thought about what you’ll do after killing someone?” A calm voice drifted into Lin Yanghao’s ears, startling him.

He looked up to see an elderly man with white hair, a face full of wrinkles, and a kind smile. Who else could it be but Old Lin?

“Grandpa Lin, are you here to arrest me too?” Lin Yanghao asked nervously.

Old Lin didn’t answer. He simply seized Lin Yanghao and, stepping into the air, sped away, leaving only a faint afterimage behind. In an instant, they had vanished.

“It’s over, it’s over. Grandpa Lin must be here to catch me. What should I do?” Lin Yanghao was anxious, struggling in vain. He couldn’t understand how the kindly, friendly old man he’d known in the village could be so powerful. As trees flashed past, his heart pounded with dread.

After soaring for half an hour, Old Lin stopped at the mountainside of an unknown peak. With one hand, he shifted a huge boulder, revealing a dark cave hidden behind it. From outside, the cave was pitch black; nothing could be seen within.

“Come, Xiao Hao, let’s go inside. I’m not from the Tian family, and they certainly can’t command me. You have nothing to fear.” Seeing that Lin Yanghao was still distracted by his own worries, Old Lin reassured him.

Before Lin Yanghao could reply, he once again felt himself become weightless. When he opened his eyes, he was already inside the cave. It was small, furnished only with a simple bed and an oil lamp hanging at the head, nearly filling the space.

“Grandpa Lin, if you’re not here to arrest me for the Tian family, then why have you brought me here?” Lin Yanghao finally asked, recalling Old Lin’s words outside.

Old Lin didn’t answer, instead asking, “Heh, are you surprised that this old man from the village has such skill?”

Before Lin Yanghao could reply, Old Lin continued, “And since I’m not here on Tian family’s behalf, you must be wondering why I brought you here?”

“Yes, Grandpa Lin, that's exactly what I want to know,” Lin Yanghao nodded.

“Let me tell you my story. Then you’ll understand why I brought you here.”