Chapter 112: Twin Girls

Zhao Man-gong’s final counterattack before his death was truly terrifying; not only did he severely wound two fifth-rank demons, but he also injured the elder of the Wei family. That last battle involved six fifth-rank combatants ganging up on Zhao Man-gong alone. Of course, County Magistrate Zhou also helped by stalling for time at the very end.

Had Zhao Man-gong been given more time, he would likely have been on the verge of breaking into the fourth rank, and Yanggu County would have stood as firm as a mountain. Unless a fourth-rank martial artist had appeared among the rebel forces, the town might have held. Alas, he could not take that final step in time; perhaps it was simply fate.

Even in broad daylight, the demon race ravaged the land, and many residents of Yanggu County fell victim to their cruelty. Wealthy families, in particular, were not spared. Their martial artists had long been conscripted to defend the city walls; once the city fell, they were captured and herded toward the next county alongside the rebel forces. If they were lucky and performed well, they might rise through the ranks, but most were destined to die beneath the walls. With no defensive forces left, these families were nothing more than soft persimmons. The women in these households were tender and delicate, and the demon race naturally took a liking to them.

Su Yang brought out all the demon corpses he had collected, and after his family’s martial artists consumed them, the overall strength of his clan rose by a tier. However, the progress toward his family goal—monopolizing an industry—was forced to a halt.

It did not matter. Once these monsters left Yanggu County, a new order would be established. It would be much easier to monopolize industries then, so he set that goal aside for now. As for his second goal—becoming the leading family in Yanggu County—that would likely have to wait until the first goal was met, and until he himself had reached the fourth rank and gained control over the county’s lifeblood. Thus, there was no need to dwell on family progress for the time being.

For the coming period, he should focus on two objectives.

The first objective: take advantage of the large number of demons within the city to hunt them down, stockpile demon corpses to strengthen his own martial artists, and, if the opportunity arose, hunt down the heavily wounded fifth-rank demons.

The second objective: once order was restored, infiltrate his trusted men into the gangs and the local government offices. If possible, he would even try to bring the magistrate, the county assistant, and the chief clerk under his control.

Currently, his "Seventh-Rank Heart-Control Worm" was most reliable when used on seventh-rank martial artists; controlling sixth-rankers always introduced variables, and once a martial artist reached the fifth rank, the worm became useless and prone to failure. His task now was to hunt as many demons as possible while investigating the extent of the injuries sustained by the two wounded fifth-rank demons to see if he could ambush and kill them.

Night fell.

In Yanggu County, wails and agonized screams continued to echo. Demons were occasionally seen on the streets, while the shadows of the common folk had vanished entirely. Su Yang set out with two seventh-rank martial artists, Li Yeniu and Zhao Shu, along with several dozen eighth-rank warriors.

The hunting had to be quiet, avoiding any massive commotion. These eighth-rank warriors were primarily there to carry the demon carcasses; the actual hunting was for Su Yang to perform. Of course, if they encountered a pack of ninth-rank black-furred rat demons, they would have to coordinate to ensure none escaped.

The group donned black night-walking gear and set out. From time to time, cries for help reached their ears. Su Yang made his way to Shen Lian's house. The front door was tightly shut; he knocked firmly and called out, "Brother Shen, are you home?"

"Squeak, squeak...!"

Shortly after hearing Su Yang's voice, Shen Lian opened the door from within. Seeing the group of martial artists behind Su Yang, he was taken aback, a flicker of surprise in his eyes as he asked, "Brother Su, why are you here? I heard you reached the sixth rank?"

"This is not the place to talk; close the door first," Su Yang said, ushering his men inside before asking, "Where is Yu Shui?"

"I have her hidden in a secret compartment in the house. After the rebels entered the city, they handed it over to the monsters; it’s a mess out there, far too dangerous," Shen Lian explained.

"I see!" Su Yang nodded. It seemed Shen Yu Shui had not yet told her brother about her true strength, which had already reached the sixth rank.

"How is it? Have any monsters harassed your home?"

"Yes, two ninth-rank yellow weasel demons, but I tricked them into the room and killed them."

"Brother Shen, your home is too unsafe. You and Yu Shui should pack up and come to my estate. I have many martial artists there; it will be safer." Su Yang suggested, "Besides, you were a captain in the yamen. If a new magistrate takes office, there's no telling if they’ll target you. I don't think you should stay here."

"This... wouldn't that be a burden?" Shen Lian said, looking embarrassed.

"Burden? Not at all. It’s perfect." Su Yang replied, "If you truly feel uneasy, you can handle some patrols at my estate or join me on my hunts."

"Hunts?" Shen Lian looked at Su Yang, bewildered. "Brother Su, hunt what?"

"Brother Shen, do you think the chaos caused by so many demons in Yanggu County could actually benefit us?" Su Yang asked seriously.

"Benefit? Where could the benefit possibly come from? I only pray they don't bother me."

"That is because there are too many of them, and you are no match for them, so fear has taken root in your heart."

"But if you were a sixth-rank martial artist, and you had three or four other sixth-rankers by your side, what would you do in Yanggu County?" Su Yang continued.

Shen Lian was a smart man; he quickly understood what Su Yang was implying. A sharp light flickered in his eyes. "Brother Su, you mean...?"

"Exactly." Su Yang nodded.

"Brother Su, if possible, can I join you in hunting these demons in the city?" Shen Lian asked, his heart leaping with joy. With a sixth-ranker like Su Yang at the helm, it would be much safer for him, an eighth-ranker, to practice his skills. Furthermore, the rewards would be substantial; even if the lion's share went to Su Yang, there would surely be some scraps left for him.

"Of course you can. But not tonight. Take Yu Shui and get to my estate; I’ve already told my men, and someone will let you in. Tomorrow night, I’ll take you out."

"Very well, I’ll go pack."

"Brother Shen, I have other business, so I must depart!"

After Su Yang left with his men, he reflected on the situation. Although Shen Lian was only an eighth-ranker, his sister Shen Yu Shui was a sixth-ranker, and she was young—her talent must be immense, and her future was limitless. Befriending them now would surely pay off later. Most importantly, having a sixth-ranker at the Su estate would add to his family’s strength.

...

The night was silent and deserted. In the sweltering air, screams and wails erupted from time to time. Even the crickets in the grass were too terrified by the blood-soaked aura to leave their nests. Only the crows on the treetops, with their eerie green eyes, were busy digesting their fill.

Scattered remains and severed limbs covered the ground. For every creature of the sky, earth, or underground that thrived on meat and carrion, it was a feast.

At a dilapidated residence with crumbling white walls and broken roof tiles, the mottled black wooden door had its brass knockers missing—copper was, after all, quite valuable.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Is anyone home?"

A man in black, thick-set and stout, with stiff, needle-like bristles growing from his face, leaned against the wall, waiting for a response. There was no sound from within.

"Come out quickly! We are from the government, here to escort you out of the city. If you don't come out, we're leaving!"

The bald-tailed pig demon hiding outside the door wore a sinister, cruel grin as he knocked again. Seeing that there was still no sound, his expression darkened, and he walked away, deliberately making heavy, loud footsteps.

"Squeak, squeak...!"

Shortly after the pig demon's footsteps faded, a man in his fifties pushed the door open, his gaunt frame leaning out as he peered in the direction the demon had vanished.

"Smack!"

With a loud sound, the pig demon’s thick, powerful hand suddenly grabbed the old man by the neck, yanking him out like a chick.

"Heh, heh... Gotcha!"

"Wuwu... let me go... help! Help! Hide, everyone, hide!"

The old man grabbed the pig demon's hand with both of his own, trying to pry it loose, but it was a futile dream. The overwhelming sensation of suffocation only allowed him to scream at the top of his lungs, trying to warn his family inside.

"Heh, heh... there are even tenderer ones inside."

The pig demon snapped the old man's neck without mercy and pushed the door open. He walked inside, hunched over with a lecherous gait, his features as ugly and grotesque as a wild boar's. "Let me guess where you are... where could you be?"

In the kitchen, the young woman hiding under the stove trembled. Hearing the sounds of wardrobes and beds being ransacked and the approaching footsteps, her terror reached a breaking point.

"Is it here?"

The pig demon opened the cupboard; it was empty. A look of disappointment crossed his face. "Where are they hiding?"

The sound gradually faded as he left the kitchen and headed for the bedrooms. Finding no one, he eventually left the small courtyard.

Hearing the silence return, the girl under the stove swallowed hard and slowly poked her head out. But in the next second, she saw a dark, terrifying boar's face right beside the stove—hideous and gruesome, grinning at her with drool dripping like slime onto the floor.

"Aaaah!"

"Heh, heh, heh... little girl... such a tender little girl!"

The pig demon dragged the girl out from under the stove, ignored her struggles, walked into the room, threw her onto the bed, and pounced with a glint of malice in his eyes.

"Pfft!"

In the next second, the girl's piercing scream rang out, but that was all.

She felt no violation. A thick, bloody stench filled the air. The girl opened her eyes slowly to see a handsome man holding a dagger, which was embedded in the pig demon's heart. A terrifying surge of blood energy channeled through the blade,震 shattering the demon's life instantly.

"One seventh-rank bald-tailed pig demon, harvested."

As he spoke, Su Yang tossed the pig demon aside like trash and looked at the girl. "Come, show me your hand, little one!"

Alas, her natural talent was only fifth-rate.

Leaving behind some dry rations, Su Yang turned and left with his men to find the next target.

...

In another courtyard, piercing screams continued to erupt. A dozen black-furred rat demons flickered inside the room, all around the ninth rank of wild demons, with two eighth-rankers among them.

With a wave of his hand, Su Yang’s men blocked the exit. He and Li Yeniu charged in, Su Yang’s black snake dagger flashing, claiming the life of a rat demon with every stroke. In the blink of an eye, only the thick smell of blood remained in the room, completely overpowering the foul stench of the monsters.

Looking at the carnage, the cold rage in Su Yang’s heart grew even fiercer.

Some troubles, he didn't want to meddle in, but the plight of the people in Yanggu County was too tragic. He would hunt harder; every demon killed meant a group of people saved.

This night!

As dawn approached, they had harvested 135 ninth-rank wild demon corpses, 42 eighth-rank, and 6 seventh-rank!

After seeing his martial artists safely home, Su Yang took Li Yeniu and Zhao Shu out once more, preparing to do some real work—finding some leads.

Sixth-rank wild demons were different from the rest; they belonged to the leadership and did not go out hunting, instead having their subordinates bring prey to them. The fifth and sixth-rank black-furred rat demons were all entrenched in the Zhou family estate. The men of the Zhou family had long since become fuel for their cultivation, and the women had naturally become tools for their amusement—a scene too tragic to behold.

It was very difficult to encounter a sixth-rank demon in the open; one had to seek them out here.

"Heh, these two young ladies are sisters, surely our boss will be pleased."

A dozen black-furred rat demons were escorting two young girls, who were dressed in fine silks and satins—presumably daughters of a wealthy family. Their features were delicate, and they were being shoved into the courtyard to be presented to their master for his amusement.

"Naturally. These sisters are still virgins. If our boss likes them enough, he might even take them