Chapter 1: Night of Blood
In their eyes, Zhang Qingyang and those black-robed individuals who are killing are equally cold and ruthless, if not more so.
"What now? He is benevolent, and I am not unaware of that," the wife said somewhat irritably
Thus, they began to laugh bitterly
Sigh, who can deny it? At this moment, the old partner no longer found her husband to be tedious and sincerely agreed, saying, "Old man, it must be said that no matter how many times we, the old couple, have nagged, it is all in vain, unable to compare to that heroic figure wielding a sword with a mere gesture"
The relatives were filled with incessant curses
Thus, the bloody massacre began
They finally understood that the degree of stubbornness of this "righteous hero" exceeded their imagination
Seeing him like this, the group of Zhang relatives behind him became even louder with their curses, and many women were crying out, pleading for him to quickly reveal the whereabouts of the treasure
He shouted, "Good! Very good! Truly worthy of a great hero, forgetting your identity as a chivalrous person while stealing, yet acting tough at this moment. Good! I want to see just how ruthless and tough you can be!"
We have fought and scolded, yet it has been of no use. Last time, I was even pushed down and nearly lost my breath.
Unfortunately, they will still be disappointed, as Qingyang remains with her eyes tightly closed, silent as if she has turned mute
Before his words had finished, and before Zhang Qingyang could react, he turned around, his monstrous eyes swirling like red coals. With a swift motion of his blood-red sword, a streak of crimson fire shot out in an instant, accompanied by the sound of thunder, striking the kneeling crowd with a resounding "boom".
Do not be deceived by his flowing white garments, which seem to be imbued with the literary spirit of the Wu and Yue regions of Jiangnan; however, the determination and tenacity within him are stronger than anyone else's
Fortunately, we sought the help of the great hero Zhang. With his gleaming sword, he made a swift motion above the rebellious child's head. In the blink of an eye, amidst the biting cold wind, the little rascal's eyebrows were completely singed off, leaving him terrified and kneeling, begging for mercy and calling for help
The hero of the sword dances in the wind, the passion of youth is hard to cool!
Such blessings are simple and sincere, yet what the honest and sincere old couple of the Li family do not know is that the benevolent hero they are blessing at this moment may not enjoy a long-lasting fortune
The surviving members of the Zhang family at the scene have completely lost hope
The previously chaotic scene suddenly fell into a deathly silence
On the shores of the East China Sea, in the land of Wu and Yue, in the southern region of Jiangnan, there is a renowned hero named "Zhang Qingyang," who is referred to as the "Hero of Benevolence and Righteousness"
Cursing in his mouth, he seemed to harbor no resentment, striking Zhang Qingyang's face with the cold, bloodied edge of the sword, making a "slap, slap" sound
The lawless disciples of the Blood Oath Alliance, in order to further coerce Zhang Qingyang, began a series of brutal killings
Among them, there was a delicate seven-year-old child, with traces of tears on his face, yet he had long since run out of tears
In the flickering firelight, a group of people was kneeling on the ground; at the forefront of the crowd knelt a square-faced man with a resolute expression, bound tightly with ropes all over his body
As drowsiness gradually set in, they could not possibly imagine that amidst their heartfelt blessings, Zhang Qingyang, the heroic Zhang, was inexorably leading the vast Zhang clan of Hangzhou towards a tragic fate of extermination.
Ah, this matter has been done with great virtue. We must wish for Master Zhang to have enduring blessings and to enjoy nobility for generations to come
Zhang the Hero truly lives up to the title of 'Benevolent Hero.' A few days ago, when I was struggling to make ends meet at home, he sent over more than one tael of silver. This is a life-saving kindness!
He seems to have been so frightened that he is rendered speechless, unable even to cry
- Guan Pingchao
Yet he remained silent.
Tsk tsk, a so-called chivalrous hero! Bah! You stole the treasures of our Blood Oath Alliance's headquarters on Wuhu Island, and you still have the audacity to call yourself a 'chivalrous hero'? Bah, bah, bah! If you know what’s good for you, hand it over quickly!
I know you find it annoying to hear, I have said it eight times already, but I just can't help but say it again
In a dilapidated residence in Hangzhou, a gaunt man is conversing with his equally emaciated wife.
In an instant, a tender cry was heard, but it ceased abruptly as soon as it began— it turned out to be a three or four-year-old child, struck by the flames, who did not even have time to cry before blood flowed everywhere, dying tragically on the spot
Most of those who are cursing are actually cursing Zhang Qingyang, condemning him for stealing, criticizing him for not admitting to the theft, and as a result, now his family members have suffered because of him
In fact, they should have despaired much earlier
You see, he has indeed learned to behave now, working as an assistant in the blacksmith shop introduced by Master Zhang, and he is exceptionally well-behaved
That dog of the Li family, how old is he now, idling away his days, mingling with a group of disreputable people, stealing chickens and dogs, teasing young ladies and wives, he must have been in and out of the yamen countless times, sooner or later he will face the consequences
They have all accepted their fate
Hearing their loud curses, the faces of the black-robed figures all displayed mocking smiles
Indeed, Master Zhang's family is prosperous and influential, destined to enjoy nobility for generations to come
Almost simultaneously, in a grand estate on the outskirts of Hangzhou, torches were brightly lit.
Amidst the cacophony of curses, the man who had just been threatened by the black-robed assassin of the Blood Oath Alliance without uttering a word now tightly closed his eyes, tears streaming from the corners.
His actions finally provoked the black-robed members of the Blood Oath Alliance
They should understand the most outstanding patriarch of their family over so many generations
In the blink of an eye, cries of anguish, pleas for mercy, and shouts of curses resound in unison
The one at the forefront, wielding a sharp sword still dripping with blood, pointed the tip of the sword at the square-faced man on the ground and angrily shouted: "Zhang Qingyang! You despicable thief! At this point, are you still being stubborn?"
On this night, the chivalrous hero Zhang Qingyang is becoming a topic of discussion among some people
In the city of Hangzhou, the common people, during the night of extinguished lights, continue to extol the benevolence of the righteous heroes, offering their simple and sincere blessings to the ordinary citizens.
Many people have stopped crying and cursing
At this moment, their hatred towards Zhang Qingyang was no less than that towards those bloodthirsty members of the Blood Oath Alliance who directly committed murder
At this moment, in another residence in Hangzhou, an old man was chattering to his bedside companion: "My dear wife, listen to me, that chivalrous hero is truly too righteous!"
In this scene, if it were someone else, they would probably be so frightened that they would wet themselves, which would be considered mild. However, at this moment, Zhang Qingyang remained unfazed, silent, only breathing heavily through his nose, producing a faint sound in this cold, dark night to prove his existence.
Just as the two were offering their blessings, in the courtyard of the Zhang family manor in the outskirts, the uninvited guest in the black robe saw that the heroic Zhang did not utter a word, and instead of being angry, he smiled.
Before him stood seven or eight figures in black robes, each with a cold and sinister expression
Yet, Zhang Qingyang remained silent.
Zhang Qingyang's current demeanor is indeed both cold and ruthless; if anyone whom Zhang Qingyang has ever helped were to arrive at the scene and witness this moment, they would surely be unable to believe their eyes: how could the righteous and benevolent hero, who is upright, loyal, kind, and warm in their hearts, display such cold-blooded indifference?