Liang Cheng led the way, with Zheng Fan following. There were many rooms on the second floor, mostly used by Feng Siniang's "attendants" for their work.
Following local custom, many red headscarves hung on the doors of the rooms. This was quite similar to modern-day barbershops that advertise along the streets but lack even a single clipper inside.
Feng Siniang's room was at the very end. Actually, Siniang lived in a wing room in the rear courtyard and never received customers. This time, for the sake of their operation, when choosing a room, she had selected one in the northwest corner on the second floor, the innermost one.
The room was divided into two sections: an inner room and an outer room.
When Liang Cheng pushed open the door, Zheng Fan saw the guard sitting there, cradling a sword in both hands.
The guard's clothing was no different from that of the traveling merchants. However, his back was exceptionally straight, and his eyes were half-closed. It should be noted that his master was currently in the inner room; his ability to maintain such strict self-discipline under these circumstances showed that A Ming's previous assessment of him was absolutely correct.
When Liang Cheng and Zheng Fan entered, the guard opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping towards them.
"What is it?" the guard asked.
"Following our manager's orders, we've come to deliver some wine. Our inn's wine is renowned as the best in Hutou City, so…"
"I do not drink," the guard flatly refused.
Liang Cheng had seen his share of major events. This guard was like a demon king; even if he were reduced to an ordinary person, his courage was still far beyond what a common man could match.
Therefore, after the guard's outright refusal, Liang Cheng gestured towards the inner room door and said, "Sir, you misunderstand. This wine is for the lady and her esteemed guest inside, as instructed by our manager. It's not for you."
Hearing this, the guard was taken aback. Of course, he didn't drink, but if his master inside needed it…
Honestly, he, a guard trained since childhood as one of his family's men of sacrifice, didn't quite understand such matters.His master, however, seemed well-versed in these ways. She was somewhat more restrained at home, but once she left, all constraints vanished. She had frequented several places, and a number of prostitutes had already been toyed with to death by her.
Zheng Fan had been following Liang Cheng, constantly looking for an opportunity. From the moment the door opened, he had sensed a gaze fixed on him.
But just then, that presence suddenly vanished.
Obviously, the guard was distracted!
Zheng Fan hesitated no longer. Although he had no experience in such things, and Liang Cheng hadn't arranged any signal for him to act, he felt this was the moment!
"AHH!" Zheng Fan let out a low roar, lifting the wine jar in his hands and smashing it directly at the seated guard!
It was unknown how developed the brothels in the heartlands of Yan State were, but Feng Siniang was a veteran madam who had run establishments in various eras and locations depicted in the storybooks. She knew how to create an atmosphere, add a touch of allure, and by presenting modern-style stockings, she had already thoroughly captivated the soul of this seemingly high-status young noble.
"How about this pair?"
"Beautiful."
"And this one?"
"Also beautiful."
"Then what about this one?"
"Lovely, very lovely indeed."
Siniang kept changing stockings, draping each one she took off around the noble scion's neck.
Just then, Feng Siniang's hands suddenly clenched. The stockings hanging around the noble scion's neck tightened, becoming a cord to strangle him.
"Urgh… urgh…"
Siniang pulled with all her might, but the noble scion struggled violently.
At this moment, a figure climbed in through the window. Witnessing the scene unfolding in the inner room, he showed no tension or panic; instead, he seemed to find it rather interesting.
But seeing Feng Siniang apparently struggling and not gaining the upper hand, A Ming frowned slightly, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
However, this was not the time for contemplation. A Ming walked towards the bed, casually picking up a hairpin from the dressing table on his way.
When he reached the noble scion's back, he raised the hairpin in his hand.
THWACK!
The hairpin pierced the back of the noble scion's neck.
The noble scion's body twitched once, then he lost consciousness and all resistance.
Feng Siniang released her grip, sat on the edge of the bed, and gasped for breath. Her thin clothes were already soaked with sweat.
"He… he isn't dead, is he?"
A Ming shook his head. "I know my limits."
BANG!
The sound of a wine jar shattering came from the outer room.
The wine jar had been smashed by Zheng Fan. The best outcome would have been for the jar to knock the guard out cold.
But clearly, things didn't go in the best possible direction.
Perhaps the guard had indeed let his guard down for a moment, but his reaction speed was truly astonishing.
BUZZ!
The sword he held in his embrace was drawn in an instant, shattering the wine jar hurtling towards him.
BANG!
The jar broke apart, but the incense ash inside still scattered towards him.
The guard had never anticipated such a premeditated and despicable attack in this brothel. Caught off guard, his eyes were hit by the incense ash. He immediately squeezed them shut, his face contorting in pain.
Liang Cheng didn't hesitate for a second. His arms shot downwards, and two iron spikes dropped into his palms. He lunged forward like a tiger pouncing down a mountain, thrusting the iron spikes at the guard.
CLANG!
However, the guard's strength was truly astounding. Even after being attacked and with his vision impaired, his other senses remained sharp.
His longsword swept up, parrying Liang Cheng's two iron spikes, preventing them from piercing his body as they were blocked by the blade.
Liang Cheng's gaze hardened. He pulled his hands down, deliberately exposing an opening, and thrust the iron spikes out again.
The guard's longsword moved in response, slashing horizontally. He believed Liang Cheng would retreat, unless Liang Cheng was also a man of sacrifice!
But Liang Cheng did not retreat.
SLICE!
The tip of the sword cut into Liang Cheng's lower abdomen, but Liang Cheng's twin spikes simultaneously pierced the guard's shoulders.
The guard was stunned. The pain and his opponent's desperate, life-risking attack threw him into a momentary panic. Moreover, he felt that his opponent must be wearing inner armor, because his sword met with very distinct resistance after piercing the flesh.
Of course, he couldn't have guessed that the one attacking him routinely performed feats like breaking flagstones on his chest at the inn and, although currently an ordinary human, he was, after all, a zombie!
However, just as Liang Cheng thought he had succeeded and was preparing to inflict further injury, a faint blue light suddenly emanated from the guard's body.
Zheng Fan, who had been standing to the side after smashing the wine jar, witnessed this. It wasn't that he hadn't intended to run as they had previously agreed; it was simply that the interval between him smashing the jar and Liang Cheng launching his attack was merely two or three breaths. He hadn't had time to flee.
So, Zheng Fan saw the light on the guard's body.
Was it inner power? Battle Qi? Or something else?Though he wasn't sure what it was, recalling the strange mount he had seen at the inn entrance that morning, he could at least be certain of one thing: this was definitely not an ordinary ancient world.
Liang Cheng, who was engaging the guard, felt it most acutely. After the blue light flashed and vanished from the guard's body, Liang Cheng sensed the guard's strength suddenly double. The guard not only completely deflected Liang Cheng's iron spikes with his sword but also lifted his leg and kicked Liang Cheng squarely.
BANG!
Zheng Fan watched helplessly as Liang Cheng was sent flying by the guard's kick, crashing through the door panel.
At that moment, Zheng Fan's heart plummeted. This time, they had truly caught a big fish, but this big fish, it seemed, could eat people.
However, after kicking Liang Cheng away, the guard didn't choose to kill Zheng Fan. Instead, he rushed towards the inner room.
In his eyes, his master's safety was paramount.
CREAK!
Just as the guard charged to the entrance of the inner room, the door was pushed open from within.
A Ming stood directly in the doorway, still clutching the jade hairpin.
The guard immediately let out a low snarl. The blue light reappeared, though it was considerably weaker this time than before.
Even though the guard's eyes were still unable to open due to the incense ash, his sword remained deadly.
"Be careful!" Zheng Fan barely had time to shout to A Ming.
There was nothing he could do. Zheng Fan wasn't Duan Yu; he couldn't just shoot out energy beams from his fingers to resolve everything. Ever since he smashed the wine jar, events had unfolded far too quickly.A Ming seemed stunned, as if he hadn't anticipated that upon opening the door, intending to launch a sneak attack, he would instead be met with an oncoming thrust.
Thus, A Ming didn't have time to dodge—at least, that's how it appeared to Zheng Fan.
SQUELCH!
The guard's sword pierced A Ming's abdomen. The overwhelming force drove the sword tip through A Ming's body, pinning him to the door panel behind.
A Ming's body began to tremble slightly. His head lolled back, his hair splaying out.
"Who on earth sent you? Speak!" He was merely accompanying his master to a brothel; who could have known they'd be ambushed here!
A Ming's head slowly lowered. His body continued to quiver and shake, but a maniacal smile spread across his face.
This feeling, had it returned? Had it returned!!!
HEHEHE…
Laughter rumbled from A Ming's throat.
"Men of sacrifice?" The guard was somewhat bewildered. These assailants, they were men of sacrifice!
Damn it!Why were there so many death-defying men of sacrifice in this brothel!The one earlier who kept attacking even after being stabbed was one, and so was this one before him, now impaled by his sword!
Who was it? Which family had arranged for so many precious men of sacrifice to be here, to assassinate him and his master?
A Ming's laughter infuriated the guard. He gripped the hilt of his sword and twisted it within A Ming's body.
Yes, A Ming's body trembled even more violently.
The guard, his eyes still shut, assumed this was A Ming enduring even more excruciating pain. But Zheng Fan, standing nearby, saw it. He saw the horrifying joy on A Ming's face growing ever more intense!
In the next moment, A Ming opened his mouth. Two fangs slowly emerged. And then, he bit into the guard's neck—hard!
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!