After that, and several days later, Zhang Yong's steps were ordinary. Instead of trying to act high and mighty or attempting to increase his clientele through promotions or other schemes—all of which had been prevented, or rather postponed, until he had enough strength to confront anyone—caution was essential, and he wouldn't act recklessly.
As one customer left the store, Zhang Yong quietly stared at the old Qi's shop across the street"Really, that old man is actually more cautious than I am."
Su Ming raised his head upon hearing those words, his expression turning slightly ugly. "Zhang Yong, don't tell me you're planning to destroy their shop?"
Zhang Yong was momentarily surprised by Su Ming's line of thinking and began to wonder, 'Am I really that terrifying?'
He smiled meaningfully"Do you think I'm that much of a fool? Well, I won't deny it, but if I did, recovering from that mess wouldn't be easy. Reputation is fleeting, but it's necessary to wield it."
Zhang Yong sighed deeply and smiled. Seeing that smile, Su Ming noticed something hidden behind it—a deep sorrow. He didn't know how he hadn't noticed it before, but now, it was especially clear.
He thought 'Maybe Zhang Yong isn't truly insane but simply does what the situation demands. And perhaps what he suffered in the past is the reason for who he is now , maybe it's related to the reason behind losing his dantian'
'Well, who am I to judge? I know nothing about his past, but… it's good to see him as a normal person for once.' Su Ming mocked himself inwardly while smiling.
As Zhang Yong stared at the shop, something appeared in the corner of his eye.
A sudden, loud scream erupted outside the store. At the far end of the street, two children in tattered clothes, their faces bruised and wounded, were running from a strong adult man. The man quickly grabbed one of the children.
The other child, who hadn't been caught, turned around and shrieked sharply, "Brother...!" It was a young boy's voice.
The captured child struggled desperately, flailing his elbows to break free, but how could a frail, weak child resist an adult?
Then, suddenly, the boy opened his mouth and viciously bit the man's hand. Feeling the pain, the man loosened his grip, and the boy seized the chance to dash toward his brother.
When he reached his side, a loud curse suddenly rang through the air, followed by a muffled, agonized scream. The two small children were struck with a single blow—more than enough to send them both crashing to the ground. Now, they lay silent, barely breathing, unable to scream.
But the boy's eyes still burned with fury. Despite his battered state, he crawled on the ground toward his brother. The distance was short, but for him, it felt immense. Still, he dragged himself forward, trying to shield his brother.
Su Ming watched silently, unable to speak, because what happened next was utterly shocking.
Zhang Yong rushed toward them and punched the man, sending him flying. The man rolled across the ground several times, kicking up a cloud of dust. Before he could even try to stand, Zhang Yong was already in front of him.
"Seems you like hitting others. Why don't you try it yourself?"
Zhang Yong raised his right foot and kicked, sending the man flying again. He approached once more, and the man seemed about to say something, but Zhang Yong bent his arm in an arc and punched him in the face, delivering blow after blow without stopping.
They were just ordinary punches, but they were unbelievably brutal. Each strike carried the force of a hammer.
Zhang Yong didn't stop until the man's face was completely shattered, deformed beyond recognition. There wasn't a trace of life left—the man had been beaten to death.
Zhang Yong stood up, turned, and calmly walked toward the two children. The boy raised his hand warily, trying to shield his brother further. Zhang Yong's hand descended gently upon them.
The boy closed his eyes, bracing for pain, but what surprised him was that the hand placed on him was tender, hiding no pain—something clearly strange to him.
That hand lifted them both, and Zhang Yong carried them into his shop.
Su Ming stood frozen, staring in shock as Zhang Yong took them to the back of the store and placed them in a room, wrapping bandages around their wounds.
The boy watched cautiously and asked,"Why did you save us?"
Zhang Yong smiled faintly with a hint of pity. "What's strange about helping those who've been wronged?"
The boy fell silent, bowing his head. When Zhang Yong finished bandaging them, he stood quietly. "Alright, the bandages are done. Rest now."
The boy, still with his head lowered, suddenly spoke up, his heart pounding. *
"I'm sorry, kind sir… my siblings are in danger."
Zhang Yong swiftly turned to him."What about your siblings?"
The boy swallowed hard "My siblings… we were kidnapped by an evil man. They're experimenting on us… killing us. My sister and I were lucky to escape, but the others…"
Zhang Yong sighed, not expecting the situation to be like this. He pondered for a moment , he didn't have any reason to get in this matter , it's better to report to the authorities
"Please!" The boy bowed deeply, kneeling and pressing his forehead to the ground. Tears fell heavily onto the wooden floor, leaving their mark.
Zhang Yong took a few steps back, then turned"Tell me where they are."
He couldn't bear to watch these two being beaten. He wasn't a heartless person—that was the truth. He might kill anyone in his way, but he wouldn't stand idle
Not when he saw a young child suffering
Not when he saw siblings in pain.
These were his own principles. Whether they were right or wrong, all he wanted was not to betray his heart's desires.
Far outside Maple Leaf City, hidden among the hills, was a secluded facility—the only structure in the area, invisible to the naked eye.
Inside, in a dimly lit corner, a group of young people of various ages and backgrounds huddled together in terror. They had just witnessed their companions being slaughtered before their eyes. Blood painted the floors and walls in crimson.
Among them was a frail girl with a pale, deathly complexion, as if she might collapse at any moment. She clutched a small boy, shielding him from the massacre unfolding before them.
Despite her weak body, her eyes were filled with fear—yet she refused to let him see.
A man approached and reached for the boy. "Come here."
Though the girl tried to protect him, a single kick sent her sprawling. The man grabbed the boy by the arm and yanked him away.
"No…!My Brother…! Please… take me instead! Don't—!"
The girl coughed violently, vomiting as she crawled forward, her body on the verge of collapse. She stretched out her hands, desperate to reach her brother.
The boy screamed and struggled "Sister…! No…! Sister—!" He kicked wildly, but it was useless.
The man shackled the boy's wrists tightly and pulled a chain from the side, hoisting him into the air. His small, bruised body was exposed—covered in blue marks from torture.
The man raised a whip and brought it down with brutal force. Each lash carved red lines into the boy's skin, his screams filling the room. The others watched in horror, their own fear paralyzing them.
The girl stared, blood welling in her eyes, her voice choked by helplessness. Yet her soul screamed—a pain so deep it tore her apart.
With one final strike, the boy's screams stopped. Silence fell. Everyone knew what had happened—he was dead.
The man took a knife and slit the boy's stomach, letting blood spill onto a crimson-stained skull.
Suddenly—BANG!
The door burst open, flying into the room. Everyone turned to see a man standing there—long, wild white hair, but golden eyes burning with life.
Like a king of slaughter, he stepped forward, his gaze locked on the man who had killed the boy. At the same time, twenty armed men rushed out from inside the facility, roaring in challenge.
The captive youths lost all hope at the sight of such numbers.
One man stepped forward, resting a sword on his shoulder. "Who are you? A ghost daring to barge in here?"
Zhang Yong lifted his sword calmly, pointing it at the man. Seeing this, the others drew their blades, ready for battle.
Zhang Yong spoke coldly, his stare terrifying. "Are you the leader?"
The man laughed "Yes, I'm the leader. And today, you'll di—"
Before he could finish, Zhang Yong appeared beside him in an instant. With a single swing of his blade, a black arc sliced through the air , decapitating every man in the room
"That's all I needed. No reason to keep them alive… except you."
Zhang Yong glanced at the man coldly, then knocked him unconscious with a single punch
His gaze then fell on the mutilated body of the boy and the girl still crawling toward him.
At that moment, Su Ming arrived, his face twisted in fury. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Zhang Yong stepped forward quietly and severed the chains binding the boy's corpse. He carefully lifted the small body and wrapped it in a pure white cloth.
Then, he turned to the girl, who was still sobbing but too weak to move. The look in her eyes screamed for her brother's body.
Zhang Yong placed the wrapped corpse in front of her. Her trembling hands reached out, clutching the body that had been warm just moments ago—now slowly cooling like a melted candle.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
The words left Zhang Yong's lips as he bowed his head slightly. But in response, the girl began hitting him weakly with her frail hands.
"Why…? If you had come just a little sooner… he… he would still be alive!"
Zhang Yong didn't stop her. He understood her pain all too well. Having lost his own family, he knew the kind of agony she was feeling.
Her coughing worsened, her hands bleeding from the effort of striking him—her body too weak to endure even that.
Soon, the other girls pulled her away, comforting her.
Zhang Yong waved his hand, and blankets appeared on the ground. He stood and turned to Su Ming "Help me distribute these."
His eyes hid deep sorrow, but his expression remained stern.
Once Su Ming snapped out of his shock, he began handing out blankets and helping the survivors out of that hellish place. But their bodies were too weak to walk all the way back to Maple Leaf City.
Outside the facility, a fire was lit, and a large pot of soup was prepared. While Zhang Yong cooked, Su Ming tended to the others' wounds.
When the hot soup was ready, it was served to everyone. Once done, Zhang Yong walked away quietly, gazing at the sky.
"It's not your fault," Su Ming muttered. He could tell Zhang Yong blamed himself for not saving the boy in time.
Zhang Yong exhaled deeply "Why would you think I feel guilty? I'm just a madman, right? Then I'll do what I'm good at."
He turned to Su Ming with a smile, but Su Ming's expression didn't change. He wasn't convinced.
"Zhang Yong, that smile isn't real. You might try to hide it, but it's obvious to me. You didn't choose to be insane—and you're not."
Zhang Yong's smile faded.
Then, a voice came from behind "Excuse me, kind sirs."
They turned to see a slightly older boy—emaciated to a frightening degree "What will we do now?"
Zhang Yong approached him "We'll take you back to your city, your villages, your families."
The boy shook his head hopelessly. "Kind sir, that's impossible. Our families are dead. We have nowhere to go , all our villages were destroyed , and everyone dead except us"
Zhang Yong closed his eyes for a moment, thinking "Don't worry. I'll give you some money. You can start anew."
The boy bowed again. *"We thank you for your kindness, but we don't want money. We want revenge—against those who stole our normal, happy lives. We want to take it with our own hands."*
Su Ming immediately protested. "That's far too dangerous for normal people who aren't even a martial artist!"
Yet the boy remained bowed. "We know. That's why we beg you to teach us. We know we're asking too much, but we must avenge them. Please."
What happened next was shocking—not just the boy, but every single survivor bowed deeply and spoke in unison:
"Please."
Su Ming was speechless. He turned to Zhang Yong, waiting for his response.
Zhang Yong stepped forward calmly. "You all want revenge. I respect that greatly. But let me ask you this—if we train you as you are now, to take your vengeance, you'll have to walk through hell yourselves. Are you prepared to drown in it?"
Not a single trace of hesitation showed on their faces.
"We are ready to go to hell if we must."
Zhang Yong smiled faintly. "Then follow me."
He turned and led them all back toward Maple Leaf City.
On the way, Su Ming couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure about this?"
Zhang Yong smirked slightly. "Su Ming, if you were in their place and wanted revenge, would you seize any chance—or just walk away with your head down?"
Su Ming fell silent.
Zhang Yong continued, "Of course, you'd want revenge, no matter what. Do you know what's more valuable than combat talent? Perseverance and will. These people have enough of both. So let's not stand in their way."
Then, Zhang Yong glanced at the void—more precisely, at the system window.
(
[Quest]
Difficulty: (A) (1/3)
Description:
Establish an organization. The foundation of all organizations is its members.
**Objective:**
- Recruit twenty loyal members. (27/20) ✔️
**Reward:**
- Organization Badge
**Failure:**
- ???
*(Quest completed successfully. Badge has been placed in storage.)*
*(Organization Badge: A badge that constructs an organization's headquarters as a main force. Its form changes according to the host's will as long as they possess the badge.)
)
The group returned to Maple Leaf City, and Zhang Yong led them into the back courtyard of his shop. He threw a few flags onto the ground and turned.
"This is your last chance to back out. Those who don't may regret it later."
No one moved. Their resolve was unshakable.
Zhang Yong smiled. "Then hell begins here."
He raised the badge high—and in an instant, they were all transported away.