They were a lane away when a boy darted out of a side alley, clothes torn and stiff with blood. He was Qin Ye's age.
"Big Brother Ye!"
Qin Ye stopped, startled. His face drained as he took in the boy's state. "Why are you like this, little brother Liang?"
Xiao Liang reached him and broke down. "I did everything I could, big brother. I could not stop them."
Qin Ye's hands shook. "D… did they go after her?"
Xiao Liang nodded, eyes red. "They took her. They said the boss would take care of her."
Qin Ye still bowed to Lin Fang. Even now, he did not forget respect. "Young master, forgive me, I must go. It is urgent," he clenched his fists so hard that blood dripped from them.
Lin Fang is even more impressed with the boy, just through the bits and pieces of this conversation, he can tell what this situation is. Qin Ye sister was taken by some gang members because she was too good looking and she caught the eye of their leader, 'this is such a generic start of a novel' he thought, the protagonist would then go on a training arc and come back to save her and take revenge.
HE DID NOT CARE. Not really. Ever since his hatred peaked and the simulator answered, the lives of this world were mere numbers on a slate for him. He would not take pointless risks. He would not play hero.
He reached for his space ring to pay Qin Ye and leave. But then His eyes flashed with a hint of cunning. A thought turned sharp. This was a chance to farm souls.
"Wait", he said, voice steady. "Qin Ye, did a gang kidnap your sister?"
Qin Ye blinked. "How did you know, Young Master?"
Lin Fang raised his chin. His face hardened with righteous anger as he roared, "How dare a pack of scum commit such acts in the Divine Wind Sect's territory. As a core disciple, it is my duty to punish them."
Xiao Liang was so overjoyed, his eyes moistened again. Qin Ye was still incredulous, after all, most cultivators are very pragmatic beings who treat mortals like a lesser species.
"You would help me, young master?" he asked.
Lin Fang nodded. "Wait here. I will change. If they see my robes, they will run."
He stepped into the inn and came out moments later in the simple robe he had worn back in Young Eagle Village. The cloth was coarse. The seams were patched, but He still looked too handsome, he still carried that immortal air.
Qin Ye led the way, head low, steps quick. The other boy kept wiping at his face, smearing the blood instead of cleaning it.
"What is your sister's name?" Lin Fang asked.
"Qin Xiu," Qin Ye said through clenched teeth.
"Who took her?"
"The Lantern Vipers," Qin Ye said. "They run the docks, they take a cut from every boat and if anyone talks, they make an example out of them. Their den is in Stonewell Alley. They answer to Boss Du San. People say he bows to someone worse."
"A cultivator?" Lin Fang asked with a hint of apprehension.
Xiao Liang nodded hard. "A man who breathes like a furnace. I saw him once. No one dares speak near him."
"Good," Lin Fang said lightly. "Lead me."
They cut through a tangle of alleys. Laundry lines, mold on the bricks, the stink of old fish. Qin Ye stopped once to steady his hands, then kept moving. Lin Fang said nothing. His face was calm. Inside his heart, an abacus clicked.
Stonewell Alley was a narrow throat of shadow. Red lanterns burned at noon, paint peeling from a sagging door. Two men lounged outside with short sabers and lazy eyes.
Lin Fang stepped past Qin Ye and Xiao Liang and walked towards the two casually. He looked like any other poor youth. His robe was patched. His hair was freely drifting in the wind. His face ruined the disguise.
One guard snorted. "Pretty boy. Lost?"
The other rolled his neck. "Boss hates pretty boys."
[Ding~ 2 beings with killing intent have been detected. Host is advised to take action.]
Lin Fang picked a pebble from the ground and rubbed it between his fingers. He smiled. The first stone vanished.
A wet sound echoed. The talkative guard's throat opened like a red flower. He fell without a word.
The second guard blinked and reached for his blade. The second stone was already in the air. It punched through his eye. He slumped against the door and slid down, smearing blood on the wood.
Lin Fang pushed the door with his knuckles and walked in.
A long, low hall. Dice, smoke, cheap incense. Faces turned, saw a poor youth, and brightened with ugly confidence.
"looks like we have a visitor"
"did the brothers outside catch this kid?"
"Look at his delicate skin! It looks even better than my wife's"
Seeing him just stand there, they thought he had entered here by accident and was frozen in fear. They jeered even more excitedly.
"come here kid, don't be scared"
"that ring on your finger is not bad. Your grandfather wants it!"
[Ding~ 20 beings with killing intent have been detected.]
Lin Fang did not draw his sword. He smiled lightly, looking at the confident gangsters like dead people.
The nearest gangster was sitting with a flushed expression when he suddenly lunged. He always believed that even a lion should use its full strength when hunting a rabbit. He used all his second rank martial strength and tried to instantly kill the kid with a surprise attack.
But what he didn't expect is that he wasn't the hunter this time, he was the prey. Lin Fang casually sidestepped and patted his chest as if brushing lint. The man blinked twice, took two steps to understand, and collapsed.
A chair came down for Lin Fang's head. He pushed True Qi to his legs, activating Shadow Weave Steps, and instantly stood behind the swinger. The man looked left, then right.
he only heard a click as if a sword was unsheaded and sheaded in quick succession, his vision flipped.
He saw a body still standing. His own head bumped the dice bowl and rolled to a stop next to it as if a bigger bloodier dice.
The other gangsters faces turned grave, all the drunkness gone in an instant.
One of them whispered, cold sweat rolling down his back, "what is this demon", the whisper sounded like thunder in the silent hall.
The handsome smilling face now gave them chills, this wasn't a human, this was a demon in human form!