The sky was filled with dark clouds, and the night was black as ink.
In the small square of Huangni Village, a bonfire crackled.
Zhang Gouzi, a green cloth wrapped around his head and a strange fervor in his eyes, suddenly brandished a large saber. Spittle flew from his mouth as he yelled, "Plunder their money! Plunder their food! Plunder their people! Follow Master Ma, and you'll eat and drink well!"
The surrounding villagers were slightly panicked, but having already armed themselves with clubs and torches, they immediately followed his lead and shouted along.
Ma Changgui was currently wearing a leather vest he had gotten from somewhere, his chest bared to reveal his lean, powerful muscles.
He looked at his group of newly-minted "Mountain Bandits," his face a mask of smug satisfaction and cruel sneers.
"Have you all eaten your damn fill and worked up your courage? Stone Village is a tiny, worthless place. We'll flatten it today! Kill all the men, snatch all the women, and don't leave a single grain of food behind!"
Ma Changgui waved his arm grandly, allowing no one to question or shrink back. Pointing toward the village entrance, he roared, "Move out!"
"Yes!"
"Let's go, let's go!"
"Let's plunder the bastards!"
The disorderly procession began to move. Everyone held their torches high, forming a winding serpent of fire that slithered through the dim night toward Stone Village.
The sounds of footsteps, shouts, and coarse panting intertwined, shattering the silence of the mountainside.
Over at Stone Village, however, it was unnaturally silent.
Soon, Ma Changgui and his subordinates arrived at the entrance of Stone Village.
Zhang Gouzi, eager to show off, grabbed a torch and set a haystack at the village entrance ablaze. He laughed heartily and shouted, "Hand over your food, and we'll spare your lives!"
Then, he led the villagers storming into the village, kicking down any door they saw, screaming for blood.
But strangely, Stone Village was completely empty. Not a single villager was to be seen.
"Where is everyone? Where the hell did they all go?"
"You think they knew we were coming and ran off ahead of time?"
"Damn it, set fires! Burn it all down for me!"
Zhang Gouzi and the other villagers shouted and clamored, carelessly tossing their torches. Thatched huts ignited one after another, sending flames soaring into the sky.
Suddenly, a tall figure slowly emerged from within the flames.
The man was enormous, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked at the crowd with contempt and barked, "Drop your weapons and beg for mercy on your knees! Do that, and you might live!"
"Who the hell are you? You dare act so insolent before your granddaddy?"
Zhang Gouzi caught sight of the man and, showing no fear, charged forward with his large saber, unleashing the Green Forest Saber Technique.
"A chop to the head, a slash to the feet, and a cut to your waist in between! A true man needs only three moves with a saber, and after three moves, your life is forfeit! Watch out!"
Zhang Gouzi shouted as he swung his saber. He was full of bravado, and the way he brandished his large saber was quite impressive, creating a fierce wind.
Unfortunately for him, his opponent was Man Datou.
A disdainful smirk appeared on Man Datou's face. Despite his large frame, his movements were nimble. He dodged backward, effortlessly evading Zhang Gouzi's series of chops.
In truth, the Green Forest Saber Technique really did have only three moves: a chop to the head, a slash to the feet, and a cut to the waist. The moves were wide and sweeping, looking impressive but also rigid and lacking in finesse.
Zhang Gouzi used the three moves over and over. He looked fierce and seemed to be forcing Man Datou back, but he couldn't land a single scratch on him.
"This one's tough! Everyone, attack together!"
Zhang Gouzi realized Man Datou was no ordinary foe and immediately called for his companions, intending to swarm him.
However, his companions had been poor commoners for too long. Despite their numbers, the sight of the over-two-meter-tall Man Datou struck fear into their hearts. They shoved each other, but no one dared to step forward.
Farther back, in the shadow of a tall parasol tree, Wang Yi sat in the driver's seat of the Crossbow Machine Carriage. His gaze passed over the torch-wielding villagers and landed on Ma Changgui.
In his vision, Ma Changgui had an information panel.
[Ma Changgui: Chaos Lord, current chief of Huangni Village. Chaos Energy: 5890. Lord Talent: B-rank Plundering.]
'He really is a Player. A B-rank Talent? If I kill him, what will happen to him...'
Wang Yi narrowed his eyes. He appeared calm and composed on the surface, but he was actually a little nervous inside.
After all, a fight was about to break out. This wasn't jungling or laning in a computer game; this was a real armed brawl where people could die!
After learning that the people of Huangni Village were coming to raid them, most of the villagers, at Wang Yi's "suggestion," had already fled with their families deep into the western mountain forests to take shelter.
Now, only Wang Yi, Man Datou, and a few able-bodied young men determined to stay and protect their homes remained in the village.
Yang Wanli, Yang Qingniu, Zhang Dashan, and Zhang Lengzi were among them.
The four of them, armed with clubs, were currently crouched in the shadows, lying in ambush.
But Man Datou, fearless and valiant, had boasted he could wipe them all out by himself. He disdained hiding in ambush and had charged straight into the fight.
And he was indeed incredibly brave. Anyone with eyes could see that even with his large saber, Zhang Gouzi was no match for him.
Suddenly, Man Datou made his move. A huge haymaker landed right in an opening in Zhang Gouzi's attack, solidly striking his left cheek.
THWACK! Zhang Gouzi was sent spinning into the air. He spat out blood and several teeth. After he landed, he was completely dazed, unable to shakily climb back to his feet.
"A petty Mountain Bandit dares to show off in front of me!"
As he spoke, Man Datou kicked the struggling Zhang Gouzi like he was kicking a sack of rags, sending him flying five or six meters. Zhang Gouzi grunted, his saber flying from his grasp. He didn't move after he hit the ground.
The surrounding torch-bearing villagers from Huangni Village cried out in alarm and scrambled backward.
Man Datou swept his cold, arrogant gaze over them and roared, "Who else?"
"Damn you! Where did this oaf come from? You dare to hit my men?"
Ma Changgui emerged from behind the crowd, frowning. He looked at Man Datou and wondered who this giant was. 'He's huge and incredibly strong. Even Zhang Gouzi, who changed his class to Mountain Bandit, was no match for him. I know Fierce Tiger Fist and I'm a Hundred-man Enemy... can I beat him?'
Man Datou chuckled, cracked his knuckles, and stepped forward to attack Ma Changgui.
But Wang Yi's voice came from behind, "Big Head, move aside!"
Man Datou did as he was told and moved. Then, a "tractor" slowly rolled out of the shadows.
"Huh?"
Ma Changgui froze, his eyes glued to the Crossbow Machine Carriage. Then, as if realizing something, he said, "Wait, could it be..."
Before he could finish, Wang Yi, in the driver's seat of the Crossbow Machine Carriage, hit the trigger. Flying Light Arrows instantly shot out.
He knew this was no time for foolish mercy. He wasn't here to make friends, so he went straight for the kill. He'd deal with Ma Changgui first and worry about the rest later.
"Fuck you! A machine gun! I have Fierce Tiger Fist—"
Ma Changgui's eyes went wide. He screamed in fury, but he was still a man of flesh and blood. He couldn't dodge or block the barrage of Flying Light Arrows, and he was quickly obliterated into a flash of white light.
Wang Yi ceased fire, and a system notification sound rang in his ears. "Ding! You have killed the Chaos Lord Ma Changgui. Chaos Energy +5890, Lord Experience +100!"
"Ding! Reminder: Lord Experience can only be obtained by killing Players, destroying enemy buildings, or completing relevant system quests. It can be used to learn Lord Skills, exchange for Lord's Items, etc. Please explore for more details."
"Ding! Reminder: Killing a Lord Player will always plunder all of their Chaos Energy. There is a small chance of obtaining their carried items. If you possess a Scavenging Talent or skill, there is also a chance to acquire Skill Book Fragments and other items."
'Huh, 5,890 Chaos Energy. Not bad!'
Wang Yi was pleasantly surprised.
The crowd of Huangni Village villagers, however, were terrified and panicked. Many of them still didn't understand what had just happened.
"The Roasted Chicken Immortal has shown his power!"
"The Roasted Chicken Immortal killed the bandit chief! Men, what are you hiding for? Let's go out and fight!"
"Let's get 'em!"
"Charge! Kill the bandits!"
A great shout rose from behind them as Yang Qingniu led the charge. The man brandished his club, a ferocious look on his face, ready to fight to the death.
Without their leader, the villagers of Huangni Village immediately fell apart, scattering in all directions with cries of alarm.
That Zhang Gouzi actually managed to crawl up from the ground. He ducked low, slipped into the crowd, and started to run.
"Where do you think you're going! Follow me and chase that bandit!"
Yang Qingniu singled out Zhang Gouzi and called for Zhang Dashan and Zhang Lengzi to chase after him together.
Stone Village instantly erupted into a clamor of voices and utter chaos.
Seeing this, Wang Yi felt a sense of relief.
He had expected a large-scale brawl, but it was over just like that.
'A disorganized mob. Without a leader, they really can't stir up much trouble. That's for the best. Less blood on my hands...'
Wang Yi honked the carriage's horn. He beckoned Man Datou to his side, then looked at Yang Wanli, who was holding a wooden club, and said, "Village Chief, please lead the way. I need to make a trip to Huangni Village!"