C27 The Heavens Are Going to Destroy Me

Within the grounds of Lee Mansion, a mountain bandit dashed past a decorative rockery. Out of nowhere, a shadow surged forward, clamping a hand over the bandit's mouth, followed by a swift slash of a dagger across his throat.

The bandit's struggles were fierce, his muffled groans filling the air as blood spurted from his neck like a fountain. His resistance grew feebler until, finally, the shadow dragged him behind the rockery.

Emerging from the concealment of the rockery was Gao Shuai, his expression grave. He knew he had to find a way out. If the bandits regrouped, he'd be easily discovered.

He wondered about the fate of the person who went to alert the authorities, hoping they hadn't been intercepted by the bandits.

Scattered clashes still echoed in the distance. Despite the Lee Mansion's servants facing their end with bravery, they were no match for the well-prepared bandits and one by one, they fell, staining the ground with their blood.

From his hidden vantage point, Gao Shuai had eliminated at least twenty foes, but their numbers seemed undiminished, even swelling. They began to move in packs, making it increasingly difficult for him to seize another chance.

He had considered disguising himself in the garb of the bandits, but his ruse was quickly uncovered, and he was nearly killed after being encircled by the enemy. Clearly, someone among them was a master at detecting such deception.

With caution, he left the rockery and stealthily made his way to the small lake within the mansion. To his dismay, bandits were on guard there too, with archers firing arrows into the water, thwarting his plan to hide beneath the surface.

Next, he approached a remote side room, from which the shrill screams of a maid could be heard.

"Don't come any closer!"

"Little beauty, stop running. I'll show you a good time... Hehehe..."

A chill crossed Gao Shuai's features as he crept closer.

A bandit stood guard at the door, scanning the surroundings. Suddenly, he spotted a shadow lunging towards him and instinctively swung his sword.

Ding!

Sparks scattered from the clash of their weapons.

Gao Shuai deftly slid to the bandit's right side, his blade sweeping through the air with a sharp clang.

Before the bandit could even shout, he trembled violently and crashed to the ground.

With his left hand, Gao Shuai plunged another dagger into the back of the bandit's skull.

He withdrew the blade, wiped it on the fallen man's clothes, and then slipped through the door with silent ease.

Inside, a maid was pinned to the bed, her upper garment torn, exposing her crimson undergarment as she continued to struggle and scream.

The bandit's excitement only grew with her resistance and cries.

Leaning in eagerly, the bandit was met with the gruesome sound of his own bones snapping, his perspective spinning a full 180 degrees.

Instead of the delicate girl, he was now staring into the grim face of a man.

His eyes widened in shock, mouth agape, before his head lolled to the side, lifeless.

The maid quickly adjusted her clothing and retreated to the bed's corner, her sobs filling the room.

Gao Shuai's brow creased as he spoke in a hushed tone, "Stop crying. He didn't harm you."

The maid looked up, her eyes brimming with fear. "Second Master, I'm frightened."

"Do you want to survive?" Gao Shuai asked.

She nodded frantically.

"Stand by the room's entrance. If you see anyone, lure them inside," he instructed.

The maid recoiled, voicing her fear, "But what if they kill me?"

"Show a bit of your shoulder, like you did before. It'll draw any man in."

"I'm still afraid..."

"Then stay here and accept your fate," Gao Shuai stated bluntly, turning to leave. His own safety was at risk; he couldn't afford the weight of another's life.

"Wait, Second Master, please wait!" she called out, desperation in her voice as she rushed to Lee Cha. "Second Master, I'll do anything to save my life, just promise you'll keep me safe."

Gao Shuai stopped, considering her plea, and finally nodded. "If more than two come, have them enter one at a time."

The maidservant's voice quivered, "What if they refuse?"

"Then it's up to your skills. If you can't manage, death is the only option."

"Okay, okay."

Gao Shuai carefully concealed the two bodies and camouflaged the scene before settling in to wait with patience.

Out of nowhere, footsteps drew near. Three bandits, torches in hand, arrived in the vicinity.

The maidservant's face blanched. She wanted to shrink back, but the bandits had already spotted her.

"Well, look what we have here, a fish that slipped through the net—a delicate little beauty," chuckled one of the bandits.

The other two bandits' eyes gleamed with interest.

As the trio, brandishing large cleavers, drew closer, the maid froze. She thought of fleeing on the spot... What to do? She couldn't outrun them; her fate was sealed.

"Master..." she murmured, glancing instinctively toward the house.

Behind the curtain, Gao Shuai's face tensed.

"Huh, she's calling us 'Master'?"

"Ha! I am the Master," the bandit roared with laughter.

The maid's neck stiffened as she spoke in a quavering tone, "Masters, I am so frightened."

"Don't worry, little beauty. The Master will come to your rescue," one bandit said, rubbing his hands together and advancing with excitement.

The hefty bandit interjected with dissatisfaction, "Zhang Ergou, you must have the courage of a leopard to challenge me for her."

"It's my turn first; I spotted this little beauty before anyone else," a skinny bandit retorted.

Zhang Ergou fumed, "She was clearly calling for me!"

"Move aside, I'm going first."

"No, I'm first."

Witnessing the bandits' squabble, the maid's nerves steadied.

She quelled her anxiety and suggested, "Perhaps this gentleman would like to go first?"

The fat bandit, pointed out by the maid, erupted in joy and lunged forward with a whoop.

The door creaked shut, leaving Zhang Ergou and the skinny bandit exchanging bewildered looks.

Inside, the maid's laughter tickled their ears, leaving them squirming with discomfort.

But within a mere two minutes, the maid, her clothes disheveled, poked her head out the door and cooed, "Who's next, Master?"

Zhang Ergou burst into laughter, "I'm dying here! That good-for-nothing Yellow Ox is all show and no go. Aside from stripping down, he's done less work than it takes me to pee."

The skinny guy inquired, "Who's up next?"

Zhang Ergou's expression tightened, and with a sly twirl of his eyes, he boasted, "I'm good for seven rounds a night, but you go ahead. I wouldn't want you to get antsy waiting your turn."

The skinny man strutted in, high-spirited.

As soon as he stepped through the door, he spotted Xie Huangiu, back to him, getting dressed. He prodded, "Hurry it up, Old Xie, and on your way out, close the door for me. Don't hold up my fun."

A flicker of doubt crossed his mind—had Xie Huangiu lost weight?

But then the maid, perched on the bed, beckoned with a bashful tone, "Master! Please, come here!"

The skinny man's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he drifted over as if entranced.

Unseen to him, the face of Xie Huangiu had transformed into someone else's.

Gao Shuai took a quick glance back, then subtly shifted his feet so the door would shield them from the bandits' view outside.

Seconds later, the maid's playful voice invited, "Why not join us, dear sir?"

"Ah, maybe I'll wait a bit," Zhang Ergou called out loudly.

"Come on, all three of you..."

Her sultry voice was so tantalizing that Zhang Ergou squirmed with discomfort. After a brief silence, he growled defiantly, "To hell with it! I refuse to believe they've got more to show than me!"

With that, he burst through the door...

...

Half an hour later.

"Master, I'm so frightened."

The servant girl's twinkling eyes and her sweet, sticky words stirred even Gao Shuai's composure.

Moments later, a towering, bald strongman, nine feet tall, entered the room.

He sniffed the air and shot a glance at the maid.

Gao Shuai stealthily crept up behind the strongman, catching the maid's hand signals. Without hesitation, he plunged his dagger into the man's back.

A gruff voice erupted.

Gao Shuai's arm felt like it had struck stone, then his hairs stood on end as a massive hand loomed larger and larger in his field of vision.

Run! Without hesitation, he retreated diagonally backward with the momentum.

But it was still a step too late. Snap!

Damn, a master! He was sent flying, crashing into the potted plant by the window.

A sharp pain shot through his left shoulder as he caught a glimpse of the brawny man striding toward him.

He bellowed, "Lime powder!"

A cloud of white powder shot toward the brawny man, who simply waved his sleeve and stepped back.

As the dust settled, the potted plant lay in ruins, the window flung open, and Gao Shuai's figure had vanished.

"What happened, Chief?" The bandits rushed into the room.

The brawny man replied coolly, "That must be the head of the Lee family. He's wounded; he won't get far."

"Understood!" The bandits turned and quickly dispersed.

The brawny man dusted off his hands and departed.

In the center of the room, a maid lay on the ground, her slender neck twisted unnaturally, a dark red handprint encircling it.

"Second Master promised to spare my life..." Her eyes lost their luster, then slowly faded.

Gao Shuai, clutching his left shoulder, stumbled forward as the shouts behind him persisted.

Damn it! I must find a way to shake them off, or I'm a dead man... he clenched his jaw.

Hide in the secret passage? No, it's incomplete; I'd be trapped like a fish in a barrel.

What now?

He tugged at his shoulder, revealing a bright red handprint.

...

In Yingchang City, Lee Cha sat in a cramped room, unfolding a tiny scroll from a pigeon's leg.

His face changed instantly.

"Someone fetch my jade pendant and go to Zhang Ming. No, also find Prefect Liang, Butler Chen, and the Ning Mansion.

"Tell them to send troops to rescue Lee Mansion at once. There will be a generous reward! If they hesitate, inform them that whoever rescues us first will receive half of the Lee family's shares."

With that, he gathered a dozen men and galloped towards Lee Mansion.

Thirty minutes later, he could see the Lee Mansion and Xiao Mansion ablaze in the distance, fighting the impulse to charge into the fray.

Lee Cha instructed his companions to hastily fashion torches, then stretched their formation into a long line, tying branches to the rear of their horses.

Having completed these preparations, Lee Cha inhaled deeply and whispered to himself, "We must persevere..."

...

He struggled to quiet his breathing.

Footsteps approached Gao Shuai's hiding spot.

Three men—he hoped luck was on his side. He held his breath.

Puchi!

"Those fools, they can't even catch one person. They should have sent us from the White Tiger Hall instead," grumbled a bandit with a darkened face, thrusting his long saber into a corpse on the ground.

Another bandit with short hair jabbed at the body, adding, "Exactly! They've got us from the White Tiger Hall doing the grunt work."

"When the Vermillion Bird Hall saw our third boss dead, they just added insult to injury!"

"Finish them off, finish them off—what's the point? Just don't come crying to us if someone gets away because we didn't do it right! Damn it!"

Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!

A diminutive bandit continued to unleash his fury on a corpse.

Gao Shuai, concealed beneath the bodies, felt his face drain of color. Was this the end for him at the hands of fate?