Clang!

In the next moment, the sword that carried great power, was firmly grasped in Chen Zhou’s white jade-like left hand!

He catch the sword with bare his hands!

A trace of astonishment appeared on County Lieutenant Xiao’s face. The opponent had actually blocked his slashing attack with just one hand and even straightened his posture!

The enormous force exerted on the blade by his own hands seemed to have vanished into thin air, having no effect at all!

Judging from the young man's aura, he was a second-level warrior like himself, but why was there such a big gap in strength?!

Almost simultaneously, Deputy Gang Leader Lin closed in within half a meter of Chen Zhou, stretching out his large hand to grab Zhao Jing, who lay on the ground.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Jing’s face suddenly lit up, and he shouted, "Save me!"

"So, one of them is holding me back while the other tries to rescue Zhao Jing?"

Chen Zhou instantly understood their plan. However, Zhao Jing's legs were already crippled, making it completely unrealistic to snatch away a disabled person from under his nose.

But then, something unexpected happened. Deputy Gang Leader Lin’s fingers curled like sharp claws, his fingertips turned black, and he suddenly exerted force!

"Ahhh!!!"

With Zhao Jing’s shrill scream, his head was crushed instantly like a fragile bubble!

Chen Zhou raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t expected their true goal was not to save Zhao Jing but to kill him!

Outside, the two men had acted as if they cared deeply about Zhao Jing’s safety, almost as though he were their own father, showing great filial devotion. But in reality, it was all an act.

They had set him up!

The moment Zhao Jing was killed, County Lieutenant Xiao released the long knife caught in Chen Zhou’s grip and stepped back.

At the same time, Deputy Gang Leader Lin also retreated, a mocking smile appearing on his face.

They had succeeded!

Indeed, their real target during this attack was not Chen Zhou—it was Zhao Jing.

Zhao Jing was a complete degenerate, his obsession with married women reaching a level of sheer madness.

Both County Lieutenant Xiao’s sister and Deputy Gang Leader Lin’s mother-in-law had fallen victim to his depravity. However, because Zhao Jing’s father was the highest authority in the county, they had been forced to swallow their anger and endure it.

If not for Zhao Jing’s powerful father, he would have been killed countless times already.

But this time, they had finally seized the perfect opportunity!

Inside the small study, no one outside could see exactly what was happening. Now, all they had to do was pin the blame entirely on Chen Zhou, and their plan would be complete!

Lieutenant Xiao and Deputy Gang Leader Lin exited the study simultaneously. As soon as they stepped out, the fake smiles vanished from their faces, replaced by expressions of sorrow.

"Young Master Zhao!" Deputy Gang Leader Lin suddenly shouted in anguish.

Lieutenant Xiao followed suit, roaring, "You audacious criminal! How dare you kill Young Master Zhao?!"

"Archers, fire immediately and avenge Young Master Zhao!"

At his command, the crossbowmen hesitated. They had clearly heard the scream earlier—it was indeed Zhao Jing’s voice—but...

"Why haven’t you fired yet?!"

Lieutenant Xiao’s urgent reminder snapped them out of their hesitation. Without further delay, they pulled their triggers. The next moment, a torrent of crossbow bolts rained into the study like a deadly black storm!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The study, constructed of fine nanmu wood, was punctured like mere paper. In just an instant, the entire structure was riddled with holes.

Standing not far away, County Lieutenant Xiao wore a mournful expression, but internally, he was overjoyed.

The crossbows wielded by the troops were called Meteor Crossbows, renowned for their immense power. For warriors below the second realm, they were lethal weapons.

With over a hundred arrows fired into that tiny room, there was no way the boy could have survived. By the time they checked the scene, all evidence would be gone.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Deputy Gang Leader Lin stepped closer and whispered cheerfully, "Captain Xiao, our collaboration was truly enjoyable this time..."

Lieutenant Xiao remained expressionless. Soon, the storm of arrows subsided, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

Including the devastated study in front of him, there was no movement at all.

With the downpour of bolts over, it was time to confirm the results.

Lieutenant Xiao drew a sword from a nearby officer’s waist and, together with Deputy Gang Leader Lin, cautiously approached the study.

As soon as they reached the doorway, they saw Zhao Jing’s lifeless body.

Half of his head had been obliterated, and his body was riddled with arrows, making him look like a grotesque hedgehog. Blood pooled around him, the stench heavy in the air.

County Lieutenant Xiao and Deputy Gang Leader Lin fought to keep straight faces—not because they were horrified, but because they had to suppress their glee.

That little bastard was finally dead!

Good, very good.

They had finally avenged themselves for being cuckolded!

This was also a great service to Changqing County. Eliminating Zhao Jing was, in a way, an act of justice. For the first time in their lives, they actually felt a sense of righteousness.

Suppressing their inner ecstasy, they stepped into the study with solemn expressions. After a brief search, they found another body in the corner—Chen Zhou’s.

"Damn, this kid was actually trying to hide," Deputy Gang Leader Lin sneered.

Chen Zhou’s corpse was curled up in the corner, with only eight or nine arrows piercing his body—a stark contrast to Zhao Jing, who had been turned into a hedgehog.

It was peculiar. More than a hundred arrows had been fired into this room, yet this boy had only been hit by a few.

"He still wasn’t good enough at dodging," Lieutenant Xiao scoffed. "If he could have avoided the two arrows in his head, he might’ve had a chance to survive."

Indeed, among the nine arrows piercing Chen Zhou’s body, two had struck his chest and two had penetrated his head—fatal wounds.

"Hah, if he were that powerful, then we’d be the ones hiding right now," Deputy Gang Leader Lin chuckled. He walked up to Chen Zhou’s body, his fake grief vanishing, and spat on the corpse.

"Hah! You damn brat! How dare you kill my Black Tiger Gang members? This is what you get!"

County Lieutenant Xiao rubbed his forehead. Although they had executed their plan perfectly, there was still the problem of facing County Magistrate Zhao’s wrath.

Even though all the blame had been shifted onto Chen Zhou, the magistrate would undoubtedly still be furious over his son’s death.

Whatever. He’d have to face it sooner or later. For now, it was better to focus on the good things—like money.

With the Han family completely wiped out, their vast fortune was now up for grabs. Most of it would inevitably go to the county magistrate, but surely he could snatch a bit for himself first.

Aside from riches, there was another enticing prospect—Chen Zhou’s secret.

How this kid, previously a mere nobody, suddenly transformed into a second-realm warrior overnight?

If he could discover the secret, perhaps his own cultivation would increase dramatically!

As he was lost in thought, Deputy Gang Leader Lin suddenly spoke: "Captain Xiao, mind if I conduct an autopsy?"

Sure enough, this bastard was after the same thing. But there was no way to monopolize it now.

"Be my guest."

Deputy Gang Leader Lin came to Chen Zhou's body with a smirk and reached out to the body with both hands, but almost at the same time, he saw that the body in front of him suddenly opened his eyes!

The two men’s minds went blank. Shock transformed into sheer terror as they faced the impossible

The moment Chen Zhou opened his eyes, he took action. Like lightning, his hand shot out and clamped around Deputy Gang Leader Lin’s throat—squeezing hard!