{Song Chu's POV}
As I left the city lord's manor, I couldn't help but crack a smile. While the process was rocky towards the end, I managed to fleece a large amount of money from the City Lord. Thinking about the hundreds of copper coins on my person, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"Oww." I flinch in pain caused by my laughing. Although Lord Meng's combat experience is obviously lacking, he was freakishly durable.
Punching and kicking him was like hitting a steel plate. Looking at my fists, I could see that my knuckles were raw and even some of the skin was split.
'There is no way that durability is natural. Maybe he has some kind of partially awakened physique. If I keep working for him, I could sniff out his secrets and sell them to one of the sects. Hell, I could even get him to pay me an advance on the year next time. He is so naive that he would probably help me count the money I get from selling him out.'
While chuckling softly enough to avoid aggravating my injuries, I flexed and massaged my knuckles, trying to relieve the pain running through them.
"Next time I'll bring a weapon. No way I'm going to fight him bare-handed again," I muttered to myself while putting distance between me and the manor.
The road I traveled was dark, and only the light leaving the windows of nearby businesses and homes lit it. However, despite the darkness of the street, I felt no discomfort. As a rank-eight martial artist, only a few people in the city could pose a threat to me.
I started to calculate how much money I made while walking down the dirt road. Even after splitting my profits with Zhen Li, I should have plenty of money left over to live like a noble for months.
Unable to help myself, I started to chuckle louder and louder. Suddenly, while walking past an alleyway on the road home, I saw a shadow pass me with a burst of speed I could barely make out. Suddenly, I felt a powerful force yank me inward with enough force to send me rolling across the ground towards the center of the alley.
Quickly jumping to my feet, I raised my guard and took in the enemy. Judging by the figure's broad shoulders and height, they are likely a man. The man wore a black cloak, and his face was covered with a white mask with no features.
My injuries from training were light enough that they would cause pain but not interfere with the fight. After all, other than Instructor Yao and Mr. Golem, who could even be a threat to me in this city?
"Who are you and why did you attack me?" While speaking, I slowly edged closer to make him enter my range.
The man stood with his arms down, devoid of any guard. Obviously he didn't view me as a threat. While it was annoying to be disregarded like this, Instructor Yao told me to take any advantage offered. So I steadied my emotions and continued to close the distance.
"You overstepped and antagonized someone you shou—" While the man was still talking, I took the opportunity and advanced forward. I aimed and launched a precise strike to his throat. It would be enough to make him choke if he were lucky and collapse his airways if he weren't.
I was less than an inch away before my hand was grabbed in an iron grip and refused to move any further. Following my instincts developed by training, I instantly tried to reply with a front kick. Unfortunately, before I could even raise my leg, my thigh was kicked, forcing my leg back down.
Seeing this, my eyes went wide, and before I could respond further, my legs were knocked from underneath me in a motion that I couldn't follow, and my face was slammed against the dirt while my arm was still wrenched behind me and a heavy foot slammed into my back. Then I felt a familiar chill similar to the feeling Instructor Yo gave off when he was angry.
"Shouldn't have," the masked man finished, his words as if he never stopped. I wanted to move, escape, to do anything, but the moment I moved, my arm was wrenched, forcing me to remain still if I wanted my arm in one piece.
"What do you want to do?!"
"Martial Hall won't let this go!" I tried to threaten him, but judging by the intensified pressure on my arm, it was useless.
"Attempting to con the city lord is punishable by death." The man spoke calmly as if he were discussing the weather.
"I never AHHH!" I tried to plead my case but was forced to stop by the man stomping on my head, forcing it into the ground and breaking my nose.
"Shhh. Don't talk. Just listen."
I blinked through the tears that formed unconsciously in my eyes and nodded.
Seeing that I was quiet, he continued. "You were going to be allowed your payment, but then you overreached. Your punishment this time is your arm."
His words stunned me for a second before I processed them.
"W-wait STO—! "Before I could finish, my shoulder, forearm, wrist, and fingers were all simultaneously dislocated.
"AHHHH!" A scream tore out against my will and was only suppressed by the man's foot pressing my face back into the dirt.
"Your job at the manor ends here. You have been relieved of your service." While speaking, the man let my limp arm drop and rummaged through my clothes. Eventually he found the large pouch of coins that Lord Meng had handed me before I left the manor but left the remaining amount.
I heard coins clinking as the man checked the amount as I pulled my arm to my chest, trying to deal with the pain.
"Seems like it's all here. Don't let me see you again." After saying that, I heard footsteps growing more and more distant. Eventually, the footsteps were gone, and I was alone.
Lying on the ground, I felt my face contort in fury. Against my will, my thoughts began to spill out in a mutter.
"How dare they! Do they know who I am?"
"I'm one of the greatest geniuses of Skyfall's Martial Hall!"
"When I recover, I swear I'll get my revenge!"
"In five, no, in three years! I'll advance to a master martial artist, and I'll teach that bastard Meng Tao and his henchman a lesson."
Letting loose my thoughts, I felt ever so slightly comforted and began to rise from my feet when I heard the sound of someone landing behind me.
"Hmm, it seems the ant still needs to be shown his place." The voice sounded less deep and was unfamiliar. If the last assailant sounded like a superior criticizing his subordinate, this one sounded like someone talking to a misbehaving dog.
"W-ait a second!" he said without letting me say another word. A kick landed on my jaw, ribs, and right leg in rapid succession to the point it felt like the man had three feet.
All the air left my lungs, and my body cringed into itself. Blood continuously dripped from my nose and mouth, and I could feel pieces of shattered teeth in my mouth.
"You are lucky that the master didn't ask for your death. You will live on as a cautionary tale of those who go against her.
'Her? Who the hell did I offend this time!?'
"Come get revenge. I dare you to keep thinking about it." The man got closer, and the alley seemed to grow darker.
"You are fired, and if I see you at the manor again..." I felt the man lean over me, and the feeling of death got closer and closer. Fear bubbled in my stomach, and I couldn't help but shake as if I were trapped in a snowstorm.
"They won't ever find your corpse." The man's chilling words were whispered into my ear. When he was done, he rifled through my clothes and took the remaining amount of money that the previous assailant left and slowly left the area.
After the man left, the feeling of impending death finally receded, and I was left alone in the alley. All of a sudden I could no longer suppress the tears.
'Didn't I just get taught a lesson already?! Was there really a need to teach me another one?!'
Any thought of revenge died in its crib, and unable to stand up, I started crawling to the exit of the alley when I heard another set of footsteps appear and stop at the entrance of the alley. They said something, but all I heard was blood rushing in my ears.
'Are you serious?! When is the lesson going to be done!'
On reflex, I couldn't help but yell out. "I regret it! I'll never disrespect Skyfall Manor again!"
Suddenly, I felt my body lose strength and the world go black.
{Miss Tong POV}
"Man, why can't Dad get his own wine?" I couldn't help but pout. And if not, why can't he just drink what we have in the tavern? As I walked, I adjusted my dress when I suddenly heard something coming from the alley in front of me. Walking close, I saw a bloody figure crawling out. Shocked, I took a step back before realizing that I recognized that form.
"Song Chu?! What happened to you?!"
The figure froze. I took a step closer before Song Chu yelled out.
"I regret it! I'll never disrespect Skyfall Manor again!" After he said this, his body lost all energy and collapsed.
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