Chapter 12 An Easy Overwhelming Victory, Fame Spreads Far and Wide!
However, in order to put Shen Yan at ease, he still offered an explanation:
“The Scarlet-Gold Silver-Eyed Fish is a congenital spiritual creature that the young lady herself demanded. If we bring back a whole nest, won’t that be a great merit? When the young lady gives a casual order, won’t we both rise to glory?”
Yet a sinister smile flickered across his face as he added, “Truth be told, I owe this opportunity to you, boy. If there’s ever such another benefit, remember to call me along.”
Hearing Liu’s words, Shen Yan understood that he had taken the bait completely. He hurried to say, “I was ignorant and reckless before and offended you, sir. Fortunately, you are magnanimous, not only holding no grudge, but also willing to guide me. From now on, I will look to you for guidance and repay your kindness with all my heart.”
If this little brat had known his place before, would I have had to suffer those ten lashes? Only now does he know how to curry favor with me? Too late!
Liu couldn’t care less about Shen Yan’s flattery, but he responded with eager words all the same.
Each harboring his own schemes, the two made their way to the seashore under the moonlight, took a fishing boat, and sailed out into the deep sea.
“Manager Liu, we’re here.”
On the waves, Shen Yan’s voice rang out, filled with excitement: “Found it! This is the place, the Scarlet-Gold Silver-Eyed Fish are all here!”
“Excellent, excellent! With these fish, I can finally become the steward of the inner residence!”
At those words, Liu burst out from the cabin, overjoyed. He watched Shen Yan at the prow, scanning the waters, utterly unguarded. A cruel smile curved on his lips as he picked up the steel harpoon and crept closer.
Catching the murderous gleam in Liu’s eyes from the corner of his eye, Shen Yan let out a low chuckle. He turned, grasping the harpoon firmly: “Manager Liu, what are you doing? You can’t use a harpoon on these fish, or they’ll lose their value.”
Liu froze, the harpoon in his grip seized. He forced a sheepish smile and said, “Is that so? Good thing you reminded me. I’ll put the harpoon away.”
He gave a hard tug, but Shen Yan’s grip was unyielding.
“What’s the matter?” Liu asked, still smiling while his heart began to sink.
“Manager Liu, let’s not pretend. I’ll send you on your way now.”
Shen Yan suddenly flashed a radiant grin in the moonlight, snatching the harpoon and, without hesitation, drove it viciously into Liu’s abdomen.
At this, utter bewilderment and stupidity shone in Liu’s eyes.
Wasn’t I the one supposed to kill this whelp? How did I end up attacked by him?
“Ah!”
Before his mind could register what had happened, a searing pain in his chest tore a desperate scream from his throat.
Shen Yan’s smile remained as he watched Liu’s agony.
“So this is what the stewards are made of—less than us servants. It’s just a harpoon wound, no need for so much noise, is there?”
The pain finally brought Liu to his senses. Blood gushed from his mouth as he cursed, “You little bastard, you dare attack me? Aren’t you afraid the manor will hunt you down?”
At the torrent of foul words, Shen Yan’s smile faded.
“You like to curse so much? Then have your fill.”
With a cruel twist of his lips, he yanked the harpoon free and stabbed Liu in the abdomen again.
“Keep cursing. Don’t stop!”
“Shen Yan, even if you kill me, you won’t escape! Let me go—I swear I’ll never take revenge, never!”
Now terror overwhelmed Liu. He no longer dared to curse. Shen Yan’s calm eyes told him this was a man set on murder.
“Manager Liu, as they say, man will die for wealth, birds for food. If you hadn’t coveted those Scarlet-Gold Silver-Eyed Fish, you wouldn’t be here now.”
Shen Yan pulled the harpoon out with a casual air. “Don’t think I’m unaware—you meant to kill me, didn’t you? I simply struck first.”
Without giving Liu a chance to reply, he drove the harpoon into Liu’s lower abdomen once more.
Squelch!
Blood spurted from Liu’s belly. He stared at Shen Yan in disbelief, gasping, “You… you… the manor won’t let you go.”
“A mere steward of the outer house—who would care if you died?”
With a cold laugh, Shen Yan twisted the harpoon, making Liu feel as if his insides were being torn apart. He nearly fainted from the pain.
“I told you, curse to your heart’s content. Why aren’t you cursing now?”
Liu could only tremble and point at Shen Yan, unable to utter a word.
“If you’re done cursing, what use is your mouth?”
With that, under Liu’s horrified gaze, Shen Yan hooked the harpoon under his tongue and tore it out.
Blood filled Liu’s mouth as he tried to make sounds, but tongueless, he could only howl in agony.
“Since I entered the Yang estate, you’ve beaten me seventeen times. I’ve kept count.”
Shen Yan tossed the severed tongue into the sea, his voice indifferent. “Now that you’re in my hands, I won’t take more than I’m owed—I’ll stab you seventeen times.”
As he spoke, he plunged the harpoon into Liu’s left foot before his pain-filled, despairing eyes.
“One!”
“Ahhh! Abba! Ahhh!”
Liu howled, but Shen Yan was unmoved, stabbing his right foot as he counted:
“Two!”
…
And so, to a chorus of tormented screams, Shen Yan riddled Liu’s body with wounds.
“Seventeen!”
Having fulfilled his promise, Shen Yan threw aside the harpoon. He looked down at the barely breathing, voiceless Liu, stretched his limbs, and said, thoroughly refreshed,
“Farewell, Manager Liu! May you be a better man in your next life.”
With that, he kicked Liu’s body into the air, then clenched his fist and brought it crashing down.
“Thunderous Might!”
The force of the blow shattered every bone in Liu’s body in an instant.
A fountain of blood burst from Liu’s mouth. The tyrant of the fishery lay dead at Shen Yan’s feet at last.
Splash!
Liu’s corpse fell into the sea. Shen Yan manipulated the water to sweep it away, his voice calm:
“Don’t hurry on to reincarnation in the underworld. When I send the entire Yang family down, you can guide your masters to their new home.”
He washed the blood from the deck with seawater, his expression serene.
After killing Liu, he didn’t feel the joy he had imagined. Perhaps, to him now, Liu was no more than an ant. Who feels joy in squashing an ant, even one that once stung you?