Chapter 121 - 116: Settle the Score

"Qinu, hurry and pack."

Song Heiqi, the "Heaven-Upholding Pillar," rushed into the room and spoke to the young woman sewing clothes on the edge of the heated bed.

The woman, who was in her twenties and quite attractive, froze for a moment upon hearing him. "We’re moving again?" she asked. "Hasn’t it only been a few days since we moved from Seven Pillar Peak?"

Song Heiqi stepped onto a table to retrieve an oilcloth bundle from a roof beam. "Stop asking questions," he said impatiently. "Pack extra rations. Just grab a couple of changes of clothes, that’s enough!"

The woman didn’t dare ask any more questions and began rummaging through their chests and cabinets to pack.

Song Heiqi paced the room anxiously. He suddenly stopped and looked at the woman. "It won’t hurt to tell you," he said. "We’re not moving this time. We’re escaping!"

"Ah!" the woman exclaimed in surprise. "Escaping to where?"

"Haven’t decided yet," Song Heiqi said dismissively. "Anywhere but here. We can make a living wherever we end up. To be honest with you, the stronghold is finished."

The woman was even more surprised, an imperceptible flash of joy crossing her features. ’The stronghold is finished?’

The woman’s surname was Liu. When she was fifteen, bandits had slaughtered her entire family and abducted her, bringing her up the mountain. Several bandit chiefs had taken turns violating her before she finally ended up in Song Heiqi’s hands.

For some unknown reason, Song Heiqi seemed to have developed feelings for her. Not only did he stop beating and cursing her, but he would also frequently get her new clothes to wear.

But in her heart, she hated Song Heiqi and all the other bandits on the mountain with a vengeance, wishing every last one of them would drop dead.

Hearing this news so suddenly, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of glee. She lowered her head to hide the joy in her eyes. "The stronghold doesn’t look any different than usual to me."

"How would you be able to tell?"

Song Heiqi sneered. "Lately, the Big Boss has been acting strangely. He spouts nonsense and whips his men at the slightest provocation."

He glanced out the window and lowered his voice. "I saw Wang Mazi coming back this morning, covered in blood. I knew something must have happened."

"Wang Mazi went into the council hall and didn’t come out for a whole hour. I suspect the Big Boss did away with him. Sigh... The boss has probably gone crazy. If I stay any longer, my own life won’t be safe!"

The woman said in astonishment, "Isn’t Wang Mazi a ’Sky-Supporting Pillar’? Why would the Big Boss kill him?"

A look of disdain crossed Song Heiqi’s face. "’Sky-Supporting Pillar’? What a joke. They’re all just self-proclaimed titles. Me? I’m a ’Heaven-Upholding Pillar.’ Upholding heaven my ass!"

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up! We need to leave now, while there aren’t many people around!"

The woman silently tied up her bundle and slung it over her back.

Song Heiqi opened the door and peeked out. Seeing no one around, he pulled the woman out of the room.

They hadn’t gone far when the woman said in a panic, "I left my bracelet in the room!"

Song Heiqi frowned. "It’s a worthless bracelet. If you left it, you left it. I’ll buy you a new one when we get out of here."

"No!"

The woman said firmly, "You gave me that bracelet. I’ve worn it for seven years. I can’t lose it."

Song Heiqi hesitated for a moment, but his heart softened. "Fine. Be quick about it."

The woman gave him a charming smile and ran back, returning shortly after with the bracelet on her wrist.

Song Heiqi breathed a sigh of relief and led the woman through an overgrown path.

The two of them carefully skirted the booby traps and made their way to the valley entrance, only to see Drilling Mountain Leopard standing with his hands clasped behind his back, blocking the only path out.

"Advisor, and where might you be going?" Drilling Mountain Leopard turned his head and asked with a grin.

Song Heiqi’s heart leaped in shock. He quickly replied, "Big Boss, Qinu was pestering me to go home and visit her family. I figured things haven’t been too tense lately, so I agreed. I’m just seeing her off."

Drilling Mountain Leopard nodded as if he believed him, then looked him up and down. "You’re seeing her off, so why are you carrying a bundle yourself?"

Song Heiqi’s hand trembled slightly. He forced a laugh. "This is for Qinu, too. Isn’t that right, Qinu?"

The woman’s reaction was completely unexpected. She took a few steps away from him and shook her head coldly. "Big Boss, he said he’s trying to escape. He also said you’ve gone mad."

Song Heiqi froze as if struck by lightning. "You wretched bitch!" he roared. "And I treated you so well!"

He leaped forward, swinging his palm down at the top of her head in a rage.

Drilling Mountain Leopard’s figure blurred. His fingers formed a claw and shot out like lightning.

BAM! BAM!

Song Heiqi stumbled back a few steps, clutching his wrist. He looked down and saw bruised fingerprints on it. He’d also been clawed in the waist, and his clothes were stained red.

"Send him on his way!"

Drilling Mountain Leopard waved his hand casually. Seven crossbowmen in tight-fitting gear appeared from behind him, their bolts aimed at Song Heiqi.

Song Heiqi’s eyes filled with panic. He held his hands up in front of his chest. "I’ve made great contributions to the stronghold! Big Boss, you can’t kill me!"

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The crossbows fired. Song Heiqi was struck by several bolts and collapsed. Before he died, he shot one last look at the woman, his eyes filled with venomous hatred.

Drilling Mountain Leopard walked over and kicked the corpse.

"What contributions? I don’t recall any."

......

「Council Hall.」

Drilling Mountain Leopard sat in the head seat. He let out a whistle, and a Fragrant Mink scurried out from a corner, nimbly leaping onto his lap.

A smile touched his face as he muttered to himself, "Only you would never betray me."

His gaze drifted to the empty seats below, his eyes distant, lost in thought.

After sitting in silence for a long time, Drilling Mountain Leopard suddenly looked up toward the hall’s entrance, his expression turning sharp. "Is that Zhao Lin? Show yourself!"

With the sound of light footsteps, Zhao Lin appeared from the side of the main entrance. He swept his gaze across the hall, finally locking eyes with Drilling Mountain Leopard. "How did you know I was here?"

He had been monitoring the valley from the outside and was surprised to find the stronghold’s defenses lax. The bandits were in complete disarray, and even the sentries had been withdrawn, allowing him to sneak in with ease.

Drilling Mountain Leopard pointed to the Fragrant Mink on his lap. "This little one has a keen nose. It gets restless when it smells a stranger."

He then gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Thanks to you, the stronghold is now vulnerable from every direction. It won’t be long before the rats flee the sinking ship. What, couldn’t you wait?"

"I was afraid you’d run."

Zhao Lin said frankly, secretly activating his full echolocation ability.

For over a year, Drilling Mountain Leopard had been like a great mountain weighing on his mind. Zhao Lin had barely slept a single peaceful night.

Zhao Lin didn’t consider himself a vengeful person, but Drilling Mountain Leopard had to die!

Now, most of the bandits’ archers and crossbowmen were dead or injured. There were basically no martial artists at or above the Qi Realm left. Drilling Mountain Leopard was well and truly alone.

Liang Song had gone to the county to summon soldiers. The bandits would soon meet their doom.

But if Drilling Mountain Leopard managed to slip away, the entire operation would be a failure, and there would be no peace for him in the future.

"Killing me won’t be so easy!" Drilling Mountain Leopard’s face darkened, his tone turning savage.

Zhao Lin wasted no more words. He dashed forward, his toes tapping lightly across the floor as he raised the iron ruler in his hand and brought it down fiercely on Drilling Mountain Leopard.

Drilling Mountain Leopard rose from his chair. Instead of dodging, he met the blow head-on, his fingers forming a claw to intercept the iron ruler while his other hand shot out, aiming straight for Zhao Lin’s heart.

After a rapid series of clashes, the two fighters sprang apart.

Zhao Lin felt that his opponent’s five fingers were as hard as iron; his ruler striking them felt like hitting a block of pig iron, and the shock of the impact made his hand ache. ’This bandit chief must have cultivated some powerful claw technique,’ he thought.

Drilling Mountain Leopard swayed slightly and blurted out, "Such strength!"

Before his words had faded, he turned and grabbed a strangely shaped, long, and heavy sword from a nearby Lan Qi. "Today," he said coldly, "you and I will settle this once and for all!"