[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces":3,"chapter-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-32":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon of a Thousand Faces",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269678,4431,"Chapter 32: Die, Scum","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-32",32,"\u003Cp>Die, scum!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy knights don’t stab from behind? Holy knights might not, but Li En does.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped the Sword of Courage with both hands, pouring all his holy power into it, as silver light blazed fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dragon eyes fully open, the sword’s trajectory took shape in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When this slash descended, the neck and spine were both fatal targets along its path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rage transformed into tangible force; the “Wallbreaker” turned this strike into a silver arc capable of shattering heavy armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is decapitation enough? No, that’s not safe enough—in a world of the extraordinary, even seemingly exposed vital points aren’t unprotected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the blade struck the empty air just an inch from the neck, where the void shield lay, Li En didn’t panic—he smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I fear is no reaction at all—that could mean a puppet, a decoy, or space magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems you’re wealthy—but not wealthy enough. You have no right to possess true top-tier gear!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade shifted instantly, from decapitation to targeting the spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the path of the blade, flashes of light appeared continuously in the void—each one the glow of an expensive shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Force field shields, mage shields, void shields—who knows how rich this guy is? How many protective items does he carry? Each one alone is a lifesaver for any adventurer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a single glance, Li En saw at least five different types of extraordinary shields activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think you could cut off his head with blade sharpness alone? You vastly underestimate this super-expensive armor set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—it’s you?” Eugene, struck by the force, spun around, face filled with shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on his face, there was little fear—mostly rage and confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why are you the one killing me? Do we have a grudge?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, his dual magic shield rings alone would protect him even if hit by a steam car on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, it was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Erosion Armor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade rose again, tracing an arc in midair, then plummeted like a falling star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strike had shifted from decapitation to a diagonal slash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The point of focus remained Eugene’s spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!” Still armor? How afraid of death are you, you bastard?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One void shield after another, mage shields, even holy shields activated; meanwhile, the magic rings and necklaces on Eugene’s fingers and neck exploded like popcorn in a chain reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those expensive shield rings could only delay the blade by one second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his right hand had already pulled out a token box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pressing its button would activate random teleportation—and the slave market’s guard squad would arrive instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time might be down to mere seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scum, are you afraid of death too?!” Li En’s growl continued, the blade tearing through the void, not a moment of hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Er’s “War Sword: Erosion Armor” kept piercing and shattering shields—but instantly, another would activate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, it seemed, needed just a bit more... rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For justice?” No—for the dead, for the weak, for ordinary people who died with eyes wide open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anger against injustice burned in Li En’s heart; in that instant, he understood why the description of “Holy Sword: Slaying Evil (Rage)” included rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul abilities always stem from an individual’s soul, monsters nurtured by emotion and spirit—and thus, they must have a subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone is different; everyone’s soul ability is different—but certain human emotions are similar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you (Su Er) have always been angry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for what reason did Su Er swing his holy sword?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember this darkness pressing in from all sides—when you can bear it no longer, swing your sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final meeting scene replayed in his memory; the old man’s mocking words revealed his true nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swing your sword for the weak—cut through this darkness! Swing your sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the so-called secret technique—merely infusing it with your own rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This holy sword, born from heroic souls, needed only one thing: rage—rage against the unjust, against unjust acts, even against unjust gods!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancient heroes thought so, acted so—and their successor must inherit this rage against injustice!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand... my rage wasn’t enough.” His calm words meant Li En had finally mastered this sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, the blade bound by void shields blazed silver once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crackling!” As the third strike fell, another wave of magical items exploded, sending Eugene into a panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En gripped the sword with both hands, his pupils crimson—he didn’t need to search for rage-inducing stimuli; he’d seen too much injustice, too much cruelty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His greatest rage was himself—for never daring to swing the sword!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This strike is also for my own cowardice...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rage against this unjust world, rage against his own weakness—finally condensed into a faint blade edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When “War Sword: Erosion Armor” was truly mastered, the blazing light condensed instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Mastered War Sword: Erosion Armor (Proficient)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver light vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the blade’s faint glow remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like extreme rage that grows quiet—the furious killer, resolve set, smiles silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When rage ascended, this time, the silver sword appeared plain and ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The restrained silver blade, like a butcher’s knife slicing through an ox, gently cut through a foolish life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Splash!” It wasn’t a violent tear—it was like a key turning in a lock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All armor was swept aside in an instant; the blade pierced every defense, unimpeded this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It struck hard against Eugene’s spine!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaah!” The slave merchant screamed, rolling as he was flung away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was wounded inside and out, writhing on the ground, his body twisted into a knot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strike showed no mercy—like a falling guillotine, it severed his spine outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He writhed on the ground, screaming in pain, vomiting blood, yet his limbs refused to obey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to press the button on the opened box—his fingers wouldn’t move; the life-saving item slipped from his grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!” It was crushed underfoot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worse still—the axe light came straight at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the fallen soup pot lay two diamond short axes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Picking them up, the equally enraged Dimon swung his battle-axes in a frenzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some shields still activated under the brute force of the frontal assault—but it made no difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ssshh!” The holy knight stabbed from behind again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, even Eugene, a fourth-rank extraordinary, never got to use his abilities—his spine was pierced again by the Hero’s Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entered through the spine, exited through the chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the blade tip pierced his heart, Eugene, even with eyes wide open in disbelief, could only end here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The righteous backstab succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En withdrew the blade, gave it a light shake, and the Hero’s Sword regained its gleam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both men gasped for breath, then laughed together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrogant slave market overseer Eugene was dead—assassination completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow the plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the corpse, Li En pulled out a small vial and slowly poured its murky potion over it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original plan was to make the body vanish without a trace; since we couldn’t achieve the “Tail-Cutter” corpse effect, we’d make the corpse disappear entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Long Shou Miss, via Sallyman, sent this strange potion, saying it better mimicked the Tail-Cutter massacre scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And indeed, events unfolded exactly as she promised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the murky black liquid fell, Eugene’s corpse convulsed violently, then rapidly aged and dried before their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, only a curled-up, dead-eyed, shriveled corpse remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight was deeply familiar to Li En and Dimon—the corpse of young Wil had looked exactly like this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene made them stare at each other, sparking many associations—but now was not the time to ponder them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En severed the enlarged tail and tossed it toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cloaked black figure waited there; she caught it in hand, studying it intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s the guard?” Li En asked, monitoring him being her duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still laughing—the silence barrier worked perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shadow Cutter” Talia S Daer  walked over—she was the reserve combatant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally tasked with intercepting the guard who might wake up; if Li En’s ambush failed, she might have to come finish him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But clearly, Li En’s plan succeeded too well—Eugene, a minimum fourth-rank extraordinary, covered in top-tier treasures, died without a clue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En himself knew that, in the end, it was Su Er’s inheritance sword that was so formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This absurdly powerful magical defense was still pierced directly—it was power far beyond rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Synchronization Rate 50.1%, Satisfaction 32.9%】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After delivering that strike, Li En’s long-stalled synchronization rate finally began rising again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En looked down at the corpse beneath his feet, and for the first time, he understood why noble Dragon Hunters, upon learning of the Heroic Spirit Su Er’s legendary battlefield feats, would immediately ask if they could master the Secret Sword of Dragon-Slaying and Spell-Slicing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sword art, specifically designed to break defenses, when perfected, could truly pierce through the formidable Dragon Word Spells and slay dragons of absurd power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eugene’s priceless magical defenses might rival dragon scales, yet they were still pierced outright by “Armor-Eroding Strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a crushing suppression at the level of concept and soul—a qualitative hierarchy Nianya . No amount of low-tier defense could matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how powerful the opponent, once their defense is shattered, reality isn’t a game of numerical size. When the heart is broken, they die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most human-like Qiangzhe  have no essential difference in physiological structure; a single strike to a vital point kills them outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talia lowered her head, inspected the fatal wound—a spear tip piercing straight through the chest—satisfying her earlier requirement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded in satisfaction. Knowing the Tail-Cutter well, she immediately pulled out a small knife and made minor adjustments to make it look more like an assassin’s backstab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on.” Dimon spread his arms, turning his back to Talia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talia’s dagger flashed swiftly, slashing his back and instantly flooding his body with paralyzing venom, sending him crashing to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, she tossed out several oil cans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, follow the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaaaah!” A sudden male scream echoed throughout the villa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thief!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soundproof barrier had been lifted. With the explosion and roars, Xier, still indulging in pleasure, jolted awake instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snatched up his short spear and charged forward—but all he saw was the pig-man lying motionless on the ground, and his own boss reduced to a withered corpse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He erupted in fury, his fourth-rank transcendental power generating a violent hurricane—but it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the fully open window, where a footprint remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Slap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He punched through the wall and burst outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transcendental power gathered on his body; he spotted a dark shadow rapidly moving in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That assassin—she—leapt continuously through shadows, like an illusory wraith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How dare you!” He raised his arm, activating his priceless short-range spatial item.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a violent burst, he crossed spatial limits in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth-rank elite guard exploded into action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xier fixed his gaze on the floating figure and hurled his short spear!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!” The spear, too, performed a short-range spatial shift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The teleported spear pierced the shadow—but left no wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the bag she carried was struck clean through, splitting open with a large tear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flood of red gems, gold coins, and jade spilled out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadow snapped back violently and fled again—but some of the treasure had already fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Treasures rained from the sky. Passersby who had been fleeing the disaster stopped, then rushed forward to scramble for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Xier reached out instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tail—is this Eugene’s tail?” He recognized it before it swelled with vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered his boss’s corpse still lay where it fell, torn between chasing the assassin or returning to check the body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next moment, a primal craving halted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw a blood-red gem—a gem that had fallen from the sky and was being fought over by passersby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snatched it up, examined it closely—he felt vitality seeping into his body, his spirit lifting instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This hue, this power—he’d seen enough to immediately recognize a possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hero’s Blood?! How is this possible?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instinctively turned back, seeing the withered corpse behind the wall. His rage cooled into calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That bastard dared to hoard it all.” This wasn’t the first time. Recalling Eugene’s urgency today, he understood everything instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, he sighed. His protected target was dead; now he had to consider how to explain this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden explosion behind him made him whirl around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small house, moments ago intact, had been rigged with explosives and fire devices—it erupted in flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rushed forward—alive, he wanted to see them alive; dead, he needed to see the body. If the corpse vanished, he’d have no way to account for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t rush to retrieve the body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastards, hand over what you picked up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Hero’s Blood—how dare you trash have it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He charged forward, frantically looting the passersby—but many clever ones had already fled with their loot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when he found himself surrounded by emptiness and had gained nothing did he turn back hastily to search for the body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps only a few minutes had passed—but all he pulled from the ruins was a half-burned withered corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the tailless corpse, stripped of all vitality in such a short time, and the twisted severed tail he’d just picked up, he recalled a recent figure in the docks district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tail Collector? He\u002Fshe actually dared to provoke the Market… Hmm, but if they had Hero’s Blood, nothing would be too bold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying the half-corpse, he prepared to exit the fire—but his foot brushed against something soft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.Still alive?” He looked down and noticed a large, prone pig-man lying face-up at his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bore wounds, his body twitching involuntarily, faintly emitting the scent of roasting meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling how this pig-man had arranged his earlier tasks, he hesitated—then pulled him out, dragging the struggling body away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember—I didn’t touch any women. That assassin suddenly jumped out of the shadows. I had no time to react.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, Eugene was dead—dead was dead. Another boss could be found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real issue wasn’t the person—it was the large bag that had been taken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A bag full of Hero’s Blood… Looks like the docks district is about to descend into chaos again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xier rushed back to the slave market unaware that behind him, a figure had silently watched him the entire time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him faithfully drag away the pig-man, Li En vanished once more into the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Li En glanced at the completely collapsed house and nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erasing the crime scene entirely would make the case far harder to investigate. Though everyone else said it was unnecessary—investigative methods in this world were crude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re going to perform a play, perform it fully. If you’re framing a murder, make it an airtight case.” Li En believed no preparation was ever too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eugene was dead. The bait of Hero’s Blood had been cast. Reaching this point did not mean the plan was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the contrary, to turn the tide in his favor, some moves had only just begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time rewound slightly—to the very beginning of this murder. In another direction of the docks district, another killing had already escalated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Slap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Holy Knight Li En” kicked open the trafficker’s door and began today’s purge of evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Judgment of the Sin-Domain.” His famed unique transcendental power activated—blood-red light of condemnation flooded the area. How could traffickers possibly be innocent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, “Li En” slowly drew his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Die, scum!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2575,"2026-06-19T21:45:41.002Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c9a04eda995557dc79ce70ab133caaa1dd414e3ca2a6884b1e261b89d03fb04b","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-33","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-31",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-cover.jpg"]