Chapter 61: Living up to One's Name

A burst of burning pain shot from his right arm, then his hand loosened and the steel knife in his hand dropped to the ground.

The knife-wielding man only then noticed that, unbeknownst when, a pitch-black cat, like coal, had appeared beside him—it was Hei Mao Bu Tou.

"You two beasts!"

The knife-wielding man glared with a ferocious face at Hei Mao Bu Tou and Peregrine Falcon Little Gray, only then realizing he had been tricked—Peregrine Falcon Little Gray had drawn his attention, and Hei Mao Bu Tou seized the moment to sneak attack him.

No wonder Peregrine Falcon Little Gray had just swooped down from the sky but had not yet come within his attack range.

He still thought it was his own earlier injury that had frightened this beast.

Who would have thought…

Just as the knife-wielding man was steeling himself to endure the pain in his right arm, Hei Mao Bu Tou struck with full force—his right arm would be crippled even if not destroyed.

At present.

Although he didn't understand why Hei Mao Bu Tou and Peregrine Falcon Little Gray had suddenly appeared to attack him, he knew the skill these two beasts displayed.

Without a steel knife for self-defense, he had only a dead end!

Just that.

Whether Peregrine Falcon Little Gray or Hei Mao Bu Tou, both were very smart pets, let alone Wang Ping'an observing from the shadows, giving them advice through the Beast Taming skill.

Knowing full well the danger of the man wielding a knife, after finally knocking the steel knife from his hand, how could they possibly let him pick it up again?

Peregrine Falcon Little Gray and Hei Mao Bu Tou simultaneously launched an attack on the wounded man.

"Pfft!", "Pfft!"

Blood spurted from the man's body in successive streams; he let out a painful groan, his eyes and neck both suffering severe injury.

"You two beasts, even if I become a ghost, I will never let you off!"

The man's voice trembled as he spoke with difficulty; before he could finish, his body went limp, and with a "Thud!" he collapsed to the ground.

Soon after, his neck went limp and he stopped breathing!

"Ding! Your pets Hei Mao Bu Tou and Peregrine Falcon Little Gray jointly killed an evil-doing man; congratulations, you earned reward: Merit +100!"

A mechanical, cold voice echoed in his mind; Wang Ping'an couldn't help swallowing his saliva, never expecting the reward to be so much Merit.

It was a hundred times more than killing a mouse stealing grain in the granary!

Meanwhile.

Wang Ping'an's strange feeling in his heart also vanished completely in an instant.

Who let this be his first kill? Although it was Hei Mao Bu Tou and Peregrine Falcon Little Gray who did the deed, it was all done at his behest.

After all, his mind was still seriously affected!

Now, seeing that killing this man earned him a hundred Merit points at once, this effect naturally disappeared—not because he cared only for the reward and not for human life, but because killing this man could gain him a hundred Merit points.

This was enough to show that this bastard deserved to die; even the system said he was evil-doing.

As he would say, letting Hei Mao Bu Tou and Peregrine Falcon Little Gray kill him like this was letting him off easy.

"Wrong, I killed this beast and instantly gained a hundred Merit points—how come saving the ox and saving the cowherd boy earns no Merit?"

Wang Ping'an frowned slightly, out of the corner of his eye seeing the burlap sack the knife-wielding man had placed on the ground; he had set it down instantly when Peregrine Falcon Little Gray drew his attention, obviously preparing for battle.

No need to think; the sack must contain the cowherd boy, though we don't know what method they used to knock him out or render him unconscious—he still hasn't come to.

Whether saving a person or saving an ox, there ought to be Merit, right!

A flash of inspiration crossed Wang Ping'an's mind; he pondered, 'Could it be that one must see a good deed through to the end, sending both of them home, to earn Merit?' Aside from this possibility, he could think of no other explanation.

Unless saving people and oxen earns no Merit reward—but that possibility cannot happen.

But he didn't know either the ox or the cowherd boy in the sack, not even having seen the boy's face.

Who let him have just been born not long ago, rarely leaving his home, with the people of Hutou Gou not yet all known—how could he possibly recognize the cowherd boy in the sack?

"Well, looks like I'll have to bother the Village Chief then!"

Wang Ping'an gave a hehe smile, using Beast Taming to drive Hei Mao Bu Tou back to Hutou Gou, letting Peregrine Falcon Little Gray stay here—not only to guard against other bad people, but also to prevent wild animals from appearing.

Otherwise.

The ox and the cowherd boy would be just out of the tiger's den and into the wolf's lair.

On a main road in Hutou Gou.

"Shen Mao Daxia, it's Shen Mao Daxia!"

A surprised voice rang out, very familiar; he instinctively turned his head and saw Xiao Cao carrying a cloth bundle. Seeing Hei Mao Bu Tou appear, she was very happy, yet paid no heed.

You have reached this novel.

At present.

Or else, find the Village Chief, send home the people and ox he rescued, earn Merit—that's what matters most.

"Shen Mao Daxia, wait for me!"

Xiao Cao had originally been preparing to go home and eat, but seeing Hei Mao Bu Tou appear, she changed her mind, hurried after him, shouting while running: "Are you going to save people, or to go to the granary to kill those damned mice?"

Not long after, Xiao Cao followed Hei Mao Bu Tou all the way to the gate of Village Chief Cheng Yong's home, seeing Hei Mao Bu Tou raise its paw, about to strike Cheng Yong's door.

"Shen Mao Daxia, are you looking for the Village Chief?"

Xiao Cao asked unexpectedly, not waiting for Hei Mao Bu Tou to reply—of course, even if Hei Mao Bu Tou wanted to reply it couldn't—she shouted loudly: "Village Chief Grandfather, Village Chief Grandfather!"

Soon.

The tightly closed gate of the small courtyard opened, and Cheng Yong stepped out. Seeing Xiao Cao at the door, he exclaimed in surprise: "Xiao Cao, what do you need? Aren't you supposed to be studying at the school? Has your uncle changed his mind and stopped letting you study?"

Xiao Cao studying at the Hutou Gou school was naturally compensation from her beastly uncle; it wasn't because Zeng Hui cared about face, but because Scholar Sir Xiucai Gong was open-minded, willing to teach both men and women.

Of course, the tuition still had to be paid!

Going to school to study was Xiao Cao's own request.

Six years was the result of their negotiation!

Six years, that was the result of their bargaining!

Regarding this matter, whether it was Zeng Hui or other members of the Zeng family, they were full of complaints. Although the six years of tuition wasn't much, it was still an expense; as rural folk, they had very few opportunities to make money.

"Village Chief Grandpa, Village Chief Grandpa, it's not me looking for you, it's the Divine Cat Hero looking for you!"

Xiao Cao explained.

"The Divine Cat Hero is looking for me?"

Cheng Yong's expression suddenly turned strange.

He is the Village Chief of Hutou Gou and naturally knows that the Wang Family's Spirit Cat has earned the title of Divine Cat Hero; rather than opposing it, he believes it is truly deserved.

(End of chapter)