Chapter 597: You Set the Price |
Publish Time: 2026-06-25 12:26:46
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The salt tax office panicked, the kind of panic that wouldn’t stop.
Over six hundred fearless and death-defying fierce men charging towards him, his own garrison soldiers scattered and fled in disarray all over the city—how could he withstand this?
His fifty hired guards also panicked just as badly, shielding the salt tax office as they retreated into his official residence, hoping to hold out using the walls.
Yet the residence’s walls proved too thin and low to stop the border army.
Border army soldiers rushed to the walls, forming hand bridges.
The salt tax office kept retreating!
From the courtyard walls, he pulled back to the main hall; there, he sacrificed a few more hired guards before retreating to the central courtyard.
In the central courtyard, several more hired guards died, and he withdrew to the Back Garden.
At the rockery, the salt tax office slid open a hidden door, revealing an underground passage.
He took only two trusted aides and crawled inside, sealing the hatch, then dashed along the passage to a small underground chamber.
Trapped inside was Iron Bird Flies.
Seeing the salt tax office enter, Iron Bird Flies flashed a strange grin.
“You! Happy about it? Bandits tricked their way through the city gates and stormed in. The Shanxi merchants fled without helping you.”
The salt tax office felt a bizarre twinge in his heart.
“It’s not odd you guessed they were bandits, but how did you know they used trickery to open the gates? And that the Shanxi merchants ran?”
Iron Bird Flies grinned, his expression eerily twisted.
The Blood-Stained Deity Statue on his chest also opened its mouth in a smile.
The smile was too unnatural, making every hair on the salt tax office’s body stand on end and a chill crawl up his spine.
Iron Bird Flies giggled darkly.
“You’re dead. Those outside will uncover this tunnel soon.”
The salt tax office strained to stay defiant.
“Impossible. They’ll think I escaped through the back gate. They’ll scour the city and beyond for me, never imagining I’m still in my own home. They won’t find this room.”
Iron Bird Flies spoke coldly.
“No, they know you’re still at home. They pinpoint your location and direction; finding this tunnel entrance will be easy.”
Fear gripped the salt tax office’s heart.
“Why are you so sure?”
Iron Bird Flies laughed again, his grotesque expression sending shivers down the salt tax office’s spine.
The salt tax office snapped into viciousness.
“Your mother’s laughter! Even if I die, I can kill you first. What are you acting cocky for in front of me?”
Iron Bird Flies roared with laughter.
“You’re scared! You’re terrified!”
The Blood-Stained Deity Statue on his chest also grinned wide and cackled loudly.
Earlier, when the statue smiled, the salt tax office hadn’t noticed, mistaking it for fabric rustling the thread embroidery.
But now, he saw it clearly: it wasn’t the cloth moving; the embroidery itself was alive.
It really was laughing!
Its cackles merged perfectly with Iron Bird Flies’s mirth.
The salt tax office recoiled in terror, stumbling back several steps; his two trusted hired guards shuddered too.
“Leader, this… this Iron Bird Flies is unnatural. That thing on his chest is bizarre…”
“You’re right!” The Blood-Stained Deity Statue hissed darkly, its voice deepened and bloodthirsty, like a demon from hell, chilling to the bone.
“Want to see the scenery of the underworld?”
The salt tax office stammered.
“Who… who’s speaking?”
The two aides quivered, legs buckling.
“It’s… the embroidery talking…”
The salt tax office denied frantically.
“Impossible, absolutely impossible.”
The Blood-Stained Deity Statue sneered.
“Giggle… giggle giggle… come closer… It’s been forever since I tasted fresh human flesh. Get over here, let me gnaw a few bites…”
The two servants: “Ah ah ah!”
Both turned and sprinted outward.
The salt tax office was also terrified out of his wits. Not daring to remain in the cellar any longer, he scrambled madly toward the exit.
Outside were rampaging bandits, but even the fiercest bandits were better than human-devouring monsters.
Death at the hands of bandits was, at most, a single slash. But falling into the hands of a monster meant being eaten slowly, bite by bite. But that’s far worse than a quick blade.
The three fled to the tunnel entrance. Just as they lifted the cover and poked their heads out, they saw a large crowd outside, wide-eyed, staring at them.
Exactly as Iron Bird Flies had said, they had already found the tunnel entrance. They stood encircling it, as if anticipating their emergence.
The salt tax office: “I…”
Before he could utter half a word of nonsense, blades flashed chaotically. His two closest servants were hacked down. Only the salt tax office was left alive.
Captain Chen reached out, grabbed the salt tax office by the nape of his neck, and lifted him effortlessly, like grabbing a quail.
The salt tax office screamed, “Brave men, spare my life! We can talk!”
Discovering they hadn’t killed him outright, he felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps he could persuade them with his glib tongue to spare him.
But then Captain Chen chuckled, “Here, I want you to see something.”
He reached into his robes, pulled out a handkerchief, and held it up before the salt tax office’s eyes.
The salt tax office stared intently. Embroidered on the cloth was a deity statue, identical to the one on Iron Bird Flies’ chest.
And…
This statue could smile too.
It widened its mouth, a dark grin forming, and croaked at the salt tax office, “Here now, come closer and let me bite, see if you taste good.”
“Ahhh ah ah ahhhh!”
The salt tax office’s agonized scream pierced the night sky, louder than the sounds of battle surrounding them.
Captain Chen hauled him back into the tunnel, leading him down to the cellar. He unlocked the manacles binding Iron Bird Flies and shoved a knife into his hand.
Iron Bird Flies grinned sinisterly, stepping in front of the salt tax office. “Now you know not to mess with me, huh?”
The salt tax office was frozen in primal terror: “Brave man…”
Iron Bird Flies: “Name your price! Price it right, and I finish you quick. Price it wrong, and I’ll carve you up for three days and three nights. A thousand cuts. You’ll beg for death but never find it.”
The Blood-Stained Deity Statue also grinned, revealing its teeth: “And I’ll feast the whole time, chewing every last morsel of flesh from the bones.”
The salt tax office: “Ahhhh! My money! All my money! It’s buried in the backyard! Left wing room! Five steps east from the window, four steps south! Dig! It’s all there! I beg you, mo… monster… please don’t eat me… just make it quick.”
Iron Bird Flies: “Fair price. Deal.”
He swung the waist knife. Thuck! It sliced clean through the salt tax office’s neck.
Blood gushed far across the room!
With that strike delivered, Iron Bird Flies was spent. Tortured for days and starved, his body was terribly weak. He stumbled backward, collapsing.
Captain Chen swiftly caught him, supporting him as they walked out.
The Blood-Stained Deity Statue observed, voice still filled with dark amusement: “He got off easy.”
Captain Chen knelt slightly deferentially: “This lowly commander failed to capture the Shanxi merchants. I ask the Deity to exact punishment.”
The Blood-Stained Deity Statue replied, dismissing the apology: “Not your fault! We’ll deal with the Shanxi merchants later. For now, carry out the plan. Calm the commoners. Prepare our troops. Xing Honglang will be coming soon.”
Captain Chen stood firm: “Your command is my duty, Deity.”
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