Too strong!
So strong it inspires despair, leaving no will to resist!
They knew the strength of Si Yan and Huo Lun. It was said that each of them could easily take on three or four opponents, yet now they were beaten so miserably.
One had an arm broken clean off, the other was disfigured, his nose caved in, his nasal bone shattered, his face a bloody mess.
It was utterly terrifying!
A group of ground rats standing not far away had lost all their previous arrogance and ferocity, replaced by immense panic. Their faces were pale.
They were bewildered. How could such a formidable person be in such a small county town, and they had provoked him?
"You lost!"
Amidst this atmosphere of dread, a low voice slowly sounded.
Qin Chuan smiled faintly, looking at the pathetic figures of Si Yan and Huo Lun lying on the ground. He was very satisfied with the outcome. As expected of the generals he had handpicked, their combat prowess was formidable.
Qin Chuan was fortunate to have had the foresight to recognize their value.
Si Yan and Huo Lun, sitting on the ground, had vacant eyes, as if they hadn't heard Qin Chuan's words.
But Qin Chuan didn't mind. He had other matters to attend to. These two were incapacitated for now and didn't require his immediate attention. He could chat with them later.
Qin Chuan's gaze fell upon the group of ground rats, his expression unruffled.
Yet, it was precisely this gaze that made the group of ground rats extremely tense.
"You, you! And you, step out!"
Suddenly, Qin Chuan pointed his finger, singling out three individuals.
These three were the ones who had injured Qin Yang that day. Upon being singled out by Qin Chuan, they were terrified, their faces draining of color, their bodies trembling, unsure of what awaited them.
"Don't be nervous. I'm giving you a chance now. If you can accomplish what I ask, I will let you leave safely."
Qin Chuan spoke.
The three initially tense men blinked in surprise. At the same time, everyone else looked confused, wondering what game Qin Chuan was playing.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Qin Chuan suddenly pointed at a figure and said calmly, "You three recognize this person, don't you?"
"It was you who attacked him with knives that night, and his injuries still haven't healed."
"Now I'm giving you a chance. Take up your knives again and attack him for me!"
"Attack him together, all three of you. If you win, I'll let you leave tonight!"
What?!
The three on the opposite side were stunned, their faces filled with disbelief. If they had heard correctly, that tall man was Qin Chuan's elder brother. How could Qin Chuan ask them to attack him?
Simultaneously, the others were equally shocked. Everyone present flinched at Qin Chuan's words.
"Xiao Chuan!!"
Qin Er Ge was furious. He knew very well that Elder Brother Qin Yang's back injury hadn't healed yet. How could he be subjected to such a proposal?
As for Qin Yang himself, he was also filled with astonishment, his eyes fixed incredulously on his younger brother.
The brothers' gazes met in mid-air. However, Qin Yang was met with Qin Chuan's emotionless stare, an expression like a cold, deep pool with not a trace of warmth.
Qin Yang was the first to break eye contact, lowering his gaze, seemingly lost in thought. Qin Chuan's deep-set eyes flickered with a hint of complexity before being quickly replaced by unwavering resolve. He shouted, "Bring the knives!!"
In response to Qin Chuan's command, someone immediately brought three gleaming cleavers and handed them to the three men.
Qin Chuan then walked to Elder Brother Qin Yang and offered him the shining straight sword in his hand.
"Grip it tight. Tonight, whether you are the one enduring the cuts and gashes, lying in a hospital bed, or it's someone else taking the blows for a successful revenge, it's all in your hands!"
Qin Chuan said coldly.
Qin Yang seemed not to see the straight sword presented before him and remained motionless. Qin Chuan also didn't move, maintaining the posture of offering the sword. The brothers appeared to be in a stalemate.
Time ticked by, and everyone around held their breath. Many had a rough idea of Qin Chuan's intentions, but they didn't know Qin Yang well enough to pass judgment.
Qin Er Ge in the midst of it all was the most anxious. He looked from the silent elder brother to the cold younger brother, caught in between, nearing madness.
Qin Gang understood Qin Chuan's intentions perfectly, but he felt the method was too extreme!
Couldn't they change things gradually? To suddenly pull such a drastic move, how was the usually honest, simple, and kind elder brother supposed to accept it?
Just as Qin Gang could no longer suppress his inner impatience and was about to speak, there was finally movement in the center.
Qin Yang, who had been looking down, slowly raised his head and met Qin Chuan's gaze. Qin Chuan's expression remained as cold as iron, the straight sword held in mid-air utterly still.
Finally, Qin Yang let out a soft sigh and slowly took the straight sword, stepping forward.
As he passed Qin Chuan, he seemed about to say something, but his lips moved, and he swallowed the words.
Watching Qin Yang's tall figure stride out, a light flickered in Qin Chuan's eyes.
"Boss, do you really want Brother Qin to face three opponents?"
At this moment, Yao Dong approached Qin Chuan and asked in a low voice.
"Although these ground rats are despicable and their actions are wicked, they are definitely capable, and ruthless. What if something goes wrong..."
"There are no 'what ifs.' I believe my elder brother has the strength to take on three!"
Before Yao Dong could finish, Qin Chuan said calmly, his tone unwavering.
Hearing this, Yao Dong didn't press the matter further, merely standing guard.
If Qin Yang were to be in any danger, he would definitely step in to help. When facing such despicable ground rats, there were no rules to speak of.
As Yao Dong and Qin Chuan spoke in hushed tones, Qin Yang had already taken his position opposite the three men, the gleaming straight sword held firmly in his hand.
The three men also adopted a defensive stance, their expressions taut, veins bulging on the backs of their hands as they gripped the cleavers.
They couldn't fathom Qin Chuan's intentions, but one thing was clear: no matter what scheme Qin Chuan was devising, they had to fight with all their might.
Because only by doing so did they have any hope of leaving tonight.
"You three pieces of trash, what are you dawdling for? Don't you want to leave here tonight?"
As the three men and Qin Yang stood in a standoff, an angry roar erupted from not far away. The moment they heard this voice, the three ground rats exchanged glances, let out a simultaneous roar, their eyes red, and swung their gleaming cleavers towards Qin Yang's body.
At this moment, the atmosphere became incredibly tense. Everyone's expression was taut, like a powerful spring compressed to its limit.
And amidst this tense atmosphere, the crowd saw that as the three cleavers descended, Qin Yang's imposing, mountain-like physique displayed an unusual agility. He quickly dodged.
He first evaded the two cleavers coming straight at him, then, with lightning speed, drew his straight sword. Amidst clanging collisions, sparks flew as he blocked the remaining cleaver.
When an expert makes a move, you know their skill!
Seeing Qin Yang's action, the tense crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Holy crap, I didn't expect Brother Qin to be such a hidden master!"
Bai Xiaoguang murmured softly.
Similar sentiments arose in almost everyone's hearts. This was the first time Qin Yang had revealed his strength publicly, causing a wave of astonishment.
Whether it was Yao Dong, Zheng Chengdao, or others, their emotions were the same.
Only Qin Chuan and Qin Gang showed no surprise. They knew their elder brother far too well; he was like a man with a mountain of gold who didn't know how to spend it.
He possessed immense martial skill but was timid and fearful every day, afraid of causing trouble for the family, afraid of people coming to demand money after a fight, and a myriad of other concerns.
Often, he would rather suffer personal harm than confront others head-on.
If Qin Chuan hadn't forced his hand tonight, Qin Yang would likely have continued to hide his abilities.