bookandnovel Chapter 40 Swiftly Kill the Flying Fox
Chapter 40 Swiftly Kill the Flying Fox
A fierce glint flashed in Zhou Tong's eyes as he reached out, pinched the shadow worm, and slowly placed it in his palm.
The shadow worm lay still, its bloodshot eyes empty, showing no reaction.
He was not surprised by this.
This is because the Shadow Insects have not yet been awakened by him.
After obtaining the Shadow Insect, he performed a blood oath ceremony for three consecutive days, successfully subduing the little creature.
Afterwards, following the methods in the booklet given to him by Manager Hu, he privately tested the tracking ability of the shadow insects several times.
The results were amazing, almost unbelievable.
It's no exaggeration to call it a search for sacred insects!
With that thought in mind, Zhou Tong picked up a embroidery needle from the box and gently pricked the pad of his left index finger.
A plump bead of blood quickly seeped out.
Zhou Tong hovered his finger above the shadow insect, and a drop of blood fell, hitting the scales on its back.
Nourishes...
With a sound so faint it was almost inaudible, the blood droplet disappeared instantly, as if swallowed by a dry sponge.
About a minute later, the shadow insect's previously empty eyes slowly became lively, and its thin wings, which had been tightly closed, suddenly trembled!
"Buzz—"
The shadow insect flapped its wings and took to the air.
It circled twice gracefully, like someone who had just gotten out of bed, stretching and moving their body.
After flying around twice, it finally woke up completely, turned around, and came to Zhou Tong's side, flying up and down around him, occasionally bumping into him with its body, like a little dog playing happily with its owner, exuding a sense of joy and intimacy.
Finally, it landed steadily on Zhou Tong's left shoulder, its slender feet gripping Zhou Tong's clothes tightly.
Zhou Tong's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly, and he reached out with a smile to gently stroke the shadow insect's back.
The shadow insect seemed to enjoy his caresses, making buzzing sounds as if in response.
Without further delay, Zhou Tong followed the instructions in the book, letting out two short, strange low groans, and then pointed to the brownish bloodstain on the sole of his shoe.
The shadow insect on the shoulder flashed red light in its blood eyes, and with a "whoosh," it turned into a gray line, accurately pouncing on the bloodstain on the sole of the shoe, lying still as if carefully sniffing.
After pausing for about ten seconds, it took off again and circled rapidly three times in the air, as if confirming its direction.
Then, like a gray arrow guided by an invisible thread, it shot silently out of the alley.
Zhou Tong moved swiftly, like a wisp of smoke, and followed after them.
……
North of the city.
A long-abandoned house, with crumbling walls and overgrown weeds.
Only one side room still had half of its dilapidated roof barely holding up, letting in a few slivers of pale moonlight.
Inside the room, Flying Fox sat half-reclined against the corner of the wall, while the Monkey King mask was casually tossed aside on a pile of dry hay, revealing his true face beneath.
He has a long, narrow face with high cheekbones and a narrow distance between his eyebrows and eyes.
There was an unyielding, sinister aura between his brows.
He gritted his teeth and pressed a little brown powder onto the bloody gunshot wound on his left shoulder blade. The intense pain caused cold sweat to bead on his forehead, but his eyes grew even more ferocious, like a wolf's.
The scene from earlier kept replaying in his mind, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
He had been ambushed by Zhao Han and Chang Xuan, but he managed to break through thanks to his agility and extensive escape experience, and was feeling quite pleased with himself.
Who knew that kid would suddenly appear from the alleyway!
It's one thing to break through enemy lines, but in the world of martial arts, there are always unexpected events.
But when martial artists fight, fists, feet, swords, and knives are the only weapons... Seeing that he couldn't win, the kid suddenly pulled out a gun!
Who the hell could have predicted this?!
Having roamed the martial world for so many years, he had never seen such a shameless martial artist!
The two shots were too sudden, catching him off guard and injuring him. He was then pulled back into the battle by Zhao Han and Chang Xuan.
Although he broke through the encirclement again with his ruthlessness and fighting strength that was stronger than ordinary iron muscles.
The price was that his abdomen took a solid blow from Chang Xuan's palm, causing his internal organs to churn and his breathing to become disordered.
"hiss--"
After bandaging his shoulder, Flying Fox touched his abdomen. "This time, I'll need at least a few months to recover..."
Thinking of this, his hatred for Zhou Tong almost overflowed.
His gaze was gloomy, and Zhou Tong's face was exceptionally clear in his mind:
"Once I've recovered from my injuries and figured out your background, I'll first slaughter your entire family and let you taste what excruciating pain is! Then I'll drag you out and skin you alive, one slice at a time!"
Just as he was seething with hatred and plotting how to make his enemy suffer in the future—
Suddenly, his ear twitched very slightly.
Years of struggle between pursuit and the brink of death have honed his almost animalistic instincts, keeping him on high alert in any situation.
Just now, besides the sound of the wind outside the window, there seemed to be a very faint "rustling" sound, like withered leaves being brushed by something extremely light.
If it were someone else, they would surely overlook it and simply assume it was the night wind causing the disturbance.
But he instinctively sensed that something was wrong.
He suddenly held his breath, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. Ignoring his injuries, he abruptly stood up, his gaze like lightning sweeping across the dark doorway and the broken window.
The moonlight in the courtyard was dim, and the weeds grew lushly; everything seemed normal.
But that faint sense of crisis not only didn't dissipate, but instead became increasingly clear, like a persistent boil.
He dared not delay, grabbed the iron claw at hand, and moved to the door silently with extremely light steps.
After listening for a while, everything seemed normal.
Flying Fox was still tense, his muscles taut, as he tiptoed out of the dilapidated room.
At the same time, his gaze swept quickly across the courtyard, from the half-collapsed walls and corners to the piles of debris, and any other places where people could hide.
call!
Just then!
A figure in indigo blue shot down from the old persimmon tree on the side of the room.
Like an owl swooping down on a rabbit, it brought a sharp, cold blade of light and slashed straight down at him!
The blade pierced the night, emitting a piercing shriek.
Although startled, Flying Fox remained calm and even somewhat anticipated the event. In the nick of time, it twisted its waist and slid to the side.
At the same time, the iron claw in his hand swiftly swung upwards, precisely meeting the blade.
Clang!
A piercing clang of metal rang out, sparks flying everywhere.
The two parted ways immediately upon touching.
"As expected of a seasoned master thief, he should not be underestimated."
A thought flashed through Zhou Tong's mind, but his actions were faster than his thoughts.
He lightly touched the ground with his toes and chased after the flying fox, which was using the momentum to retreat rapidly.
With the support of the Shadowless Technique, his body seemed weightless as he floated several feet to the side, shifting positions like a ghost, and instantly cutting to the side where the Flying Fox was dodging.
The short knife in his hand changed from a straight slash to a horizontal slash, and a sinister arc of light silently swept towards his waist and abdomen!
"What?!"
Flying Fox's expression changed drastically.
He was injured, and he was on high alert as soon as he stepped out of the room.
Regardless of whether he was ambushed or not, he was prepared to move to another location.
When the attack came, he was prepared.
His move appeared to be an interception and counterattack, but in reality, his body was already prepared to use the force to escape.
He was able to escape from being surrounded multiple times thanks to his ability to grasp the situation in critical moments.
Often, it is this moment of preparation that determines the advantage.
It also determined life and death!
But he never expected that the speed at which the newcomer changed tactics and advanced would completely exceed his expectations!
His light-footed movements, which made him famous and saved him from death many times, seemed so clumsy in front of this person!
At the critical moment of life and death, he unleashed his full potential, disregarding the worsening of his internal injuries, forcefully twisting his body and using his iron claws to protect himself.
laugh--!
The sound of tearing cloth and the sound of sharp blades entering flesh rang out almost simultaneously!
The blade was ultimately a fraction faster. Although most of its force was blocked by the iron claws, it still managed to slash a half-foot-long gash across his chest and abdomen. His flesh tore open, and blood gushed out instantly, staining a large area of his front red.
"you……"
Flying Fox let out a painful roar, staggered backward, his face drained of color, and looked at the sallow, unfamiliar middle-aged face, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror.
Who exactly is this person?
This speed is even faster than when he was at his peak!
At this time-
The third blade flash arrived.
His surprise and questioning remained stuck in his throat forever.
A sharp blade of light tore through the moonlight and entered the Flying Fox's eyes.
Chi!
The blade sliced through, tearing open the throat.
Zhou Tong, knife in hand, flashed and landed behind Flying Fox, then slowly turned around.
Flying Fox froze, and the iron claw in its hand clattered to the ground.
He suddenly clutched his neck with both hands, hot liquid gushing out between his fingers, making a hissing sound.
He tried desperately to turn around and take one last look at the powerful man who had ended his life.
But in the end, he still couldn't fulfill his wish. His body swayed, and he fell forward, crashing heavily into the weeds.
Zhou Tong slowly sheathed his sword, flicked his wrist, and a line of blood dripped from the blade.
He looked at the dead Flying Fox, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"With the speed enhanced by the Shadowless Technique and the perfect swordsmanship, this guy, despite being injured, managed to dodge twice."
"The Flying Fox's reputation is well-deserved."
He recalled how Zhou Jing, who had a stone-like body, was attacked with his wooden-like muscles, and Zhou Jing was completely powerless against him, only able to passively take the beating.
With a sigh in his heart, Zhou Tong didn't delay any longer. He quickly squatted down and skillfully began to examine the still-warm body of the Flying Fox.
Several small pockets of different materials, some loose coins and banknotes...
He didn't have time to look closely; he took them all out and stuffed them into the small bundle he carried with him.
The whole process was calm and swift.
After looting the corpse, Zhou Tong grabbed Flying Fox by the back of his collar and dragged him to a dry well in the corner of the courtyard, half-covered by weeds.
The wellhead was dark and bottomless, exuding a musty, earthy smell.
With a flick of his arm, the corpse fell like a broken log, and a dull thud echoed from the bottom of the well.
Returning to the dilapidated house, they collected all the rags, medicine bottles, and other odds and ends that the flying fox had used to bandage its wounds, and then went back to the well.
Just as he was about to throw the things down, Zhou Tong's gaze paused slightly on the monkey king mask.
"What level are you? Wearing the same mask as me!"
Clench your five fingers together and apply a little force.
The mask was immediately crumpled into a ball.
Zhou Tong casually tossed the object into the well, and many other miscellaneous items fell into the well.
After doing all this, he listened intently to his surroundings.
Only the night wind howled through the broken walls, and the distant, hoarse sound of the watchman's clapper could be faintly heard; it was already past midnight.
He didn't linger. He nimbly leaped over the ruins like a raccoon, and with a few leaps, he completely blended into the intricate alleyways of Cangzhou City.
……
Zhou Tong deliberately chose secluded and deserted routes, pushing his movement skills to the limit, and hurried home.
The wind whistled past his ears, and the low eaves and mottled courtyard walls on both sides formed flowing gray shadows, which he quickly left behind.
At that moment, Zhou Tong suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of freedom.
He touched the mask on his face.
It changed not only his appearance, but also subtly filtered out the invisible constraints brought about by his identities as "Young Master Zhou", "Disciple of Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School" and "Captain Zhou of the Police Station".
Once he put on the mask, he only needed to follow his heart, to vent his anger and seek revenge, and a strange sense of exhilaration welled up inside him.
Zhou Tong exerted force with his feet, his figure darting swiftly through the alleyways.
The night breeze filled his indigo cotton robe, and he felt a sense of joy and lightness that he hadn't experienced in a long time.
When he was almost home, he turned into a deserted alley, changed into his own clothes, and removed all his disguise.
Carrying his bundle, he walked home at a leisurely pace.
Just then, Zhou Tong belatedly realized something and suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"I just killed someone! That's murder! My first time killing someone..."
Surprisingly, I wasn't scared at all! And I didn't feel any discomfort either!
"This shouldn't be happening! Even if an ordinary person is calm at the time of their first murder, they will inevitably feel nervous and fearful afterward..."
"But I felt a surge of exhilaration. I wasn't scared at all; in fact, I was so excited that I ran all the way!"
Is this the kind of reaction a normal person should have?!
What kind of person would react like that?!
The more Zhou Tong thought about it, the heavier his heart became, the more uneasy he felt, and the harder his expression hardened.
Hannibal, Bateman, the Ripper... one infamous name after another sprouted up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, swirling endlessly in his mind.
His gaze swept across the empty road, fixed on his eerie shadow in the moonlight, his lips trembled slightly, and an uncontrollable thought surfaced in his mind:
"Could it be that I was born evil? Am I, Zhou Tong, a born demon?!"
……
Who cares about demons!
In this chaotic world, if one has to become a demon to protect oneself and those one cares about, then becoming a demon is perfectly acceptable.
When Zhou Tong returned home, his emotions had calmed down.
His parents were already asleep, so he went straight to his room and began to take stock of his spoils.
He spread the bundle out on the table and took out its contents one by one, categorizing them.
The most conspicuous item was a stack of banknotes of varying ages.
Zhou Tong gathered them in his hands and carefully counted them by the light.
One sheet, two sheets... Fingertips rubbed the rough paper, making a soft rustling sound.
After counting, it totaled a full six hundred and twenty silver dollars!
This number is roughly the same as what the senior brothers of the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School who are stationed outside the school could earn if they didn't eat or drink for half a year.
But how much does it cost to practice martial arts?
Many people don't even have enough money for their own cultivation, unless they are in the bone forging stage where they have completely given up any ambition. Ordinary bone forging cultivators simply don't have that much money.
Even if I had one, I wouldn't carry it with me.
"He really is a master thief; he's made a fortune."
Zhou Tong murmured to himself.
This windfall came at just the right time.
Previously, all expenses for practicing martial arts were covered by his family.
Although the Zhou family was well-off, since the father left the Chamber of Commerce and started his own business, in order to quickly open up the medicinal herb transportation business, he had to pay generous gifts to various connections, spend money to recruit reliable people, and advance money for the initial purchase of goods...
Like a floodgate being opened, it nearly washed away all the household's cash.
Although his family has more than this, the rest are real estate, which he absolutely cannot touch unless it's a matter of life and death.
Nowadays, there isn't much money left that can be flexibly circulated in the accounts.
While the expenses for his martial arts training are certainly sufficient, it would be good if it could alleviate some of the pressure on his father.
"Also, Senior Hu mentioned a couple of days ago that the drug samples should be arriving soon. I'll go check on them again tomorrow, hoping to find a suitable drug."
He thought to himself, his gaze sweeping over the other odds and ends on the table:
Several small porcelain bottles, with faded labels that were hard to read, probably contained wound medicine powder or similar medicine.
A few curved, thin wires—these are clearly professional tools for sneaking into doors, picking locks, and breaking into houses.
He glanced at these things briefly, and finally fixed his gaze on a piece of copper.
This object is about the size of a regular ocean coin and is round.
He was quite interested in this object because the copper piece was not found in any ordinary place.
Instead, he referred to "a few hidden corners where people in the martial arts world hide important things" that Manager Hu had casually mentioned during a casual conversation.
The scar, about an inch long and almost indistinguishable from the skin color, was carefully pried out by fingernail from below the right armpit of the flying fox's corpse, close to the ribs.
The scar appeared to be an old wound, but in reality, it had been cleverly cut open and stitched up inside, forming a very hidden fleshy sac.
Such an elaborately hidden object...
Zhou Tong picked it up out of curiosity, and the moment he touched it, his eyebrows twitched.