Volume One Chapter Four Outburst
After soothing Pingping, Ji Die looked up toward the doorway, immediately sensing hostility from the new arrivals.
“Who are you?” he asked calmly, scrutinizing their clothing without a trace of panic.
“Master Yang has some questions for you. If you don’t want a beating, you’d better come with us without a fuss!” one of the burly men barked, clearly used to getting his way. His face darkened with annoyance; how dare a mere peasant question him?
Master Yang wants to question me?
Could it be about that old man in black?
Ji Die’s heart skipped a beat, instinctively connecting this summons to the black-clad elder. Worry gnawed at him.
“Brother Ji, I’m scared,” Li Pingping whimpered, clinging to him, her thoughts on her father.
“It’s all right, Pingping. I’m here. Let’s go and see what they want,” Ji Die reassured her, making up his mind to comply.
Besides, these two clearly weren’t giving him a choice…
“Have you finished talking?” one of the men urged impatiently.
Ji Die said nothing, simply gathered Pingping in his arms and followed behind them.
He didn’t bother asking where they were taking him; even if he had, he doubted they’d answer. On the way, he noticed the village was eerily silent, not a soul in sight—as if every villager had been rounded up and taken away.
Seeing such an intimidating display, Ji Die’s eyes flashed with wariness.
Beyond the village, on an open expanse of ground, a great crowd had assembled: elders, children, women, and able-bodied men, all gathered together, their faces painted with bewilderment and fear.
Some still bore traces of dirt on their clothes, having been dragged here straight from the fields, utterly clueless about what was happening.
“Master Yang, may I ask why you’ve summoned us all here?” The village chief of Wenhe was an elderly man well into his sixties; he stood before a portly, large-eared man, his posture humble and deferential.
Who could blame him, with all those fierce-looking brutes standing guard around them.
“There’s no need to be anxious, Chief. I’m not here to do you harm, merely to investigate a matter. As long as you all answer truthfully, you’ll be released soon enough,” Master Yang replied, his purple silk robe lending him a bloated appearance that no one dared mock.
He spat out a grape skin, glancing at the chief.
“Yes, yes, of course. We’ll answer anything we know,” the chief replied with a forced smile, well aware that beneath that genial face lurked a ruthlessness that would swallow men whole.
At that moment, the two burly men appeared, leading a youth out from the village.
Seeing the familiar faces of his fellow villagers, Ji Die’s gaze drifted to the front of the crowd, landing on the portly man.
This was the very Master Yang who had seized his family’s land!
And just behind him stood Steward Zhang, who’d been present a few days ago.
Ji Die masked the coldness in his eyes, shifting his gaze away from the pair.
“Pingping.” Li Yi was there too. Spotting his daughter in Ji Die’s arms, he let out a sigh of relief.
“Uncle Li,” Ji Die greeted him, carrying Pingping over and setting her down.
The two burly men who had brought Ji Die over stepped up to Master Yang and reported respectfully, “Master, all three hundred ten residents of Wenhe Village are assembled.”
“What took you so long?” Master Yang remarked coolly, shooting them a glance.
“Your servant deserves punishment,” one man bowed hastily.
“Don’t let it happen again,” Master Yang warned, but let the matter drop. Then, smiling, he addressed the bewildered villagers. “Since everyone’s here, I won’t keep you guessing. You must be wondering why I’ve gathered you all.”
All fell silent, waiting anxiously for his words.
Master Yang’s voice rang out, “The reason I’ve called you here is because a murder has occurred, and your village is implicated.”
“I need to know: who left the village seven days ago?”
Instantly, the crowd erupted like a boiling pot.
“We’re innocent, Master Yang! We know nothing about this!” the village chief and others cried, faces blanching.
None could have imagined they’d be linked to a murder. People hurriedly insisted they hadn’t left the village.
Seven days ago?
That happened to be the day he’d gone to town to sell medicinal ginseng.
Did they already know the black-clad old man had died nearby?
Ji Die noted the date, lowering his head to hide any reaction.
Li Yi, beside him, noticed too, glancing at Ji Die. He recalled his daughter had given the mountain ginseng to Ji Die to sell in town, though he wasn’t sure if it was exactly seven days prior.
“Anyone who provides information will be rewarded with ten taels of silver!” Master Yang declared, undeterred by the villagers’ silence, tossing out a reward that was a fortune to them. He was confident no one could resist such temptation.
Sure enough, a shrill voice rang out.
“I know who it was! That day, I happened to be working in the fields and saw Ji Die leaving the village. He was gone for hours!”
It was a farmwife. Seven days ago, she’d seen Ji Die as she worked in the fields. Now, with ten taels of silver at stake, she wasted no time in pointing him out.
Ji Die. Master Yang racked his mind, but the name meant nothing to him—not that it mattered.
“Who is Ji Die?” he demanded, scanning the crowd.
“Master, it’s that boy,” Steward Zhang said excitedly, pointing out Ji Die.
Fearing trouble, the villagers hurriedly distanced themselves from him. Even Li Pingping was pulled away by her father.
The feeling of being abandoned by the whole world pressed heavily on Ji Die’s heart.
He harbored no resentment toward the farmwife. Regaining his composure, he turned to Master Yang and said, “It’s true—I left the village seven days ago, but only to sell mountain ginseng in town. Whoever you’re looking for, I didn’t kill them.”
“We’ll find out soon enough,” Master Yang sneered. “Seize him!”
“Yes, sir!” Steward Zhang strode forward, not taking Ji Die seriously in the least. He reached out with a large hand.
“Boy, surrender now and spare yourself some pain.”
“Get lost!” Ji Die’s lips trembled. Years of oppression at the hands of these people, and now they wanted to take him away without even asking questions? Suddenly, fury surged within him.
In that instant, the spiritual energy in his lower abdomen surged through his body. He threw a punch forward.
“You’re not even worth considering,” Steward Zhang scoffed. He’d trained in martial arts for years and dismissed the perpetually hungry youth entirely. He stood his ground, clenched his fist, and struck.
A sickening crack rang out—bones splintering.
Under his own astonished gaze, Steward Zhang’s body was hurled away like a dead dog.
“How is that possible?” The silence was absolute; the villagers stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
He’d sent a man flying with a single punch. Was Ji Die a monster?
Was this truly the Ji Die they knew?
The woman who had spoken up went pale, lowering her head, terrified of meeting Ji Die’s gaze.