Old Wang, the blacksmith, was a senior resident of Qingyang Town, having dedicated sixty years of his life to the craft. He inherited his father's profession at the tender age of ten. Now, at seventy, he was still relatively robust. However, fear gripped him as he saw a small demon approaching. Raising the weapon he had forged himself, he shouted,
"Stay back!"
His legs trembled as he faced the demon. Living in Qingyang Town, opportunities to battle demons were rare. They had been fortunate, but luck eventually runs out. When that happened, confrontations with demons became inevitable.
The small demon was about the size of an average human, but its appearance was hideous and ferocious. Its gaping maw revealed terrifying teeth, and upon closer inspection, remnants of flesh could be seen stuck between them.
"The meat is too tough, the taste is terrible. I'll kill you and paint this place with your blood," the small demon growled in a sinister voice.
The sound alone was enough to send shivers down one's spine, evoking an unspeakable sense of dread.
With a swift swipe, the small demon knocked the weapon from Old Wang's grasp. Startled, the blacksmith recoiled, no longer daring to resist. He was utterly helpless against the demon before him.
"Die!"
The demon raised its hand to strike Old Wang. A direct hit would undoubtedly result in a gruesome and bloody scene.
Old Wang closed his eyes in despair. However, after a moment, the expected pain didn't come.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
Overwhelming joy washed over him.
"Mayor!"
Old Wang could hardly believe it. He had assumed the mayor was either dead or had fled. He never expected the mayor to not only remain but also intervene and protect him from the demon. It seemed the mayor was no ordinary man.
"Are you alright?" Lin Fan asked.
"I'm fine," Old Wang replied.
Lin Fan looked at the small demon, truly repulsed by its ugliness. Grabbing the demon's wrist, he lifted it high and slammed it down onto the ground with tremendous force. A resounding boom echoed as the demon was smashed to pieces.
"The mayor is so powerful!" Old Wang exclaimed in astonishment. Then he added, "Mayor, that demon was the leader. If we defeat it, our town will be safe."
Following the direction Old Wang pointed, Lin Fan saw another demon standing there.
The Winged Flame Demon also stared at Lin Fan. This human gave him a strange feeling, like a demon slayer, yet different.
"Don't worry, with me here, the town will be safe," Lin Fan said with a reassuring smile. Old Wang felt a sense of calm wash over him. He couldn't explain why the mayor's words were so comforting, but that was the feeling he got.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, the surrounding small demons, as if drawn by an invisible force, quickly gathered around the Winged Flame Demon, standing obediently like soldiers at the town gate.
The townspeople, who had been terrorized by the demons, saw their new mayor step forward and mustered the courage to stand behind him. Some held shovels, others wielded wooden sticks, all cautiously watching the demons.
The Winged Flame Demon let out a sharp roar, its voice rippling through the air like a sonic wave.
Then, it swooped down from the gate sign, its wings beating furiously, kicking up a thick cloud of dust, preparing to strike Lin Fan down in one blow.
The townspeople behind Lin Fan were terrified. They were ordinary people, no match for such a demon.
"So weak!"
Lin Fan muttered, throwing a simple punch.
In an instant, everyone stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding before them.
The ferocious Winged Flame Demon was driven into the ground, its appearance gruesome. Lin Fan's punch had connected with its face, causing its head to explode.
"This…"
"Our mayor killed the demon with one punch!"
"Amazing! Our Qingyang Town is safe."
With the Winged Flame Demon dead, the surrounding small demons were momentarily stunned, clearly shocked by Lin Fan's actions. When they finally reacted, they shrieked and scattered in all directions.
"Chase them!"
"Kill them!"
Emboldened by their mayor, the townspeople, seeing the demons fleeing, fearlessly brandished their tools, pretending to fight. It was mostly for show.
Soon, a crowd surrounded Lin Fan, their eyes filled with admiration.
"The mayor is so powerful!"
"With the mayor here, Qingyang Town is the safest place."
The townspeople longed for a safe and stable home. They had lived in Qingyang Town for many years, and if they were forced to leave because of the demons, they wouldn't know where to go.
After all, some places were even more dangerous.
Qinglian, the maid, looked at her master with starry eyes. She had never realized how powerful he was. She was filled with admiration.
"Do you know where the Demon Lord is?" Lin Fan asked.
The townspeople exchanged glances.
"Mayor, we don't know where the Demon Lord is."
"Yes."
"The strongest demon we've seen is the one the mayor just drove away."
Lin Fan scratched his head, somewhat frustrated. It seemed he would have to search on his own again. But he wasn't in a hurry. Each dream was long, and sometimes he would stumble upon his goal while wandering around. This time would be no different.
Touching his hair, he realized it was quite long, though neatly kept.
Word spread throughout Qingyang Town that the mayor was a powerful expert, capable of killing a demon with a single blow. This brought them a strong sense of security.
This demon attack hadn't caused any casualties. If the demons had arrived in Qingyang Town while starving, the consequences would have been dire. Fortunately, they had been lucky this time.
Some brave townspeople hung the Winged Flame Demon's corpse on the town gate sign, a warning to other demons: look closely, this is what happens if you dare invade us.
Fortunately, Qingyang Town wasn't located in a central area. If it were, the consequences might have been more severe, as this act could be seen as a challenge to the demons' authority.
Several days later, Qingyang Town remained peaceful. The only incident of note was a group of bandits attempting to raid the town. However, upon seeing the demon corpse hanging at the gate, they were so terrified that they immediately turned tail and fled. The display hadn't deterred the demons as much as it had scared off the bandits.
This further increased the townspeople's admiration for their mayor.
One day, Qinglian accompanied her master on a stroll through the town. She didn't know what he was doing, but she assumed he was patrolling, ensuring the safety of Qingyang Town. He was truly devoted.
A group of children ran over, their hands full of candy. Upon seeing Lin Fan, they excitedly approached him.
"Mayor Lin, have some candy!" A child extended his hand towards Lin Fan, his eyes full of anticipation, hoping the mayor would accept his offering.
"Thank you," Lin Fan said with a smile, taking the candy. Then he added, "My name is Lin Fan, not Mayor Lin."
"Okay, got it, Mayor Lin," the child replied, jumping up and down with joy as he led his friends away. Their voices could still be heard in the distance, "The mayor ate my candy!"
Lin Fan smiled, saying nothing.
If Old Zhang were here, he would surely be delighted.
The candy was indeed sweet.
Delicious.
"Qinglian, are there many demons?" Lin Fan asked.
"Yes, Master, there are many demons," Qinglian replied.
"Where do they come from?" Lin Fan inquired.
Qinglian shook her head. "I don't know. Demons have existed for as long as I can remember, a very long time. The people of Qingyang Town never leave the town, so we don't know what the outside world is like. Perhaps if we could go to the larger cities, we could learn more."
Lin Fan wondered where the Demon Lord was. It seemed he was a powerful expert, and Lin Fan looked forward to facing such an opponent.
If the Demon Lord knew someone was after him, he would surely be scared witless. "How dare someone target me while I'm busy showing off in my own realm?" he'd think.
How outrageous.
Meanwhile, far from Qingyang Town, a group of figures appeared. They wore ragged clothes, as if they had suffered greatly. Some leaned on wooden sticks, limping towards the town.
The elder leading the group said, "Everyone, keep going. Qingyang Town is just ahead. We'll have a place to rest there."
"I hope it hasn't been destroyed by demons."
"It won't be. We must have faith."
"Sigh, we can only leave it to fate."
Many had already given up hope. They had started as a much larger group, but along the way, some had died from exhaustion, while others had been captured by demons.
Now, their numbers were few.
Very few.
Only about twenty remained.
After a long while, they could see the gate of Qingyang Town in the distance. Suddenly, someone with sharp eyes cried out,
"Get down! I see a demon!"
A young man shouted.
His eyesight was excellent, and he had spotted a demon at the gate from afar. What he saw was the demon corpse the townspeople had hung on the gate sign.
"Is it really a demon?"
"Yes, I'm sure of it. It's a demon."
"How can this be? Is there truly no place for us to survive? Qingyang Town was our last hope. If it has fallen to the demons, then we are doomed."
Despair filled everyone's faces.
Some simply let their hands fall to their sides, gazing up at the sky, their eyes gradually losing focus, as if on the verge of madness.
Just then, another voice rang out.
"Wait, something's not right. I think I see people there."
The young man with the keen eyesight was stunned. He saw people emerging from Qingyang Town, not demons. They seemed to be carrying farming tools, some even with baskets hanging from shoulder poles.
His startled cries caught the attention of others.
Someone, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer, exclaimed,
"I can't take this anymore. Whether it's humans or demons, I have to go see."
With that, he ran towards Qingyang Town, shouting as he went,
"Are you people?"
His voice was filled with desperation, but even more so with a glimmer of hope.
"Yes, who are you?"
A wave of relief washed over the refugees as a voice responded. The man who had run towards Qingyang Town stopped in his tracks, disbelief turning to elation as he turned back and shouted, "Come quickly! They're humans! They're human!"
The refugees who had been lying on the ground looked at each other, their faces lighting up with excitement. The long-suppressed emotions they had carried for so long finally erupted.
"Ah!"
"We're alive!"
"We're finally alive!"
Then, the group rushed towards Qingyang Town.
At the town gate, Old Wang asked, "Where are you all coming from? You look like you've been through a lot."
The elder of the refugees replied, "Alas, we are refugees. Our town was destroyed by demons, our families devoured. We've been wandering for a long time before reaching this place."
As he spoke of their hardships, the refugees wiped away tears, their grief overwhelming them.
Old Wang empathized deeply. If it weren't for the mayor, he too would have perished at the hands of the demons. He comforted them, "Don't worry. Now that you're here, your safety is guaranteed."
"Qingyang Town may not have much, but we definitely have a place for you to live."
Hearing these words, the refugees felt a sense of relief. Then, one of them asked curiously,
"What's the story with this demon?"
They had been truly frightened by the sight of the large demon. Who could have done such a thing?
Old Wang smiled. "Oh, that demon? A few days ago, Qingyang Town was attacked by demons, and that one was their leader. Our mayor stepped forward and killed it with a single blow. We hung it at the gate as a warning to other demons: dare to cause trouble here, and this will be your fate."
"Wow, that's impressive!"
"Indeed. That demon looked like it was close to becoming a Greater Demon."
"One punch? The most skilled demon slayers I've seen need several techniques to deal with a single demon. I never imagined Qingyang Town would have such a powerful individual. We'll be safe here, won't we?"
The refugees discussed amongst themselves, smiles on their faces, filled with admiration.
Old Wang said, "I'll take you to meet the mayor."
Though not highly educated, Old Wang understood one thing: in this dangerous world, humanity needed to unite. Only by working together could they stand against the demons.
Inside the town, Old Wang addressed the mayor. "Mayor Lin, this is the situation. These people are refugees from other towns. Their families were killed by demons, and if they can't stay here, they'll be killed by demons outside. They hope to stay in Qingyang Town. Would you permit it?"
Before Lin Fan could respond, Old Wang added, as if remembering something important, "They are from other towns, and their families were killed by demons. Our Qingyang Town also needs new people, and most importantly, I believe our human race needs to unite."
He looked at the mayor expectantly.
Lin Fan replied, "Of course. It's alright. We should help those in need. You don't need to ask me about these matters in the future. You can make the arrangements yourself."
Old Wang beamed. "Thank the mayor, everyone! Our mayor is the kindest person in the world. As long as you stay here, I guarantee no demon will dare to cause trouble."
The refugees' faces lit up with joy.
"Thank you, Mayor Lin!"
"Don't worry, Mayor Lin. We will contribute to Qingyang Town. We won't just freeload."
Having wandered for so long, they had finally found a home, and their hearts were filled with gratitude.
In the eyes of the refugees, Lin Fan's image suddenly grew taller and taller, radiating a brilliant light. It was a majestic radiance, the light of a true hero.