At midnight.
Due to the lack of entertainment, the town's residents had gone to sleep early, and all the household candles were extinguished as they prepared to drift into dreams.
But not Chen Xia. He carried a large lantern, strolling idly through the streets.
Bandits and marauders preferred to act at night, and with no defenses in place at such hours, someone needed to keep watch.
Chen Xia simply took up the lantern and wandered, ready to intervene if he discovered any bandit activity.
He walked the length of the street, feeling a bit bored, so he climbed onto someone's yard wall and took out a handful of sunflower seeds, cracking them idly.
He had barely eaten two when his eyes suddenly narrowed.
In the distance, he saw a flicker of firelight approaching the entire town of Weixi at high speed.
Chen Xia leaped off the wall with his lantern in hand and rushed toward the light.
At the town entrance.
The blacksmith who was aiding the bandits hurried out, putting on a fawning smile.
"Boss, over here!"
The leader of the bandits glanced at him with a fierce expression and asked, "Which house do we hit first?"
Bandits always raided one house at a time, binding their occupants and then slowly torturing them for valuables.
The blacksmith grinned, pointing deeper into the town, and said eagerly, "Start with that house at the end of the street. There's only a young girl there. Her father was the captain of the patrol but was drafted into the army, so she must have left some silver behind."
"Heh."The bandit leader grinned. "That girl must be the one you're after, right?"
"Exactly, Boss, you're sharp!"the blacksmith said, sucking up to him with a smile.
The leader rested his hand on the long blade at his waist, smiling cruelly. "I want to see if this girl's looks are worth your obsession. If she's top-tier, I won't mind taking a taste first, alright?"
The blacksmith shivered, eyes constricting. He dared not respond.
"What's wrong?"The leader's eyes narrowed coldly. "Don't want to share? Want her all to yourself?"
"No, no, Boss, you first, of course."The blacksmith nodded quickly.
"That's more like it."The leader nodded and led the bandits, treading lightly as they moved stealthily toward Xu Zhen's house.
Knock, knock.
The bandits didn't climb over the wall, not because they didn't want to, but because the wall had spikes installed by someone unknown.
Naturally, it was Chen Xia's handiwork, meant to keep thieves at bay.
The bandits didn't want to break the door down and alert the town, so they had the blacksmith knock.
Light footsteps could be heard from inside but then quickly ceased, replaced by silence.
Knock, knock.
The blacksmith knocked again.
"Who is it?"A clear, young voice came from within.
The blacksmith's lips curled into a lecherous grin. He suppressed his excitement and replied with a calm tone.
"Little Xu, it's me, the blacksmith from the town entrance. Officer Chen asked me to check on you. He said there might be bandits around, so open up quickly."
Xu Zhen's delicate brows furrowed. Clad in a thin nightgown, she didn't go to the door.
Chen Xia had warned her: never open the door at night, no matter who it was. If she heard someone trying to force their way in, she should cry out loudly and escape through the secret tunnel at the back, which connected to Chen Xia's house.
Chen Xia wouldn't knock but would come straight through the tunnel.
Xu Zhen became immediately alert and moved to escape through the tunnel.
"Xu, Xu, come on, open the door!"the blacksmith called urgently.
But there was no response from inside.
The bandits grew impatient and slashed the lock, kicking the door open.
Xu Zhen, who had retreated further into the house, heard the sound of the door being broken.
"Hah, trying to hide?"The leader sneered, stepping into her room with the blade raised.
"Xu, come out. We won't hurt you,"the blacksmith urged, eyes glinting with greed, fearing the bandits might harm her and ruin his plans.
Xu Zhen anxiously pushed aside a table that blocked the tunnel entrance, looking for the key to unlock it but couldn't find it.
The bandits'footsteps were drawing closer, heavy and ominous, pressing down on her heart, nearly suffocating her.
The more panicked she became, the more disoriented she was, hearing only the frantic pounding of her own heartbeat.
The bandits advanced, their knives scraping the ground, echoing like the growl of a starving wolf poised to devour its prey.
Everything was suffocatingly tense.
Xu Zhen's breath quickened, her mind on the brink of collapse.
She felt as though she was drowning, desperately searching for a lifeline.
"What's all this noise?"
A clear, commanding voice rang out.
Xu Zhen's taut nerves relaxed slightly—she knew her savior had come. But worry soon returned, and she anxiously peered out the window.
The bandits halted, turning their attention toward the source of the voice.
It was a patrol officer holding a lantern.
"Haha!"The leader laughed, pointing at Chen Xia and asking the blacksmith,
"This your only patrol officer?"
The blacksmith nodded quickly. "Yes, that's him, Chen Xia. He's close to Xu Zhen and will surely try to stop us!"
His tone held a trace of envy and resentment.
The leader shook his head in mock pity, saying, "After tonight, there'll be no patrol officers in Weixi Town. Haha."
Chen Xia had already recognized them as bandits, but seeing the blacksmith's betrayal shocked him.
Not to mention, the blacksmith had intentions toward Xu Zhen.
Chen Xia set down the lantern and removed his belt knife.
"Haha, what are you doing? Surrendering? If so, we don't want you,"the leader scoffed, gesturing at his pants mockingly.
"How about you crawl through my legs, kowtow, and call me grandpa? Then I might spare your life."
"Haha!"
The bandits burst into laughter.
Inside, Xu Zhen's heart twisted in fear as she whispered prayers.
"Immortals and Buddhas, please protect Brother Chen, don't let anything happen to him, I beg you."
Chen Xia rolled up his sleeves, stood upright, and pointed at the bandit leader.
His eyes glimmered in the darkness like a beast ready to pounce. He gestured calmly.
"You, come and meet your end."
"Huh?"The leader paused, then drew his blade, his grin ferocious as he taunted.
"You stupid whelp, possessed by a demon, don't know your place, daring to challenge me? Watch as I slice you into two and feed you to the pigs!"
Chen Xia remained silent, walking steadily toward the leader.
The bandit leader sneered, deciding to end this foolish officer swiftly.
"Die!"
He roared, raising his two-handed saber high above, glinting with a chilling, deadly light.
This saber was a bone-cleaving blade meant for cavalry. A single stroke could slice through a horse's four legs, bones included.
Only a warrior of his strength could wield such a weapon.
A mere patrol officer? One cut, and he'd be in two.
The blade whooshed through the air, deadly and sharp.
The bandit leader's muscular figure, paired with the formidable blade, spelled certain doom for Chen Xia.
The bandits were already smirking, anticipating the officer's body cleaved in half.
Xu Zhen shut her eyes tightly, unable to witness it, whispering prayers in her mind.
"Protect him, gods, protect him. Brother Chen will be alright, he will!"
Two seconds of eerie silence followed.
Xu Zhen's eyes fluttered open in surprise.
Chen Xia stood calmly, holding the massive saber with one hand. He twisted it lightly, snapping the blade, and tossed it aside.
He turned to the bandit leader with a mocking smile and asked,
"Is that all you've got?"