Warm blood and brain matter splattered across Chen Tianfang's face, leaving him in stunned silence, watching helplessly as his son and nephew fell before him.
"Xu Que! Xu Que! I will kill you!!" he roared, his voice thick with despair and rage. Xu Que merely smiled, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes—this was the exact reaction he had intended.
"Good, very good!" he murmured, savoring Chen Tianfang's fury. Without hesitation, Chen grabbed a D-grade broadsword, hacking furiously at Xu Que, oblivious to his own weakness. With each strike, his blade was inexplicably deflected by an invisible force.
Xu Que, hands spread open, regarded him with mocking pity. "How pitiful—white-haired father, mourning black-haired sons!"
"You bastard, Xu Que!" Chen cried, desperate. "Give me back my son's life!"
"Give him back?" Xu Que's tone turned icy. "Wouldn't it be better if you joined him?"
Though he spoke softly, there was a glacial chill in his voice. "Don't worry; I won't kill you… yet. I'll let you live just long enough to witness how I crush every last ounce of your so-called 'power'!"
As his words faded, Xu Que struck, a brutal kick that sent Chen Tianfang crashing through the floor-to-ceiling window, landing crumpled outside the villa.
Chen struggled to rise, his body bent in agony, when a group of men rushed toward the scene, only to freeze in horror at the carnage before them. Xu Que, standing on his black sword, descended slowly, coming to rest in front of Chen Tianfang.
"Stop right there!" shouted a man in a special department uniform. "Xu Que, you're a powerful figure—must you resort to such senseless killing?"
"Oh?" Xu Que sneered. "Senseless? You call *them* innocents?" His voice was drenched in contempt. "Have you checked their histories? Do you know how much innocent blood stains their hands?"
He advanced, his tone growing more scornful. "Are you even aware of the networks they've built? Do you know the atrocities the Chen family has committed in the northeast? Are you even a Z-nation citizen?"
Xu Que's barrage of scathing questions left the leader speechless with anger, unable to retort as he had come here to protect Chen Tianfang.
"Xu Que, there were other ways to handle this. Did you have to leave such devastation?" he argued, his voice wavering. "Look at the men you've killed. They could have been a force against Tianyuan, but now… What you've done—doesn't your conscience ache?"
Xu Que chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. He raised a mocking thumb. "Ah, I see. You officials certainly have a way with words—turning death into virtue and painting those of us who fight bloody battles as the unreasonable ones. Do you even hear how disgracefully shameless your moral high ground sounds?"
He continued, undeterred. "This 'noble' family is just a pack of criminals with a big name. I reported their wrongdoings, but what did you do? You made it disappear. You brushed it all under the rug. Do you take me for a fool?"
Xu Que pointed directly at him. "Without me, you'd be dead! And you, Ma Tang—D-grade, three-star, and zero honor—tell me, what exactly have you done for humanity?"
His words pierced Ma Tang, striking at his very core. Xu Que continued, merciless. "I've provided half the resources Z-nation relies on; I've nurtured and fed you. Yet, instead of gratitude, you turn on me. You eat from my hand and then spit on me!"
"Chen Tianfang could have been dealt with. The innocent would still be alive, safe, had you just taken action. So tell me, wouldn't it have been better to face death with dignity?"
Ma Tang, defeated, lowered his head, unsure how to respond. All their cultivation resources had indeed come from Xu Que, and they had offered nothing in return.
Xu Que gestured to the bodies strewn across the ground. "See these 'innocents,' Ma Tang? What hypocrites you all are."
Chen Yu, beside herself, shrieked, "Traitor! Xu Que, you should be the one to die!"
Xu Que sighed. "Ah, you sheltered flowers, cocooned in privilege. Chen Yu, is it? A Chen family member, I assume?"
"Yes! And I'll kill you!" she snarled.
Ignoring her, Xu Que turned back to Ma Tang. "Well then, may I leave Z-nation now?"
"...No," Ma Tang stammered, raising a placating hand. "Z-nation still needs you."
Xu Que smirked. "Not as naive as you look. If you'd said yes, you'd be branded a traitor."
Kicking Chen Tianfang again, Xu Que glanced at Chen Yu. "Did you hear that? You don't know your own family's crimes, and you believe what you see is truth?"
Chen Yu looked desperately at Ma Tang. "You… you promised me!"
Ma Tang let her tug at his collar, shame washing over him, knowing they owed everything to Xu Que.
Xu Que's voice turned cold. "This type of woman—drag her down with you, Ma Tang, or I'll do it myself."
Chen Yu froze, horror-stricken. She turned, a plea in her eyes, but Ma Tang's face was stone. "A thousand pardons, Xu Que. I'll have the old man Chen delivered to you shortly."
"No, Ma Tang! You swore!" Chen Yu began, only for a black sword to pierce her throat, her blood spilling as her final words died in her mouth.
"Sister!" Chen Tianfang wailed, voice cracking with grief and rage. "Xu Que, you demon—you will die a wretched death!"
Xu Que chuckled softly, his tone almost gentle. "Thank you for the curse. Indeed, I once died miserably, yet here I am. It seems even Heaven isn't ready to collect me."
Ma Tang and his team watched, stunned, unable to comprehend the man before them. Was this curse truly a blessing? They had no idea Xu Que was, in fact, speaking a truth only he knew.