Chapter 17: Harvest
"Only one rebirth..." Fu Entao was devastated. He had been through his second rebirth for many years and accumulated deep experience, yet he was defeated by a youth who had just undergone his first rebirth.
Supporting himself with one hand on a long blade, Fu Entao yanked out the iron spear that had pierced his thigh with his other hand. Blood gushed out, and the already exhausted Fu swayed unsteadily.
Nearby, Shao Chengfeng, who had lost an arm and was pinned to the ground by an iron spear through his abdomen, struggled to pull out the weapon. However, seeing Qin Ming glance at him, he weakly let his remaining arm fall to the ground.
"The entire mountain patrol group... wiped out by a single person," Shao Chengfeng thought. He knew death was inevitable; there was no way the other party would leave anyone alive.
"He's only reborn once—how can he be this strong?" murmured Feng Yian, wiping the blood from his lips.
Qin Ming spoke, "Tell me something interesting."
"In your dreams!" Fu Entao replied defiantly. He understood his fate was sealed; begging or yielding would change nothing.
Feng Yian and Shao Chengfeng remained silent. They were ruthless by nature, but they understood their deaths were certain and saw no point in futile pleas.
"Tell me about the Blood Bamboo Forest," Qin Ming said, stepping toward Shao Chengfeng.
Shao Chengfeng stared blankly at the night sky, reflecting on his past as he resigned himself to his fate.
"Not talking, huh?" Qin Ming said coldly. Without hesitation, he swung his machete. With a wet sound, Shao Chengfeng's head separated from his body, his eyes wide open in death.
Qin Ming had come to eliminate the patrol group and had no interest in torturing them. If they wouldn't talk, he would simply kill them. He wanted to see if the remaining two would soften under such circumstances.
Fu Entao's face twitched slightly, but his eyes grew fiercer. Gripping his long blade tightly, he staggered forward to attack again, undeterred by death.
These two-rebirth warriors, who had survived countless battles in the mountains, were fearless even in the face of death.
Feng Yian, pinned to the ground by an iron spear, could only tremble slightly.
The wind howled, and Fu Entao charged like a human beast, launching a desperate, ferocious attack with his blade. Despite his efforts, Qin Ming, still full of vitality, parried effortlessly.
After another clash, Fu Entao's right arm was severed, his blade falling to the ground. Pale and staggering, he knelt on the snow, gasping for breath, his face a mix of despair and defiance.
"Any last words?" Qin Ming asked.
"Use my blade to grant me a swift death," Fu Entao demanded, sweat pouring from his pale face as he clutched his wound.
"What makes you think I'd honor such a request?" Qin Ming replied, approaching with his machete.
"You mean to humiliate me?" Fu Entao tried to rise.
"You don't deserve it," Qin Ming said, slicing cleanly through his neck.
Feng Yian lay pale and trembling as Qin Ming placed a foot on his head. "Anything you'd like to share?" Qin Ming asked.
Feng Yian clenched his fists, then relaxed, his voice heavy. "Looking for spiritual creatures? I won't tell you."
Qin Ming applied pressure, and a cracking sound emerged from Feng Yian's skull. Without hesitation, Qin Ming decapitated him as well.
He decided to consult Liu Laotou back in the village for information about the Blood Bamboo Forest. Liu was well-versed in the mountain's secrets, including the locations of fiery springs.
The wind swept away the sound of battle. Qin Ming surveyed the lifeless mountain. "I killed so many people... and felt nothing," he muttered.
He reflected that it was because he didn't see these patrolmen as fellow humans but as beasts preying on villagers.
While scavenging the bodies, Qin Ming found some glimmering items—Night Silver coins, rarer and more valuable than copper coins, used for trade in the nearby town. He also discovered a small stash of Day Gold coins, golden and round, symbolizing a full sun, representing humanity's aspirations.
The eleven Day Gold coins were a significant fortune for an ordinary person. Qin Ming, however, wasn't new to such treasures. Before falling ill, he had stumbled upon a stash of Day Gold and a vial of precious mineral essence in a mountain crevice.
With the loot collected, Qin Ming carefully buried valuable items, including a knife manual detailing advanced techniques, to retrieve later. He planned to explore the Blood Bamboo Forest under the guise of a one-rebirth individual, avoiding drawing attention to himself.
As dawn approached, Qin Ming descended the mountain, dragging the bodies into the forest, where wild beasts would ensure no trace remained.
Returning home, Qin Ming cleaned up and brought a slab of donkey meat to share with his neighbors. Laughter filled the room as they enjoyed a hotpot meal.
"Qin, you've built a strong foundation," his injured neighbor Lu Ze commented. "It's time to consider your second rebirth."
"I know," Qin Ming replied with a smile.
After dinner, Qin Ming began planning how to discreetly consult Liu Laotou about the Blood Bamboo Forest.