"
Get back!"
The voice was weak, trembling with fear. Jax froze, his sharp eyes narrowing on the source.
A woman stepped out from behind a wooden cart, her hands clutching a makeshift spear that shook as much as her slender arms. Her frame was slight but graceful, wrapped in a tattered yet form-fitting robe that clung to her curves, hinting at strength beneath her fragility.
Her face, though streaked with dirt, held a haunting beauty—high cheekbones, soft lips, and piercing blue eyes that burned with a desperate mix of fear and defiance. Strands of disheveled auburn hair spilled across her face and shoulders, glinting faintly in the light. The torn edges of her robe revealed smooth, pale skin at her collarbone and legs, the fabric barely covering what little modesty she had left.
Jax raised his hands slowly, palms open, his voice steady and calm. "Easy. I'm not here to cause trouble."
Her blue eyes darted over him, lingering on his broad shoulders and strange attire. Despite the makeshift spear trembling in her grip, she straightened slightly, her gaze sharpening as if daring him to make a move.
"A spear?" Jax asked, confusion flickering across his face before it gave way to dry amusement. His eyes drifted to the trembling weapon in her hands. "If that's all you've got, you'd be dead more times than I've got bullets."
Jax kept his hands raised, palms out, his movements slow and deliberate. The woman's knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip on the spear. Her gaze flickered between his face and the slight bulge in his coat where his pistols were hidden.
"I'm not your enemy," Jax said again, his voice calm but firm, as though addressing a skittish animal.
The woman's grip tightened on the spear, her knuckles turning white. "Then why are you here?" she demanded, her voice still trembling, though a spark of defiance burned behind her fear.
Jax tilted his head slightly, studying her. Her stance was defensive, but her eyes betrayed a deeper story—she wasn't just scared for herself.
"I could ask you the same thing," Jax replied, keeping his tone even. "I don't know where I am, and I sure as hell don't mean you any harm, you damned woman."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her resolve wavering. She glanced back toward the village, as if expecting reinforcements—or something worse. Jax caught the subtle movement, his eyes narrowing.
"What are you afraid of?" he asked.
The question seemed to hit a nerve. Her spear wavered, the sharp tip lowering slightly, though she still held it between them. "You don't belong here," she said, ignoring his question.
Jax smirked faintly, lowering his hands but keeping them visible. "You're not wrong. Trouble tends to follow me."
She flinched, and Jax knew he'd struck a chord. Her gaze darted past him toward the forest he'd emerged from.
"They're here again," she said suddenly, her voice low and urgent. "If you want to live, run now."
"
They?" Jax's brow furrowed.
The woman didn't answer immediately. Her hands trembled on the shaft of her spear, but her eyes scanned the tree line, every muscle in her body taut like a bowstring about to snap.
"The sect's disciples," she whispered, more to herself than to Jax. Her grip tightened again. "Outer Disciples from the Thousand Blades Sect. They come to take what they want—money…" She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. "People."
Jax glanced toward the forest where her gaze lingered. He saw nothing but dense shadows and the occasional flicker of movement, but her fear was palpable.
"Outer Disciples?" he repeated, testing the unfamiliar term.
"Qi practitioners," she explained, her tone rushed and urgent. "Beginners who have only recently started cultivating Qi, but strong enough to destroy everything here. They extort us, take our young men and women for cultivation, and kill anyone who resists. If they see you…" She trailed off, her expression grim.
Jax tilted his head, processing her words. He didn't understand the full scope of what she was saying, but he knew enough.
"Run," she urged again, her voice rising. "You don't know what they're capable of."
Jax shook his head, a slow, deliberate motion. "Lady, I've dealt with my share of people like this. Run? Who's running? Never."
Her frustration flared, overriding her fear for a moment. "You don't get it! You don't even look like you have Qi—you don't stand a chance!"
Jax's smirk returned, colder this time. "Maybe not. But I've got these." He opened his coat just enough for her to glimpse the polished handles of Whisper and Bang.
Her eyes widened slightly, but before she could respond, a loud, mocking voice echoed from the tree line.
"
Kyra!"
The woman froze, her face paling. Jax followed her gaze as a group of men emerged from the shadows, their robes fluttering in the faint breeze. There were four of them, each armed with a sword at their hip. Their expressions ranged from smug amusement to cold indifference, but all carried an air of superiority.
The leader, a wiry man with sharp features and a faint scar running down his cheek, strode to the front. His robe bore the silver insignia of two crossed blades, and his hand rested casually on the hilt of his sword.
"Well, look at this," the leader Gong drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. "Kyra, still trying to play protector, are you? How noble." His gaze shifted to Jax, and his smirk widened. "And who's this? A new recruit for the slaughter?"
Kyra stepped forward, her spear raised defensively. "Leave him alone, Gong. He's not part of this."
Gong chuckled, a low, sinister sound. "Oh, Kyra. Everything in this village is part of our business. The Thousand Blades Sect owns this land, these people, and everything they can offer." His eyes narrowed. "Including him."
Jax stepped forward, his movements calm and deliberate, drawing Gong's attention. "That's a lot of big talk for someone hiding behind a group of flunkies."
The disciples bristled at the insult, but Gong raised a hand to silence them. His smirk never wavered. "You've got a sharp tongue, outsider. I wonder if it'll still wag when you're on your knees."
Jax's smile turned dangerous. "You're welcome to try."
Gong's smirk faded, replaced by a cold, calculating stare. "You don't know who you're dealing with."
"And you don't know what you're walking into," Jax shot back, his hand inching toward Whisper.
One of the disciples stepped forward, his blade drawn. "Gong, let me handle this trash—"
Bang.
The gunshot cracked like thunder, the sound reverberating through the clearing. The disciple staggered, his sword falling from his hand as he crumpled to the ground, dead without even knowing how .
"What the hell was that?!" another disciple shouted, his own sword drawn in an instant.
Gong's expression darkened, his Qi flaring faintly around him in a shimmering silver aura. "Enough! Surround him!"
The remaining disciples moved, their blades glowing faintly as they activated their Qi techniques. Kyra stepped back, her spear still raised, her face a mix of fear and awe as she stared at Jax.
Jax stayed where he was, Whisper raised and ready, his finger steady on the trigger. "Last chance to back off," he said, his voice low and cold.
Gong sneered. "You think that little toy can save you? Kill him!"
The second and third disciples hesitated, their confidence shaken.
"Your move," Jax said, his smirk returning.
Jax smirked as the second disciple charged, his blade glowing faintly with a silver aura. The disciple moved fast—faster than an untrained fighter—but it wasn't fast enough.
The glowing sword sliced through the air in a wide arc, aimed at Jax's chest. Jax sidestepped smoothly, the blade passing close enough to feel the hum of energy buzzing faintly against his skin. The disciple stumbled, his momentum throwing him off balance, and Jax seized the opportunity.
He twisted his body, bringing his elbow down on the disciple's wrist with brutal precision. The man yelped, his fingers spasming as the sword clattered to the ground.
Without hesitation, Jax grabbed the disciple by the back of his robes and hurled him forward, sending him crashing into a nearby cart. The wood splintered under the impact, and the disciple groaned, dazed but alive.
"That's one," Jax muttered, turning his cold gaze to the remaining three.
Gong's expression twisted in anger, his Qi-infused blade glowing brighter as he took a step forward. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!"
The two remaining disciples hesitated for a moment before charging together. Their blades shimmered with faint Qi energy, the glow flickering as their limited reserves struggled to keep up.
Jax's eyes narrowed. They were faster than average men, but their attacks were predictable—telegraphed by the overly wide arcs of their swings. He moved between them like water, letting their strikes pass harmlessly to either side.
One disciple lunged, his blade coming dangerously close to Jax's ribs. Jax shifted his weight, twisting just enough to avoid the strike, then lashed out with a vicious kick to the man's knee. The joint buckled with a sickening crack, and the disciple collapsed, screaming in pain as he clutched his ruined leg.
"Don't rely on tricks you can't control," Jax muttered, his voice sharp and cold.
The last disciple faltered, his confidence clearly shaken, but he pressed forward anyway. He swung his glowing blade in a desperate overhead strike, pouring the last of his Qi into the attack.
Jax raised Whisper, aiming carefully. His finger hovered on the trigger, but at the last second, he stepped forward, catching the disciple's wrist with his free hand. With a swift, brutal motion, he twisted the arm, forcing the blade to clatter to the ground.
Jax's knee came up hard, driving into the man's stomach with enough force to knock the wind out of him. The disciple wheezed, doubling over, and Jax followed up with a quick strike to the back of his head, sending him crumpling to the dirt.
Jax stepped back, breathing steadily, his grip on Whisper still firm.
"Three down," he said calmly, his eyes locking onto Gong. "You're up."
Gong's face was a mask of fury now, his Qi aura flaring brighter as he raised his blade. "You think you've won, outsider? You don't know what you're dealing with!"
He charged, his movements faster and more precise than the others. His Qi-infused blade left faint trails of silver light in the air as he slashed at Jax, his strikes coming in rapid succession.
Jax weaved between the attacks, his sharp eyes tracking every movement. Gong was faster than the others, but his physical reinforcement wasn't enough to match the speed of bullets—or Jax's reflexes.
Gong roared, bringing his blade down in a powerful diagonal slash. Jax sidestepped, raising Bang in his left hand. The barrel pressed against Gong's ribs, and Jax didn't hesitate.
Bang.
The gunshot echoed across the clearing, and Gong staggered back, blood seeping through his robes. His Qi aura flickered, faltering as he dropped to one knee, his blade shaking in his grip.
Jax stepped closer, his expression ice-cold as he aimed Whisper at Gong's head. "Still think you've got me figured out?"
Gong coughed, his glare filled with hatred. "You think killing me will save you? The Thousand Blades Sect will—"
Bang.
Jax didn't let him finish. The shot was clean, precise, and final. Gong's body slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Kyra stared at Jax, her spear hanging limply at her side, her expression a mixture of shock and awe.
"You… you just killed them all," she whispered.
Jax holstered Whisper and Bang, his movements deliberate and steady. "They had it coming."
He glanced down at the bodies, then back at Kyra. "I've got fourteen shots left," he said matter-of-fact. "So if there's more of them coming, you'd better tell me now."
Kyra swallowed hard, her gaze darting toward the village. "There's always more. The sect won't let this go unanswered."
Jax smirked faintly. "Good. Let them come."
End of Chapter 2