Outside the sisters' wooden house, four tall and burly men stood, their presence menacing. Their behavior was disgraceful, drawing disgust from those around them. However, in this brutal new world, most people chose to turn a blind eye to trouble that didn't directly involve them.
Only one person dared to speak up—Qin Fen, Jack's neighbor from across the cabin. Hidden inside his wooden house, he let out a loud, scathing rebuke.
"You scumbags! What's the point of bullying two defenseless women? If you have the guts, come at me instead!"
"You bunch of lowlifes, I swear I'll curse you to death!"
"MMP, are you even human?!"
"If I were you, I'd just find a rock, smash my head against it, and end my miserable existence!"
Qin Fen's voice rang out, sharp and unrelenting.
The four men outside naturally heard him and turned their wrath toward him. Their eyes burned with anger as they strode over, kicking at his cabin door.
"You little coward! Hiding inside and running your mouth? Come out here and fight us one-on-one if you dare!"
Qin Fen laughed mockingly. "One-on-one? Are you joking? There are four of you, and you still have the audacity to call for a duel? What a pathetic bunch! Trying to trick me into opening my door? You really think I'm that stupid? You're nothing but a bunch of filthy beasts!"
One of the men sneered, "If you want to play hero, you'd better have the strength to back it up. If not, shut up and mind your own business!"
Qin Fen scoffed. "You're right, I don't have the strength to take you all on. But don't get too cocky—do you know 8848 Boss? He lives nearby. When he gets back and sees what you're up to, he'll chop you to pieces!"
His words were a bluff, a desperate attempt to scare them off.
The four men burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! 8848 Boss? And what, he's supposed to be some kind of legend?"
"You think we're scared of some guy you just made up? Try harder next time, idiot!"
Despite his insults, the sisters inside the wooden house remained silent, clearly afraid.
With the sisters unwilling to respond and Qin Fen refusing to come out, the four men turned their attention elsewhere.
Just then, Jack approached from the distance.
It had taken him over half an hour to return from the plains, and as he neared his cabin, Qin Fen spotted him through a crack in his door. His eyes lit up in recognition.
"Boss, you're back—"
He barely managed to get the words out before realizing his mistake.
Crap!
If he greeted Jack so openly, wouldn't that make the four men target him as well?
The four men turned immediately, their gazes locking onto Jack.
"You know this guy?" one of them asked.
Another sneered, "Kid, come over here and let us teach you a lesson. If you don't, we might just kill you."
Jack blinked.
What the hell is going on?
Before he could respond, Qin Fen's frantic voice rang out again.
"Big brother, run! These guys are scum!"
"They were harassing the two sisters across the street. I couldn't stand it, so I insulted them. Now they're pissed off. Just go back to your cabin before they take it out on you!"
He then turned back to the four men and shouted, "You bastards! If you have a problem, take it up with me! Don't involve innocent bystanders!"
Qin Fen was panicked. He regretted his slip-up.
Jack was just a passerby—he didn't deserve to be dragged into this mess.
But the four men weren't buying it.
"Hahaha! The more you talk, the more we're convinced he's your friend!"
"If you had just kept your mouth shut and minded your own business, none of this would've happened. Too late now!"
"Since you're so mouthy, maybe we'll start by breaking your friend here before dealing with you!"
Their expressions turned vicious as they slowly surrounded Jack.
Jack finally understood the situation.
Most people would back down in a scenario like this. They'd either beg for mercy or retreat to their cabin to avoid conflict.
But Jack wasn't like most people.
He had strength.
A full day of battling goblins, cat demons, and mutant lizards had honed his skills. He had also killed Qiu Kuang's gang earlier. Facing threats head-on was second nature to him now.
So he simply smiled.
He wasn't going to back down.
However, before making his move, he needed confirmation.
"Are you really scumbags? Or was he exaggerating?" Jack asked casually, glancing at the four men.
One of them, a bearded brute, snorted. "Hah! You really are naive. Do you still think laws exist in this world?"
Another grinned. "Before I entered this place, I was a thug at a KTV. I've beaten people half to death, and I've even killed a few. Buried them in cement and dumped them in the sea."
The third man chimed in, "I've never killed anyone before today, but I took care of an idiot this afternoon. It was exhilarating!"
Jack's smile widened.
"Oh? So you're confessing to murder?"
The four men chuckled darkly. "What's wrong? Are you scared now?"
The bearded brute's eyes glinted as he suddenly noticed Jack's equipment.
"You've got some nice gear. Hand it over, and maybe we'll spare your life."
The others immediately followed suit, their gazes turning greedy.
Jack let out a low chuckle.
"You have good taste. Unfortunately…" He drew his Tang Sword, its dark gold blade gleaming under the moonlight. "The only way you'll get to experience it is by being on the receiving end."
Without another word, he lunged.
The four men barely had time to react before Jack's blade slashed through the first one's throat. Blood sprayed as the man collapsed, his eyes wide with shock.
"Shit! He's fast!" one of the remaining three shouted.
Jack didn't give them a chance to recover. He swung again, and a wave of energy shot from his sword, slicing into the second man's chest. The man gasped, clutching at his wound, but Jack followed up with another strike, finishing him instantly.
The remaining two panicked.
"This guy's a monster! Run!"
Too late.
Jack stepped forward, his sword flashing once more. The third man barely had time to scream before his body split apart.
The last survivor dropped to his knees, his face ashen.
"Wait! I—I didn't do anything! It was all them!" he pleaded desperately.
Jack tilted his head. "Didn't you just say you killed someone this afternoon?"
The man stammered, but Jack didn't give him a chance to beg further. With a final, swift stroke, he ended him.
Silence fell.
The bystanders who had been watching from their cabins were stunned.
Even Qin Fen, the usually loud and brash neighbor, was momentarily speechless.
Jack flicked the blood off his sword and sheathed it. He then turned toward the wooden house the sisters had been hiding in.
"You're safe now," he said calmly.
There was a moment of hesitation, then the door slowly creaked open. A pair of cautious eyes peeked out, filled with a mixture of relief and awe.
"T-Thank you…" one of the sisters murmured.
Jack shrugged. "Don't mention it."
Then, without another word, he turned and walked back to his cabin.
Qin Fen finally snapped out of his daze.
"Boss, you're insane!" he shouted. "That was so badass!"
Jack smirked. "Next time, don't talk so much. You almost got me into trouble."
Qin Fen grinned sheepishly. "Heh… noted."
As Jack stepped into his wooden house, he glanced up at the blood-red moon.
The night was far from over.
And in this world, only the strong would survive.
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