Chapter 162 - 111: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey! Fulfilling the Promise!_2

This isn’t conducive to him lying low and developing secretly.

His eyes flickered slightly, a faint trace of killing intent visible.

...

On the main road.

Numerous martial artists of the Black Sand Gang galloped by, kicking up clouds of dust. Han Lu’s face was ashen.

It took considerable effort to regain this profitable position this year, but unexpectedly, the nearby villages seemed to have grown bold, one after another refusing to hand over their yearly supply!

Originally, Han Lu had thought only Gu’s Manor was being reckless, but to his surprise, other villages were acting the same way.

He had visited several places in succession, and apart from the Li family fortress which had long been under the Black Sand Gang’s control and yielded three thousand silver taels, the rest didn’t offer a single coin. Each one was stubborn and defiant.

What he didn’t know was that the nearby villages had already secretly banded together.

"Damn it! Damn it! A bunch of wretched peasants!"

Han Lu couldn’t help but curse angrily.

He pulled the reins on his horse, which let out a pained whinny. The other Black Sand Gang members did the same and turned their gaze toward Han Lu.

One of the gang members couldn’t hold back and muttered:

"Lord Han, these mud-legged fools are so ungrateful. Why not... handle things the same way as before?"

Murderous intent flashed across everyone’s eyes.

In the beginning.

The Black Sand Gang also struggled to collect the yearly supply, but after killing one chicken, the other monkeys naturally fell into line, handing over their dues without protest.

Han Lu let out a cold snort:

"It seems our Black Sand Gang has been too low-profile as of late. Otherwise, what gives these wretched peasants the audacity to disregard us? If we don’t take some action, it looks like this year’s supply won’t be collected at all."

"Then, Lord Han... same as last time with the Li family fortress?"

Excitement flickered in the gang members’ eyes.

Han Lu mulled over it:

"Specific actions will be decided when we return and hear the boss’s instructions. But for now, we’ll start with Gu’s Manor! Those bastards—don’t think I don’t know they’ve allied themselves with Liu Yuanhu. This time, we’ll make them pay in blood, and the other villages will obediently hand over their supplies!"

His gaze darkened as he recalled the humiliation he suffered at Gu’s Manor.

Gu’s Manor held undisputed dominance among the nearby villages. If he could crush their spirit, future collections of the yearly supply would proceed unhindered.

Thinking about the scene of chopping off Gu Jingang’s head, Han Lu involuntarily licked his lips.

"Let’s go! Head back now!"

He couldn’t wait any longer.

The group continued galloping.

But soon.

They were forced to halt abruptly. In the distance, a burly figure stood silently in the middle of the main road, tall and muscular, with a face full of thick scars, carrying a massive axe. He looked every bit the demon.

Han Lu’s expression froze.

He recalled the recently famed macheteman—the Butcher!

A trace of seriousness flickered in Han Lu’s eyes as he slowly said:

"Are you the Butcher?"

The rugged man opposite him smirked, though his scarred face made the smile appear stiff, rendering it even more menacing. His heavy voice echoed:

"I’m surprised that even the Black Sand Gang’s deputy leader has heard of me, a nobody. It’s truly an honor."

Han Lu’s lips curled into a strained smile:

"The Butcher jests. All of Canghe County knows about your infamous feat of slaughtering the Windstorm Three Fiends—you’re legendary. If someone like you is considered a nobody, then Canghe County must have few individuals qualified to be called prominent figures."

Han Lu’s tone was respectful.

Reputation precedes a person, and since killing the Windstorm Three Fiends, everyone speculated that the Butcher possessed the combat power of Blood Refining Realm Great Success. Moreover, he was known for his cruelty and bloodlust. His victims were often split in half—a terrifying reputation indeed.

Even Han Lu remained hesitant.

"May I ask why the Butcher has blocked our path?"

Gu Sheng looked at Han Lu, his demeanor utterly different from his time in Gu’s Manor. Such was the difference brought by power.

He knew Han Lu had to pass through this area after collecting supplies from nearby villages and had been waiting for this moment.

The purpose was simple—to kill them.

Back when Zhang Guangqun schemed against him during a macheteman assignment, Gu Sheng hadn’t forgotten.

By slaughtering the Black Sand Gang under the guise of the Butcher, he could shift the blame onto Liu Yuanhu, escalating the conflict between the two parties. This would serve as revenge for the prior betrayal, while also drawing the Black Sand Gang’s attention away from Gu’s Manor, allowing him to continue developing in peace.

Gu Sheng swept his gaze over them and spoke lightly:

"Here to finish my assignment."

Han Lu’s eyes narrowed, his tone losing its previous politeness.

"To my knowledge, you’re a macheteman who only targets and eliminates heinous criminals. Our Black Sand Gang has always been law-abiding citizens—it seems you’ve come to the wrong place."

"It’s him. Hand him over, and I’ll leave."

Gu Sheng ignored Han Lu, casually pointing at one of the gang members behind him.

The man, a trusted subordinate of Han Lu, instantly turned pale, while Han Lu’s face darkened with fury.

"You dare!"

"Well, it seems I’ll have to handle this personally."

Gu Sheng indifferently cracked his neck, the sound of bones snapping echoing on the main road. It was all just a pretense anyway—no matter what Han Lu decided, the outcome would be the same.

"Prepare yourselves!"

A sense of unease rose in Han Lu’s heart, and he shouted orders.

Gu Sheng let out a sinister laugh. His body suddenly swelled, muscles already massive now bulging explosively. Raising his giant axe, he gazed at the Black Sand Gang members as though they were cattle waiting to be slaughtered.

To Gu Sheng, they were nothing more than beasts for the butchering.

"Attack together!"

Han Lu roared, and his gang members leapt off their horses, unsheathing their weapons and charging at Gu Sheng. Since peaceful resolution was impossible, Han Lu wasn’t one to shrink back.

"Let me, Han Lu, see for myself if the so-called Butcher is truly as terrifying as the rumors say!"