Ruffian 020

"Ma Bonian! And to think I treated you like my own uncle! How could you scheme against me like this! You imperial lapdog! You scum!" Jiang Gucheng cursed profusely.

Outside, Ma Bonian's face flushed with embarrassment. "Bullshit! You think you are justified after killing so many people? I told your father long ago that you were sick and he shouldn't let you out. But you came out and harmed so many people! And you think you're in the right? I fed you out of respect for my friendship with your father, but I reported you to the authorities because I am not a fool!"

The leading Zhetian Guard bowed to Ma Bonian, and Ma Bonian hastily returned the gesture.

"Anyone who spots a fugitive can report them to the authorities. This is the law of the imperial court! Jiang Gucheng, surrender!"

To everyone's surprise, Jiang Gucheng actually managed to escape once again.

When they broke down the door, only Xiao Yidan's corpse remained in the room, his eyes still wide open in death.

Jiang Gucheng began his journey through the martial world, but he no longer trusted anyone. This world had changed; everyone wanted to kill him for fame and fortune! While on the run, a family took the two of them in. However, in the middle of the night, Jiang Gucheng's old illness relapsed, and he ended up slaughtering the family of seven. When he woke up, to cover up his crime, he set the house on fire and continued to flee with Meng Xiaodie.

"The male lead still has some luck," Fang Zhiyi tapped on the table. "The Zhetian Guards' intelligence network is so vast, yet he manages to escape time and time again."

Little Hei nodded. "Don't you think you're acting just like the big villain in those martial arts movies right now? The imperial lapdog kind? Relentlessly chasing the protagonist."

Fang Zhiyi laughed. "Now that you mention it, it's true. But if you think about it... it's not like I've done anything wrong, right? Isn't catching rebels and murderers the right and natural thing to do?"

Little Hei said again, "The male lead has started his adventure."

"How so?"

"Usually, when a male lead falls into a desperate situation, he meets like-minded teammates. This Jiang Gucheng is no exception."

Jiang Gucheng, still on the run, fell off a cliff and obtained a secret manual. When he climbed back up and went looking for Meng Xiaodie, he unexpectedly met several wandering martial artists. They all shared a common goal: to rebel against the imperial court's rule.

Jiang Gucheng attacked a few sects and obtained information about the mastermind behind the scenes.

"Fang Zhiyi!" He didn't know this person, but this man had plotted against him multiple times just to get promoted and get rich, even forcing the Jiang family into ruin!

He raised the banner to assassinate Fang Zhiyi, calling on like-minded people across the world to join the cause.

However, just as they were plotting the assassination in a suburban inn, the person guarding the door was shot dead by a flurry of arrows.

Jiang Gucheng led his people out of the inn, only to be greeted by a dense crowd of Zhetian Guards.

Fang Zhiyi looked like a true arch-villain at this moment, sitting in a chair at the very front, his face full of contempt.

"What a pity. Villains with this kind of setup are usually eunuchs," Little Hei said with some regret.

Fang Zhiyi glared at him.

"Fang Zhiyi! You are Fang Zhiyi! When have I, Jiang Gucheng, ever offended you?" Seeing this enemy, Jiang Gucheng could no longer suppress the raging fire in his heart.

"You haven't offended me, but the people you killed are demanding an explanation from me all day long." Fang Zhiyi chuckled.

"Corrupt official!" Meng Xiaodie scolded.

Fang Zhiyi waved his hand. "Fire the arrows."

Another few volleys of arrows rained down.

The righteous heroes gathered here fell to the ground screaming, unable to get up. Jiang Gucheng's eyes widened until they nearly tore: "Give me your life!"

Using the cover of a few others, he forcefully broke out of the area covered by the arrow rain. With agile movements, he lunged straight for Fang Zhiyi's face. However, what greeted him was a large net. Jiang Gucheng forcefully twisted his body away, but he was still caught in the net.

"Are you crazy? What kind of villain fights you himself for no reason," Fang Zhiyi muttered. "Get him!"

The Zhetian Guards behind him, having put away their crossbows, swarmed forward.

But they coordinated with each other. Some held long pitchforks, some held chains, and others raised shields. Unlike martial world brawls, they had learned battlefield encirclement tactics.

Just as Jiang Gucheng, who had broken free from the net, was about to move, two chains wrapped around his feet. Seeing the approaching Zhetian Guards, he swung his sword to slash, but shields immediately appeared beside them, forcefully blocking his strike.

At the same time, two steel forks thrust toward him. Jiang Gucheng twisted his body to dodge. The steel forks missed but immediately pressed downward. Filled with anger, Jiang Gucheng miraculously broke free from the iron chains on his feet and rolled out of the encirclement.

"Oh, a master. This is indeed a master," Fang Zhiyi mumbled, taking a bite out of a wild fruit in his hand.

Just as Jiang Gucheng was about to launch another attack, another squad of people surrounded him. The same method, the same coordination, annoyed him to no end.

At this time in the inn, almost everyone was either dead or pinned down. Even Meng Xiaodie's sword had been knocked to the ground. She didn't have Jiang Gucheng's skills and was forcefully pinned in place by two steel forks. Then, two Zhetian Guards threw the chains in their hands and directly tied her up.

Seeing this, Fang Zhiyi clapped his hands. An exhausted and panting Jiang Gucheng glared at him. "Despicable coward!!! Corrupt official!"

Fang Zhiyi was amused. "You haven't even seen the more despicable stuff yet!"

"Jiang Gucheng, either surrender, or I'll slaughter her."

Jiang Gucheng stared blankly at Meng Xiaodie. Meng Xiaodie bit her lip. "Gucheng! Run! Avenge me!!!"

"Jiang Gucheng, your sister is dead, your friends are dead, and your father is about to die too. Are you still going to run?" Fang Zhiyi's words were full of disdain. "Are you even worthy of being called a great hero? Are you?"

"Ah!!!" Provoked, Jiang Gucheng recklessly charged toward Meng Xiaodie, and then... was pinned down by over a dozen steel forks.

"Done. Let's wrap it up," Fang Zhiyi stood up.

If it weren't for catching all the stragglers in one fell swoop, Jiang Gucheng wouldn't have lived this long. A master? In the face of sheer numbers, being a master meant absolutely nothing!

Jiang Gucheng was escorted before Qijue. Qijue, an upright old martial hero, tallied up the crimes he had committed one by one. By the end of his reading, he was trembling with anger. "They kindly took you in, and you actually slaughtered their entire family?"

To ensure fairness and justice, the Jiang family's case was tried publicly. The area was surrounded by martial artists and commoners watching. At this moment, every one of them had a face full of anger. Jiang Gucheng never imagined that his arrogant self would one day be pelted with vegetable leaves by the commoners he looked down upon.

He cursed angrily, but Qijue's verdict made his heart turn cold.

"Because commoners are involved, his martial arts will be crippled, and he will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice for sentencing!"

"No, you can't cripple my martial arts! You can't!"

Although he struggled, it was to no avail. The sect leaders of several sects stepped forward, exchanged a glance, and in unison struck fiercely at his meridians. Jiang Gucheng threw his head back and screamed wildly before someone gagged his mouth.