Chapter 18

Hua Mao was also a quick-witted person. At this moment, he immediately understood: no matter whether the girl in front of him was human or a ghost, he must not expose her. The horror movies he had seen often went like this: those female ghosts whose true identities were exposed would become furious and reveal their terrifying true faces, with green faces, fangs, and blood-red mouths... If he pretended to be confused, there might still be a glimmer of hope for survival.

Hua Mao secretly glanced at the girl, firmly memorizing her appearance. He forced himself to remain calm and said, "Since there is a high person here, we dare not offend. We will retreat—Fertilizer, Mazi, carry Lei Ge. Let's go."

The two thugs carried the dead Lei Ge, with Hua Mao and Gao Lao covering the rear. They were about to head for the door, but Zhu Youxiang moved even faster. The thugs felt a blur before their eyes, and the girl in ancient attire had already appeared in the hallway, blocking their way. She frowned and looked at them, saying, "Where are you going? When did I agree to let you leave?"

The thug nicknamed Gao Lao cursed, "You bitch, don't be so arrogant. If you anger me, we'll take turns with you..."

"Gao Lao, shut up!" Hua Mao interrupted his companion. He stepped forward, forced a smile, and bowed, "Miss... uh, we didn't know there was a high person here. We were disrespectful just now, and we apologize. But our leader Lei is already dead. According to the rules of the underworld, even if he offended you, since he is dead, the matter is settled. We will leave and won't come back. From now on, we won't bother each other..."

Zhu Youxiang interrupted him. Her voice was clear and crisp, like the sound of glass clinking in sub-zero temperatures: "I am not a person of the underworld. I don't understand your underworld rules. But you trespassed into Mr. Xu's residence and injured the owner. It is impossible to leave without punishment. I am indebted to Mr. Xu and will not stand idly by."

Zhu Youxiang spoke in a refined manner, but the thugs understood the general meaning. Hua Mao frowned and said, "Miss... you killed our leader Lei. If you report to the police, you will still be charged with murder. Even if it is considered excessive self-defense, you will still be sentenced to a few years in prison—okay, even if you don't care about our police, but your friend... Mr. Xu, he should care, right? If we go to jail, Mr. Xu won't be in a good position either. It will be a lose-lose situation. Why bother?"

If you report to the police, you will also go to jail?

Zhu Youxiang frowned slightly, looking at Xu Yan, who was lying on the ground, pale and lifeless, not making a sound.

Zhu Youxiang didn't bother to ask and said, "I don't understand what you are saying. I only know that just now, two of you tried to stab me with knives, with clear intent to kill. Since you dared to draw your weapons in front of me, your fate is already sealed.

You must face the punishment you deserve. Don't harbor any侥幸 (侥幸 means侥幸, but in this context, it means '侥幸' or '侥幸'). It's better to end it quickly."

The thugs didn't quite understand her refined speech. Hua Mao smiled and said, "Miss, are you saying we offended you and need to be punished? Yes, that's right. Who are we to offend a high person like you? Whatever you ask, we will do it!"

"Oh, you are willing to accept punishment?"

Zhu Youxiang said happily, "Since you are willing to accept your fate, I won't be too harsh. My sword, the Spring Cicada, forged by Zhu Zhi, is not suitable for the blood of mortals. The four of you should commit suicide quickly to avoid defiling my sword—after you accept your fate, this matter will be settled, and I won't pursue it further."

As she spoke, Zhu Youxiang's expression and tone were cheerful, as if she was doing them a great favor. She picked up a cow tongue dagger that had fallen to the ground, examined it, and nodded. "This knife is crude, but it will do. Gentlemen, please act quickly, don't delay." She handed the cow tongue dagger to Hua Mao, "Sir, please start."

Hua Mao's smile froze on his face. He took the cow tongue dagger, his mouth twitched, and his face suddenly turned fierce. He growled, "You bitch, you don't know when to quit! Brothers, attack her together, let's finish her off!"

Hua Mao's call made the thugs rush forward, some with daggers, others with machetes, all attacking Zhu Youxiang. Hua Mao, however, took a step back and pulled out a gun from his pocket. The gun gleamed with a blue light, clearly a real one.

Hua Mao had been hesitant to use the gun earlier, fearing that the sound would alert the neighbors. But now, with this strange girl clearly intent on killing them, he had no choice. He fiddled with the gun, opened the safety, and cursed, "You bitch, whether you are human or ghost, I don't believe a gun can't kill you!"

Seeing the thugs pull out guns, Xu Yan became anxious and shouted, "Xuan Yun, danger, run, they have guns..."

Before he finished, Hua Mao's gun was suddenly knocked out of his hand and shattered in mid-air, the pieces scattering. In the flash of lightning and thunder, Xu Yan couldn't even see what Zhu Youxiang did, only hearing a few sounds, and the four thugs simultaneously groaned and collapsed, lying in various positions around the room.

Zhu Youxiang walked over and said gently, "Mr. Xu, there's no need to worry. These thugs have been dealt with. Come, Mr. Xu, let me help you up. How are you feeling, is the wound very painful?" She helped Xu Yan sit on the sofa.

Shocked, Xu Yan had lost the ability to react, allowing Zhu Youxiang to support him like a puppet. He looked at the bodies lying around the room and asked after a while, "What happened to these people?"

Zhu Youxiang, while pouring water from the water dispenser, casually replied, "Mr. Xu, you mean these thugs? Don't worry, they are dead—do you prefer warm or cold water?"

Xu Yan's face twitched. He couldn't understand Zhu Youxiang's mindset: she had just killed five people, and a normal person would be panicking, but she was still concerned about whether he preferred warm or cold water.

In the past, if several people died in his home, Xu Yan, a homebody, would have been terrified. But tonight, perhaps because of his injury and blood loss, his brain was numb and his reactions slow. Or perhaps he was influenced by Zhu Youxiang's calm demeanor, even with the bodies around him, he felt no fear, as if in a dream, lacking a sense of reality.

Xu Yan said tiredly, "I'll have cold water. For some reason, I'm really thirsty."

"Thirst is due to your injury and blood loss," Zhu Youxiang turned back, holding a cup of water, "Here, Mr. Xu, drink some water and take this pill."

Xu Yan took the red pill, about the size of a longan, and asked, "What is this..."

"This is a pill I brought with me, effective for treating external injuries. You don't need to worry, just take it."

After the injury, Xu Yan's mind was muddled and his thinking slow, with no resistance to Zhu Youxiang's words—let alone taking a pill, even if she asked him to eat the broken gun, he would have obediently complied.

He took the pill and drank a cup of water. Strangely, as soon as the pill went down, Xu Yan felt a warm current surge from his stomach, quickly spreading throughout his body, making him feel as if he was soaking in hot water, warm and comfortable.

Xu Yan felt a sudden surge of energy, his whole body refreshed, and the pain in his thigh wound decreased, becoming itchy instead. He groaned and reached out to scratch the wound, but Zhu Youxiang grabbed his hand, "Don't touch it—the wound is healing."

"Oh..." Xu Yan gritted his teeth, trying to endure the itching. He said softly, "This medicine works fast... better than Yunnan Baiyao. It must be expensive, how much does it cost?"

"Hehe, this is a military healing pill, the Golden Wound Pill, which cannot be bought here."

"Military? Which country's military?" As soon as he said it, Xu Yan realized, "The Ming army?"

Zhu Youxiang nodded, not explaining further, just focusing on Xu Yan's wound. Her expression was much more relaxed, "Good, the bleeding has stopped, and the wound is starting to scab. There's no serious injury. Mr. Xu, try walking a few steps?"

Xu Yan got up and walked a few steps. Indeed, except for a slight pain in the wound, he felt no pain. Xu Yan was delighted and exclaimed, "This thing is really amazing—"

Seeing Zhu Youxiang, he realized there was a girl present and quickly apologized. Zhu Youxiang smiled, seemingly ignoring his coarse words, "Since Mr. Xu's injury is much better, the remaining cleanup is up to you. I will go back to my room to rest. Good night, Mr. Xu."

Zhu Youxiang bowed to Xu Yan and walked to her guest room.

"Okay, good night—ah, Xuan Yun, wait!"

Zhu Youxiang stopped, "Mr. Xu, what else?"

Xu Yan stood up, pointing to the bodies on the ground, and said hesitantly, "Xuan Yun, these... things, how am I supposed to deal with them?"

"Mr. Xu, please rest assured. These thugs are all dead, so there's no danger. You can deal with them without worry."

"But that's the problem—they are all dead!"

"Ah? Oh, are you worried about the blood staining the house? Don't worry, I considered that. I used my sword qi to sever their heartbeats and life force, so their skin and flesh are undamaged, and there will be no blood..."

"Ah, so this is the legendary bloodless killing, impressive—ah, that's not what I meant!"

Zhu Youxiang blinked her bright eyes, "What do you mean, Mr. Xu?"

"I mean, I mean—" Xu Yan paced around, finally saying, "What am I supposed to do with these guys?"

Zhu Youxiang looked at him in surprise, "How should I know? Mr. Xu, you can handle it as you see fit. Whether you report to the police or bury them privately, I won't interfere."

Xu Yan almost shouted, "This isn't about whether you interfere or not, it's that I don't know what to do with them!" He was almost in tears, "Several people are dead, and we can't report to the police..."

"Report to the police? Oh, you mean report to the authorities? Mr. Xu, why can't you report to the authorities?"

Zhu Youxiang was puzzled, "These people broke into your home and injured you. According to the Tang Code: 'Those who enter a house at night without cause shall be whipped forty times. If the owner kills them on the spot, there is no penalty.' The Ming Code also has similar provisions. Mr. Xu, you have the right to defend yourself and are not guilty—why can't you report to the authorities?"

Xu Yan was speechless, "Xuan Yun, you are talking about the Ming Code, but we follow criminal law! Our criminal law—well, I'm not a lawyer, but I often see news where homeowners who injure intruders have to go to jail and pay compensation, and people who help elderly women hit by cars have to pay, and victims who kill robbers have to pay and go to jail..."

"Then, according to the local authorities, how should we deal with intruders with malicious intent?"

Xu Yan spread his hands, "If the intruders kill us, it's over. If we kill the intruders, it's excessive self-defense, and we have to go to jail. Unless we can capture them alive and hand them over to the police, but even then, if we injure them during the capture, we have to pay and might still go to jail."

Zhu Youxiang widened her eyes, "That's impossible! Mr. Xu, are you lying to me? This means the authorities are protecting thieves and bandits? I've traveled the world and seen corrupt officials who protect bandits, but I've never heard of such a law! How can there be such a strange law? I don't believe it!"

"Ah, whether you believe it or not, I believe it—no, it's not about whether