Chapter 7: Anger Rises (Part 2)

"Shut up, Andrew. If you don't want to live, don't drag me down with you. Talk less, do more. If we can't find the thing, we'll both be in deep trouble..." The young man with a scorpion tattoo on his head hissed at his companion in a low voice. As they spoke, the two stopped in front of Old Tom's shop.

Unlike the bustling commercial street, most of the shops in this alley were closed by this time. Only a couple of shops at the street corner still had their lights on, casting a dim shadow over the entire alley.

"So, you were the ones who did this to Old Tom's family?" At some point, Wang Yue had already stood behind the two men, his cold voice like a bucket of cold water on a hot summer day.

"Who?"

Startled by the sudden voice, the two young men turned around as if they had seen a ghost. A family had just been killed here during the day, and even though they were used to breaking the law, the situation made them fear.

Although it was just a few words, Wang Yue could already understand most of what was going on. Without hesitation, as soon as he saw the two men turn around in shock, he stepped forward and punched them hard in the nose. His body wasn't well-trained, but the spots he hit were extremely sensitive. The bridge of the nose, where the brows meet, is one of the most sensitive areas on the human body. A hard punch here would make even the strongest person cry and unable to open their eyes for a while.

Caught off guard, the two men were overwhelmed by the sudden attack. Their eyes and noses streamed with tears, and their heads buzzed. They had no chance to resist and, acting on instinct, they flailed around like dead dogs, rolling on the ground. The street was noisy, and no one would notice even if they screamed.

Wang Yue followed them for a few steps, then took a step and kicked the young man with the scorpion tattoo on the head in the ribs. This area is soft and has no bones to protect it. Just an inch and a half inside is the kidney, a vital organ. The man didn't even have time to groan before his body convulsed and he lost consciousness.

From their conversation, Wang Yue could tell that this man was always alert, even in casual conversation, and would promptly stop his companion from criticizing their boss. Clearly, his respect for their boss was genuine. To get information from such a person would require a lot of effort, so Wang Yue decided to knock one out first to save time.

The remaining young man, with his eyes closed, shouted as he got up from the ground. He quickly drew a foot-long dagger from his waist. Although he didn't know what was happening in the dark, he realized he was under attack. Being a seasoned fighter, his reaction was much quicker than an ordinary person's. After a brief moment of panic, he calmed down, crouched down, and drew his knife, ready to fight.

However, this was of no use to Wang Yue. He moved silently, approached the man, and with his right hand, formed a fist with his thumb on his index finger's nail, the second knuckle of the index finger protruding. He struck the man's stomach with a powerful punch. With a loud crack, the last rib on the left side of the man's body was broken, the bone piercing through the skin, and blood gushed out. The man's body bent in pain, and he was unable to make a sound, only gasping for breath.

"Now, tell me what happened to Old Tom's family. Otherwise, I'll break every bone in your body and cut off your head to place it on Old Tom's family's bed." Wang Yue grabbed the man's clothes, pushed him against the wall, and picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground, pressing it against his neck.

"Don't kill me... I'll tell you everything..."

Pain made his body convulse, his face as pale as paper. Leaning against the wall, he nodded weakly.

Wang Yue snorted coldly and loosened the knife slightly. "Tell me everything you know. If you leave out a single word, you won't live."

Wang Yue's attack was so fast and fierce that the man hadn't even seen his face clearly. His courage was completely drained. Moreover, the instinct to survive made him realize that with his broken ribs and internal bleeding, he wouldn't last long without medical attention. In this situation, he couldn't keep any secrets. Without Wang Yue's further questioning, he spilled everything.

It turned out that these two men were indeed enforcers for the "Wildfire Bar." Three days ago, several antique shops on this street were burglarized, causing panic. The police hadn't figured out what was happening when Old Tom was suddenly found dead at home the next day.

The Wildfire Bar was famous in York County, with over a dozen branches. The owner, a local named Salon Jassb, was said to have a vast business empire, including a covert smuggling ring.

This ring specialized in smuggling antiques, which the York County government had been cracking down on for years.

In recent decades, the world had been relatively peaceful, with few conflicts or wars. Antique collecting was booming. York, a city with a history of six or seven hundred years, had a wealth of medieval artifacts. More importantly, York had once been a major center for the church in the northern part of the country. Although the church's influence later waned, anything related to religion was still considered mysterious and highly sought after by collectors.

Old Tom's antique shop was the oldest on the street. Although it mainly catered to tourists visiting York, it was rumored that the family had moved from the capital, "San Diego de la Mar," and had been in the antique business for generations. It was possible they had some valuable family heirlooms.

After investigating Old Tom's family through various channels, Salon Jassb, of course, wouldn't let such a prize slip away. However, several attempts to negotiate with Old Tom were rejected. Old Tom not only denied having any family heirlooms but also threatened to report Salon Jassb to the police.

Before he could report it, Old Tom was suddenly found dead at home. Upon hearing the news, Salon Jassb led a group of men to Old Tom's shop the previous night. After a failed negotiation, they killed the entire family.

Wang Yue's expression grew colder as he listened.

After the man finished speaking in a broken voice, Wang Yue grabbed him and asked, "Where is Salon Jassb now?"

"He's at the Wildfire Bar, waiting for our news. The incident was too big yesterday, so he only sent us two to find the thing..."

"Remember to repent for your sins when you see Old Tom's daughter." Wang Yue licked his lips and smiled.

"Please, don't kill me. It was all Salon's fault..."

Seeing Wang Yue's smile, the young man instinctively felt a chill and trembled.

"Whether or not someone forced you, you still did it. You must take responsibility for your actions."

Wang Yue watched the man for a moment, confirming that he wasn't lying. Then, he slashed his throat, severing the trachea, and the man died instantly.

"Even though it doesn't seem to be directly related to me, I can't let you off."

The image of the bodies covered in white sheets and the blood-stained underwear in the transparent evidence bag kept flashing in Wang Yue's mind, making him furious. He stabbed the unconscious young man in the ear, the blade piercing the brain.

Wang Yue felt no discomfort at taking two lives. The owner of this body was no longer the weak and introverted youth he once was. The strong personality from the interstellar era had taken over, and killing a few people was no burden to him.

Moreover, in any era, the deaths of people like these would only bring relief.

After standing there for a few more minutes, thinking through the entire situation, Wang Yue was about to leave when he noticed something moving on the two bodies on the ground. In the darkness, a faint, transparent wave slowly gathered above the heads of the bodies, forming a ball that slowly rotated.

"Hmm, what is this?"

Feeling something inside him suddenly stir, Wang Yue's expression changed. He instinctively reached out and lightly touched the nearly transparent, faintly glowing ball. As soon as he made contact, he felt a cool, tingling sensation, as if he had been lightly pricked by something sharp. Then, a cool, water-like energy flowed from the ball through his finger, spreading throughout his body like a small snake.

"Was that the sword just now?"

Wang Yue's spirit suddenly became more excited. The sword had been silent since they had crossed the black hole, experiencing something like a cosmic explosion. He wondered why it had moved just now: "Could it be because of these spherical things?"

He slowly touched the remaining ball, and the cool energy immediately returned, flowing into his body like a stream, invigorating his spirit.

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**End of Chapter 7**