Heaven's Silence

Chapter 60 – Amputation of fingers

Seven small-time thugs walked unimpeded through the doorway that lacked a door, stepping over the dead rats with practiced ease.

In Kuhai County, those who idled about shared a common trait: in winter, they dressed thinner than normal people and rolled up their sleeves to appear robust, like seasoned martial artists, exuding a more intimidating presence.

In truth, if one truly reached the Blood Refining Realm, a martial artist's resistance to cold and heat was indeed far superior to that of ordinary people.

Of course, if they had the means, they would still wear thick clothes in winter, as resisting the cold didn't mean they couldn't feel it.

As they entered, they spotted Wen Chaoshen and A Shui. Their brazen gazes roamed over the two, and the tall, thin leader approached Wen Chaoshen, patting his chest with a smirk:

"Are you two here on 'business' as well?"

Though he used polite terms, his tone carried no respect, and a flash of threat flickered in his eyes.

Clearly, he thought Wen Chaoshen and his companion were here to steal their 'job.'

For them, this was not a good thing.

These people idled away their days, unwilling to toil like their parents just to scrape by, yet too disdainful to learn a trade, dreaming instead of becoming figures in the Martial World, with beauties and riches falling into their laps.

The six thugs behind the leader pulled out small knives and clubs, stepping forward to create a menacing atmosphere.

In the county city, there were few restrictions on civilians carrying weapons, though places like inns and restaurants often required weapons to be checked at the door.

Sensing the tension, Cheng Feng hobbled over, trembling, and pointed a kitchen knife at the lead thug, shouting:

"Xu Shaojie!"

"This is our business, it has nothing to do with them!"

Just as his hysterical momentum was building, before Xu Shaojie could respond, Wen Chaoshen spoke up:

"None of your business."

Cheng Feng was taken aback.

Xu Shaojie was also momentarily stunned, then burst into a twitching laugh, stepping up to Wen Chaoshen and poking his chest with a finger, saying:

"No matter who you are, listen up. We've been working this area for two months. If you know what's good for you, get lost!"

"If you don't leave, my brothers here might get upset and take it out on you too!"

"Understand?"

A Shui stood silently to the side. Wen Chaoshen glanced at her, then pointed to Cheng Feng's courtyard gate and asked:

"Did you take down the door?"

Xu Shaojie replied lazily without turning his head:

"Yeah, I took it down."

Wen Chaoshen continued:

"And those dead rats soaked in hot water, you threw those too?"

Xu Shaojie's expression faltered slightly. It had taken him all night to come up with that nasty trick, and he hadn't expected Wen Chaoshen to see through it so easily.

"Wow, I didn't realize you had such sharp..."

Before he could finish, Wen Chaoshen suddenly moved.

The wind hadn't even had time to blow his hair aside as his hand reached behind his waist, pulling out a hatchet and bringing it down in a swift, clean motion.

The movement was so fluid that even A Shui cast a surprised glance.

Xu Shaojie's body reacted instinctively. He had been a thug for some time, fighting since he was young, with reflexes and skills better than most. But against Wen Chaoshen, his reactions were useless.

The hatchet that should have struck his finger did just that.

At first, there was a cold sensation, the chill seeping between his fingers, followed by pain that spread from his finger throughout his body, reaching his very core.

Xu Shaojie watched as the finger he had used to poke Wen Chaoshen's chest flew off, blood gushing out. He immediately clutched his right hand, crouching down with a scream.

Both the thugs behind him and Cheng Feng were stunned by the scene!

They often fought, but strictly speaking, they weren't true martial artists. They didn't casually draw blades and sever fingers or toes.

Usually, they relied on sticks and the handles of small knives. After all, if they caused a death, their meager assets couldn't withstand the extortion of the constables in jail. A few dozen strokes later, ending up with lifelong disabilities would be a blessing.

Xu Shaojie's screams echoed through Cheng Feng's courtyard. Bend Water Alley had few residents, and during the day, they were out farming, so no one heard. But the shrill cries made the thugs' hearts pound with fear. Wen Chaoshen, hatchet in hand, stepped toward them, and they retreated with each step he took.

Until he stood beside Xu Shaojie, grabbing his hair with his left hand, and said:

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread.com".

"What did you say earlier?"

"Told me... to get lost?"

Xu Shaojie saw the blood-stained hatchet at his throat, his fierce demeanor vanished, and the malice in his eyes was hidden as he pleaded:

"I, I didn't recognize Mount Tai, please let me go, let me go!"

"I swear, I'll never come back!"

Wen Chaoshen asked:

"Really never coming back?"

Xu Shaojie gritted his teeth, resolute:

"Really never!"

"Hiss..."

Wen Chaoshen looked up at the other thugs and asked:

"And you?"

The thugs glanced at Xu Shaojie and his bleeding fingers, fear flickering in their eyes. Five hesitated but eventually stammered that they wouldn't return. One thug, however, seemed defiant, stepping back a few paces before gritting his teeth and shouting at Wen Chaoshen:

"Don't think you can act all high and mighty just because you have some skills. I'm telling you, we have Seventh Master backing us!"

"If you mess with us, you're crossing Seventh Master!"

Wen Chaoshen was not unfamiliar with the name Seventh Master. Back at the abandoned temple outside the county, the wine and horse meat A Shui had offered him were all 'generously donated' by Seventh Master.

He glanced at the thug, then looked down, tightening his grip on Xu Shaojie's hair, forcing him to look at the thugs, and whispered in his ear:

"Remember their faces well."

"Your second finger is because of the one who spoke."

"He threatened me, but I can't catch him. You brought him here, so you'll take the fall for him."

Xu Shaojie realized the situation was dire and shouted in terror:

"Wait..."

But it was too late.

Wen Chaoshen flipped his hatchet, using the back to strike Xu Shaojie's finger with force and precision. The blow was strong enough that the sound of bone cracking could be faintly heard amidst the impact.

"Ahhh..."

Xu Shaojie howled in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face.