Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World-Chapter 58: Two Arrows, Instant Kill

’He always acts so tough, but I never thought he’d be such a worthless paper tiger.’ Watching Jin Yongkang’s cowardly display, Cheng Zongyang’s face was filled with contempt.

It was normal to be afraid, but to be so scared you couldn’t even speak before anything had even happened...

He didn’t linger. After composing himself, he quietly followed.

「About half an hour later.」

Cheng Zongyang saw Jin Yongkang slow his pace, and he slowed down as well.

The County Town was close.

The sky was beginning to lighten. Cheng Zongyang fell in behind some refugees, keeping a moderate distance from Jin Yongkang.

Throughout the journey, Jin Yongkang was as jumpy as a cat, whirling around to look back at the slightest sound and scanning his surroundings. Only after confirming there was no danger did he hasten his steps.

Just as he had predicted, Jin Yongkang’s demeanor changed. When he saw the County Town gate swarmed by countless refugees, the horrified, dumbstruck look on his face was almost pitiable.

’Wasn’t I the same way back then?’

Jin Yongkang didn’t approach but waited at a distance for the city gates to open at dawn.

Time passed quickly, and the sky brightened considerably.

Perhaps it was due to the recent combination of deterrent killings and benevolent acts like handing out congee—a carrot-and-stick approach—that when the gates opened, the refugees no longer tried to storm the County Town.

This allowed both Jin Yongkang and Cheng Zongyang to enter the city smoothly, one after the other.

Unaware that he was being followed, Jin Yongkang practically jogged all the way toward the north side of the city.

Cheng Zongyang didn’t run, merely keeping pace with long strides.

After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they arrived at a place called Yangliu Lane.

After seeing Jin Yongkang knock and enter a rather large residence, Cheng Zongyang casually strolled past, memorizing the address—Lane Four, Number Seventeen.

Having committed it to memory, Cheng Zongyang headed for the West City Gate.

The streets were still filled with people hurrying along. As the number of refugees gathered outside the walls grew, the city’s inhabitants seemed to be wound up tight, their former leisure and slow-paced lives gone.

Cheng Zongyang walked out of the County Town, his expression impassive as he looked at the chaotic throng of refugees outside.

Outside the walls, he saw people lying motionless in corners, groups fighting viciously over unknown objects, individuals sneaking back from the woods clutching something, and others who met to trade items before parting ways.

"BLEGH...!"

Suddenly, a nearby refugee collapsed, vomiting a foul mixture of tree bark and leaves. He lay on the ground, his body twitching unconsciously.

Cheng Zongyang watched from a distance, not breaking stride as he quickly walked away.

On his way back, he hid in a tree that still offered a bit of shade, though its withered leaves had nearly all fallen.

However, contrary to Cheng Zongyang’s expectations, he had thought Jin Yongkang might return later.

But in less than an hour, he saw Jin Yongkang walking on the road with an old man.

The old man had clearly disguised himself, changing into a set of ragged, patched-up linen clothes.

If it weren’t for the already grimy Jin Yongkang at his side, he wouldn’t have guessed the old man was a Li Zheng.

’Damn, he’s clever, knowing that dressing well could get him killed.’ Cheng Zongyang had to give him that.

’But then again, Jin Fugui really seems to care about his brother Jin Fumin to come out in such a hurry. Perfect. I’ll take care of them both at once!’

Cheng Zongyang’s expression was calm, a faint, relaxed smile touching his lips as he watched the two men gradually approach.

This saved him the time he would have spent figuring out how to deal with them.

As long as he eliminated Jin Fugui, Jin Yongsheng, and Jin Yongkang—the three who posed the greatest threat to his family—the rest of the Jin Family were of no concern.

Without climbing down from the tree, he simply shifted into a better position for support, took down his Ironwood Bow, and nocked an Ironwood Arrow.

Compared to Jin Yongkang, Jin Fugui was a much more important target.

As his targets slowly entered his effective range, Cheng Zongyang gradually drew the bowstring.

When they were less than a hundred meters away, an arrow shot out from between the sparse, withered leaves with a sharp SWISH.

THWACK!

In the space of a single breath, the arrow pierced through Jin Fugui’s head, killing him instantly. The force of the impact threw his body to the right.

Jin Yongkang, who was still looking excited just a moment ago, was suddenly knocked into by his grand-uncle.

He quickly caught his grand-uncle’s body and looked to the left, trying to see what had happened.

But before he could register what was wrong with his grand-uncle, a black dot appeared in his vision.

The next second, he felt a heavy impact on his head, and his neck snapped back. A fletched arrow had pierced his skull, followed by a surge of pain.

’This is... an arrow...’

He barely felt the pain before that final thought crossed his mind. Then he collapsed to the ground, his consciousness gone.

Two arrows, two instant kills!

Cheng Zongyang was very pleased with his Archery.

With his Archery at the Specialized Level, his shots were practically guaranteed to hit.

Good arrows couldn’t be wasted, and he didn’t want to leave evidence. So, he put on a mask and approached the bodies on the main road.

There were still refugees on the road, but upon seeing two people suddenly killed by a Bow and Arrow, they had scattered in terror to hide.

Cheng Zongyang walked up to the two bodies, which lay with their eyes wide open. He paid no mind to the nearby refugees, planted a foot on each head, and pulled out his arrows.

The Arrowheads were smeared with red and white matter. Cheng Zongyang frowned, wiped them clean on the corpses’ clothes, and returned them to his Quiver.

He searched Jin Fugui’s body and, sure enough, found a money bag tucked inside his clothes.

He opened it. Thirty taels.

’Fine, I’ll consider this payment for my medical fees.’ Cheng Zongyang snorted, ignored the two corpses, and disappeared back into the forest.

In the eyes of the refugees who had witnessed the event, he was just a robber.

In these times, robbery and murder were commonplace.

Next up was Jin Yongsheng.

Once he was taken care of, the Jin Family would no longer be a threat. Then he could discuss with his family whether to move into the County Town or find a place in the mountains to build a house and hide from the chaos.

But just as he thought of this, he stopped dead in his tracks, turned, and ran back toward the County Town.

’I have to tell Second Uncle about this, just in case something happens to them.’

If he hadn’t just thought of it, he might have forgotten to warn them.

However, just as Cheng Zongyang returned to the main road, he saw several refugees armed with Firewood Knives run up to the bodies of Jin Fugui and Jin Yongkang.

Two of them, who looked like lackeys, immediately started patting down the two corpses.

"Damn it, we’re a step too late! Whose men are so damn fast!" the young man in the lead exclaimed, his face furious.

They had finally spotted two fat sheep, only for someone else to beat them to it!

Cheng Zongyang’s expression remained calm as he walked on at a normal pace. He had naturally overheard the men’s conversation.

’Looks like even with a disguise, Jin Fugui couldn’t fool the refugees’ eyes.’

’Then again, you can disguise your clothes and appearance, but you can’t disguise your build.’

Just as Cheng Zongyang was thinking this, one of the lackeys, also feeling indignant, shouted at him, "What are you looking at? Get lost!"

Cheng Zongyang paid him no mind, quickened his pace, and entered the city again, making his way to the medical hall.

It was open for business today, but there weren’t many patients. His younger cousin, Cheng Zongwen, who was currently preparing medicine, greeted him happily when he saw him arrive.

"Cousin."

"Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Zongwen," Cheng Zongyang greeted them in return.

"Yang’Er, you’re here. Come, sit," said Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family with a smile.

"Yes, Aunt," Cheng Zongyang replied.

Then he looked at his second uncle.

Cheng Guangshan was reading a medical book at the moment, not doing much else.

Cheng Zongyang walked up to him and said, "Second Uncle, there’s something I need to tell you."

He glanced toward the back as he spoke.

Cheng Guangshan understood his meaning and said to his wife:

"I need to discuss something with Yang’Er. I’ll leave things here to you for a moment."

Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family nodded without asking any questions.

They went all the way to the back courtyard. Cheng Zongyang scanned the area and, seeing no one around, said in a low voice:

"Second Uncle, I have to tell you something. There might be trouble in the County Town soon, so your family needs to find a place to lay low."

Cheng Guangshan was taken aback. "What kind of trouble?"

Cheng Zongyang then recounted what he had encountered, as well as the matter of the note, to his second uncle.