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"How could Zhu Qian have died at the hands of her companions?" The three disciples were still puzzled. The leader sneered. After a sneer full of contempt, he explained, "We had to exploit their weaknesses—"Everyone has weaknesses. Groups, especially. When an individual is in a group, they can be strong, or they can be weak in a regressive way. And groups are even more so; when united, they are as powerful as addition, but when scattered, they are as weak as regression.

That's it.

"This is especially true for modern people. This is especially true for Chinese people. When people are overly clever, cleverness replaces belief, strength, and wisdom. The brain and the mind are two completely different things. When one develops, the other will inevitably degenerate."

"And this group of people has undoubtedly evolved their minds; what has degenerated is their hearts."

Then they waited.

We waited for the first person.

The leader suddenly stiffened. (It's him! He's the one with the least "human touch"!) He has to die too! (But how can we get him dead?) *** *** *** Of course, no one would obey Adin's order to "get out."

The leader politely pointed to those around him and behind him, "These are my three brothers: Little Shovel, Little Knife, and Er Gou. And these three beautiful ladies, you should know them, right? I'm their leader. —And you? What's your name? May I ask?"

"Ding Dada." Faced with such a polite enemy, Ding Dada could only suppress his anger. "I'm asking you, who hurt her?!"

The eldest brother glanced at Tong Rong lying across A Ding's arm and frowned slightly. "Mr. Ding, perhaps you have a strong sense of justice and courage, and a passionate heart. You are a man of principle, and you have even practiced martial arts. But as far as I think, you probably don't know how to kill."

The sound of a group of people's footsteps came hurriedly, chaotic and disorderly.

The leader raised his voice, "The short sword was thrust diagonally upwards. It's obvious that someone suddenly rushed up from the ground and stabbed her when she stood up or bent over slightly. But it wasn't a vital spot. Her unconsciousness was mainly due to her weak constitution and excessive blood loss."

A group of people rushed over, but their pace slowed as they got closer, and their footsteps revealed a clear sense of fear.

"If you wish, I can have my men demonstrate a killing technique," the leader said calmly, surveying the group that had rushed over. "Behind you are more than ten of your companions, while behind me are only three disciples. You can choose six of your strongest men, and then I will show you how they are killed with a single blow!"

His expression suddenly turned cold. "Of course—you will pay the price for what you just said!"

A Ding sneered, "A price? — There will be a price! But not for me. It's for you!" His arms still held the unconscious Tong Rong like rocks, and a chilling murderous aura suddenly emanated from his ugly face. His eyes, like dark gun barrels, stared at the four men opposite him.

—They are devoid of "vitality," the kind of people who dare to kill and are skilled at killing.

The leader stood with his hands behind his back, exuding no murderous aura, yet something more terrifying than murderous intent lurked within him.

The small shovel, which had been tucked in its hand, was slowly released, revealing a short shovel with a sharp edge and a hyperbolic shape. His grip on the shovel was remarkably steady. He adopted a defensive stance, but his movements were precise, allowing him to launch an attack from any angle.

Xiao Dao raised his left hand, which resembled a scabbard, while his right hand gripped a narrow, gleaming short knife. His posture was reminiscent of the fighting style of the U.S. Navy's Road Fighter Corps.

—Ergou held the steel rod with both hands, which was over a foot long, and raised it at eyebrow level, a technique of the Japanese swordsman "Blue-Eye Ittō-ryū".

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [41]: His heart suddenly sank.

—No need to look anymore.

There's no need to look at it again.

Those moves could indeed kill in one strike, comparable to the killing methods of any professional assassin or super spy. As for the leader, he was even more mysterious and unpredictable. Although he stood with his hands behind his back, the subtle angles of his legs and feet allowed him to fly with both feet at any moment, and with speed exceeding lightning.

His heart was still sinking.

He never imagined that he would encounter such skilled martial artists in this environment. As for himself—before he was willing to break through the final barrier, he could at best be described as someone who knew martial arts. He could barely handle people like Chen Xing and Du Liu, but compared to them, he was clearly no match for them.

Given their skill level, they certainly wouldn't have missed hitting Tong Rong's vitals. But if Tong Rong wasn't harmed by them, then who was it? Could it be Zhu Qian? (No! It can't be her! It couldn't be her!) But then who could it be?

Six people!

—What about the other two?

"Six people!" Adin suddenly asked, "There are six of you! (Is this a pun on 'six people'?)"

*** *** ***

Even if it's slow, it's still walking. Under the green light, the faces of that group of people were already discernible.

The eldest brother waved.

Put away the shovel, put away the knife, and put away the chisel.

The leader ignored Ah Ding and calmly looked at the group of five men and eight women who had arrived later, asking slowly, "Who killed Little Fatty? Step forward. Otherwise, the men will be executed by slow slicing, and the women will all be gang-raped before being killed."

His voice was very pleasant. It was as pleasant as if he were discussing with someone whether to pick up a leaf on the ground, kick it aside, or simply ignore it—pleasant, casual, and nonchalant.

Yet no one dared to doubt his words.

People stopped in their tracks in fear and all looked toward Zhu Qian, who was walking at the back.

No one spoke. But this unspoken confession was far more terrifying than a public accusation.

The eldest brother nodded slowly. "Very good. Women are just as capable as men." He murmured, then suddenly glared at her, "Your name is Zhu Qian? — Come here!"

The two beams of menacing light were even more terrifying than the ghastly green hue of the fluorescent disk. Zhu Qian stared at those glaring eyes, and her legs suddenly trembled. With a thud, she knelt down, limp and powerless. The fluorescent disk in her hand fell uncontrollably to the ground. The green light vanished abruptly.

Those around Zhu Qian unconsciously moved together, making way for the limp Zhu Qian.

No one noticed when the light appeared in her hand.

"No... I didn't kill him..." Zhu Qian cried out pitifully, her beautiful face streaked with tears.

Chen Xing bent down and picked up the fluorescent disc that had fallen to the ground. The green light shone brighter—the green light emanating from that paper-thin, disc-shaped luminescent object was colder, more somber, softer, and paler. He slowly picked up the fluorescent disc, his expressionless eyes fixed on the tragically beautiful face, and suddenly smiled.

sneer.

“You’re finished,” he whispered. “You’re already like me, abandoned by everyone, and—betrayed! You’re a shadow of your former self, a broken man! You’re a bastard, a traitor, a crook of a tree, a traitor to the land! You’re a bastard, a traitor to the land! You’re ...

His voice became even lower, so low that only Zhu Qian could hear it.

“But you still have a chance to save yourself,” he continued in a low voice. “Because, the tongue is the softest part of a person, but it is also the hardest. It all depends on whether you know how to speak and whether you know how to act!”

He then stood up.

The leader, however, was already looking at Du Liu. "Are you the leader?"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [42]: Du Liu nodded.

What's coming will eventually have to be faced. Avoiding it is not the solution. Only by confronting it can the problem be solved.

He pushed Xu Fangfang away and took two steps forward. He stopped. Zhou Lingli, who was huddled next to Xu Fangfang, immediately moved back two steps quietly, distancing herself slightly from Xu Fangfang.

"Not bad!" Du Liu shouted. He turned slightly to the side, bent his right knee slightly, and stepped firmly with his left foot. His left palm was pressed against his left leg, while his right hand was held horizontally in front of his chest.

It reflects light.

He held a short knife in his right hand. He gripped it in a reverse grip, the tip pointing towards his elbow, the blade aimed at his boss. "Ah Ding! What's wrong?"

"

A-Ding took a deep breath and said, slowly and deliberately, "You're wrong, Du Liu. — I'm not A-Ding, I'm: Ding Da. Da."

Du Liu stared blankly at Ding Dada. "Ding, you..." Ding Dada, however, looked at Tong Rong, who lay unconscious in his arms, her breathing growing weaker. "That's right! My name is Ding Dada!" he sneered. But there was a deep, sorrowful sadness in his sneer: "Only those who love me can call me 'A Dong'! I used to think everyone in this world would like to call me 'A Dong.' But no. After living for twenty-five years, I finally understand. No! [The rest of the text is incomplete and appears to be a fragment of a larger narrative.]

"Ah Dong..." Du Liu unconsciously sheathed his sword and hurriedly said, "Ah Ding!"

"Shut up!" Ding Dada roared, "Our friendship is over, you are no longer my friend! You have no right to call me 'A Dong' anymore!"

Xu Fangfang was stunned for a moment. (“Our fate is sealed, our relationship is over, you are no longer my friend! You have no right to call me ‘A-Dong’ anymore!”—How hurtful those words were!) Anger surged within her, and she blurted out, “A-Ding! If it weren’t for finding you, we wouldn’t have come to this damned place! If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be so exhausted!”

Who hasn't taken care of you? Who hasn't carried you on their back or helped you up? Don't be so heartless. We've done more than enough for you!

Ding Dada gave a bitter smile. "That's right. You're absolutely right. But who among you hasn't hurt me? Who among you hasn't persecuted me? If it weren't for you, how could I have been injured? If it weren't for you, how could I have almost died? Xu Fangfang! When it comes to sentimentality, it's never your place to accuse me!" He looked up sadly, his eyes wide with rage, and what flowed from them was no longer tears, but blood!

"Just and benevolent humans are always the most powerful! You will drive good-hearted people mad and to their deaths, and then wonder why they went mad and died! You will drive them to madness and death, and then wonder why they went mad and died! You will drive them to madness and death, and then wonder why they went mad and died! You will drive them to madness and death, and then wonder why they went mad and died! You will drive them to madness and death, and then wonder why they went mad and died!"

Xu Fangfang was taken aback, but then took another step forward.

Du Liucang brandished his sword, his left arm blocking Xu Fangfang as he spread his wings like a roc, while his right hand, with the blade pointing outwards, gripped the sword with a reverse wrist to meet the boss.

Ding Dada coldly said, "Poor posture! [The rest of the text appears to be nonsensical and unrelated to the previous sentences.]"

Du Liu could not help but be enraged by the plague.

"One should strike with full force at the first attempt, but the momentum will wane at the second and be exhausted at the third." His first attempt to draw his sword was thwarted by A Ding's interruption, which completely extinguished his fighting spirit. The second attempt to draw his sword was no different, leaving him both angry and frustrated.

"Ading! [Unintelligible characters]"

Sheathed the sword again.

The eldest brother suddenly stiffened.

The leader was originally confident of victory against this group.

Of these people, only three are the most difficult to deal with.

—One of the least "human" ones; two of the most "human".

The least "human" one was undoubtedly the ugly, short Ding Dada. The most "human" ones were Du Liu, who brandished his knife twice; and the unknown man huddled at the back of the crowd, holding a fluorescent light—it was he who sent out the signal for help and asked to be taken in, and used a secret code known only to those in the underworld.

It was precisely because of this signal of "calling for help and asking to be taken in" that the leader was confident of victory—simply because the group was not united.

But at this moment, the eldest brother suddenly had a premonition.

—An ominous premonition. A premonition that I've been fully prepared.

Of these three, one betrayed, another turned against them, and only the last one remained, still trying to resist in a desperate attempt to fight back.

—But how could it be such a coincidence?

—Have the three of them truly fallen apart completely?

Is there a trap involved?

The answer is yes.

There must be something fishy going on.

A terrifying "scam" that involves sacrificing blood, life, and everything else; a "scam" that even they themselves may not be aware of!

However, understanding all of this can only rely on "intuition".

But the only way to destroy all of this is through "circumstances of the times".

In the blink of an eye, the boss had changed his original plan and devised a new one that no one could have guessed.

The simplest aspect of this plan is:

—Going with the flow.

Ding Da ignored Du Liu. He stared coldly at his boss, "I'm asking you—where are those two?!"

“That’s right, there were five.” The eldest brother nodded slowly, a hint of desolation suddenly appearing in his expression. “I had five disciples, brothers in total. Those two were called Little Fatty and One-Eyed. But they are now… dead.” His voice was heavy with sorrow, and he sighed softly before falling silent. He pointed at Zhu Qian. “After she killed Little Fatty, she took his short sword. It was a serrated short sword; once it’s in the body, it’s best not to pull it out rashly—that will only hasten the victim’s death.”

He then pointed to Tong Rong, who lay unconscious in A Ding's arms. "One-Eye committed suicide for her. Ding, bring her here, and I will save her life and restore her health. You will know the reason why One-Eye committed suicide."

"You mean: after One-Eye killed Little Fatty, he then assassinated Tong Rong?" Ding Dada asked coldly.