Chapter 0070: A Fate Worse Than Death

"Xiaofan, why are you so disappointing," Zhang Xiaofan muttered to himself as he stepped out of Chen Yuanyuan’s house, his gaze falling on the ground below.

"You’ve slept with her; you can’t just pretend nothing happened. From now on, you’ll have to look after her, at least a little." He sighed. "Forget it. Old Master Qingyun always said, on the martial path, one must act according to one’s heart. Suppressing yourself too much—in any aspect—is not necessarily a good thing."

He made his way downstairs and got into the car. Last night, he’d planned to visit Aunt Yun, but instead, he had spent the night at Chen Yuanyuan’s.

He started the car and slowly drove off.

"Let me go! Where are you taking us?"

By coincidence, as the car passed beneath Aunt Yun’s building, the window still open, a familiar voice, tinged with fear, drifted in from outside.

Looking over, he saw more than a dozen burly men dragging Aunt Yun and Wang Yuqing toward a business van.

"If you want to blame someone, blame that brat for being too tough. We can’t handle him, so we have to use you to threaten him," one of the men growled, slapping Aunt Yun hard across the face.

"Don’t hit my mother!" Wang Yuqing screamed, shouting for help. "Somebody, help! They’re going to kill us!"

"Shut your damn mouth!" The man slapped her too.

It was early morning, and there were many people around, but most shrank away. These men looked like trouble, and no one dared intervene.

"Dammit!" Zhang Xiaofan roared. Furious, he stomped on the gas, sending the car hurtling toward the group.

Caught off guard, several of the men were knocked to the ground, crying out in pain.

Zhang Xiaofan flung open the door. Fury blazing, he charged out, kicking the thugs away one after another.

"Zhang Xiaofan, save my mom!" Wang Yuqing shouted.

At that moment, the lead thug pressed a knife to Aunt Yun’s throat.

"Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill her!" Fear flashed in the thug’s eyes as he faced Zhang Xiaofan—the man was unfazed by submachine guns, ruthless to the core.

"Let her go, and I’ll let you walk away," Zhang Xiaofan said coldly.

"I don’t believe you!" The thug quaked with terror. Just a look from Zhang Xiaofan stole all his courage. He dragged Aunt Yun toward the driver’s seat, keeping her as a shield.

"You’ll regret this. I’ll see to it you beg for death but can’t find it," Zhang Xiaofan’s voice was laced with murderous intent. Clearly, these men were the same group that had avenged Long San.

Once was tolerable, but twice—and this time, they’d found Aunt Yun. That, Zhang Xiaofan could not forgive. He resolved to wipe out Long San’s lackeys once and for all.

Only when fear took hold would they finally behave.

"Hurry and save my mom!" Wang Yuqing bit down on the thug’s hand, breaking free and grabbing Zhang Xiaofan in desperation.

"What are you, a rabid dog?" The thug cursed, starting to lunge at her, but a glare from Zhang Xiaofan froze him in his tracks.

"Don’t move," Zhang Xiaofan ordered, glancing at Wang Yuqing. Her frantic shaking irritated him, but he held his temper—after all, it was his fault that mother and daughter had been dragged into this.

The thug was about to force Aunt Yun into the car when Zhang Xiaofan narrowed his eyes. Just as the man reached for the car door, Zhang Xiaofan made his move. He flicked a silver needle with lightning speed, striking the thug’s wrist dead-on. The knife clattered to the ground as his hand went numb.

In that instant, Zhang Xiaofan shot forward, delivering a kick that sent the thug flying, blood spraying from his mouth before he even hit the ground. This was the fury of Zhang Xiaofan; no ordinary man could withstand it.

If he wished, he could have ended the man’s life with a single blow. But Zhang Xiaofan had other plans—he had promised to make this man long for death but never find it, and he would not break his word.

Zhang Xiaofan strode over, eyes cold and sharp. The thug, lying on the ground, shivered under that gaze—what kind of man was this?

"Don’t come any closer," the thug stammered, a hardened criminal, now reduced to terror.

"Afraid now? Isn’t it a little late for that?" Zhang Xiaofan’s voice was icy. He stepped up and stamped down, snapping the thug’s right leg.

A scream ripped from the man’s throat—the pain was as if his bones would pierce his flesh.

But Zhang Xiaofan wasn’t done. Another stomp, and the left leg broke at the knee, thigh bone cleanly separated from the shin. Tendons and ligaments shredded underfoot—no blood, but agony far surpassing a knife wound.

"It hurts, doesn’t it?" Zhang Xiaofan’s voice was cold.

The thug screamed inwardly. Hurt? You monster!

"But this is only the beginning."

Zhang Xiaofan smiled—a smile that chilled the thug to the bone.

With a savage kick, Zhang Xiaofan destroyed the man’s groin, his manhood obliterated in an instant.

"Ahhh! You devil! May you die a miserable death!" the thug howled.

"Don’t worry. Even if I do, you won’t live to see it," Zhang Xiaofan replied coldly. He stamped down on the man’s chest, ribs snapping, bone punching through his back—a testament to the power of the blow.

"Please, just kill me!" The thug knew he was doomed, begging for a swift end.

"You want to die?" Zhang Xiaofan laughed. "It’s not that easy."

That devil’s smile again. As the man tried to bite through his tongue, Zhang Xiaofan kicked his mouth, shattering his teeth, blood filling the man’s mouth.

Driven mad, the thug realized he couldn’t even die if he tried.

"So, how does it feel? You had your chance, but you just had to test me?" Zhang Xiaofan sneered, stomping down and breaking the man’s shoulder blade.

"That’s what you get for not listening. That’s what you get for seeking death."

He cursed as he stomped again, crushing the other shoulder.

"Just kill me!" the thug wailed, agony wracking every fiber of his being.

"Don’t be so hasty."

Zhang Xiaofan’s voice was soft as he kicked the man’s head, twisting his neck just enough to immobilize him without killing him.

Now, the thug was like a chicken with a locked neck, unable to move at all.

Even Zhang Xiaofan felt he was being cruel. The man would not survive this, but neither would he die quickly—at least not for another two hours.

To be trapped in that excruciating torment, unable to die despite wanting to, was a punishment worse than death.

That was Zhang Xiaofan’s retribution.

"Aunt Yun, are you all right?" Zhang Xiaofan asked, steadying her.

"I’m fine. Xiaofan, why are you back?" she asked.

"I had some matters to attend to," Zhang Xiaofan replied. He couldn’t very well say he’d spent the night fighting a beautiful woman.

"This is all your fault—you’ve brought danger upon us again," Wang Yuqing said angrily.

"Yuqing—" Aunt Yun shot her a look to stop.

"Mom, stop defending him," Wang Yuqing snapped. "Driving a fancy car, wearing designer clothes—doing well for yourself, aren’t you? But can’t you let us have some peace?"

"That’s enough!" Zhang Xiaofan tried to keep his temper, but Wang Yuqing was being unreasonable.

"This wasn’t intentional. For your safety, I already left, but I never thought they’d find you. I’ll arrange for you to leave Jinghai. It’s not safe for you here," Zhang Xiaofan said.

"Do we really have to leave Jinghai?" Aunt Yun asked.

"Yes. I’ve made enemies. They can’t deal with me, so they’ll target those close to me. Since we lived together, you and Yuqing are their best targets. It’s best if you leave," Zhang Xiaofan explained. Not out of fear, but to avoid dragging them into his troubles.

"Very well. I’ll sell the house as soon as possible, and we’ll leave Jinghai," Aunt Yun agreed.

"No need for all that hassle. I’ll have someone sell your house—it should fetch about a million. I’ll give you one and a half million," Zhang Xiaofan said.

"No need. We’ll take what it’s worth," Aunt Yun replied, no longer doubting Zhang Xiaofan’s capabilities.

Zhang Xiaofan said nothing, handing her a card. "I’ll transfer the money in. There’s no password. Leave today."

"All right…" Aunt Yun’s voice was low. She was reluctant to leave Jinghai, her birthplace and home for so many years.

"This is all your fault. If not for you, why would we have to leave everything behind?" Wang Yuqing complained.

"If you say so," Zhang Xiaofan didn’t argue.

"Aunt Yun, I’ll go now. If anything seems off, call me immediately, and I’ll come at once." As he spoke, he searched the car for pen and paper and wrote down his number.

"Okay," Aunt Yun nodded, accepting the card and the phone number. She agreed with Zhang Xiaofan’s decision and didn’t blame him. She understood that the tree may wish for calm, but the wind will not cease.

Zhang Xiaofan got into his car. But where was he going to get one and a half million? He couldn’t just ask Lin Siyu.

One and a half million—not a fortune, but not a trifle either. For Zhang Xiaofan, it was still a headache.

He thought for a moment, then dialed Ye Zhantian’s number.

"Hello, Xiaofan!" came Ye Zhantian’s warm voice.

"Old Ye, I want to sell you something—an elixir that can prolong life," Zhang Xiaofan said. He’d just obtained a small spirit pill, which he’d planned to keep for himself, but now he had to sell it.

"You need money? Just tell me. No need to sell me anything," Ye Zhantian said.

"No, I insist. If you want it, I’ll come over now. If not, I’ll find someone else," Zhang Xiaofan replied.

"All right. I’ll wait for you at the villa."

"Okay."

Zhang Xiaofan hung up and drove toward Paradise Villa.