Chapter 16: Misfortune
Han Xiao woke up the next morning fully recovered.
“Brother Han, you’re awake,” greeted Hu Xuan Jun, who was doing his morning exercises outside the tent.
Although Han Xiao was somewhat unwilling to bid farewell to the kindhearted couple, he knew that he had to leave.
“I am indebted to you. Unfortunately, I need to leave now. I will repay you in the future.”
“I’ve made some pancakes; you can eat them while traveling,” said An as she handed a small package over to Han Xiao.
The warmth from the pancakes flowed into Han Xiao’s hands, resonating with his heart.
“I slept well last night. Thank you for everything.”
“Ha ha. Don’t mention it. Just helping a brother in need,” replied Hu Xuan Jun sincerely.
Han Xiao went to gather his belongings. When he went to fetch the bundle of guns, he noticed that the leaf he had placed on it the night before had fallen off.
“Someone has touched my stuff.”
“That’s not possible!” Hu Xuan Jun was alarmed. “An and I didn’t—hold on! Hu Fei! Get your ass over here right now!”
Hu Fei, who had been eavesdropping from behind the tent, walked out.
“You again?”
Hu Fei averted his eyes to the ground.
Hu Xuan Jun kicked his nephew in the butt.
“Did you steal again? Hand it back right now!”
Hu Fei bit his lips and grudgingly took out a 73-WASP handgun from his clothes.
“Brother Han, do as you deem fit! This kid deserves a beating.”
“It’s okay. Everything is fine as long as I get the gun back. My guns will bring you misfortune,” Han Xiao sighed a breath of relief.
“May we be fated to meet again. Farewell,” bid Han Xiao.
“Take care,” nodded Hu Xuan Jun.
Han Xiao picked up his backpack and departed.
“I will never forget this kindness,” he thought to himself.
“Bastard’s finally gone,” rejoiced Hu Fei. “Hehe, he didn’t realize that I stole two guns.”
He slipped to the back of the tent where he had hidden the other handgun in a box.
“Even if he comes back, I just have to deny that I have it.”
“But… why does this gun have no trigger?”
…
The map that Han Xiao had obtained had been crudely drawn. However, Han Xiao was able to learn his current position from it and that sufficed.
He was currently in the country of Stardragon, and by his estimations, it would take him just three more days to reach the main road. There, he could hitch a ride to the city.
In the afternoon, Han Xiao found a spot to eat and replenish his stamina.
As he unpacked his guns to return them to his backpack, he suddenly discovered that something was amiss.
There seems to be a missing gun.
Han Xiao recounted to confirm his suspicions. He immediately dispelled any thoughts of lunch and hastily packed up to retrieve it.
…
No. 1 and his men arrived at the encampment right after Han Xiao had left. They rounded up the wanderers and were holding them at gunpoint.
“Has anyone seen this man?”
No. 1 projected a holographic face in mid-air using a device on his wrist.
It was none other than Han Xiao.
“No.”
“Never seen him before.”
Everyone denied seeing him.
They knew that the Germinal Organization would not dare to do anything to them.
Wanderers were a neutral faction, and both the Six Nations and the Germinal Organization were always trying to win their support.
Only one wanderer was trembling uncontrollably for some reason.
No. 1 was in a foul mood, having been in pursuit of Han Xiao for 7 days before arriving at this encampment. If the people here had not seen Han Xiao, it meant that he had gone in the completely wrong direction.
“Withdraw!” ordered No. 1. However, just as he was about to board the car, he noticed the shaking Hu Fei.
“Bring that kid here!”
Hu Fei was dragged to No. 1.
No. 1 squinted at him and asked, “Do you know this person?”
“No, I don’t.” Hu Fei shook his head repeatedly.
No. 1 noticed an out-of-place outline in his clothes and ordered, “Search his body!”
Hu Fei was pressed to the ground and watched in horror as the 73-WASP was taken from him.
“This is one of our guns!” exclaimed No. 1. He held the gun up to the crowd and shouted, “Zero has obviously been here. How dare you all try and lie! Do you want to die‽”
“Speak! Where has he gone!”
The terrified wanderers began to turn their eyes to the person who had first spoken to Han Xiao, Kai Luo.
Kai Luo was squatting in the corner like an ostrich.
“What are you guys looking at me for? All I did was sell him some stuff. Ask Hu Xuan Jun! He definitely knows!”
Hu Xuan Jun stood up slowly in the crowd.
“I don’t know,” he declared.
Kai Luo, wanting to cast away the suspicion on him, retorted, “How can you not know? You let him spend the night at your house!”
No. 1’s face darkened.
The other wanderers began to urge Hu Xuan Jun to say the truth.
“Hurry up and say what you know!”
“Do you want us to die because of some outsider?”
Hu Xuan Jun cursed Kai Luo under his breath before taking a deep breath to compose himself.
“That person went in that direction,” he said, pointing to the opposite of where Han Xiao had headed.
“You’re very good, you.”
Bang!
A hole appeared in Hu Xuan Jun’s forehead. He fell back and landed on the ground with a loud thud.
Hu Fei shrieked at the sight of his lifeless body.
Just… just like that‽
No. 1 stared at the Hu Xuan Jun’s dead body. He would not hesitate to kill anyone who helped Han Xiao.
“Old Hu?” An couldn’t see, but she could hear exactly what had transpired. She stood up from the crowd and attempted to locate her husband.
Bang!
Her head exploded.
An’s body crumpled to the ground, landing an arm’s length away from her husband.
No. 1 sneered.
“Asked for it.”
Hu Fei was torn with regret.
His one moment of greed had caused all of this.
All the wanderers were stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Suddenly, No. 1’s transmitter lit up, projecting a holograph of the boss’s face.
“What the hell are you doing? Who gave you permission to kill?”
No. 1 instantly shrunk in fear. He hastily began to explain, “These wanderers lied to us, so I was just trying to teach them a lesson. We’ll depart right now.”
“Forget it. Since you’ve already started it, end it properly. Don’t let news of this get out.”
No. 1 nodded and gave a signal.
…
Dusk had fallen.
Han Xiao was finally reaching the encampment. Suddenly, the smell of blood filled his nose, causing his heart to sink.
“I’m too late.”
Han Xiao entered the encampment to a gruesome sight. It was the aftermath of a bloodbath.
He spotted Hu Xuan Jun and An’s lifeless bodies, causing him to shake with rage.
Suddenly, a figure began got up from the ground. It was the big bearded merchant who had attempted to scam Han Xiao.
Kai Luo had fainted at the start of the massacre, and it ended up saving his life. Before he could rejoice, however, he noticed that there was someone looking at him. When he saw that it was Han Xiao, he began to tremble in fear.
Han Xiao walked over to him and grabbed his collar.
“Tell me what happened here!”
“It was the Germinal Organization! The Germinal Organization! They killed us because we wouldn’t tell them where you went! Ah! They massacred us! You must take revenge for us, for Hu Xuan Jun!”
