Chapter 17: Death is Forgiven, but the Living Must Pay

"That's all… Can you let me go now?" Cai Feng revealed all the information about the base, then looked at Su Lang expectantly.

Outwardly, he appeared pitiful, but inside, he was smirking coldly, anticipating his revenge. Little did he know that Su Lang had already advanced to the high level of Body Tempering, and in another hour, he would break through to the peak!

With this level of strength, Su Lang could easily dominate the base in the absence of its chief defenders.

"Hmm, I'll keep my promise and spare your life." Su Lang withdrew his knife from Cai Feng's neck, smiling contentedly, his white teeth gleaming.

"Thank you! I'm immensely grateful for your mercy!" Cai Feng exclaimed joyfully, hastily bowing and preparing to flee.

"Hold on!" Su Lang's smile turned into a smirk as he stopped Cai Feng. "Did I say you could leave?"

"What? But you said you'd spare me!" Cai Feng's heart sank, and he began trembling again.

"I said I'd spare your life, but death is forgiven, and the living must pay."

Su Lang twirled his knife with a flourish, a cold smile playing on his lips. "If you want to go, leave your hands behind!"

Cai Feng was one of the main culprits who had beaten Su Lang's former self to death. Su Lang would not let him off so easily.

"Leave my hands!? You're breaking your word!" Cai Feng was stunned and then furious. "We're both at the initial level of Body Tempering. I was only subdued because you caught me off guard! I've hunted fierce beasts before. Do you think I'm afraid of you, you city scum?"

"Hahahaha, you're not afraid of me?" Su Lang laughed. "Then why were you kneeling just now?"

"You bastard! Die!" Humiliated and enraged, Cai Feng drew a short sword from his waist and lunged at Su Lang.

"You made the first move. Don't blame me if you die." Su Lang's eyes glinted coldly. He flicked his wrist, and the blade flashed through the air.

In an instant, a brilliant arc of light appeared, and Cai Feng's anger froze on his face.

"This can't be…" Cai Feng's eyes filled with horror as blood spurted from his neck. His body collapsed to the ground.

Until his last breath, Cai Feng couldn't comprehend how Su Lang had become so powerful.

"Wouldn't it have been easier to just give up your hands?" Su Lang shrugged, then bent down to strip Cai Feng of all his valuables before heading swiftly towards the Broken Axe Hunting Group's base.

With the base's defenses down, it was the perfect time to strike!

The bases frequently traded with each other and bought valuable materials from lone adventurers, so the amount of money they had stored was significant. Even the lowest-level F-class base would have a considerable hoard!

Following the information provided by Cai Feng, Su Lang bypassed a dozen lookout towers and arrived at the center of the Broken Axe Hunting Group's base.

The base didn't have any solid fortifications. Every ten years or so, beast hordes would attack the city, and these bases would be easily destroyed. Hence, most F-class bases were surrounded by a makeshift wall of huge, smooth logs tied together.

Following the wall, Su Lang soon found the underground tunnel Cai Feng had mentioned.

"Cai Feng's words can't be fully trusted. I need to be cautious."

Su Lang opened the entrance to the underground tunnel and carefully slipped inside.

The tunnel was dark and damp, but Su Lang's experience as an assassin in his past life made him adept at navigating such environments.

He moved carefully through the tunnel, encountering no danger. But as he neared the exit, he heard a sound.

"There's a guard in the tunnel!"

Su Lang's expression shifted. "Cai Feng did try to deceive me."

Quietly, Su Lang approached the exit. The guard was just above.

"A mid-level Body Tempering warrior."

Su Lang assessed the guard and then launched himself out of the tunnel.

"Who's there?" The guard was alert, but before he could see who it was, a flash of a blade blinded him.

In an instant, fear paralyzed the guard. He tried to dodge, but it was futile.

The cold blade sliced into his throat, and the intense pain overwhelmed him, stripping away his consciousness.