Have Mercy

Moments earlier.

A man with glasses was working at a desk.

He was missing his right eye and left arm.

It was the brothel manager that Xue Yang had fought not that long ago.

His face looked tired and haggard, as if he hadn't slept in days.

Paperwork was scattered around the room and a complete mess.

Despite this, it was still highly extravagant, with golden and jewel-encrusted furniture everywhere.

"Ugh." He groaned in pain.

'Haa, these wounds have been bothering me more and more lately.'

"Is it a bad sign?" He mused.

A knock came on the doors as he was stuck in his thoughts.

"Enter."

The doors opened, and the captain of the troops within the brothel and the girl Xue Yang had sent to fetch the manager entered.

"What is it?" The brothel manager asked, without looking up at the pair.

Despite not being paid attention to, the captain bowed respectfully before informing the manager of what was happening.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but one of the flowers has a message to pass on from one of the patrons. She insisted that it was important."

He sighed heavily.

"What is it?"

Knowing that she had to get straight to the point, the flower spoke.

"A drunk guest threatened me and commanded me to tell you that he wants you to see him in the veiled room."

"What does he want?"

"..."

Not hearing a reply, the manager looked up at the girl.

Fear was apparent on her face.

"Tell me, or I'll have you flogged," he growled.

"Ah!" Yelping from fear, she dropped to the ground.

"I'm sorry master. T–the guest said that…"

"That what?!" He roared.

"That he will kill you."

"..."

"..."

"Ha… HA HA HA HA HA!" The manager erupted into laughter.

"Ever since that white-haired bastard came, all kinds of trash think that they can cause trouble for me."

He looked at the captain, "Go deal with him however you see fit. But I never want to see him here again. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" He bowed again and took the girl out of the room with him.

"Haa," The manager sighed, leaning back in his chair.

His wounds were now throbbing more intensely than ever before.

"Where did it all go wrong?" He asked himself.

—

Minutes passed, and a loud, monstrous roar could be heard in the distance.

The manager went to the window to see what was happening, but everything looked normal.

'Must have been my imagination.'

He proceeded to sit back down in front of his desk, but then a knock came on his door once again.

Expecting it to be the captain returning, he relaxed a bit.

But to his dismay, his pain level increased severely.

'Why is the pain getting worse?' He couldn't help but worry.

"Enter."

The doors opened, but to his shock, it wasn't the captain.

Instead, the person who entered was the last person he would have expected.

The manager's eye widened in shock as his lips quivered and his face became pale as a sheet.

Xue Yang sauntered proudly, his head held high and his arms behind his back.

His once pristine white clothes were now splattered with blood.

"Who are you?!" Despite deep down knowing the answer, the manager couldn't believe what he saw.

Xue Yang chuckled.

"Have you forgotten me already? I'm sad. I even left you two lovely going away presents." A sinister smile formed on his face.

"H–how is this possible?"

"W–what are you doing here?"

Xue Yang frowned.

"What do you mean? I came to see how you were enjoying my gifts and to give you another."

"B–but you died! I cut your neck myself. I saw you getting skewered. My men assured me you were dead!"

"You showed no signs of life."

"HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?!"

"Pff," Xue Yang attempted to stifle a laugh and grabbed his face.

"Because I didn't die? What kind of dumb question is that."

Xue Yang started walking closer to the manager, causing the man to fall back in his chair.

As he reached the desk, he grabbed it with one hand and tossed it aside, sending all the paperwork on top flying in all directions.

"Peekaboo!" He grinned at the terrified manager.

"Ahh!"

"GUARDS! SOMEONE COME HELP ME!" He screamed in fear, but no response was heard.

Xue Yang looked towards the door and then back at him, still grinning like a demon.

"I don't think anyone is coming."

"Please Have mercy. I will give you anything you want. Money, land, women. I can get it all for you!" He tried to plead for his life.

"There is one thing…"

"W–what do you want?!" He asked, hope glimmering in his remaining eye, only to be instantly shattered by Xue Yang.

"I wanted Bai Ling. But a little birdie told me you sold her off."

"I– I can get her back! If you just let me, I will bring her to you immediately."

Xue Yang squatted before the manager, gazing at him with his crimson-red eyes.

"It's a bit late for that, don't you think?" Resting his head on his hand, he smiled, his eyes forming into crescents.

"N–no, it's not too late. I can still get her for you!"

Xue Yang shook his head.

"You don't seem to understand. Why would I need you to get her for me?"

"The City Lord…"

"... and the town will cease to exist tonight." Xue Yang finished the manager's sentence as he released his killing intent.

"P-please, I beg you. Have mercy! I can still help," The manager begged as he tried to back off towards the wall.

Unfortunately, the pressure from Xue Yang's killing intent was too powerful. Hence, he could only move back a couple of inches as an invisible force weighed him down.

"He he he, alright, alright. You can help me…"

"Really?" His face glowed from happiness.

"Of course, I keep my word." Xue Yang said, pointing his index finger towards the manager's neck.

As he did this, it turned into a claw and scratched the manager's neck, drawing blood.

"But not as you are now."

With that, he swiftly moved his claw across the manager's throat, severing an artery and causing large amounts of blood to flow.

He attempted to ask Xue Yang why, but no words came out.

The last thing he felt was fear. Fear of the demon-like being that soon would devour the world.