I was raised right. I don't hit women.

"Hiss! You damn well take it easy!"

With a low growl, it was followed immediately by a loud slap.

Though Zhang Kun was injured, this slap wasn't something a rural village woman could easily endure.

The woman, Zhang Liu-shi, spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm. She threw the hemp cloth in her hand onto the table, put her hands on her hips, and cursed like a shrew: "You filthy dog, all you know is how to hit me! If you've got the guts, go chop up Zhong Lin! You strut around like a big shot, but when it matters, you still got cut down by a little brat. You only show off your might at home against me, you useless coward."

Her words stabbed straight into Zhang Kun's sore spot. In an instant, his eyes turned bloodshot, like an enraged wolf.

"I'll damn well kill you!"

As he spoke, he tried to climb out of the reclining chair, but just as he got up, two of his shady friends beside him held him down.

These two weren't any better—together with Zhang Kun, they were known as the "Three Pests." The one on the left, skinny as a bamboo pole, was nicknamed "Thin Monkey." His face oozed sleaze, a notorious lecher.

The one on the right was short, with a long scar running from the corner of his eye, nicknamed "Scarface." His expression was gloomy and vicious.

"Don't get mad, don't get mad. Anger's bad for your health."

"Yeah, bad for your health. Sis-in-law didn't mean it."

Zhang Liu-shi let out a cold snort, twisted her hips, and strode toward the main room, unwilling to stay there any longer.

This Zhang Liu-shi was Zhang Kun's wife. Compared to the other "sturdy" women of Xiahe Village, she was taller and more plump. As she walked, her ample hips swayed with her waist, and her chest bulged prominently. Though her exposed skin was darkened from labor, it didn't detract from her beauty. In Xiahe Village, she was a rare beauty.

It truly fit the saying, "A good man gets no good wife, but a scoundrel marries a delicate flower."

*Slap!*

"Stop staring, damn it!"

Zhang Kun smacked Thin Monkey on the back of the head, roaring angrily.

Thin Monkey didn't get upset. He just grinned: "Sis-in-law's just too good-looking, isn't she?"

"Get lost!" Zhang Kun was like a man-eating tiger, panting heavily, his bloodshot eyes glaring. "I hunt geese all day, yet a goose pecked out my eye. That little bastard dared to ambush me. Once I'm healed, I'll make him wish he were dead."

"Hmph! Why should you need to do it yourself? I'll go grab that punk right now and let you deal with him. First, break all four of his limbs, make him crawl over like a dog to apologize to you in person," Scarface said with a ferocious grin.

"Right, and his little brother too. Catch him as well. There are folks in the city who like little boys like that. We could sell him off and make a profit," Thin Monkey nodded in agreement.

*Bang!*

A dull thud rang out, followed by the courtyard gate being kicked open.

The three instinctively looked up, only to be met with two black streaks flying toward them.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

"My hand, my hand!"

"My leg, Zhong Lin…"

Zhong Lin stepped coldly into the courtyard, bow in his left hand, his right still trembling slightly.

"Coming here was the right call. Before I even stepped in, I heard these three plotting to harm me and my brother. The movies were right—evil must be eradicated completely!"

Originally, Zhong Lin had only come to "borrow something" from Zhang Kun. He hadn't expected to overhear the "Three Pests" scheming against him and his brother. How could he let that slide? Striking first was the only option. Facing three grown men without some strategy would mean certain death.

Little Stone was just a kid, and Zhong Lin himself wasn't fully developed. His only real asset was his max-level archery. His body was frail as a reed—after a few shots, he'd be out of strength. In a direct fight, he wouldn't stand a chance against them.

Seeing Zhong Lin burst through the gate, the three men's faces paled. After all, they'd just been plotting how to harm him!

Thin Monkey's eyes darted. Clutching his pierced right hand, he bolted toward the courtyard wall, trying to climb over and escape.

"Heh, think you can run?"

Zhong Lin sneered, raising his bow again. With a sharp twang, an arrow pierced straight through Thin Monkey's chest.

Thin Monkey, mid-escape, looked down in disbelief at the arrowhead protruding from his chest. His eyes filled with confusion and terror before he collapsed to the ground with a thud, lifeless.

The ruthless scene left Zhang Kun and Scarface deathly pale.

"DaLinzi, m-mis… misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

Zhang Kun was drenched in cold sweat, staring fearfully at the frail Zhong Lin.

"Oh? Did I hear wrong? Or am I just deaf?"

Zhong Lin's tone dripped with mockery, his gaze icy.

"I…"

*Whoosh!*

A black streak flashed by. Like Thin Monkey, an arrow pierced Zhang Kun's chest before he could explain, killing him instantly.

Scarface shrieked, his courage shattered. He tried to stand and flee, but Zhong Lin had already shot through his calf. The searing pain made movement impossible.

"Ah… no… don't…"

*Whoosh!*

One arrow, instant death.

Max-level archery never disappointed.

Zhong Lin exhaled, standing in the courtyard with a complicated expression. Three corpses lay haphazardly around the small space—one by the wall, one on the recliner, one on the ground.

He didn't feel the nausea or fear he'd expected. It was like hunting, maybe even easier. The only thing shaken was the worldview from his past life. After all, from birth to transmigration, he'd grown up in a safe, lawful society. Forget killing—he'd rarely even seen a dead body.

*Clang!*

Zhong Lin spun around, raising his bow. In one swift motion, he stepped over to Zhang Kun's corpse, yanked the arrow from his chest, nocked it, and aimed at the door.

"Come out."

"Don't kill me, don't kill me!"

A trembling voice came from the main room. Zhang Liu-shi emerged, her face full of terror. When she saw the three bodies in the courtyard, her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. A stench of urine seeped from beneath her skirt.

Zhong Lin slightly lowered his bow, his voice softening: "Don't be silly, Sister-in-law. I don't kill women. Go get the money Zhang Kun stashed. Don't tell me there isn't any!"

"There is, there is! I'll get it right now!"

Hearing she might survive, Zhang Liu-shi scrambled up from the ground. It took her three tries to steady herself against the doorframe before she hurried into the main room, rummaging around somewhere.

Zhong Lin slowly lowered his bow and walked over to the three bodies, retrieving all five arrows. Then he headed to the west room. Moments later, he emerged with an arrow quiver.

Zhang Kun had been a hunter too, though he rarely hunted. A poor craftsman blames his tools—though he seldom hunted, he had a stash of eighteen arrows.

Zhong Lin's original purpose in coming here was just to "borrow arrows" from Zhang Kun. He hadn't expected things to escalate like this, but in the end, he'd achieved his goal.