Chapter 104: Brain Teaser

Huang Mazi froze at first, then burst into loud laughter that echoed through the ruins of the ancient ramparts. He patted the dust off his clothes, eyes glinting with contempt.

"Well, well! First time someone's dared to threaten us Treasure Hoarders. Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty with me?"

One of the burly thugs beside him immediately chimed in, "Boss, this guy's obviously an outsider. Doesn't know your reputation!" His voice was full of admiration and awe toward Huang Mazi.

Huang Mazi grinned smugly and, mimicking Shao Yun, took a step forward, weighing the large blade in his hand. He raised his chin and shouted, "Let me tell you—these hands of mine are stained with blood. I've killed fifteen people! One of them was even a Millelith!"

Shao Yun gave a slight nod, as though the number didn't impress him. He asked curiously, "Fifteen, huh? That's not much. What about yesterday?"

Huang Mazi was taken aback by the question. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Eyes wide, he exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind? Fifteen lives! One of them a Millelith! Aren't you scared?"

Shao Yun clicked his tongue softly, a look of disappointment crossing his face. He said flatly, "Tch. I thought you were some big shot. Turns out you're just a stinking piece of trash. That's all?"

Huang Mazi's face flushed red with rage. He raised his large blade and shouted, "You little punk! How dare you insult me like that?! I'll cut you down!"

"Boss, this guy's lost it—let's take 'em!" the thug egged him on, his tone brimming with bloodlust.

After all, roadside robbery is way easier than stealing relics!

But Huang Mazi held out a hand, signaling him to wait. His gaze drifted over the group, finally settling on Shao Yun with the gambler's hat.

"No rush. I'll take care of the one in the hat myself," Huang Mazi said in a low, cold voice, the corner of his mouth curling in a twisted grin, as if Shao Yun's fate was already sealed.

Then he issued a command to the thug on his left.

"You—take out that pampered princeling!" He pointed straight at Zhongli, ever composed and dignified.

Then he turned to the thug on his right, with a more playful tone.

"And you—take care of the tall and short girls. Make sure they're alive."

His gaze roamed over Lumine and Paimon, as though imagining them already captured and helpless.

Watching the Treasure Hoarders scheming out loud like this, Shao Yun couldn't help but feel speechless.

Like some fairy tale ghost trying to pick a fight with the three demons of Lion Camel Ridge—looking for death, are we?

"These days… are all Treasure Hoarders this brainless?"

Shao Yun took a deep breath and turned to the others behind him. "Close your eyes, cover your ears. What's about to happen… isn't for kids."

Hearing the command, Lumine and Paimon immediately obeyed, eyes shut and hands over their ears.

Zhongli, however, didn't budge. He stood still, calm as ever, as if Shao Yun hadn't said a word.

Noticing this, Shao Yun furrowed his brow, glancing at Zhongli's composed face with a trace of doubt. "You?" he asked, puzzled.

Zhongli smiled gently, glancing around before gesturing to himself. "I'm not a child, either, am I?"

His tone was serene and confident, clearly unconcerned by Shao Yun's warning.

Shao Yun blinked, then nodded. "All right. Watch if you want."

Without a change in expression, Shao Yun reached for the golden Schofield revolver at his waist.

Using Deadeye for these three underdeveloped brains would just be an insult.

He fired with ease, calm and steady—two clean shots, both landing squarely in the heads of the nameless thugs.

The bullets pierced their skulls, and like falling stars, their lives ended in an instant.

Next, Shao Yun turned the gun toward Huang Mazi.

The notorious Treasure Hoarder who had long tormented the forests of Liyue now turned pale as a sheet, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

What happened to his lackeys?

With a third gunshot, Huang Mazi's thigh burst into a stream of blood. He cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground.

"Agh! AHH! That hurts like hell!" Huang Mazi clutched his leg, teeth bared in a grimace of despair and terror.

Shao Yun stepped forward, gaze cold and unfeeling. He stomped on Huang Mazi's back, grinding his boot down like he could crush him underfoot.

"What, you thought fifteen kills made you a big shot? Trying to pull this crap in front of me?"

His voice was frigid, commanding a fear that chilled to the bone.

Terror now completely overwhelmed Huang Mazi. He pleaded, voice trembling and weak. "Ah—ah—please, it hurts! Grandpa! This worthless grandson was blind, ahhhh!"

As Huang Mazi begged for mercy, Shao Yun drew a sharp dagger and swiftly sliced off his ear.

He stared at the bloody ear in his hand, speaking with cold detachment. "I gave you a chance, but you didn't listen. Since your ears are useless, you don't get to keep them."

His tone was calm and distant, as if he'd just trimmed a branch, then tossed the ear aside.

Huang Mazi nearly passed out from the pain. He screamed at the top of his lungs, "Help! Somebody help me!"

But in the remote ruins of these ancient walls, only echoes and hopelessness answered his cries.

Zhongli stood silently, eyes fixed on the trembling, pleading figure of Huang Mazi.

Yet it was as if he were shrouded by an invisible glacier—no emotion touched his face, only those deep eyes that seemed to see through the ages.

Lumine and Paimon stood to the side, eyes shut tight and ears covered, shielding themselves from the blood and violence.

Shao Yun remained standing over Huang Mazi, foot pressing him into the ground, a chilling smile on his face—as if savoring the moment of total control.

He glanced to the side, eyes gleaming with a new idea, and spoke up:

"Huang Mazi, I'll give you a chance. I'll ask you a riddle. If you answer correctly, I'll let you go turn yourself in to the Millelith in Liyue Harbor. You'll walk away alive."

At that, a glimmer of hope lit up Huang Mazi's eyes. He looked up at Shao Yun, grinning fawningly.

But then, suspicion crossed his face. He asked cautiously, "And if I get it wrong?"

Shao Yun grinned, pointing to the nearby Guizhong Ballista, its spike glinting menacingly in the sun. He said coldly, "If you get it wrong, I'll nail you to the ground with that thing."

Huang Mazi shuddered. He knew full well the power of that ballista—one bolt through the body, and death was all but certain.

But this was his only shot at survival. He took a deep breath, steadied his nerves, and said, "Ask away."

Shao Yun licked his lips slightly, as though savoring the riddle. The atmosphere grew tense, the air heavy with foreboding.

He leaned forward slightly, gaze boring into Huang Mazi's, lips curling in amusement. Then he began:

"There's a madman. He walks into a noodle shop and orders beef noodles. He explicitly tells the owner not to add green onions—if there's even a single green onion, he'll kill the owner. The owner carefully follows the order, makes the noodles, no green onions. And yet… the madman still kills the owner. Why?"

Huang Mazi furrowed his brow, clearly stumped.

He wracked his brain, sweat pouring down his forehead, heat rising as if his skull were about to burst.

Eventually, he gave up, sobbing, voice shaking. "Ah! What the hell kind of question is that?! Why?!"

Shao Yun let out a cold chuckle. Then he said slowly, "Because he doesn't eat beef."

The words hit like a death sentence, echoing like a whisper from the abyss. Huang Mazi stared, eyes wide in horror, wailing, "Why order beef noodles if he doesn't eat beef?! You're trying to kill me on purpose!"

Shao Yun feigned a look of sudden realization, nodding. "Right? Madmen are irrational like that. But they always give you the answer… where you least expect it."

Huang Mazi nearly peed himself. He looked up at Shao Yun, trembling uncontrollably, whimpering, "H-Hey… Grandfather… please…"

Shao Yun grabbed him by the collar with one hand, lifting him up with ease, the man's body shaking like a leaf.

Shao Yun's eyes were ice, devoid of warmth.

He dragged Huang Mazi to the Guizhong Ballista.

Shao Yun operated the machine with practiced grace. Every movement was smooth, steady, and powerful.

The ancient machine rumbled with a deep groan, echoing the weight of time and history.

"You're lucky, Huang Mazi," Shao Yun's voice rang through the ruins. "You'll get to enjoy a fate like Prometheus. His chest was pierced by diamond nails—you get a giant bolt. The difference? He lived. You'll rot here… a dried-up corpse."

Huang Mazi went pale as a ghost. Panic overtook him. He struggled to escape.

But Shao Yun shot him a chilling glare. No words were needed.

Try to run, and I'll show you a fate worse than death.

All hope drained from Huang Mazi's face. He collapsed to his knees, voice breaking in desperation.

"Please, Grandpa! I'll go to Liyue Harbor! I'll turn myself in! I swear I'll change! Just give me a second chance!"

Shao Yun didn't flinch. No mercy showed on his face.

He aimed the ballista again, sights locked on the kneeling man.

"Smile."

Huang Mazi twisted his lips into a grotesque grin—more like a grimace than anything else.

"Not photogenic…"

Thwack—

A bolt, thick as a bowl's rim, shot from the ballista and pierced Huang Mazi's heart, pinning him firmly to the earth.

Blood sprayed everywhere. His body twitched from the impact… then went still.

Terror and despair still lingered in his lifeless eyes. But it was over.

Zhongli had watched everything. His eyes drifted to Shao Yun, now stepping away from the ballista, still wearing that grim calm from battle.

Shao Yun silently wiped blood from his hands.

Zhongli's gaze flicked to the corpse—arrow lodged in the chest, blood pooled beneath.

He sighed, then said quietly, "Mister Shao Yun, you are… truly ruthless."

Shao Yun's lip curled into a dismissive smile. Facing Zhongli, he replied, "Can't help it. It's kill or be killed. And I don't go around killing unarmed civilians—just Treasure Hoarders."

Zhongli nodded in understanding. He didn't scold him, only offered a word of caution.

"I don't oppose killing the wicked. But kill swiftly. Torture isn't something a sane man should do. Don't become a madman yourself."

Shao Yun gave a light chuckle, neither justifying nor denying it. "Got it. I'll keep that in mind."

Though inwardly, he thought, as long as the system doesn't dock honor points, I'm good.

Just then, a squad of Millelith arrived from the direction of Liyue Harbor.

"Nobody move!"

Watching the late arrival, Shao Yun muttered to himself, "If they'd come a bit sooner, Huang Mazi might've lived a few days longer. What a shame."