William Thompson looked coldly at Brian Carter, whose eyes were full of pleading, and, tightening his grip around Brian Carter's neck, dragged him into the reeds by the roadside.

After the man-high reeds swayed for a while, everything returned to calm.

At noon, William Thompson returned home and tossed a piece of meat to Julia Harris, saying, “Cook the meat, and pour a corner of wine.”

Julia Harris was overjoyed, picked up the meat and was about to wash it, but William Thompson said, “Don’t wash away the blood; if you do, the meat will lose its flavor.”

Julia Harris nodded repeatedly and didn’t wash the meat anymore. She put the large, skinned chunk into the pot and squatted by the stove to tend the fire.

William Thompson also squatted by the stove. Noticing a lock of Julia Harris’s hair had fallen down, he gently brushed it back. Julia Harris smiled sweetly and leaned her body closer to William Thompson.

“These years have been hard on you, following me. Even getting a full meal was difficult. It won’t be like this anymore. You won’t have to go hungry with me again.”

Julia Harris smiled and said, “If you stop giving our grain to your poor brothers, there’s enough food at home.”

William Thompson laughed, “Don’t worry, the debt to Scholar Ai has already been paid off.”

Julia Harris was stunned for a moment, then looked back at William Thompson and asked, “Where did you get so much money to pay Scholar Ai?”

William Thompson replied calmly, “I have my ways!”

Julia Harris looked at William Thompson for a long time before slowly saying, “Times are bad now. I heard there was a dry thunder explosion in the capital, killing tens of thousands. Whatever you do, don’t get involved in anything that would bring down heaven’s wrath.”

William Thompson smiled silently, patted Julia Harris’s ample back, and said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. The thunder god only seeks out the weak, not villains like me.”

Julia Harris sighed, “Are you going to take people to demand the overdue grain and money from Samuel Bolton again?”

William Thompson shook his head, “Not this time. Samuel Bolton is thin—if we squeezed oil from his bones, how much could we get?

I’m planning to go to Ethan Reed. He’s fat, plenty of oil.”

While the couple were talking, the meat in the pot began to steam.

Julia Harris poked the meat with her chopsticks and said in surprise, “Today’s meat is tender, already about sixty percent cooked.”

William Thompson stood up to look at the meat in the pot, reached in to fish out a piece, and took a big bite. “The taste is just right!”

Julia Harris also took a bite, but it didn’t taste as good as she expected. Still, thinking it was meat, she lowered her head and kept eating.

William Thompson wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, stood up, drew the saber from his waist, and with one stroke, chopped off Julia Harris’s head...

Julia Harris’s head fell to the ground, rolling several times, and a piece of meat dropped from her mouth.

“We’ve been husband and wife for three years. Letting you die without even realizing it is the greatest mercy I can give you!”

After saying this, William Thompson pulled a burning stick from the stove and tossed it onto the pile of straw, then turned and walked out the door.

Before long, thick smoke was rising from his house, and tongues of flame licked out from the windows.

Henry Thompson had noticed the fire at his uncle’s house early on. Seeing his uncle come out of the house, he didn’t approach, but called out loudly, “You found out everything?”

William Thompson nodded, “I only found out this morning... Grandfather suffered so much humiliation for nothing.”

“Where are you planning to go?”

“Jishi Mountain!”

“I heard the border troops at Jishi Mountain are already in chaos. It’s not a good place to go!”

William Thompson stopped, looked at Henry Thompson, and said, “For me, it’s the best place.”

With that, he didn’t wait for Henry Thompson to reply, but strode off toward Jishi Mountain.

“Uncle, I’m coming too!”

Henry Thompson shouted!

William Thompson waved his hand casually, “Come find me at Jishi Mountain after your mother passes away!”

By now, William Thompson’s house was engulfed in flames. The neighbors all came out, but seeing the fire was out of control, they gave up trying to put it out. When they looked around for William Thompson, they saw him far away, already climbing the distant hills, walking farther and farther into the endless yellow sands...

☆, Character Sample II

The Eight Great Bandits—Charles Bolton

“Fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-three...”

David Brooks’s personal guard captain counted expressionlessly, while two burly guards raised their military batons high and then brought them down hard.

The batons landed on Charles Bolton’s thick buttocks, blood splattering everywhere!

Charles Bolton gritted his teeth and didn’t make a sound, only digging his hands deep into the yellow earth, his heart seething with rage!

David Brooks sighed slightly and said to Commander James Walker, “Of all those punished by military law today, this one is the most unfortunate.”

James Walker glanced sidelong at David Brooks and said, “What’s so unfortunate about a criminal? Military law is strict. If you hadn’t pleaded for him, his head would already be hanging outside the camp gate as a warning. Do they think my army is a place for nonsense? Just because they’re short half a year’s rations, they dare to make a fuss. Beheading is too light.”

David Brooks said in a low voice, “Commander, just today we’ve dealt with two hundred and thirty-seven mutineers. If rations aren’t distributed soon, I fear morale will collapse.”

James Walker sighed, “Everyone says I, James Walker, am harsh, but they don’t know that the rations originally allocated to my army were intercepted by the Ministry of War to aid the capital.”