“Useless Chad Sullivan, what you owed your parents and younger brother before, I will repay for you, and I’ll spend my whole life doing it.”

Chad Sullivan secretly vowed in his heart that he would make sure his parents lived a good life, that his younger brother would marry, start a family, and have a successful career.

But the most urgent thing now was to get through the crisis at hand!

Samuel Grant had given him three days to raise one thousand gold coins, and now only two days remained.

When the time was up, what would happen if Chad Sullivan couldn’t come up with the thousand gold coins?

Samuel Grant would kill his whole family—he always meant what he said.

To earn a thousand gold coins in two days—was it possible?

……

Early the next morning, after getting up, Chad Sullivan made medicine for his father and younger brother, washed up, and had breakfast.

“Bang bang bang…”

There was a knock at the door outside. His mother looked uneasy and was about to open the door.

“I’ll get it,” said Chad Sullivan.

When he opened the door, sure enough, it was Samuel Grant’s subordinates, Charles and George, his adopted sons.

“Time is tight, let’s go make some money,” said Charles Grant directly, his tone still calm and casual.

“Dalang, what’s going on?” his mother asked.

“Mom, it’s nothing, just two of my friends,” said Chad Sullivan.

His mother warmly said, “Oh, Dalang’s friends! Come in and have some porridge with us.”

Charles Grant smiled and said, “No need, we’ve already eaten, thank you, Auntie.”

His smile was warm too—he didn’t look like a killer at all, just a nice young man.

Unhurriedly, Chad Sullivan finished the bowl of plain rice porridge. His mother handed him an egg, saying, “Hurry up and eat it.”

He instinctively wanted to give the egg to his father.

“Eat it, eat it right now,” his mother said firmly, then peeled another egg and gave half each to his father and younger brother.

“Alright, I’ll eat it,” said Chad Sullivan.

Only after watching him finish did his mother finally smile with relief.

“Mom, I’m going to town with my friends. There’s a really great teacher coming to the academy today,” said Chad Sullivan.

His mother immediately got nervous and asked, “Dalang, will you come home for lunch?”

Chad Sullivan said, “I definitely won’t make it back for lunch, but I’ll try to come home for dinner.”

Charles Grant said warmly, “Auntie, my house is in town, I won’t let Chad Sullivan go hungry.”

His mother said, “Thank you, then. Come to our house sometime and I’ll cook eggs for you.”

“Alright!” Charles Grant’s smile grew even more honest and simple.

Then, Chad Sullivan left home to go earn money, with Charles Grant and George Grant following closely behind.

A thousand gold coins was an astronomical sum for his family.

……

Four hours later, Chad Sullivan had walked more than thirty li and was almost at Xuanwu City.

At this moment, there were two men ahead on the road, walking angrily and cursing as they went. They seemed to be father and son—the father in his forties, the son in his twenties.

Charles Grant stepped forward and greeted them warmly, “Uncle Li, Brother Dalu, long time no see!”

The father and son stopped. When they saw it was Charles Grant, their expressions were a bit awkward, but they quickly put on smiles and said, “Oh, it’s Charles, it’s been a while.”

Charles Grant said enthusiastically, “Uncle, why haven’t you come to our house lately? My dad misses you. Just yesterday he was saying you haven’t come over for tea in a while. Even though you owe us a little money, don’t be a stranger. You and my dad are closer than brothers!”

The middle-aged man said, “I’ll come tomorrow, I’ll come tomorrow.”

Charles Grant stepped forward, put his arms around the father and son, and led them into the depths of the rice fields, then into the woods.

“Uncle, you haven’t come to our house for a meal in ages. My dad’s special wine has gone sour. He told me to bring some meat to your house, and what a coincidence to run into you today!”

Once they were in the woods, Charles Grant’s tone grew even more intimate, as if they were real uncle and nephew.

“Oh right, Uncle!” Charles Grant said to the middle-aged man, “My dad said you don’t have to pay back the money you owe us.”

The middle-aged man said, “That’s too embarrassing, too embarrassing…”

Charles Grant said, “You and my father have been friends for over ten years, like brothers—what’s a little money? When I was a kid, I was always eating at your house.”

The middle-aged man said, “Then, then tomorrow I’ll slaughter a pig’s head and visit your dad, we’ll drink together.”

“Great…” said Charles Grant.

Then, he swiftly drew a dagger.

“Thud—”

Like lightning, he stabbed it into the hearts of the father and son, so fast that Chad Sullivan could barely see it.

There was no scream, no wailing—the father and son died instantly. It was only after a while that blood spurted from their wounds.

“George, go get the brothers to come deal with these two bodies,” said Charles Grant.

George Grant replied, “Yes, brother!”

Charles Grant wiped the dagger clean with a silk handkerchief, then carefully tucked it into his clothes. He checked himself and his sleeves to make sure there was no blood, then said to Chad Sullivan, “Sorry, ran into a couple of acquaintances and lost a bit of time. Let’s get going.”

“Alright,” said Chad Sullivan.

From start to finish, Charles Grant’s expression barely changed—he was smiling the whole time, even while killing.

The two continued on their way toward Xuanwu City.