The dull thud of a sword striking something blunt—this time, Samuel Cooper heard it clearly, along with the sound of a body hitting the ground. He heard it all.

"Danduo Peak of the Great Snow Mountain, Dylan Ford. If anyone wants revenge, come find me—now or in the future, anytime."

No one wanted to avenge the "Flying Eagle Gang." The bandits had only one thought: never provoke this man before them. Flying Eagle must have been out of his mind to make an enemy of him.

There was a stir among the prisoners at the front. Through a gap, Samuel Cooper saw Dylan Ford walking toward their group, his longsword still unsheathed, blood dripping onto the ground.

Was this man going to attack the prisoners next? Unlike the other captives, Samuel Cooper wasn't afraid—in fact, he felt a bit excited. He wanted to tell Dylan Ford about his background and deep-seated hatred, maybe even ask to become his disciple and seek help from the Great Snow Mountain.

He had no idea how difficult this would be, but he believed the appearance of the Great Snow Mountain knight was also part of "divine will."

But the two boys in front of him were collapsing so badly that they were about to drag down everyone around them. Samuel Cooper looked in surprise at their trembling figures and suddenly understood: Dylan Ford was coming for these two. Their panic, far greater than anyone else's, said it all.

In Samuel Cooper's eyes, Dylan Ford was like a legendary hero who protected the weak and punished the wicked. Why were these two boys so terrified? He couldn't understand.

Dylan Ford walked slowly forward. Wherever his gaze landed, people immediately shrank back. When he reached the end of the line, he stopped.

To Samuel Cooper's surprise, the two boys were no longer afraid. They straightened up, standing even taller than the adults in front of them, and stared directly at the sword-wielding knight.

Dylan Ford's eyes narrowed even further, but his expression didn't change. He raised his longsword with both hands.

At such close range, the sword looked even broader and heavier. It didn't even need a sharp edge—its weight alone could easily kill anyone.

If he swung now, several heads would probably roll. Yet the prisoners, like the dead Flying Eagle, were so terrified they didn't dare move, resigned to their fate.

Only Samuel Cooper showed not a trace of fear. Instead, he stepped forward half a pace, looking earnestly at Dylan Ford.

"You come from the Great Snow Mountain, so you must be a true hero."

Samuel Cooper had never heard anyone talk about the Great Snow Mountain, but that didn't affect his judgment of Dylan Ford.

"No, I'm just a swordsman."

"A swordsman shouldn't kill the innocent. Only... Jinpeng Fortress kills at will."

A sharp light flashed in Dylan Ford's eyes, as if truly moved by these words. But his weathered face quickly turned as cold and hard as the snow mountain itself. He held his breath, gripping his sword even tighter.

Samuel Cooper suddenly felt the ground vanish beneath his feet, his heart seeming to stop. Because of one unnecessary sentence, he was about to die alongside two strangers.

Dylan Ford's longsword slashed down at an angle—a blow that would take off more than one head. But midway, he changed his mind and turned to strike elsewhere.

An arrow snapped in half and fell at his feet.

"A sneak attack—must be a lackey of King Dupu."

"How bold. The one with the sword must be a little worm from the Great Snow Mountain."

A black-clad knight approached from the northern mountain pass, followed by two more knights, each carrying a large flag. The banners were black with red borders, embroidered in the center with a golden roc.

Chapter 0006: The Assassin

Samuel Cooper recognized that banner.

It was two years ago. The entire Gu family, dozens of people, left the Central Plains, crossing the desert toward the unknown Western Regions. They hired many helpers along the way, one of whom carried the Jinpeng banner. He wasn't a guide, yet always walked at the front of the group. He wasn't a servant either, never doing any chores, always keeping a respectful distance from the employers. Even the grooms and laborers seemed a bit afraid of him.

The journey to the Western Regions was dull and miserable, but one thing Samuel Cooper remembered clearly: in nearly a month of travel, they never encountered a single bandit attack. It seemed to confirm Master Logan Cooper's judgment of the Western Regions' situation, but in truth, it was thanks to the protection of Jinpeng Fortress.

Jinpeng Fortress had once been the Gu family's protector, which only deepened Samuel Cooper's confusion: why had their protector become their butcher two years later? He even began to wonder if the bandit Flying Eagle had made a mistake.

The two flag bearers stopped where they were. The black-clad knight rode forward alone, stopping a dozen paces from Dylan Ford. He dismounted, set aside his longbow, moving unhurriedly, as if preparing to greet an old friend by chance.

"A swordsman from the Snow Mountain visiting Jinpeng Fortress's territory—what a rare guest."

"Heh, and a Jinpeng Fortress assassin daring to fight alone—now that's rare."

"I have no choice. Still, I've learned a bit of fighting skills."

"I am Dylan Ford of Danduo Peak, Great Snow Mountain."

Dylan Ford gripped his sword with both hands, the tip still angled toward the ground.

"I've heard much about you. I'm just a nameless nobody from Jinpeng Fortress, not worth mentioning."

The black-clad assassin drew his blade. Unlike the curved sabers favored by the bandits, his was straight and narrow, the blade no more than two feet long. Compared to Dylan Ford's greatsword, it looked like an embroidery needle.

The two men drew closer and closer. The onlookers held their breath, waiting for the blow that would decide life and death.