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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 14: [The First Kill]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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"Sharp enough!" Qin Ming rose from beside the whetstone.
The wood-chopping knife in his hand, stripped of rust, gleamed like a mirror, resembling a pool of autumn water.
"Feng Yi'an and Shao Chengfeng deserves to die, but it would be a great pity if any good people were to suffer the same fate," he mused, determined to uncover the truth.
That evening, Old Liu was sharing a drink with Xu Yueping. Each man had only a single cup, and they took tiny sips to savor the flavor. There was nothing more to be had; the last jar of their fiery old wine had run dry.
"One roe deer for a human life — it's utterly inhumane!" Old Liu grumbled as he drank, his heart heavy with unspoken grievances he couldn't share with the Qian family.
Xu Yueping's greatest fear was that Feng Yi'an and Shao Chengfeng might truly experience Awakening, which would make things even worse.
"Isn't there a single decent person in the Mountain Patrol Group?" Qin Ming arrived.
Old Liu sighed. "If most of a basket of pears are rotten, it's hard to save the rest if you don't intervene. The Mountain Patrol Group should have twelve members, but now there are only nine. The loners were either ostracized or met with accidents in the mountains."
"Isn't there anyone who can check or deal with them?" Qin Ming asked casually.
Xu Yueping shook the wine jar vigorously before pouring a small amount of wine for him, then pulled him down to sit and drink together.
Old Liu thought for a moment. "Some Mountain Patrol Groups don't get along with them, either because they can't stand them or because they compete over spiritual treasures in the mountains. There have even been bloody incidents between them."
Xu Yueping added, "And Qing Sang (Green Mulberry) Village next door wasn't forced to plant Black Moon Medicine Herb. It seems Er Bingzi's relative is quite capable."
At this point, he turned to Qin Ming. "Xiao Qin, you have a solid Golden Foundation. You should make some plans. When early spring arrives, go out and see the world. Don't get stuck here."
He knew Feng Yi'an, Shao Chengfeng, and the others' personalities well. He was worried Qin Ming would be harmed by those wolf-like Mountain Patrolmen.
Qin Ming pondered. "Plans? I'd really like to know where I fled from during the famine all those years ago."
"Ah, I almost forgot you weren't originally from here. I've been treating you like one of us all this time," Xu Yueping said, unsure how to comfort him.
He quickly changed the subject.
He spoke of Chi Xia City's splendor, its unparalleled prosperity, and its reputation for producing exceptional individuals.
He mentioned the possibility of acquiring Advanced Meditation Techniques and Qi Cultivation Techniques there.
Old Liu chimed in, "I support Xiao Qin's decision to venture out. Youth should be bold and have dreams. Otherwise, by the time you reach my age, your legs will be too weak to go anywhere, leaving you with nothing but regrets and a sense of fading vitality."
Xu Yueping chuckled. "Uncle Liu, I heard you had lofty ambitions back in your day."
Old Liu wasn't embarrassed by the reminder of his past. "Who hasn't been young?"
"What were your ambitions back then?" Qin Ming asked, intrigued.
Old Liu reminisced, "When I was young and reckless, daring to dream and act was only natural. For example, I wanted to rise to power and subdue a famous beast in the mountains. More than that, I wanted to marry the most beautiful girl in the area."
"And what happened?"
"During a mission with the Mountain Patrol Group, we unexpectedly encountered that famous beast. It charged through, and its mere passage nearly wiped us all out. I suffered severe Qi damage, and the threshold for Awakening became completely unattainable. My hopes were dashed, and that girl was married off to one of my rivals."
Qin Ming raised his cup in a toast, the word "tragic" barely sufficing to describe the situation.
Old Liu chuckled. "Later on, I was so infuriated that I married my rival's sister, forcing him to call me 'brother-in-law' for the rest of his life."
"That's the way to do it!"
Though each of them only had half a cup of wine, they spent the entire evening drinking.
Back home, Qin Ming wiped down the Iron-Tired Bow engraved with monster patterns.
Unfortunately, it was no longer a hard bow for him; pulling it too forcefully would snap it.
"It's barely usable," he muttered.
He then filled the quiver wrapped in animal hide with iron arrows and packed spare clothes into his bundle.
"Tomorrow is the middle of the month," he murmured, gazing at the deep, star-studded night sky.
He went to bed early that night, determined to bring his Qi and Spirit to their peak condition.
In the middle of the night, he woke up.
He had slept long enough, and though it was still far from Shallow Night, he silently pushed open the courtyard gate.
In the dead of night, all things were still.
The darkness was so deep and eerie that ordinary people could barely see anything.
Qin Ming's Awakening had enhanced his physical attributes in every way, including his vision. Even in this extreme environment, he could make out hazy shapes, which didn't hinder his journey.
He bypassed the Fire Spring, choosing the most secluded path to skirt around it.
Snow had been falling continuously for days, and the flakes were growing larger.
His black hair, which fell to his shoulders, whipped in the night wind. His tall, slender frame was not frail but strong and powerful, and his steps were unwavering as he strode toward the Great Mountain.
The faces of the injured villagers flashed before his eyes, and the scene of Feng Yi'an presenting a roe deer at Uncle Qian's funeral kept haunting his mind.
He could bear it no longer — today, he would confront the Mountain Patrol Group!
Qin Ming entered the mountain with calm assurance, his heart already set on his purpose.
He felt no nervousness or unease, as if he were walking the path home.
The forest teemed with the howls of various creatures, and dark shadows darted through the air.
In the abyss-like darkness of the forest, countless malevolent eyes emerged — some crimson like blood, others glowing green like will-o'-the-wisps, and still others a cold, silvery white — all fixed on him.
He could even hear the heavy breathing of Strange Beasts and the whistling of raptors' wings nearby.
The Great Mountain at midnight was exceptionally dangerous.
Qin Ming suddenly accelerated, his physical prowess surpassing the Golden Foundation level.
He charged toward a large Strange Beast, his cleaver flashing like a bolt of lightning.
With a thwack, the beast's massive head was severed, blood gushing forth as its headless, six-hundred-pound body crashed to the ground.
Silence fell over the area.
In the darkness, the glowing green eyes and crimson eyes of the surrounding creatures vanished.
Qin Ming continued his journey, his goal clear and unwavering as he advanced toward the stronghold.
Moments later, the headless mountain beast was torn apart and devoured by a pack of carnivorous creatures.
The sounds of fierce competition and territorial growls echoed from the scene.
As Qin Ming neared his destination, he stood on a neighboring peak, observing the stronghold across the valley, where a Fire Spring bubbled.
It was still some time before Shallow Night, yet activity had already begun.
A nearly two-meter-tall man with curly black hair was feeding bloody chunks of meat to a ferocious Golden Mastiff.
"Fu Entao!" Qin Ming realized who it was.
He had heard descriptions of the man's distinctive appearance — naturally curly hair.
The strongest group leader had already arrived at the stronghold.
He then spotted four more figures emerging from the wooden huts, including Feng Yi'an and Shao Chengfeng.
"They arrived ahead of schedule," Qin Ming frowned, guessing they must have arrived yesterday.
He descended the mountain unhurriedly, waiting at the only path leading to the stronghold.
Four more people were still missing, and he decided to eliminate them first.
Snowflakes had turned his black hair white.
He stood motionless as Shallow Night approached, the mountain mist gradually dissipating, and the sky growing less dark.
For the Awakeners, the world seemed to open up. Qin Ming saw a man emerge, draped in a fur cloak, approaching from the direction outside the mountain.
The face was familiar.
This man had been standing beside Feng Yi'an the day Feng Yi'an humiliated Xu Yueping in Yinteng (Silvervine) Town.
Like an ice sculpture hidden behind a large tree, Qin Ming moved.
His attack was as sudden as thunder, instantly appearing before the man and slamming into him with a dull thud.
Multiple bones in the man's body shattered instantly. His eyes bulged, and the excruciating pain prevented him from even screaming. His neck had been the first target, gripped by a long, powerful hand.
With a sickening crack, the Mountain Patrolman's neck snapped.
Qin Ming's grip was so forceful that he crushed the cervical vertebrae, nearly tearing the head clean off.
The man's head lolled lifelessly to one side, hanging by a mere strip of skin.
Even in death, his face was frozen in terror and despair.
Qin Ming dragged the man deeper into the dense forest. He could smell alcohol on the corpse, along with a cloying scent of perfume.
No wonder the man had been slow to react — drunkenness and a hangover after a night of debauchery had made his death inevitable.
After searching the man, Qin Ming tossed him aside and took a deep breath. His emotions were noticeably agitated; this was his first kill.
Though he had mentally prepared himself beforehand, he still felt a pang of discomfort.
However, he quickly regained his composure. Having hunted in the mountains frequently and battled dangerous creatures, he had long grown accustomed to the sight of blood and possessed exceptional mental resilience.
"To plant the Black Moon Medicine Herb in the Fire Spring, you've been killing villagers - you are more dangerous than the fiercest beasts in these mountains. Today, I will eliminate all of you. Eradicating this evil is the fulfillment of my heart's desire!"
Qin Ming's voice was calm.
In his mind, he now viewed the Mountain Patrol Group as monstrous beasts and malevolent fiends.
His composure and resolve returned.
After a long wait, the second Mountain Patrolman emerged from the snowstorm.
His tall figure stood out starkly against the Shallow Night, casting a menacing shadow.
He wore armor similar to Shao Chengfeng's.
Qin Ming slowly drew his wood-chopping knife, its blade gleaming faintly in the snow.
He prepared to test its sharpness.
As the man drew near, a blinding flash of silver erupted from the darkness.
Qin Ming stomped on the snow, his movements as swift as lightning, covering the ten-meter distance in an instant.
This Mountain Patrolman reacted far more quickly than the first.
Sensing the deadly threat from his side and rear, his hairs stood on end.
He swiftly sidestepped and then dove to the ground, hoping to evade the attack.
As an Awakener with comprehensively enhanced physical abilities, his reflexes and adaptability were more than adequate.
Against opponents of his level, he should have been able to evade this attack.
However, Qin Ming was already faster, moving like a thunderbolt and having anticipated the move.
His sharp wood-chopping knife flashed through the air with a thwack, and the man's head flew off in a single stroke!
Blood gushed out instantly, staining the snow red over a wide area.
The headless corpse, still maintaining its forward momentum, tumbled into a snowdrift.
Qin Ming sheathed his knife, remaining calm this time, his heart unburdened by turmoil.
The goose-feather snowflakes didn't seem to be falling; they were crashing down, growing heavier with each gust of wind.
The icy wind stung his face with considerable force.
Qin Ming tilted his head back and gazed at the sky, said, "What a magnificent snow!"
The stronger the wind and the heavier the snow, the better they would erase the traces he left behind.
He stood in the snowstorm like an unmoving statue, knife in hand, waiting for the third and fourth Mountain Patrolmen to arrive.
As expected, both were swiftly dispatched in the dim forest with lightning-fast strikes.
He no longer felt any discomfort.
He could smile gently at Xiao Wenrui, and he could also wield his knife to slaughter a pack of Mountain Patrolmen in the Great Mountain, men more dangerous than tigers.
Qin Ming's steps were firm and steady, neither too fast nor too slow, as he walked alone toward the Mountain Patrol Group's headquarters.
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END OF CHAPTER
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