With a roar from Xu Bin, the long sword sliced through the air, falling with a deathly whistle, splattering blood. Sun Hao's life was mercilessly reaped in that instant.
His head rolled to the side, his face still bearing a shocked expression, his eyes wide open in death.
Sun Lei stood there, stunned, his eyes wide open. This one blow had cost him his only son.
Even the usually calm Chen Zhennan was somewhat shocked, never expecting that Xu Bin would actually dare to kill Sun Hao.
Xu Bin straightened up, held the long knife upright in front of him, and examined it closely. The blood on it was flowing downwards at a very fast speed.
Xu Bin frowned slightly and exclaimed in surprise, "What a fine knife! It's truly a fine knife. It remains unstained by blood. How come I've never heard of such a treasured blade before?"
Xu Bin had been on the battlefield and seen countless weapons, but a knife like this was extremely rare, or even nonexistent.
Seeing this, Chen Zhennan smiled and said magnanimously, "If you like it, Shiyu, give him the scabbard, and this knife is yours!"
Although the knife belonged to Yan Shiyu, he didn't care at all. The factory had plenty of these knives; he could just get another one later.
Xu Bin's joy was palpable. He caught the scabbard that Yan Shiyu threw to him with practiced speed and skill.
He flicked his longsword, wiping away all the blood, then spun around gracefully before sheathing it.
Xu Bin's movements revealed a sense of pride and satisfaction, clearly indicating that he was very pleased with the quality of the knife.
Xu Bin was so happy he almost jumped for joy, but when he looked at Sun Lei, his face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and his anger was about to burst out.
"Men! Seize Xu Bin and tear him to pieces! Kill him and all of them!"
Sun Lei's voice was filled with anger and madness, and it echoed in the county government hall. Everyone could feel his despair.
The city guards and yamen runners hesitated when faced with Sun Lei's orders.
Their movements were slow, and their eyes revealed their dissatisfaction with Sun Lei and their awe of Xu Bin.
Many of them had fought alongside Xu Bin and knew of his bravery. Moreover, Xu Bin was an upright person and was highly respected by others.
Chen Zhennan was somewhat surprised. Xu Bin was not like this at the city gate. Xu Bin at the city gate had the feeling of being Sun Hao's lackey, but now he was a completely different person.
Xu Bin stood in the center of the lobby, his eyes as cold as knives, and pointed steadily at Sun Lei.
"Brothers, look at that bastard Sun Lei! He's a nepotist, colludes with businessmen, and amassed wealth at will. I don't need to tell you how many of your relatives and friends have been suppressed by the government. Rebel against him!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was lost in memories, recalling their past experiences of being suppressed by the government.
Yes, they were government soldiers and yamen runners, but in Ji County, wearing these uniforms not only did they not have any special privileges, they couldn't even escape Sun Lei's exploitation.
The atmosphere at the scene was like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment.
The soldiers and yamen runners stopped in their tracks at Xu Bin's words, their eyes flashing with complex emotions as they all turned to look at Sun Lei.
Sun Lei panicked for a moment. Facing those menacing eyes, he felt more isolated and helpless than ever before.
Xu Bin gripped his long knife and walked step by step toward Sun Lei, his steps firm and powerful.
"Old Sun, karma is a cycle. You've committed many evils and been hiding beneath the surface, but we little fish and shrimps have all seen it."
His voice carried a hint of coldness and determination, clearly indicating that he could no longer tolerate Sun Lei's actions.
Sun Lei's face turned from angry red to fearful pale. His lips trembled, and his voice carried a hint of despair: "Xu Bin, don't forget, we are comrades-in-arms. We both came back from the battlefield after surviving countless near-death experiences. I've treated you well all these years. How can you... be so ungrateful?"
His words revealed a final plea to Xu Bin, hoping that Xu Bin would change his mind, as only he could keep these officers and yamen runners in check.
Xu Bin listened to Sun Lei's words but only gave a cold laugh, his laughter filled with deep sarcasm.
"You've treated me well? Put your hand on your conscience and think about whether you're even embarrassed to say that."
As he spoke, Xu Bin sighed and continued, "If you were willing to pay a price, I might actually go along with you, but now I have to thank you for letting me retain a lot of my conscience."
As he spoke, Xu Bin had already walked up to Sun Lei with his long knife in his hand. The tip of his knife gleamed coldly in the sunlight, like an icicle in winter, chilling and dazzling.
Sun Lei finally began to beg for mercy, his face filled with embarrassment and fear, his voice trembling as he almost knelt down: "Xu Bin, please, spare me, I don't want to die..."
Sun Lei's pleas for mercy echoed in the county government hall. His body trembled, like a fallen leaf drifting in the autumn wind.
His face was covered in tears and snot, his clothes were stained with sweat and dirt, and his dignity and prestige had vanished.
But Xu Bin ignored him, as if he hadn't heard him, and plunged a knife into Sun Lei's stomach.
Sun Lei's screams tore through the air; the sound of pain was like a fierce storm, striking the hearts of everyone present.
Upon seeing this, the surrounding soldiers and yamen runners drew their swords, their eyes revealing a hint of frenzied excitement, as if at this moment, a ruthless flame had ignited in their hearts.
With a roar from a constable, a flash of light appeared, and a heavy blow struck Sun Lei.
Sun Lei's body writhed in agony, blood gushing out like a fountain, staining the surrounding earth red.
His screams echoed in the empty hall as dozens of knives came one after another, their blades slicing across his fragile body, leaving bloody wounds. Sun Lei's eyes gradually lost their light, and he finally collapsed in endless pain.
Song Yunyang's face turned pale, her eyes were fixed, and her chin trembled uncontrollably.
She couldn't help but turn her head away, staggered to Chen Zhennan's side, and said in a trembling voice, "Brother Nan, Sun Lei is dead. The governor of Jingzhou will definitely retaliate. Why don't we go directly to him?"
Chen Zhennan could feel her body trembling slightly due to the emotional fluctuations, and a trace of tenderness flashed in his eyes.
He quickly reached out and hugged her head, letting her lean against his chest, and gently comforted her, "Don't worry, don't worry, I'll take you to the back to rest."
Song Yunyang relaxed slightly, leaning against Chen Zhennan's chest, feeling his heartbeat. The steady rhythm made her feel at ease.
"Brother Nan, in all my years on the battlefield, I've never seen anyone hate someone so much. What exactly did Sun Lei do?"
Chen Zhennan smiled slightly: "I can only say that Sun Lei's acting was too realistic. When he came in, we didn't hear any people talking about him. He is a good actor."
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