Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Episode 79: The Boy Doesn’t Smile (2)

The man who appeared to be the leader scrutinized Andrew.

The boy was young, in good health, with striking dark red hair and blue eyes—a rare combination. If they kidnapped him and sold him in another country, he’d fetch a high price.

The men exchanged glances, nodding with sly smiles.

If they could learn the black bean cultivation method and capture the boy as a bonus, it would be an incredible haul.

“No need to be scared, kid. We’re not bad guys,” the man said, assuming Andrew was paralyzed with fear.

Grinning, the man approached Andrew, hiding his sword behind his back and reaching out to pat his head with his other hand. But Andrew took a step back.

“Huh?”

The movement was smooth, almost unnaturally so, showing no sign of fear.

The man, irritated, straightened up and jabbed his sword into the ground threateningly.

“I’ll ask one more time. Do an old man and a girl live here? Are they inside?”

Silence.

“Can’t you speak? Hey.”

At a nod from the leader, two men beside him quickly barged into the cabin.

It was a small space, so it didn’t take long to search.

However, they soon came back out, shrugging their shoulders.

“No one inside, boss.”

“Maybe they caught on and ran?” one of them suggested.

The leader shook his head.

“If they realized, why would they leave just the kid behind?”

“Yeah, good point. Hey, old man! Are we in the right place?”

The man called out to Ironius, who was still tied up on the horse.

“Yes,” he managed, nodding weakly. He was utterly exhausted from the long, grueling journey on horseback.

“Do you know this kid?”

“I’ve never seen him before.”

Ironius shook his head, making the leader frown.

“Boss, what now?”

The leader glanced around, thinking for a moment.

“Hmm… Something feels off. Search the area before it gets dark! This is a small, isolated village; they can’t have gone far. They might be nearby.”

“Understood.”

“Alright, spread out and search!”

At his command, the four men drew their weapons and began to fan out.

But just then—

“Aargh!”

The man closest to Andrew suddenly stumbled backward, clutching his face.

Blood streamed from between his fingers, and Andrew held a dagger in his hand.

“What are you waiting for? Grab that brat!”

With a shout, the leader’s men snapped to attention and lunged at Andrew.

Their blades gleamed ominously in the moonlight.

“You little brat! Stay still!”

“Is the kid insane?”

As they closed in, Andrew suddenly turned and bolted toward the forest behind the cabin.

He moved with astonishing speed, as fast as an adult, and his small stature made him appear even quicker.

“He’s heading for the forest! Don’t let him escape!”

“How’s he so fast for a little runt?!”

“Stop right there, you brat!”

As Andrew vanished into the trees, the men pursued him, charging into the forest without hesitation.

“Search every inch of this place! Don’t let him get away!”

The man whose cheek had been slashed shouted as he entered the forest, his voice echoing through the dark.

Hearing the replies from all directions, he felt certain they’d catch the boy soon enough.

But the forest was broader than he’d expected.

Rustle, rustle

As they pushed through the underbrush, the trees grew denser, the darkness deepened, and an eerie silence filled the air.

“Where’d he go? Sneaky little rat…” one of the men muttered, gripping his sword nervously as he scanned his surroundings.

“Helm! Joad! Any luck over there?”

He called out names, but no response came.

A growing sense of unease crept in, and he turned to retrace his steps. But as he did, two blue eyes gleamed at him from the darkness.

Thunk!

“Guh!”

Andrew’s dagger struck directly at his heart.

It was a swift, precise motion, executed without a hint of hesitation.

The man’s body stiffened, and he collapsed, unable to make any sound.

Andrew melted back into the shadows, targeting his next prey.

A few moments later.

“Huff… huff…”

The leader, now wandering the forest alone, looked deathly pale.

Since entering the forest, he hadn’t seen any trace of the boy—only the lifeless bodies of his men, each with a stab wound to the heart.

Judging by the wounds, they matched the blade width of the dagger the boy carried.

“Come out, you demon!” he shouted, but there was no response.

“Damn…”

After finding the fourth body, the leader finally broke and sprinted back toward the cabin, where the horses were waiting.

“If I stay, we’ll all be slaughtered. I underestimated that kid. If he’s this clever…”

As he reached the edge of the forest, Andrew emerged from behind a tree, lunging with his dagger.

The leader, startled, managed to see the attack coming.

Clang!

He deflected Andrew’s dagger with his sword, then swung his blade down in a counterattack.

Andrew barely managed to roll out of the way, landing outside the forest.

“I’ve got you now, you brat!”

The leader no longer cared about capturing Andrew or extracting information. Now, he was driven by one single thought: he had to kill this devil in a child’s form.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Each swing of the blade tore at Andrew’s clothes, staining them red.

To kill his opponent, he had to close the distance, but the length difference between his dagger and the man’s sword was glaring.

The man, a skilled swordsman, lived up to his role as the leader, displaying far more expertise than his subordinates.

“Huff, huff…”

But Andrew’s expression didn’t falter. His sharp gaze remained fixed on finding an opening.

He steadied his breathing, lowered his stance, and prepared to lunge at any moment.

“Damn rat!”

As the man’s relentless strikes forced Andrew back, he finally lost his balance and fell backward.

“Ugh!”

He had already expended much of his stamina fighting off the others in the forest.

With his small frame and only a dagger in hand, the fight against the burly man was a struggle.

Yet Andrew refused to give up, gripping his dagger with both hands as he awaited the man’s next move.

“This is the end!”

The man raised his sword high, intending to strike down.

Thunk!

“Ugh?”

At that moment, someone rammed into the man from behind.

Losing his balance, the man stumbled forward, and Andrew used the last of his strength to drive his dagger forward.

Thud!

“Argh!”

The dagger pierced directly into the man’s heart.

In the end, he had impaled himself on Andrew’s blade.

In shock, the man slowly turned his head to see Ironius, breathing heavily, standing behind him, bound with ropes.

It seemed Ironius had thrown himself from his horse and charged at the man.

“Kid, are you alright…”

Ironius asked, his voice weak, before he collapsed, exhausted.

Andrew pushed the man’s lifeless body off him and stood up, glancing at the unconscious Ironius, then scanning his surroundings.

The horses were scattered around the yard.

After a brief moment of thought, Andrew began by dragging the man’s body back into the forest.

* * *

By the time Karon, Shong, and Hinshan arrived at the old man’s cabin, it was deep into the night.

Torches were lit around the cabin, and light shone from within.

Karon surveyed the area while Shong and Hinshan went inside.

“Andrew!”

“Shh!”

Inside, the old man held a finger to his lips, signaling them to be quiet.

Beside him lay Andrew and Ironius, both pale and sweating in their sleep.

“They just fell asleep. Their lives aren’t in danger, so don’t worry. Let’s step outside.”

The old man led them back outside and recounted the events of the evening.

Though he didn’t know the details, he explained that Andrew had shown up at the grain warehouse, and when he’d returned to the cabin, he’d found Ironius unconscious.

No other intruders were visible, but the blood on Andrew and the traces of blood around the cabin hinted at a struggle.

That’s when Andrew had collapsed.

Hearing the story, the three realized that Andrew had likely dealt with all the Fogus members himself.

Shong felt a chill run down his spine.

Andrew’s actions and demeanor mirrored Karon’s so closely that it was uncanny—even though Karon hadn’t taught him. The similarity was astonishing.

“Thankfully, everything turned out alright,” Shong said, relieved.

“That’s not true. Andrew hasn’t said it, but we owe him our lives,” the old man replied, shaking his head as he gazed at the cabin.

Hinshan smiled and patted the old man on the back.

“It’s late. Go rest. We’ll keep watch out here tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

“Don’t worry. We’re used to camping.”

“Very well… I’ll leave them in your care, then. I should check on their condition one more time.”

“Please, go ahead.”

As the old man returned to the cabin, Hinshan and Shong began setting up their camp.

Hinshan gathered stones, while Shong headed into the forest for firewood.

As he surveyed the area, Karon spoke up for the first time in a while.

“There’s a strong smell of blood in the forest. Bodies must be there.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t be surprised,” Shong grumbled as he ventured into the trees.

A moment later—

“Whoa! Damn it!”

Shong’s startled scream echoed through the forest.

* * *

The next morning.

Karon and Andrew rode together on one horse, while Shong, Hinshan, and Ironius each rode their own.

With the Fogus gang’s horses left behind, they had enough mounts for everyone.

After a good night’s rest, Andrew and Ironius appeared much better.

The old man and his granddaughter stood by, holding hands, to see them off.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Hinshan asked.

The old man smiled kindly and shook his head.

“We’re happy here. And with the Fogus gang wiped out, there’s no threat. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday.”

“Understood. I’ll look forward to it.”

Hinshan turned his horse, but Ironius approached the old man once more, bowing his head apologetically.

“I’m sorry, my friend. I didn’t have a choice.”

“I understand. I haven’t suffered, really. You’re the one who went through all that trouble. I’ll visit you soon. I imagine it’s a big celebration in Wattsbell now, isn’t it?”

“Haha, it sure will be. Alright then. Until we meet again.”

Ironius had regained consciousness that morning and had explained everything to the old man.

The old man had forgiven him, understanding his predicament.

And Hinshan reassured them both that all of the Fogus gang had been apprehended, relieving any lingering fears.

Ironius and the old man were overjoyed at the news.

TL NOTE: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES