I Am a Rune Engraver, Carrying a Knife Makes Perfect Sense-Chapter 26 - Old Fox Wu Yun

—

“A low-grade Spirit Bomb, huh? Interesting,” Xu Shen muttered as he toyed with one of the glowing orbs in his hand.

He had heard of Spirit Bombs before. They were strictly regulated by the Xinhuo Guard, difficult to produce, and required rare materials. But their power was undeniable.

Even a low-grade Spirit Bomb packed enough punch to rival a full-force attack from a Flame Mastery cultivator!

For Zhang Ling to have acquired two of these and handed them to this woman was no small feat.

“Good thing Boss was quick…” Yang Dian thought, a chill running down his spine. If the woman had managed to use the Spirit Bombs, they would’ve been dead or severely injured. A Flame Mastery-level attack wasn’t something to joke about.

“Zhuangshi… I’m your uncle! You can’t do this to me!” Zhang Ling stammered, his voice trembling as he looked at Zhang Zhuangshi.

He was genuinely terrified now. The stench of blood emanating from Xu Shen was overwhelming—it reminded him of a veteran Xinhuo Guard he had once encountered. This wasn’t the kind of bloodlust that came from killing a few people; it was far more intense.

In this era, even the Xinhuo Guard rarely killed humans, as the threat of ghouls made every life valuable. Most Xinhuo Guards, despite slaying thousands of ghouls, might never kill another human.

Zhang Ling could sense that Xu Shen’s bloodlust wasn’t something cultivated from fighting ghouls—it was the unmistakable aura of someone who had killed many people.

SLAP!

Zhang Zhuangshi slapped Zhang Ling hard across the face, shouting angrily, “You think I didn’t hear what you said outside? Zhang Ling, you’re unbelievable!”

“You… You can’t kill me! My uncle is—”

BANG!

Before Zhang Ling could finish, Xu Shen’s fist smashed into his head, causing it to explode in a spray of blood and gore.

The seductive woman beside Zhang Ling screamed in horror as warm blood splattered onto her face.

“Stop wasting my time,” Xu Shen muttered coldly. He had no intention of letting Zhang Ling live. He had come here tonight to eliminate every last threat.

Even Yang Dian and Xu Guang flinched at the sheer decisiveness of Xu Shen’s actions. Brother Shen didn’t hesitate at all—he was utterly ruthless.

BLEGH!

Zhang Zhuangshi turned pale and ran outside to vomit. Yang Dian tried to hold it in but failed after hearing Zhang Zhuangshi retching, joining him in emptying his stomach.

Xu Guang fared slightly better but still looked visibly shaken, his face pale.

“Stop screaming!” Xu Shen snapped at the woman, slapping her across the face. Her hysterical cries ceased immediately.

“B-Brother Shen, please spare me! I’ll do anything you want—I’m very skilled!” she pleaded desperately, twisting her body seductively despite her fear.

To her credit, she was stunning—her figure and face were both top-notch. Her long, smooth legs in particular were mesmerizing.

Xu Shen grabbed the black knife pinning her hand to the table and yanked it out. The woman trembled in pain but didn’t dare scream again, instead looking at him pitifully.

SLASH!

Her eyes widened in shock as Xu Shen’s blade slashed across her neck. Blood spurted out as she collapsed lifelessly to the floor.

She couldn’t understand why this man wouldn’t spare her. Wasn’t she beautiful enough?

But that question would remain unanswered as her consciousness faded away…

—

Xu Shen stepped out of the room, taking a deep breath to calm his turbulent emotions. Killing so many people tonight had stirred something within him, but he quickly suppressed it.

It didn’t matter who they were or what connections they had—anyone who dared threaten his family would pay the ultimate price. That was his bottom line, his principle. No one could cross it.

His siblings and Uncle Wang’s family were more important than anything else. Anyone who endangered them would face severe consequences.

His reverse scale was simple: harm those he cared about, and you’d face his wrath.

“Brother Shen, after tonight… can I follow you?” Xu Guang asked hesitantly as he stepped outside. His face was still pale, but he managed a small smile.

He had been called here by Xu Shen on short notice but had willingly stayed. He felt that following this younger boy would change his life forever.

“You’re my brother now,” Xu Shen said with a hearty laugh, throwing an arm around Xu Guang’s shoulders.

Xu Guang froze for a moment before a wave of emotion washed over him. Smiling broadly, he laughed alongside Xu Shen.

“What about us—blegh—” Yang Dian tried to speak but ended up vomiting again.

“Talk after you’re done puking,” Xu Shen said dismissively, waving him off with a look of disdain.

“Come on, Brother Shen! Don’t be like that!” Yang Dian protested weakly before retching again.

Xu Shen burst out laughing, his earlier tension dissipating completely. Turning to Zhang Zhuangshi, he gave him a light kick. “Stop puking and burn these two houses down. Isn’t your rune fire-based?”

“We’re burning them?” Zhang Zhuangshi asked incredulously as he wiped his mouth.

“Of course! Destroying evidence is common sense—and it’s like giving them one last stab for good measure,” Xu Shen replied matter-of-factly. “Make sure there’s nothing left—not even ashes.”

Soon, flames roared into the night sky as the houses were engulfed in fire. The four of them stood silently, watching the buildings burn.

Clap… Clap… Clap…

The sound of slow clapping broke the silence, making all four of them jump as they spun around.

Xu Shen narrowed his eyes as blood energy surged through him. He locked onto the figure emerging from the shadows—someone he hadn’t sensed approaching at all!

“Xu Shen… I underestimated you,” came a familiar voice.

Stepping into view was Wu Yun, his presence exuding a heavy pressure that seemed to weigh down on everyone around him.

“Damn it!” Xu Guang’s face turned pale with panic.

Yang Dian and Zhang Zhuangshi fell silent, their expressions grim. None of them had expected Wu Yun to show up—and they had no idea what he intended to do.

“What now?” Yang Dian whispered nervously.

“Stay calm,” Xu Shen replied quietly, shaking his head slightly.

Wu Yun’s expression was unreadable as he surveyed the four of them with cold eyes. His voice carried an icy edge as he spoke: “You’ve got some nerve…”

The oppressive aura radiating from Wu Yun made all four of them shudder involuntarily. It felt like an invisible mountain pressing down on them.

“You realize what you’ve done tonight?” Wu Yun asked flatly, his gaze piercing through them like daggers.

“They deserved it,” Zhang Zhuangshi said boldly, though his voice wavered slightly under Wu Yun’s glare.

“Hmph! That’s not for you to decide,” Wu Yun retorted with a cold snort. “Are you Xinhuo Guards? What gives you the right?”

The pressure around them intensified further, leaving all four struggling to breathe. Even Xu Shen felt his confidence waver—he couldn’t muster even a shred of resistance against someone at Wu Yun’s level.

The gap between their strength was simply too vast…

“So no one’s going to speak up? Does that mean you’re admitting guilt?” Wu Yun asked mockingly. “I’ll give you one chance—step forward and point out who did it, and I’ll let them go.”

As he spoke, Wu Yun raised one hand slightly. A faint breeze began swirling in his palm—a subtle yet ominous display of power.

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“I did it!” Xu Guang stepped forward with a grim expression, determination etched on his face.

“I did too!” Yang Dian and Zhang Zhuangshi followed suit without hesitation.

Wu Yun raised an eyebrow in surprise before glancing at Xu Shen curiously. This boy hadn’t known these three for long—some of them had even been at odds with him before. How had he earned such loyalty?

Had he revealed his identity as a rune master?

“Interesting,” Wu Yun said softly before flicking his wrist.

The swirling breeze shot out from his palm—but instead of striking them—it swept toward the burning houses behind them!

The flames were extinguished instantly as the windstorm tore through the structures, reducing them to nothingness—not even ashes remained…

“Destroying all traces leaves no evidence behind,” Wu Yun said with a faint smile. “Fire always leaves some residue—learn from this.”

With those parting words, Wu Yun vanished into the night as if he had never been there.

Yang Dian and Zhang Zhuangshi stood frozen in shock—they had been ready to face punishment but instead received… advice?

Xu Shen’s expression turned slightly strange as he processed what had just happened. Wu Yun really is an old fox… His methods are way more polished than ours.

“Brother Shen… Are we really off the hook? Did the Chief just let us go?” Yang Dian asked excitedly.

“He was just messing with you guys,” Xu Shen replied with a chuckle.

“Come on! You knew him? Why didn’t you say so earlier? I thought we were doomed!” Zhang Zhuangshi collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. Even a fraction of Wu Yun’s pressure had been overwhelming—it had taken everything they had just to stand firm.

“Thanks for tonight,” Xu Shen said suddenly, looking at them seriously.

“Brother Shen! Don’t say stuff like that—it’s too formal!”

“Yeah! No need for thanks—we’re brothers now!”

“In that case,” Xu Shen said with a grin, “you three will take turns coming to my repair shop every day—I’ll engrave runes for you.”

Yang Dian and Zhang Zhuangshi cheered excitedly while Xu Guang froze in disbelief before breaking into a wide grin. He hadn’t known Xu Shen was a rune master—but now he realized how lucky he was to have chosen to follow him!

After ensuring everything was cleaned up properly—including the now non-existent houses—the four of them piled into their car and headed back to the city.

—

When Xu Shen finally returned home, it was already midnight. He quietly unlocked the door and tiptoed inside, making sure Xu Dong and Xu Xia were asleep before heading to the bathroom to wash off the blood covering him.

As he turned around after shutting off the water, he froze in place—his body stiffening instinctively.

Sitting silently in the corner of the living room like a ghost was Wang Bing. His figure was shrouded in shadow except for his eyes—gleaming faintly with amusement as they locked onto Xu Shen.

“You’ve been busy tonight… haven’t you?” Wang Bing said softly, his tone carrying an unsettling mix of humor and menace.