Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain

Chapter 101: Gao Lao Das panic

Murong Lin diligently trailed the survivors escaping from the northern regions towards the south. The capital had descended into a state of chaos, overrun by the hordes of Blood Bat Locusts that darkened the skies. Their strength had reached a state where they could devour smaller towns in an instant, and their primary focus was now on breeding prolifically.

The capital was teeming with first-rate experts, backed by abundant resources from the two mighty factions of the Jiang Hu: the Twelfth Great Roc Gang and the Sun Manor. Only with such resources could they hold the Blood Bat Locusts at bay, for now.

In truth, the Blood Bat Locusts under Murong Lin’s command were expanding their reach, consuming various races and lifeforms indiscriminately. Their voracious onslaught extended to the farthest reaches of this hidden realm, terminating at the edge of a vast sea, more accurately, an icy ocean.

It was in this expanse that the Blood Bat Locusts finally ceased their advance. By this point, their development had reached a terrifying pinnacle.

Murong Lin directed the Blood Bat Locusts to change course, veering from their northern path towards the south, the wealthiest region in the world.

Their rampage resumed anew.

Following the survivors’ path to the south, Murong Lin found his blade technique and strength reaching new heights, on the verge of a breakthrough. He sought the catalyst that would push him over the edge.

The people had seen firsthand the horrifying locust plague, and many had been traumatized by the gruesome scenes they witnessed. Even those who hadn’t directly witnessed the locusts devouring humans in gruesome detail were aware of the catastrophic events unfolding in the north.

People believed that seeking refuge in the south was their only hope. With Old Bo in the south, they had faith that he could solve any problem. Unsurprisingly, Old Bo had already started taking action and had dispatched one of his trusted men, Lu Man, southward to investigate and find a solution to the locust plague.

Yet, their efforts proved futile. A plague had emerged in the south as well. While they managed to mitigate a portion of the swarm, they had yet to discover an effective means of eradicating these Blood Bat Locusts.

Even with Old Bo’s involvement, they could only identify some minor culprits manipulating a fraction of the Blood Bat Locusts from the shadows. Nobody possessed the power to eliminate all of the Blood Bat Locusts in one fell swoop.

These recent developments left Old Bo highly dissatisfied.

First, there was a brazen assassination attempt on his life, which still rankled him, even though the culprit was killed by Han Tang. Then, his son, Sun Jian Li, was unexpectedly murdered during Tie Cheng Gang’s funeral, a shocking act of internal betrayal.

Finally, his call for Han Tang led to the revelation that he had been blinded in one eye, allegedly by the Twelfth Great Roc Gang.

The events fueled his suspicions of internal treachery, pointing towards someone he had once trusted deeply—Lu Xiang Chuan.

Despite sending someone to investigate Lu Xiang Chuan, the Twelfth Great Roc Gang’s scheme nearly succeeded in taking his life. Even though Old Bo managed to eliminate five of the rocs, the emergence of the Blood Bat Locusts as a major calamity in the north heightened his sense of foreboding.

Turning his gaze to Lu Xiang Chuan, Sun Yu Bo’s expression shifted slightly as he inquired, “Did you kill someone?”

Lu Xiang Chuan nodded and replied, “I encountered a crazed drunkard on my way here who attempted to take my life, so I defended myself.”

In truth, he was the one who had been intoxicated. He had slain a womanizer who had been hanging around Xiao Die, then displayed the corpse where Xiao Die could see it.

He wanted Xiao Die to burn it to her memory that she belonged to him!

Sun Yu Bo accepted this explanation without further probing.

Old Bo was not one to pry, and he remained unaware of the extent of Lu Xiang Chuan’s vicious and cruel nature hidden behind his facade of respectability.

“Did you manage to extract any information from those individuals? Do we know where these locusts originated?” Old Bo inquired.

With a bitter smile, Lu Xiang Chuan shook his head, “I’m afraid we won’t obtain any further information. They only knew of the person who approached them.

This individual sought them out and provided each of them with a hundred Blood Bat Locusts, encouraging them to exact revenge on those who had wronged them.

We’ve only learned this from the four individuals we’ve captured, but there’s also another killer who continues to evade our grasp. The locusts under his command are the most fearsome.”

Lu Xiang Chuan couldn’t help but shudder as he recalled the assassin who had ambushed him that fateful night.

Surrounded by over a hundred locusts, Lu Xiang Chuan acted swiftly and managed to eliminate the most immediate threat—a first-rate Blood Bat Locust. He then initiated his escape while continuously fending off the relentless swarm.

It wasn’t until he had expended all his hidden weapons that he finally noticed the presence of the shadowy assassin. This killer had displayed remarkable patience, waiting until Lu Xiang Chuan had exhausted his resources before making an appearance.

However, fortune was on his side that night. His uncle, Lu Man Tian, had coincidentally sought out Old Bo, and during his journey, he stumbled upon the scene and saved Lu Xiang Chuan from certain death.

The mysterious killer merely spared Lu Xiang Chuan a single glance before vanishing into the darkness.

Lu Xiang Chuan was well aware that this assassin harboured an unrelenting grudge against him, a vendetta that seemed impossible to resolve.

On the roadside, Xiao Die wept as she gazed upon the lifeless body hanging from a tree.

This was a child who had simply wanted to strike up a conversation and form a closer relationship with her. But he had met a brutal end at the hands of Lu Xiang Chuan. The terror still etched on his lifeless face haunted her, and she couldn’t fathom the horrors he had endured in his final moments.

In a daze, Xiao Die made her way to the riverside, her gaze fixed on the bag that remained untouched in its original spot. She stared at it for a while, her focus gradually sharpening.

With slow and deliberate movements, she approached the bag. Overcoming her hesitation, she opened it to find a hundred famished locusts inside—creatures that had lost the vitality and cleverness they once had, but still retained their inherent ferocity, their sharp claws and teeth waving menacingly.

However, to Xiao Die’s eyes, they seemed incomparably lovely.

Despite their cruelty, could they truly compare to the cruelty of the world that had been unkind to her? Did she not deserve a chance for revenge?

A spark of resentment flickered in her eyes as she clutched the bag of Blood Bat Locusts. Slowly, she got up and made her way towards a new path, carrying with her a newfound determination.

The silhouette of the girl gradually disappeared into the fog, just as the butterflies¹ had vanished from the riverside. 

Butterflies were beautiful, but did their beauty mean that they deserved to suffer?

Due to her departure, Meng Xing Hun didn’t manage to meet the girl who had often shared moments under the starlit sky with him.

He sat alone on the ground, gazing at the comets in the sky. It was as if he had undergone a profound realization. He stretched out on the grass and closed his eyes, emptying his mind of all thoughts.

Meanwhile, driven by his jealousy of Meng Xing Hun, Xiao He had undertaken a mission to assassinate Old Bo. He sought recognition from Gao Lao Da and decided to seize the opportunity to kill Old Bo first. However, he unsurprisingly met his end at the hands of Han Tang.

The deaths of Xiao He and Tu Da Roc weighed heavily on Meng Xing Hun and Gao Lao Da. Meng Xing Hun grieved for the loss of his brother, while Gao Lao Da mourned the death of one of her obedient dogs.

With Ye Xiang missing, Xiao He dead in the Sun Manor, and Shi Qun recovering from his assassination up north, only Meng Xing Hun remained as the only viable asset she could utilise.

Yet, Meng Xing Hun’s spirit was shaken by the memory of the intense battle between Murong Lin and Han Tang. His shaken confidence held him back from taking action for the time being.

Gao Lao Da, wearing a bitter expression, reproached Meng Xing Hun for his inaction before departing.

The death of Tu Da Roc left her uncertain about the revelation of her partnership with Lu Xiang Chuan and Tu Da Roc.

She had allied with these two trusted subordinates, hoping that they could assassinate their respective masters, Sun Yu Bo and Wan Roc King, and secure the Merry Forest’s territory for her own ambitions.

Gao Lao Da’s ambitious thoughts began to crystallize into a plan for taking control not just of the Merry Forest, but also for devouring the power and influence of the Sun Manor and the Twelfth Great Roc Gang.

However, Tu Da Roc’s incompetence had not only cost him his own life but had also shattered her plans.

Standing outside the house, Gao Lao Da deliberated for a moment before deciding to contact Lu Xiang Chuan to urge him to take swift action.

She believed that if Lu Xiang Chuan could eliminate Old Bo, it could pave the way for her to seize the Merry Forest’s title deed.

The years of suffering and frustration had fueled her desire for vengeance, and she yearned for the day she could exact her revenge.

Gao Lao Da’s calculating gaze shifted to Shi Qun, who was dressed in white. She knew that Shi Qun was her most loyal and dependable asset, and that he was the most silent.

She needed Shi Qun to kill Han Tang.

1. FYI, the Die in Xiao Die’s name is a character in the Chinese word for butterfly ↩︎

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