Slaughter in the Woods

886 words

“Are we ready yet?” Li Feiyu urged impatiently as soon as Han Li stepped out of the hut.

Han Li shot him a displeased look before turning toward a smaller hut. Through the tightly shut wooden door, he said coldly, “Qu Hun, come out. I’ll be needing you tonight.”

The instant his words faded, a loud bang rang out. The wooden door, as fragile as paper, was blasted into fragments. Amidst the swirling splinters, a massive figure slowly emerged.

Li Feiyu’s eyes went wide. Staring at the giant before him—a being whose presence exuded a demonic aura, its face hidden beneath a hooded cloak—he was frozen in place.

Without a sound, the giant walked over and stood silently behind Han Li.

“Let’s go,” Han Li said with a faint smile. This time, it was his turn to urge the stunned Li Feiyu.

“Ah… right.” Li Feiyu finally snapped out of it. He shot a strange glance at Han Li, then at the giant. Tightening his lips, he said nothing, turned, and led the way out of the valley without another word.

Watching Li Feiyu’s retreating back, Han Li smiled slightly, then quickened his pace to catch up. The giant, Qu Hun, followed closely behind, never straying a single step away.

Han Li was quite satisfied with Li Feiyu’s tact. It was precisely because they respected each other’s privacy that they had become such close confidants.

Their pace was swift, and soon they reached the mouth of the valley. Just as Li Feiyu lifted his foot to step into the woods, Han Li suddenly reached out his right hand and clamped down on his shoulder, halting his advance.

“What is it?” Li Feiyu asked, puzzled and somewhat annoyed. He was seething with impatience at the moment.

“Someone is coming. More than one,” Han Li said flatly.

Li Feiyu was startled. He immediately focused his hearing, but after a long pause, he heard nothing. He shot Han Li a doubtful look, but the other man remained perfectly composed and offered no explanation.

“You…” Li Feiyu began.

Han Li raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet.

Li Feiyu frowned. Though a little reluctant, he habitually chose to follow Han Li’s lead and kept his mouth shut.

This time, it wasn’t long before Li Feiyu’s expression turned serious. He turned to look at Han Li in shock, for he could finally hear the sound of many footsteps approaching from outside the valley—it really did sound like a group of people.

“Enforcer Sun! There’s a large bell at the edge of these woods, and a small path. This must be the Divine Hand Valley the Deputy Commander mentioned,” a rough voice called out from the other side of the forest.

“Mm. Judging by the map and this bell, this is indeed the place. Listen closely: the Commander has given a strict order—capture the divine doctor alive, and no one is to harm him. Violators will be dealt with according to gang law. Understood?” another voice, sharp as a rooster’s crow, commanded.

“Yes, sir!”

…

A series of acknowledgments followed. Judging by the voices, there were at least a dozen people, each with a healthy, robust tone that suggested they were all skilled martial artists.

“Aside from that blue-clad Enforcer, the rest are elite members of the Wild Wolf Gang. A blue-clad Enforcer is equivalent to our sect’s Protector, and the elite gang members are on par with our Inner Hall disciples,” Li Feiyu said in a low voice, leaning close to Han Li.

He knew his friend was never concerned with the sect’s enemies, so rather than asking how Han Li could hear footsteps from so far away, he directly explained who their opponents were, hoping to give him a clear picture of the situation so he wouldn’t be careless.

Hearing this, Han Li understood Li Feiyu’s intent. He chuckled softly without a word, his expression unconcerned.

But Li Feiyu was growing anxious.

“In my current state, I might barely be able to handle that blue-clad Enforcer alone, but if the rest of them join in, there’s no way I can win. I know you’re full of tricks. Spit out a plan before it’s too late!” Li Feiyu’s words came out fast and hushed. The men had already entered the small forest and were approaching where Han Li and the others stood.

“Maybe we should avoid them for now? Evade the enemy’s vanguard?”

It wasn’t a bad suggestion, but unfortunately, Han Li had no intention of following it.

“Qu Hun,” Han Li suddenly turned and gave a cold order to the giant. “Kill everyone in the woods. Take the man in blue alive.”

“What?” Li Feiyu was stunned.

Before he could react, the giant behind Han Li had transformed into a gust of wind, charging straight into the forest. Almost immediately, the black woods erupted with the screams and shouts of the Wild Wolf Gang members.

“Ah!”

“Agh!”

“Who’s there?”

“No! An ambush!”

“Wha… what kind of monster is this?! Ahh!”

“Run! Ahhh!”

…

The forest erupted with panicked screams and agonized cries. They swelled in intensity for a moment before rapidly fading. Not long after, the forest fell completely silent.

Li Feiyu stared into the woods, his mouth agape, his face a mask of utter disbelief.

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Commander Emerges — Han Li's First Deployment

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

A Shift in Narrative Function: This chapter marks a subtle but important shift in Han Li’s combat model. For most of the early story, his victories were hard-won, relying on clever traps, misdirection, and a healthy dose of luck. He was the underdog. Here, he doesn’t do the fighting. He issues a command, and a near-invincible servant executes it. This is the first concrete demonstration of Han Li transitioning from a survivor to a commander—someone who leverages assets rather than just his own skin. In xianxia terms, this is the beginning of accumulating a “force,” a critical step for any cultivator who wants to secure resources and safety without personally risking themselves in every skirmish.

The Value of a Soulless Servant: Qu Hun, the corpse-marionette, is the perfect embodiment of a “tool” in this world. He feels no pain, no fear, no hesitation. He follows orders without question and leaves no witnesses without being told. In the vicious logic of the Mortal Stream, such a servant is invaluable. It allows the master to project violence without personal cost, psychological burden, or risk of betrayal. The horror of Qu Hun isn’t just his strength, but the chilling finality of his nature: he is a solved problem of loyalty and obedience.

Chapter Overview

Get ready for a brutally efficient display of overwhelming force. This chapter is short, sharp, and delivers a single, devastating message: Han Li is no longer playing defense. The Wild Wolf Gang has come for the Divine Hand Valley’s doctor, but they haven’t accounted for Qu Hun. The tension is immediate—Li Feiyu’s urgency, Han Li’s eerie calm, and the sound of a dozen men approaching through the woods. But the moment Han Li gives his chilling order, the chapter pivots from suspense to a one-sided massacre. The entire sequence is over before Li Feiyu can even process what’s happening. It’s a masterclass in showing, not telling, just how terrifying Han Li’s resources have become.

Key Plot Points

As Han Li and Li Feiyu approach the valley exit, Han Li detects the approaching enemy long before Li Feiyu can hear anything, demonstrating his superior perception.
A group of Wild Wolf Gang members, led by a blue-clad Enforcer, arrives at the valley with orders to capture the “divine doctor” alive.
Li Feiyu, worried about their numerical disadvantage, suggests evading the enemy, but Han Li has other plans.
Han Li gives Qu Hun a cold, decisive order: kill everyone in the woods except the blue-clad leader, who is to be taken alive.
Qu Hun charges into the forest, and within moments, the sounds of a brief, brutal slaughter erupt and then fall silent.
Li Feiyu is left utterly stunned, staring at the now-silent woods in disbelief.

Reading Guide

This chapter is a palette cleanser and a power-check. After the constant pressure of Doctor Mo and the tense preparations in the valley, we get a moment of pure catharsis. Pay close attention to the tone: the description of the slaughter is almost clinical. We don’t see the blood; we just hear the screams stop. That’s the Mortal Stream aesthetic in a nutshell—the violence is matter-of-fact, not glorified. Also, note Li Feiyu’s role. He’s the reader’s proxy here, the one who’s out of the loop and completely shocked. His disbelief underscores just how far Han Li has come from the cautious, scrappy boy we met at the Seven Mysteries Sect. The chapter confirms that when Han Li decides to fight, it’s not a duel anymore. It’s an execution.