Chapter 258 - The Lone Sword Youth

As soon as they heard Luo Yang was willing to be chopped, the people from Xingang Brigade were stunned.

The previous clamor suddenly went dead silent.

In the midst of the silence was a disquieting atmosphere, the setting sun remained gentle, but the air was filled with an even denser sense of death.

Luo Yang originally wanted to settle the historical grudge with Xingang Brigade, but he hadn’t expected this to happen.

The square-faced young man was in a rage, and suddenly he swung his knife down at Luo Yang.

The scene immediately erupted with cries of shock.

Before you knew it, in that swift moment,

the chopping knife was about to land on Luo Yang’s shoulder, yet without any visible movement from him his figure suddenly shifted a few centimeters.

The chopping knife missed Luo Yang as it swung down.

The square-faced young man tried to withdraw his knife for another chop, but Luo Yang lifted his foot and kicked his wrist, knocking the knife away.

“Still want to chop?” Luo Yang said coldly.

The square-faced young man picked up the chopping knife and swung it toward Luo Yang again.

This time Luo Yang snatched the chopping knife from the young man’s hand, pressing the blade against his neck.

The people from Hongyun Brigade started cheering at Luo Yang’s smooth and deft movements, which were incredibly skillful.

“Chop him.”

“Finish him off.”

“Brother Yang is powerful.”

People in the crowd were shouting.

“Quiet.”

Luo Yang turned his head to scan around, and the agitated villagers went silent again.

Seeing Luo Yang holding the knife to the square-faced young man’s neck, nobody from Xingang Brigade dared to rush forward.

“You go back first.

I will give you a satisfactory answer tonight,” Luo Yang said.

“We will not rest until the culprit is handed over!” the square-faced young man shouted angrily.

Luo Yang knew that the people from Xingang Brigade were too agitated to calm down, and with a flick of his right hand, he used the flat side of the knife to knock the square-faced young man out by striking the back of his neck.

His movement was so fast that those present thought he had chopped the young man’s head with the knife, scaring them into shrieking.

In fact, Luo Yang had merely used the flat of the blade to knock the square-faced young man unconscious.

When they saw that the young man was just passed out on the ground, his head intact and no blood to be seen, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Carry him back.

I will give you a satisfactory answer tonight.”

Luo Yang threw the chopping knife aside.

The people from Xingang Brigade, having seen Luo Yang demonstrate his formidable skills and scare them with his show of force, and with the square-faced young man passed out, leaderless, dispersed in disarray.

Thus, the people from Xingang Brigade left carrying the square-faced young man.

The volatile situation was alleviated.

Yet, this was only a temporary solution; if the issue wasn’t fundamentally resolved, the gang fight would still happen.

The people from Hongyun Brigade also dispersed.

Luo Yang and others went to the village chief’s general store to discuss a solution.

It was only after asking that they learned it was one of Tang Guihua’s clan relatives who had injured someone from Xingang Brigade.

After a lengthy discussion, no suitable solution was found.

If a satisfactory answer couldn’t be provided to Xingang Brigade tonight, they would probably come to kill before dawn.

The perpetrator’s family was not well-off and couldn’t afford any compensation.

They couldn’t just hand over the assailant to Xingang Brigade either, as it would lead to loss of life.

Out of consideration for Tang Guihua, they had to take care of her clansman, too.

Lang Yifeng said, “Scared of what?

If they dare come, we’ll greet them with large knives, one for each.”

If he really became furious, he truly could kill a few.

“Don’t be impulsive,” Luo Yang advised.

“Brother Yang, lead us to a decisive battle with them, make the people from Xingang Brigade fear us from Hongyun Brigade for the next eight generations,” said someone.

Luo Yang didn’t like this lousy idea.

If this issue wasn’t handled properly this time, the two villages might no longer have the chance to settle their grudges in the future.

Luo Yang was aware of the importance of his words and actions; if he decided to go to war with Xingang Brigade, then the gang fight was set in stone.

Once the war begins, who knows how many families will be shattered.

Luo Yang had never been afraid of a fight.

The village chief and others also disapproved of Lang Yifeng’s aggressive methods.

“Brother Yang, do you have any good solutions?” Xie Runfa kept smoking nonstop.

“Village Chief, I’ll make a trip to Xingang Brigade,” Luo Yang said.

Everyone was startled when they heard his proposal.

Nobody dares to simply walk into the other village; you might enter alive, but leave as a corpse.

Luo Yang’s parents were firmly against it, worried their son wouldn’t see the sun tomorrow.

The ladies also strongly urged him not to go.

The people of Xingang Brigade were filled with anger at the moment, easily prone to act impulsively.

Although Luo Yang was skilled, it was hard to guard against a surprise attack.

An Yuying said, “Brother Yang, don’t go.”

Tang Guihua also said emotionally, “Brother Yang, it’s too dangerous.

Don’t go.”

Hong Jiaxin didn’t speak, but her eyes also pleaded with him.

Night had already fallen, a time when families should be enjoying the joy of togetherness.

Yet, most of the prominent people in the village were gathered at the village chief’s house.

Without a strategy, tomorrow might bring full-blown combat, with the death toll remaining unknown.

This kind of feud between villages, even if the town leaders intervened, would only temporarily ease the conflict.

In fact, it would gradually evolve into another form of secretive retaliation, which was more frightening.

Actually, there was no perfect solution unless someone was willing to hand over the attacker to Xingang Brigade.

In that case, the attacker would be beaten to a pulp.

Without the most feasible solution, Luo Yang thought it over and felt it was still better for him to go personally.

It showed sincerity.

Of course, there was also a huge risk; a single misstep could leave him a corpse at Xingang Brigade.

Nobody dared to take such a gamble; playing with one’s life was something you couldn’t afford to lose.

Everyone there wore grave expressions, all turning their gaze towards Luo Yang.

The youth, fiery and not yet understanding the meaning of death.

Seeing that everyone’s eyes were filled with hope, Luo Yang steeled his heart.

Damn it, he would go and settle the matter himself.

“Village Chief, I will still go to Xingang Brigade to have a look,” Luo Yang declared.

As soon as he said this, there was a buzz of discussion among the people.

Luo Zhihai stated sternly, “Brother Yang, don’t be reckless.

You can’t solve this.”

Lin Cuilian also opposed, “Brother Yang, leave this to the village chief.

Go home quickly.”

Lang Yifeng interjected, “Big Brother Luo, Sister Lin, our village can’t manage this without Brother Yang’s help.”

This was the truth.

But Luo Zhihai and his wife gave Lang Yifeng a cold look.

Lang Yifeng wanted to say more, but seeing Luo Yang’s parents were angry, he could only laugh it off and stop there.

The people present ranged from around 60 years old to teenagers.

The hope of everyone was now pinned on Luo Yang, and many felt guilty.

The burden was too heavy and could easily crush a person.

Village Chief Xie Runfa said, “This is indeed a very tricky situation.

If it’s not handled well, people will die again.”

Luo Yang said, “You all wait here.

I will go and take a look at Xingang Brigade first.

We’ll discuss what to do when I come back.”

He was about to step out, but many people stopped him, not allowing him to go.

“Dad, I’ll say I’m going to discuss compensation.

They won’t beat me, will they?” Luo Yang explained.

“You can’t solve this,” Luo Zhihai reiterated.

“If we don’t talk to them tonight, they might all come over and kill us in the dead of night.

We can’t delay this.

It’s even less safe for others to go.

Let me do it.

Dad, you’ve seen what I’m capable of,” Luo Yang said patiently.

Luo Zhihai was well aware of his son’s strength and skills.

In Hongyun Brigade, if Luo Yang said he was the second, no one would dare claim to be the first.

If he didn’t dare to go, no one else would.

But the son was still in junior high.

If something happened, how could his father bear it?

“Dad, I will take good care of myself,” Luo Yang said.