THE HUNTER OF DARKNESS

Death Sentence

"How could they possibly get along, Uncle?" Fang An asked in surprise after approaching Wang Yihan.

The sixty-year-old man smiled warmly at Fang An.

“Through diplomacy, Fang An. That’s what I’ve done during my time leading the army of the Ying Dynasty. By rank, I was their commander, but on a human level, I was their friend. I learned from them, and they learned from me. We needed each other equally.”

“Amazing, Uncle. I truly believe you deserve to be king of the Ying Dynasty,” Fang An replied, clearly admiring Wang Yihan’s mature mindset.

“No, Fang An. I don’t want to claim what isn’t mine. There is Prince Zhu Wei, who will one day succeed his father, Emperor Zhu Feng. But he’s still a child.” Wang Yihan suddenly glanced around.

“Where is he? I don’t see him here,” he continued.

“Who do you mean, Uncle?” Fang An asked.

“Emperor Zhu Feng. A soldier told me he joined this battle!”

“That means he’s still in the forest. Let’s go!”

Wang Yihan nodded. Before they left, he ordered Jaya not to treat the soldiers of the Ying Dynasty as enemies.

Zhao Wen, Fang An, and Wang Yihan then sped toward the place where Emperor Zhu Feng’s tent stood.

Thanks to their mastery of body-lightening techniques, the three arrived not far from the largest tent in the row.

More than a hundred guards around the tent were startled by Wang Yihan’s appearance. Like the others, they couldn’t believe he had defected to support the Shang Dynasty.

“Stop right there, Lord Wang!” one of the soldiers shouted.

“Step aside. I have no business with you. All the soldiers from the Ying Dynasty on the barren hill have already joined the Shang Dynasty. But if you don’t believe me and insist on blocking our way, prepare yourselves for death!” Wang Yihan threatened.

The soldiers exchanged glances. Caught between belief and disbelief, they hesitated. Yet they knew Wang Yihan had never lied.

Seeing their hesitation, Wang Yihan lost his patience.

“Move aside, now!” he barked. “I’m not joking this time. If you don’t move, I will kill you all!”

One by one, the soldiers stepped away from the tent and merely watched from a distance.

With no one blocking them, the three entered the large tent—only to find that Emperor Zhu Feng had already escaped.

“He must have fled,” Wang Yihan muttered.

Crack!

Fang An and Zhao Wen’s sharp ears caught the sound of a twig breaking not far from the tent.

Exchanging a quick glance, they rushed out to the rear. They suspected the noise came from Emperor Zhu Feng's footsteps.

They were right. They spotted a man wearing royal robes and a crown tiptoeing away from the tent.

“Stop right there... Don’t be a coward!” Fang An shouted.

Emperor Zhu Feng turned his head. Terror was clearly etched on his face.

The nearby soldiers remained frozen, watching without acting.

Moments later, Wang Yihan stood beside Fang An and Zhao Wen. His sharp gaze pierced through Emperor Zhu Feng’s trembling form.

“I never wanted to be a traitor, Zhu Feng! But you involved my family in our conflict. If you hadn’t ordered spies to watch me, I might have kept silent—even if you attacked the Shang Dynasty.”

Emperor Zhu Feng couldn’t respond. His mind was racing, trying to find a way to escape the three.

“Let me go, Wang Yihan. I’ll give you anything you want,” he pleaded.

Wang Yihan sneered. “Can’t you at least add the word please to your request?”

Zhu Feng felt utterly humiliated. His status as emperor meant nothing in front of the three. He was seething inside, but powerless to resist. He had no chance against them.

“I know you’re too arrogant to say please, Zhu Feng. But don’t forget—your arrogance won’t save your life.”

He had no choice but to surrender. Yet his pride and arrogance were too great to yield to his conscience. He still refused to give in.

“Take all my treasures, just let me go, Wang Yihan,” the emperor begged, still unable to say please.

“Hahaha... So you’re not as fierce as when you sat on your throne, Zhu Feng! You’re in no position to negotiate. Whether I let you live or kill you—that’s my decision!” Wang Yihan stepped forward.

“And I choose to kill you—for daring to threaten my family!” he declared.

Wang Yihan drew his sword and dashed forward, slashing at Emperor Zhu Feng’s neck.

The head of the Ying Dynasty’s ruler tumbled from his body and rolled a few feet before stopping. His crown flew off with the severed head.

Zhao Wen and Fang An stood frozen, letting Wang Yihan vent his fury.

The former Supreme Commander of the Ying Dynasty stepped forward, picked up the emperor’s crown lying on dried leaves, then took the severed head and wrapped it in a cloth he had prepared.

“This man doesn’t deserve to live!” he said to Fang An and Zhao Wen.

“You’re right, Uncle. The people would suffer if he remained in power any longer,” Fang An replied.

“Alright, let’s return to the barren hill first before making any further decisions,” said Zhao Wen.

Time passed slowly that day. Soldiers from both dynasties worked together to bury the fallen. They dug a wide, deep grave—one and a half meters deep—to hold all the dead in a mass burial.

---

The Next Day

Discussions regarding the unexpected outcome of the battle resulted in an agreement: the soldiers of the Ying Dynasty would return to the palace with Wang Yihan, while Fang An would lead the Shang Dynasty troops back and report to Emperor Li Wei.

---