Inside the forest, a rugged group of savage-looking men trudged forward, their muscular frames tense under the weight of heavy sacks.
Tattered clothes clung to their bodies, scars etched across their faces.
Their guttural voices and drunken laughter echoed loudly, disturbing the eerie silence of the still-shadowed forests.
"Hahaha. Today is a good day."
"Indeed, it is a good day."
"We never expected such a small family to have such a huge fortune."
"Oh, oh. I told you. This small village hides a lot of fortune."
"Boss is powerful. How did he know that the family has such a huge fortune?"
"Hahaha. What do you know." The rugged man at the front, clad in old, worn-out leather armor, said, his voice filled with pride.
"I'm one of the few oldest people with the boss. You might not know, nothing can escape from the boss's eyes," he bragged. "Even if the family hides their wealth, the boss can sense it from a mile away."
"Why do you think our gang grew so quickly in this backward village?"
He raised his chin and looked at his fellow gang member. "Follow me, and it wouldn't take you long before you get promoted."
"Hahaha. Of course, we are going to follow you."
While the rugged men were flattering their squad captain, they failed to see a silhouette hiding behind a tree.
He followed their steps without making a sound; his eyes locked on the rugged man leading them.
Seeing his face, Jun Wu clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth. His eyes blazed with fury.
How could he forget the faces of those that killed his family? Every sleep, he only dreamed of their faces.
And now, he saw one of them.
"Today, it's either I die or you die." His vengeance was boiling like a raging inferno.
Although he was outnumbered and the men looked like they were more powerful than him—
He did not care.
His thought was only on one thing – revenge.
Without hesitating, he gripped his hammer tightly and approached the rugged men. He did not hide his presence.
Suddenly, the squad captain raised his hand, and the men halted, their eyes flashed with vigilance. The captain turned and looked in a particular direction with a squinted gaze.
"Whoever you are, come out. You can't escape from my gaze," he said, his voice filled with confidence.
For a moment, nothing happened, and only the rustle of leaves echoed in the air. Just when they thought there was nothing, a young boy came out, holding a hammer.
He was clad in an ordinary village robe with a small, old leather bag.
The rugged men did not react at first. They were stunned. What is a kid doing in such a dangerous forest?
Worse, with a big hammer.
"You killed my family. Today I'll avenge their death," Jun Wu said in a low, chilling voice.
His eyes bloodshot with rage.
Suddenly, the captain laughed. "Hahaha. Now, I remember where I know your face."
"You're from that pathetic scholar family," he sneered. "I don't know why you didn't die, but since you're so foolish to show yourself, I'll make sure to finish the job very well this time around."
"Kill him," he ordered one of his men.
The man dropped the heavy sack, and an evil grin crept up his face. "Boy, let me see you to meet your parents."
Before he could complete his statement, Jun Wu dashed forward, lifting his heavy hammer above his head.
He used the One-Handed Wield and Heavy Swing skills and appeared before the man.
The rugged man reached out his hand to grab the hammer, but when Jun Wu swung the hammer—
The heavy hammer tore through the air and struck his hand.
Bang!
Ahhh!
A miserable scream burst from the man's lips as his hand exploded – metacarpals crushed, phalanges splintered to bloody stumps.
His palm was a bloody mess, bones protruding grotesquely.
He staggered back, his face drained of blood, overwhelmed by the searing pain and shock.
To Jun Wu, this was just the beginning. Without giving the man any respite, he swung the hammer once again.
Watching the heavy hammer hurtling toward his chest, the man was horrified, but it was too late to evade the attack.
Bang!
The hammer slammed into his chest, caving in ribs and splintering the sternum.
His muscles burst open, blood and torn flesh spilling out as organs, lungs, and heart disintegrated under the brutal force.
His body convulsed violently before collapsing, a gruesome mess.
His fellow gang members watched in horror at the savage, bloody killing scene.
Jun Wu raised his head with feral killing intent and lunged at the closest men.
Their captain recovered quickly and shouted, "Spread out quickly! Don't get hit with the hammer!"
Although he was shocked, he had seen enough killing that he recovered quickly.
You dare kill my men? I'll make you beg for death, he thought with a savage expression.