A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 582 Sudden Death
In the small kitchen, because the ingredients hadn't been prepared in advance, Old Man He and Duan Rong were extremely busy.

Duan Rong not only had to tend the fire and keep an eye on the temperature in the stove, but also had to assist Old Man He.

After a flurry of activity, both of them were covered in sweat, but they finally managed to prepare dinner.

Old Man He carried the dishes into three food boxes and placed them in the boxes.

Duan Rong said, "Old He, shall I deliver Mr. Hu's share?"

Old Man He asked, "Do you know how to get to the courtyard where Mr. Hu lives?"

Duan Rong said, "When I was tied up, I saw them heading east."

Old Man He said, "That's right! Go east from Third Master's courtyard, and it's the sixth courtyard."

Duan Rong said, "Okay, I understand."

Old Man He said, "Alright, go ahead."

Duan Rong suddenly clutched his stomach and said, "Old He, I need to go to the toilet first. I'll go as soon as I get back."

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he rushed out of the small kitchen and headed for the outhouse.

Looking at Duan Rong's impatient manner, Old Man He muttered to himself, "This kid eats a lot and poops a lot."

After Old Man He finished speaking, he picked up the food boxes of the First and Second Bosses, walked out of the small kitchen, and slowly entered the dark night.

Duan Rong lay down by the outhouse door and watched Old Man He leave before pretending to pull up his pants and walking out. He didn't go into the small kitchen, but instead scanned the entrance to the main kitchen and quickly locked onto Guo Tian, ​​who was busy at work.

Duan Rong walked over slowly. Guo Tian was stirring cold dishes in a large wooden basin when Duan Rong suddenly draped his arm over his shoulder. Guo Tian was slightly taken aback. When had Duan Rong ever been so reckless? But then he heard Duan Rong laugh and say, "How was it? I got arrested in the middle of the night and tied to that wooden stake all day. Guo Tian, ​​did you cry for me?"

Lu Chu and Du Wan were both taken aback by Duan Rong's sudden outburst.

Duan Rong suddenly leaned close to Guo Tian's ear and whispered, "Give me that long iron nail you sharpened! I need it!"

Guo Tian's eyes narrowed as he looked at Duan Rong, who was feigning a joking smile. He knew that Duan Rong's sudden request for this item must mean he wanted to do something.

With a flick of his wrist, Guo Tian stuffed the long, thin object wrapped in a tattered sack into Duan Rong's hand.

Duan Rong, holding the object, chuckled again and said, "Guo Tian, ​​I've survived a great calamity, so I'm sure I'll have good fortune in the future! Follow me from now on, and I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury."

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the small kitchen.

Lu Chu watched Duan Rong's departing figure, not understanding for a moment what was wrong with him.

However, from Jiang Hanyan's vantage point, she happened to see Guo Tian slip something to Duan Rong. This wasn't a coincidence; she had been watching Duan Rong intently from the moment he approached.

She had been thinking all day that the sudden poisoning of the third leader, Li Tang, might really be related to Duan Rong. However, they had endless work to do all day, and although she kept thinking about it, she couldn't leave the courtyard.

In her original memory, Meng Zongqiu, Wu Mingfu, and Li Tang were all alive. But now, Li Tang had been poisoned.

The only variable in her memory was that the souls of the eight of them had changed! Therefore, Li Tang's death must be related to the eight of them.

In the past few days, apart from Duan Rong, the other seven of them have not left the courtyard at all.

Therefore, from Jiang Hanyan's perspective, she was almost certain that Duan Rong had poisoned Li Tang. Moreover, the fact that Guo Tian had suddenly slipped something to Duan Rong just now made her even more convinced that Duan Rong and Guo Tian were plotting something.

However, Jiang Hanyan simply couldn't understand why Li Tang had been poisoned. Although Duan Rong was responsible for delivering Li Tang's meals, if he had poisoned the food, how could he and Old Man He have returned safely?
As Jiang Hanyan worked, she watched Duan Rong's thin figure step into the small kitchen.

Duan Rong entered the small kitchen and immediately held up the bundle he was holding to the light. He saw that it was a tattered burlap sack tied with a thin rope. He untied the sack and saw that it contained a sharp, long nail that gleamed with a cold light.

Duan Rong gripped the nail, testing its feel. He noticed that Guo Tian had wrapped a thin thread around the end of the nail to prevent it from slipping, and the tip was sharpened to an exceptionally fine point, gleaming coldly.

After throwing the tattered sack into the stove, Duan Rong went to the food box. He opened the food box, removed the first two layers of the three-layered box, put the nail in his hand into the corner of the third layer, weighed it down with a plate of lion's head meatballs, and then closed the food box again.

Having done all this, a solemn expression flashed across Duan Rong's face, illuminated by the firelight.

Although it's somewhat risky, it's also a great opportunity. If they don't seize it, they might just have to endure the long hours in this magical world of gods and demons.

To be honest, in this chaotic bandit's den, and with him being a child completely helpless, could he really survive five or six years in such a world without any mishaps?

If they don't seize this opportunity, their lives, which are already in grave danger, could be shattered at any moment.

Moreover, since Doctor Hu doesn't know martial arts, his chances of success are quite high if he strikes suddenly.

Duan Rong seemed to have made up his mind, so he picked up the food box and walked outside.

The moment he stepped out of the small kitchen, he suddenly saw Jiang Hanyan standing there, her eyes shining as she turned to look at him. Their eyes met, and Jiang Hanyan's eyes seemed to speak volumes as she gazed at Duan Rong. Duan Rong turned his face away.

Duan Rong carried the food box and walked over, leaving the courtyard of the kitchen.

After he left, Jiang Hanyan took the opportunity to sidle up to Guo Tian and whispered, "What are you and Duan Rong up to?"

Guo Tian remained silent. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak; he simply had no idea what Duan Rong was up to. He knew, however, that Duan Rong had poisoned the third leader, Li Tang, and escaped unscathed. Although he didn't know how Duan Rong had done it, Guo Tian was still quite shocked!
After all, they were just seven or eight-year-old children, completely devoid of martial arts skills, and trapped in this bandit stronghold, practically surrounded. For Duan Rong to be able to kill the third leader, Li Tang, under such circumstances without implicating himself, must have involved an extremely ingenious plan!
Duan Rong carried a lantern and a food box, walking along the dark road. He first followed the familiar path to the courtyard where the third leader, Li Tang, used to live, and then headed east.

It was already night, but the courtyards east of Litang were all dark, except for two dim lanterns lit in front of the sixth courtyard.

That's where Dr. Hu is staying temporarily.

This courtyard was originally the residence of Li Tonghua, the fourth leader of this mountain stronghold. However, Li Tonghua died two years ago. Since then, no one has lived here, but Meng Zongqiu occasionally arranges for guests to stay when they visit the stronghold. Duan Rong walked over slowly, feeling somewhat uneasy. After all, he had lost all his martial arts skills, and if he made a mistake, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Under the lantern in front of the courtyard gate stood a bandit, yawning. This man was clearly a guard of the courtyard.

Duan Rong took a few steps closer and recognized the bandit as the one Meng Zongqiu had sent to bring Physician Hu during the day. This man had arrived at Li Tang's courtyard in the middle of the night and hadn't slept since, staying up until now, so he was naturally very tired.

As soon as Duan Rong approached, the bandits recognized him. After all, Duan Rong had been tied up in Li Tang's courtyard during the day. A seven or eight-year-old child tied up there was naturally quite conspicuous, and the bandits had paid him no small amount of attention.

Duan Rong carried the food box to the courtyard gate and said, "I've come to deliver food to Mr. Hu!"

The bandit waved and said, "Go in." As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but yawn, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Duan Rong carried the food box to the courtyard, where weeds grew rampant, and in one corner stood a dry well, its opening covered with fallen leaves. This place was rarely inhabited; the pile of dead leaves and weeds...

Passing through the desolate courtyard, the door to the room was open, and dappled light shone from inside. Duan Rong stood in the corridor, knocked on the open door, and said, "Mr. Hu, I've brought you your meal!"

There was a creaking sound coming from inside, and after a while, a voice replied, "Come in!"

He carried the food box inside and saw that the room was simply furnished with no decent furniture. Hu Jin was lying on a rocking chair, rocking gently.

He traveled all the way from Cangfang Town and climbed mountains to reach this mountain village. He was not a martial artist and was already quite tired, so he rested for a while in a rocking chair.

Hu Jin turned his head and saw Duan Rong standing at the door with a food box in his hand. He struggled to get up from the rocking chair and said, "I'm starving! Kid, put the food on the table."

"Yes." Duan Rong obediently replied, then put down the food box, opened the lid, and carried the dishes one by one to the table.

Hu Jin got off the recliner, squatted down in front of his medicine box next to the recliner, took out the box of silver needles, and slowly walked over.

As Duan Rong placed dishes on the table, Hu Jin, holding a silver needle, sat down and laughed, "It's been two months since I've had Old He's cooking! Old He's skills are just as good as the famous chefs in the county's restaurants!"

As Hu Jin spoke, he pinched a needle and began to examine the vegetables. He was quite skilled in poisons, and the mountain stronghold was a mixed bag, so he had to be careful.

Duan Rong carried the dishes over one by one. Seeing that there was only one plate of lion's head meatballs left in the food box, he picked up the meatballs and saw a sharp, long iron nail gleaming coldly at the bottom of the food box.

Duan Rong remained unmoved and pressed the long iron nail into the bottom of the lion-head plate.

He turned around, holding the plate in both hands, while Hu Jin was at the table, head down, examining the food with a silver needle.

Duan Rong carried the plate of lion's head meatballs to the table. Hu Jin only glanced at the meatballs before continuing to examine the two dishes in front of him with his silver needle.

Duan Rong gently placed the plate of lion's head meatballs on the table, deliberately leaving a space between the plates and bowls on the table, right in front of Hu Jin.

Just as the plate of lion's head meatballs was being placed into that empty space, a flash of cold light suddenly appeared from the bottom of the plate. Duan Rong's right hand was already gripping the sharp long nail, his eyes filled with malice as he thrust it straight at Hu Jin's throat.

Although Duan Rong had lost all his martial arts skills, his martial arts realm remained in his mind. He knew what method was most efficient for killing with this frail body.

Hu Jin didn't even have time to react. First, he didn't expect a seven or eight-year-old child to suddenly attack him! Second, the attack was so close and so sudden that he had no way to dodge!

The sharp, long nail flashed coldly and sliced ​​open his throat. Then, in mid-air, Duan Rong opened his hand, and the sharp, long nail he was holding in his right hand fell to the ground. Duan Rong's left hand, which was waiting there, grabbed it and thrust it into Hu Jin's heart.

The entire movement was fluid and seamless, completed in the blink of an eye!

The moment the sharp nail pierced Hu Jin's heart, Duan Rong immediately jumped away. Hu Jin was, after all, a poison master; whether he had anything to defend himself, Duan Rong dared not say.

If there's a poisoned hidden weapon, then it'll be a mutual destruction!
This was also the part that Duan Rong felt was risky before he took action!

After he jumped away, Hu Jin fell to the ground with a thud! The plate of lion's head meatballs also overturned and shattered with a bang!

Hu Jin clutched his throat with one hand and his chest with the other, convulsing uncontrollably as blood gushed out. His eyes were filled with extreme fear!
He knew he was going to die! Both the wounds to his throat and his heart were fatal!
He never imagined that he would one day die at the hands of a seven or eight-year-old child!
He couldn't understand how a seven or eight-year-old child, who had been kidnapped from the village by Meng Zongqiu to be used as labor, could have such nimble skills and such meticulous scheming.
In that split second, he had no time to react at all.

The distance was too short! And the attack was sudden! The movements were extremely clean and swift, without any hesitation or delay! It was a seamless, one-shot victory!
That's something a child raised in a village could never do!
Duan Rong stood there, his forehead covered in cold sweat, panting heavily. In that brief moment, he had used almost all his strength.

Although he had lost all his martial arts skills, he was very clear about the principles of physical exertion.

In that instant, he twisted his hips and turned, thrusting out a nail! He used his hips to drive his shoulders, his shoulders to drive his arms, and his arms to drive his wrists, concentrating almost all the power of his body into a single point and exploding it out!

Only then can that rather fierce killing move be executed!
It was all the muscular power of that frail body, bursting forth from within a small space!

What was originally a small force, when used by the user with meticulous thinking and skillful precision, can achieve a deadly effect of using minimal force to deflect a great weight!

The noise from Hu Jin falling to the ground and the plate shattering seemed to have alerted the guard at the courtyard gate.

The guard turned his head, looked in their direction, and called out, "Has something happened inside?"

Duan Rong was startled and immediately stepped out of the room, saying, "It's nothing, I just broke a plate!"

Upon hearing this, the guard turned his outstretched head back.

Duan Rong hid behind the door, staring at the guard standing at the courtyard gate for a while. Only after confirming that the guard hadn't suspected anything did he breathe a sigh of relief. It wasn't that the guard was careless; who would have thought that a seven or eight-year-old child would attempt to assassinate Doctor Hu?

Duan Rong stood there, turning his head to look at the table. He saw Hu Jin lying in a pool of blood, his body no longer convulsing. His face was contorted with rage, and his eyes were wide open in terror…

Duan Rong glanced at the lifeless gaze, then slowly walked over. He had seen many dead people's eyes before. No one dies willingly; the eyes of everyone who dies suddenly are filled with extreme fear…

Because, for them, death came too suddenly...

(End of this chapter)