A sky full of sparks.
People struggled to fend off the darts, and the price for their failure to defend was life itself!
A scream pierced the air as a White Tiger Guard was shot down to the ground.
No one stopped at the sound of the scream, for to stop meant defeat.
Then came the second scream.
The third, the fourth...
In that moment, a cry of grief rose as a man among the Tiger Guards fell, none other than the big-toothed Ah Tu.
A cross-shaped dart had just struck his throat.
Ah Tu now lay in a pool of blood, his body convulsing, his eyes fixed on his brothers with a trace of unwillingness, and also worry.
Yet there was no trace of fear or dread.
That’s right, he was not afraid to die.
Chen Tu, originally named Zhao Liuyi, came from Upper Peach Village in Xiantao Town, and because he was born with a pair of large front teeth, the villagers jokingly called him Big Teeth Zhao.
As everyone knows, in the countryside, any slight difference can lead to bullying, and Big Teeth Zhao was no exception.
His family’s land was often occupied by fellow villagers, their courtyard walls often pressed down by others’, his wife was frequently bullied by the local ruffians, and he dared not interfere. His mother-in-law was angered to death over this matter, and his wife scolded him for being spineless, a sentiment he shared about himself.
That period of time was like hell on earth for him, thinking of it was so painful he wanted to die.
Can you imagine watching ruffians slap your wife’s butt in front of you, and having to smile and appease them?
That’s right, that’s how spineless he once was.
Later on, he passed by Xiantao Village and saw a group of people practicing martial arts. Out of curiosity, he squatted down to watch.
Then Brother Wang, who was responsible for instruction, saw him and warmly invited him to learn martial arts.
At first, he was reluctant, but persuaded by Brother Wang’s encouragement, he started to train.
To his surprise, he showed talent in martial arts, mastering the Grand Ancestor Long Fist to the Skin Buff Realm.
Afterward, he was sent to White Tiger Hall and met the Hall Master, who was truly kind. He told them that they were brothers from then on.
They were then given large houses, allowed to bring their wives and family over, and the injustices they had faced back home were to be settled. The Hall Master gave him a special look and even arranged for ten brothers to help him move.
The move was actually a chance for revenge.
On that day, the uncle who had encroached on their land brought two hens to apologize and offered a tael of silver as compensation for the years past.
The neighbor who had built his courtyard wall over theirs dismantled it in front of him and even presented five feet of cotton cloth for his wife to make a new dress.
As for the thugs who’d slapped his wife’s butt, they were beaten so badly that they begged on their knees for forgiveness from him and his wife, only to be beaten by the White Tiger Hall men so fiercely that they couldn’t leave their kang bed for a month, no longer daring to cause trouble.
He would never forget the day his wife hugged him and said she had finally married the right man, no longer calling him the spineless man she once scorned.
The villagers who once bullied him now treated him with affection, and the clan even allocated funds to rebuild his parents’ graves, something he never dared to dream of.
Now, he had it all, and he knew it was all thanks to the Hall Master.
And just a while ago, his wife had become pregnant; ha, the Zhao family finally had descendants.
No, it should be said that the Chen family was now thriving; he really liked his new name, Chen Tu.
Sadly, today, he was going to die, unable to serve the Hall Master any longer. Hall Master, I go ahead of you. Today, I really want to say to you: Thank you for your kindness, without you, I would still be the bullied Big Teeth Zhao~
Chen Tu’s mouth was filled with blood, his gaze gradually dimming, but before losing consciousness, he saw another brother fall.
Chen She lay on the ground, a dart in his chest piercing his heart; he died much quicker than Chen Tu.
Chen Tu’s vision blurred, I’m sorry, Hall Master, for not completing your mission...
Chen Tu took his last breath.
As another brother fell, a cry of pain erupted from the crowd. For a year, they had been inseparable brothers, resting only one day every seven, spending all other days together in sleep and training.
Their bond was like that of true brothers.
Although they had their squabbles, it was nothing more than fraternal friction which never affected their relationship.
Such deep affection, but seeing brother after brother die on the charge devastated them, how could they not grieve, how could they not feel sorrow?
Chen Tu had fallen, Chen She had fallen, Chen Hou, Chen Ji...
One by one, familiar brothers fell in the charge, tears filled the eyes of every Tiger Guard, each gripped by immeasurable pain, but not one stopped charging, for they were Tiger Guards, the Tiger Guards of Chen Jiusi!
Advance together in life, retreat together in death.
To live and die together, with no regrets.
Chen Shu, tears streaming down his face, roared and led the charge onward.
Watching those around him fall one by one, they were desperate inside, but they never shrank back.