Chapter 21: The Calamity of Extermination

She stepped into the house, where the old woman lay sleeping so peacefully, without the slightest hint of fear. Yet why was she, the victim, the one who had to endure all the suffering?

It wasn’t fair.

Hong Yan didn’t hesitate for a moment. The sharp machete instantly plunged into the old woman’s neck. Blood spurted out in an instant, covering her hand, still warm and emitting a metallic scent that filled her nose.

Satisfaction. She felt immense satisfaction. She only regretted that the woman didn’t die more miserably. The old woman didn’t even get a chance to scream for help before she drew her last breath.

Hong Yan wiped the bloodstained knife on the blanket, her movements slow, as though savoring the moment. Yet, she didn’t feel the slightest pleasure.

She exited the eastern side room and headed straight toward another room. Even before entering, the stench of alcohol, meat, and urine hit her. The two men inside seemed utterly oblivious to it.

Li Jun and his father, Li Guoqiang, were unbearably lazy, using chamber pots at night and emptying them only in the morning.

Hong Yan climbed onto the bed, standing to one side, her eyes bloodshot, resembling the grim figures of hell. She raised her arm high and stabbed at Li Jun with force. However, the man reacted and blocked her.

Hong Yan’s pupils shrank to a point, and the room echoed with his screams.

Li Guoqiang woke up at the commotion, sitting upright. Seeing Hong Yan stabbing his son’s arm with a machete, he kicked her hard, sending her crashing into the wall. At that moment, she seemed to hear the sound of her bones breaking.

But she still got up, waving the machete with all her might. In her chaotic frenzy, Li Jun was stabbed several times, his blood soaking the bed.

“Hahaha!”

Hong Yan laughed, unrestrained and wild. She had killed them.

But Li Guoqiang, a farmer who wasn’t one to back down, dodged her attacks and delivered a heavy kick to her abdomen. Hong Yan struggled a few times but could no longer move.

“You wretched woman, I’ll kill you!”

Seeing his son barely clinging to life, Li Guoqiang’s fury ignited. His fists rained down on Hong Yan’s frail body like a storm, but she just kept laughing.

One life for two—worth it. As she endured the beating, her laughter only grew louder.

Xu Yan rushed in, kicking Li Guoqiang to the ground and delivering a few punches to his stomach. He had been waiting by the courtyard gate, worried about Hong Yan but too scared to intervene, fearing for his own family and responsibilities.

Li Guoqiang, holding on to his last breath, spat out blood and sneered. “Xu Yan, what are you doing? This woman is murdering people, and you—”

Hong Yan’s expression changed instantly. Xu Yan had already helped her enough; she couldn’t drag him into this mess. Seeing the murderous intent in Li Guoqiang’s eyes, she knew he couldn’t be left alive.

The frail woman somehow summoned strength, grabbed the machete, and plunged it into Li Guoqiang’s stomach. Warm blood sprayed across her face. Unsatisfied, she cut off the two men’s genitals and placed them in an enamel bowl nearby.

The surroundings fell eerily silent. Hong Yan collapsed into a chair, her delicate face soft and serene.

She smiled at Xu Yan, her tone gentle. “Xu Yan, go back and get some sleep. I’m going to sleep too. I can finally have a peaceful night’s rest.”

Since marrying into this family, Hong Yan had never had a restful night. Every evening, she endured the two men’s abuse. Even when they were merciful enough to leave her alone, the old woman’s torment soon followed.

Xu Yan looked at the woman whose smile carried warmth. Women naturally possessed the power to inspire love, but he couldn’t stay. His family was waiting for him at home.

“Hong Yan, I’ll find someone to help you and try to get a lenient sentence.” He forced a smile as he said this, leaving her his handkerchief before departing.

As he walked out of the courtyard, he saw Xie Zhi standing outside. Forcing a weak smile, he said, “Ah Zhi, let’s go home. Jiaojiao is waiting for us.”

Xie Zhi sniffed the air, clearly catching the scent of blood. His smile was faint, with an unreadable depth to his emotions.

Turning around, he followed Xu Yan home.

Hong Yan carried the Li family’s genitals to the courtyard. Seeing the black dog, which hadn’t made a sound during all the commotion, she smiled gently and tossed the pieces in front of it.

“If you don’t mind, eat.”

The dog’s eyes lit up with hunger. In these hard times, if humans couldn’t live well, how could a dog?

Excited, the dog barked a few times, as if expressing gratitude.

Meanwhile, Xu Jiaojiao sat in her room. It was late at night, yet most of the Xu family hadn’t gone to bed. Clothes selected for Hong Yan were laid out on the table. At that moment, Jiaojiao didn’t know what to say.

When Xie Zhi pushed open the door, he saw his wife curled up in a corner, lonely like a small animal. His heart ached as if pierced by needles. He felt that no one in this world could treat Jiaojiao as well as he did.

To him, her life was incomparably precious, and he treated her like a treasure.

“Jiaojiao,” Xie Zhi murmured, his voice heavy with emotion.

The two embraced tightly, her tears soaking his shoulder and burning like fire.

He gently pulled her away. Her tear-filled eyes, reddened at the corners, were stunningly beautiful.

Xie Zhi’s breathing grew heavier as he roughly wiped away her tears with his coarse fingers, his voice low and hoarse. “Don’t cry. This is a good thing for her.”

“We’ll help her as much as we can.”

The girl whimpered softly. “Mm.”

Xie Zhi climbed into bed, pulling Jiaojiao tightly into his arms. His warm hands patted her back gently, over and over, bringing her endless comfort. At that moment, the fledgling had found a safe nest and nestled into a mother’s embrace.

When Xu Yan entered, the family was sitting around the dining table. His father smoked one cigarette after another.

“She wouldn’t listen.”

Yan Fenglian wiped away her tears. “That poor child. To think she went through so much.”

“Ah Yan, before the police come tomorrow, make her a bowl of dumplings,” she said.

“Alright.”

…

“Oh my, I took a few looks inside, and the Li family courtyard is covered in blood.”

“Exactly. That old woman was chopped into pieces like a pig.”

“Bah! It’s because they didn’t act like humans. Poor Hong Yan—I wonder what her sentence will be. But honestly, she did the right thing.”

“I agree. If my husband ever treated me badly, I’d learn from Hong Yan.”

“She’ll probably go to prison, but that’s fine. Once she gets out, at least she’ll have avenged herself.”

“I really admire her. She was always so gentle, but she wiped out the entire Li family. I wouldn’t dare.”

The women of the village gathered, chatting animatedly about the events of the previous night, their faces full of amusement. In this impoverished village, such incidents were rare, providing plenty of gossip.

“Enough talk, time to cook.”

Old Mrs. Li tossed her melon seed shells, clapped her hands, and went home, humming a tune.

With everyone dispersed, there was nothing more to say.